2023 Recap

Another year survived. And what a strange year it has been.

Not to be a downer, but in the interest of candor: it is hard to look back on this past year with positivity considering the amount of turmoil. It is hard to look ahead with hope when I consider the political and social tumult of our country, the continuing spread of COVID and other diseases, prevailing racism, misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia; and the multiple genocides and ethnic cleansing being carried out all over the world. It is hard not to feel like the world is falling apart, and myself with it. 

But I can acknowledge that several good things happened this year too. Like last year, many of the people I love and care for left jobs that were causing them pain or started new jobs/businesses, earned degrees or returned to school, clocked another year of fighting addictions and eating disorders, left toxic or abusive situations, got diagnoses for illnesses that had mystified doctors treating them for some time, had babies or announced pregnancies, bought houses/moved out for the first time/moved in with their partners, met someone special or even got engaged or married, etc. I love seeing the people I love thrive, and I love celebrating for and with them. 

My writing goals this past year were to keep writing, experiment more while writing, and finish the next phase of the ongoing project(s). Unfortunately, I didn't work on those projects nearly as much as I planned. I did start writing poetry again (not very good to be honest), so I guess there's that. I have been struggling with my confidence in regards to my writing, but I think I need to set that aside and focus on enjoying the process again.

My reading goal was to read 24 books, poetry collections, or plays, and I did exceed that--I read 33 books, 2 poetry collections, and one play. My sister/roommate Alex and I love visiting the library, and our reading lists reflect that. 

My acting goals for the year were to audition 2-4 times and to perform at least once. I did meet my audition goal (3 auditions) and I had the privilege of performing twice! I participated in two readings for the Waterworks festival and had the honor of playing Mary in Miss Bennet's Christmas at Pemberley. Playing Mary was my first time playing a lead in my hometown as an adult, and I was extremely grateful that so many former classmates and childhood friends came to see the show. The cast and crew for Miss Bennet included some old friends and some new ones; and I couldn't have asked for a more fun and supportive group of people. It was a joy and a highlight of my year, and I really hope I get to work with them again someday soon. 

Additionally, I’ve managed to post on this blog at least once a month for the fifth year in a row. As I've said before, I don’t get paid to blog nor do I allow ads, so I don't get any income from this...but I think that's why I've been able to stick with it for so long. It’s strictly a creative outlet, where I can feel free to express opinions, share my thoughts about media, or recap memorable events in my life. I can discuss whatever I feel called to and I don't have to worry about what topics will be the most lucrative or popular or whatever. (I really appreciate anyone who finds it interesting to read my rambles, so thank you if you read here!)

Well, you probably know how this goes. Lists of 2023: 

TV: 

More in depth drama reviews can be found here and here

-Iron Chef: Final Table -Cardcaptor Sakura - finished season 2 -Bake Squad - season 2 -Lucifer - finished seasons 5 & 6 and...what was that??? Not a fan, haha. -Hello the Sharpshooter (Chinese drama) -Lockwood & Co. - loved this show, very sad it's not getting picked up for season 2 :( -The Law According to Lidia Poet (Italian) -Iron Chef: Mexico -I Will Be Your Bloom (Japanese drama) - one of the best dramas of the year!!! I'm a 8loomy, Takumi is my bias, and I listen to the soundtrack all the time!!! -Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil -Kodocha (anime) - thru episode 51 -MIU 404 (Japanese drama) - also a really fantastic drama, enjoyed it immensely -Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (Korean drama) -I Am a Stalker -Miraculous Ladybug - season 5, and how does this show get better every season??? So good! -Gameboys season 2 (Filipino) - probably the best romance scene I've ever seen -Live Up to Your Name (Korean drama) - surprised people don't talk about this one more, it balances different genres well and the time travel served the story and actually made sense -No Doubt in Us (Chinese donghua) - seasons 1&2, SO MUCH FUN -Kimi ni Todoke (anime) - seasons 1&2, very excited for season 3 (who would've thought after 12 years they'd give us another one???) -Queer Eye - season 7 -Missing: Dead or Alive (doc) - meh -Wake Up Ladies! (Thai drama) - season 1 -Café Minamdang (Korean drama) - would have been way better without the romance plots -Virgin River - season 4 -Surviving R. Kelly - seasons 1-3, an arresting and informative series -When Missing Turns to Murder - season 2 -XO Kitty - Team Minho -The Prince Who Turns Into a Frog (Taiwanese drama) -Is It Cake Too? -Final Table -Cold Case - season 2 -Ex Addicts Club (Indonesian drama) - fun and lighthearted -Doctor Cha (Korean drama) - ending was a huge disappointment, but 10/10 for dramatics -Heartstopper - season 2; heartwarming and lovely; I LOVE TAO XU -Nailed It (competition version) -The Makanai (Japanese drama) - warm and wholesome, the Night of the Living Maiko episode was absolutely amazing -I Hear You (Chinese drama) - WHAT WAS THAT LOL -Zombieverse - our new comfort show is the first 4 episodes of this; basically a LARP where Korean celebrities play themselves in a zombie apocalypse situation -Marriage or Mortgage? -Mad for Each Other (Korean drama) -Amazing Interiors -My Bubble Tea (Thai drama) - surprisingly delightful -Little Witch Academia (anime) - seasons 1&2; LOVED this and perfect for Halloween time -Ghost Host, Ghost House (Thai drama) - main leads' chemistry was immaculate -Mystic Pop-Up Bar (Korean drama) - probably my favorite drama of the year!!! -Tears on Fire (Taiwanese drama) - made me cry -Saitama Host Club (Japanese drama) - short and sweet -Escaping Twin Flames Universe -Hilda - season 3 -When the Weather Is Fine (Korean drama) - Im Eun Seop is my dream guy -Yu Yu Hakusho (Japanese live action) - as someone who has never seen the anime or read the manga, this was SO ENTERTAINING and Kuwabara is my king MOVIES: -The Lost Cafe (Nollywood) -Cardcaptor Sakura 2: The Sealed Card - WAY better than the first movie!!! -Wedding Season - the classic romcom we've all been waiting for -An Inconvenient Love (Filipino) -Labyu with an Accent (Filipino) - awful -A Tourist’s Guide to Love -Love or Money (Filipino) - also awful -Love at First Stream (Filipino) -Spirited Away Live Onstage (in theater) - SO GOOD -Whisper of the Heart - a vintage classic -Victim/Suspect -The Bad Guys - meh -Take Care of Maya (without Alex) - made me cry, this family deserves justice -Nimona -Happiness for Beginners -Red, White, and Royal Blue - never read the book, had a great time -Ladybug & Chat Noir The Movie - this is not part of the overall canon and I'm glad lol -Marry My Dead Body (Taiwanese) - pretty good but I would have liked it better if the romance had been fully realized -Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit -Love Again - meh -Once Upon a Crime - meh -Wendell & Wild -In Love and Deep Water -Feast of Seven Fishes -Jingle Jangle -Muppet’s Christmas Carol -Friends & Family Christmas - cute and classic wlw romance, had no idea Hallmark was going that route but as far as Hallmark holiday movies go, a good showing indeed -Christmas as Usual - awful -Seven Women & a Murder (Italian) -Love at First Sight -Something From Tiffany’s - enjoyed the vibes and the male lead is fine as heck -The Boy and the Heron (in theater) REWATCHED: -Gameboys - season 1 (pregame for season 2) -Hilda - seasons 1&2 -Well Intended Love season 2; CONFIRMED: they never told her about the stalking/manipulation after she loses her memories!!! Save Xia Lin from this nightmare!!! -Dead End Paranormal Park - season 2; still devastated we'll never get a season 3 -Heartstopper - seasons 1&2 -The Philadelphia Story (Alex’s first time) -Lockwood & Co -Zombieverse -No Doubt in Us - seasons 1&2 -Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade - the only good Thanksgiving movie and I stand by that -Dash & Lily - charming and sweet -A Knight Before Christmas -Love Hard -Under the Christmas Tree -A Charlie Brown Christmas BOOKS:

