Coffee Letter #012: Gentle and Intentional
It's that time of the year again.
My words for 2025: gentle and intentional. Gentle growing, being gentler with myself. Doing things with purpose. Being all mindful and demure.
I’m not big on NY resolutions thanks to my overachiever tendencies. The goals I set are usually too many, too high, too out-of-this-world. So instead of setting resolutions for 2025, I will simply continue to work on my goals guided by the two words I chose for the new year: gentle and intentional.
It’s the first time when the New Year’s energy comes in calmly, not rushed, when I’m not jumping at the opportunity of “starting over” or suddenly changing everything to become a “better me”. This time around I’m taking it slow. I’m not changing a thing come January 1st. I’m staying me.
I have nothing against resolutions. I don’t think setting them is bad per se — it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me — the issue was my approach until now. But since it’s 2025 and 25 is a fun number, I made some silly fun reading goals like “read 25 mangas” or “read 25 poetry books” because I couldn’t help myself — girls just wanna have fun.
How do you feel about resolutions? Are you setting any? What are your reading goals?
~ read
Don’t question me about the cleaning out my currently reading shelf challenge — I’m a mood reader and I barely read anything this past week anyway. I finished a few things I got for review including a fun picture book with witches — Once Upon a Witch’s Broom by Beatrice Blue, a book/cookbook on being sustainable in the kitchen — The Conscious Kitchen: A Beginner's Guide to Creating a Sustainable, No-Waste Kitchen for a Healthier Home and Planet by Immy Lucas, I recommend it for the non-judgmental tone and the great info on seasonal produce, but the recipes did not convince me, and two graphic novels — one about Biddy Early, a famous witch (unfortunately it was a disappointing read, but with good art), and this one:
How Could You by Ren Strapp. A queer debut graphic novel about being messy in your early 20s, trying to figure out yourself and your relationships. The characters are really well developed even though we spend relatively little time with them. You get to know them from the first panel. And even though you might not agree with them, you understand them because humans are messy. The art and the use of colour is fantastic too — the colours change with the feelings the scenes are trying to evoke.
~ watch
It’s family tradition to watch an unhealthy amount of films on Christmas week. We usually begin with a couple of Christmas films and then end up with something completely unrelated — last year we started with How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) and The Grinch (2018), but then we watched Greyhound (2020), The Creator (2023) and ended with B.D. la munte și la mare (1971).
This year I started with my favourites: The Holiday (2006) and Love Actually (2003), but I couldn’t not rewatch The Grinch (2018) too — I’m a huge fan of the original animation How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) but the remakes don’t disappoint either! And I continued with:
That Christmas (2024), d. Simon Otto. I had to watch a new Christmas film too and That Christmas has the potential to become a classic — it’s about a bunch of families at Christmas, going through a snowstorm. It has multiple storylines, which was not a surprise since it’s based on some short stories by Richard Curtis, the one responsible for Love Actually too. Available on Netflix.
Before we move away from Christmas films, I need to tell you how excited I am to see a new wave of enthusiasm for Tokyo Godfathers (2003), d. Satoshi Kon. I see it recommended everywhere this year and it makes me so happy. So I had to rewatch it too! It’s an animated film about three homeless people trying to reunite a baby with their family. At times it’s a bit over the top, but I love it anyway especially because the found family trope (also knows as family of choice) is one of my favourite tropes in cinema and literature.
I love Satoshi Kon — and almost a decade ago I was lucky enough to see this film in cinema, along with my absolute favourite film by him — Paprika (2006). Many western directors are huge fans of Satoshi Kon and they recreate his scenes in their films — Christopher Nolan with Inception (just watch this comparison, maybe this is another reason why I don’t like Inception, I was already familiar with Paprika and Paprika is so much better and more of a mindfuck), and Darren Aronofsky, who recreated some scenes from Kon’s films in Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream.
Anul Nou care n-a fost/The New Year That Never Came (2024), d. Bogdan Mureșanu. One could say this is almost a Christmas classic for Romanians, right? It follows a few stories that intertwine on the days leading up to the fall of the communist regime in Romania. There’s a lot of tension, but it was also fun. Available on Netflix.
Wicked Little Letters (2023), d. Thea Sharrock. Aesthetically pleasing film about some nasty letters insulting people and a trial, plus women getting the job done (both ways)… It was a tad bit predictable, but I love a fun period comedy. Available on Max.
The Day of the Jackal (1973), d. Fred Zinnemann. A couple of letters ago I told you about the TV show of the same name and since then I’m excited for Friday just because I get a new episode — and I love that, but I also kinda hate it because I’m no longer used to waiting for each episode to come out (binge-watching has ruined me), so I watched the film instead! It’s long and it’s a slow one, but it’s really cool, especially if you are into spies and assassins, and enjoy the planning aspect just as much as the action. Available on SkyShow, same as the TV show.
It was a really good week for films and it was fun TV show wise too.
The Office (TV series, 2005-2013). I finished all seasons of The Office US and I only started it at the end of October. What will I do with my life now? I guess I will rewatch it. Everyone and their mother probably already knows about this show, right? Available on Netflix.
I Hate Christmas/Odio il Natale (TV series, 2022-2023). An annual Christmas rewatch about a girl trying to find a boyfriend in time for the Christmas dinner. It’s a remake after a Norwegian show — Home for Christmas/Hjem til jul, it’s just as good, but I like to rewatch the Italian one because it was first in my life and it takes place in Chioggia, which is very close to Venice and very similar to it. Available on Netflix.
~ and other things I did last week
Music: Not an album, but a musical special by my crush Sabrina Carpenter - A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter (2024). I wasn’t big on the acting segments, but the musical numbers and the guests were fun, plus it’s full of innuendos which is what I love about old American Christmas songs.
Food: We have a new favourite chicken recipe: soy sauce glazed chicken. It’s easy, it’s quick, and it’s really delicious! I found it on TikTok one evening when I had some chicken in the fridge and no desire to cook!
Once a year, at Christmas, I make sarmale. Here’s my recipe:
I rewatch a lot of films and shows, especially around Christmas. My partner doesn’t understand how I can watch the same thing for so many times… but we can’t all be perfect. Otherwise he is a perfectly acceptable husband.
I’m not sure what I’ll do for New Year’s Eve yet, but I have one more week of staycation and I plan to enjoy every minute of it.
Thank you for reading and see you next Monday, in 2025.