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Do you remember January 1st, 2020? A time of relative innocence, where we pat ourselves on the back for getting through the “horrors” of 2019 while vowing to make 2020 “one for the books” (we literally said that).
Many of us resolved to do great things. And La La Lista was no exception. We had events and festivals booked, major collaborations and expansions underway. But the universe had other plans. And so we remapped, and revised, and charted a new path through this year.
Before we wind down and take a much-needed 3-week break, we decided to ask everyone from our newly expanded team (we somehow grew 50%?!) to share their lessons from this past year, and their hopes for the year to come.
We hope you enjoy them over a nice coffee with a pastry, or a glass of wine (or three), or whatever else makes you feel cheery and hopeful after a year like this one.
This year I learned that I can drink a whole bottle of wine if I’m home alone, which is awesome. But I also learned human contact is so, so important. Me, my family and my friends found our own ways to stay connected and feel close to each other during this year. I hope in 2021 I will meet again with everyone I love and care for, and if we’re lucky, we’ll be watching some live band and drinking a cold birrita together.
Natalia Morello
Social Outreach
Things I learned in 2020:
- The right people tend to come out of the woodwork right when you need them.
- I tend to make my biggest and best life choices very suddenly and in moments of despair.
- With the right amount of time and space and understanding, relationships that were once toxic can become healthy and positive.
- Flashear confianza is an important and rewarding part of who I am and how I live my life.
- Online relationships can be cool and rewarding.
- When one door closes, another one is about to open.
- Space in relationships is as important as closeness.
- Meditation is important for well-being.
My wishes for 2021:
- That I can stay true to myself and close to God.
- That I can maintain a healthy balance between valuing internal and external validation.
- That I can continue to get better at doing my thing
Emilyann McKelvey
Associate Music Editor
2020 taught me to stop perceiving time as something linear and to connect with my body and cycles more strongly. And that everything we pay attention to will grow. For this 2021 I wish that the only things that grow are those which make us happy. 💖
Lucia Marelli
Social Media & Illustrator
I think maybe 2020 made me a little more compassionate. I took a walk the other day and saw a woman sitting at a bus stop — nothing about her or her disposition was unusual, but for some reason a brief moment of eye contact got me thinking about how she’s dealing with the same moment of dread and uncertainty that I am, that most of us are. It’s so easy to tilt at windmills and be caustic and cruel, especially with the fuel of supposed moral righteousness; to lose track of the fact that we’re all, in our own ways, just trying to trudge through the fog, and just be well. I hope I carry this softer view and this presumption of good faith with me into 2021.
Jorge Farah
Executive Editor: Multimedia
Most of 2020 it felt like everyone was just trying to get through the moment in the best way possible. Such an eventful year, yet so full of monotonous days at home. I never thought I’d miss riding the bus so much. I learned to appreciate video calls and tiny changes to my routine (buying a new brand of coffee would make my whole week back in April). My hopes for 2021: people taking safe, effective vaccines on a massive scale, and the new U.S. prez addressing problems that the current one denies. On a personal level, I just want to spend a lot less time at my apartment.
Bonnie Rowan
Assistant Editor
2020…We’re all pretty familiar with what an absolute shit show it’s been but I can speak for myself when I say there’s been a lot I’ve learned about how I operate in times of crisis. This year has taught me not to under-estimate mental illness, and most importantly to end the stigma around people who suffer from it. It’s taught me how to cope and help others cope with crippling agoraphobia that’s been heightened by COVID. I’ve learned to be tactful, show tenderness in ways that transcend physical contact. 2020 has taught me to be a better partner, an active listener of others’ needs, and my own. It’s been rough but I feel I’m closer to my loved ones than ever before. If there’s anything I wish for in 2021 it’s the return of live music and chilled birrita at my favorite centros culturales around the city.
Ezequiel Mancilla
Artist Ambassador & Talent Outreach
2020 taught me that opportunities can appear when you least expect them. That even if you believe that it’s not the right time to change your life, if the opportunity appears, you have to take the gamble. Although it might be scary and risky.
It also taught me that, even if it’s the “worst year,” it doesn’t have to be my worst year. And it wasn’t just luck that made this happen. Getting my act together and focusing on my well-being paid off.
For next year, I hope we can be freer… but without breaking anything. Let things approach normalcy, but without forgetting the positive things we learned from the confinement. I also want to learn to skate and become the queen of roller disco, and that there are more places that make savory churros. Oh and kitties! I wish for lots of kitties for 2021.
