Let's Try This Again
Weekend Reads v. 17.1.2026
If social media is any indication, I am not the only one who had a bumpy landing into 2026. People who are usually silent in my feed are starting the year off by looking back and sharing decade-old photos as part of the “2026 is the new 2016” trend. When chaos abounds, it’s definitely more comforting to take refuge in nostalgia than to sign up for Veganuary.
But there’s still time to take back this year.
There is no rule book for taking a breath and hitting restart. This is especially true as the days count down to the Lunar New Year when the Year of the Snake will yield way to the Year of the Horse. It feels especially poetic to have an opportunity to shed this handful of hard winter weeks that we are walking through, doesn’t it? Looking at the Lunar New Year calendar provides an opportunity for a restart, so to speak, and that is certainly where my mind is at the moment!
Part of reframing and restarting will likely involve taking an inventory of how we spend our time and taking stock of the things and people we allow to influence us. For me, a 24/7 news cycle will always feed the furnace of anxiety in my mind, and I know I am not alone in this.
A teaching professor at Northeastern University named Kristen Lee spoke with a reporter not too long ago about how the 24/7 news cycle can pose tremendous harm to people’s health. From the article: “‘We are inundated with a lot of information, misinformation and disinformation constantly,’ says Lee, a teaching professor in behavioral science within the health care and biotechnology domain at Northeastern. ‘It can really affect our well-being if we are being misled into a perception that the world is completely on fire.’”
The media thrives on a “if it bleeds, it leads” theory, and so the news platforms and social media accounts continue to exploit human psychology by utilizing negativity bias and attention loops to keep us scrolling. If the first step is admitting you have a problem, I admit that this empath writing to you now has a difficult time managing the desire to stay informed with her sensitive brain.
Before we completely shed the Year of the Snake and gallop into the Year of the Horse, I’m taking a few steps to reinforce a few boundaries in my life. I will still silence alerts for news, emails, and most social media functions on my phone. I’m trying to take more control of my digital life by limiting the time I am on my phone without having to purchase a device like Brick to do it for me. (We shall see how well I do without a gadget that can physically intervene.) I am not apologizing for being slow to respond – if it’s an emergency, people know how to get a hold of me.
I’m also giving myself total permission to not know. I don’t need to read all the news. In fact, I unsubscribed from one of the newspapers I used to occasionally read. This paper was a major offender when it came to using shock-and-awe as clickbait. I’m still in the process of unsubscribing from media email lists. And I am making more time to read books and sew.
Writer and podcaster Blake Guichet shared a few thoughts on this subject earlier this week, and her thoughts have served as an encouragement to be vigilant about guarding my time and influences. Maybe her words will encourage you, too?
“You can stay informed without being consumed,” she said via a social media post. “You can have compassion for the people living this without letting your peace be destroyed by it. Peace is not denial. It’s choosing where you place your attention.”
If you still have holiday money burning a hole in your pocket, here are a two fun shops to peruse:
Fish’s Eddy has a collection of quirky trays that are perfect for serving or collecting items around your house.
MoMA Design Store curated a list of items that are perfect for a new year refresh.
Which Milan aperitivo bar are you?
Did Harry Styles book another residency at Madison Square Garden? More importantly (to me), will Chelsea Porter quilt him a jacket and deliver it stageside during the show like she did for Benson Boone?
This just in, vintage lighters are a thing.
Two health trends I predict we will see more of this year: bath salts (especially bougie ones like these from Erewhon) and FIBER IS THE NEW PROTEIN.
See also: how to spend less time online and how to read more this year.
Yet another article on how AI is disrupting industries. This time, it’s fashion advertising that is seeing the tides change thanks to AI platforms like Shopify.
An article about how Gourmet Magazine is (sorta) back in a very punk rock way. AKA, unsanctioned and in newsletter form. I love it!
These 11 amazing Airbnbs in Joshua Tree, California, have me wanting to completely redecorate.
If you’re a film buff, you may want to build your vacation plans around this article full of instantly recognizable hotels from movies.
59 ideas for Super Bowl appetizers.
I’m very excited for brooches to be back, but I’m not quite sure what my thoughts are on the idea of a shoulder brooch.
This was sorta interesting: A writer must be four people at once.
I was reminded of how brilliant Billy Collins is as a poet when I came across his poem about a lanyard.
Take good care of yourself this weekend!
I’ve been using a Brick device, and it’s honestly been great. My screen time is way down, and I barely feel the urge to doomscroll anymore.