2024 in Favorites

Are we out of the woods yet, are we out of the woods yet, are we out of the woods?

2024 was *ahem* ... a year, but it did provide a lot of little joys in the form of books, films, music, and my own fun obsessions and discoveries. 

Without further ado, here are some of the small delights that caught my fancy this year (whether they were released in 2024 or not):

Favorite graphic novels: For me, 2024 was the year of the graphic novel. This was the first year in recent memory that I really started to get into these types of books. I have no idea what I was waiting for, as I have always loved comics and cartoonish art. My favorite graphic novel reads this year were two series I had never picked up before: the “Heartstopper” books at the start of the year, and the “Lore Olympus” series at the end of it. Both are about ✨luv.✨

More favorite reads: My favorite full-length fiction read this year was “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas (the second book in Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series). That was a big surprise because I wasn’t a massive fan of the first book. Well, lo and behold, book two was a massive game changer. It held my attention and would not let go. Honorable mentions this year go to “Come & Get It” by Kiley Reid; “Woman, Eating” by Claire Kohda; and “My Body” by Emily Ratajkowski. I also bought several horror/thriller-type books, which is a genre I don’t often explore but am excited to get into. You can see all of the books I read this year here. Find my upcoming 2025 TBR list here.

Favorite records: If my Spotify Wrapped is to be believed, Twenty One Pilots was my favorite artist this year. I spent a good portion of 2024 listening to my favorite artists’ new releases, obsessively playing my favorite tracks again and again. I will give myself kudos for branching out and adding new-to-me artists Chappell Roan and Tory Lanez to my listening roster this year. I did, however, find myself in the habit of listening to the same tunes over and over and over. In 2025, I want to branch out and listen more to full albums and push more outside of my comfort zone to find new artists and sounds I might like.

Favorite songs: Most of my fave songs this year were on my favorite records:

“Hurts Me” and “The Color Violet” by Tory Lanez“Rich Girl” by Hall & Oates“Alesis” and “Candy” by Mk.gee“That’s Life” by Declan McKenna“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” by Ariana Grande“Snap Back” and “Oldies Station” by Twenty One Pilots“Femininomenon” by Chappell Roan“Black Friday” by Tom Odell“Fortnight” by Taylor Swift+ a lot of old NSYNC songs lol

Favorite movies: There’s nothing I love more than seeing a good movie in theatres. I can’t remember all the ones I saw this year, but I ADORED “Wicked” and would recommend the Netflix movie “It’s What’s Inside” for a trippy thriller that has an indie/small budget-type feel. The Bob Dylan film “A Complete Unknown” with Timothee Chalamet as the lead was also amazing.

Favorite shows: Somehow, I didn’t discover the magic of “The Umbrella Academy” until this year. That show got me through some tough times. I’m obsessed with all of the characters and with Gerard Way, of course. “Black Doves” was a fun new one. I also watched several Netflix documentaries, which is a new genre for me. “Pop Star Academy” and the DCC doc were both really gripping.

Other favorites: Girrlscout clothes; the color green.

What were your favorites this year? I’d love some recommendations!

Till next year,

Way Down Yonder on the Chattahoochee

This past weekend was one of the best I've had all year.

My mom, my sister, two of my cousins and I rented out an Airbnb for the weekend to get away from it all.

The house was all windows with a huge kitchen, high cielings, and an expansive patio out back leading to a dock right on the water. It wasn't unlike the Cullens' house in the "Twilight" series, the first film of which we indulged in on Saturday night while eating enormous slices of local-made pizza, delicious mozerella sticks, and garlic-laden French fries. 

Other trip highlights: Country music jams in the car; spontaneous ice cream (I got a blueberry cheesecake flavor with cheesecake bits!!); late night talks about some of our most embarassing moments; banding together to kill a large bug that had snuck into the house; and making friends with a small yellow cat that found its way onto the front porch.

One of my goals as 2024 winds down and 2025 (how?!) begins is to spend some time reviving this blog.

I miss it. I miss how creative and joyful I feel when I pay attention to it. I haven't had a lot of great things to write about lately, but this trip was a bright spot, and I wanted to share it. I hope to get back into the swing of blogging more often, even if it's just for me. I even unearthed my Canon Rebel a few days ago. More to come - soon, hopefully!

Do you have any fun plans for the rest of the year, especially as the holidays approach?

Let's go girls,

Things That Matter

My toxic trait is trying to read several books at once (see also: thinking I am entitled to buying at least one or two new plants each weekend).

Right now I'm reading "The Secret History"; "Goth: A History"; Brian Wilson's memoir; and now Joshua Becker's "Things That Matter." It's this last book that's been my main focus as of late.

As highlighted in my November 2023 post, "MORE!," I feel like lately my life has been consumed with wanting more, more, more. "Things That Matter" has offered me a way to reset. The book walks through different types of distractions that keep us from our life's work and passions. It's so timely for me, and even though I'm less than a fourth of the way through the book, I already have a couple of key takeaways that I wanted to share with you.

Joshua Becker's former mentor, Robert Thune Sr.,

often set an intention for each day right when he woke up.

He said, "Every morning, before I start my day, I set my intention with a simple sentence: 'Today, I commit myself to _________.'"

I loved the heck out of that. As someone who works from home, sometimes it can feel like every day is much the same: Wake up, get ready, work, rinse, repeat. Setting an intention is a good way to narrow in on a tiny task or goal for the day and work with all my heart to complete it. Some examples Joshua shared were: "Today, I commit myself to being a faithful spouse" and "Today, I commit myself to selflessness." Or, "Today, I commit myself to healthy eating." "Today, I commit myself to my work goal."💜

Joshua also mentioned the manifesto of Melanie Kirk, which really resonated with me:

"A vow to live every day as if it's my one and only chance to make a mark, because IT IS. To live my life on purpose. To stop wasting time on things that don't matter. To step out of my comfort zone. To live with passion and courage of my convictions. To let go of the 'what if's.' To never, ever give up even when things get tough. Because at the end of the day life is far too precious a gift to squander."

What a great encouragement! I'm excited to keep reading this book and see what other little gems I can scribble in my journal or jot down on an index card and place around my house for instant encouragement. To me, this book has been a great reminder so far of making every moment matter, not in a stressful way, but with ultimate intention. Joshua Becker is also a minimalist, and while that's not my journey, I've also been inspired to clear out the clutter (read: piles of clothes I don't wear) and free up more space in my mind and life for, again, the "things that matter."

Happy Sunday! What have you been reading lately?

Feeling inspired,