Welcome to the final days of 2024!
I might have been a little…quiet… recently, but after how much fun 2022 and 2023 cumulative lists were I couldn’t NOT show up. Please let me know what you liked this year in the comments; I LOVE reading them.
things I liked:
Ordering a chilled red in Paris. Bidets. Not writing. Getting the last subway before rush hour. Broccoli. Turning OFF NYT alerts. SWIG. A freshly painted elevator. Getting a grown up TV stand. Stickers (iPhone). Stickers (real). Everything being romantic. Right? Announcing when I’m about to say something “pick me.” Taking selfies on my couch. Passionfruit Sour Power Straws. Bird-A-Day calendar. Jack Schlossberg. 528hgz. Observing cats, but not touching cats. Creamy Crisp + Apple Celsius. Addison Rae, again. Palm crosses. Having yeeeears long rumors confirmed to be true. My bonbon birthday cake. When agencies leave me on their email for months (or years). Cord management. Andrew, the handyman. Two glasses of wine at lunch. “Italians are everywhere” merch from Eataly. Testing out jokes in the group chat. France. Close Friends stories. Love Island USA. Madison Square Garden. Cutting the cord on streamers.
things Sarah liked:
Taking a writing hiatus. Andrew Stinger’s 7:30am SoulCycle class every Tuesday with Kelley. Having an in-unit washer and dryer (sorry). Exactly one vesper martini. Two vesper martinis on special occasions. Movie theaters and movie theater culture. Sleeping at night. Texting in invisible ink. Saying “I’m off the hard stuff,” when people offer me soft stuff, like a glass of water or some of their Cookie Dough Bites at the movie theater. My job (sorry). When Whitney yells at me for saying “sorry” too much. Tattoo ideation. Being the table captain at group dinners. Flirting on three platforms at once. Jones Road’s What The Foundation. Going for long Sunday runs with Spice and then getting lunch after. My drill, but specifically the new attachments I bought for it this year. Going on “do nothing” vacations with like-minded “do nothing” vacationers. When Kelley and I went to Italy and did nothing but drink Aperol and flirt with the hotel staff. The kale and brussels sprout salad at Evelina Rosticceria. Everything else on the menu at Evelina Rosticceria. Falling asleep with the Netflix fireplace playing on TV. Looking at my friends at dinner (probably at Evelina Rosticceria) and feeling so overwhelmed with love and pride that I cry.
things Courtney liked:
Tiny spoons (forever and always). Really shitty pizza (but like in a good way). Voice messages (even though I can’t speak clear enough for the message to properly transcribe so people ask me not to send them). Not going anywhere and not seeing anyone (sorry friends). Being able to book an appointment at the DMV (and actually get my ID). Fridge Shrimp (now Martini!!). The amount I’ve said “I’m proud of myself” this year (ew earnest pretend you never saw this!!). Hatch alarm (even though I don’t have one, I just know I would like it). The Usher concert (this was before the Diddy stuff came out). Kelley’s use of exclamation points!!!! (It makes me feel like I can use them!!!!). My bob haircut (would murder for Lizzy). Sushi (specifically sugar fish and silver rice. If I die of mercury poisoning, so be it). When people have their read receipts on (could never be me). The “vehicle Motion Cues” on the Iphone to stop you from getting car sick when looking at your phone (I can show you where this is if you need). Parenthesis.
things Grace liked:
Doing a massive 4 day apartment purge and reorg and publishing it on socials for all of the world to see and judge. Cross country road trips that culminate in meeting Truffles the cat. Too-expensive vintage beer can cowboy hats. newmexicostripper.com. John’s Popeye-ass shoulders. iMessage stickers. Ass*ssin*tion dinner in Dimes Square. Smooth brain. Italy with the girls. The card game golf. Winning 2/5 games of golf on the Italy trip. Annie’s classes at The Shala. Big towel upstate. And getting addicted to sauna cold plunges. Easing into reading again. Running into someone who ghosted you at Riis in your hottest bikini and them telling you you were right about everything you suspected and it immediately healing your ego. 2 week shoots in LA that make advertising feel back again. Pilates. Morning rituals around Ritual Moves Pilates with the girls. Devoción iced cappuccinos and sometimes a croissant. Big Baby Sadie. Rockaway Locals Beach Vacation. Pizza bagels. DTS. Getting the invite back to Connecticut after 4 long, hot, dry summers. The black hole that was Pride 2024 at apartment 3H. Aurora Borealis from the edit rooftop in SOHO. Fostering a cat with two names. Finding the cat a forever home with a friend that I can visit whenever I want. Realizing I am too selfish to have a pet or child right now. Life-changing eclipses with all of my friends. Startin’. Honing in on a new enemy because of said “startin’.” Taqueria del Sol in the flesh twice this year. Friends with houses in different places I can visit that feel like home. The Home Depot sponsored Ocean Voyager Gallery at the Atlanta Aquarium with over 6.3M+ gallons of water. Making this list and getting to relive it all.
