Tag: New Year

Buy time, don’t lose it.

Sara Mazariegos

New Years. We had a fun New Years this (last?) year! Luis met me at my office and I showed him the holiday decor I put up. We took some snacks the building gave my office, then had a nice stroll to an English pub called Duke’s Grocery. It was decorated with gingerbread men and gumdrops. It was very cute. I had a delicious peppermint espresso martini. The first of a few fun drinks to celebrate the occasion. We also went to the movies after Duke’s Grocery, so we did end up doing something else fun instead of going straight home! Later that evening, I had a homemade espresso martini care of Luis’s sister, and a rummy egg nog around midnight, while watching Ryan Seacrest bemusedly pretend to care about a Tiktok rapper.

Then on New Years Day, we went to Outback Steakhouse and I had a gingerbread cookie martini and a wallaby darned. The gingerbread cookie martini comes with a little koala glass stem-hugger dressed like a Christmas elf, so he lives on my shelf now. Luis named him Cookie. I love Outback’s drinks. The one near us closed, but this one is still around and about the same distance as the one we used to go to. I’m so glad! They also have a blue cheese pecan salad I’m obsessed with. #NotAnAd

THEN, at nearly midnight on New Years Day (Night), who should show up on our porch camera but a raccoon? John Green manifested this for us. I called him Reginald. He checked out the water dish we leave out in the car port for any wayward critters, and then he skipped along into our backyard, where I hope he lives. What a great sign for the New Year. 😊

Marty Supreme and Hamnet and Taskmaster. On New Years Eve, we saw Marty Supreme. We enjoyed it! It features a cute dog, and Pamela Adlon’s daughter, Odessa A’zion, who sounds enough like Bobby Hill that we were smiling. She was in the movie more than I expected, and I liked her a lot. I wonder if it will win any Oscars. I think it was my favorite Timothy Chalamet performance that I’ve seen.

Last weekend, we saw Hamnet. I have a feeling it’s also going to be nominated for Oscars. Especially Jessie Buckley, who is amazing in it. It’s difficult to watch that movie with dry eyes. Luis pointed out that it’s about William Shakespeare and his family (but moreso about his wife Agnes/Anne) but they avoid saying his name until near the end for some reason. It’s not really a surprise, but I guess not everyone knows Shakespeare had a son named Hamnet who inspired Hamlet. That’s not a spoiler, though; it’s just a fact. Paul Mescal looked just like young William Shakespeare in it, and I’d never thought he looked like him before. He was also very good. It’s definitely a movie that engrossed me, making me feel like I was watching the actual people in the actual situations. It’s a more traditional Oscars nominee (they loooove Shakespeare content,) but that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy.

We also watched the Taskmaster New Years Treat last weekend. Rose Ayling-Ellis is super cute. I was shocked at how anti-word-nerd Greg Davies was. I think it was more that Susie Dent reminded him of how annoying Alex Horne can be. 😂 I always wish there were more episodes, but I understand the people on these specials are available for a more limited engagement than during a regular series. I’m looking forward to seeing Kumail Nanjiani on Taskmaster! My lucky day! I was just writing about him, wasn’t I? I wonder if he’ll win or if he’ll be terrible at the tasks. Either way, I’m sure he’ll be fun!

Writing Goals & The Sims. My dad read the draft of my It’s A Wonderful Life-inspired novel (and skimmed it a second time, to write helpful notes for me!) It’s touching how quickly he read it and how much thought he put into helping me out. He doesn’t usually read books very quickly, but he focused on this one for me. His notes are really good, too. I’m relieved, because I can’t tell you how many times friends have given me only “this is good!” type notes instead of actually giving me some constructive feedback. It’s not that I want people to be mean to me, but it’s more helpful for me to be told what’s not working, what should be tweaked, etc. I appreciate that my friends like my writing, but I know it needs editing!

I’m still taking a break from writing, but I plan to start writing my next draft version of my Nerdfighters-inspired novel in February. I’ve worked on a new plot outline, keeping certain elements from previous drafts, and I’m excited to play around with some new ideas.

