The Best of 2024
What the heck did I do/consume/love this year?
Issue # 46
My hot little yule logs,
Welcome to my last newsletter of the year! As you are reading this I am currently frantically packing for/travelling to/getting settled in India. From January to April you’ll get to hear all about what the heck I’m doing in India, but until I get these thoughts together, here is a year-end wrap-up list for you. xoxoxo.
Best trips and events
Powell River. I took three trips up to the cabin in the woods this year. One New Year’s trip with Lucas, Dozer, and I to celebrate a late Christmas with Lucas’s family and escape on a mini winter retreat. One solo trip in September when my plans flip-flopped and I needed to rest instead of adventure for a few days. And one girl’s trip in November where my two girlfriends and I yapped at each other for four days straight.
Denman Island. Lucas and I took a sort of spontaneous trip to Denman Island in May to go on the island’s home and garden tour. We spent the weekend looking at crazy beautiful houses and homestead gardens of my dreams.
Texada Island. On my little solo trip to the island and Sunshine Coast, I spent a night on Texada where I camped by the beach and missed Lucas and Dozer as I swam in the ocean.
Chilliwack River Valley. I went on a pathetically low number of camping trips to my favorite free campsite off Chilliwack Lake Road this year, but I did make it out for two nights when the stars aligned and I magically had the same night free as a friend.
Helmcken Falls. Another spontaneous trip made by Lucas, Dozer, and I. We drove for five hours one weekend to camp in an empty parking lot overlooking a valley and to see a half dozen insanely high waterfalls and hike for hours. It was fantastic.
Port Alberni. I made the trip to the island for a pre-wedding ceremony with my friend who was getting married, her mom, and another bridesmaid. It was such a joyful weekend, even if we had to wait a total of 11 hours for ferries.
The wedding of the year. I was a bridesmaid at one of my oldest friend’s weddings this summer! I spent a whole week in Delta at my mom’s house to attend all six wedding events, including one ceremony in a Sikh temple, another in a Catholic church, and a reception I honestly can’t remember too well because I got so plastered. It was a stressful and fun and beautiful week celebrating the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.
The baby of the year. Another one of my closest friends had a beautiful baby girl this year that grows to only be cuter and sweeter every single day. She is the most smiley, easy-going baby I have ever met. Nothing phases her. Not even three dogs running around barking and her three aunties running around screaming. On the rare occasion she does get fussy, she calms down when hearing her favorite song Thunderstruck by AC/DC. I can’t wait to watch this radiant orb of joy grow up and to see one of my best friends grow into her role as a mother.
Victoria. Lucas and I took another weekend trip out to Victoria in the Fall to attend a housewarming party. While we were there we were tourists in this beautiful waterfront city and Dozer was the most perfect little house guest at my mom’s house.
Best Movies and TV shows watched
Love on the Spectrum. In a world full of Bachelorettes, Love Islands, Love is Blinds, and other trashy reality dating shows, this show takes a courageous, wholesome look at a group of people who are brave enough to step outside their comfort zones to try to find love. It is such a heartwarming show with the best cast of folks!
Princess Mononoke. My mind was blown and my entire brain was rearranged after watching this hauntingly beautiful 1997 Studio Ghibli film about forest gods who are trying to protect their home from the humans who are trying to exploit it for capital gain. This movie was so life-changing that I got a character tattooed on my ankle a few weeks after watching it.
Trailer Park Boys. I watched this series for the first time this year and can recommend the first seven seasons, but then it deteriorated in the reboot when Netflix picked it up for seasons 8-12. If you need a stupid show to just turn your brain off and laugh at, this original mockumentary does the trick.
Baby Reindeer. I binged this entire creepy series in one night. Every episode ended on a cliffhanger that left me wanting more. The show was deeply disturbing on so many levels.
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. I cannot begin to describe the stranglehold these eight episodes of television had on me. It is truly the dumbest show cast full of women who make very questionable life choices, but at the same time are the boss babe breadwinners of their families and going up against the patriarchal mainstream Mormon culture they live amongst. It is an indescribable show you truly must see to believe.
