My Ins & Outs For 2024
Welcome to this week’s edition of Stacks & Spoons, a weekly substack for bookish girls, gays and theys, written by author Jen Wilde. If you enjoy it, make sure to subscribe here.
Happy 2024! ‘Happy’ only in the sense that it means 2023 is overrrrr.
Because the horrors of 2023 persist, but so do we. In 2024, I am continuing to contact my reps to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, I am boycotting, I am doing what I can to be useful.
I’ve been sick since Christmas with a terrible sinus cold/flu/whatever is going around. I took two Covid tests and both came up negative but I’m still isolating and will continue wearing masks in public once I’m well enough to go out again.
If you’re also been sick (like so many of us are) please stay home if you can, and wear a mask if you can’t. If you haven’t received your Covid booster yet, it’s not too late!
Every time I fall ill I have an existential crisis. What am I doing with my life? What really matters? The timing worked out for this mini-freak-out because everyone has been sharing their Ins & Outs for the new year. Instead of spiraling, I channeled my flu-induced mid-life crisis into my own list.
This trend started near the end of 2022 (I think?) and I’m so glad it’s back because it’s a lot more fun than making resolutions. It’s great to have a list to check in on during the year to remind myself what I want to focus on and what I want to let go of.
Note: many of the things on this list are specific for me but they can all be generalized to society as a whole, and a few are aimed squarely at the world. For example: underpaying creators – I do not do this! I want it to be out for everyone.
Out…
tweets
multi-tasking
the attention economy
hate-following
celebrity worship
blocking sidewalks
reading the comments
overconsumption
FOMO
underpaying creators
goodreads
saying “post-pandemic” (we’re still in it)
devil’s advocates
buying shit I don’t need
being reachable 24/7
forced eye contact
In…
liberation for all
essays
boycotts
mutual aid groups
fact checking
shitty first drafts
bird watching
mood rings
solo coffee dates
conscious consumption
(still) wearing masks
ceramics
eyes on your own paper
shopping local
public libraries
resource sharing
quality time
connection
noise canceling headphones
ICYMI…
Previously, on Stacks & Spoons:
In My Villain Era (Setting Boundaries)
Lately…
REMEMBER…
Contact your reps to demand a ceasefire:
Find a protest to attend wherever you are in the world.
And remember to keep sharing and amplifying Palestinian voices. Don’t stop talking about Gaza.
None of us are free until all of us are free.