2023 was weird to me. It was a rushed, hectic year that brought with its urgency a lot of…everything. There was some change, and then some things that never will unless I change myself. It was a year full of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
With that said, however, there were some surprises, five of which will impact 2024…
1.) I REALLY LIKE MYSTERY SERIES
Even thought I taught English, I’ve never been a reader (I was definitely bringing in the Communication Arts of the Comm Arts/Lit licensure). Reading fiction, then, has never been a big hobby of mine. I have determined that’s because I get too connected to the characters, so it’s hard to say goodbye once I turn that final page. It’s kind of like when a television series ends…which I don’t handle (like, I haven’t yet watched the series finale of “House” because if I don’t, I can’t say goodbye). Enter mystery novels. I had read the Rabbi Small series last year, and I loved it (there were I think 12 books in that series); previously, I had also read a crafting mystery series that I also enjoyed. Well, along my travels to Montreal, the Louise Penny novels (also known as the Armand Gamache mysteries) were recommended to me. I am on the seventh book, and I am IN LOVE. I can’t put them down. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me, but it was!
2.) I LOVE MONTREAL
Yes, I may seem like the type of traveler who seems to love everywhere she goes, but that’s not entire true (I did not love New Orleans. Beneigts, yes; the city they come from, no). But Montreal…that place was perfect. So clean, so kind, so Francophonic without the flight. It quickly found a place in my wandering heart, and I have the greatest intentions of making my way back in 2024 (and maybe beyond).
3.) I HAVE GONE TO TWO NHL ARENAS…AND ONE MLS FIELD…AND LOVED BOTH
Hockey is a culture in northern Minnesota; while some people truly live it, we all do to an extent. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone from up here who hasn’t scrimmaged on a frozen pond or lake with friends. I have never not liked hockey, but my appreciation of it was more of a cultural one than anything else. This year, however, I made my way to not only one, but two NHL games (both Minnesota Wild vs. Montreal Canadiens games–one at the Bell Centre, one at the Xcel Center). Also, I attended a Minnesota United Loons game at Allianz Field, which I REALLY enjoyed. I made a goal this year to get out of my own way and try new things, and I did and had a blast doing so.
4.) I ENJOY EMBROIDERY
That might sound like a shocker, being that I own an embroidery kit company, but I have always come at that as a digital designer and fabricator, not a fiber artist. At some point this year, however, I started to really love the art of sewing. After 40 years of avoiding yarn and thread, I have begun to appreciate it. Didn’t expect that.
5.) I DON’T LOVE ADOBE’S GENERATIVE FILL AI
Listen, you know me, and you know I love technology. I am always here to try something new. I tried Adobe’s generative fill AI system, and I hated it. I don’t know how to give robots commands, I guess. It never, ever worked for me. For example, I asked it to remove the officiant from behind the couple, and it turned everyone in the photo into glassine ladies–boobs, booties, and all. I was so excited for this, and maybe I’ll get a grasp on it in 2024, but for now I’ll just old school clone and mask my way through my galleries.
What was something that surprised you about yourself in 2023?
Kayla Lee is a Minnesota-based wedding and elopement photographer (and handcrafter and designer on the side). She serves elegant, authentic, sentimental couples who not only choose their own adventures, but also live them to the fullest! See more about the KLP Wedding Experience!
