Hello! 2024 is totally over! It’s 2025 now and I am left with the memories and dust of the year prior.
What did it all mean?
I have now logged two years in Los Angeles. I am not a proper Angeleno but I have been fully disowned by my community in Portland. No good Portlander moves to Los Angeles and stays for two whole years with no sign of moving back. And I had every reason to move back!
This could have been both the hardest and best year of my life! Isn’t that always the case? You don’t get the good without the difficult. I spent my year largely unemployed running around this town making friends and playing my music at shows in which people actually asked me to play. I couldn’t have dreamt this all up if I tried.
Living life can feel like a fever dream and as I was writing down all the things that happened this year, I couldn’t help but smile at how much surprise and beauty there is in this world. I know the world is also a big, dark scary place but I think the same unknown about life that can paralyze someone with fear is the same unknown that can bring you to your knees with joy. I’m so lucky to be living this good and difficult life.
This is a recap video I made that moves at the speed of light. If you are more interested in reading, please read on, reader.
2024 Resolution Update: Compost
I thought this would be an easy resolution and I was excited about composting because I don’t have a garbage disposal in my sink so most of my garbage is food scraps.
Los Angeles implemented a city-wide compost program where they pick up compost at your house. The problem was I live in an apartment and not a house and no one has figured out how to get the compost out of apartments, I guess.
Due to my lack of backyard composting abilities, I’d have to take my compost to farmer’s markets across town and it just didn’t happen. I’m still going to try!
2024 Highlights (in no particular order)
- My band released our first two songs
- Attended The Curse finale premiere in Beverly Hills with my pals Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone
- Went to Hawaii for the first time ever and tried snorkeling
- Attended my first Dodger games
- Went to Disneyland with my parents
- Played the Hotel Cafe
- Planned and executed my high school reunion
- Saw the northern lights in Portland
- Got a roommate
- Went to Palm Springs for the first time
- Tried my first Thai Iced Tea
- Got in a tiny car accident and it wasn’t even my fault!
- Spotted a minke whale and several humpback whales
- Spotted two SpaceX rocket launches
- Attended the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 red carpet premiere from across Hollywood Boulevard
- Went viral on Tiktok for quarters
- Water aerobicized
- Attended a standup special taping and sat on the stage during the show
- Went to two (2) Soho Houses…in one (1) day
- Attended (and was paid to be at) the Olympic closing ceremony in Los Angeles
- Learned I can skip supernaturally fast and far
- Was in a Lizzy McAlpine music video for like two (2) seconds
- Accidentally dined and dashed…then paid.
Movies I Watched and Liked in 2024
- Gladiator
- Wicked
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- The Boy and the Heron
- The Big Short
- Killers of the Flower Moon
TV Shows and Specials I Watched and Liked in 2024
- Bluey
- Secrets of Whales
- The Curse
- Only Murders in the Building
- Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
Albums I Listened to and Liked in 2024
- Hit Me Hard and Soft – Billie Eilish
- BRAT – Charli XCX
- Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé
- Glory Hour – Victory
- GNX – Kendrick Lamar
- Charm – Clairo
- With A Hammer – Yaeji
Concerts I Attended in 2024
- Caroline Rose @ The Lodge Room
- Jacob Collier @ The Greek Theatre
- The Japanese House @ The Greek Theatre
- Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and Red Hot Chili Peppers @ The Olympics Closing Ceremony in Long Beach
- Blind Pilot @Teragram Ballroom
Books I Read and Enjoyed
- Black Cake by Charmaine Wilderson
- A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser
- The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
- Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California’s Natural Resources by M. Kat Anderson
- Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
Favorite Side of the Road Finds in 2024
- KALLAX bookshelf
- A full-length stand-alone mirror for Sidney that was the exact same as mine
Rachel Rogers 