Happy New Year

Celebrating the end of the year and sharing a few links

Happy New Year, readers. You’re getting this on December 31st but I’m wishing all of you a wonderful 2024! I am thrilled that you’ve all been here and part of the community. The things that I have learned from writing this newsletter are that I have fun and enjoy writing this and that I want to interview some of you for the newsletters in 2024. I’m keeping this edition short and sweet and I’ll see you again mid-January.

Links

New Year’s Eve around the world.

Unique New Year’s traditions

Some ideas on how to travel more sustainably in 2024.

Seven yoga poses for the new year.

Consuming

TOO MANY CHRISTMAS MOVIES. But I did watch The Christmas Chronicles and the sequel, both were charming. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are a good Santa and Mrs. Claus. And, I’m done watching holiday movies and I’m rewatching the Lord of the Rings trilogy and planning a reread of the books. I have not picked up The Three-Body Problem to finish it mainly because I was trying to finish knitting a sweater but I’m excited to plow through stacks of books this winter.

I bought myself a copy of The Creative Act by Rick Rubin after buying it for two people for Christmas and I am excited to read that.

Does anyone set reading goals for the year? I used to set the bar pretty low but for 2024 I think I am going to set a higher goal of 43 (the age I’ll be turning in June) and we’ll see if I get there! I am a fast reader who loves to read but I am easily distracted by other hobbies.

Stats

I never had any real goals in starting this newsletter, but it has been fun to see the most popular posts or at least see the ebb and flow of clicks and views on specific posts. I think a lot of times it has to do with the publication schedule since I don’t have a strict one and sometimes I post on a weekend. But, I was surprised to see that this little newsletter had 1225 views this calendar year, especially since it started in January 2023.

This is the 26th edition of the year and I’ve been happy to stick to a twice-a-month schedule. I think I’ll keep that for 2024 but I’m not married to it. Maybe the summer will be lighter, maybe I’ll publish a shorter edition on occasion when the inspiration strikes, we’ll see! I’m trying not to make too many rules other than having a content calendar so that I have inspiration and can plan accordingly since this does take time to put together.

The one thing I loved about the last edition was the amount of comments. So I’ll be asking all of you questions! I never wanted to talk at you, I want this to be fun and informational for everyone and for there to be engagement. So thank you for reading but thank you also for commenting on any post. When there is engagement, I know what is sparking your interest and I’ve got a full year of feedback so I know how to proceed in 2024.

I shared some of my ideas for travel in 2024 and I have one on the books. I booked a surf trip in Morocco in September. It is seven days long and with a company called Women and Waves. I’ve had a lot of fun on long weekend surf trips/camps and my goal for 2024 is to be in the water more and plan some travel around surfing and running. So between Morocco in September and the LA marathon in March, I’ve got a road map and some baby steps to enjoying a good bit of both next year.

I did ask this last time but what are your travel plans for 2024? Are they family trips, solo trips, or friend trips? Are there any skills, sports, or hobbies that you’re planning around? Are you taking your kids to Disney World or planning a trip to the Olympics or some other major global event? Perhaps you’re checking off a bucket list travel item? Tell me! I’d like to share these anonymously in the mid-January edition as our community 2024 travel goals.

That’s all for this last day of 2023. I hope that you spend New Year’s Eve with people who you love and whose presence fills you up. I hope 2024 is good to all of us and when it gets hard, we weather it and learn lessons. I also hope everyone has enough rest, adventure, love, and good health.

Thank you for being a part of this little community.

Sonya