A Year to Remember: 2023

Happy New Year’s Weekend, everyone!

A good indication that someone is getting older is the amount of times they say things like “time flew by,” or “it feels like just yesterday when…” etc., etc. as it relates to days, weeks, months and years. I, myself, must sound like I’m a fossil by now- because I’ve told everyone that will listen over the past few days leading up to this weekend’s New Year’s Eve festivities that it legitimately feels like it’s still the first week of January 2023.

When realizing it was time to sit down and recap this past year in its entirety (as is the ‘Coffee & Chiffon’ tradition!) I had a bit of an existential crisis because I can vividly remember sitting at my desk, much like I am right now as I write this, and putting the finishing touches on my 2022 recap while simultaneously planning my resolutions for the year to come. Where did 2023 go? It truly feels like it flew by in the blink of an eye!

But just because the year came and went in a snap of the fingers doesn’t mean that I didn’t have time to make big strides forward in my life and enjoy myself. On the contrary, 2023 was a lot of fun- and a great year to set the foundation for the things I still want to accomplish in 2024.

But I’ll get to those resolutions- and my plans for the upcoming holiday weekend- a little later on in this post!

I had kicked off my 2023 with a cozy and not-so-spooky stay in Salem, Massachusetts, and while most of that weekend had been spent walking around famous landmarks and historical sites in the sunshine- it was also a bit of a cruel joke by Mother Nature because the remaining days of Winter were marked by negative temperatures, frequent heavy snowstorms, and dodging polar vortexes that relentlessly slammed the Northeast. Luckily, I spent most of my time with friends in the comforts of some of our favorite bars and restaurants around the Pioneer Valley while counting down the days until Spring began.

When things slowly but surely started to unfreeze and thaw by mid-March, I ventured back into the great outdoors to see live music and modern art again, and by April and May I was back to my usual hangout spots in Maryland and San Diego to spend time with friends and family I hadn’t seen since 2022! The good times kept coming in the Summer, too- with more live music and festivals, and long days (and weekends!) spent in iconic places in and around Maine, Connecticut and Provincetown.

I was feeling the pull of Autumnal coziness as early as mid-August, especially when traveling to Sleepy Hollow, New York following my attending a beautiful wedding not-too-far from there. My “Basic Fall Witch-ness” only got stronger in September when I spent my weekends at various cider houses and caught one final outdoor music gig for the year at the Jersey Shore with Andrew and the kids.

And then, to close out the Fall and spooky season- I spent the (almost) entirety of October in Southern California and then Maryland where I rejoined the kids to go Trick-Or-Treating around their neighborhood before heading back home to New England to ride out the busy holiday season from the comforts and convenience of home. When it came time to reflect on the things I was thankful for leading into Thanksgiving, I found the silver linings in both professional and financial setbacks I encountered this year- and vowed to make sure I overcame those temporary hurdles in the New Year.

By the time we entered post-Thanksgiving and the early days of December, I was doing as many festive things and as much last minute, out-of-state travel as possible. This past month, and year, was sadly bookended by the unexpected passing of my beloved Uncle Mark, however- which significantly dampened my family’s Christmas cheer. We did the best we could to keep things happy and light during our recent gatherings and gift exchanges, because we all knew it’s what he would have wanted.

And now with the holidays nearly done for another year, and before we look forward to new goals and plans for 2024, we first have to take a quick look back on the big milestones- the headlines, the trends, the gasp-worthy moments and the memories that we took from this past year. And what a year it was!

This was 2023- a year for the books!

It’s complicated, until it isn’t…: I am by no means a foreign affairs expert, and as informed as I try to be about the going on in the world, it can be difficult to remain in-the-know when a conflict is actively continuing to unfold in real time and both the news and social media are saturated with misinformation and dangerous political propaganda. So I’ll try to keep the summary of this huge (and still ongoing) news story as brief and as concise as possible.

On October 7th, following decades of unrest and clashing, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a coordinated and long-planned attack on Israel- with reported significant military and civilian casualties and hostages allegedly being taken from villages and rural communities, including an outdoor music festival that had been taking place as the attack was underway.

