January links roundup

Winter distractions edition

Jan 30, 2025

Hello and welcome to my monthly links roundup where I share links of interest. It has once again been a month with distressing current events/winter doldrums, and I have definitely needed things to make me laugh.

To contend with January, I’ve been eating comfort foods, trying to complete 5 different writing challenges, and Googling sunrise and sunset time charts.

Also, I recently finished Bad Sisters and while I realize it’s a drama, I feel like it was also product placement for Ireland. The characters would be talking about how to kill someone and I would be looking at the scenery behind them and thinking that it would be a lovely place for a walk.

So, inspired by the show vibes I’ve also been wearing chunky sweaters, listening to music from the show, and drinking more tea. And I’m adding the Forty Foot in Ireland to my future travel list.

In any event, this month I’ve got even more distraction options and a funny book rec from Bizzy Coy.

-JV

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Book: My hold for Summer Romance came in from the library and I almost delayed it because it seemed like a summer book, but then I realized maybe I need a little summer this time of year and am enjoying it and it has some good funny lines. If you are looking for a lighter romance read, check it out.

Recipe: I have been making a lot of soups and stews and had success with this Mushroom Bourguignon recipe. We had it on egg noodles the first night and mashed potatoes the second night and I am going to recommend you go with the mashed potatoes.

Short humor: Speaking of recipes, this McSweeney’s piece about recipe commenters made me laugh.

Winter coping: I appreciated these ideas from

Amelia Wilson

on dealing with January (which will work for February too). I particularly liked number 3 — her grandmother’s “After Fives” ritual. I’ve realized my version is immediately after dinner I take a shower and change into pajamas and a robe. I will now call this “After Six Thirties.”

TV: I have been enjoying the long-awaited new season of Severance and also recently stumbled on the show Travel Man, which has been making me laugh. It features British comedian Richard Ayoade reluctantly traveling with famous guests (like Noel Fielding from The British Baking Show) to different locations. Tagline: “We’re here, but should we have come?”

I need more funny TV so I asked for some recs in the chat and got some good options. Some of the recs also make me think I may need another streaming service so please weigh in with this poll:

Book marketing: I thought this piece in Hippocampus had some good info on what is worth it to spend your time on book sales.
Pitch calls: I recently subscribed to the
The Freelance Writing Network
and have been finding their pitch calls helpful.
Writing imperative for the year: I have been thinking about Kelcey Ervick’s post about a new year’s imperative and like the idea of it. I have had trouble forming this idea into a short motivational phrase, but what I’ve realized I want to work on most this year are shorter things — micro, picture books, short humor, and essays. So maybe it’s just “Write short”? “Brevity”? “Stop rambling, Julie”? Let me know if you have ideas!

This month I have a funny author rec from

Bizzy Coy

who writes the funny and helpful Substack Bizzy in Your Box. Bizzy has a new humor book out and her recent post talked about the publishing route she chose. This month she is sharing details on her book and a rec.

Tell us about your book, Bizzy.

PERSONAL SPACE is my first (and so far, best) book. It's a collection of my favorite 20 short humor pieces, including "Brunch Recipes for When Your Therapist Is on Vacation," "Sexistential Quandaries," "Why Must Witches Do All the Chore-Magic?," "What Space-time Is the Super Bowl?" and "I'm Taking Sorry Out of My Vocabulary."

The introduction describes my journey to becoming a humor writer, and before each piece there's a closer look at my creative process. James Folta and Luke Burns (from "A Newsletter of Humorous Writing") penned a hilarious foreword, and New Yorker cartoonist Lia Strasser hid eight charming illustrations throughout.

What is a funny book you recommend and why?

Right now I'm enjoying THE BULGARIAN TRAINING MANUAL, a comic novel by Ruth Bonapace, which came out in 2024 from Clash Books. It's about Tina, a woman who receives a top-secret Communist fitness guide that sets her on a bizarre adventure.

This book is lightning-paced, almost like stream-of-consciousness, filled with references, tangents, diversions, and short chapters that are the perfect fit for my attention span. It's stuffed with ridiculously memorable characters, with plot points that hinge on communion wafers, bodybuilding, a poetry slam, and a flooded apartment in Hoboken.

Thanks, Bizzy! Learn more about Bizzy here:

Bizzy Coy is a humor writer whose work has appeared (and occasionally disappeared) in The New Yorker, McSweeney's, The Belladonna, Points in Case, Splitsider, Vulture, and The Establishment. She is also a New Yorker captionist (captioneer? Caption Captain?) in collaboration with illustrator Lia Strasser. She grew up outside Rochester, New York and has lived in Sullivan County since 2013. Subscribe to her Substack, BIZZY IN YOUR BOX, and check out her book, PERSONAL SPACE. Oh, and Instagram!

New Humor: I published a satirical preschooler’s hot chocolate recipe on Jane Austen’s Wastebasket
Humor Challenge: This month I wrapped up the second annual One Funny Line Challenge which generated so many great lines. If you didn’t get a chance to participate, you can find the prompts here.

Thanks for reading Humor Me, a newsletter featuring funny stuff and writing tips. In case you’re new here — I’m a humor writer and freelancer whose work has appeared in New Yorker Shouts, McSweeney’s, Real Simple, and more. Find out more about me at julievick.com.

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