Before the memory of 2017 fades entirely from our minds, I wanted to slide in with an ever-so-slightly belated list of faves to share. I'll keep it short and sweet, since I know you've all already seen a million of these round-ups, but I for one will never turn down recommendations from a person whose tastes I trust—do you trust me, readers?
TOP LOVES AND OBSESSIONS OF 2017
- Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
- Tahini (in both savory and sweet applications, including a very favorite recipe that I'm hoping to share soon)
- All things skincare
- Menstruation! (duh)
PREVIOUS DISLIKES THAT I CAME AROUND ON
- Jumpsuits as clothing for adult people
- Tofu as a foodstuff
- The Dirty Projectors' oeuvre (the new album sent me back to the older/even better stuff)
- Lipstick as an everyday choice
BOOKS THAT MADE ME THINK, LAUGH, AND/OR CRY
I didn't quite meet the 52-book goal I set for myself last year, mostly because of a few reading slumps, but I did okay. The best books I read this year were all really gorgeously written work by women. The themes ranged Very Widely, but all the voices were just so lovely. Unusually for me, three of my six favorites were actually non-fiction, but two of those (Priestdaddy and The Argonauts) are pretty wild when it comes to genre, so maybe that makes sense.
Patricia Lockwood, Priestdaddy
Sarah Perry, The Essex Serpent
Naomi Alderman, The Power
Maggie Nelson, The Argonauts
Anne Helen Petersen, Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman
Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
PODCASTS THAT MADE ME FEEL LESS ALONE
I'm also planning to do a Twitter thread soon of single episodes that I loved from my fave podcasts this year, for a more approachable set of reccs—watch this space.
She's All Fat
Secret Feminist Agenda
The Hilarious World of Depression
Thirst Aid Kit
ALBUMS THAT I ACTUALLY LIKED QUA ALBUMS
Jens Lekman, Life Will See You Now
St. Vincent, MASSEDUCTION
Beth Ditto, Fake Sugar
Dirty Projectors, Dirty Projectors
James McAlister, Bryce Dessner, Sufjan Stevens, and Nico Muhly, Planetarium
SONGS THAT DIDN'T FAIL ME NO MATTER HOW MUCH I OVERPLAYED THEM
Feist, "Get Not High, Get Not Low"
Slowdive, "Sugar for the Pill"
The Blow, "Get Up"
Alvvays, "Dreams Tonite"
Sufjan Stevens, "Tonya Harding"
TV THAT ACTUALLY HELD MY ATTENTION
The Bold Type
The Good Place
The Handmaid's Tale
The Crown
EMERGING TRENDS AND POTENTIAL INFATUATIONS FOR 2018
- Duolingo (currently on a 13-day streak to relearn my high-school French)
- Bullet journaling (after a few false starts in 2017, I'm trying to make it work for me, i.e. use more stickers)
- Makeup beyond lipstick (next goal: eyebrows)
- Cooking with less meat and baking with less sugar (for the creative challenge as much as for dietary reasons)
- Interior design? (I might be moving soon and I have been daydreaming A LOT about a new space; you can see more here, here, here, here, and here...like I said, A LOT)
😻 😻 FAVORITE CATS OF ALL YEARS 4 EVA, BEST CATS ALWAYS 😻 😻
I would LOVE to hear about your favorites from the last calendar year, or you cutting-edge new 2018 favorites. The music I've been listening to has been feeling particularly stale, so if you've got something you're enjoying, please please PLEASE share. And if you try any of the stuff I've recommended above and like it, I'd love to hear about that, too! Happy new year to all, and thanks for reading!