my year in lists: do it for the article
last quarter of 2024! including: a quick summary + goals, how to get over an ex, and so. much. political journalism.
Truly no better way to close out the 2024 year than to have a well-timed quarter review :) I really hope you all have been well, these past few months have been astronomically busy but I feel like I always say that, the unfortunate result of growing up.
I’ve had an influx of new subscribers so, welcome. If you came from my December Oxford Study TikTok I’m especially glad you’ve stuck by. The weird thing about TikTok, and that one in particular, is that your intended audience can get SOOOO skewed. Even plugging my article did little to help people’s comprehension, but even then, I guess some struggled to see why it’s really odd and invasive to incessantly comment “oxford study” on an Asian woman’s video… But as they say, any publicity is good publicity! If anything, it’s a lesson on how not all of your takes are going to be well-received, just trust in your audience.
Speaking of lessons, I thought I’d share some things from this past year and what I’m going to be focusing on next year. 2025 definitely has to watch out now ;)
Some successes / new experiences:
300+ subscribers here, 14,000+ views on the website
Started TikTok, 2 viral-ish videos
Somehow passed Trigonometry and AP Chemistry
Won a county mock trial award
Turned 16! exactly halfway through the year
Actually found out and took the four pillars of journalism to heart
Became the uncle that talks politics at dinner (whoopsies)
Perfected my sleep routine (carbs, fairy lights, video essay in the background, weighted blanket)
Finally let go of previous romances–but we’ll get into that soon
Wrote a few strong pieces for AuxComp :)
Things I’m focusing on next year:
3+ posts on AuxComp (pinky promise, especially while I’m reporting more news and politics!!)
Silky hair, health > length even though I’m attached
Growing AuxComp! Being more engaging, finding the truest of my niches
Perfecting my signature scent(s)
Passing my AP tests
Entering senior year of high school (AAAAA!!!)
Reading more, with less care of external judgement
Getting my driver’s license FINALLY
Happy New Year’s everyone! Here are some recommendations and pieces to guide you through the upcoming few months ♡
READING RECOMMENDATIONS
Eros The Bittersweet, Anne Carson
THEEEE book on love, so much so that I can’t believe I haven’t recommended it before. Eros is a reworking of Carson’s PhD thesis examining love in all philosophical and literary contexts within classic works. I have been a long-time fan of Carson, but only through sharing this book with a friend recently did I really realize how significant it is. If you somehow find my graveyard of a Goodreads account, you’ll see all of my saved quotes belonging to Carson. Eros is just incredible, I barely know how to put it into words. Through various examples and metaphors, Carson truly digs into what love can mean, and the way in which she describes it is nothing short of breathtaking. Top 10 books to rewire your brain and reframe your way of thinking. Also my favorite book of all time :)
“Eros is an issue of boundaries. He exists because certain boundaries do. In the interval between reach and grasp, between glance and counterglance, between ‘I love you’ and ‘I love you too,’ the absent presence of desire comes alive. But the boundaries of time and glance and I love you are only aftershocks of the main, inevitable boundary that creates Eros: the boundary of flesh and self between you and me. And it is only, suddenly, at the moment when I would dissolve that boundary, I realize I never can.”
Silver Bulletin 2024 presidential election forecast, Nate Silver and Eli McKown-Dawson
One of my absolute favorite resources during this election cycle. I honestly have no clue how coding works and how Silver and his team were able to implement it in such an easily digestible way, but hey, he did it! These past few months I’ve grown an odd kind of fondness towards many political journalists.
69% Blame CEO Murder on US Healthcare System, Ken Klippenstein
Klippenstein has also become a new favorite! After his publication of Luigi Mangione’s manifesto (and me subsequently finding out he was that guy that published J.D. Vance’s dossier and was an investigative reporter with The Young Turks), I’ve really fallen back in love with traditional investigative journalism. This piece in particular was a much-needed reflection of the public’s true opinion towards the United Healthcare CEO’s murder.
The poll also captures a nuance that’s sorely lacking in major media coverage, which tends to collapse the issue into two camps: those who condemn the murder vs. those who support it. That kind of two-sizes-fits-all framing leaves no room for the view that both the shooter and the healthcare industry share responsibility for the CEO’s death. NORC’s poll suggests this more nuanced attitude is in fact quite mainstream. The number of respondents who blamed the shooter wasn’t much higher (78 percent) than those who blamed health insurance claim denials (69 percent).
“Black Love is Struggle Love”, Asisa Kadiri and Kamory Rose
Such a beautiful examination of the dynamics of love in the Black community and the many, many ways it has been ingrained and normalized within society. While I’m new to Rose’s work, I hold so much trust within Kadiri’s and love whenever she collaborates with others in particular. Send them both love!!!!!!
Despite the love that exists within Black couples, the coupling of love and trauma complicates the ability to cultivate relationships characterized by effective communication and healthy conflict resolution. The relationships forged in such historically fraught conditions, while deeply rooted in love, are often intertwined with struggles for survival.
who's afraid of san francisco?, Jade Hurley
Never before have I divulged into my San Francisco identity like I have after reading this piece. Frankly, I am entirely jealous at the ways Hurley distinctly describes events, perfectly tying them into her commentary. Hurley’s lens is something I find, I guess unsurprisingly, unexplored by many political commentators. Harris’s identity within this election was something I believe to be a key (and sadly innate) factor. Hurley described it perfectly.
Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump are not only marking Harris as a San Francisco Radical to hurt her campaign or her political credibility. They mark her as such in order to place her outside of Americanness, making her fundamentally unfit to lead The Heartland, the Real America, the True Patriots… Whatever you want to call the Manifest-Destiny-pilled imagination of American identity and authenticity. The San Francisco Radical is oppositional to the state. Perhaps she’s even an enemy.
LOVE COLUMN: When Is The Right Time To Move On?
Back at it again! Through this column I’ve become somewhat an arbiter of advice within my male friends especially, odd, but still welcomed! This quarter’s column will be a combination of sorts since the audience submission fits so well lol.
This submission comes from N:
long story short, i am no contact with my ex atm, and i kinda really miss him:( his birthday is soon and im debating whether or not i should break no contact and try to rekindle the relationship. we’ve already broken up once before but i still feel so stuck on the situation. i don’t know what to do! i’m scared i’m never gonna get over this.
Almost scarily perfectly timed! I was in a very very similar position not even two weeks ago. Of course, I don’t know all the details, most importantly why things ended between you two, but we’ll infer. I’ll first describe what happened in my case (after maybe two seconds of debate on how much to talk about my personal life), a good friend and I got involved romantically, and quite quickly at that. After a few weeks of several-hour long text conversations and phone calls and matching Halloween costumes, I was doused with the ice cold realization that it suddenly didn’t feel right. I unceremoniously ended things between us and compromised the state of our friend group for a hot second.
However, after being ripped away from our aforementioned several-hour long conversations, I was scared of how much I missed him. Unlike previous endeavors, we were good friends beforehand, and I was able to entertain philosophical quandaries and discuss geopolitical events with him. As Taylor Swift once said, “he was my best friend and that was the worst part.”1 In an instant, life got fifty times more complicated. Upon finding back that he wasn’t completely over me either, it was a constant back-and-forth on what to do.
A dear friend gave this near-exact advice, so I’ll repeat it back to you: perhaps your trepidation, back and forth on what to do, is a sign you are not ready. There is nothing wrong with being unsure, but understand that your lack of confidence could be unfair to both your ex-partner and yourself. Why pursue something if you’re so skeptical? Why pursue something if it has been proven it does not work out? Stop retracing steps to see where things went wrong when you should be trying to understand your own, current position. Trust your gut, remember why things ended the first time. Attempts at friendship are not necessarily discouraged, but remember the boundaries are different for friends compared to ex-lovers, now friends. I wrote a lot of poetry during this time, regain your composure, wallowing won’t help, but it can be a vital step to healing. And remember, feeling sad after making a decision doesn’t mean you made the wrong decision!
WATCHING RECOMMENDATIONS
This past quarter can be most aptly characterized by the long, late nights I had, staying awake to catch up on my trigonometry homework and listening to the Fear& podcast constantlyyyyy2. I really love all of these entertainers individually, but together the way they riff off each other is perfect. From the neurotic QT, messy Austin, raver-gamer Will, to political Hasan, I think their chemistry is unmatched, and I am forever searching for more people who watch them so I can make references. A fun, easy to listen to podcast!
American-Backed Coups, Mapped, Johnny Harris
Yeah… it’s more political journalism… But this was really informative I promise! I often struggle to keep attention to these kinds of history videos, but it was weirdly invigorating. Also very helpful in my self-studying for the AP US History exam!!
What the hell happened this year?, Good Work
Dan Toomey is an amazing entertainer and I absolutely love and admire the way Good Work formats their videos full of information and humor.
Your Name. (2016)
I recently rewatched this film with a group of friends and I will never, ever get tired watching it. Even after upwards of eight watches, this film will always manage to take my breath, the way it blurs lines and reality is so incredible. On top of that, the animation and soundtrack are absolutely stunningggg.
LISTENING RECOMMENDATIONS
Yes, I went to his Oakland show where he played this song 3 times :)
Much like a two week period in February, I could do nothing but ONLY listen to Blxst for a hot second
River, Madeleine Peyroux and k.d. lang
Okay I can’t lie, nothing hits like the original, but this cover very much does it justice. I’ve been in love with Madeleine Peyroux’s work forever now as well
Drop a comment of your thoughts too! These quarter reviews (and maybe all of my work) kind of end up being mostly for myself, but of course, there is always you guys as an audience, so I would love to hear any comments, even if it’s just random goals, what you think of my recommendations, or anything in between.
Also make sure to subscribe as it’s the best way to support me & my work directly. Also share with a marshmallow lover and/or someone who’s already seen Nosferatu.
As always, here is the playlist for this quarter:
All my love, Alaïa xx
An extra playlist for your consideration:
Sorry that trig has been such a recurring theme, times are tough out here as a humanities girly
omg i did not know you were a teenager!! anyways congrats on your amazing work this year >_<