134: January 2026

My birthday's in a few days. It's not one of the major ones by most standards, but it does feel like a big deal to me personally. I've joked enough about various friends entering their "Jesus year" that of course I was going to end up feeling some kind of way about turning thirty-three myself. It's also how old Frodo turns at the beginning of The Lord of the Rings, the year hobbits formally come of age. I feel as though I'm on the precipice of a long journey, though I can't see the destination yet.

Every new year is an opportunity to formally mark personal growth. This one feels momentous, and it's not just because of the personal milestone. I suspect it's because the cracks are getting wider everywhere; it's hard to feel optimistic when the entire government is populated by the corrupt and when innocent people—especially children—are being kidnapped every single day. I carry a whistle on my keychain but haven't had to use it yet.

I've been disillusioned with my country for a long time, but something in me died last year. I think it's my respect for authority simply for authority's sake, along with my faith in the institutions that got us here in the first place. I've never been more proud to be alive and human than when I've seen the bravery and selflessness of the people of Minneapolis, and I'm so ashamed of everything the country's done to get us to this point. I'm ashamed of my complacency and my cowardice. I want to grow, to be brave, to express this all with more than just words.

What I wrote:

For Bright Wall/Dark Room's Best of 2025 issue, I wrote about Black Bag. I also wrote a list of the ten best movies I watched for the first time.

Over at the Seeing & Believing newsletter, I wrote a top ten list of my favorite 2025 releases. I also wrote reviews of 28 Days Later: The Bone Temple and The Testament of Ann Lee; keep an eye out for this weekend's review of Send Help.