Happy new year, y’all! I didn’t think 2018 was all that bad, but I’m looking forward to doing productive things and thinking grateful thoughts in 2019. This time of year, more than ever, has me thinking about future plans and how to coax the tiniest wisps of potential into crackling flames. Creativity is not a zero-sum game—so let’s create together, shall we?

» 15 k-dramas always worth rewatching—I can vouch for a few on this list.

» The internet is a house of mirrors.

» It’s always funny to me that Korean pop songs are often written by Americans and Europeans—the final product sounds so different than Western pop music. This article has little insights into why.

With Korea, we like to do things that push the boundaries, not super generic, because they’re very musical. Things like that translate a lot better than they do in America.

» He’s not the only fashionable one of the group, but certainly the most flashy. I enjoyed this interview with Taeyong of NCT 127’s stylists.

» Introducing the concept of the “Sexy Baby.”

» Poking holes in the narrative of “Interdisciplinary work will save us:”

I think the answer is that a distinction basic to my argument — the difference between good interdisciplinary work and bad — isn’t as widely recognized in literary studies as it should be. It is as if some members of the profession believe that, once one steps outside of one’s discipline, one also abandons the standards by which one’s work might be judged.

» Disney ruins just about everything, including copyright law. The public domain is finally getting bigger, after a 20 year Mickey-induced hiatus.

» Long read alert: Postmodern Religion and the Faith of Social Justice.

» Cait Johnstone has 21 thoughts on Julian Assange:

18. Anyone who participates in the ongoing smear campaign against Assange and Wikileaks is basically just saying “Extremely powerful people should be able to lie to us without any difficulty or opposition at all.”

» It’s only a matter of time before a drone takes down a passenger plane. (And then then drone fun is over.)

» Truth is Beauty posted a list of keywords to help figure out your style ID. I like this because it helps connect adjectives with the category—bringing the abstract down to a more practical level when you’re evaluating clothes and building outfits.

I’ll double-check this determination by asking myself, “Is this outfit refined (Classic)? Is this outfit comfortable (Natural)? Is this outfit sexy (Romantic)?”

Yes, yes, yes.

I may take an extra moment to rule out the other four essences by asking myself, “Is this outfit otherworldly (Ethereal)? Is it innocent (Ingenue)? Is it avant-garde (Dramatic)? Is it playful (Gamine)?”