Hello 2026
An open letter from a creative who is revolting against AI and hasn’t taken a grammar class in 10 years. So look past mistypes, misspellings, and run-on sentences to embrace something entirely human. (But if you do see errors, blame Blan because I asked him to review this).
2026 Goals
Let’s bring back the long game.
If you know me, you know I do not live according to the Gregorian calendar. I still run according to the school calendar, even though I am too many years post-grad. So, considering I still have 8 months until my new year, I surprised myself when I felt called to not just come up with New Year’s resolutions, but essentially a new life for myself… well, maybe that’s a little dramatic.
I don’t know if it’s 2026 or being 25 with a fully developed frontal lobe, but this year, Blan and I decided we are going to better ourselves through food, faith, fitness, hobbies, and learning new things. None of these goals will get done in a day, and some don’t even have clear finish lines, but I know that at the end of the year, all the progress will be something to celebrate.
Being someone who relishes in embarrassing cringeworthy moments, it’s easy to lose sight of all the accomplishments over the year. Especially when the stories I keep telling are the mess-ups along the way. So in 2026, my stories may get a little longer, because this year I hope to share the win at the end of the cringe, and maybe even take the compliment without a self-deprecating joke to follow. I hope this year we can all take the time to celebrate our wins, because even if they seem small, that doesn’t make them any less worthy.
Stop Wasting Worry
What if we let our apples brown?
I think there is a generational trauma being passed down to all of us, and it’s the fear that our apples will brown. We all worry, we all squeeze lemon juice on them, we all try to prevent them from browning, and in turn, we are turning them into something they are not. I leave you with a question: What if we let our apples be? I don’t think my apples defy all odds, yet when I slice them, leave them out, store them, then come back for more, they are still crisp, delicious, and beige. My takeaway from this: someone lied to all of us. So join me in the fight against buying a lemon every time we buy apples.
Why Do I Love What I Swore To Hate
It’s time I apologize.
I’d like to apologize to all of those who like canned tuna. I thought you had no sense of taste or smell until this month, when I realized you all may be on to something. First it was tuna salad, then it was a tuna melt… and now I’m more hooked than a fish on a line.
English muffins. I think this food single-handedly taught me the feeling of sitting in the uncomfortable and learning to move on from disappointment. Because what do you expect from a child who expects a muffin and ends up with a piece of toast? So mom and dad, I am sorry for any tantrums I’ve thrown over an English muffin, because the whole first week of January, a day did not go by that I did not eat an English muffin.
Salmon, now this is a big one. Years of my mom having to make a second dinner, and now I would have it 5 times a week if I wasn’t scared of mercury poisoning. So, as I take a moment to reflect, I wonder if it was really about the salmon at all… or was it that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to eat ravioli.
Sorry, Blan, for refusing to eat rice for essentially the last 6 years of eating dinner together. I’ll give it to you, and probably the rest of the world, it’s actually not that bad. Now, while I will never crave it and never go out of my way to get it, it turns out it can make a good dinner, a great dinner. This is my public apology for depriving you of easily hitting your calorie goals all these years.
Chili… I was debating if this should even be here. Yes, I would say I like chili now, but it may also be because I take the time to remove every last bean. So maybe I just like seasoned ground meat? I’ll taste the theory next month and get back to you.
Listen Up Linda
Is there a newsletter worth reading without an advice column?
What’s a newsletter without an “AITA” section or a monthly advice column? While I’m not claiming to have the right answers, I always have opinions, and isn’t that the bare minimum in friendship, someone who will give you an opinion when asked? So submit your questions, problems, and scenarios.
While I can’t offer you advice this month, I can ask for it. 2026 is the year I decided to embrace spontaneity. And to hold myself accountable, I’ve extended a work trip and am taking some time in Utah, so please send any and all recommendations.
Sincerely, someone who spends most of their time below sea level.
Pass The Plate
I hope to save my friends from the disappointment of a bad Instagram reel recipe.
We all think picking the weekly menu will be fun until the hours of scrolling for a new recipe becomes a headache, and this week’s new menu is just last week’s menu. So let’s help each other out here. I tell you my meal recommendations, and in return, you send me yours.
