the to-do list
I write now without an outline or an idea beyond the title of this post. I just have some lingering thoughts. Thoughts about what I want this website to eventually be, and how I plan to get there. I know there’s a part of me that can write. But the lack of practice since leaving Chicago for Seattle has seen the skill dampen. I can blame the climate, and my inability to adjust, but these are excuses that remain viable for only so long. Call these resolutions, if you must, but I need to frame these things as achievable ambitions. I’m not going to get cute about this (feelin’ cute, will delete later). I just know that it’s time to really crank this up. Refocus. And reimagine.
Write a reflection on 2025. Write about the films that made an impact. Condense it to five. I don’t think you need anymore. Maybe you do. But figure it out.
Due Date: January 31, 2026
Continue to write film reviews, on a bi-weekly basis beginning after your 2025 reflection. Map out what films you want to write about at least three days beforehand. With a SIFF membership, it’ll be affordable. But look at the schedule, determine what looks of interest. And commit to writing about it. NO EXCEPTIONS.
You may never move on from the past, but you legitimately have new concerns that are taking up your brain power. Harness that. Look into books about anomie, displacement, and moving to a new place.
Had a list composed of 15 books (fiction & nonfiction) by: January 15, 2026
Seriously look into changing the look and feel of this website to reflect what you’re looking for. There’s a sense that you want something… novelistic? Something that looks as if it should be read at a fireplace on a cold winter night sipping on a hot toddy. Yes, I know this sounds ridiculously unattainable. But the color scheme / font / design is not quite what you’re looking for. Make attempts at changes, even if they prove temporary.
Keep to a schedule, but follow a lead. Follow a passion. You want to become a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. Or at the very least, you want to prove to yourself that you still can. Because it’s not about getting the validation from others, it’s about getting it for yourself. You were reduced to rubble and emerged from it. You know you’re good at this. It’s about consistency at this point.