Things I'm Loving

A December List

Oprah has her list of favorite things. I’ve got a list of things I’m currently loving.

Same same.

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1. The barren trees - this might be weird but I’m okay with that. The simplicity of a sparse tree gets me. Especially right now. Meager vegetation is attractive and alluring somehow. Nature is doing the thing that it does. It’s a stripping down - a reminder that we would all do well to pare back and pare down, to lean into the minimal. Right now is a great time to get back to basics, whatever that means. This barrenness allows for deeper contemplation. I just love it.

2. The almost Christmas - those who know me well know I love me some Christmas, perhaps to a pathological point. However this year I’ve been relishing in the almost Christmas. The weeks leading up to the big event are perhaps more satisfying than the event itself. In my book the only thing better than Christmas is the almost Christmas. The anticipation, the wait, the savor. It’s electrifying. To be sure, the holiday no longer means a barrage of gifts. Instead the joy of the holiday is in being with family, eating soul-nourishing food, and listening to a lot of carols. I still get a little tingle thinking about the big day on the horizon.

3. Adele’s new album - if you haven’t listened to 30 yet, I need you to get your life together. Everyone has that one artist that speaks directing to their beinghood. Adele is that person for me, always has been. 30 is a true work of mastery that infuses stellar musicianship and talent with storytelling. She is transcendent.

4. Wintertime food - 90% of the food I’ve eaten the last 5-ish weeks has been bread-based and I’m okay with that. So many cakes and scones and pastas and brioches and focaccias and cookies and candies. I don’t have time for guilt when all these carbs are calling my name. I’ll eat more vegetables in the new year.

5. Squid Game - yes, I'm late to the party. I know. In my defense though, I was resistant to it because a) I don’t care for gore and b) I can’t stand foreign shows dubbed in English. Once my friend Franklin showed me how to watch in Korean with subtitles, I decided to give it a go. Holy moly it’s good tv! It’s definitely not for everyone. There is definitely a gory element but I would say it’s stylized gore - pushed into such extremes that it’s not nearly as offensive. Mostly though, Squid Game is just fantastic television. It’s inspiring to see how the show creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, told such an odd and poignant narrative. It’s an allegory for our current world. Not for the faint of heart but definitely worth it.

6. Trader Joe’s Wintry Wake Up Tea - per this recent post, I’m doing more tea than coffee these days. This Trader Joe’s tea has been the perfect little boost of caffeine in the mornings. It’s a black tea with cinnamon, orange peel, ginger, and glove. It’s basically Christmas in a mug. I look forward to it from the moment I open my eyes.

7. New Year’s Dreaming - I’ve always used the New Year as a moment to reflect. While I don’t think it’s wise to make resolutions (at least for myself), it is a good time to sit and take stock of the year behind and the year ahead. It’s a bit of a clean slate, if only in my own mind. Currently I’m dreaming and planning and scheming about what next year might bring. Sure there will be hardships but I look to strive for the could-be. I’m loving the simple act of staring down a 12-month journey of possibility. It feels big.

That’s it for now. I hope this season has granted you some moments of sweet solace and reflection, good food and meaningful connection. And may the coming weeks offer up all that you need - physically, mentally, and spiritually.