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How far into the New Year do you progress before you stop greeting people with “Happy New Year”? Is it two weeks? The end of January? Valentine’s Day?
I like the practice. We’re all here together, at the threshold of the year that will be. It’s like we’re all co-owners of this new house called 2024, and we’re saying “Welcome!” to one another. How will we furnish it in the months ahead?
Some of us are a week into our New Year’s resolutions, perhaps already congratulating ourselves for sticking to whatever it is we resolved. I’m of two minds about resolutions. I like the idea of declaring an intention to make a change. I deplore the idea of setting myself up to fail.
My policy on New Year’s resolutions is that they shouldn’t be too punishing and they shouldn’t be too grand. We often use a resolution as a cudgel, as a method to get ourselves back in line, a means of eradicating the parts of ourselves we don’t like. David Sedaris has written about how, every New Year’s Eve, he had watched his mother scribbling furiously on a bunch of index cards. After her death, he discovered that she’d written the same thing on each one: “Be good.”
That’s a good encapsulation of all resolutions, isn’t it? Be good. Resolutions tend to be freighted with the implication that the way you are now is not good, or at least not good enough. My resolutions are typically of this variety: self-criticism disguised as self-improvement. Get in shape; stop your profligate spending; be nicer; work harder. If your resolution seems architected by someone who doesn’t like you, there’s still time to reconsider it.
My resolution this year is to, whenever possible, shop in person instead of online. I like this resolution because it lines up with other objectives I have concerning my finances, community, sustainability, simplicity. And it’s not totally about me, so it feels a little less dreary and narcissistic than typical resolution fare. It’s also less ambitious, which I hope means that I’m less likely to abandon it.
A friend recently reminded me that anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. I’ve built in the “whenever possible” clause with this in mind. I’m going to do my best to buy things in brick-and-mortar shops (or, as Sedaris edited his mother’s resolution to read: “Try to think about maybe being good.”) But when I, inevitably, waver and, say, overnight a bucket of Tide Pods in a moment of desperation, I hope to be able to offer myself some grace.
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THE WEEK IN CULTURE
CULTURE CALENDAR
🎬 The Book of Clarence (Friday): This biblical comedy-drama from Jeymes Samuel, director of the 2021 Black western “The Harder They Fall,” is set in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. LaKeith Stanfield plays Clarence, a weed dealer — and twin brother of Thomas, of doubting fame — who pretends to be a new messiah to make some money. Unfortunately, it’s a politically heady time, Romans-persecuting-messiahs-wise. “It’s an ambitious project that manages to be both casually sacrilegious and utterly earnest about its ultimate message of faith,” Wendy Ide writes in Screen Daily.
🎬 The Beekeeper (Friday): When I first saw the trailer for this movie it felt slightly surreal, like one of those fake movies-within-a-movie. Here’s why: Action movie stalwart Jason Statham plays a beekeeper and shadowy organization member on a mission to avenge his friend, a kindly older woman played by Phylicia Rashad, who dies by suicide after losing money in a scam. It seems like action at its most improbable.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Brothy Thai curry with tofu and herbs
January, the icy heart of soup season, is an ideal time to dive deep. Now is exactly the moment to explore soup in all its iterations, from the thick and stewlike to the effervescent and light. And on the lighter side, don’t miss Yewande Komolafe’s spicy, brothy Thai curry with silken tofu and herbs. A fragrant mix of jarred red curry paste enriched with coconut milk and clouds of tofu, it comes together quickly, and it’s easily adaptable. The notes reveal cooks adding more vegetables (bok choy, spinach, mushrooms); substituting green curry paste; even bulking things up with noodles, rice or ground pork. Simmer a potful this weekend, and don’t be shy about making it your own.
REAL ESTATE
Too rich: Last year just 16 percent of homes for sale were affordable to people earning the median income in their areas, according to a study.
The hunt: A single father sold his family home in Westchester to start over in Manhattan for $900,000, with his college-age son in tow. Which house did he choose? Play our game.
LIVING
Seven tips: Forget hyperbaric chambers and infrared light. Here is evidence-backed advice on aging well.
Debunked: Experts told us the fitness misconceptions that drive them crazy, including the myth that running is bad for your knees.
ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER
Find the right dishwasher detergent
If your dishwasher detergent is an afterthought, consider this: Upgrading it is a simple step that can help even not-so-great dishwashers deliver spotless dishes. You may need to try a few different detergents to find the best one for your dishwasher, but we recommend starting with our top pick. Wirecutter tested 24 different kinds of detergent on dishes smeared with everything from baked-on egg to burned-on casserole to day-old oatmeal, and our pick cleared every stubborn stain that came its way, no pre-rinsing required. — Andrea Barnes
GAME OF THE WEEKEND
Washington vs. Michigan, college football championship: Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. appeared unstoppable in his semifinal win over Texas, throwing into impossibly small openings and hitting receivers in stride deep down the field. In Michigan’s semifinal, its defensive front seemed to break through Alabama’s offensive line with ease, notching 10 tackles for losses, including six sacks. Michigan hasn’t faced a quarterback as good as Penix; Washington hasn’t faced a defense as good as Michigan’s. Monday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN
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