In response, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) launched a counter-attack on Gaza with the expressed intent of destroying Hamas and whoever was housing/funding them. However, it became very clear very quickly that Palestinian civilians- including women and children who were essentially trapped in-between with no way of escaping- were not only being disregarded in the onslaught but purposefully targeted- with bombings of hospitals, mosques and refugee camps being reported. Subsequently, civilians trapped in Gaza were denied food, water, and medical aid from being delivered while having their electricity cut off- which drew criticism worldwide as a war crime.

With Israeli air strikes continuing for days and weeks, and the civilian death tolls rising- calls to government officials for a ceasefire went widely ignored until the end of November- when a brief pause in combat and a hostage/prisoner exchange was finally agreed upon before combat resumed.

Many politicians and celebrities have weighed in throughout the conflict, with those calling the documented attacks on Palestinian civilians a genocide then being accused of being anti-Semitic (which isn’t what anti-Semitism means, but…) or supporting terrorism. Doxxing of Palestinian supporters and sympathizers has also been reported on social media and across college campuses as multiple protests and rallies- in support of both sides- have taken place throughout the world.

This one is still unfolding as I write this, and will likely find itself in the 2024 recap, as well- as there is no resolution in sight at this time.

These ghouls have lost the plot…: Also in October of this year, the United States had its own political unrest- although ours was significantly more goofy and cartoonish than what was happening in Palestine/Israel. A little under ten months months after being reluctantly elected as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, universally unpopular doofus Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position- a first in American History.

And thus a series of votes to replace him began, resulting in the humiliating (and hilarious) defeat of deplorable people like Jim Jordan and Tom Emmer. Jordan’s defeat was especially satisfying, as he could not secure enough supporting votes over, and over, and over again and eventually had to retreat into whatever hole he crawled out of.

Ultimately, it was the God-fearing and election-denying Louisiana representative, Mike Johnson, who was selected for the role- which is the least funny thing about all of this. An avid opposer of women’s rights, climate change prevention, immigration support and of the LGBTQ community- Johnson has made no effort to hide the fact that he wishes to set our country back significantly and do away with things like the separation of church and state. Awesome, right?

Here’s hoping he also gets ousted in 2024. Fingers crossed.

All eyes were on the ocean this year…: In the Summer of 2023, news quickly spread that a submersible designed for “Titanic Tourism” had gone missing in the North Atlantic with five people onboard- including the CEO of the company behind the expedition, OceanGate. As more details came out about the passengers, including two billionaire businessmen and a teenager who had reportedly been reluctant to go onboard in the first place, so did the details about how shoddily the vessel’s design had been and how OceanGate’s founder- Stockton Rush- had failed to heed multiple warnings from professionals and engineers over the years.

At first, concerns grew that the submersible had become inoperable and trapped on the ocean floor, potentially near the wreckage of the Titanic, with news outlets noting (and horrifyingly enough, counting down to) a depleting Oxygen supply as hours/days went by while search efforts were underway by both the United States and Canada. James Cameron weighed in on the situation, as well- noting that the submersible disappearing and the sinking of the Titanic were similar in that they were both seemingly preventable tragedies.

Meanwhile, ‘Titanic’ slowly but surely found its way back onto streaming services and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” re-entered the charts because of course that would happen.

It wasn’t until the end of June when debris from the submersible were located, and after review- it was determined that the vessel had imploded while descending- killing all occupants on board instantaneously. As of October, pieces of the vessel were still being retrieved from the ocean floor- and OceanGate has suspended all future expeditions for the time being.

True Crime Roundup: As it is with every year that has come before- 2023 had no shortage of long-anticipated courtroom drama and shocking verdicts for some major crimes and cases that made the headlines long before jury selection. Kicking things off in March following days of damning testimony and evidence- including a video that was being recorded without his knowledge that placed him at the scene- disgraced Attorney and longtime crook Alex Murdaugh was found guilty for the 2021 murders of his wife and youngest son (who was also a murderer, coincidentally.) He was sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole.

