2022 Favorites

Fiction Book: Cryptonomicon by Neil Stephenson. A winding narrative that takes place over 5 decades and involves the development of cryptography, hidden gold treasure, espionage, and international trade. Truly an epic fiction story.

Non-fiction Book: Love in Abundance by Kathy Labriola. This book is the result of 30 years of relationship coaching and therapy session. Labriola crafts a framework for nonmonogamy explains what makes relationships work, and does a fabulous job of using examples to demonstrate how different people manage different relationship dynamics.

Movie: Everything Everywhere All At Once. I went into this movie expecting something trite and walked away with the feeling that, somehow, this movie had managed to do everything it set out to do in the weirdest way possible. It’s a pretty and emotional journey, but it somehow manages to pull it off. It’s ostensibly a movie about multi-dimensional world saving, but it’s really a story about overcoming multi-generational trauma. 

TV show: The Bear. This show follows a fine-dining chef who takes over the family business of Italian beef sandwiches in Chicago. The acting is awesome, it captures the stress of working in a kitchen, and the tension between art and just good food. 

Album: Actual Life (April 14 -December 17 2020) by Fred Again.. This album perfectly captures the feeling of COVID 19. I was initially addicted to the song Angie “I’ve been lost for awhile, but I’m really trying.” Over the year, my favorite shifted to Heavy “don’t know a thing that could feel more heavy, babe, I’m ready” and has settled into the current moment of the repeated refrain “I found you.” Additionally, I made so many memories this year associated with this album. Thanks Cherish for making this a forever album. 

Favorite Drink: Gin Martini made with Mezcal gin. This is an absolute treat and I’m excited to have it again at my birthday. This was a discovery during out time in Oaxaca this year and I know I’m going to be looking for it again when I return this year. 

Poetry: Crybaby by Caitlyn Siehl. Siehl has a beautiful, simple style. Her poems are evocative of love and loss, and she does such a good job at capturing the everyday intense irrationality of romance. 

Video game: Dwarf Fortress. I’ve entered a new era of Dwarf Fortress with the release of the Steam edition. I’m absolutely thrilled that Tarn and Zach finally are getting paid and that the game is visually playable for new players. There is something magical about playing a game where everything is absolutely simulated and it’s on you as the player to figure out virtually every system in the game without help. There is a beautiful internal logic to the game and only by “thinking Dwarf things” can you really understand and enjoy the game. 

Travel Hack: Fanny packs. I know I’m late to the game but these made my business travel trips and vacations a breeze. Instead of needing to keep track of my pockets for my phone and and wallet, everything went in one place.