January 2023 Favorites

We're already a month into 2023? Wow. Okay. Time to write a favorites post.

Except... well, I honestly don't have a lot of new stuff to talk about. Continuing a theme from last year, this month was mostly just about hanging with my besties and playing games with and for each other. I had several sim weddings. Watched most of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. And played a bit of Deus Ex: Breach, which was stylish but not really fun. (At least not for me. 😆) I also started a game called 12 Minutes, which is quite intriguing, but I haven't gotten very far yet.

I decided to not set a reading goal or TBR this year, because I'm tired of putting pressure on myself to prove my worth online through the media I consume. Reading used to feel like a magical escape. But over time, and with the added weight of becoming an author and social media... contributor (?), reading started to feel like a chore or responsibility. I felt pressure to set big goals and keep up with the latest hits, instead of reading simply for pleasure.

I want to engage with stories and creative media in a blissful and personal way. That's not to say that I find no value in posting about reading and books. And I intend to continue to do so, myself, especially when I can talk about stories I loved or found solace in.

Music Favs: Slow Burn (Kacey Musgraves) Wonderland (CHVRCHES), Let It Go (Fauxliage), No Fear (Abra Moore), Fingertips (Emilíana Torrini), Night Drive (Jimmy Eat World), Secrets and Lies (Jonatha Brooke).