I hate when I start a post apologizing for not posting, so I’m not going to do that. What I am going to do is say I forgot how much the end of the semester can kick my butt–especially when teaching primarily online classes. The past week reminded me, though, so every day back at work this semester post-sabbatical has been an adventure. That said, I am now WEEKS behind on @sizzleandbounce’s #DecemberDeNovo reflection challenge, so let’s get as caught up as we can, shall we?

Dec. 4 – Most memorable experience in or with nature

My most memorable experience in or with nature was waaaaay back in the beginning of the year on January 4th with my friend Sheryl for her annual beginning of the year ocean dip. (Yes, she’s white hahaha. If you squint, you can see her splashing in the water in that featured image.) Not only was it great to hang out with her, but we also went to my favorite place (the beach), AND we had the BEST pita bread I have ever had IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I cannot describe to you how good this pita bread is (and yes I know saying pita bread is like saying chai tea or ATM machine or PIN number). She told me it was amazing, and I believed her, but I still wasn’t prepared for how amazing it was. Pillowy, soft…just THE BEST. We really should get back to that beach and restaurant soon.

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Dec. 5 – what’s your top 5 on your playlist this year?

My Spotify Wrapped was trash this year, and I don’t care enough to do much more than shuffle my music and/or put on a pre-curated playlist for ~vibes~ so I am the worst person for this. I will say that I listened to a LOT of Usher to pregame for the concert, and for the last stretch of the semester, I listened to a Marvel theme songs playlist while grading. (I am a fan of movie scores when working in general, but Agatha All Along made me crave some superhero ish.) (???? DOWN DOWN DOWN THE ROAD ???? but without words, basically.)

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Dec. 6 – What were the books and stories that made you think the most this year?

Made me think doesn’t mean I liked it (sometimes I had to think about why I *didn’t* like it, in fact), though I did like most of them. Also, as always, the caveat that this list is so far since the year isn’t over yet.

Books:

• Dawn by Octavia Butler
• In Search of a Salve: Memoir of a Sex Addict by K. E. Garland
• Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang
• Kyra, Just for Today by Sara Zarr
• Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg
• Romancing Mister Bridgerton: Penelope & Colin’s Story by Julia Quinn
• The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei Lin
• How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill edited by Jericho Brown
• Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde
• Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie Rendon
• James by Percival Everett

Movies:

• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
• Origin
• The Book of Clarence
• Mean Girls (The Musical, 2024)
• American Fiction
• Lisa Frankenstein
• May December
• The American Society of Magical Negroes
• Inside Out 2
• Vertigo
• Piece By Piece (Pharrell Williams LEGO documentary)

TV:

• Jury Duty
• Found
• The Traitors
• An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• Ghosts (UK)
• Bridgerton
• The Gilded Age
• Act Your Age
• The Jeffersons
• Only Murders in the Building
• Agatha All Along
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Matlock (Kathy Baaaaates)

Sometimes I don’t think I watch that much TV, and then I look at that (incomplete) list and think, “Never mind.”

Plays/shows:

• Back to the Future: The Musical
• MJ
• One of the Good Ones
• A Strange Loop

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Dec. 7 – What were some things you said goodbye to this year in 2024 (or things you still need to say goodbye to?)

• Trying to be a social media influencer (Still. I was tempted again, and my daughter told me to let it go.)
• My locs
• My TV antenna. I finally (FINALLY) bit the bullet and got Hulu Live+ so never have to worry about missing Jeopardy! again
• student loan debt ????????????????????????????????????

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Dec. 8 – How did you show up for yourself this year? How did you give yourself self-care or self-love?

One thing I have tried to be better about is reporting things that I’m dissatisfied with–whether it’s the fact that my couch cushion collapses, something weird happened with the cleaners, or I don’t like the way my bank handled something. Every time I have not, I’ve been forced to anyway, so I am trying to just go with it in the moment.

Also, I tweaked my knee and have not been to my tap class since October. It sucks, but is/was the right thing to do.

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Dec. 9 – Share and talk about a new skill you developed this past year.

How to survive when stranded overnight at an international airport when flying standby. Yes, there is a longer story there. No, I have not yet blogged about it.

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Dec. 10 – Something to finish or start before the end of the year

I told my friend and myself that I would finish my revision of my novel by the end of the year AND BY GOLLY I still plan to. I have two weeks! I am sure I can do it.

And with that answer I have officially hit the wall on this post. More later!