things Kaileigh liked:
Almost missing deadlines (like this one). Pilates. 2x cold brews a day. Calling sh*t out. Being the drama. Friday nights in. Watching sports for the plot. Using the word “c*nt.” Adidas shoes. Eye masks. Listening to Spotify for 70k hours. Thinking that I have autism. Going to Irish pubs. Telling your friends you love them. Table pancake.
things John liked:
Brooklyn #tunnelgate. iMessage stickers. @linesofwestvillage on instagram. Bucatini and chocolate choux at Place des Fêtes. Caraway Roasting Pan. Manhattan Wegmans. Finally getting on my #skinjourney. David Pakman. Daily Bird flip calendar. My kindle. Seeing Grace’s eyes light up when she sees anything minions related 😍. Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience / Kate Middleton missing time. Experiencing my first earthquake. Experiencing my second solar eclipse in the #pathoftotality. Azaela Trail Maids. Frociaggine. Jack Schlossberg. Beach Plum La Croix. Love is Blind. Bonbon. Daiquiris. Coming to terms with the fact that I never want a BBL. Sicily <3. Sunset Boulevard. Wicked mania. Oh Mary. Sweeney Todd. My Italian tutor Federica*~. Getting the caviar service. Up and Vanished podcast. The Floor™. Stomper elephant upstairs neighbor moving out and winning the war. Max & my friends & family <33333333
things Max B liked:
Fully embracing life as a studio boy. Being more thoughtful with my spending—studio boy life, after all. Entertaining the idea of reading more books (and thinking about thinking about it). Laughing endlessly with John. Getting lost in embroidery videos on YouTube. Realizing my twin’s wedding isn’t about me (a hard truth, but still noteworthy). Loving Luigi, especially Kelley’s Secret Santa gift. Grace calling our friend group “sun-chasers” when talking about us. Feeling a deep, desperate need for a cat in my life. Settling into what feels like my real 30s. Creating gift baskets for sleepover visitors (a little hospitality joy). Rewatching Dexter and enjoying it all over again. Being from the Pacific Northwest. Flipping through my daily bird calendar. Living for Celsius energy drinks. Escaping to the Catskills. Falling down the Baumgartner art restoration rabbit hole on YouTube. A newfound appreciation for flowers—especially mums. Successfully growing dahlias on my windowsill. Loving Traitors Season 2. Admiring Cole Escola’s genius. Finding and perfect fish plate upstate. Being comforted by John’s boulder shoulders. Booking the Presidential Suite at SoHo House in DTLA with John and Grace, all sharing a king bed (#challengers). People-watching at Colonial Bakery down the shore. Trying my hand at plein air painting. Experimenting with (airbrush) tattoos. Drapery. Manifesting a solo lobster cookout in Maine—and actually making it happen!
more things I liked:
Boutique champagne. Careless IG stalking. Learning from my mistakes. Our family back in Italy. Hillstone, before it got cool. Pure joy. Really living for the hope of it all. Greek mythology. Sneaker drops. Going to the pool with Rowen. Card games. 🎶“Hope you feel alright when you’re in her.”🎶 When it’s a little bit too cold to go to the beach. Caviar. Crying. Eclipses. The Kill. *invisible ink* congestion pricing. Juicy gossip. Smooth brain. Plastic Surgery. Yellow dresses. Trying to convince Human Lily to go back for the hat. Negging as flirting. Fried chicken. Having a surprise Delta credit. Spending a lot of money on your birthday party. Coke Zero. Club Chalamet. Paris. Babysitting (Sadie only). “SOUTH OF WHAT!” Only rewatching half a season of a teen drama. Pilates. Thinking about Catholicism. Fancy hotels. The reappearance of Dianna Agron. Getting a clean sweep of “haha” reactions in the group chat. Zack’s polls. The IDEA of making art. Just Salad. Wicked.
