Wacky isn't the adjective I think of when I look back at 2025, but that's the fun of this annual post: tradition dictates that despite the pain, I find the wacky. "Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think," a philosopher, Jean de La Bruyère, said. I have thought of that statement countless times over the years, and on my best days I realize life is a blend of both darkness and light.
As we end 2025 mourning the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner -- a tragedy that has extended beyond the entertainment community in the States, worldwide -- I reflect again on the fragility of life. This was the year I was at my most vulnerable, felt the most alone and scared, but also the strongest. If you have spent the night at McDonald's, 7-11, or the airport and the world is looking at you as a crazy old bag lady, you have choices: believe the world, or flip them the bird. I chose the latter.
In the spring I broke into Washingtonian magazine, interviewing a source at the NIH who chose to remain anonymous to protect their position. That
interview was considered core to the coverage by the magazine at a time when citizens of the DMV were naturally skittish about speaking to the press. Then on Friday, I was thrilled to discover that my editor had
named one of the stories I contributed to, "
100 Days of Chaos", as one of the year's preferred longreads.
Other highlights of the year include seeing Stephen Colbert with my friend Charlotte, just weeks before he'd announce his departure/firing from the show. That night in early June we also saw the divine former prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, whose book I am partway through. (The publicist for the show says if Stephen grants more interviews, she will be in touch with me; Washingtonian greenlit an interivew!) That was another hallmark of this past year -- many partially read library books!
Other highlights include finishing my script (I will soon be submitting it to Scriptapalooza in the category of "Best Pilot"); finishing "
Emma" by Jane Austen (at the Bass Library);
speaking to Lester Holt briefly outside the bodega at Union Station in
DC (wish I'd asked for a photo; he was so nice and beamed when I said I was a big fan--shortly afterwards, he announced his departure from the show, sadly in my view); visiting the outside of the White House twice (in May and October); meeting fellow King's Collge London alumni (including Rich Preston from the BBC)
at a late October soiree at the Press Club, before which I'd made what has been my most popular Youtube video (2k views!) on the
East Wing demoliton; and spending time at Windsor Locks, Connecticut, where my childlike love of airplanes brought newfound joy.
While it would be easy to reflect on the darkness, I choose to embrace every single victory, large and small, visible and private. I realized yesterday, for example, that I could maneuver through abject grief during the holidays by doing one selfish thing and one selfless thing every day. Yesterday I gave 1.50 to a homeless woman and treated myself to Mexican food. I decided this was such a great idea I'd do it every day for the rest of my life.
To all the people who reckon a 64-year-old woman should just give it up, play Bingo and let old guys flirt her up at the senior center, I say that's a fine route for someone else. Me? I intend to get that killer job in
DC. And my partner most likely will have all his hair.
Happy Christmas!
Alumni photo from Flickr, by King's College London Alumni: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kingscollegealumni/54945942660/in/album-72177720330533906/; other photos by Laurie Wiegler
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