A New Month, A New Me
I have a bone to pick with November 2018. Not only is Thanksgiving so early (seriously, how is it already less than a week away?!), but it dumped slushy wet snow on us and it took Stan Lee from us.
However, despite crazy life and crazy work (maybe I'll get into all that in the future, but it has been a hell of a week for this girl) I have still pulled together my usual recommendations to hopefully bring you all a little more joy!
Album I'll be listening to on endless repeat for the next month: Delta by Mumford & Sons
I used to be THAT person who disliked things purely because so many other people liked them and that obviously meant people with taste and sophistication didn't enjoy them. (I can see you rolling your eyes and I knowwww, I'm right there with you). I was so very wrong and I'm glad I was finally exposed to the songs they don't play on the radio (but you know what? Those are damn good too, tbh). This album is so SO good and somehow even better than I was expecting. I knew they would knock it out of the park, but this is unreal good. Every track is addictive. I've run out of things to say about it to try to recommend it highly enough. Just do yourself a favor and even if you don't think you like them, stream this album alone with your headphones on and just feel it. You'll understand.
Show that hooked me instantly: Bodyguard on Netflix
Several friends have scream-texted me about this show and enough of them have badgered me about it that I finally sat down to watch it this week (come on, I had to finish catching up on The Great British Baking Show, geez). I will be finishing the last two episodes tonight but seriously OH MY GOD. It's prestige TV in a non-pretentious way. It pries into such intensely emotional topics and lays everything bare from PTSD and trauma to terrorism and political polarization. It has so impressed me with the completely tangled maze of motivations and allegiances in only four episodes in a way that Game of Thrones could only dream about. If you've been looking for something new to basically hold you hostage on your couch, look no further. Plus, it's short (only six episodes in this first season) so you'll be able to scream-text your friends about it in no time.
Podcast I look forward to every week: Committed Podcast
This is the podcast where one wonderful woman interviews more than a dozen married (or previously married) couples to show people how the most unconventional relationships can work so beautifully. It's not about shock value and it's not about selling dating apps, it's about pure connection. The stories these couples tell are at times heartwrenching and other times just so full of light and warmth and love, I almost can't even handle it. The first season of this podcast just ended, so now is the perfect time to binge it all on a few longer car trips. If you've ever wanted to be a fly on the wall of someone's relationship, wondering "how do they make that work?" then this is basically tailor-made for you. Listen and swoon.
My new favorite way to worship the Coffee Gods: Moka Pot on Amazon
I have had this little coffee maker for years and used it infrequently, but always enjoyed the result. Now that I'm dramatically decreasing my caffeine intake, however, this is my new best friend. It's small enough that I can keep it at my desk at work and quickly whip up my allowed 12 oz of coffee hot and fresh every morning. Usually I am a stickler for grinding beans fresh for every pot, but for the sake of at-work convenience I have some high-quality, worthy-of-the-buzz pre-ground coffee that I keep here at work. Contrary to popular belief, espresso-style coffee actually has less caffeine because it is brewed using darker-roasted beans (which have sometimes significantly less caffeine than lighter roasts) and you also drink much less of it at a time. It only tastes stronger because it's so concentrated. If you think you might be drinking a little too much jitter-juice, this little wonder is a fabulous tool to help you cut back.
That wraps up another ANM round-up! I hope you try and enjoy them all. Share your own with me in the comments!