Shed that year like a snakeskin

January is the time of year where everyone sets goals and intentions for the year. Maybe everyone is a stretch- but lots of people! Sometimes it’s hard to think of the year as a whole at the end, but here at the beginning you get a fresh slate in many ways. You’ve grown and the next year is informed by that growth. Can you look back on the year and find joy? Did your safety nets show up for you when you needed it? Was 2025 the worst year of your life (been there!)? then congratulations! It’s over. I’ve definitely had years where I’ve looked back in anger or regret, so I’m also challenging myself to look back with joy and hope in a landscape that wants to defeat us. Unfortunately for them, we cannot be defeated. 

I also hope if you are setting goals and intentions for 2026 that you’re being kind to yourself. And maybe set some silly goals - I resoluted to wear more black in 2025 and to wear my hair down more - it can feel kind of nice to realize you’ve just adopted small things into your new life in 2026.  

Anyway, as always, we've included things coming in the upcoming month, and a look at what's happening on our Patreon (which you can join for ~as little as a dollar~) & Discord which is open to all!

The Feelings:

STELLA:

Hi! Proof of life I guess. Turns out having a baby is crazy as hell. My brain chemistry is forever altered and I have so much awe and respect for any person whose given birth. When people say it’s a miracle they are right but like it’s so much more than that? Idk I have so so so many thoughts and feelings that I’m still working through. Maybe I’ll do it in podcast form…what a threat. 

I don’t really have the energy to do a “best of the year” thing because I was so focused and wrapped up in getting pregnant and then being pregnant that I feel like I didn’t really accomplish or do anything. Which is frankly an INSANE thought because I grew and had a whole damn baby but you know brain is gonna brain. My biggest resolution - if you want to call it that is - is to not let my anxiety control me and to have more fun. I did not have a lot of fun in 2025. In 2026 I will have fun even if it kills me. (Yes I have a therapist)

ERIN:

A retrospective: 

2025 sure was a year! I made a whole list of resolutions (some mentioned above), and generally find that I accomplished my goals. I will share them here:

• Wear more black

• Wear my hair down more

• Incorporate more blue into my wardrobe

• Go to more live music

• Read 10 books

• No drinking in 2025

I did really well! (…short of the blue, which to be totally transparent just did not really hold through the year.) I read much more than I was expecting, 30 books!, and absolutely maxed myself out on concerts last year. 

Notably to most is that I also took all of 2025 off from alcohol. This is the second time I’ve done this - the first was 2020, arguably the worst year to have chosen to do that - and one of the things I wanted from this year was to be able to be out socializing and have people think of me without also thinking about alcohol. Also, frankly, I just didn’t want to be drunk or hungover for hard things I knew I would have to deal with. I met a lot of new people in 2025 and found I really enjoyed it when people would say “Oh that’s right, you don’t drink!” without caveats. To have been the Party Girl for a long time and then have that be normal was pretty cool.

I also got absolutely shredded by my Spotify Wrapped last year where I was informed that I listened to more than 29.000 minutes of The Vaccines making me the SIXTH highest listener in the entire world. I’d like to thank my husband, who reported he feels “like the number 7 listener,” for his service. I also listened to The Happy Fits song Cruel Power over 400 times since August because I’m stim city. I want to get off of Spotify but I also don’t know where else to get the 78K minutes total I listened to last year. Maybe that will be my goal for next year… (please do not suggest Tidal, I tried it for two years and really did not like it)

So what are my goals for 2026? As of writing, I’m not sure yet. I might do a whole month without something but I haven’t decided what yet. I’m thinking maybe no new clothing, for sustainability purposes which I would like to be more thoughtful about. Also mentioned above, I’ll be kind to myself and set actionable goals whatever they are.

PRODUCER BOBBY:

So, I got diabetes for Christmas. Well not like ON Christmas morning but I got diagnosed the week before. The holidays felt like the worst time to go through a major life change like that ESPECIALLY concerning what I eat and drink and I have all these needs and monitors and “goals” now and I hate it more than I hate run-on sentences so I’m doing this purposefully to illustrate my point. ::big breath:: HEY if you haven’t in a minute, you should go to a doctor. Think of them like quest givers in rpgs, except sometimes the quest is “Don’t eat deep dish pizza, you sweet-blooded idiot.” Ok maybe that wasn’t the best example but like still go to a doctor. Medical bills are a bitch but you are worth care. 

In general, I hate the concept of years as a unit of time. I understand it’s necessary from a book keeping perspective, but I believe humans change whenever they are open to it or forced into it and this doesn’t happen in nice, neat 365 day time frames. We’re changing all the time. Don’t wait to start until next year or feel like you failed a whole year because you fell short in some metric. This shit’s a marathon and a lot of times we have no clue where the finish line is.

R E C S: 

Music - One thing I actually like about years as a concept is getting a bunch of cool end-of-year music lists to help me find things I missed. Check out this fantastically diverse Chicago Sun*Times Best Chicago Albums of 2025. The fact that they put Pixel Grip on here is wild but correct. 

Games - I got my whole videogame discord server playing ARC Raiders, so their wins and woes are all my fault. Was honestly not expecting to like this game so much but the world is interesting enough, the maps are solid, and the feel of it keeps me coming back to it after a bad run. It’s not for everyone and sometimes your run will be ruined by edgelords but that’s also everyday out here. For something a little more indie flavored, I also fell deep into Q-UP, a game with all the trappings, microcurrencies, and attitude of any other e-sport game... but no gameplay. The basic premise is that the odds of any game between two perfectly matched esports teams is really 50-50, so let’s just make it an actual coin toss. It’s wonderful and frustrating and also comes with a funny anti-capitalist/anti-AI narrative that actually made me laugh a few times! 

Anyways, you’re doing great. Really. And if you ever want I’ll totally walk you through installing linux on your computer so you don’t have to use windows anymore.

This month’s Links 4 U:

• It may feel like there was nothing but terror, but trans/LGBTQIA+ communities did make gains and have wins and it’s important to look at it holistically.

• Ed Zitron is the forefront of AI reporting and is on the line ready for its collapse.

• Marisa Kabas is the frontline reporter breaking stories on the Trump administration, I cannot recommend her enough.

• And also, remember when we were a wrestling podcast? Here’s access to all of Memphis Wrestling in order from 1979-2000. Say thanks to Kris who allowed open access to everyone!

Things coming this month:

• Not Your Demo??????? We’re currently on mat leave so this is subject to change

• Seriously, how the hell do you get off Instagram?? Until then at @nydproductions you can get show announcements, hilarious clips, and general revelry. 

• Get in on our Tumblr! 

• Our Bluesky needs so much love that we are not giving it @nydproductions

Exclusive to our Patreon (it's only a dollar!) and open for all Discord!

• Join the book club in January! Discord has all the (virtual, do not worry) meetup information!

• Xtras on the Patreon include:

  • Episode outtakes - what are we going to tangent about this time??! 

  • Surprise content mini episodes

  • and more peeking around the corners!

  • Unofficial Channels archive is there 4 u

And in the Discord, let’s hang out! We’ve got lots of cool little internet rooms.

• Memes - they’re the social currency of our modern age

• We’re doing a themed holiday book read this season, and will be choosing our next book post meetup!

• Erin is in there talking about wrestling to herself lolol

• Our music chat is lively. Get in on it. Help us find avenues away from Spotify! 

• Erin is liveposting fanfic in Stella’s Link Lounge! She’s also documenting it on our Instagram highlights. She would also appreciate any fic recs that will further her education on fanfic.

Not sure what to put here yet.