Opinionated reviews can be found in my reading wrap-ups: Jan-Feb, March -May, and June-Sept

-The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro -The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro -A Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro -Sexless in the City by Kat Harris (nonfiction) -Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans with Jeff Chu (nonfiction) -Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender -What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo (memoir) -Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev -Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev -The Emma Project by Sonali Dev -Good Morning, Love by Ashley M. Coleman -Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh -Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree -The Love Con by Seressia Glass -Polite Society by Mahesh Rao -Unspeakable by Jessica Willis Fisher (memoir) -The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu -Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen -By the Book by Jasmine Guillory -The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews -A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli -Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen -The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews -This Town Sleeps by Dennis E. Staples -Leftover in China by Roseann Lake (nonfiction) -Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin -Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke -The Perishing by Natashia Deón -Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai -Take the Lead by Alexis Daria - I thought I would like this because of the Dancing with the Stars setup but it was like 10% dancing, 20% drama and 70% spice scenes and as someone who doesn't enjoy spice scenes it grossed me out -Cultish by Amanda Montell -A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins - not as fun as I wanted it to be and the mystery was a mess -You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle POETRY: -Dyscalculia by Camonghne Felix -Every Night I See My Grandfather’s Ghost by Candria Slamin FOOD: -Bittersweet Java -Ummas - AMAZING -Sticks Kebabs -Splendora’s -Taco El Primo (Harrisonburg) - best quesadillas I've ever had in my life -Blue Ridge Brewery -Khadijah’s Kitchen food truck - the truck got stolen like 2 days after we tried it :( -Hangry Hut - best gyros in town imo -Jack Brown’s - the Bennet sisters know -Chap’s -Bang! -Bugerfi -Popito’s Pizza ACTING:

-flower/serpent Youtube monologue project (Ophelia) -Pig/Piglet in Magnolia & the Pig (reading) for Waterworks Festival at Live Arts

-Sam in The Last Days of the Franklinton Historical Village & Shoppe (reading) for Waterworks Festival at Live Arts

-Mary Bennet in Miss Bennet's Christmas at Pemberley at Live Arts

EXPERIENCES: -visting Glass House Winery -tried nam tok for the first time -first Italian show -first Kazakhstani music group - ALPHA -moved to our new apartment a block down from our old unit because rent prices are insane -attended the Castle Hill Wine Festival to celebrate our birthday - I don't drink but I got to try some honey samples that were delicious! -first time having Afghan food (I think?) -first Indonesian drama -Alex's best friend Becaw came to spend Thanksgiving with us! -JMRL Book Sale -Miss Bennet Cast Dinner - hosted by our incredible Lydia Bennet, Ella! -first time trying venison -first NBC29 appearance - I was nervous and it shows lol -Cold case file activity with Alex