Notes on December
A romantasy read, a knitting project, and my favorite blanket to do it all under.
November and December flew by in a flurry – pretty much since Halloween, this year has been dragging me behind it like a runaway horse. Perhaps it’s apt because next Lunar New Year is the Year of the Horse. Or does life just feel this way as an adult and we have to intentionally choose to make it slow down?
I don’t have an answer, I’m just asking questions.
November was a helping two of my senior pets recover from medical procedures, a Palm Springs trip for my birthday, Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving, and lots of work deadlines. December was wrapping up work for the year, a Japan trip, the holidays, and now sliding into the new year. But before I do that 2025 wrap up, I want to take a moment to remember some notes about December (and perhaps a bit of a November follow up too).
📚 READING
The Crescent Moon Tea Room by Stacy Sivinski. A cozy read about witch sisters and fate.
Manifest Your Destiny by Wayne Dyer. After seeing Jenny Lewis keep a Wayne Dyer book on stage at the Rilo Kiley shows in October, I was inspired to read some work by one of the original manifesting coaches.
Quicksilver by Callie Hart. Scratched that romantasy, enemies-to-lovers, morally grey male main character with a heart of gold itch.
Brimstone by Callie Hart. Currently reading this – the sequel to Quicksilver. There are so many different magic systems in these fantasy books I need to just read one after the other or I’ll forget everything.
📺 WATCHING
Emily in Paris, season 5. Absolutely binged this straight into my veins the days after getting back from Tokyo. Perfectly frothy, I’d almost dare say it’s like a sci-fi universe, beautiful fashions, bad ass French women of a certain age. I loved it.
Stranger Things, season 5. Wow, we are in an embarrassment of riches for things to watch this month. I love this season so far and can’t wait for the finale on NYE.
Wake Up, Dead Man. The latest Knives Out universe film – not my favorite of the bunch. If you have any film recs, I’d love to hear them.
Little Women (1994 version). I can’t believe I’ve never seen or read Little Women – there’s a gap in my classic literature knowledge being raised as a first generation immigrant kid that feels oddly female author shaped. Anyway, I finally watched this seasonally appropriate film, and now I know the line “oh Jo, how could you, your one beauty!”
🎧 LISTENING
The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift: perfect plane-ride album for inspiring feels, sparking ideas, and dozing.
What What Crappens: my favorite Bravo recap podcast.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler: recent favorite inspiring episodes include this interview with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and this one with Ina Garten.
The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean: I adore this album and put it on daily to romanticize my life.
🥖 MAKING
Sourdough cinnamon rolls: made these for Christmas morning.
Ryan gifted me a pullman pan for Christmas, so I made this sourdough loaf!
Something about linguine alle vongole just feels like New Years’ Eve to me.
Homemade Cheez-Its with sourdough discard.
🛍️ BUYING
Cannot say enough about how this is my favorite thing I bought this year. I didn’t bring it with me to Japan because of the outlet change, and boy I really missed it. 1000% worth the money.
Got these new tights and they may just be my favorite tights I’ve ever bought.
Still my favorite blanket to burrow under for cozy time in the winter.
🌸 DOING
Knitting the Sophie Hood.
Making 2026 goals + resolutions and a vision board.
A lot of couch rotting doing the above, and hugging my animals.
Daily posture exercises: wall angels, chin tucks, cat cows, and shoulder rolls.
Reading The Artist’s Way to gear up for 2026 (more on this in a later post).
Tell me what you’ve been reading, cooking, buying, and doing in this beautiful liminal space between the holidays of responsibility and the dawn of a new year.
