Here’s a recap of my December 2023. Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me. It’s also a monthly update/recap of what’s going on in my world.
It’s The End of the Year
This was not how I thought I would be ending the year – sick. But the positives are lots of rest and sleep and permission to do nothing. It’s great and terrible!
This month felt a little like simply existing instead of consciously moving. Do you ever feel that? I got in the motions of gift shopping, cleaning, and prepping (we host Christmas!), and I’m not sure what to think about the end of the year except ALREADY?!! I’m trying to not feel like I’m on a hamster wheel but all I can think about is, I have to do this (a year) all over again? Maybe it’s seasonal sads and I really need to go into nature for a reset.
All this to say, it’s not all excitement about a bright, shiny new year BUT thank you, thank you, thank you to the powers that be for all the lessons and blessings of 2023. Perhaps I will have more to say when my brain isn’t a sick cloud.
Being a Blogger
What does being a blogger mean? I’ve been around here for a long time and have watched the evolution of the blogosphere. I mourn the creative space/community that it was. Megan Gilger is a blogger I’ve followed for a while and I enjoyed her reflection on this, especially this quote: “When you stop being in influencer/instagram/blogger-culture, you find the beauty within the realities of being a human.”
The social media space has always moved too fast and is a little too flashy and self-promoting for me. I understand the need for it to be successful (seemingly), but it doesn’t seem worth my sanity. I’m looking forward to seeing how blogging and influencing continue to evolve.
Feelings Wheel
Have you ever looked at a feelings wheel? Check it out here. Instead of describing your emotion as sad, bad, happy, or angry, you could dig deeper and describe it as valued, overwhelmed, annoyed, or fragile. Recognizing your feelings is great for self-awareness and communication!
50 Books
Wahoo! I read some good books last year! Did you see this post where I share my 12 favorites?
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the US
Where can you find the best chocolate chip cookies in the U.S.? This Yelp list gives you 100 options. In Austin, you’ll need to look for Teddy V (at farmers markets), Tiny’s Milk and Cookies, and Pieous.
The Year of Taylor Swift
It’s undeniable that Taylor Swift had a banner year. The Time Person of the Year article shares it in detail. I’m thankful that her music reaches people, including me, in times of joy and sadness.
Tinned Fish
I’ve been thinking about having a tinned fish party for a while and we finally did it for Christmas. I don’t like canned tuna, but I trusted that this tinned fish would be different. And it was delicious! We had a bunch of different accompaniments and had an incredible spread. See it all in this post.
5 Things I Love Lately
- My space heater
- Cozy sweaters
- This post about the best things I ate and drank in 2023
- The song “Healing” by FLETCHER
- The mural in the photo at the top. It’s a new one in Austin!
You might also like