things Snooch liked:
Pickles. Being a divorcée. Seeing Taylor in PARIS with Kelley and Snooch. Finally joining the caviar bandwagon. RIDE (thank you Snooch, John and co). Snooch. Snooch’s friends. Toast with cream cheese and lox. Listening to Us and That’s So True on repeat x1000000. The I Am app. Girl Dinner boards. Miss Peaches and Pete on a PJ. Tell Me Lies. The Scram guy. Saying, “Can I just say something?” Lisa Barlow. Cozy matching sets and Hanes socks. Fruity mentos.
things Human Lily liked:
Clay. Tuck. Delta airlines. My Hatch Alarm Clock. Fires in my fireplace specifically standing in front of the fire and warming my buns. Cuban coffee. Bloody Marias. Invisible ink texts (sent with invisible ink). When friends visit ATL. RIDE! Learning Italian. Three Lives Book Club. iPhone stickers. In-person piano lessons. Pickleball. Easy Pilates. Reading. Girls trips to Paris. Pinot noir champagne. Clean sheeeeets. Zicam (unrivaled cold med). TTPD Live for the first time ever. Grace’s birthday (favorite holiday). Japan (especially Kyoto). Bidets. Professional spray tans. Obsessing over the Olympics. Shopping in person at the mall. Red nails. Night swimming. Watching ballerinas break in their point shoes on TikTok. My hybrid kia that let’s me drive in the HOV lane. Hiring handymen. Hearing my friends call Snooch, “Snooch.” Water flossers. Rugsusa.com. All Amor Towles’ books. Keeping a little coin purse in my bag so i can take my jewelry off in the car on the way home. Merit beauty (Grace discovered it first). Coke Zero. Wildflowers from the co-op. Aspen (no skiing). When my friends send me pictures/voice messages of them cracking up. All the women in pop music. New closet systems that change your life. Husbands that can install new closet systems that change your life. Anything Paige Desorbo does/says/wears/etc. Wide calf boots. The smell of Tuck’s paws. Watching my mom get excited about the Braves. Manley’s poems. Manley’s Substack SUBSCRIBE!!! Chobani coffee creamers. Hear me out… fantasy football… The Floor (on fox but really on Hulu). Pearl Street Caviar. The Atlanta Aquarium (who knew!?!). Ouai fine hair products. My oura ring. Fruit mentos. Oh Mary! Nine Orchard. Hosting dinner parties. Window shopping on Zillow.
Top 5 books of 24:
1. A Gentleman in Moscow by amor towles
2. James by Percival Everett
3. All Fours by Miranda July
4. Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Things people are lying about liking: Oysters. Camping. Difficult Yoga. Sunbathing for >2 hours. Skiing.
things Whitney liked:
I don’t ever want to be known as an optimistic person, but during this annus horribilis I still managed to find joy in things (shout out to Lexapro, sorry I tried to quit you).
The Tortured Poet’s Department aka THE ALBUM CORROBORATING THAT MATTY HEALY FUCKS. Spending irresponsibly and calling it ‘depression swiping.’ Being my friends’ boyfriend’s favorite friend (extremely pick me). Delta Platinum. Being Sad Someplace Else™. The Spa at Inness (perfect place to Be Sad Someplace Else™). Feuding with my best friends’ 5 year old. Embracing my curls. Charli and George. The Minnesota State Fair. Asking for what I want. The caesar salad at COQODAQ. IPL lasers. Feeling wholeheartedly loved for who I am (if you didn’t do this to me in 2024, watch your back). Myrtle Wash. When Scott calls Prospect Heights “Little Boston.” Phone on DND. Referring to Find My Friends as my Sims. Making that one tree my whole personality. Having 1.5 martinis w Clare. Eating citrus fruits “for luck.” Ellie the Elephant. When your dogs remember me. Walking to my friends’ apartments. Lake Annecy. Mission Chinese Re-opening (Danny Bowien looked hot???). Concerning the Future of Souls by Joy Williams. Unironically identifying with this tweet despite all evidence suggesting otherwise.
