Footnotes: Morning Walks, XO Kitty, and Other Things I Loved in January

January was January-ing.

Hey, sometimes a girl wants to talk about more than just books! So, welcome to Footnotes, a monthly rundown of all my off-the-page side quests—places I went, the shows I binge-watched, things I bought, and more.

Outside with a chai latte, my (new) happy place

“Highlights” feels funny since January was truly January-ing. Speaking of which, if you’re still looking for ways to give back in the aftermath of the wildfires, consider helping out the LA bookish community. I found this article to be helpful.

• Slow morning walks. Working from home means that I sometimes jump straight into work and don’t realize that I haven’t been outside all day until about 6:00 pm. So, I’m trying my best to prioritize morning walks. The promise of grabbing an iced beverage from a local coffee shop definitely helps.

• Getting my ears pierced (again). This was a super spur-of-the-moment decision on New Year’s Day. I used to have a second hole in my ears. I thought they closed up, but after going to Studs, I discovered that they were, in fact, still open. Never the one to waste a trip, I got a third! And hey, a fourth may be in my future. (Would you believe that I used to have a fear of needles?)

• Volunteering! It’s no secret that LA people cannot drive, but they do know how to show up for one another when it counts. I was able to give back in so many ways this month—dropping off clothes and makeup to donation drives and passing out supplies—and I’m eager to continue in the coming months.

• More cooking, less takeout. Usually, I loathe cooking, but this month, dare I say, I enjoyed trying some new recipes! Some favorites: steak frites with chimichurri, honey teriyaki chicken meatballs, and this copycat Cava harissa chicken bowl.

• The few hours without TikTok, where I, a professional social media person, was SO excited about having one less platform to manage at my day job, even if I also enjoy mindlessly scrolling for hours watching funny videos.

Chapter #57: 2025 Ins and Outs

Season 3 of XO, Kitty, where art thou?

• XO, Kitty (Netflix): All I’ll say is that Kitty and Min Ho better be endgame!!!!

• Bel-Air (Peacock): Finally binged this dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I am now waiting desperately for season 4 (and mad that it’s the last season.)

• The Sex Lives of College Girls (Max): I had low expectations for season three following Reneé Rapp’s exit, and though it had its bad moments (like we brushed past that Kimberly/Whitney/Canaan love triangle way too fast), I was in tears watching the season finale. It even made me want to watch The Greatest Showman again (iykyk.)

• One of Them Days: Keke Palmer and SZA were the comedy duo I didn’t know I needed.

Surprisingly, not many purchases were made this month. I just grabbed my favorite Abbott Elementary Principal in Funko Pop form (along with Janine and Barbara) and this Midori A6 grid notebook, home to my 2025 reading journal. More on this in an upcoming newsletter!

Love this song and the music video!

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