In search of a shiny new year filled with creativity and awesomeness? I know just the year for you. Look no further. The hottest and most current year is 2021. This year has everything!

Oh, hello!

Welcome to the first in a series I’m calling Fangirl Friday. Posts on these days will cover anything from sharing things I love, discovering and learning about new things, and overall fandom of any topic. This may include upcoming offerings of some fanfic I’ve been working on.

After the ‘kiss off’ to 2020 in my previous post, I’d like to ring in 2021 with some of my favorite things that have helped me keep on keepin’ on during life’s ups, downs, and sideways moments.

Reading Apps

I love a good book. I miss the tactile sensation of turning pages. Last year, reading got kicked to the curb next to my writing slump for the better part of the year. But I know that to be a writer, it helps to read a lot on various topics, both fiction and non-fiction. As much as I’ve enjoyed having a book in hand, limited physical storage space has led me to increase my obscene ‘To Read’ pile a hundredfold with the use of handy dandy reading apps. Some notables are Kindle, YAC Reader, Apple Books, and Kobo.

There’s so much to choose from: novels, cookbooks, biographies, graphic novels, comics, self-help, humor. Something for everyone. I haven’t really gotten into audiobooks, as yet, because I find myself getting distracted more easily and/or falling asleep mid-chapter! I’ll keep trying because I know this medium is amazing.

Podcasts

Having said that, I do enjoy a podcast. I’ve taken to listening to podcasts when I’ve been out for a socially distant walk this past year. Podcasts help me focus on something other than the increasing condensation against my face as I breathe into the mask du jour (still on the hunt for a good and safe one that doesn’t annoy the bejeezus outta me!).

It’s probably due to the format of podcasts that they seem to work better for me. It’s like listening to the radio, essentially. But hey, call me Flexigal. I’m open to diving further into the world of audiobooks.

Streaming Services

Binge this, because This. Is. The. Way.

If ever there was a year to catch up on a film or series, dive into a new series, or lose yourself in action, adventure, comedy, drama, home renovation, and great bake-offs, 2020 allowed us to do it. There are so many titles out there, so many reasons to suspend disbelief from the world around us. My mainstays have been Disney+, Netflix, and Prime Video. Thousands of hours of content upon which to feed your senses.

It gives me hope as a writer to see how much can still be done with storytelling due to all the advancements in technology. Streaming services certainly helped us escape in recent times and immerse ourselves in worlds other than our own.

Tech

Alright. We’ve touched on some software and now, let’s get to the hardware. I love my gadgets and have curated my collection based on usability as well as curiosity. I’ve been an Apple devotee since 2007. Currently, I’ve got their laptop, iPhone, iPad, Watch, and a partridge in a pricy tree. It pained me to have 2020 end with a busted phone. However, the angels at Apple Support are helping me get back on track. My laptop is an 11″ Macbook Air circa-2015, so by Apple standards, it’s a relic. I’m holding on for dear life to make sure they last for as long as possible because, while they do last a long time, I’d need a lot of magic beans to replace them. There are actually more things I have that fall under gadgety goodness but I’ll save them for another post. Suffice it to say, priciness aside, until someone can convince me otherwise, it’ll be Apple all day, everyday.

What were things you enjoyed to get you through the last year? Were there some that you just couldn’t get used to? Have you found alternatives to old faves and have you discovered new loves? Let me know in the comments below!

This is a new year. Let’s make it a happy and productive one. I hope that you’re doing safe and well and I’ll see you back here soon.

Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.

Until next time,

T out.