my anxiety wrapped, 2023
a best of by me, as decided by me, an unreliable narrator
We’ve reached the final week of the calendar year, when everyone is reflecting on what’s happened and writing super sad or happy or ambivalent posts looking back on what has (and hasn’t) happened for them.
But like Julianne Moore’s character in May December, aren’t well all unreliable narrators when it comes to our own experiences? Anyone super positive about their past year is certainly lying. And anyone super down is likely glossing over some small light somewhere, maybe.
So chances are when I’m looking back at Nervous Wreckage’s third year out in the world, I’m not as reliable as I could be. But that’s the beauty of being a one-person operation, I suppose. The only narrator here is me and I suppose that’ll have to do for now (although arguably, you as a reader are your own narrator of this experience, but I won’t get too meta over here).
Regardless, I wanted to share some of my personal favorite pieces from the past year—mini-essays that I felt pushed me somewhere new, or struck a chord with readers, or that I myself am just proud of.
I hope you’ll find something that you perhaps missed, or you want to revisit, or that you might want to share with someone in your life who you think will appreciate it. I’ve listed these highlights in no particular order below.
And paid subscribers: sound off in the comments if I missed any of your favorites from the past year!
“welcoming our artificial intelligence overlords: A.I. anxiety, ‘M3gan,’ & the fear of being replaced:” Any excuse to write about AI anxiety and uncanny dolls, amiright?
“10 things in my life more dangerous than a drag show: protect trans folks and drag queens at all costs:” Because it’s just as true now as it was then, if not even more so.
“millennial girl math: on worry & desire & late stage capitalism:” Or, why taking a flippant stance on finances and money is more than justified in the year of our lord 2023.
“‘happy to share’: i need a new word for ‘linkedin-phobia’:” In 2024 I want LinkedIn to be less cringe and for me to feel a bit more comfortable in my own skin when I’m on there.
“‘these are my boundaries:’ meditating on self vs other, therapy-speak, & anxiety monsters:” Where Jonah Hill went wrong, and where the boundaries of constructive therapy-speech begin.
“who’s afraid of other people’s books?: on creative envy, avoidance, & weeknight tortellini:” Or how I learned to love feeling a wee bit intimidated reading the works of writers I admire.
“lessons from the referee store: how to be anxious in a(n) (urban) society in ‘how-to with john wilson’:” A reminder we are all just doing our best even when we’re socially anxious, observant, and Living In A Society.
“against consistency: when do good habits work against us?:” An idea I return to when I burn myself out, or, the downsides of too much discipline.
So happy new year’s, Nervous Wrecks. And in the words of Shiv Roy, my favorite unreliable sage of 2023: YOU CAN SMILE, BITCH.
See you in 2024, friends!
