January 2026 Favorites

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to realize that January is not typically a month of rebirth and resolutions for me. The winter is a time to rest and recover. And honestly, from the state of the world to the conditions of my own life, everything has felt cold and bleak.

That's not to say that there aren't some good things to be thankful for. So, here are the small things that have been getting me through.

People We Meet on Vacation: I'm not always the biggest fan of rom-coms, but I do love a slowburn friends-to-lovers story. And I ended up enjoying this one a lot. I love the idea of a person being your home. And having that person you can be completely yourself with. And hey, When Harry Met Sally throwbacks!

Clair Obscur: This game is a beautiful piece of art. And it's also really fun to play. It is honestly no wonder Clair Obscur has won so many awards. And the only reason it didn't end up higher on my yearly list is because I hadn't gotten very far into it yet. Though now I'm getting to the point where I don't want to play it very often because I've been enjoying it so much. I know, that probably sounds super weird to most people. But I get so sad when things I love end that I sometimes try to prolong the experience. Often to my own detriment. 😅

Bookshelves: So, I ended up spending most of my Christmas giftcards on some new bookshelves for the basement. This has reinvigorated my desire to fix up the space and organize all of my manga and books in storage. As well as going through old toys and other things to donate. Which, let me tell you, is very hard for someone who has always overidentified and empathized with objects, especially toys. Still, seeing the shelves filling with manga has been a good incentive.

Music Favs: Erase/Rewind (The Cardigans), Love is a Game (HAEVN), Ghost (Chelsea Lankes), The Sun (Joseph), Samson (Regina Spektor), Honey (Taylor Swift).