2024 Recap

Another year survived. I honestly don't know how we did it, but we're here. How will we endure what the next year will bring? I have no clue, but I hope we will.  

I talked a lot in last year's recap about my lack of hope considering the political and social tumult of our country, the continuing spread of COVID and other diseases, prevailing racism, misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia; and multiple genocides and ethnic cleansing being carried out all over the world. Unfortunately, it seems like things have only gotten worse. 

But just like last year, there were small pockets of joy and hope. So many friends welcomed children earthside (some of which were rainbow or double rainbow babies), got engaged or married, or finalized divorces or began separations in order to start a new chapter. Others escaped toxic relationships, found partners that allowed them to feel safe in their identity, or got gender-affirming surgeries they'd been wanting for years. Several friends found the loves of their lives, left soul-sucking jobs for more fulfilling pursuits, and started or finished school. I may not have achieved anything of notice, but the people I love have, and that's important to celebrate. 

My writing goal was to update 3 writing projects, and I did in fact meet that goal! I am still struggling to update frequently, but I did way more writing/editing than last year, so at least there has been some growth in that area. 

My reading goal for 2024 was to exceed the prior year's numbers: 33 books, 2 poetry collections, and one play. Technically, I did read more books (35 in total), so at least there's that. Unfortunately, I specifically wanted to focus on reading more poetry collections and plays, but I didn't complete any at all, despite having a folder full of poetry collections at my disposal. :( Better luck next year. 

I also wanted to maintain more of a balance between nonfiction and fiction, and to finish at least one of the two books I dropped. While I believe I made some headway on achieving the first (9 nonfiction this year compared to last year's 6), I did not achieve the latter goal. 

My acting goals for the year were to audition 2-4 times and to perform at least once. I only ended up having one audition (although my next one is first week of January), but I did perform twice for the Live Arts Waterworks Festival in the summer. I played Eurydice in “Shades and Shadows” and The Receptionist in “Cambriolage” (both staged readings). So, it all balances out, I guess?

Personal goals included: 

• Initiate more contact with friends, especially ones who live far away -- I did okay at this, but can definitely do better. By my estimation, I talked to an average of two to three faraway friends every week, and contacted one in some way every single day. 
• Be a better employee -- if you know, you know
• Walk 4+ miles a day, 6-7 days a week - CHECK. There were a few months where my overall average amount of steps was lower and I had to supplement during other months, but overall I'm happy with my level of exercise this year. 
• Continue to post a blog post once or more a month - CHECK.
• Create more - make time to do things like crafts, puzzles, art, collages, etc. - CHECK. 
• Try new foods - CHECK. For the first time, I tried halloumi, carbonara tteokbokki, kolacz, and jumeokbap.
• Research and implement new ways to live more sustainably - still a work in progress...
• Try dating again (if COVID safety measures allow) - CHECK. Went on one blind date that turned out to be a bust, but I'm proud of myself for approaching the experience with an open mind. 
• Watch at least 20 Asian dramas - Finished another at the last minute for an overall total of 21! 
• Cook more - CHECK. To be honest, I hate cooking but I do it for the plot. I tried new recipes that I've never done before, like frying chicken, croquettes from scratch, etc., and even when they didn't exactly keep their shape, they still tasted good. 
• Keep a more frequent cleaning schedule - HALF CHECK. I did better at vacuuming/sweeping and general maintenance but need to get on a more sustainable mopping and dusting schedule...

Overall, not great, but not bad. And now for the Lists of 2024: 

TV: 

-Virgin River - season 5 -The Full-time Wife Escapist (Japanese drama) -School Spirits -Romantic Killer (anime) -Behind Your Touch (Korean drama) -American Nightmare (docuseries) -Queer Eye - seasons 8&9

-Wait, My Youth (Chinese drama) -An Encouragement of Love (Japanese drama) -Can I Tell You a Secret (docuseries) -Bad and Crazy (Korean drama) -The Indrani Mukerjea Story (docuseries) -The Program (docuseries) -Busted (Korean variety show) - seasons 1&2

-Blown Away - season 4

-Welcome to Samdal-ri (Korean drama) -Maamla Legal Hai (Hindi) -Mr. Midnight: Beware the Monsters (Sg) -Is It Cake? - season 3 + Holiday special

-Love, Now (Taiwanese drama) -Ashley Madison (docuseries) -46 Days (Thai drama) -Dancing with the Devil (docuseries) -Unnatural (Japanese drama) -Motel Makeover -Worst Roommate Ever (docuseries) - seasons 1&2

-Color Rush (Korean drama) - season 1

-Cold Case Files - season 3

-Dead Boy Detectives -The Man with 1000 Kids (docuseries) -Everyone Loves Me (Chinese drama) -Homicide: Los Angeles (docuseries) -The Big Family Cooking Showdown - seasons 1&2

-Saving My Stupid Youth (Japanese drama) -Marcella - season 1

-Su Yu (Chinese drama) -Blue Ribbon Baking Championship -American Murder: Laci Peterson (docuseries) -The Innocence Files (docuseries) -Worst Ex Ever (docuseries) -Moonlight Chicken (Thai drama) -GG Precinct (Taiwanese drama) -Last One Standing (Japanese reality show) - seasons 1, 2, and 2/3 of season 3 before we just couldn't take the blatant misogyny anymore

-Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter (docuseries) -Rainbow Prince (Filipino drama) - a completely unserious and chaotic gay love story you can find for free on Youtube...but beware! Sometimes the English subtitles don't work and you must result to putting them in French or German of whatever language you were forced to take in high school/college and attempt to muddle your way through, lol -Great British Bake-off - season 15

