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I enjoy making New Year's resolutions, but I usually fail at them, and then I'm sad. I'm trying something new this year. Instead of resolutions, I'm choosing eleven subjects I want to learn about. If I learn one thing about each subject, then I have succeeded at my goal. I can learn one thing, right? RIGHT? I won't fail at this. (Please tell me I won't fail at this. It seems easy, but I fail at easy stuff all the time.)

Some of my subjects are lifelong interests. Others are things I'm currently curious about.

If you have book/TV/whatever recommendations, I want to hear them. I refuse to fail!

Subjects I Want To Learn About In 2026

(In alphabetical order because we're organized in this house)

1. Autism. I learned about it in EMT school, but that's the extent of my knowledge. Autism has been in the news lately. Politicians with no medical training seem to have strong opinions about it. I want to learn more (but not from politicians. From medical people).

2. Christian Nationalism. This is my parents' religion now. Friends, I'm deeply confused.

3. Cozy fantasy. I'm still chasing the happiness I got from Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia Of Faeries. I adore that book. I want to read more low stakes, funny, magical books. 

4. Dark academia. Another genre I want to explore. I like dark books, and I've spent the majority of my life in academia. It makes sense that I'd like dark academia. I just don't know where to start.

5. Listening. One of my bad habits is zoning out while people talk. It's rude. I also get distracted while listening to audiobooks, but that's less rude because books don't get offended if you rewind them. Rewinding your boss is awkward. I need to get better at listening to people and remembering what they say.

6. National Park history. Speaking of academia, I recently met a dude who was taking a college class about the history of US National Parks. Why did none of my schools offer this class? I demand a refund.

7. Polar history. This one is a lifelong passion. I've read a ton of "ice books," but I know there are more in the world. I will find them. And I will learn something new.

8. Search and rescue. Another lifelong interest. I was supposed to start SAR training in 2025, but life and illness got in the way. I should be responsible and use the delay in training to learn more SAR stuff.

9. The human microbiome. Last year, I read I Contain Multitudes and developed a small obsession with gut bacteria. I want to know what lives in my guts. I also need to know how my gut bacteria feel about nachos because that's mostly what I feed them.

10. Wolves. I've been closely following Colorado's wolf reintroduction efforts since 2020. I'm happy that the state has an "experimental population" of wolves, but OMG, the drama. Literally everything about wolves is difficult and complicated. I want to know more.

11. Zoos. I want to read animal books. I don't like textbooks, and I don't like sappy books where the animal dies at the end, and we all learn important life lessons. The only thing I learn from sappy books is how hard I can roll my eyes. I think I want to learn about zookeeping and behind-the-scenes zoo stuff.

What do you want to learn in 2026?

Do you know any fun facts about my subjects? Teach me something so I don't fail!