Musings
Well, somehow 6 months went by without me sharing one of these! It feels like I’ve made it through my first official winter back in Chicago–last year I was gone traveling for most of it. But now we’ve gotten a few random days of beautiful weather and trees are starting to blossom and it feels good to be out of the worst of it. Shot girl summer here we come? lol
Triumphs
Getting the vaccine was a huge win. It lifted a lot of anxiety I had been living with for a year and made me feel really hopeful. A new normal is definitely on the horizon.
I was able to do a lot of fun mini trips in February and March that wouldn’t have been possible without the vaccine. Thank you science! I went to Turks and Caicos and was in California for my cousin’s engagement to name a few.
I’ve also been seeing friends more regularly which has been amazing. I can’t wait to visit friends who don’t live near me soon– Emily and Jess I’m coming for ya!
Challenges
Life is confusing when people don’t communicate with you. I’ll leave it at that, although multiple pages of my journal would be shocked to see me be that concise.
Currently Loving
Call My Agent!
I have always loved watching foreign films and TV shows, and I’m so glad I heard about this one on Netflix. Call My Agent! takes place in Paris and follows 4 show business agents. Each episode is about a different client, but the agents’ personal lives are woven throughout, too. There’s so much good drama and lots of comedy as well. Yes, the French can be funny! This show had me cracking up and I was really sad when it was over. There are 4 seasons with 6 episodes per season, and that’s it. There won’t be any more 🙁 I haven’t loved a show on Netflix this much in a while.
Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas
I’ve been on a Paris kick lately! My friend Jess (who I met in Paris how cute!) sent me this book for my birthday, and I’m absolutely loving it. I’m a huge fan of travel memoirs, but surprisingly I’ve never read one about Paris. I think it’s because there’s so many out there I didn’t know where to start, so thank you Jess for this recommendation! Each chapter follows the author through her life in Paris based on a different dessert. It’s making me want to go back to Paris so badly (and making my mouth water)!! When I was there for the first time last January, I already knew by day 1 that I’d have to visit again, and this book is multiplying that feeling. I need to eat some croissants and macarons ASAP.
The Great British Baking Show
So this isn’t a new recommendation by any means, but if you haven’t given in and watched this yet, you should. It’s wholesome and fun and lighthearted. All the desserts I was reading about in the book above made me want to watch a baking show! haha. And if you love British television like I do, you will really enjoy the humor and accents in this. It’s so nice to watch these amateur bakers bring their creativity to the kitchen.
Every Single Album: Taylor Swift
This is a podcast you can find on Ringer Dish on Spotify. Actually both my podcast recs in this post are from The Ringer, which is interestingly mainly a sports website (but my two recs are not sports related at all).
This series breaks down one Taylor Swift album per episode, starting with Debut and ending with the Fearless re-release. One of the hosts is a female fan/writer about my age, and the other host is an older guy in the music industry, so I found it really interesting listening to them discuss her albums through those lenses.
I definitely didn’t agree with all of their opinions (they dragged one of my favorite songs on Evermore and didn’t seem to totally understand the power of Reputation) but overall I found the discussions really fascinating and learned a lot. Taylor is an absolute genius and I will love her forever!
Binge Mode: Harry Potter
Another series from The Ringer [dot] com that I absolutely loved. The hosts are so funny and inappropriate and had me laughing so much. But more than anything, the way they broke down the books and movies was totally fascinating. There were so many takeaways for me and things I’d missed reading the books on my own. Any Harry Potter fan will love this deep dive into the universe!
In Case You Missed It
After my trip to Turks and Caicos I felt really inspired and wrote a bunch, but now the motivation and inspiration seems to be lacking again 🙁 Thank goodness I don’t rely on this blog for income lol. Here are my most recent posts if you missed them:
Eco-friendly Travel: Plan a “Green” Trip
Traveling Solo Will Change Your Life
What’s Next
I have two trips in mind for spring, one to Asheville and one to Michigan, so we’ll see if either of them happens! Other than that I’m trying my best to stay positive and trust the process of life. It feels like COVID has brought loss after loss, but I’m patiently waiting for what comes after. And that’s what spring is all about, right? Growth and new blooms and fresh opportunities. Rain followed by sunshine.
Words
the way we rise
from every sorrow in life
is the most gorgeous thing i’ve seen
-rupi kaur