This neglected blog has reached me several times over in 2018 begging for a line or two, mainly for my own therapy. I have had a year seeped in a cycle of consumption and contemplation, more than creation. Like all things outside of my control, it was necessary (though I’ll probably know more in the future). Here are some things I’ve learned in 2018.
Image: West Virginia, 2018
A-Z of Things I’ve Learned In 2018
- A: Adam Grant lays out an important case for appreciation.
- B: Although I grew up very differently, Samin Nosrat‘s beauty discussion is amazingly relatable.
- C: What else can one say about creativity?
- D: Any bout of daily exercise is a good contribution towards health. Thyroid issues apart, initial results are promising (mentally at least). Of course I wish I could do these small minutes each day.
- E: Is Eleanor Oliphant completely fine? Are we fine?
- F: I deleted my Facebook account. It’s not a political stance, just a feeling that I needed some space. I use it for work, and may keep a work account.
- G: Goats can aid writing.
- H: A horse and a money walked into a bar.
- I: Why do I wake up?
- J: Joy can appear in neatly stacked trash bags.
- K: Kindness matters. People hate dealing with jerks.
- L: Love is unchanged by technology.
- M: If marriage and motherhood are the two big milestones in life, then the Rules Do not Apply.
- N: New languages change the way our brain operates.
- O: Argan oil is my bedside companion.
- P: It’s impossible to drive without Podcasts (#1, #2, #3)
- Q: Quid Pro Quo
- R: The specifics of a road-trip.
- S: Ethical and sustainable shopping fever.
- T: Should America be run by Trader Joe’s?
- U: Being uprooted can be magical and dark.
- V: Vehicles are liberating. And yet, like people. It takes time to develop comfort and faith.
- W: Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression in the way they handle anger.
- X: X-Chromosomes call the shots.
- Y: Youth is intended to end.
- Z: Guided meditation is zen.
It does help to reflect on what has been, before I can think through what is to come in 2019. Goals, aspirations and dreams all seem surreal on the last day of the year. I do overtly romanticize it. Don’t you?
