It’s the first Friday of the new year (how much better does twenty-twelve sound compared to twenty-eleven, by the way?), and it’s been a hell of week to kick off the year, let me say. Between massive work projects on very tight deadlines, some amazing stuff coming up with the Greater Boston Young Dems, and a big family visit in two weeks – I’ve had my hands full. And so, to unwind and give myself the smallest break, I bring you Friday I’m in Love, because there’s always something lovely to focus on amidst the chaos.

→ The Swell Season’s “Low Rising” popped up in my morning Spotify mix and I was reminded of how much I love everything Glen Hansard has ever done in music/movies/writing/existing. And so I immediately built myself an All Things Glen playlist and have been breathing deeply to The Frames, Hansard’s solo stuff, the soundtrack from Once, and of course Strict Joy from The Swell Season all morning. While we’re at it, is Dance the Devil by The Frames not one of the best albums ever? Am I right?

→ Spotify in general. I’ve been super evengelical about the playlist/share service over the last week and I can’t help but give it another shout out here. It’s the only entertainment service I actually have a paid account with (and I’m flabbergasted every day at how much I get for my $10 a month), if that says anything.

→ Project 365: I’m so excited to be taking part and am really trying to keep up with it. I’ll have weekly posts of my photographs as well as a running year-long album on facebook!

→ My (sort-of) New Years resolution to cut toxic friendships out of my life. I don’t really do resolutions, thus the ‘sort-of’, but I think this one’s worth taking a stand on. I have a bad habit of trusting people at first sight – if we get along, if you put up with my silliness, I’m gonna work like the dickens to be your friend. I’m going to put my needs in a friendship second, or last, or completely forget them entirely. I did this in romantic relationships for a long time, too, and I ended up having to flit around sans-relationship for nearly two years before I had it together enough to try again. I clearly don’t want to do that with friendships, but I need to make some radical changes at the same time. And so it’s begun, I’m spending more time with awesome friends, people who support and love me, who don’t tear me down and I’m trying to recognize when that happens. I’m being better about being in touch with my long distance friends and family, and slowly but surely gutting my facebook ‘friends’ list of people I simply don’t need to be getting hourly updates from. It seems to be working so far. I feel better, though not entirely. The anxiety of dramas that aren’t my own, the stress of energy-sapping individuals, and the pain of realizing people I thought I could depend on were nothing of the sort… I’m probably going to feel this way for a while, and might even relapse into such relationships, but it feels good to know that I’ve recognized my problem and have already taken steps to right it. As The Frisky says so often, life is too short to spend with people who suck 🙂