I started this post the same way I start most of them: with too many words and a lot of unnecessary information, but I got tired about halfway through because it’s been a hard month and enthusiasm meter is on E. And that bummed me out! Because I consider myself an enthusiast and I don’t like when that’s taken from me!
So instead of dwelling or letting this post feel like a chore, I’m going to make it (kind of) short on words and (pretty) long on stuff.
- I turned off notifications — almost all of them! except texts and phone calls because I honestly don’t get that many and they’re mostly from my wife/family — in November of 2017 and even though it stressed me out initially, it’s one of the best dumb things I could have done for my mental health. Almost nothing needs your attention that quickly and it has helped me chill out about things I didn’t even realize I was manifesting anxiety about. Amazing.
- These Hanes sweatshirts that have held up amazingly and are still soft and warm as hell.
- NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment especially in Starwoman, Don’t Stop, Save the Queen, and London Calling. The most comfortable and most long-lasting lip I’ve ever worn.
- This cat fountain that my dog also loves. They sometimes take turns waiting in line to drink from it like it’s an elementary school bubbler.
- Kiehl’s Buttermask for Lips which can help my lips recover from ridiculous winter weather in a single night.
- These extremely sturdy, extremely non-stick pans.
- Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Clean Foaming Face Wash that makes my skin feel clean, but never stripped.
- I kept journaling and actually filled up a couple of my favorite notebooks. I wrote out a lot of pain and frustration this year and also kind of learned a bunch of stuff about myself that I was, I guess, kind of repressing? It’s amazing to be 33 and figuring out that there are things I want to and can articulate about myself that I never have before. It’s almost like humans are infinite? And have an infinite capacity for growth? Wild.
- These actually comfortable flip-flop that held up to a summer long beating.
- Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in Mint which despite being really glossy, doesn’t slide all over my mouth or feel sticky, and actually moisturizes them.
- The turntable that finally made my records sound great while making the process of listening to them less annoying.
- Most of Amazon’s Daily Ritual plus line – everything that says ‘Supersoft Terry’ is worth buying. Seriously.
- This organizer that made my kitchen tool drawer way less terrifying.
- This beautiful puzzle by Charles&Thorn.
- I think live music saved my life this year, honestly. 2018 was rough for a variety of internal and external reasons and having a summer and early autumn full of live music to travel to really kept me going when I was completely rundown. From May 17th through October 27th we went to nine different live shows — The Used, Panic! at the Disco, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds & Cake, Fall Out Boy (twice!), and Ludo (thrice!) and the energy I absorbed from them is going to keep me chugging along for a good, long time. Crystal and I used to see SO MUCH live music when we lived in southern California and with the exception of Dolly Parton in 2016 (a spectacular show) we haven’t seen any live music since 2011. I think it’s the thing I love most in the entire world and I will not forget that again.
