A New Month, A New Me
This month has absolutely flown by, in such a great way. They say time flies when you're having fun and I'd have to agree! I've been engrossed in awesome things all month and there are a lot of cool things I'm putting together for 2018! I'm really excited to share those with you in the new year, but for now I'll hold you over with some of my favorite things from the past few weeks.
Podcast I'm in love with: The Heart (radiotopia)
Words can't honestly describe this podcast. I've tried many times over the last few weeks as I've been obsessing over it to friends and I truly can't figure out how to explain it. I could say it's about love, but it's about so much more than that. At it's heart, it's about intimacy, connection, authenticity, heartbreak, pain, romance, relationships, and everything in between. It's like the hosts are determined to unceremoniously rustle around inside everything you've ever felt but never been able to verbalize. They tell the most touching and disturbing and heart-felt stories I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. I happen to be the kind of maniac that needs to listen to every episode of something new I'm into, but I do not recommend that for everyone. In this podcast in particular, go read the episode descriptions and find something that really grabs you and give it a listen; you won't be disappointed.
Book I just devoured: The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
This is a complete departure from my norm, and I cannot overstate how empowering this book was for me. I am notoriously "not into poetry" - something about it has always felt so pretentious and inauthentic to me. This book shattered that long-held opinion of mine in about four pages. Not every poem resonated with my experience (much of it handles the theme of loss, but from the opposite perspective from mine in that I left my husband rather than the other way around). But her style is so raw that it demands your full attention. I honestly had no intention of reading this book; it basically jumped into my hands at a bookstore while I was finishing the last of my Christmas shopping after having seen it recommended on a couple of blogs I've been reading and I'm forever grateful to whatever force of the universe caused that to happen. The utter resilience of the soul of this book is inspiring in a way I've rarely experienced before. When I saw Wonder Woman in theaters with a girlfriend, I felt like I could run through walls afterward. After reading this book, I felt like I could walk through fire and come out not only unscathed, but stronger, and dancing on the embers.
Movie that surprised me: Landline
This movie doesn't look like anything special on the surface. It was recommended to me by a friend (who happens to know my taste exceptionally well) so I gave it a try even though I couldn't quite figure out what he was seeing in it until I watched it. It is at times hilarious and touching and awkward, but also honest and unapologetic. The struggles the central family goes through are so real and presented in a way that makes you realize just how maddening everyone's families can be. The cast pulls off the nonchalance of the dialogue in some really crucial moments and allows you to bask in the ridiculousness of it all without ever appearing to ham it up. It is a comedy purely for the reason that if you were any one of these characters, you'd rather laugh than cry, in the best way possible. I highly recommend this movie for any time you're looking for something that's just on the other side of ordinary in a film.
TV show I can't stop giggling at: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
I can't explain exactly what it is about this particular brand of comedy, but this show makes me laugh out loud (to the utter annoyance of my cat) at least once per episode. The main character is relatable and endearing in a way where you never think of pitying her despite her circumstances. The boldness of her jokes catch me by surprise each time and while you're never certain where it's going next, you know it's going to be anything but boring. No bogus one-liners flung at you in monotone here, her monologues on stage are pure stream-of-consciousness genius. The supporting cast of characters is always there to supply you with the need for a head-shake and a groan and they keep it fresh and satisfying throughout. I think many people have been annoyed by how hard Amazon is pushing this show at them right now, but I'm here to tell you it is well worth the hype.
Album I just discovered (literally twenty minutes ago) that I'm immediately hooked by: Repave by Volcano Choir
Another recommendation from the same friend who told me to watch Landline (he just...like...gets me), this is the second studio album by Volcano Choir of whom I had never heard before. Turns out it's a side project of the very same Justin Vernon who is an integral part of making Bon Iver happen (many find his name synonymous with the band itself). I've been in deep, deep love with Bon Iver for years and I was pleased to discover what feels like another side to them here. If you had told me that this was a collection of Bon Iver B-Sides I would have believed it without question. The earnest falsetto and densely produced harmonies come together in the same gorgeous way and I feel like this has just breathed new life into a space inside me where there had been longing for new material of this caliber. So consider this a whole-hearted recommendation from me to all of you to check them out if you love Bon Iver (and if you don't know Bon Iver, I pity you. Just kidding, but you should fix that immediately).
(Re)Purchase that has improved my quality of life exponentially: Oster Core 16-Speed Blender
Once upon a time (before I was un-married) we received this blender/food processor combo as a gift after the (perfectly timely) demise of our previous blender (which might actually have been as old as we were). We used this from time to time and were always pleased with its performance, but it wasn't an exciting thing. I started using it a LOT this summer when I was really hitting my stride in the kitchen and the love rained down on this wonderful piece of kitchen gadgetry. Woe was unto me, when becoming un-married also meant separating me from my beloved food processor (anyone who knows me personally can tell you - I was salty AF about losing it). However, blessedly, Amazon was able to re-unite me with it (for a paltry sum - thank you Cyber Monday!) and I'll never look back. I've already used it for making hummus, dicing brussel sprouts for my stir-fry lunches, and more than a couple batches of unreal cookies (I'll share the recipe soon, I promise). I've also previously used it to make gazpacho and pesto, and plan to use it even more this winter to add diced onions and garlic to my almost-perfected meatball recipe. I will never stop extolling the virtues of this small kitchen miracle. If you don't already have a food processor, this is the one that will change your life.
I hope these recommendations bring as much light into your life as they have into mine. I'm going into the holidays with a full heart and a clear sense of purpose (the wonders the right food processor will do for you! Kidding....sort of...) I wish you all a (belated) Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, a joyful Kwanza (is it terrible that I don't know when that is?) a Happy New Year, and love and happiness for whatever holidays you're celebrating this month!
See you next week for a 2018 sneak preview!