what i love right now #14

(scary) things that r comforting when the world is (scary)

hi, friend, goblin, and countryperson.

I realized it’s been a minute since my last one of these. What I love right now is a series of posts where I chronicle things—ideally, not purchasable objects—that are bringing me joy.

1. Carrie (film, 1976)

Halfway through last year, I read Stephen King’s Carrie. It was my first of his novels. (I’m currently reading It, which is taking me a while given how long the novel is.) In November, I watched Brian de Palma’s 1976 film adaptation of the book, and it did not disappoint. I realized I hadn’t put it in a what I love right now. So, here, it gets a little belated recognition.

What a film. It’s different from the book, in some ways, but I really loved it. It’s a film that made me think about the artistry behind it, the shots, etc. Granted, lots of boob shots in the film (most of which are just mirroring what’s in the book; it starts in a high school girls’ locker room)—it’s a product of its time, not that that prevented me from rolling my eyes sometimes—but I really liked how it is in conversation with the book, while ultimately exploring some things a little bit differently.

2. R.O. Kwon’s The Incendiaries

I put out a list of my favorite books I read in 2024, and then I listened to the audiobook of R.O. Kwon’s The Incendiaries on December 30th, 2024.

This book is a little depressing, I won’t lie. I found myself entranced by it while I was listening to it, though, and really impacted by the narrative. At the same time, once I finished it, I felt both sad and relieved.

The book follows two characters, Will and Phoebe, who meet at a religious college (I think in the 1990s?) in upstate New York and, eventually, the two begin a relationship. Will is ex-Christian, and Phoebe is non-Christian young woman who had dreams of being a piano prodigy. Now, she finds herself looped into a group run by a charismatic, but increasingly extreme, leader.

This book lives in relationship to books like those of Sally Rooney—sad, angsty college kids who are confused about their identity, who love a little to deeply or a little too harshly—but what I love is how it also explores really big questions about belief. Not just who has capacity for belief and who doesn’t, but considering what the space belief (in this case, in a Christian God) holds in peoples’ lives, and if that belief is beneficial or ultimately who it serves.

3. The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

In New York, it’s been cold. In spite of the 20-30 degree Fahrenheit weather, I still take my dog on daily walks, so audiobooks have been really crucial. I have been loving the audiobook of The Other Black Girl, a 2021 novel about a young Black woman working in a (fictional) publishing company in New York City. There are several narrators—Joniece Abott-Pratt, Aja Naomi King, Bahni Turpin, and Heather Alicia Simms—all of whom are fantastic. The novel features lots of cultural criticism in the form of a thriller, and if you want a well-written, gripping read that doesn’t eschew meaningfulness for “rollercoaster plot,” but instead balances the pull of both, check this one out.

4. That morning cup of tea (or, once in a while, coffee)

I wish I had a cute tea picture to go with this, but I don’t. I just want to encourage you, dear reader, to hydrate. I’m one of those people who often has two to three beverages at any moment, especially in the hotter weather, but, these days, a morning cup of tea is really setting the mood.

Recently, some family was visiting me, and so I was making them coffee on a daily basis. I don’t really drink coffee—I like it, but I can easily drink too much and get anxious—but when they were visiting, I sometimes joined them for a cup.

I found that, for the first time in my life, I can drink a solid cup of coffee black, which felt like a fun discovery. I do still prefer a little bit of milk/plant milk/something in the coffee, but I’ve been playing around with the Trader Joe’s flavored coffee. (I think this one is chocolate or chocolate hazelnut?)

Whatever your beverage of choice, maybe make yourself put your phone down (this is for me, too) and listen to the water brew, the aroma of the water and leaves/coffee grounds, and savor that first sip in peace. It’s harder to do than I’d like to admit, but whenever I do, I feel proud of myself.

5. Looking up

I was traveling a tiny bit earlier this month and I took a photo of a park I went for a run in. The thing I love the most about being outside of the packed urban area of New York City (and some other cities) is how big the sky can be.

There is a lot to feel a lot about, especially if you find yourself to be an American citizen, but I feel a little bit better on the days I’m able to look up and locate where I am, physically, in space, grounding myself as best as I can.

A longer piece is in the works coming at you soon!