The Twilight Saga. I know I’m like 20 years behind in watching these movies, but I finally watched all five movies this year, cringing all the way through. The movie left me with more questions than answers, primarily, how could Edward impregnate Bella if he doesn’t have any blood, how would he get it up? And wtf is with Jacob grooming a child that will one day become his wife? And wtf is up with Edward telling Bella “I want to kill you” and Bella still being like “Yeah, that’s fine, let’s date.” I swear to God I want to shake this girl and tell her to let her pre-frontal cortex develop before she commits to spending an entire eternity with this boy she literally just met.
Best Books read and listened to
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimerer. Without a hint of exaggeration, I can say that this book is life-changing. It will change the way you view the entire natural world and how you occupy space in it. If you do anything in 2025, let it be reading (or re-reading) this book.
Kaser in the Rye by Moshe Kasher. A hilarious and heartwarming memoir about a comedian’s troubled teen years growing up in less-than-ideal conditions, becoming addicted to drugs, and then recovering from that addiction all before the age of 17.
Inspired by Rachel Held-Evans. I am a huge fan of the late, great Rachel, a liberal, feminist, Christian author who manages to explain massive biblical concepts in ways that are relatable and understandable. This is a wonderful book for any ex-vangelicals or those who want a fresh (female) perspective on the Word of God.
I’m glad my mom died by Jeanette McCurdy. A memoir by the former Disney star whose abusive, narcissistic, overbearing mother forced her into show business. It’s an insane read that I blew through in like two days.
There There by Tommy Orange. An incredible book that follows the journeys of a dozen different characters who are all attending the big Oakland Powwow. A fantastic novel about the different experiences of several generations of urban Indigenous folks.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. This was my first time listening to this classic book and it changed the chemistry of my brain. If you’ve put a lot of thought into how to find your life’s purpose and pursue your personal legend, you must read this book.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. A heavy and heartbreaking book about the lives of two Afghan women who come from very different backgrounds but whose lives intertwine into a beautiful friendship. Set in the early 1960s until the early 2000s, this novel will teach you more about modern Afghan history than you’ll ever learn in school.
Everything I know about love by Dolly Alderton. A hilarious memoir about all aspects of love, platonic, familial, and romantic, the power of female friendship, and living a full, beautiful life as a single woman.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. A haunting memoir about the pop princess’s upbringing in the Deep South, her rise to fame in the toxic celebrity culture of the late 1990s/early 2000s, and the silencing conservatorship she eventually broke free from. Admittedly, it is not the best-written memoir on this list, I still had to include it as a Britney fan who appreciated hearing her long-awaited side of the story.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. An epically captivating book that follows the journey of a Korean family living in Japan across four generations. An incredible read.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. A Vietnam veteran moves his wife and young daughter from Seattle to the Alaskan wilderness in the 1970s. A book about both the survival of the elements and the survival of domestic violence. Not a light read, but a good one.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. A book thick with irony and satire that examines the cut-throat publishing industry, cancel culture, and cultural appropriation. It gets a little weird towards the end, but I was completely hooked from start to finish.
Best Amazon purchases
These are not affiliate links. I gain nothing from telling you about these products. I hate to admit how much I shopped on Amazon this year, but these are the products that genuinely changed my life and I really think you should know about.
Rainbow Window Film: When we moved into our 1st-floor apartment we realized that the lady in the apartment across the street from us spends every waking hour on her patio which looks directly into our bedroom window. To spare our decency, we put up this window film that still lets the light in, but hides the view, and makes a beautiful rainbow on our walls when the sun shines through it at just the right angle.
Solar Outdoor String Lights: For less than a dollar a foot, these are the cheapest and best quality patio lights you can find on Amazon. They lasted the whole season without a problem, were super easy to set up, and ran completely with solar power, which is exactly what we needed because we have no power outlets outside.
Cozy Booties: I wear these booties to work every single day and I adore them. They’re so comfortable and so cozy and everyone should have a pair.
Magnesium Spray: I was influenced by someone on Instagram to buy this spray. My sleep-deprived ass was desperate for a sleeping aid that would knock me out but not make me feel shitty and drowsy after waking as Melatonin does. And I swear to you this Magnesium spray really does work! You spray it on your feet and rub it in as you get into bed and 10 minutes later, it’s lights out.