things Dog Lily liked:
Allergy shots. Hanging out in closets (and/or baskets). When there is no one outside. Cheese. Life before the diet.
things Killian liked:
Floss. Organic raw honey. A nice pen. Bread and butter. Real Christmas trees. Matching pajamas. Black nails. Spray tans. Eggs. Britney Spears. Portable heaters. A chilled red. Real butter. Raw cookie dough. Going into an actual store. Colette Jude 💖
things Clare liked:
Waking up early. Raisin Bran Crunch. Monthly facials. Trading Airbnb’s for hotels with crisp white sheets and robes. Rancho Gordo Bean Club. Cleaning out my closet. Fiji Apple Spindrift. Paige DeSorbo and Craig Conover. Raiding the mini bar while on work trips. Beta Blockers. The experiential film installation, “You Are Here” at the Museum of the City of New York. Crying on airplanes. Crying in the shower. Crying during spin class. Sandra Bullock movies. Law and Order on Thursday nights at 8p followed by the local news. Maine. Levothyroxine. CBS Sunday Mornings. Strava Kudos. Going to Broadway shows solo. Bravo before work. Kettle martini - very dirty. Going to bed early.
things Erin liked:
Being unemployed. Having too many pets. Going to the movies alone. Friends having babies. 13 minute miles. Just Kids (the book). Secret Mall Apartment (the documentary). Lily, my dog, in a little turtle neck. Healthy coping skills, thank god for changing. Hot yoga. Waking up super early to take Lily out, reading in my bed for a little then going back to sleep until my alarm goes off. A film camera. Lifting weights. Luigi 🫡 . Black bears. Friends who support my dreams. Cameron winter, geese, not goose. Feeling really grateful for my life most of the time. Hikes where the plants/trees have little informational plaques. Boat rides in Italy with my best friends. Crispy, big green grapes. Swimming in a river, lake, stream, creek. Days when i have nothing to do except do yoga, smoke weed and make art. Deciding to stop putting men on a pedestal simply for being the gender i’m attracted to. Snow!!!!!!!!!! I fucking love snow!!!! Stewart’s ice cream, all flavors. Driving an adorable little rental car in Italy. A classic nyc night, sugar fish + a free ticket to tv on the radio with court. Awe-inspiring nature, a total eclipse shared between friends. Feeling my feelings without fear because i know everything passes. Saunas with cold plunges into frozen lakes. Neil Young. Watching two cats become kinda friends. Picking my own flowers and covering my apartment in them. Taking hot pics of myself and putting them in a folder on my phone called “Erin is hot.” Substack, mine and everyone else’s. Premium economy on planes. Meemee 🥹. Hiking up a mountain and then smoking a joint at the top so i’m high for the walk down. Miranda July’s All Fours. Seeing bald eagles. Living half a block from my ceramics studio. Reddit, like wow i love reddit so much. Getting so high we saw jesus with emily. Local politics! Rescuing stray cats that are named Fridge, Shrimp, Martini. Niki de Saint Phalle’s tarot garden. A simple diner breakfast, done well.
things the subaru I bought this year off reddit likes: Stalling out. Hanging out with my mechanic. Costing me money.
things Ricardo liked:
Róisín Murphy at The Brooklyn Paramount. The eclipse. PJ Harvey. Marc Jacobs’ nails. Leaving something to the imagination. Cole Escola in “Oh, Mary!” Baby Tea Brunch. Dressing up. Dune popcorn bucket. Watching “The L Word” for the first time. Tradition vs Modernity. Challengers (Luca Guadagnino, 2024). Frank getting a noise complaint at the Pines. Dry cleaning. Family Ties by Tina Barney. Doing nothing. Julius’. Caetano Veloso at BAM. Yoga. The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown. Normal gay guys. Bed-Stuy koi pond (first iteration). Watching Slowdive perform “Catch The Breeze” live. Physical therapy. DJ Physical Therapy. Dina Martina in Provincetown. Marisa Paredes in Tacones lejanos (Pedro Almodóvar, 1991). Lana Del Rey at Fenway Park. Oolong tea. Taking Frank to a Mexican wedding.
