I love a good list. I make lots of them, from things to pack for a trip to grocery lists to thank you notes I need to write.

As one year ends and the next begins, lists are everywhere: Top 10s, In/Outs, and the songs I played most on Apple Music (Hello, Taylor Swift). I read every one I can find, and usually, I glean a nugget or two of fashion advice or a new food trend to try, but this year, I felt very out of touch.

I consider myself relatively in tune with pop culture, even though I'm in my 50s, deleted Facebook a few years ago, and refuse to succumb to TikTok. So I was surprised that I had no idea about what was out, nonetheless what was in, on many lists.

The Washington Post's often quoted and mocked list started with a few recognizable pairings:

Out: Finished basements; In: Finished room over the garage.
Out: Quiet quitting; In: Loud layoffs.
Out: Butter boards; In: Fast casual charcuterie.

But then:

Out: Ate; In: Rizz. What even is that?
Out: Phygital; In: Bleisure. Those are not words.
Out: Chagaccinos; In: Yaupon tea. Both sound gross. Hard pass.

And there were a few I could really get behind:

Out: Blaming millennials; In: Blaming Gen X. Oh hell yes, bring it. Gen X is ready.
Out: Pickleball; In: Orthopedic surgery. I have never played Pickleball, but I'm sick of hearing about it and the wars with tennis players. Quit it already. It's not a sport, it's a fad. Clear the courts and go back to croquet or golf.
Out: Iowa; In: South Carolina. At least primary season will be engaging for the first time in years.

Twitter's list was about 50/50 for me:

Out: Going to wineries; In: Binge drinking. I've been there; this is incorrect.
Out: Reading; In: Overthinking. Can't we have it all?
Out: Trips everywhere; In: Too much planning. Yes, and yes, both things.
Out: Handwritten notes; In: Saying yes to too many things. Agree to disagree here.
Out: Working out; In: Lack of sleep. Both are worth exploring in the new year.
Out: Going out to go out; In: Having fun in the house. Oh yes, please.

In an attempt to find fresh ways of feeling out of touch, I turned to Cultured magazine, where I found these unexpectedly relatable pairs:

Out: Talking about Starbucks being basic; In: Starbucks. Probably an unpopular opinion, but yes.
Out: Stepping out for a smoke and leaving; In: Saying goodbye. The Irish Exit always felt unsatisfying for everyone, so again, yes.
Out: Espresso martinis. In: West Coast oysters. I'd like to add all oysters should be in, but only with mignonette sauce.

And I was thrilled to see they predicted the end of these awful trends:

Out: Caring what people think.
Out: The phrase "I'm dead."
Out: QR Code Menus
Out: Any type of TV show reboot.

In closing, I offer The Washington Post's coup de grâce:

Out: It Girls; In: Menopause Mavens.

Welcome to 2023. Prediction: It's going to be good.

—
This essay also appeared in the January 2023 issue of FLM - Fete Lifestyle Magazine.