How I’m Planning to ‘Keep On’ in 2021
If there’s ever been a year to throw in the towel, 2020 was that year. Sadly, 2021 hasn’t yet brought much in the way of hopefulness, but surely the day will come that we get off the couch, out of our PJs, out of our houses, and into a new and vastly different world. I’m not entirely sure what that world will look like, but it’s definitely not going to be the same as before. In a small attempt to cope with uncertainty, and channel some of my nervous energy about the future, I, in true Virgo fashion, have written a “creative roadmap” for myself for the new year. Places to remember to visit or re-visit in 2021, things to think about, laugh about, and most importantly, write about.
These will, in all likelihood, not be physical places, given the state of the world, but instead, ideas, art, books, films, food, etc. that invoke feelings, which often feel like places. I’ve decided on one theme for each month of the year, and I’ll post once a week about something (see below) related to the month’s theme.
January’s theme is New Beginnings. Pretty apt for the new year, but also for where we are in history. It is my hope that in forcing myself to think about each of the themes I’ve come up with, I’ll not only be distracted from whatever new horror is terrorizing humanity at the time, but that I’ll discover something new, make a new connection, have a bit of fun, and have a record of this new year as it unfolds based on my interests and feelings at that time. It’s an experiment in being consistent, creative, and accountable. How’s that for new beginnings?
Monthly Themes
In case you want to follow along, the tentative themes are below. I’ll also refer to the theme in every post, so there’s no chance of getting lost!
January: New Beginnings
February: Love
March: Luck
April: Humor
May: Mental Health
June: Adventure
July: Gratitude
August: Loss
September: Comfort
October: Fear
November: Indulgence
December: Family
What to Expect
You know… I wish I could say. As I said, this is, first and foremost, a space for me to form a consistent and creative writing habit, but it’s also meant to be fun, interesting, and a break from the intensity of the world. While many of the themes can be associated with real and intense feelings or ideas, that’s not always where I’m going to take them. My goal is to recommend and/or make a connection to some form of media as it relates to my theme of the month. This could take the form of a podcast episode, a movie I loved from childhood, a brand new Netflix series, a song or entire album, a piece of art, a book I’m reading, a news story, etc., etc.
For example, if the theme is Luck, I may choose the 1988 animated Miyazaki film, Totoro, for my piece of media one week, and talk about how Satsuke and her little sister, Mei, stumble upon a magical creature during a time when their mother is sick in the hospital. Or, I could take it in a completely different direction, and talk about how lucky I felt when I found the reality series, Love Island, on Hulu during quarantine, and suddenly had 6 seasons with 30+ episodes each, of absolutely addictive trash tv to cozy up with in bed. It’s really anyone’s guess.
What I can promise is that it’s going to be fun, light-hearted at times, and heavy at others. Mostly, I hope this will be a space to escape into recommendations (as well as things to maybe not waste your time on) from a perfect internet stranger. Maybe we’ll have some things in common, maybe I’ll get some recommendations back from you! Who knows, anything can happen, and I’m excited to start the journey and open the conversation.