Also in March, there was the bizarre trial of actress/Goop-Founder Gwyneth Paltrow where she was found not guilty after being sued by a retired optometrist for allegedly causing his injuries following a collision on a slope at a Utah ski resort in 2019. On top of the memes that arose from Paltrow’s courtroom fashion to her testimony was the hilarity that she was awarded only one dollar by the jury- the amount she had reportedly countersued for.

Fast-forward to May, and the “Doomsday Mom” and cult follower Lori Vallow Daybell finally got her comeuppance for the 2019 murders of her two children after significant delays as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was sentenced to two consecutive life terms, but was recently extradited to face charges for the murder of her fourth husband.

Her partner in the crime (and current husband) is set to have his trial begin in 2024 for his participation in the murders and cover-ups, as well as the murder of his first wife in 2019.

Finally, there was the May 2023 conviction of former ‘That 70s Show’ star and Scientology scumbag, Danny Masterson, for rape. Given how smug he and the Church were throughout the process, and their incessant harassment and intimidation of the victims and witnesses- seeing him finally sentenced to 30 years to life in September was especially satisfying.

Bring on some more justice in 2024! I live for it!

Movies are BACK, baby!: How much fun was July, everyone? Can we just pause for a moment and appreciate that this year’s biggest cinematic weekend, event, and cultural moment had absolutely nothing to do with superheroes and everything to do with two vastly different movies about two entirely different things that just happened to hit theaters on the same day?

On July 21st, following months of memes and social media buzz- Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ and Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ were released in the States, resulting in astronomical ticket sales and theater attendance for each- with the box office numbers very quickly shattering records and considerably surpassing their respective budgets. Many people (myself included!) saw both movies on the same day during opening weekend, making it one of the most fun afternoons/evenings spent at my local theater in a very, very long time.

And with plenty of inspired costumes and props being put together for movie-goers who turned theaters into an event worth attending- there was no shortage of “Barbenheimer” Halloween displays and outfits when the Fall rolled around, too!

Both movies are now nominated for multiple Oscars for this coming award season- so it looks like the memes will keep on coming as we wait to find out who will reign supreme with the total amount of wins.

Speaking of shakeups in Hollywood…: Right before “Barbenheimer” weekend was set to begin, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike, subsequently halting productions and project promotions from the Summer through the Fall. With the ever-evolving changes in streaming services, how they translate to fair pay and residuals for casts ad crews, and the increased usage of AI tech in productions- strikers and their supporters sought changes in pay and protection of ones image from being used and abused via AI technology- which has been on the rise throughout 2023.

This strike started shortly after the Writers Guild of America strike (which similarly began in the Summer and ended in the Fall,) which also sought to reduce/restrict the use of AI technology, compensate writers fairly and increase the size of writers rooms.

As noted, both organizations eventually reached deals and agreements earlier this Fall- and the pause in productions ended- with many projects that were in the works resuming and others adjusting their tentative release dates.

Know your worth, y’all!

Unlikeable Nepo Babies & Side Chicks Everywhere Rejoiced: In May of 2023, months after his mother had passed away last year, the un-liked (not nearly as despised as his brother, Prince Andrew, though!) Prince Charles ascended to the throne and became the King of the United Kingdom following an elaborate coronation ceremony that was attended by multiple royals, heads of state, prominent religious figures- and Katy Perry- for some reason.

The event was televised- so viewers got to see the full scale of over-the-top expenses as they pertained to décor, music, security and memorabilia that was churned out to commemorate the occasion. They also got to see Camilla, the ultimate homewrecking side chick that all homewrecking side chicks aspire to be- become Queen after years of playing the long game. Life is fair like that, after all.

The coronation and Charles’ ascension to the throne wasn’t all parties and confetti, however. There were plenty of protests that happened leading up up, during, and immediately following the event- including 64 arrests on the day of the ceremony.

And much like American politics- we’re all left wondering why we can’t get someone a little more youthful and with the times into the long-term and coveted positions of extensive power.

Mother Nature showed her ugly side…: As we’ve seen in many years’ past and will likely continue to see as global warming keeps on keeping on, 2023 had no shortage of devastating natural disasters around the world. There were the Canadian wildfires, which got so out of control that smoke traveled down to the Northeastern United States and briefly turned our skies into a hazy, post-apocalyptic wasteland for a few days.