Since Luis updated my Sims 4 for me, including all the packs and everything, I’ve been playing a lot during my free time. I took a long break from playing because my game files needed updates and I wanted the new stuff, so now I’ve got it all and I love it. I’m going somewhere with this, hear me out*. The first thing I did with my newly-updated and installed game was create the FMC and MMC from my Nerdfighters-inspired novel. It’s giving me some fun inspiration for my story as I think about the characters and how I want them to interact, work, and be as people. I love being able to “see” my characters by having computer-animated versions of them. I can put actual faces to the faces in my head, if that makes sense.

The new Romance skill in The Sims make the love story more of a challenge to play out, and their relationship feels more real because it takes effort and keeping up with. I love it! They currently are madly in love with each other, and they’re engaged. I’m not rushing their wedding, because I think it will be better with more time and experiences under their belts. They’re way ahead of the characters in my novel, considering that I haven’t started writing it yet. But who wants to play The Sims slowly?

I did make the couple have a baby, which is not something they will do in my novel. Because I also wanted to play with the new Infants pack. That’s also quite challenging, but the game is more fun if it’s at least a little challenging. Don’t get me started on those damn gnomes, though. I turned them off as soon as I learned how. Well, Luis helped me figure out how.

Here’s a picture of my cute Sims family. I plan to only play as them and expand the family, because that’s always fun. I wonder if they’ll be able to roleplay some of my novel’s plot eventually, too. Baby Charlie is dressed like a raccoon, yes.


This is a terribly nerdy post. But you already knew I was a nerd, didn’t you?


* Read me out?

This will be our year. Took a long time to come.

Sara Mazariegos

Christmastime. We had a really great Christmas this year. We were so organized, it never felt like we were rushed. In fact, everyone showed up a little late on Christmas Eve, which was fine. We forgot eggs for our sweet potato casserole, so Luis’s mom brought us eggs and we put it in the oven once his parents arrived. I also drank probably too much egg nog over the last week, but ’tis the season!

We played a fun card game Luis invented and then it was midnight and we opened presents. I got a snuggly “Biscuit Bandit” hoodie with Meeko the raccoon on it. I’m wearing it even as I type. Luis’s sister gave me a martini glass and a bottle of fancy espresso so I can make my own espresso martinis at home, since I like them so much. My dad gave me not one but TWO Beatles calendars this year. That’s his silly tradition. My sister got me an ice skating Barbie and Ken doll from the early 90s. I haven’t seen them since I was little. So Luis and I might have to make them skate around our dining room table once the table cloth has been removed. All of the presents were very nice and fun. One thing that’s good about being older is there’s less of a disappointed, “Aww, I wanted x” feeling after the presents have all been opened… Mostly because I’m already spoiled.

Luis’s big surprises. We were already planning to go to Disney World for our anniversary in 2026, and I was eagerly waiting for December 27th to book things with Luis. He told me we would wait until then. Nevertheless, his big present for me, which he put in a McDonald’s Happy Meal box (along with a toy Mirabel from Encanto and Mr. Incredible from The Incredibles), was a print-out confirming our one night in the Contemporary Resort, plus four nights in the Art of Animation Resort, plus four days of park tickets!! He booked all of it himself, using our loose plans document and calendar!

He said he booked it all so I wouldn’t worry about it. 💖 I told you I was spoiled.

Now we just have to worry about getting good dining reservations, but why worry?

Luis also got me a big update for my Sims 4 so I have all the game packs I didn’t already have. He’s been busy this Christmas. I got him some Guardians of the Galaxy figures he asked me for, and when I asked him what he wants for his anniversary gift, he told me we could just use the money toward booking another nice dinner at Disney. 🥹 He’s the best and I love him.

John Green told me not to. Anyway, enough gushing about my husband. Time to gush about John Green. This weekend I had a dream that we were hanging out with John and his brother Hank, and I told them I wanted to adopt a raccoon. Dream John and Dream Hank were very supportive of the idea, which is amusing because in real life they wouldn’t be. So I shared it on Threads, and who to my wondering brain should write back?

As much as I love raccoons, I know it would be crazy for me to adopt one. They are not pets. The fact that he wrote back to me at all – during the holiday break, no less! – makes me happy. I laughed out loud when I saw his comment. And I’ve been getting tons of comments and likes ever since. I didn’t think my silly little post would get so much attention. I even got a comment from Mychal Threets!