things Chelsea liked:
Diet Pepsi by Addison Rae. Caviar and ornate mother of pearl spoons. The Ezra Klein Show. Cord management + storage solutions. Magnesium supplements and lotion. Snoopy core. Putting whipped cream in your coffee. Yotam Ottolenghi. Painting and other forms of artistic expression. Matzo ball soup from a diner. “Always go to the funeral.” Having the one friend who can order for the table. Reformer Pilates. Having the correct sized rug for the room. Getting a financial advisor. Literally anything being a toy for a toddler. Asking myself daily “what if navy is my color?” Or “do I need a uniform?” Giving up Botox (check back next year). Refusing to call Twitter “X.” Just being a tiny bit of a “conspiracy theorist.” The solo diner champagne at Balthazar (ty Keith). Cracked pepper. Buying the nice wrapping paper. The Red Hook & Peter Luger burger. Having a community of friends that have become family.
things Nick liked:
ICE: When you go to the grocery store and you ask for ice. It’s one of three things you have to pay for before you can grab it. Also, someone is in the ice business. Incredible racket. Just pure profit once you figure out the logistics.
SPEAKING OF NICHE BUSINESSES: “I am a key maker and shoe repairman. Like my father was before me and like his father was before him. Our margins are razor thin.” This guy is getting enough credit for this unicorn business model.
DAY IN THE LIFE OF A 9-5 IN THE MIDWEST: These are recut on Twitter set to some droning sad music intended to make you feel bleak about this person’s life but it honestly seems so peaceful to me. They work out, pack a lunch, leave work at 5, and watch their shows at night.
ELMER’S GLUE: I don’t know if I like the glue per se, but I really like the business. Somehow all of our institutions fall but this one remains in business for doing nothing remotely well? There’s nothing this glue can do that a glue stick or a piece of mailing tape can’t. So for that I respect.
THE SNAIL: "You and a super intelligent snail both get 1 million dollars, and you both become immortal, however you die if the snail touches you. It always knows where you are and slowly crawls toward you. What's your plan?"
This is from 2014 but I really like when someone without context brings “the snail” up in a thread about something. So far I have yet to see a good solution to defeat the snail. It’s been a decade.
YOUTUBE COMMENTS: An incredibly deep and insightful well of nostalgia and anecdotes, especially on an old music video or a video game play through.
YOUTUBE COVERS: One of the last pure corners on the internet. These people don’t do it for anything but the love of ball. It’s earnest and nerdy. Someone just added a beautiful cover of Georgia by Phoebe Bridgers the other month and it has like 200 views. The person who posted it will never understand the impact it has had on the 200 of us.
SPLITTING A G WITH THE BOYS AFTER 18 HOLES AT BANDON DUNES. ITS 5 PM, DINNER ISN’T TILL 8:30. YOU’VE GOT TIME FOR MAYBE ANOTHER AS YOU RECOUNT THE DAY. IT’S ALSO THE FIRST NIGHT OF YOUR TRIP AND YOU’VE GOT ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE A LONG SHOWER AND SIT ON THE BED BEFORE MEETING BACK UP. EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN ROOM. I SHOT AN 87. SOMEONE SUGGESTS A SHOT OF WHISKEY TO WARM UP.
I’m a simple man.
things Kasey liked:
Girl time. Brat summer. Butter on The Dogist. Maison Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning fragrance. Marty and Missy TikTok. Cookbook clubs. Couch naps. Functional mushrooms. Press on nails. Getting laid off. Korean body scrubs. Lip gloss. Always saying ‘Fawk Aaron!’ at every minor inconvenience. Collecting spoons. Karaoke. Duolingo. Truly discovering (and being obsessed with) Reddit. Sending drunk GURWM videos to friends. Satisfying my sweet tooth. My Omnilux red light LED mask. All race/hand/feet/hair masks. K-dramas. My Substack, Fish Sauce In My Bag. Moo Deng.
