We don’t think we’re alone in saying that we will not miss 2017. On a global scale, it was a year of turmoil, distress, and apocalyptic scenes from coast to coast. But on a personal note, we did some things last  year that we are proud of, including on this blog. So in an effort to not write 2017 off as a total dumpster fire, we’ve gathered ten of our favorite posts from last year. Here’s to more representation, storytelling, rainstorms, soccer, jambalaya, and Chanukah rom coms in 2018.

Our Favorite Southern Movies: We kicked things off in January with some of our favorite cinematic depictions of the region we call home, from the mythic to the musical to the downright delicious. And with the wind chill stubbornly stuck in the Arctic range, now’s as good a time as any to take to Netflix and revisit some of this Southern goodness.

Keep Marching On: Zelda, like millions of other frustrated, heartbroken, angry, stubborn, nasty Americans (and others), took to the streets for the Women’s March. She found unexpected humor, much-needed hope, and the resolve she needed to take on what would be an exhausting year.

On Representation in Pop Culture: Scout discussed why it’s important to have characters you can relate to out in the world, how she took ownership of her own bisexuality, and why it’s essential that we don’t narrow pop culture to one single type of story. We need characters of all kinds, so every person feels real and valid.

All the Fixin’s: Jambalaya: The universe did not make it easy for Zelda to tackle this family favorite. After multiple trips to three grocery stores spanning two boroughs, she found herself a few listed ingredients short, and feeling a bit discouraged. But that’s the thing about Cajun cooking: You work with what you’ve got, make it with love, add enough spice to keep life interesting, and it comes out delicious.

Six Badass Southern Women You Should Know About: Zelda returned to her research roots for this one. Some of these were women she knew about already. Others were completely new discoveries. All are worthy of your time and respect.

On S-Town and Stories and Why They Matter: We were both blown away by S-Town, the novelesque mini series of a podcast brought to our ears by Brian Reed, of This American Life, and Serial. Zelda wrote this essay in April, reflecting on why John B. McLemore’s story affected her so much, and why it’s so important that it be told.

Early Summer Playlist: Hey, Ho, The Wind and the Rain: It was a rainy June in Brooklyn, and it got us missing the summer thunderstorms of our Kentucky home. We compiled a playlist that sounds like the patter of raindrops on a tin cabin roof in the Appalachians and the crash of thunder that sends everyone running indoors on a hot June afternoon.

Civic Duty: Zelda may be the only person in the history of the world to be genuinely excited about jury duty, and truly sad when it ended. This post explains just how the theatre of the courtroom, the exhilaration of evenings, and the alchemy of strangers combined to make it such a meaningful experience for her.

Come On You Boys In Purple: In November, our hometown soccer team, Louisville City FC, won the USL Championship. Scout discussed her passion for LCFC and soccer and why it’s the sport of the future for our beloved hometown.

Latke, Actually: After A Christmas Prince went viral with its absolute (amazing) ridiculousness, Scout found herself lamenting the lack of Chanukah films of the same caliber — of any caliber, really. So she came up with eight movies that really should exist. Hollywood, get on these! Chanukah deserves movies, too.