the goodbye song

After five years I'm shutting the doors. But don't worry! I have plenty to share before this goes dark.

Hello! You’ve reached kelsey’s corner, the only newsletter on the internet written and lovingly curated by me, Kelsey. This is my last newsletter for the forseeable future. Maybe forever! I don’t like to say forever, because life is long and things can change. What if I become a Mommy Blogger?

In the past five years I’ve written 167 newsletters. I’ve sent them late, scheduled them from flights, and pressed send during one particularly memorable duck boat tour of Boston. The fact that people have read these 167 messages; riddled with typos and from the earnest heart of a 23-28 year-old idiot is more than I could imagine. I’m grateful. For a silly little hobby, this whole newsletter has provided consistency and brought me joy during some difficult times. I can only hope that it’s done the same for you in some small way.

What follows is a hybrid of a 2023 wrap and some old favorites or compilations I started gathering in August. It’s a little messier than normal, but I hope you’ll allow me that: think of this newsletter like a frenzied retelling of New Year’s Eve events on New Year’s Day. For the last time, I’m happy to be your frenzied reteller.

---

• I made a playlist of my favorite songs from the past five years. Enjoy!

• Here are my top five songs of 2023. They get less and less embarrassing every year - that’s growth, baby!

  • Stop drafting replies to things that haven't been said

  • You're made of something new

  • Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief
    In the good in the world, you once believed in me

  • Have a marvelous time
    I won't get you off of my mind

  • Thank you, dear, bring your sister over here
    Let her dance with me just for the hell of it

• podcast corner | Paul Mescal visiting the Dream Kitchen / How Did This Get Made? going deep on the seminal cocaine cinema classic AmbuLAnce / a fascinating two-part interview on the parallels between growing up in a cult and the United States military / Blank Check covering The Social Network / and, maybe most importantly, every episode of Mallwalkin’

• Here’s a list of my very favorite books I’ve mentioned over the years. If you buy them from this link I think I make like, $2 off your purchase.

• Here are my five star reads of 2023:

  • Comedy Book by Jesse David Fox | nerdy, thoughtful, and funny

  • Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus | gross, goofy, and thoughtful

  • Uncultured: by Daniella Mestyanek Young | enthralling, dramatic, and hopeful

  • How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis | helpful, honest, and kind

    • Honorable mentions go to Writers and Lovers by Lily King, The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan, and Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams.

• Here’s a list of all the best movies I’ve mentioned over our time together.

• tv corner | I sat through every episode of MILF Manor! The third and final season of The Other Two somehow outdid itself every single episode.¹ I watched season two of The Bear on an airplane which is something I cannot recommend to anyone else, ever.

• movie corner | Theater Camp made me cry. All of Us Strangers² made me cry in a much harder, worse way. I saw Oppenhiemer three times in theaters which I think is a sign of mental illness.

• wearables corner | In the fall and winter (and sometimes spring) I exist only in RecTrek pants. Also, earlier this year I fulfilled a childhood dream and bought a pair of UGG slippers and I wear them 24/7 when I don’t have winter boots on.

• makeup corner | Ouai Detox Shampoo fully changed how soft and fluffy my hair gets. And I had base makeup, but Merit Beauty’s The Minimalist stick is super buildable and you can put it only where you need versus all over.

• miscellaneous corner | My water bottle holy grail is the Owala: I have it in the 32 oz and the 40 oz and carry one almost everywhere. Also, this little foldable camping chair isn’t too heavy (I can manage it while I’m biking!) and super comfortable.

• It’s tough to go back chronologically and find all the TikToks that made me smile this year and this may seem like a cop out, but you, just by reading this, make me smile. I don’t even care if it’s cheesy because it’s the goshdarn truth! It’s a good day to make the rules around here.

---

Here’s a non-comprehensive list of things I did in the great city of Chicago this year, organized by category:

• Participated in my first annual Polar Plunge (and will participate in my second in 2024!!!)

• Played summer kickball with strangers and friends

• Kayaked the Chicago River with great difficultly³

• Saw and cried at Writer’s Theater’s production of Once which was wholly unexpected and oddly cathartic

• Spent my birthday scream-singing at the Eras Tour 🖤

• Took a cake decorating class at the cutest little shop where they gave us food and bumped Disney tunes the whole time

• Handmade my own donut-shaped rug with little instruction, a tufting gun, and some dwindling patience

• Picked apples for the first time and ate my fill of cheese curds

• Bought a suspicious amount of snickerdoodles at my favorite local bakery

• Loaded up on pens and stickers at Andersonville’s newest stationary shop

I also hit some big travel milestones this year! My first and second trips to Europe and my first little solo travel tour. I don’t plan on traveling internationally for a while but I learned a lot and saw a lot on these trips and feel grateful for these opportunities.

• In New York I saw three shows (one that included Oscar Isaac playing the banjo!!!) and ate lovely dinners with my friends.

• I flew to Ireland alone and took a bus from Dublin to Killarney to Galway and learned so much about history and culture and celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with the locals at a pub that now feels like a home away from home.

• My family and I saw the Cubs play in London and I got very well-acquainted with the public transportation system. We also had a big Indian dinner together and I ate a scone that was a big as my head and dry as hell.

• And finally, I took a little work trip to Houston where I spent a lot of time in Hobby Airport’s massage chairs. Kind of a steal when you think about it.

• He’s still small. That’s the scoop!

---

I’ll be back somehow, someday, in some capacity. If you read to the end of this (or read any of it at all over the past five years) I am, again, eternally grateful. If you’re worried about missing me too much you can find a link to all my other socials here.

If you liked this newsletter, thanks! If you double-liked this newsletter and want to buy me a final Slurpee for my troubles here’s my virtual tip jar. Until then, please be nice to people. I’ll be thinking of you.

Your friend,

Kelsey

1. I think this is maybe the funniest TV joke of all time. I bring it up in conversation at least once a month. Same with the joke about seducing Ben Platt,

2. I am fascinated by the choice to have the most delightful press rounds for the most upsetting film of the year!!!

3. I had never kayaked anywhere before and I was with a bunch of girls who were intimidatingly good at it so when I complained they were kind but clearly thought I was an idiot. 🙃 (Maybe I’m projecting but that’s what the footnotes are for, baby!)