My Favorite Discoveries of 2023

After listening to a recent episode of The Lazy Genius Podcast, I started reflecting on my discoveries in 2023. I came up with a long list that included music, books, and habits, but decided to focus on just a few for this blog post. Below is a short review of eight things I discovered in 2023.

Fancy Text Messages

iPhone allows users to add some fancy effects to text messages. Type your message on the text app, then press and hold the blue send button until a new screen appears. You can change the type of text bubble that appears with your message or the screen effects. Balloons, confetti, fireworks, and even the “pew pew” effect straight out of Star Wars help liven up your text messages. Sometimes, I just randomly send my iPhone-using friends a weird text with emphasis to give us both a giggle. Using these effects makes talking with friends and family more fun.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

After suffering a bout of food poisoning at the end of September, the foods I found appetizing changed. For about a week, I subsisted on steel-cut oats and milk. I went to Pinterest to find some recipes that looked good to me. The first one I tried was one for Hungarian Mushroom soup. It’s a simple recipe that is easy to make, tastes better each day, and pairs well with a good piece of bread. It has become one of my go-to recipes for weekly meals and cooking for the ones I love.

Covers

Thanks to Spotify, I have discovered the sheer number of covers for every song imaginable. I love a good cover because it presents the song differently to the listener. It’s so easy to listen to a song without hearing it; however, I think a good cover will turn a song on its head. Make the listener experience it completely different than the original. Sometimes, I like the cover better than the original. Johnny Cash’s version of Hurt is hands down better than Nine Inch Nails’ original, and I didn’t enjoy Hey Ya! until I heard a stripped-down version by Obadiah Parker.

And while it may sound sacrilegious, the Luc cover of All Shook Up is very groovy (Sorry, Carol).

The Midwest Indie Bookstore Roadmap

I was aware of this map for a while but didn’t pay attention to it or use it until this year. This map lists the independent bookstores located in the Midwest. I used it to explore bookstores throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri. It has provided 2023 with a fun side quest I plan to continue into 2024. I will write more about this experience in a future blog.

Sounds Like a Cult

I discovered the Sounds Like a Cult podcast in early 2023, and I love it. The hosts, Amanda Montell and Isa Medina, discuss the cults we all belong to: the cults of Starbucks, Peloton, church camp, Burning Man, Disney adults, academia, and preppers, to name a few. At the end of each episode, they rate the cult as either Live your life, watch your back, or get the fuck out. This podcast is intelligent, insightful, and funny. The discussion helps me become more aware of my behavior (I am a member of the cult of academia), learn about the groups others belong to and why, and get a good laugh. I know I am in for a treat whenever a new episode drops.

Simmer Pots

I know these have been around for a long time, but 2023 is the first year I ever made a simmer pot. Take a small saucepan and fill it about half-full of water. Then add a freshly sliced orange, a few cinnamon sticks, a dozen whole cloves, and a sprig of rosemary or a handful of whole cranberries. Simmer on the stove over low heat and enjoy. You can substitute ground spices if you don’t have them in whole form. The aroma fills the kitchen and brings in the energy of the holiday season. I typically allow this to simmer for a few hours for 2-3 days before I need to discard and make a new pot. When using a simmer pot, watch the water level to ensure the pot doesn’t boil dry.

Taking an extra day after travel

In 2023, I discovered I function best when I take a rest day after returning from a trip. Taking this extra day after traveling allows me to do laundry, rest, and transition from traveling/vacation to being home and returning to daily life. I don’t feel stressed to hit the ground running immediately and allow the space I need to return to my regular routine. If taking a rest day isn’t possible, I don’t make any plans for the first few evenings I am back to allow myself additional introvert time.

A New Bike Seat

Early in 2023, I realized my old bike seat wasn’t working, so I purchased a new seat with gel padding. This minor upgrade has made all the difference. The seat fits me better and is softer on my backside. My rides are much more comfortable, and I can peddle harder because I am not focused on the pain in my ass. This was one of my best purchases of 2023.

I am so grateful for all the lessons and new things that 2023 brought me. I look forward to seeing what 2024 has in store.

A special thanks to The Lazy Genius for the idea behind this blog post.