Musings
Happy New Year! I realized it had been a while since I posted one of these, and I thought it could be fun to keep up with them more consistently… maybe once a month, in a kind of “favorites” format? So here’s the January 2022 edition, all the things I’ve been loving this month.
Podcasts
I have my go-to pods that I listen to religiously, but I consume so much podcast content and would love to keep track of new finds that stick out to me. This month I discovered “Forever Is A Long Time,” a 5-part series about divorce. The host is married but realizes that everyone in his family is divorced–parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, even great-grandparents. He decides to interview them all out of his own curiosity and (dare I say) demons. The conversations are so candid and interesting to sit in on, and I found a lot of important points to mull over.
TV
No one who knows me well will be shocked, but this month I watched the new season of Queer Eye on Netflix. This has to be one of my favorite shows of all time–it never disappoints and always brings a tear to my eyes. The Fab 5 are truly fabulous, and it’s so heartwarming to watch them transform peoples’ lives. I’m always reminded of the importance of self care, feeling good on the inside, and doing nice things for myself.
I also watched Pen15 on Hulu: absolutely hilarious especially if you were in middle school in the early 2000s.
The Great on Hulu: satire starring Nicholas Hoult and Elle Fanning, loosely based on historic Russian tzars, laugh out loud funny.
Emily in Paris on Netflix: crazy fashion, totally unrealistic but entertaining and easy to watch.
Succession on HBO: I just finished all 3 seasons and really liked it. I definitely enjoyed the first season but didn’t totally understand the hype… until the craziness of the season 1 finale. After that I was wayyyy more engaged (all the season finales are wild). It’s about a powerful family that runs a media conglomerate that is loosely based on actual media families like the Murdaughs (I think). The power struggles are real and so fascinating to watch play out on screen.
Also, I’m of course watching (and heavily cringing at) And Just Like That on HBO. I’m not going to stop watching because I’ve always been a big fan of Sex and the City, but yea…. it’s been interesting to say the least. Why is Carrie so horrible? That’s really the only thing they’ve stayed consistent with from the original series hahaha.
Beauty
Speaking of self care, I got so into taking baths this month. I got some amazing bath salts for Christmas and put them to good use. I have been loving the Skinfix face cream and Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask to help my skin stay hydrated during this frigid winter. All beauty recommendations are from Allie Glines, as always!
I also had so much fun playing with make up on NYE and creating this look!
January
I have come to look forward to January because Yoga with Adriene does her 30 day yoga challenge (free on YouTube!). It’s the perfect way to reset, slow down, gently nourish your body and mind, and get ready for a fresh start. I’ve always been picky with instructors, but I truly can’t recommend her enough no matter how long you’ve been practicing yoga.
I don’t really do resolutions when New Year rolls around, but since 2020 I have been picking a word for the year. Something I can come back to through out the year to keep me on track with my goals or use when I need help making a decision. It’s very personal so I won’t share my words here, but I wanted to mention it because I highly recommend considering it over traditional goal setting. Or even in addition to. I want to say I first heard of this concept from Traveling Jackie’s podcast… so I’ll share her latest article about her word for 2022 here if you’d like to read more!
What’s Next
I spent a lot time in January booking flights for later this year actually haha. I try so hard to keep my schedule open and not plan too far ahead, but that never lasts very long. I have trips planned for February, March, April, May, and June (oops). Oh well, travel is my love language and the thing that brings me so much joy. All of these trips will be with family or friends and I cannot wait to make memories together!
In January I also found out that I have a NIECE coming later this summer! So the travels will be put on hold for awhile to spend as much time as possible with the newest gal to join our family 🙂 I cannot wait to meet her.
In Case You Missed It
I still need to catch up on blogging about my incredible trip to Greece last year, but I did manage to put together a massive guide about my time in Panama!
Words
Hey there, California
I can hear you when I wake up
In the distance like the ocean
You calling me back to your side
Holding my breath in the night
I listen again for your song.
“California” by Kina Grannis