Blackout Sleep Mask: This eye mask is like a blackout curtain you wear on your face. It is complete darkness as soon as you put it on and it stays on your face all night. The best sleep mask I’ve ever worn.
Steam Cleaner: If it wasn’t for this steam cleaner I never would’ve known how disgusting my shower was. This steam cleaner cleans so efficiently without the use of any chemicals. It’s like a mini pressure washer of scalding hot water. I will never go back.
Favorite Cultural Moments
Chappell Roan. I listened to her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess on repeat this entire year. Bop after bop after bop. Chappell can do no wrong in my eyes.
The Paris Olympics. Let us not forget the pole jumper whose massive package cost him a medal, the most bad-ass sharp-shooter from South Korea, the breakdancer from Australia who stole our hearts, and the female boxer who punched so hard that conservatives clutched their pearls and claimed she was actually a dude.
Moo Deng. This pygmy hippo born in a zoo in Thailand stole all of our hearts this year and I love this diva for her influence!
Luigi Magione. This grad student who leaves Goodreads reviews and rides e-bikes flawlessly (allegedly) shot down a heartless health insurance CEO on the streets of New York. He was instantly baby-girl-ified by the entire internet. He is a man of the people. A legend. A symbol of the revolution.
Now, let’s look back at the New Year resolutions I made for 2024:
Become Self-employed
👎 No dice here. The vast majority of my income still comes from shift work, and while my dream scenario is to work for myself, I’m honestly pretty happy with my current job. Yes, the hours are shit, but it is an easy job, for decent pay, with a great non-profit, in walking distance of my house, with a union, pension, and benefits. I haven’t been that motivated to pursue self-employment because the job I’m in has me in these golden handcuffs I do not want to pry free from.
Learn to crochet
👎 I never even touched a crochet hook or a ball of yarn. Maybe 2025 will be the year I finally conquer the granny square.
Get renter’s insurance
👍 Even though I’m pretty sure insurance is a scam and I might as well be burning my money, my boyfriend and I got renter’s insurance to cover our ass in case anything happens. Unless that something is a flood, in which case we aren’t covered.
Figure out what’s happening with my investments
👍👎I opened up an RRSP finally, but I still need to figure out how to actually invest the money that I put into there. So I’m going to give myself half marks for this one.
Go on more backpacking trips
👎 Didn’t go on a single backpacking trip in 2024. I did some car camping but didn’t pack my backpack once.
Find a family doctor
👎 I put myself on the supposed waiting list for family doctors in BC, but I don’t think that does much of anything. Honestly, at this point, I don’t think I’ll ever have a family doctor and I’m doomed to walk-ins for the rest of my life.
Learn how to rollerblade
👎 Didn’t touch my rollerblades. I ordered a cool helmet and elbow and knee pads to wear while riding. Sadly, I did not drum up the courage to actually strap in.
Get more writing published
👎 The extent of my publishing is self-publishing this newsletter, my other newsletter, and some little Zines I sold at my tarot booths and a zine festival.
Throw dinner parties
👍 Lucas, Dozer, and I hosted dinner parties, garden parties, and housewarming parties in our new place this year. No longer afraid of disturbing a downstairs neighbor with the thumping of dozens of footsteps, and with access to a full yard to shove people into, we stepped up our entertaining game this year big time.
Expand my urban garden
👍 Now that I had full access to a large backyard with plenty of sunlight, I filled it with every raised bed and large pot I could cram in there. The garden was filled with all sorts of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and native shrubs one could imagine. And my head is swollen with ideas on how to make the garden even bigger and even better next season. It really is my raison d’etre.
Return to my yoga practice
👍 I did yoga almost daily at 4 am during my break at work.
Continue repairing my Safari
👍 The Safari drained even more money from my bank account this year as I replaced the driver’s side door handle twice, and got new front rotors and brake pads, along with regular maintenance expenses like oil changes, tire swaps, etc.
Keep learning about native flora and fauna here in the Fraser Valley
👍 I profile a new plant from the Pacific Northwest every week on my other newsletter, Wildflora Tarot.
Leave the country
👍 I’m leaving the country on Dec.28, with just three days to spare. I’m heading to India for 3.5 months for a little yoga teacher training and a solo backpacking journey.
That totals 7.5/14 New Year’s resolutions achieved. I’m happy with that.
