let's blow this popsicle stand [2023 favorites]
hasta la vista 2023
2023 was simultaneously super fast and moved like molasses, you know?
it doesn’t help that it’s still in the mid-40s here in salt lake city and hasn’t snowed yet this winter. the temperatures are about 10 degrees higher than they typically are this time of year and our air quality has been gnarly (today it’s considered “moderate,” but just yesterday it was “unhealthy”). the climate is angry, my friends, and it does not feel like december (or even january).
this last year was a lot, for all of us. i don’t think i know anyone who hasn’t lost someone important, been impacted by a national or world-wide event, dealt with job changes, worried about finances, experienced a health crisis, or any of the other thousand things we’ve all been dealing with. it’s been a banner year for “uh, what the fuck is happening now?!?!” if you ask me.
but, even with all of the tough things we’ve all seen, there have been a lot of excellent moments too. i think we can expect both great and difficult things from the coming year also, but let’s hope we see more of the big, beautiful things in 2024.
in 2024, i’ll be sending out pop culture pedagogy and i’ll be sending out a writing-focused newsletter to paid subscribers. we’ll talk about writing i’ve been doing, writing i’ve been seeing, and writing tips and techniques for telling your story and/or improving your writing. it should be fun—i hope you’ll join me!
my 2023 favorites
best books of the year
while i did not achieve my goal of 50 books this year, i did get to read some really incredible books. here are the ones i loved the most.
unsettling: surviving extinction together by elizabeth weinberg (a new way to think about climate change, rooted in queerness and antiracism)
zia erases the world by bree barton (young adult; friendship + magic + mental health)
hell if we don’t change our ways by brittany means (a memoir of self-preservation, resilience, and hope)
end of the hour by meghan riordan jarvis (a memoir of grief, healing, and therapy)
everyone by myself by julie chavez (a memoir of mental health and finding oneself)
the guest by emma cline (literary fiction; pretty woman meets inventing anna in the hamptons)
happiness falls by angie kim (literary fiction; mystery, family drama, maybe the best book i’ve read all year)
miracle creek by angie kim (literary fiction; mystery, family drama, absolutely enthralling)
the kingdom of sweets: a novel of the nutcracker by erika johansen (literary fiction; historical fiction, fantasy, fun if you like the ballet!)
weyward by emilia hart (literary fiction; witches, nature, three different timelines)
best songs of the year
every year i keep a running playlist of songs and albums i like and the narrow it down into a top 100 at the end of the year. if you want to listen to the full playlist, you can find it here, but these are my top ten.
style (taylor’s version) by taylor swift
down to you by kelly clarkson
penthouse (healed version) by kelsea ballerini
you’re on your own, kid by taylor swift
in the kitchen by renee rapp
i’m just ken by ryan gosling
all-american bitch by olivia rodrigo
thousand miles (feat. brandi carlile) by miley cyrus
it is what it is by jenna raine
waffle house by jonas brothers
best albums of the year
1989 (taylor’s version) by taylor swift
rolling up the welcome mat (for good) by kelsea ballerini
chemistry (deluxe) by kelly clarkson
the album by jonas brothers
midnights (the til dawn edition) by taylor swift
endless summer vacation by miley cyrus
guts by olivia rodrigo
pillbx: what’s your fantasy by grace gaustad
sweeney todd: the demon barber of fleet street (2023 broadway cast recording)
barbie the album by various artists
best tv shows of the year
chicago fire (nbc)
fire country (cbs)
found (nbc)
lessons in chemistry (apple tv)
abbott elementary (abc)
the after party (apple tv)
best episodes of the year
a murder at the end of the world season 1, episode 7, “retreat”
law & order: special victims unit season 24, episode 15, “king of the moon”
lessons in chemistry season 1, episode 7, “book of calvin”
law & order: organized crime season 3, episode 22, “with many names”
abbott elementary season 2, episode 19, “festival”
chicago fire season 11, episode 3, “completely shattered”
fire country season 1, episode 14, “a fair to remember”
chicago p.d. season 10, episode 12, “i can let you go”
found season 1, episode 10, “missing while indoctrinated”
black cake season 1, episode 7, “birth mother”
best movies of the year
theater camp (2023) - starring noah galvin, molly gordon, ben platt
the starling girl (2023) - starring eliza scanlen, lewis pullman, jimmi simpson
still: a michael j. fox movie (2023) - starring michael j. fox
pretty baby: brooke shields (2023) - starring brooke shields
elemental (2023) - starring leah louis, mamoudou athie
catherine, called birdy (2022) - starring bella ramsey, billie piper, andrew scott
thirteen lives (2022) - starring viggo mortensen, colin farrell, joel edgerton
family switch (2023) - starring jennifer garner, ed helms
taylor swift | the eras tour (extended version) (2023) - starring taylor swift
barbie (2023) - starring margo robbie, america ferrera, ryan gosling
favorite pieces i’ve had published this year
held. (january 2023)
brooke shields makes me excited to get older (march 2023)
may 24, 2013 (april 2023)
olivia benson doesn't need a partner for her happy ending - but she deserves one (july 2023)
chicago fire gives david eigenberg what and just like that… can’t manage (august 2023)
alexa davalos leaving fbi: most wanted solidifies dick wolf’s biggest problem (august 2023)
not enough of law & order: svu’s directors are women (september 2023)
why law & order: svu’s season 14 has one of the series’ best episodes (september 2023)
how netflix’s painkiller and hulu’s dopesick tell the same story very differently (september 2023)
matthew perry's best work was beyond friends (november 2023)
that’s all for me this year! see you all soon.
love you 3000.
— mb.