Sometimes I think we view writer’s block as being something easily defined. Not realizing it can mean many different things all at once. 

Part of me believes the way my life has changed so significantly in the past year is a form of writer’s block. I was trying to process each obstacle and didn’t have time to tap into the part of myself that makes me who I am (the writer side). The creativity just wasn’t there because it was too busy creatively trying to weather what life was throwing at me. 

I’d like to note that in all of the changes that have occurred over the past year – not all of them were challenging. A lot of them were in fact joyous. The kind of jubilation I have been chasing my whole life, finally found its way to me.

How often I have heard that change in life is inevitable, and that has been one consistent truth in my own life since I last posted. 

Everything that has happened has me thinking back to the way a friend once described me in a piece of art they created. They chose one word for each person in their life, created a drawing, and sent it out as a gift.

Resilient was the word they chose for me. 

There is often so much beauty in the way our loved ones see us, that we can be so blind to. 

As I look towards turning 33 this weekend, I find myself immensely grateful for the changes that have strengthened who I am, the person I am continuing to become, and for the love I am surrounded by. 

For everything else, there’s music: 

Self Help – Olive Klug

Olive was the first concert I saw since the pandemic back in June 2022 at a venue in DC. Their music sounds like Joni but make it queer & coming of age – how could I not instantly fall in love with their sound? I had no idea who they were before going to the show, I just needed something to do that night. Now I consider them to be one of my favorite artists. If you love Joni, I promise you’ll love Olive. 

Hindsight – Jake Wesley Rogers

This song hits home for a lot of reasons. Mostly I just love it because it is upbeat, but it also has an underlying message that resonates with how I have been feeling about my own life. A year of reflection- where I have been and where I am going.

Truth No 2 – The Chicks

I grew up listening to The Chicks with my cousin. We watched the “Goodbye Earl” video on repeat. I hadn’t heard this song until this past year in the early stages of dating my partner, and I fell in love with it through watching her sing. Now it’s sweetly a song we both sing together whenever it comes on.  

Neon Moon – Dave Aude, Cody Belew (country remix)

I don’t remember how I stumbled upon this, and because I don’t listen much to country I didn’t realize this is originally a Brooks & Dunn song. If you’re looking for something upbeat and catchy, I recommend adding this remix to your playlist. This is definitely a song I had on repeat for many months.

Proud of Me – Eva Westphal

Music has felt like poetry for me this year in ways that I needed in a time when I myself wasn’t writing much. This song felt like such sweet reassurance of the journey I had been on, where I am, and where I am going. 

Bless the Telephone – Labi Siffre

I love Spotify rabbit holes and discovering music – which is exactly how I found this artist. I was listening to Paul Simon and somewhere along the way found this gem. I instantly fell in love, even texted my Dad to see if he had heard of it before. After all, he is the reason I have a love for music across all decades and genres. What I love even more than finding new music to listen to, is finding music that may be new to me but has actually been around for quite some time. 

Sage – Okay Alright

Part of the change that went down this past year was a switch in careers – a dream job of sorts (supporting & advocating for LGBTQ+ young people). When I made that shift, I got a peer mentor and how lucky I was that my mentor was also an exquisitely talented musician whose music I can now never get enough of. “Sage” is a personal favorite of mine and they have many other brilliant originals. They also recently covered some Bright Eyes, John Lennon, and Grateful Dead that you should feed your soul with. 

Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell

Joni gets me through every season, so it’s hard to  make a list dedicated to the music of the past year and not add her to it. Here’s a personal favorite.

Kind of Girl – MUNA

I went to see MUNA this summer and the rumors are true – it is the ultimate gay experience. I felt like I was coming home to myself and for all the shows I have been to in my lifetime, I love a crowd full of fellow Queers because it has to be the nicest concert crowd I’ve ever experienced. Anyway, their entire album impacted my life over the past year – here’s just one that has deep meaning to me. 

Breakin Dishes – Rihanna

I saw my first show on Broadway for my birthday last year – POTUS. The best birthday present I could have given myself to be front row so close to Vanessa Williams, Rachel Dratch, and more talented actors . Non-stop laughter (the show didn’t get a long enough run on Broadway in my opinion). They also did a medley piece at the end and now every time I hear this song I think of that show. 

King of Hearts – Kim Petras

Kim Petras has been my diva of the year. I can’t get enough of her music and I feel like I am late to the show in only just now admitting that. I have had so many of her songs on repeat in this past year, especially when I needed to just dance it out, get my body moving as my therapist (the best therapist I have EVER had btw – some professionals just need to be given the whole garden & not the bouquet) suggests me to do. This one has been my go-to as of late though and if you need to dance it out…I recommend pressing play on this track.

CUFF IT – Beyoncé

When I was in NYC last summer for my birthday I had this album on repeat from the moment I got on the train until the moment I returned home. Walking up and down NY streets with this blaring in my headphones. I know Bey is a Virgo, but this album was giving Leo energy and I was here for it. 

Closer to Fine – Indigo Girls

Part of me wanted to add this just because it was hysterically an iconic point in the Barbie movie, but also it feels like a bittersweet anthem to how everything has felt like it has fallen into place in my life over the past year. 

Be Me – VINCINT

A lot of songs have felt like reflections of loving where I am at, who I am, and where I am going. I remember having this song playing over & over when so many changes had just started to happen and I was trying to find my footing with everything. This song felt like a warm radiant hug that everything was going to be okay. 

The power of music never ceases to amaze me. All of these songs were a part of what kept me going for the past year and were a stellar soundtrack to my life day in and day out. 

Here’s to a life overflowing with love & joy, here’s to writing more in this next chapter of life, and here’s to being resilient enough to never give up hope.