100 things I’m grateful for (2024 edition)
there could always be more!
Hello Tamia Talkers, lovers, and friends! It’s so good to write you on this final day of 2024.
Exactly one year ago, I apprehensively posted my first ever Tamia Talks entry on Substack and anxiously shared the link on Instagram and in text messages to friends. At the time, I felt relatively unsure of what my take on this platform would look like and grappled with my festering insecurities about dropping my thoughts and ideas onto the internet (without an editor!).
However, I found a fulfilling sense of creative release in being able to write, podcast, and experiment every week. It was empowering to be vulnerable and open about my likes, interests and experiences and such a gift to know that some of you resonated with those thoughts and feelings.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been in holiday vacation mode, taking some time away from “the stack” to go to the Bahamas with my family, finishing my end-of-year projects for work, and ~manifesting~ and preparing for the new year. I’ve made some vision boards and to-do lists, booked a few flights, and jotted down a handful of creative ideas to jumpstart my January.
Even with all of that done, I didn’t want to walk away from this year without sharing expressing my gratitude for YOU, all of my lovely subscribers, who read my essays, rewinds, recountings of the year. You’ve made me feel seen, supported, understood through it all.
To end the year, I’m concluding with one of my favorite things of all time, a list. This one includes 100 things that I found deep appreciation and gratitude for this year. I hope you can take some time to do the same.
For now, that’s all I have to share. I very much have a December Rewind nearly ready for posting, but I watched “A Complete Unknown” on Sunday and read two books between Monday and today, so I need to copy paste my thoughts from the notes app.
I hope that 2025 is a year full of peace and prosperity for all of you. Thank you for being such a fun part of my year <3
100 things I’m grateful for (in no particular order)
renee rapp’s lip liner combo in this insta dump
the color green
spontaneous trips
the filter that transforms dogs into charlie brown characters
clairo
the bottle of lubriderm at work that keeps my hands moisturized
when sabrina carpenter does pretty much anything
respectfully, all the men in the sex lives of college girls
theatre adults (who were once kids)
art festivals
mitch wood (of theatre video-making fame and other projects)
workplace comedies
the feeling you get when you can close a book after reading the last page
figure skaters and their passion and verve
getting up early and taking on the day
staying up late but doing something productive yet peaceful
journalists <3
london on a sunny day
London in May! sleepover with your besties
facetimes with the girls
learning something new about someone you’ve known for a long time
knowing the lyrics to something you haven’t heard in years and singing the words at the loudest volume you can manage
wisconsin
fall car rides and long strolls through the park
ginger shots
alessia cara
a good pair of earmuffs
that lovely guy on tiktok that does covers in the style of patti lupone
live theatre
pop girls, especially the short ones
chicago
a good kale salad, preferably caesar, with a thick and crunchy parmesan crisp (aka sweetgreen kale caeser)
las culturistas and the silly podcasts that keep me sane
closing down the restaurant with your bestie
when someone tells you that they like your crochet scarf, hat, bag and you can say “thank you, I made it!”
art that makes you feel
the boy is mine featuring brandy and monica
existing in close proximity to a body of water
throwing a party and people show up, iconic
the way the duolingo bird turns into a rising phoenix whenever you hit a streak milestone (604 days, but who’s counting!)
when i had a party to celebrate my duolingo streak and my friends dressed in all denim to commemorate the accomplishment
when you encounter someone who speaks a different language than you, but your subpar multilingual ability allows you to communicate
my mom (AH! she should be first)
my dad (king, what else can I say)
giannis antetokounmpo
dua lipa’s song “maria” because I can send it to my friend maria when I miss her
pants that are so wide-legged that the fabric hardly scratches the surface of your skin
when you’ve had the worst possible week of your life and you’re spiraling and crashing out and then your period comes and you’re like “omg, i’m good”
a good, durable, comfortable boot
a good, durable, comfortable tennis shoe
dentists!
positive celebrity encounters
a day on a big, stunning, gorgeous lake (I’m looking at you Lake Michigan!)
when you revisit old goss with your friends and new lore emerges
Besties containing new lore. captivating YA novels
rachel zegler’s beautiful voice and being!
my dog (should’ve been higher, hello?! number one diva)
great orators
cowboy carter (but, more importantly, renaissance)
spa days
the barista at goddess and the baker on wacker drive who picked my wicked book up off the table while I was eating and made inquisitive faces at me before saying “is it good?! should I read it? I’ve never seen the musical but, I’m excited for the movie” because, yes, to all that.
Moments before said book snatching. unexpected compliments (kind of feels like a sneak attack for the soul)
that time I fell asleep at yoga class (so funny and I really needed that, I guess!)
sparkling water with a lemon
my amateur dance pursuits
brat (definitely should’ve been higher)
taking a dance class
berry smoothie (almost) every day
new orleans
ceramics class and painting your own mug
fuzzy socks and a day in bed
pine candles
experiencing two political conventions in one summer
My friend Sarah and I before covering the Democratic National Convention seeing the vice president of the united states more times than I saw some members of my extended family (kind of sad, but kind of cool?)
GloRilla and the masterpiece that is “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME”
seeing MUNA, SZA, Chappell Roan, Reneé Rapp and Faye Webster all in one summer
my succulent that lived through the year
the guitar shaped margarita glasses at Summerfest
Bestie Bridget with the aforementioned guitar glass stonehenge lore
collaging and a gold sticker collection
family reunions!
wicked, of course
Wicked things <3 chai lattes and espresso martinis
watching my friends fall in love and get married
arcade games and pop-a-shot basketball
tate mcrae and people who can dance
a big bowl of popcorn
eliminating self doubt
finishing a journal (or four) and dumping out your deepest feelings
the right to vote
gold stars
learning any and all Kendrick Lamar lyrics and more importantly existing in the same time frame as Kendrick Lamar
not being a hater all the time and being diligent about embracing love
my midwest princess trucker hat
me three pages into ACOTAR, preparing for shenanigans doechii renaissance
good pasta
Somewhere in New York seeing stevie wonder twice in one year
a big, warm, fuzzy thing to wear around the house
quality time with my loved ones
creating this substack!
See you all in the new year <3
revisiting old goss and having new lore emerge is elite!! also holding space for dua and giannis <3
so many of these resonate (esp. #34)