Catherine’s list of:
Ins:
Guinness ( obviously ). Learning that drip coffee has more caffeine than an espresso. Costco. Ice. MSG ( both ). Cherries. Phthalo green. Only buying clothing off the GAP app. Chips in a bucket. Reupholstery. Adult ski lessons. Oasis in New Jersey. Luxury beans.
Outs:
Spotify. US open hat. Trader Joe’s. Natural wine. Having a job. Martinis??? 🫣. Venmo. Tiktok. Bucket hats. Tulip lampshade. All greens that are not phthalo. Water bottles. Pink eye. Oasis in Ireland ( does anyone want tickets? ).
things Max M liked:
Guncle-ing for attention. Becoming less of a Resident Advisor guy. Becoming more of a Partiful guy. Holding space. Fine literature like Dungeon Crawler Carl. Fine audio programs like Talk Tuah. Accepting the fact that I’ll never own a printer. Abusing Uber same-day package delivery. Discovering my taste in coffee is Folger’s Simply Smooth, Gentle On Your Stomach. Street furniture. FaceTiming my mom instead of Googling things. DIY projects. Never correctly assessing the White Elephant party vibe. Hair stylists who take house calls. Cash. Brainrot. Lentils.
things Tommy liked:
Lollygagging. Espionage. Airports that don’t have trains between terminals. Dr. Pepper heavy. Conspiracy theories — drones, facial recognition, Luigi’s backpack full of Monopoly money. Chess. Eric Adams coming back from Turkey bald. Not watching baseball. Congestion pricing.
things Barney liked:
Gin Gimlets. Australia joining global entry, pour over at home. Poppi. Elemis Cleansing Balm. loose dishwasher and laundry powder. Giselle being back in my life. United Airlines social media. The Detroit Lions. Bethenny’s TikTok. Marristella being fired. New Orleans. Restaurant merch. Gilmore Girls [I’m a virgin]. Tailgating. Gay cocktail lounges. Kid appropriate jokes. Slow Horses. Being gay. Heavy cotton t-shirts. Hypochlorous acid. Holding space. Homemade chicken salad. Retinol hand cream.
things Frank liked:
Ricardo 👑 Timothee Chalamet’s ass in dune 2 🍑 Twisted Dee 💿 FaceTiming Sheena Shay in fire island 🏝️ The Challenger boys👂 Lana del Rey at Fenway park 🎀 Sabrina carpenters bangs ✂️Diet Pepsi by Addison Rae 💦 Carly leaving the music industry for love 💕 Watching people eat smoked mackerel on TikTok 🐟 No online purchases for 2024 ❌ Dorit picking up smoking 🚬 Pastrami soup IYKYK 🍲 Brown clothing 🟫Ricardo’s scent 👁️👄👁️ Jacob Elordi’s beard 🧔♂️ Kelly Cutrone dating Anna delvey 🚨 dogwalker prerolls 🐶 Frankie grandes wicked premier outfit 💚💖 Halloweentown 1,2,3 AND 4 even though they replaced Marnie(Kimberly j brown deserved better) 🧙 Deep house, tech house, minimal house ⚡️ CDMX trip with my man 🇲🇽 Sharpay Evans 👛 Diet Coke 🥤 Ice cubes 🧊 My therapist (even though I told him I was going to fire him this year)🧟♂️ the death of brat summer ⚰️ Kelley organizing the list and of course,all of my beautiful friends 😍
things Stevie liked:
Ben and Peter Herbstreit. Snoop Dogg at the Olympics. Fragrance-free Aveeno eczema therapy lotion. Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, specifically when Whitney put the entire used pregnancy test inside of the cake her family was going to eat and didn’t see what was wrong with that. That brief moment when I had hope when Joe Biden announced he was stepping down from the race and the coconut memes had taken hold before reality set in that this was probably not going to work. Having dumplings in Chinatown inches away from a Gen Z girly explaining to her friend how she was going to take medical leave from her job and get her rich parents to subsidize her new career as a bartender because “working just isn’t for her and she needs to connect more authentically to the people.” The symptomatic Tourette’s episode of English Teacher. That part in JLO’s documentary where she makes the character of herself playing herself younger and Ben calls her out on it. Oh Mary and Cole Escola. Leopard print coming back. Cher. That girls have taken over football and we have American WAGS now. Emma Stone stabbing the cadaver in Poor Things yelling, “Squish. Squish.Squish.” Lindsay Lohan and Christina Aguilera’s plastic surgeons. Negronis at the bar at Long Island Bar.