I’ll go first: shredded chicken bowls (honey mustard or salsa are my favs), tuna salad, Allie’s spicy beef bowl, Allie’s sausage orzo soup, chicken pot pie, chuck roasts, steak, and any form of salmon (cubed or baked or spicy)
And if you do not have an Instant Pot yet, it’s time.
Epic Was Epic
My time at the parks.
2 years dreaming of butterbeer and the mummy, and thanks to Meg, I finally got to live out my dreams. Everyone was scared my expectations wouldn’t be met, and to all our surprise, they were exceeded.
Day 1: Meg and I relished in all the happy memories we’ve made over the years (thanks mom and dad). We confirmed that butterbeer is still ridiculously good, and the mummy is the best ride in Universal. We also somehow experienced multiple delays from rides breaking… don’t think too much into that.
Day 2: We made new EPIC memories at the cleanest theme park ever. It was the perfect day, filled with little to no lines and lots of laughs. Niki even won the Chick-fil-a gold cup… on a Sunday… well, at least that’s what Allie thought (or should I say fell for).
When it comes to the rides, here are my personal rankings:
- Stardust Racers
- Hiccup’s Wing Glider
- Curse of the Werewolf
- Monsters Unchained: Frankenstein Experiment
- Harry Potter Ministry of Magic
- Bowser’s Challenge
- Mine-Cart Madness
I can’t decide if I should be surprised or not that the worst rides had the longest lines. I think the best part of my least favorite rides was the waiting areas, which were experiences of their own. Universal proved that sets are their expertise.
Cop Or Not
Will this change my life for the better?
Am I wrong to think if I owned these ice moldings that I’d never have a watered down iced coffee again?
This will change your life for the better.
The silliest little gooses (well, swans) are sure to make the growing to-do list more manageable (and by manageable I mean enjoyable).
2026: The Year Of “The Maybe Man”
Definitely maybe…
For years, we have all been the yes man and fallen victim to the yes man. Plans always sound exciting at the start. Yes, of course, I want to take a 2-week European backpacking trip with you. But will I actually? Can I take the PTO, stomach the costs, brave the logistical nightmare… probably not. So yes, I want to, but no, I probably won’t go. But how can I tell you no now? Am I in too deep? This is where Allie’s philosophy comes into play: become the maybe man.
Me: “Will you make me that for dinner?”
Allie: “Maybe”
Me: “Why do you never just say yes?”
And that’s when she changed my whole perspective on everything. Why say yes, spiral, feel guilty, and hurt feelings when you could just tell the truth and say “maybe”? Let’s start protecting our peace and our friends’ feelings. Join me as we wave goodbye to the era of the yes man and go back to 2008’s definitely maybe.
Where Are All The Good Movies
Behind a paywall…
Any time I’m looking for a genuine comedy, there is nothing anywhere. I bought into the narrative that they never made a good comedy past 2008, only to learn it’s all a lie. There are great movies out there, just Google Vince Vaughn movies or movies like Wedding Crashers, or anything in that same stroke, and you’ll be overwhelmed with options.
Until you realize that they are not streaming on any platform you subscribe to, and if they are there, they are premium, leaving you with a choice. Pay $3 to watch or spend another 30 minutes looking for something free before settling for another unmemorable movie.
So all that to say, here is what I would watch if I won the lottery:
- Life of the Party
- Game Night
- The Intern
- The Internship
- Unfinished Business
Mixed (Thoughts On) Media
What made a mark this January.
Book of the month: Dutch House
Thank you, Niki, for the recommendation. The best way I can describe this book is a non-scary thriller. All I wanted was to find out more and more about their past that led them to their present. It’s a great story capturing the complexity of family dynamics.
Show of the month: Sherlock
Over the past few months, Blan and I have been enthralled with the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. We finally finished the series, and it truly left me with mixed thoughts. I have a lot of questions for the writers and would like to give a shoutout to the editors for randomly doing the weirdest things.
Song of the month: The City
Blocking out the noises of construction, I pressed shuffle on every song I have ever liked on Spotify… and the results are unsettling. But the song that stood out among the rest was The City. Please, do yourself a favor and listen.
Podcast of the month: Bone Valley
Meg introduced me to a great podcast that makes me question everything about our justice system. Give it a listen and be shocked.
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