Other Notable Achievements that weren’t on my 2024 Bingo Card:
CELTA: I completed the three-month CELTA (Cambridge’s version of TESL) course in the Spring. I sacrificed a lot of sleep to attend the lectures in a different timezone, but now I can add “English Teacher” to my already lengthy resume.
Dog First Aid: I completed an 8-hour first aid course for dogs, so I can be as prepared as possible if Dozer (or any of the dogs I’m petsitting) ever gets sick or injured.
Moved: Our downstairs neighbor moved back home to Quebec in the Spring, so we moved into the apartment directly below us so we could continue to grow food and flowers in the garden and Dozer could have 24/7 access to a backyard to run around in.
Wildflora Tarot: As someone who cannot be a chill girl with a chill hobby, but instead must make that hobby her entire life and personality, I set up shop as a tarot reader at a few music festivals this summer and I loved it. It is certainly not a lucrative venture, but I became more fluent in the language of tarot and connected with folks in my community who were tarot-curious. I also started a separate newsletter just for tarot and local plant profiles, also called Wildflora Tarot. If you’re a little witchy and weird, you should subscribe!
Horticultural Therapy. Another side quest I took this year racking up credits towards one day becoming a registered horticultural therapist. I joined the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association, attended their annual conference over Zoom, attended a four-day in-person course on Vancouver Island, and completed an online course that involved writing three long assignments that totaled over a hundred pages of writing.
Some goals for 2025.
I almost don’t want to list all my goals because of how embarrassing it’ll be 12 months from now when I’m back here and realize I didn’t do half of them. But this year I am going to sum up the courage to do things I’m afraid of and prioritize self-care and fun hobbies over doom-scrolling or binge-watching the same TV shows I’ve already watched a hundred times. Here goes nothing:
Read all the books on my bookshelf. There are at least a hundred unread books on my bookshelf and my audacious ass is convinced I can buckle down and read them all in a year if I just stop checking books out from the library and buying new books.
Take more care to document my life in photos and videos. I want to remember and have the courage to document what I cook, who I hang out with, the hikes I complete, the trips I take, how my garden is doing, and the little moments in life I take for granted. I used to take thousands and thousands of photos and now my camera collects dust on my shelf. No more.
Take more trips, both local and international. In the first quarter of 2025, I will be traveling in India, but I also want to take my first international trip as a couple with my boyfriend. My dream is to spend a long weekend in Mexico City. I also want to go on at least one local trip a month – to another gulf island, another couple of trips up to the cabin, a trip to the States maybe to Olympic National Park, and a trip to Salmon Arm to visit my friend I have been promising to visit for the last three summers.
Become Self-Employed, or at least try to make more money through freelancing. Even if I don’t become fully self-employed next year, I want to make a more intentional effort to work towards that dream. While I love my job, I don’t want to work graveyards forever, and I want to have the freedom to make my own schedule and work when I want.
Take up another creative hobby. Crochet or pottery or tie-dye or macrame or scrapbooking, I want to spend more time creating beautiful things with my hands.
Take up another active hobby. Rollerblading. Fire dancing. Hula hooping. Biking. Backpacking. Longboarding. Paddleboarding. I want to take up a hobby that tricks me into exercising and spending more evenings outside.
Make a plan to buy land. I am tired of investing in someone else’s equity. Next year is finally the time to start looking at land and making a plan on how to get approved for a mortgage.
Write a book. I’ve been writing a memoir for literally two years now, and while I’m tens of thousands of words deep, it’s still a complete mess. My goal next year is to scale it back, to write a dozen focused essays instead of trying to get my entire life onto one long-ass Google doc.
Start a master’s or grad certificate. I applied to a Master of Arts in Community Development at UVic and there is a grad certificate at UVic I’m also thinking of applying to. I’m still on the fence about whether or not this random Masters degree is what I really want to do, but we’ll see.
Develop better sleep hygiene. I don’t know if this is even possible for graveyard shift work, but I’m going to at least try to stick to a bedtime and wake-up routine and a set sleep schedule that I follow.
Thanks for reading What Am I Doing With My Life.
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Andrea Sadowski, a writer, photographer, and silly little guy. If you enjoyed this post, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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