Magu Fernandez Richeri
Events Manager
2020 was really weird. Most of the time I found myself thinking “I’m overall having a better time (emotionally speaking) than most people,” so I wouldn’t complain. But looking back and seeing how I can’t fucking wait for this to be completely over, I wonder if maybe I was just dealing with crap just as much as everyone else. That would be a lesson: cut yourself some damn slack. You can’t have guilt over feeling bad for your issues, even if they seem less significant in comparison to others’.
I hope we don’t forget about how this felt. It’s easy to just be washed away whenever things go back to normal. Let’s remember how much we missed our people, how much we craved for a freaking concert, or the movies, or going dancing, or whatever it was you were craving most. Let’s use that desire to enjoy like never before
Bruno Müller
Editor de español
If I’ve learnt anything from this bottomless pit of despair of a year that was 2020, it’s don’t take anything for granted. Respect yourself – eat properly, exercise, and set boundaries. Tell your loved ones how much you care about them whenever you get the chance and cherish friendships like the treasure they are. All of that will get you through the hard times, dear reader.
As for wishes, even though the bar for 2021 is pretty low, I sincerely hope we all get a break from all the doom and gloom that pretty much dominated the past year. If you’re bored, I hope you discover a new band or artist every day, if you’re uninspired, I hope you have 365 days brimming with creativity, if you’re lost, I hope you can find your way and figure yourself out. It won’t be easy but we got this. Trust me.
This year I’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions, overcoming some pretty impossible odds in order to stay in Argentina without being left penniless. Although I’ve been in similar situations in the past, it was all compounded by the fact that these incidents felt never-ending when you’re in the throes of a pandemic. Previously I would drive myself to a breaking point in order to feel like I was regaining stability in my life, yet since being here I’ve grown accustomed to the more laid-back approach which Argentines have in even the most difficult of circumstances. This felt like a huge lesson in resilience and self-care that I desperately needed. So…what is it that I wish for…in reality..nothing. Despite everything that has happened my only wish is that we remain hopeful, we come back stronger, and wiser in 2021.
Oh and also fuck Covid.
Jamie Larson
Editor adjunto musical
2020 was nothing but an ode to adaptability. From canceled events, prolonged lockdowns, to the end of live music as we knew it, there was so much that we had to rethink. This year reinforced something I already knew: how resilient creative folks are and how much their creativity makes it easier for us all to follow suit. In 2021 I can only hope for the same flexibility, commitment, and killer coverage that our staff gave us this year. And, of course, for all the creators around Buenos Aires (and beyond!) to continue to fuel our fire.
Monique Nicholas
Executive Editor
This year I learned:
- To trust my instincts. What I want and don’t want are clearer than I think, as long as I stop for a second and listen.
- To relish in friendship. Friends will save you, even when you think you don’t need saving.
- To take time to do something with your hands and away from a screen. Plants, in particular, have a lot to teach you – if you let them.
My wish for 2021? To listen to my instincts, to heed them, and learn from them. To treat myself with kindness. To treat others with kindness.
Nicki Vera
Director of Operations
This year, I learned that secret things rock. Do something for you and don’t tell anyone about it! Buy yourself a fancy wine and drink it IN SECRET, start a new hobby and DON’T TELL A SOUL, do that thing you’re curious about but do it ON THE DL. In a world where everything is so public, the “pics or it didn’t happen” mentality ruins the privacy, the intimacy and preciousness of time spent with your #1: you.
My wish for next year? Well, that’s my little secret…
Margaux Williams
Associate Editor
This year I learned how to pause. I mean truly, deeply, stop for ten whole minutes and stare out over the river (don’t check your phone you addict) while doing NOTHING pause. This may sound minor, but for someone who has spent over 30 years attempting to outrun the void of human existence via hyperactivity, it feels colossal. I’m not saying I’m good at it yet, but give me another year and I may even claim to meditate regularly.
Next year, I hope to spend more time making music and less time collecting material for its inspiration. The suffering artist trope is *tired*.
Evy Duskey
Editor-in-Chief
We finally got here. Looks like we made it. Or at least, I hope so. Yes, I know there was a pandemic going on and the world was setting on fire, so let’s just be grateful to be here now, writing, reading. Because, all in all, that’s the only thing that matters, sharing our story and showing with the world whatever we think the future should see. It’s been a year that everyone would love to leave behind, but I don’t think that’s the most adequate solution. We are here today to make things better tomorrow. Let’s take this as an opportunity to make those changes that the world needs. Best wishes for everyone. See you on the other side of the countdown.
Julián Sosa
Spanish Translator
This year I learned that I really like wine. In 2021, I hope that there is still wine.
Kevin Vaughn
Food Writer