Let life be good 👍

Dear Friend,

Hey there, how’s it going? I celebrated my birthday earlier this month and my wish was to have the will and consistency to look forward. The past few years were tougher than there are enough words to explain (though I’ve certain did try), so perhaps the best thing is just to leave them in the past and carry on.

My birthday weekend was treated with the final, proper ending to Attack on Titans. It’s been well over ten years since the anime first aired, but it really wasn’t this final season where Attack of Titan really skyrocketed to the top of my favorite anime list. The premise may seem over the top, but ultimately the story is about the good, bad, and downright ugly of humanity. Contrasting between this show and some of today’s news headlines, I’d argue this fictional anime reveals more truth about who we are as a species than most reality TV shows.

I’m really digging Omar Apollo. Comparing to the artists I grew up listening to who had to sing/look in a certain way or hide their sexuality to be accepted, this newer generation of artists is all about leaning in (and even marketing) on their identity and I’m totally here for it! Omar Apollo’s Live For Me has that perfect balance between heartfelt sappiness and upbeat optimism that it fits right in as my first new (and now annual) addition to my Forty playlist. (For those who don’t know, I made a playlist last year consisting of 40 songs to represent my 40 years.)

My family and I went to Monterey many moons ago for July 4th and the trip was only okay if not underwhelming (fireworks were cancelled and I didn’t quite know how to communicate with my parents back then), so I opted for a do-over this year with them and Ian during the Thansgiving long weekend. It went better than I thought as we spent a lot of quality time hiking, taking photos, and even splurged on a fancy dinner at a Michelin-nodded restaurant! I’m thankful my parents are healthy enough to go on hikes and I’m especially grateful for Ian’s patience and kindness, as he took really good care of my parents.

May you be well, happy, and healthy this holiday season!

The Leave Behind:

• The photos I took this month
• What’s worth remembering in November 2023

Thanks for reading on this and being with me on this journey. You can check out past issues of Dear Friend, here.

Love wins