A New Month, A New Me
I want to start something new with this post; I'm hoping it will resonate with people and that I can use it to impart some really solid feel-good vibes every month. Starting here, I'll have a post once a month of the things I'm into right now - the things that just make me feel amazing right this minute. I feel like there's so much positivity that I experience and I so rarely get to share ALL of it with anyone. My friends all have very different and fascinating opinions and interests and not one of them would really love everything I'm digging right now, so I figure: why not still share it with you? I always feel great sharing things I've happened upon and I like to think it generates and perpetuates feelings of "Yay!" so what've I got to lose? Happy Friyay, y'all!
Podcast I'm currently obsessing over: Heavyweight (Gimlet Media)
This podcast never fails to move me. It pairs incredible storytelling and reconciliation with emotional hardship and uncomfortable experiences. It's the perfect match of feel-good and meaningful for me. Host Jonathan Goldstein helps people around him to resolve their emotional baggage and heal old wounds and records all the touching and weird moments that occur in the process. The first season made me laugh and cry and listening to the teaser episode for the upcoming new season felt like coming home. I've been eagerly anticipating more episodes for almost a year now and I was not disappointed in the pre-return released just yesterday.
TV show I'm bingeing: Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce
This show is definitely outside my comfort zone when it comes to entertainment. I am not usually a fan of the "Sex in the City" feel, but this show somehow pulls it off for me. Maybe it's only because I'm going through a divorce and so I can empathize with the main character on some level, but I am leaning into the self-indulgent pampering I feel when I binge a couple episodes of this show every night. It's like a cozy little secret (now not-so-secret) ritual. I make dinner, sit down in front of the TV, cue up the next episode on Netflix, and let it rip until it's time to go to bed. At times it's way over the top, and other times it hits me square in the feels. Regardless, I'm enjoying the hiatus from documentaries and science fiction and indulging in some guilt-free girl-power fluff.
Books I'm reading: Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa and Neuromancer by William Gibson
Lately I've been finding myself reading two books in tandem a fair amount. I've found that I like to have something non-fiction/philosophical and something fiction/imaginative whirling around in my brain at the same time. It has led to some pretty cool ideas (like starting this blog) over the last few months and I strongly encourage others to experiment with it. I like to read non-fiction during the day (usually during my lunch break) and fiction at night to wind down before bed. Currently these two books are doing quite a number on me. Shambhala reflects a lot of principles I've subconsciously taken to heart over the last few years: ideas about mindfulness, openness, and introspection. Neuromancer, on the other hand, is a wild modern classic science-fiction tale that (in theory) inspired the movie The Matrix and the book Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (certainly on my list of top five favorite authors). These two worlds colliding have given me a sense of balance. Somewhat incongruously, I've always felt a deep connection to things in the spiritual/mystical realm and in the scientific/factual realm and both of these seem to ride the blurry lines between those halves.
Albums I can't get enough of: A Moment Apart by ODESZA and Gemini by Macklemore
Again, I've accidentally chosen a bit of a dichotomy this month. Where ODESZA has this earthy, but ethereal vibe; Macklemore is gritty, but grounded and the juxtaposition of these albums excites me. Whether I'm in the car, rocking out in the kitchen, getting sh*t done at work, or grooving out while reading, the tracks on these two albums have me covered. I highly recommend both to anyone looking to shake things up a bit or get out of a musical rut. I've been stuck on acoustic/folk/roots rock all summer which has been lovely, but it was time for an aural shift in my life and these albums were perfect for that.
Silly purchase that brings a smile to my face: Microplane zester
You guys, this is so small, but such a game-changer. The one I linked above isn't the exact one I bought (I found mine on the rack at Shaw's and impulse-purchased it and threw away the packaging so I don't know what brand it is...dumb), but it's very close in price and the key I never realized before is that it has a rubber grip and an angled handle. It makes all the difference when adding fresh ginger and garlic to your cooking (and I imagine will do the same with lemon and lime zest in baking and cocktails)! I bought it last weekend and I've used it for almost every meal I've cooked since. It's an excellent tool for adding that little bit of bitter/tangy sharpness and acidity to take any dish from good to great in an instant. This is definitely an underrated must-have for anyone who enjoys cooking.
What I'm drinking right now (and have had every day for ages and it has low-key changed my life): Green Juice made with Green Superfood Powder from Amazing Grass
This stuff is how I stay active, productive, and still pack enough veggies into my day to feel nourished and healthy. I drink 20 oz of water with one scoop of this (thoroughly shaken in my water bottle) every afternoon. I happen to love the taste of the Original flavor (calls to mind images of all things green and yummy), but it comes in several flavored options as well for those with pickier palates. I get mine from Thrive Market (no, I'm not sponsored by anyone, but I wish! Hey Thrive, send a girl some love) because I support their mission to bring quality products to families in need...and maybe also because I save a boatload of money compared to getting the same products anywhere else. Even if green juice isn't your jam, I highly recommend ordering all your organic goodies, supplements, and products from them.
So there you have it: the things I simply can't keep to myself this month. If you loved this post (or hated it) or have any questions for me, please let me know! I love hearing from you about anything and everything. Have a stellar weekend!