Like I said: I’m spoiled. 😊

New Years Plans. At my job, we work a half-day on New Years Eve, so Luis is going to meet me at my office and we’ll go out for a nice lunch. I found a fun-sounding English bar and made a reservation so we wouldn’t lose out like we often do. It’s hard to make New Years Eve plans in DC if you don’t like staying out late and you’re not looking for a big crowd. We usually go to the zoo, but this year is a change of pace. We’ll probably be home by five p.m. and watch a New Years-themed movie. And of course check in later on Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen to see how drunk they already are.

I can’t believe the year is at an end. 2025 has been a rough one. I’m looking forward to a better 2026. *crosses fingers* I certainly have a lot of things to be excited about!

Ahaha, I just remembered we saw John Green twice this year. That was a highlight for sure! And our amazing trip to California. Wow. Luis definitely makes my life happy. Everyone should be so lucky as to have their own Luis.

Happy New Year! 🎉

I ran to your heart to be near.

Sara Mazariegos

Happy New Year!

I must admit, I’m still in a bit of a holiday stupor, not helped by the fact that I’m back at work on a Thursday. Is everyone feeling a bit confused about what day it is and what we’re supposed to be doing?

My calendars are up and my work planner has been updated with the holidays and vacation days I’ve solidified thus far. I just have to get to February 14th without pulling my hair out and I’ll be fine.

We had a nice holiday break together. It was nice just to be together and relax. We went to the National Zoo on New Year’s Eve (Zoo Year’s) and then had an impromptu dinner at a Turkish place because the Thai place we’d booked wasn’t open for when we made our reservation. Thanks, automated reservation services (in this case, Google.) The Turkish place was more memorable than the Thai place probably would’ve been anyway, though.

For Christmas, I received a few books. One of my light resolutions this year is that I will only read books I currently own as of 1/1/2025. I have a library book, so I can read that, obviously. Books on my Amazon Fire also count. I’m excited to go through my bookshelves and actually read the books there instead of finding books elsewhere all the time.

As far as writing, I’ve still been taking a break from my It’s A Wonderful Life novel. I give myself at least the recommended two weeks between writing and reading the complete draft. I’m going to read it next week, and I hopefully won’t cringe too much. I’m excited to keep working on it and sprucing it up until it’s ready to query.

In the meantime, of course I’ve thought up another novel idea. I’m always thinking of something.

Put the book back on the shelf.

Sara Mazariegos


I received so many books for Christmas AND a new bookshelf to place them on. I’m serious about only reading books I own this year. I’m probably going to also try to enact a policy of giving away books I’ve finished reading and don’t necessarily want to keep anymore.

The first book I put in the Little Free Library this year was Dune. I only read the first half; it’s not for me.

The three books I’m currently reading — Don Quixote, In Cold Blood, and The Haunting of Hill House — are decidedly not in the genre I write, so it’s been a nice change of pace for my brain while I’m taking a short break from writing/revising. Many of the new books I got for Christmas are romance, so I won’t be taking a break from it for too long. 😉

I leaned hard into the comp books last year, so I have a stack of 2023 romance novels to get through this year. ‘2023’ means the year, not the amount! Thankfully, I’m not that bad… Then again, I’ve never counted up all my books.

It’s probably closer to 1,000 books.

I’m excited/nervous to read through my novel and take notes for the next revision. I have all kinds of ideas, but who knows if they’ll actually be useful?

John Green has said he deletes a lot of what he writes. I wonder how many versions of The Fault in Our Stars existed before he was satisfied. I’m willing to guess more than five, so I shouldn’t be too hard on myself.

May 2024 be a successful year!

Zuzu’s petals.

Sara Mazariegos

Surprise-surprise, this week has been busy and distracting! But I still hit 75,057 words yesterday. 🎉

I’m in the final stretch now. My plot has reached the point where everything’s tying together. It feels like magic. I need to rewrite it. I’m looking forward to it, and nervous as heck about it.

January is going to be all about reading through my other novel and taking notes before I work on the next draft of it. Thankfully, I don’t think a complete rewrite is necessary for that one at this point.

If I’m going to be working on the same two novels for the rest of my life, at least it’s these two.

Anyway! Christmas is on Monday! That’s crazy. It feels like it was just November. I hope you have a nice holiday season (whatever you may celebrate) and a happy New Year!

Until next time,