My Year in Numbers
a fun spin on a recap, if you will
Welcome to my yearly recap. As we know, I’m unexpectedly weirdly sentimental. Last year I split it up into like 4 posts but I think this will be more fun to read. I hope you enjoy. (I know it gives off the vibe but this isn’t my last post of the year.)
29
Number of books read this year (as of December 13, 2024). I took a severeeee dip at the end of the year, mostly because I just frankly didn’t feel like reading. I definitely turn to reading more when my mental health is in the pits and it was very bad in the first half of the year, and then got decidedly better, which is good!, but then I also stopped reading, which is bad. Anyways, here are a few of my favorites and ones that I didn’t love as much:
Funny Story: I’m going to try to reread this over break because I don’t remember much but I loved this so much. Definitely in the top half of Emily Henry books.
A Court of Silver Flames: Can you believe I only read this this year? There’s really no way to defend this being one of my favorite reads but it just is, okay?
Tom Lake: This was just cozy and now I have a signed copy sitting on my bookshelf :)
The Wedding People: DELIGHTFUL. Highly highly highly hiiiighly recommend. Loved every single second of this. Loved the prose, loved the premise, loved the characters.
One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns: LOVED these two. Just a perfect little duology with a great plot, smart magic system, and excellent characters. I had a blast reading them both. I’m really interested with what Rachel Gillig does next.
Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras
Pride and Prejudice: It’s about time I read this. Well, I listened to the audiobook bc Rosamund Pike (Jane) reads it to you. I have the annotated version at home so I’m going to try to actually read it in 2025. Not a single bad thing to say about it, obviously.
Assassin’s Blade: This is the prequel novella to Throne of Glass. It was perfectly adequate? Idk Throne of Glass in general just isn’t as gripping to me as ACOTAR but I will be finishing them all in the next coming weeks, I swear!
How to End a Love Story: Quite possibly one of the worst books I’ve ever read. Just awful. And I feel bad bc the author is Chinese and she’s also the screenwriter of PWMOV and Beach Read but holy cow. Not good.
First Lie Wins: Dumb as fuck.
Any books I read post-publishing this will just be included in a later recap.
0
2024 pop culture predictions that I got right. No one came out as gay smh. I don’t have any predictions for next year except that it’ll be Joever but unclear which Joe just yet.
9
Looks of Taylor’s that I unequivocally loved. She had a spotty record this year but I actually loved all? her red carpet looks. I didn’t love most of her candids (save for like…4, if we’re counting Chiefs games as candids) but she has questionable tastes most of the time, what can I tell you.
Golden Globes in Gucci: Gucci column gown slay
Chiefs vs. Ravens game: Oversized sweater and mini skirt??? Anyone who says they could not see me wearing this exact thing is a liar
Grammys in Schiaparelli: Like…it’s a Schiaparelli
Super Bowl: So when I touch down, call the amateurs and cut them from the team
TTPD Spotify Visuals in Khaite: Random, but dreamy
Lake Como boat ride: I just really love the shoes with the trench
“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” bts: Anyone who says they could not see me wearing this exact thing is a liar, part II
Game 1 of ALCS in The Row: Anyone who says they could not see me wearing this exact thing (sans the garish Louis Vuitton shirt) is a liar, part III
4
The number of times I watched Pride and Prejudice this year, according to my Letterboxd (@ itjessie). The number feels suspiciously low but I’m not the best at logging my movies. Here are a few of my favorite movies I watched for the first time this year:
Twisters: I think this is my favorite movie of the year. It was just so fun. Who knew tornadoes would put me on edge like this. Glen Powell forever.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: I mean.
Smile 2: REALLY good. Genuinely creepy, really fun jump scares, and superb acting. I really really loved this a lot. Spooky!
Longlegs: Also really good and creepy. Dare I say…a bit overhyped? As in I was expecting it to be scarier. Like I think Smile 2 was scarier but the atmosphere Longlegs created was palpable.
And not a movie but it is a miniseries so I’m putting it here but One Day. Oh my god just excellent and SO sad but SO sweet. It makes me really want to go to Edinburgh. Please watch it if you haven’t.
12
Lip products acquired. I am on a BAN. I have one set of lips and I have maybe finished a colored lip product like once in my life, but here’s what I added this year:
Chanel Coco Flash in Boy: There’s a Chanel makeup boutique at the mall near my house so I went and got my mom a nice lip balm back in February for her birthday since she’s always stealing one of my 5000 and I used it as a convenient opportunity to get “Boy” since I have always wanted it. I kind of forget I have it sometimes but when I remember, it’s very nice. The color is very cool-toned but it’s also very sheer.
