Here’s to 2025
some ~general~ goals
💻 what I'm up to 💻
It’s not too late to say happy new year, right? It’s my newsletter and I’m gonna do whatever I want. So! Happy New Year! I’m heading into this year with all the feelings: excitement (my first fiction book is coming out!), nervousness, optimism, worry. I’m trying to give space to all of it. I didn’t set specific resolutions, but I gave some time to general goals over the holiday break and in 2025 I want more of: listening to my intuition, being more witchy, connecting, and learning. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Let’s talk about that holiday break since I’m just coming out of it! My last day at Nerdist was on December 19, so I took the last two weeks to rest. I’m so grateful I could do so. It was a necessary reset from work and the job search and all of it, and now I’m ready to get back to the job hunt this week. During my break, I:
Spent time with my husband and our four cats
Stopped being “strong” about my previously mild cat allergy that turned into a more severe allergy and started OTC daily allergy meds. I don’t blow my nose for two hours every morning now. What a gift!
Started therapy for the first time
Got a prescription for anxiety meds
Read and played video games (okay, a video game) and board games
Put together a puzzle
Did a digital detox for the 30th, 31st, and 1st and focused on meditation, magic, and rituals instead of my phone. I copied this idea from a friend and it has had such a positive impact on my relationship to my phone. I’m checking emails, Instagram, and LinkedIn less and striving to use my phone primarily for communications through text, WhatsApp, and voice (I guess). I mean, social media is communication too; I just don’t control myself well when I open those apps. I’m attempting to limit social media time to when I’m on my computer.
Then, to wrap up break, my husband and I started a house project we’ve been talking about for a while: a Haunted Mansion wall. We have a lot of Haunted Mansion collectibles because we love the ride. We even got a Victorian-esque cabinet to hold some of them. BUT we wanted a themed wall with the ride’s iconic wallpaper… which isn’t available for sale. So, we started painting. More on Instagram when it’s done (hopefully tomorrow because I’m seeing this pattern in my sleep).
📘 my book things 📘
Have I mentioned Thrill Ride is available for preorder wherever you buy books? I’ll have details on signed preorders and some lil preorder gifts soon! I got my ARCs of this beauty and it’s WILD to hold the almost final book in my hands!! I even took one to EPCOT last month.
Now to get to work on the sequel, which is due, uh… kinda soon? It will be fine. It always is.
📺 what I'm watching 📺
Silo
At this point in Apple TV+’s existence, I’m not surprised to discover amazing shows that have received little to no marketing. It’s a tale as old as this particular streamer. Silo is a smart, suspenseful sci-fi series with layers of mystery, good performances, and truly excellent set design and worldbuilding. Highly recommend if you want something with Fallout vibes but not something as cartoonishly violent.
Skeleton Crew
Star Wars hasn’t been this fun in a hot minute, and I’m loving it. I know the show plays on a lot of tropes and plot points from ‘80s movies, but they feel so fresh in the context of the Star Wars universe. I can’t get enough. Here’s hoping the last two episodes deliver.
📚 what I'm reading 📚
Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber
Preeti is so funny it’s honestly rude. This YA romance follows Payal as she tries to teach a lesson to the all-around athletic golden dude she has a crush on, while she doesn’t see the dude right in front of her face. It’s a classic high school love story with so many twists and lessons. I adored it.
Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
A story about a ghostwriter and a star of a series that sounded like it would have thrived on The CW travel together while she writes his memoir and teaches him to be better at sex. It’s spicy yes, but also earnest and adorable.
🍃 creativity corner 🍃
Here I’ll share tips and tricks that are helping me write, imagine, and/or stay productive.
I started reading Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller the other day. It’s a marketing book for brands and businesses, but as you might guess by the name, it includes a fair amount about storytelling. So, let this be a reminder to look outside the usual places for writing inspiration/instruction.
📃 quote of the month 📃
“Please watch out for each other. Love and forgive everybody. It's a good life, enjoy it." - Jim Henson
Visiting the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta was such a delightful way to spend an afternoon, and though I knew about this quote from Henson - it was from a posthumous letter to his kids - seeing it on the wall made it stick with me. I think of it at least once a day.
Tell me: how were your holidays? What intentions or goals or vibes do you have for 2025?
Happy New Year to you as well!
It sounds like you had a well-deserved breather in Dec. and are kicking off 2025 in syle; the Haunted Mansion wall looks Awesome!
The holidays were crazy as usual, but fun, and excited for what the new year will bring. Congrats again on “Thrill Ride”… and I hope you have fun writing the sequel ;)
Sorry for the delay in reading this - an even more belated Happy New Year to you! My holidays were equally restful with so much good food and Lego. I already need to bring that energy back to me. Rest is my general resolution. I feel like I've been 'on' since May and need to actually gwt back to some relaxing habits, whilst keeping the good creative energy and momentum. Quite a balance.