What are you seeking in the new year?
For me, it will be pleasure.
Stretching before bed. Walking with friends. Puzzling. Looking up at the trees. The occasion Manhattan. Backyard birding. Kissing Parker’s forehead. Inhaling fresh herbs. Listening to my mom’s voice. Collecting compost. A daily piece of chocolate. Dancing like a dork. Having a fire. Pulling weeds when I should be working. Thrifting. Jazzercise. Communing with the moon. Andrew’s hands, calves, and whole body. Listening to early aughts synth pop…
Life is a shitshow. There is so much chaos, uncertainty and ugliness, so much of it unnecessary. If we don’t prioritize pleasure, we stand to lose hope, optimism, and our sparkle. I’m not willing to let it happen.
These little moments of pleasure are an antidote to all the shit. They’re powerful but low-lift; quotidian and yet sustaining. Just thinking about all the ways to dally in pleasure every day makes me happy.
That’s not to say there won’t be angst and activism as well. But if the world’s going up in flames, might as well feel good before feeling the burn. Here’s to 2026.