things Chelly liked:
Highland Cows (look them up- they are so cute!). Hainan Chicken House. Sunsets in Sunset Park. Coloring Books. Total Eclipse in ADK. BonBon Candy. So much time with my nieces. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. Morocco. Kelley sharing the Marrakech Black Book from Yolanda Edwards. Moroccan Rugs. Mr. Mango. View of Brooklyn Bridge from the N train. Witch & 28ish Days Later (BBC podcasts). Greenwood Cemetery & the Monk Parakeets that live free in BK. Creating Real Life Magic. Surfing. Coney Island. Chai Lattes. Lollipops. Pasta Bowls. Levon Helm Studios. Gillian Welch (Look at Miss Ohio and Elvis Presley Blues especially). The Lake District + London. Watching the NYC Marathon from Grace's Apt. Working from home in my robe. Rain after the drought. Pretzels. Burritos. Soup. Aurora Borealis in NY. Going Back to school. Crying uncontrollably at the movie theater watching Wicked. Medium-Comedy Shows (Comediumship). Deadlines.
things Aaron liked:
My precious rotting hours. My new brown sweatpants that I got at Costco for $17, but are actually kind of quality and I don’t need your judgement about it ok? Not getting fired this year. Reading books. Who knew? Having a really dumb viral tweet- specifically, and only, the part where someone I didn’t know used the tweet to try to flirt with someone I did know. (YOU DON’T HAVE TO INCLUDE THIS KELLEY*). Buying a $40 gold suit off Amazon, wearing it to my holiday party to great effect, and then sending it back for a full refund. Dune 2 was a lot of fun. IDK I’m an old boring hermit with milquetoast hobbies what do you want from me?
*HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
even more things I liked:
Countertop dishwasher. Becks and Posh. When other people write martini reviews. Honestly…making keyframes. Being an August Virgo. Observing men be good friends to each other. Knowing that it all means something, but not sure what. Bald Ann Dowd. Sidewalk paintings. Good gifts. Not wearing makeup. Sabrina Carpenter. When Sarah understands what I mean when I say, “they’re so…” Un-color-coordinating my bookshelf. TheraBreath Healthy Gums. Not getting hangxiety. Klondike (the game). Upgrading with miles. Double cleansing. Saunas. Silence. Sports in person. Novelty koozies. Optimism. Gratitude. Fanfic. Reading comprehension. The Fanning sisters. Getting on a high horse (metaphorically). The Floor. Shaboozey. Delta One. Talking shit. Fini’s Pizza. Moo Deng. Musicals??? Spicy salmon. Honey shade of blue. Candy salad. Vacations where you do NOTHING.
Thank you for an amazing year
Oh! But wait! One(ish) more thing…
just a couple of things I hated:
Human Lily eating pickles. Earthquakes in New York. New IG fonts. Saying “coolio” when I really want to tell someone to fuck off. Hope. AI. The art of achieving status. Delta lounge. Elon Musk. CAPTCHAS. Mayor Eric, still. Thinking before tweeting. Gen Z. When politicians and public figures are ugly. MAHA. People who aren’t obsessed with anything. $40 cancellation fees at pilates. People who say that Colorado is in the Midwest. The lack of directions on Toto toilets. TikTok Tarot Card Girlies. Nostalgia. Knowing anything personal about football players. Frontal lobe discussion. Going viral on twitter. Business insurance and writing a CV. Eye twitches. Getting the wrong shade of red on your nails. When you’re watching sports and they don’t catch the ball. When a prank goes wrong. That one substack article about Sabrina Carpenter being short… Not winning the Powerball. Year of the Man. Eggs. Iron supplements. Wondering if I’m becoming illiterate. People who don’t reread what they write. Spotify. Throwing up. Reservation culture.
Thank you to everyone who has been asking when TIL is coming back. I’ve missed talking about pop culture with you. So expect to hear more from me very very soon.
Happy 2025 <3 May all of your wildest dreams come true.
thats mr popeye to you
so much to go but the way i’m cackling at john’s boulder shoulders call out