There was the 7.8 magnitude Turkey-Syria earthquake, Hurricane Idalia (a category 4) which decimated Northern Florida and multiple tornadoes that dropped around New England over the course of the Summer. I spent so much time huddling in my basement or in the bathtub this past year waiting for storms to pass, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve had to do that so often!

One of the worst disasters, however, was the ultimate destruction of Lahaina during the August wildfires that tore through the island of Maui. With over a hundred people killed and over $5 billion dollars in damage, the images of residents fleeing into the ocean to avoid the flames and smoke while watching their homes be destroyed was one of the most deeply unsettling images I’ve seen this year.

I shared ways you can help (and they still need help!) here on the blog at the time the disaster was unfolding- and I’m hoping there’s more time for affected communities to rebuild and recover in 2024.

And in another predominantly American tradition…: Much like natural disasters, there was no shortage of mass shootings throughout the United States in 2023, as well. with 559 documented shootings as of the end of November and counting- and a significant amount of them involving children following domestic disturbances.

There was the January shooting at a dance school in Monterey Park, California, the May shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas, and the October shooting at a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine- which became the tenth deadliest mass shooting in this country’s troubled history. At the time I started writing this post, the December UNLV shooting in Las Vegas hadn’t occurred- but has since been added just to show how often this kind of thing happens year after year here in the United States.

And while the “thoughts and prayers” posts on social media get recycled and regurgitated with every mass casualty event, the number of shootings keeps climbing- and will more than likely continue well into 2024 which is really the only definitive thing we can bank on these days, as heartbreaking as that is.

We had to say goodbye to a lot of familiar faces, influential. icons, and beloved figures this year…: Finally, 2023 sadly had no shortage of surprising (and if not shocking given someone’s advanced age or health issues, then still devastating nonetheless!) losses this year as we bid farewell to many cherished actors, musicians/singers, and fashion icons. Comedic darlings Matthew Perry, Paul Reubens and Suzanne Somers all passed unexpectedly this year, as well as powerhouse drama performers like Lance Reddick, Andre Braugher and Richard Belzer.

We said goodbye to many in the music community this year, as well- with the incomparable voices of Tina Turner, Shane MacGowan and Sinéad O’Connor tragically leaving us in 2023, along with beloved performers like Jimmy Buffett and Lisa Marie Presley among so many others. This is such a somber note to close this year’s wrap-up with, but respects must be paid to absolute legends we’ll never forget.

There was one silver lining in 2023, however- and that was the long overdue death of war criminal and wretched monster, Henry Kissinger.

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I’m sure that the above summary of the year may be controversial to some, and that quite a few people out there would argue that other big moments or headlines should have made the cut, too- but those are the headlines and events that have, in my opinion, have really made an impact and are continuing to impact the world around us- even as I type this.

That’s not to say there weren’t a few other things I wanted to talk about, too! As always, I’ve carved out another little section in my “2023 Wrap-Up” to give a nod and a tip of my hat (which is a beanie since it’s Winter in New England right now) to some of the smaller – but still important or just plain, downright funny – things that happened throughout the course of this year.

Here are your Honorable Mentions for 2023, everyone!

– We were all rooting for the Orcas, honestly: When it first started being reported that Orca whales were traveling in larger than usual pods and purposefully attacking./sinking yachts off of various European coasts earlier this year- I don’t think boating enthusiasts were expecting the internet and social media to actively be rooting on the whales quite SO much. With a staggering amount of hilarious memes, many of which were tied into the aforementioned OceanGate submersible briefly disappearing- it was actually fun to be on Twitter again- even if it was just for a little while.

Some scientists have recently come out and explained that the Orcas may simply be trying to be playful when they sink boats since they aren’t actively attacking the actual humans that are occupying the waters, but there is something so much more fun about imagining them tearing off rudders in some sort of Bond-Villian-esque plot that makes it way funnier for me and what I suspect is a lot of other people, too.

