Musings
On the day Russia launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine, I was on a flight to the Bahamas with my best friend. Life is full of loss, heartbreak, disease, uncertainty, and fear… so when you get the chance to hold loved ones close and find moments of happiness, you take it. And that’s what we did. Although we were extremely saddened by the news everyday, we were so grateful to be together on a fun vacation. The hospitality and friendliness of the Bahamians helped counter our anxiety about the state of the world. That is one of my favorite things about travel–it always reminds me that no matter where we come from or how different we are, the world is full of kind people who want the best for each other.
If you’re able to get together safely with your favorite people, take this as your reminder to make it happen. And if you can fold travel into the equation, even better.
Books
Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel. It’s about the paradoxical relationship between domesticity and desire and if you can have both. I am a huge Esther fan–I think her work as a couples therapist is genius. I love every single episode of her podcast, and this month, I finally read her first book. I was dog-earring every single page until I realized it was pointless to dog ear every page haha. Every sentence she writes is worth savoring and is so helpful in real life situations. I cannot recommend her enough if you are interested in learning more about relationships.
TV
“Single’s Inferno” on Netflix. I binged this series in one day lol. It’s a Korean dating show where contestants get to leave the stranded island “hell” and go to “paradise” if they match as a couple after completing various activities and challenges each day. I thought it was an interesting concept but I also loved getting a glimpse into Korean dating. I really enjoy watching foreign TV and learning about different cultures. Korean manners are quite the contrast to American… ha.
Another Korean show that I recommend is “Crash Landing on You” (also on Netflix). I absolutely loved that one, which led me to wanting to try another K-drama. I’m currently watching “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.” There’s something very soothing about all these shows.
Podcasts
The Trojan Horse Affair
Here’s the Spotify synopsis: “A strange letter appears on a city councillor’s desk in Birmingham, England, laying out an elaborate plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate the city’s schools. The plot has a code name: Operation Trojan Horse. The story soon explodes in the news and kicks off a national panic. By the time it all dies down, the government has launched multiple investigations, beefed up the country’s counterterrorism policy, revamped schools, and banned people from education for the rest of their lives. To Hamza Syed, who is watching the scandal unfold in his city, the whole thing seemed… off. Because through all the official inquiries and heated speeches in Parliament, no one has ever bothered to answer a basic question: who wrote the letter? And why? The night before Hamza is to start journalism school, he has a chance meeting in Birmingham with the reporter Brian Reed, the host of the podcast S-Town. Together they team up to investigate: Who wrote the Trojan Horse letter? They quickly discover that it’s a question people in power do not want them asking.”
I don’t want to give the conclusion away but I would love to discuss this series if you end up listening! I hesitated recommending this one based on “the ending” but I do think it’s worth listening to the 8 episodes. It was also super interesting to see these two journalists working side by side on the same story. One is fresh out of journalism school. You witness some of his “rookie mistakes” and see him be more emotional (which obviously unbiased journalism shouldn’t be). Listening to him get heated with some interviewees was fascinating (/hilarious) because I’m sure it’s how most people want to act but don’t to maintain professionalism haha. The other journalist is more established and has learned a lot through out his successful career, so it’s an interesting contrast.
You also have the racial differences between to the two–one is Muslim from Britain and one is white from America. I like that they gave those conversations airtime, too, because it gives listeners a glimpse into struggles, setbacks, motivations, etc. that are based on skin color. Plus the story in general is crazy because it’s had MAJOR implications on British politics (not to mention the poor people who have had their careers ended over this). So yea the fact that I had this much to say while just trying to write a short blurb should tell you that it’s a very thought provoking series. If investigative journalism type stories (like S-Town or Serial) are your thing, I think you’d really enjoy this.
Happy Hour with Lucy and Nikki
I started following Lucy and Nikki on Instagram years ago because they were traveling around Central America and I loved their style. Fast forward to today, they have their own fashion brand (I wasn’t the only one who loved their style) and podcast. I don’t follow them religiously anymore, but this episode sparked my interest. And they are so fun to listen to!
Gratitude with Hugh Van Cuylenburg from The Resilience Project
In this episode, Hugh shares how he learned his secret to resilience through gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness. He has a great backstory and is so charismatic. At one point he said “You can’t be in a relationship with someone who can’t have difficult conversations,” and I had to pause the episode just to mull that over. His advice and wisdom really resonated. There were so many great takeaways, and it was a thought provoking conversation in general.
After Work Drinks
This is another podcast hosted by real-life besties but focuses on pop culture. They have a lot of interesting discussions, and I was especially drawn to the part of this episode about Izzy’s Dazed piece about the return of heroin chic, “BBL’s are over, eye bags are in, smoking is back. Is heroin chic next?” As Taylor Swift said in “Willow,” I come back stronger than a 90s trend. (Trigger warning for disordered eating.)
I hesitate sharing something about weight or even talking about weight at all, ever. It’s something I generally steer clear of because someone’s weight is none of my business and has nothing to do with their worth. I’ve fluctuated weight many times in life as most people do, and I’ve been happy at weights that are quite different. But I did grow up in the 90s and 2000s seeing images of stick thin models like Kate Moss and Victoria’s Secret Angels while a size 4 Jessica Simpson got slammed for being fat. That can’t be good for a developing brain.
These days, we seem to be more accepting and body positive. But has that been just another trend that’s run its course as low-rise jeans make a comeback? And with young, susceptible people spending so much time online now versus 20 years ago, the misogyny might be even more dangerous. Most famous people on social media are super thin and somehow manage to be skinny as a “normal” person, not a celebrity whose status (and access to personal trainers and chefs) is out of reach. That can lead to people today feeling even worse if they don’t have the body they are seeing so frequently online.
I thought this podcast and article were really interesting and pointed out the slippery slope we could be heading down again with the return of these 90s and 2000s trends. We think we’re getting away from the patriarchy controlling women’s bodies but it’s always right there. We have to be mindful of the media and its influence on our body image. Our weight does not define us, and we don’t have to be thin to be lovable. As Taylor Swift said in “All Too Well 10 Minute Version,” fuck the patriarchy.
In Case You Missed It
YouTube
I had a busy month online! I finally launched my YouTube channel which has been in the works since last summer. I’m super excited to have another way to share my travels with you. It would mean so much if you subscribed! Here’s the link:
And here’s my corresponding announcement:
They say if you find something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Well… I love to travel and go on walks. haha. So I decided to start a YouTube channel where I can combine the two.
These walking videos around the world will be a soothing, “slow TV”-style escape that you can throw on while working from home, walking on the treadmill, enjoying a meal, or drinking your favorite coffee. There’s something mesmerizing about the unfiltered, slow-paced look into these destinations that I think you’ll love.
(On a sadder note, I think these videos would be nice to put on if you have a loved one in a nursing home, hospital, etc.)
I’m extra excited to share the footage from Greece (I know so many of you have Greece on your bucket list), but let me know if there’s anywhere in the world you’d like to see 🙂
If you have a YouTube account, I’d be so grateful if you subscribed to my new channel, Walk With Allison. You can watch my first upload now where I take you with me all around Chicago. Thanks so much for the support!
I also wanted to share this podcast about “slow TV” if you are curious about what I mean by that…
My Blog
I finally got around to blogging about my trip to Greece last September! It was so fun to relive these moments, and I hope I inspired at least a couple people to consider booking a trip with MedSailors! Had the absolute time of my life with them 🙂 You can read about that here:
Words
At some point in a woman’s life she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert