Original OPE! end of 2024 part two newsletter post.
Well, hello there. How are you?
Welcome to the final newsletter of the year. No links or mixtape this week. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to check out last week’s newsletter regarding my favorite songs and albums from 2024.
Here are my seven favorite things from my own 2024, in no particular order. I say “my own 2024” because some of my favorite things didn’t come out in 2024. The book I enjoyed the most came out in 1966. My favorite film experience was watching a 1967 French film on a tiny screen on a regional plane while running on a few hours of sleep. Three of my “things” are not literal things. Life is weird sometimes.
I say this every year, but it’s worth saying again: My favorite things each year are the times I spend with family, friends, and loved ones. These are the works of art, pop culture artifacts, or general life events I enjoyed the most throughout 2024 and are more fun to write about. Ask me tomorrow, and this list might change.
Life is weird. A good life is still a life. Life is amazing. Here we go.
Metaphor ReFantazio
The best non-Final Fantasy RPG I’ve ever played. Ironic, since my previous choice was Persona 5 Royal, also made by Atlus. The best cast of characters and world-building of high-fantasy since Game of Thrones.
Los Angeles
This month marks the end of my first full calendar year of living in Los Angeles. Lots of highs. Lots of lows. Most importantly, all the middles are still lovely, and manageable. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people. I wish it weren’t so expensive, but who doesn’t? Still happy to be here.
Le Samouraï
Jean-Pierre Melville’s quasi-French New Wave classic has been on my to-watch list for years. Finally watched it. Yes. It’s as good as they say.
Tubi
The dad rock of streaming services. Tubi!
Finally finding and (mostly) maintaining a (mostly) healthy diet
Instead of avoiding bad foods and treating food like a sin to disavow, I now actively seek good foods. I mostly stick to lean proteins, fruits, and veggies that my great-grandma would know to be food; she was probably not up to speed on Flamin Hot Cheetos or Mountain Dew. The rare times I drink, I trade dark alcohol for light alcohol, red wine excluded. I don’t treat the occasional bad meal like the end of the world, or even an excuse to make my next meal “bad.” As someone who hates dieting, it is possible to make and maintain the change.
Finishing my latest book proposal
This was my big writing project for 2024. Very happy to finish it. Shout out to James, Bob, and Eric for the wonderful early feedback. I’ve already started on my big writing project for 2025 … stay tuned.
Bobby Fisher Teaches Chess
One of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s never too late to learn, or get better at, something new.
Happy 2024, y’all.
See you in January.
With love and all the other good things,
-b
This essay was edited from its original version, first published through my OPE! newsletter. Original OPE! logo by Claire Kuang. Words and cartoons by yours truly. Animations made using FlipaClip and EZGIF. My views don’t reflect my clients or the publications and brands I work with. All typos are intentional.