Before we begin, I just want to say thank you so much for pressing play. I am so honored and touched

when I think about it that anybody would be curious about how my songs get made. As I'm recording

these episodes, it sort of feels like just me documenting everything that I put into each song

and the meaning and the little Easter eggs. It's almost like for like archival purposes in my mind.

And every once in a while, it just occurs to me how incredible it is that, that anybody

would press play and be curious about the making of these songs.

So thank you.

Thank you for being here.

My name is Ryan.

I make music under the name Sleeping at Last.

And this is the Sleeping at Last podcast and this is the Sleeping at Last podcast.

First of all, happy new year.

I hope you are having a really bright and gentle start to your year.

I have a bit of a complicated relationship with this whole season every year.

I get so overwhelmed throughout the holidays for various reasons, and it's just a time that brings

everything up to the surface, the beautiful and the difficult.

It's just very heightened.

Also, winter is just my least favorite

season, but Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. And even though New Year's is just a date

on the calendar, I really do love that it's this kind of collective reflection that we all do,

whether it's in the form of a giant exhale at the end of the year, or it's the promise and hope of a brand new year starting, I just love that invitation.

So I hope you had a really wonderful holiday season and that you are feeling hopeful about 2026.

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