Everybody I know is saying, “Once I get through…”
You and I both know this is no way to live.
You and I know we need to live now, in a state of warm appreciation. We can’t be wishing away our lives.
You and I need to live in sync with nature, and the weather, and the light, and the season.
You and I need to slow down and hibernate, to not get frazzled by too much doing and going and partying and spending,
Mid-December is the season of reflection. It’s time to pause and acknowledge that one year is ending, and another is about to begin.
Now is the time to go through our pictures and read back over our journals.
Spotify just sent us all our listening stats for 2023.
Goodreads will do the same in the coming weeks for our books.
Every newspaper, magazine and online outlet is publishing their year-end The Best of in 2023 articles.
I thought that would be fun to do here. So, I made a List of the Best Stuff I Loved in 2023.
This is just the material stuff I loved, not everything. Just stuff.
Some of this stuff I discovered this year, but others (like my fave coffee) have been in my life much longer.
This list could have been longer, too, but this is a decent start and covers various genres of things.
I hope you like it. I hope it makes you think of your own favorite stuff.
And if it does, I hope you’ll share in the comments.
We all want to know what everybody else loves!
That being said, I know WordPress isn’t the easiest place to write a comment, so I will probably decamp to Substack next year. But if you do manage to make it past the threshold guardians, I would love to know what you love.
Okay. Here’s my list of the Stuff I Loved In 2023
Best Coffee: Lifeboost
Why: I’ve tried so many lovely coffees, but I’m married to this one. It’s low acid and so not at all bitter. It’s smooth and rich. It tastes like morning. Coffee is a dirty commodity in terms of fair labor practices and the quality of the beans. Lifeboost is ethical and clean. Spendy, though.
Best Bed sheets: Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set
Why: So soft. And so reasonably priced. And the short and long sides of the fitted sheets are marked: “long side” and “short side.” It’s a little touch like this that makes me such a big fan of Brooklinen. They understand the bed-maker, not just the sleeper.
Best Affordable Luxury: Zulay Kitchen Handheld Milk Frother (for my half and half.)
Why: Foamy milk on your top lip with that first sip of your morning coffee. Ummm. Whatever the day holds, everything’s gonna be all right. This little implement is under ten bucks and can re-calibrate your whole day. It even comes in colors. And has a stand.
Best Water Bottle: Owala
Why: I know Stanley is the trending water bottle now because when I asked my stylist the other day what she wanted for Xmas she said, “A Stanley cup.” I thought she wanted a hockey trophy.
My favorite feature of this Owala bottle is that I can sip without tilting the whole bottle toward my face. I like that the straw is inside. Now that it’s winter, I put hot tea in it and it stays hot for a long time.
Best Yoga Prop: Dharma Wheel
Why: I love it for deepening into backbends and for support in Half Shoulderstand and Plow.
Best Yoga Pants: Looney Legs
Why: I don’t know if these are the BEST in terms of material and wear and tear, but they are comfy and have the wackiest and most fun colors and patterns I’ve ever seen in yoga togs. If you are bored with your yoga wardrobe, check these out.
Best Notebook: Standard Issue No. 3 Personal Journal
Why: Hard, sturdy cover. Woven binding. Perfect size. Lined. Month and Day template on each page. Elastic closer. Ribbon bookmarks. Bullet template. World times. Sky Map. Nice paper stock. Loves my fountain pen ink. Expensive, but makes me look forward to morning pages.
Best Everyday Pen: Pilot Precise Grip rt (retractable)
Why: I love all Pilot Pens, but these are the ones that are all over my house. I know people swear by the Uniball Vision Elites, but no. The ink in them is too fat and fast for me. I need more control. This pen has the added benefit of being a retractable. Clickclick. That’s important for me because I can’t keep caps and pens together. I lose pen caps all the time. And then my dog finds them. And eats them.
Best Fountain Pen: Twisbi Eco
Why: The barrel is clear, so I can see the ink. It comes in lots of colors. (I got purple.) You have to buy ink in jars to fill it (which is simple), and then you get to have ink in jars.
Best Tea: Pique (The Rooibos and Puerh are my faves)
Why: I go on tea jags. I’m not a regular tea drinker. Coffee is my jam, but when I crave a nice cup of tea, I want a nice cup of tea. This is it. No tea bag–a little packet of crystals instead. I love the Puerh for a caffeinated afternoon work session, and the Rooibos for closer to bed. So delicious. Sadly, ridiculously expensive.
Best Podcast I listened to this year: Lex Friedman’s interview with Max Tegmark
Why: Scary and essential. Most AI proponents haven’t thought through all the implications. Max has, and it’s chilling. I especially loved when Max talked to Lex about his love for his family.
Best non-fiction book I read this year: The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Why: Persistence in the face of scorn, derision, and epic failure after epic failure. I still think about this book all the time, and I read it back in February.
Best fiction book I read this year: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Why: This was an incredible story with complex characters. I admired it even more after I read Dickens’ David Copperfield. Kingsolver is just plain brilliant and well-deserved the Pulitzer.
So now it’s your turn. Tell me about stuff you love, — all the things that make your life easier, more fun, more comfortable, and more comforting.
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