Joy Drop: Bottoms up to the many 'mocktails' Dry January brings

It's the most wonderful time of the year! My birthday is next week and I can't wait for the celebrations to begin. I am looking forward to seeing people I love and care about.

First of all, many of you know that I love cats, and I love women's hockey.

As such, I was so thrilled with the final results of a TikTok for CBC Sports I made with my colleague extraordinaire, Sophie Baron. She's a genius and this particular reel is my favourite ever because it features my own beloved fur baby, Tara.

There are so many things in the month of January that I find to be excellent. One of them is the Dry January hype that surrounds us. As someone who doesn't drink, it's nice to have mocktail ideas and zero proof libations to choose from. I found a lovely article with 17 recipe ideas for Dry January.

There are so many accounts that feature mocktail recipes; Mono Mocktails has a massive following and beautiful and enticing recipes. 

I was really excited to have the chance to attend my friend Matthew R. Morris's book launch coordinated by Another Story Bookshop at Lula Lounge in Toronto. His first book, Black Boys Like Me,is a masterpiece. It's a beautifully written and vulnerable memoir that examines Blackness, identity, masculinity, sports, culture and education. Morris is an educator, a thinker and his writing is formidable.

The evening was truly special and I was on a panel with Morris, CBC Commotion host Elamin AbdulMahmoud, writer and journalism professor Eternity Martis, and educator and activist Nigel Barriffe. Jadyn Scott gave a riveting performance of spoken word poetry and the crowd was engaged and excellent. It was an evening where we all leaned into community and spaces that elevate books, art, and powerful discussions