– UFOs are apparently real, but we all just sort of moved on pretty quickly: In the Summer of 2023, retired Major David Grusch, now noted as being a whistleblower, testified in front of the U.S. House Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs to discuss governmental and military cover-ups as they pertained to UFOs/UAPs and what, if anything, is known about them. His testimony was compelling, especially when reviewing previously released/leaked footage of unidentified flying objects appearing on radars during military activities and exercises circa 2015.

But just as soon as the hearing happened, and people collectively said “aliens exist, got it,” it seemed like we immediately moved onto the next thing. We’re busy, after all. We have stuff to do.

– Okay, but I NEED to know what happened with those Parisian bedbugs: While I sort of shrugged at the possible existence of other lifeforms in the universe, there was one story from 2023 that also disappeared from the headlines just as quick as it had come- but I need the resolution to the story right. now. In October of this year, it was reported that Paris, France had been dealing with one of the worst kinds of bedbug infestations throughout various hotels, trains, cinemas and office spaces. And, with Paris being a very, very popular destination- concerns rapidly grew that the creepy little critters could cross the ocean and cause more problems beyond places like New York City and Chicago (where they’re already fairly prominent!)

And, much like the UFO/UAP story- people just stopped talking about it when they moved onto the next thing- but it’s still haunting me! What ever happened?! Did they get it under control in Paris?! How many people caught an international flight from France and are now here in the States?! It’s driving me crazy not knowing!

– Long-time cold cases had some resolutions…: While I may never get my answers about the Paris bedbugs, many people got answers that they had been waiting for after a very, very long time when it came to some infamous cold cases. First, there was the September arrest of Duane Davis in relation to the 1996 shooting of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. A trial is set to begin next June- and I don’t think anyone ever saw this one coming.

And then a month later- Joran van der Sloot- a longtime suspect in the case and already serving a long-term prison sentence for a separate and unrelated murder and drug trafficking charge, finally confessed to killing Natalee Holloway while she was on a class trip in Aruba back in 2005 and disposing of her body in the ocean.

It’s unclear if van der Sloot will be extradited after completing his current Peruvian jail sentence in 2045 to serve additional time for the crime, but I think everyone can rest easy that he’s not going anywhere for a very, very long time.

– “I’m Johnny Knoxville, and this is the Panera Charged Lemonade challenge.”: This is one of those stories that really broke through closer to the end of 2023, but it’s absolutely worth mentioning since we now have a body count linked to it. Panera Bread, famed for overpriced soup and sandwiches (but addictive in its own right,) is presently embroiled in two separate wrongful death lawsuits stemming from their “Charged Lemonade,” which is just their regular lemonade- except absolutely loaded with enough caffeine to take down an elephant. TikTok users have posted videos of themselves after consuming the beverage where they are shaking violently but, undeniably, have a lot of energy.

Two individuals with reported pre-existing conditions have since died after potentially over-consuming the lemonades, which lacked any kind of warning or nutritional information. And, while Panera have firmly stood behind their product and its safety when ingested in moderation- my local Panera now keeps the Charged Lemonade behind the counter.

– Let’s close this one out with some miracles and good news, shall we?: Earlier this year, we saw two public figures legitimately defy the odds and narrowly avoid death, only to have their respective comebacks be some much-needed “feel good” news later on after their recoveries. The first, happening on New Year’s Day, involved actor Jeremy Renner suffering serious and life-threatening injuries when he was essentially crushed by an unmanned Snowcat snowplow while attempting to assist a neighbor outside his home.

Miraculously, he pulled through- undergoing surgeries and eventually regaining the ability to walk. At the time I’m writing this, it was noted he’s returned to set to continue his scheduled acting gigs- which is always a good sign.

The next, and absolutely terrifying since it happened on live television- was when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field after a particularly hard tackle and chest hit during a play just moments earlier. Rescue efforts were immediately started, including CPR and defibrillation while players from both teams and the crowd looked on in distress. Eventually, Hamlin was taken off the field on a stretcher and remained in critical condition for days until he regained consciousness and was able to communicate again.

Following a lengthy recovery period, it was announced in April this year that he was cleared for a return to the NFL, and he took to the field again in the Fall. Incredible.

