Thoughts and prayers to those returning to work today after taking the holidays off. As I’m away from my family, I decided to be the sacrificial lamb that stuck around during most folks’ vacation time. Instead, I took the first week or so of 2022 off. Feeling pretty comfortable with that decision as I look ahead to the beginning of the year.

First, it feels important that everyone cry their way through this with me.

I’ve struggled with the fact that I no longer have the time to scour the internet for pieces by creators I love to include in this newsletter. As a solution to that, I’m going to start highlighting women and POC creators that I love! Sometimes I may have an off piece to share if I come across it, but in the meantime you have a pretty great chance to see awesome stuff if you’re also following them!

The whole “Friday Follow” trend has been useless for years, so I’m going to avoid throwing a bunch of names at y'all. For this week, let’s start with one!

Stephanie Williams is the perfect follow whether you’re looking for WandaVision shitposts or whipsmart comics like her current Nubia and the Amazons run. Go. Improve your 2022.

New year, new tiers! Some have the same name, but everything’s been restructured to better fit my current workload and trajectory. Bottom line? Patreon’s going to become a lot more personal and community based. The words I share there will be personal essays unavailable on the rest of the intertubes (at least for the foreseeable future). For the community aspect, I’m going to be a lot more focused and involved in slack. Tiers range anywhere from $3-$22, and 10% of each month’s net proceeds go to charity. And, as always, this newsletter will always be free.

On the Patreon this week is also a full breakdown of 2021’s financials.

I don’t make ‘em, to be honest. But I love hearing about others’! I’ll probably do a patreon post about my hopes and dreams for the coming year, and whatever goals that may crop up in the process. But for now the only thing I’ve talked about on my social is the fact that I want to keep up with my damn Letterboxd this year. If they’d just add TV it would be a hell of a lot easier for me to give it my full attention.

Also I’ll be baking scones tomorrow. It’s not a resolution, but it’s happening and I’m excited for it.

But what are you most excited to take on in 2022? For those whose answer is “surviving” that shit is valid. Late stage capitalism is trying to kill us all and everybody’s tired. You do what you need.

My 2022 vibe is a little bit more cranky. (Shocker, I know.)

I am bad at taking breaks. I am also bad at not being busy. This fun, messy little combination means all the things this pandemic has done to fuck with our heads is always kind of ever present at the front of my brain space. It’s part of why I am baking scones. It is not work, it is just a nice thing I enjoy doing that no one pays me for.

… [stares in millenial] did I just discover “hobbies”?…

Whatever. I am tired. I am taking a break. I am baking scones. I am happy you’re all here, and I wanted to have a much more coherent first newsletter of 2022 for you.

But I guess that’s the rub with the whole “cosmic reset” of the new year, insofar that there really isn’t one. The calendar is different but I am still the same tired, cranky dog mom. So, new year, same me. I hope if this speaks to you, that you know that it’s okay to feel what we’re feeling. It’s ok whether it’s mixed with some vague, crumb of hope for the future or if you’re feeling the most nihilistic you have in a while as we enter our third year with a new wave wreaking havoc on our population.

It’s all ok.

I’ll see you next week. May your coffee be strong.