100 things that made my year (2024)

1. Starting a new job—like landing on a different planet.
2. Speaking more German.
3. A coffee flask gifted by my partner for the new job. It keeps the coffee warm for hours and brings comfort on gloomy days.
4. Wandering the library, checking out random books, and occasionally reading a page about ancient Greece.
5. A birthday cake to celebrate another trip around the sun.
6. Berlinale: Crossing, Teaches of Peaches, Architecton, and that moving film about an orange cake.
7. Painting ceramics.
8. Moving to a larger flat in a quieter area—discovering the nearby park with Smyku.
9. Writing a short story that helped me process sadness.
10. Walking through Grunewald with a friend when I felt shitty.
11. Anatomy of a Fall.
12. A drag show at the Theater im Keller.
13. Finally having a bigger fridge. What a game changer, and bonus: all magnets fit on it.
14. Watching Wales vs. Poland football match with my parents.
15. Spending time with my niece. Listening to her, learning what matters to her.
16. Attending a lecture by Elizabeth Gilbert, where she said, “Mercy is a portal that can take you from hell to heaven.” I think about that often.
17. Caspar David Friedrich’s work at the Alte Nationalgalerie.
18. Love Lies Bleeding.
19. Breakfasts on the balcony. Dinners too.
20. Participating in—and finishing—a company run.
21. Watching the Eurovision Song Contest with friends. Snacks and scoring cards included.
22. Long, unhurried walks around the city.

23. Euro in Germany, watching most of the matches. Closing windows when the Polish national team played (their style makes me swear).
24. The Christopher Street Day.
25. Breakfast with queer families—feeling in the right place.
26. Olafur Eliasson’s Your Rainbow Panorama in Aarhus.
27. Spending a week at a quiet Danish beach, staring at the sea. Buying the most expensive postage stamps ever.
28. The quirky robot from Borderlands.
29. Reading over 180 novels this year—mostly queer romances. No regrets. (Self-proclaimed sapphic romance expert now! Need funny, steamy, or angsty recs? I’ve got you.)
30. Crying my eyes out at Adele’s concert in Munich—it was transcendently beautiful.
31. One electric evening in August with Peaches, Gossip, and Róisín Murphy. Love them all.
32. Meeting new neighbours.
33. Pizza Fridays.
34. Restarting therapy after a two-year hiatus. Discovering that speaking in Polish brings up different emotions and helps me process them deeper.
35. Finding friends during tough times.
36. Reconnecting with old friends after years apart. How many people I hold dear to my hear even if we cannot meet often.
37. Rediscovering the simple pleasure of gnocchi after a friend told me to always have them in the fridge (dzięki, Aniu!). Add any seasonal topping and you can enjoy a lovely meal in less than 10 minutes.
38. Allowing myself to feel—and acknowledge—the complexity of the immigration experience.
39. Late summer days in Kraków. A pilgrimage to places that used to be home or a dream. The flat I almost bought, the spot at the river where I would come to think things over. The favourite knajpa in Kazimierz.
40. A warm, woollen coat that feels like a hug.
41. Asking for—and receiving—help with an art project proposal.
42. Visiting Warsaw.
43. Deepening my knowledge of photography.
44. Navigating Ikea trips like a seasoned pro (with a suitcase). Getting unsolicited help on our way home because the lady thought we were tourists.
45. A new haircut that gave me euphoria.
46. Fulfilling a dream I had 8 years ago. Approaching it with curiosity.
47. Renovating a chest of drawers, painting it and installing legs. Looks refreshed.
48. Scoring cheap, used serving carts from Ikea and turning them into multi-functional marvels in the office and bedroom.
49. Journaling.
50. The dog. His relaxed attitude towards people. His priorities (sleeping and eating). His transformation into a paw patrol guard dog whenever he’s in a garden. His playful friendship with my parents’ dog. The fact that he can actually bark. His patience while travelling. His soft ears and exuberant ego.
51. Painting with watercolours.
52. Discovering gems in our new neighbourhood, including a charming cafe, fantastic pizza, and the best ice cream spot.
53. Chappell Roan.
54. Relaxing in a hammock, reading and napping in it. It must be similar to what Austin Kleon feels drifting in his swimming pool, I suppose.
55. Riding my bike through the city.
56. Blueberry pierogi—pure bliss.
57. The nostalgic scent of maciejka (Matthiola longipetala) after so many years.
58. A class in abstract painting that sparked something.
59. Goats in the nearby park.
60. Bubble tea.
61. A tour at the Hamburger Bahnhof.
62. Pancakes!
63. Exploring a bog with my partner, an unexpectedly beautiful adventure. 
64. Strawberries from the red strawberry hut.
65. Interviewing my parents—capturing their stories without interrupting, being curious about who they are.
66. Watching ballet on YouTube.
67. Visiting museums with friends.
68. The ever-reliable wall calendar.
69. Tacos and horchata—the ultimate comfort food.
70. Meeting other queer couples.
71. Fran Lebowitz at Haus des Rundfunks. How she has opinions and believes they are worth sharing. The confidence I lack.
72. Reverence by Milena McKay. And most of her novels.
73. Coffee and cake at Aida in Vienna. A place my grandma used to take me to. This year I took my partner and niece there.
74. Learning about my great-grandmother’s entrepreneurial spirit. Before WWII, she owned a business and employed seven people.
75. Chagall at the Albertina. The careless youthful love. 

76. Lists.
77.  Browsing public.work.
78. After seven years in Berlin, visiting the Rixdorf Christmas market for the first time—it was magical.
79. Sharing Extrary with you.
80. A memorable, for all wrong reasons, Chopin concert after Christmas.
81. Decaf coffee.
82. The one Ikea trip where we didn’t buy more than we’d planned—it’s worth noting!
83. The countless other times we over-bought or dragged unwieldy items like a bookshelf from Ikea Marzahn. It’s so far away east, it’s almost Poland.
84. Having hundreds of ideas and questions every day.
85. Learning more about my brain.
86. Creating songs on a whim.
87. Solving the New York Times’ Connections.
88. The American Memorial Library, especially its collection of photo books.
89. The Witch King of Angmar. Forever and always.
90. Discovering Instagram’s "Not Interested" function—a blessing.
91. Listening to Jane Austen audiobooks.
92. Ogórki kiszone (Polish pickles). The best.
93. Friends who reach out.
94. Berlin’s queer community. 
95. Lazy days spent doing absolutely nothing.
96. My partner napping on my shoulder.
97. Taking time off work when I truly needed it.
98. Freedom from LinkedIn.
99. Pondering names.
100. You.

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful 2025, full of kindness, adventures and loving people around.

Wiktoria

PS. Writing this list (check out the 2022 and 2023 editions) was first inspired by Austin Kleon who has been my hero for years.