81. Spirit, wrapped for 2024
Thought-provoking art, songs, and books to take into 2025.
Since Spotify’s end-of-year “Wrapped” feature received mixed reviews with AI hallucinations and silly micro-genre titles, I thought I’d do my own human-powered analysis!
Here are some highlights from 2024, for this Substack and my personal art practice. I included my favourite songs and books as well, because who doesn’t love a good list?
We had 8 conversations.
My intention this year was to increase collaboration by introducing “conversations”: interviews that take place asynchronously over a shared document. These have been wonderfully fulfilling.
We had guests as diverse as writer and psychologist Elke Babicki; my high school teacher and crafty librarian Gloria Piovesan; my artsy friend and Germany-based engineer Amy; and most recently, Bev and Greg of Vancouver’s Aiyaohno Cafe.
Stay tuned for more to come in the new year. Also, please message me if you make things and you’d like to have a conversation. My goal is one per month!
I posted 23 times.
2024 has been the most consistent year for Spirit, in that I aimed to post every other week. I succeeded, most of the time. I attribute that success to changes in my time management priorities – especially the fact that I now attend church, which (like any spiritual practice would) inspires greater awe of beauty.
Posting on Spirit makes me feel more fulfilled on a soul level. For that reason, I wish to continue prioritizing appreciation of art, moving forward.
I made 1 tote bag design, 8 new ink pieces for a calendar, dozens of sketches, 5 acrylic canvases, 4 pairs of baby booties, and half of a baby blanket.
Highlights were:
1. Selling out of the 2025 calendar. Usually I order too many and barely any copies sell, so I give most of them away as gifts. This year, I sold more than I gave away. I was glad I chose local subject matter, which seemed to resonate with craft market guests.
2. Making sketches and random pieces for the summer art camps I taught, without overthinking. Teaching art was a wonderful change of pace from guidance counsellor work. I most enjoyed researching prompts and ideas for projects, and seeing the students’ original takes on my suggestions.
More lists, just for fun
Not according to Spotify stats, but rather my own estimation:
Most catchy songs
Most poignant songs
(by the way, I put all ten songs in one handy Spotify playlist!)
Most thought-provoking books
Troubled by Rob Henderson
The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
Table for Two by Amor Towles
The Plan by Kendra Adachi
What was your best song, book, or personal achievement of 2024? Please do share in the comments so we can enjoy and celebrate together!