And there we have it- a fond and full look back on 2023! So how am I ringing in 2024?

I’m going to be keeping it local and low-key this New Year’s Eve & Day, opting to spend the long weekend in Boston for a much needed refresher and mental-emotional reset. I’ve got dinner plans in the North End at one of my favorite restaurants, shopping planned on Newbury Street- and a fancy hotel room that is conveniently within walking distance of friends and events/parties I’ll be stopping by and seeing over the course of the evening/night. Expect a lot of pictures when I get back to blogging next week!

And as always, I came up with some resolutions I’m going to be actively pursuing and working on achieving throughout the year!

1. Scratch more places off my “Must Visit” travel list: Although I’ll be starting the year close-to-home and among familiar places and faces, I’m hoping to branch out and visit some destinations I’ve been wanting to explore more in-depth for a long time (but had to put on the back burner due to the pandemic.) Some of those beloved destinations include New Orleans, Nashville and Memphis, as well as some small towns in Arizona and Colorado I’ve seen come up on my social media algorithm in recent months.

And maybe, depending on how my year looks and how the details are ironed out- I might even head back overseas for a bit! I’m also sure I’ll be visiting Maryland and California plenty of times, too. It’s one of the perks of being able to work remotely!

2. Be kinder to and less critical of myself: I’ve always been a bit self-deprecating, and while I think it’s important to be able to laugh at myself or not take myself too seriously all of the time- I’ve found in recent years that the lighthearted humor has turned into being overtly critical of myself or my mistakes or shortcomings. If I mess up, forget something, do too much or too little, I’ve called myself horrible names or insulted myself in my mind or out loud- and didn’t even realize I was doing it until a friend recently pointed it out to me after I missed a turn while we were driving and openly criticized myself!

In 2024, I want to stop being so harsh to/on myself. I want to stop being mentally and verbally critical to myself if I make an error or don’t meet a goal or expectation. I would never let anyone else speak disrespectfully to me- so why do I allow it from myself?

3. Consider planting roots: May 2024 will mark five years since I moved out to the Pioneer Valley, and although I’ve greatly enjoyed my time here (even though a good portion of it was spent in a pandemic!) I also know my landlord will likely increase rent yet again for no good reason- and I’m starting to slowly get priced out of the area. In 2024, I’d like to start giving some serious consideration to where I’d like to go next if I decide not to stay in Western Massachusetts for the long haul. That can mean finding a new apartment, weighing the pros/cons of home ownership, or even finding a converted bus to live the #VanLife for a while. You never know!

And to expand on that- I’d like to spend some time thinking about where that next move would take me. Back to Boston? Up north to Vermont? Out of New England entirely? There’s so many possibilities and I want to explore them all!

4. Finish the little things I didn’t get to this year: Although I made great strides with achieving the goals I set for myself in 2023, there’s a few things I didn’t get to that I’m hoping to make more progress with in 2024. This includes building up my resume, renewing my passport that expired during COVID, and getting back into learning a couple of new languages for when I travel.

None of these were particularly life or death in terms of importance- but I do want to get them taken care of for my own peace of mind and so I don’t have to worry about them when it’s time to head into 2025!

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Aaaand that’s a wrap! I think I covered as much as I could from these past twelve months (and am always open to feedback/comments about anything I may have missed!) and I truly had a lot of fun recapping so many different headlines and monumental moments from the year. It really did go by in the blink of an eye- and I’m hoping I can somehow will or manifest 2024 going just a little slower so I can stop and appreciate more of it!

I’ll be coming back to the blog next Wednesday to recap my holiday weekend before it’s back to business as usual here on ‘Coffee & Chiffon.’ Of course, if anyone wants to follow along with my weekend- you can check out my INSTAGRAM where I’ll be posting some photos while I’m out and about!

I wish you all a safe and wonderful New Year’s and long weekend ahead- whether you’re going to be out partying or cozying up at home to celebrate. I hope it’s just what you want and need to say goodbye to 2023 and welcome 2024 properly and in your own way. Here’s to a fun and fulfilling year ahead, and to all of us having an abundance of love, laughter, good health and fortune throughout it!

See you all soon!

xo