-Dancing with the Stars - season 33

-Chef’s Table: Noodles -Beauty Inside (Korean drama) -Go Into Your Heart (Chinese drama) -Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey? (docuseries) -The Law According to Lidia Poet (Italian) - season 2

-Black & White (Taiwanese drama) MOVIES: -Elementals -Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget -Wish -In for a Murder (Polish) -Miraculous World: Paris -A Deadly Invitation (Spanish) -Badhaai Do (Bollywood) -Ice Cold (doc) -Too Handsome to Handle (Indonesian) - SO wholesome and a message I can respect -Murder on the Coast (Spanish doc) -Secrets in the Hot Spring (Taiwanese) - other than the ending, incredibly funny and sweet -Lover, Stalker, Killer (doc) -Missing: the Lucie Blackman Case (doc) -Irish Wish -As If It’s True (Filipino) - way darker than I thought it would be -What Jennifer Did (doc) - victim-blaming and AI images used; skip it -Mother of the Bride -Suzume (Japanese) - fantastic!!!! -Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Czechoslovak-East German) -Tell Them You Love Me (doc) -Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (doc) -Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (Bollywood) -Love, Divided (Spanish) -Breaking and Re-Entering (Taiwanese) - SO GOOD -Mission: Cross (Korean) -Love in Taipei - I read the book last year and even with all the changes the movie was still mid -Jailbreak: Love On the Run (doc) -Breaking the Silence: The Maria Soledad Case (Argentinian doc) - very eye-opening -Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare (doc) -Girl Haunts Boy -The Menendez Brothers (doc) 

-Love, Classified

-My Boo (Thai) - surprisingly romantic -GG: Good Game (Filipino)

-Officer Black Belt (Korean)

XMAS MOVIES (NEW) - in depth reviews here

-A Biltmore Christmas -A Paris Christmas Waltz -A Merry Scottish Christmas -Christmas with a Kiss -Meet Me Next Christmas -Christmas in Notting Hill -Hot Frosty -The Merry Gentlemen -Our Little Secret -Fall Into Winter -A Heidelberg Holiday -Christmas Island -A Very Vintage Christmas -Last Holiday -A Christmas Dance Reunion

XMAS REWATCH -Friends and Family Christmas -Hanukkah on Rye -The Spirit of Christmas -Dash and Lily -Knight Before Christmas -Let It Snow -A Holiday Engagement -Christmas with You -A Muppet Christmas Carol -Klaus -Powerpuff Girls: The Fight Before Xmas -Yu Yu Hakusho (live action Japanese drama) - I know it's not Christmas-y but it's my Die Hard, okay??? BOOKS:

More in-depth reviews here

1. The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images & Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis by Karen Swallow Prior 2. A Renaissance of Our Own by Rachel E. Cargle 3. The Marriage Clock by Zara Raheem 4. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith - HORRIBLE. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. 5. The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami 6. A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power 7. The Stand-in by Lily Chu 8. The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews - not as good as the first two in the series 9. The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton 10. Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar 11. Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson 12. Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho 13. Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain 14. Double Happiness by Jen Trinh (Kindle) 15. Pride & Premeditation by Tirzah Price - rant here 16. One Last Word by Suzanne Park 17. Sense and Second Degree Murder by Tirzah Price - rant here 18. Wyndcross by Martha Keyes (Kindle) 19. The Runaway Roommate by C.S. Mae (Kindle) - I wanted to like this but holy fatshaming, Batman 20. Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price - rant here 21. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong - absolutely gorgeous writing 22. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill 23. Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen - don't let the title fool you, it's predictable as heck 24. The Amish Wife: Unraveling the Lies, Secrets, and Conspiracy That Let a Killer Go Free by Gregg Olsen 25. A Phở Love Story by Loan Le 26. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert - adorable romance + commendable depiction of a young boy of color with OCD 27. I Can’t Date Jesus by Michael Arceneaux 28. I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee - Wattpad energy for sure but as a Kpop fan I'll allow it 29. Otherwise Engaged by Lindsey J. Palmer 30. The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur - peek into an interesting and devastating point in Korea/Jeju's history that I didn't know anything about 31. Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday - I wanted this to be so good but it was a letdown 32. A Faith of Many Rooms: Inhabiting a More Spacious Christianity by Debbie Thomas - worth a read if you're a Christian unpacking your identity alongside your faith 33. Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce - theatre x DnD, young adult but the chemistry was immaculate; really enjoyed this one! 34. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center - even a Ji Chang Wook kissing reference couldn't save this book; using rape culture for comedy MORE THEN ONCE is the kiss of death for me 35. A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss PLAYS (seen): -PERSUASION, A MODERN ROMANCE. by Lisa Quoresimo (staged reading, Live Arts Waterworks Festival) FOOD: -Revolutionary Soup -Java Loco (Alexandria) - pistachio latte was everything -Praha Bakery (Crozet) -Whistle Stop Grill (Crozet) -Shenandoah Joe (Townside) -The Chicken Coop (Nelson) - never thought I'd trust a chicken shop with only a window next to a gas station but it was fire -Los Robles Pupuseria (Stanardsville) - priced fairly, good size pupusas, and sauce is delicious -Sweet Addie’s Waffle Shop (Staunton) - sweet or savory; you can't go wrong -Fitzroy - the servers are absolute angels and made a bad blind date feel less like a disaster with their friendliness -Cuppa Joe (Fluvanna) - spicy chai and rubber ducky decor; what's not to love? EXPERIENCES: -Mystery solving games (8) -1000 piece puzzles (4) -Boyz II Men concert in Maryland -Bennet Sister Sleepover!!! -First time DND campaigning! -First escape room game -First time glass blowing -Indigenous exhibit at Crozet Library -First time doing pottery (handbuilding) -Marianas Trench concert in Maryland -Inaugural S.O Conference