Closing the Books on 2023

Signing off for the holidays, with deep gratitude to my friends and family for making this such a fun and joyful year. Thank you to my colleagues near and far, for helping me launch an exciting chapter in my career and standing with me in new and sometimes uncomfortable places. And to readers and viewers and listeners whom I know and those I don’t, for embracing me and my work.

There will be more movies (probably for Warnerbrothersparamoutcomcastnbcunisonyfoxmickeymouse), but this was a year for old-fashioned printed pages, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to chronicle a chapter of life — and a unique time in the world — that tore me to the ground and said, “Ok, fucker, let’s see how serious you are about leading a life full of love.”

The last few weeks have brought the greatest challenge. I head into Christmas with a sad heart as my new family reels from a sudden and harrowing medical crisis. So I am doubling down on the very premise of all my public loud-mouthing: all we have is each other; the rest of it is nonsense — relentless, obnoxious, meaningless nonsense. Find another human or group of humans, and just give them everything that’s in your whole fuckin’ heart. Don’t listen to the cynics. They’re everywhere. And they hate themselves. They hate their kids, their mother, their country, their dog, and their bangs. Love. Love harder. Eat pizza. Then love more. And if and when it all sucks so bad that you want to scream bloody murder, do not turn in, turn out and keep loving.

Maybe I’m telling you that, maybe I’m just telling myself that, but I’ll step off my high horse for 2023 by saying thank you for preparing me for everything this moment in my life requires. I love you. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. May 2024 bring us all more peace.