Glossier Ultralips in Deco and Storm: I looooove these. Deco was my go-to shade over the summer. Storm is a very nice browny rosy nude but truthfully I put it in my backpack and then forgot about it. I have been wearing Storm cloud paint every day since I got it though.
Merit matte lipstick in Antibes: There really is nothing super special about this. Reminder to self: you do not need more Merit lipsticks.
Nars Air Matte in Morocco: You know, this is on me. Actually no, this is on the website for making the swatches look darker than it is. I actually like the formula but yeah I definitely darken and neutralize it with MUFE Endless Cacao. I probably could have gone without it though. Shockingly, Taylor Swift and I do not share the same skintone or undertone or color season or any physical traits at all. Except the bangs.
Nars Soft Matte tinted lip balms in Whip Lash and Touch Me: These were heavily discounted and I have used the shade Brief Encounter for years. I actually do run the risk of running out of this product in the near future. They are just very comfy matte balms and are more moisturizing than Gen G but have a similar effect. I love these a lot so I’m sad Nars seems to be discontinuing them.
Pat McGrath lip pencil in Nude Oasis: Whatever. It actually is really pretty and stays on pretty well. It is like noticeably drying though, which is surprising.
Kulfi Lassi lip stain in Black Cherry: I loooove a lip stain. This one wears pretty nicely and does actually leave a stain behind. But I don’t use it as much as I should.
Gucci Velvet Matte lipstick in Rosso Ancora: Stunnnnning and wears super well. There’s transfer for sure but it has strong staying power and wears off pretty evenly. I wore this to my law review holiday thing and also N2 and it didn’t feel drying at all. Big fan. Remind me to swatch this against Fenty HBIC bc I like this formula much more and the Fenty is starting to smell a bit off….
Freck Makeout Club lip liner in 003: The makeout claims have yet to be tested but it’s nice. I got this bc there’s an influencer who couldn’t shut up about this and what’s one more nude lip liner? It reads slightly cooler-toned on me but it’s fine. I wouldn’t repurchase though.
Ole Henriksen lip balm in original flavor: The best lip balm ever. It had a moment over the summer with Suni Lee but I bought this back in April, tyvm. It has a citrusy scent and it really just is so good. Highly highly recommend. I’m interested in the cocoa flavor (but I won’t need it for another 5 years probably until Glossier runs out) and also the Anine Bing limited edition one bc the packaging is cute. RESIST!
Um anyways. I’m on a lip product no-buy. Actually this girl on TikTok swatched these new lip stains from NYX and the red shade looks beautiful. Shut up, Jessie.
2
Navy sweaters purchased. I went through a deep love affair with navy blue and dark green this year. Perhaps I was preemptively course correcting for what was to come in November. Anyways, I have worn my Reformation Cove sweater (omg that dark pine color) to death and my Sezane Trudy sweater not enough. Here are a few other of my favorite things I spent money on this year:
J. Crew Rollneck sweater in black
I also got a button down from J. Crew but I can’t find it in my orders but I think it’s this one with a navy stripe (edit: I’m an idiot—I’m literally wearing it in my photo from January 1 so I clearly bought it in 2023)
Phlur Ameline candle (discontinued but it smells like a rose garden and absolutely lovely early spring)
Curlsmith Hydro Style Flexi Jelly
My charm necklace
Reformation Contessa velvet dress (I’m going to settle up my Splitwise soon. Also I need to be invited to holiday parties so I can wear this again.)
La Colombe cereal milk oat draft latte
154
Times I played “Guilty as Sin?” according to Apple Music. It definitely was more, since Apple Music doesn’t count instant replays but still, not a bad number.
Here are my top 5 played songs:
Guilty as Sin?
The Alchemy
I Hate It Here
So Long, London (I went through an intense thing with this song over September/October)
Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
And for my top 5 albums:
The Tortured Poets Department
Stick Season
evermore
RED
Cowboy Carter
And top artists:
Taylor Swift
Noah Kahan
One Direction
Hozier
Gracie Abrams
1
Number of weddings attended. Have you seen a pair of cuter besties? No, no you have not. False lashes are nawwwwt for me though.
41
Number of subscribers I’m ending with this year. This whole thing started for an audience of one and now there’s 40 more of you. Although I forced probably about 35 of you to subscribe, you stayed all the same. Thank you for reading!
APPLE MUSIC DOESN’T COUNT INSTANT REPLAYS????