Month: May 2020

May Wrap Up: 2020 Resolutions Update

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We’re almost at the halfway point in the year! I want to celebrate all my little victories but at the same time I can’t help but feel like this year, in terms of goal-setting, is no more special than last. That said, I set these goals for a December 2020 end date. Let’s reflect on how we’re doing 5 months into the game:

1. Read 52 books – I have finished two books this month and am listening to an audiobook. I genuinely think that I will get four books in by the end of the month. I said I was going to read Star Wars books for the month of May, and I have, but I think I’m also going to read other Star Wars books later in the year. I really liked them. I’m falling down a Star Wars rabbit hole and honestly, it’s about time.

2. Do pull-ups – Quarantine is making this tougher than it needs to be, but I’m trying harder to work my body out to get this done by the end of the year. I’m emotionally prepared to have to start from square 1 when my gym opens back up and I have access to a pull-up bar.

3. Spend LESS. TIME. SCROLLING. – I actually feel like I made a modicum of progress here! I told myself that I can only scroll when I’m doing my steps, and it’s worked! Along with that, I’ve been staying off the phone while re-watching “Community” with Aaron. I still have a long way to go but I feel like I’ve taken a step towards being better about this.

4. Write 104 blog posts – I think twice this month I’ve thought “… Oh, right! Gotta write!” I’ve maintained my consistency, though. At least I’m staying on top of this here!

5. Romantic trip with Aaron from Dec. 26 – Jan. 2 2021 – As restrictions are slowly lifted, I’m keeping things optimistic about this end of the year trip not falling through from spikes in cases. Fingers crossed!

6. Stop engaging in schadenfreude – I’m still on the right track here. I fell victim to rabbit hole twice this month, but I think it was just for ten minutes at the most both times. Twenty minutes on something that I used to spend hours on is pretty good!

7. Take better care of my skin – Skin is still improving, thankfully! I hope that my shoulders and back continue to heal with my face. I can put foundation on my face, but if I want to wear a bathing suit, it gets really awkward when I have acne on my back and chest. I feel like this has improved in the past few months too!

8. Go stargazing – There’s still a nighttime curfew in lockdown, but we’re heading into June! It’s warm and if we get anti-bug candles, it could be a dang nice night.

9. Get a new job – I have nothing new to report here, and I’m really hoping that changes soon.

10. Do a handstand – I didn’t work on this at all this month. It’s still on my list. I haven’t given up and I won’t.

11. Go see two of my favorite performers – So fun fact, an email was sent out two weeks ago saying that all dates before Labor Day Weekend have been refunded. I would say this is the only resolution that might not come true, based on my scheduling, that I can blame on quarantine and not my own failures. They say life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans, and whomever they are, they’re not wrong! I hope I can reschedule for November or December, but if not, I think next year is going to be a great year.

12. Lose weight – Physical progress? Not so much. Mental progress? Very much so. See you next month.

13. Give Aaron a great 26th birthday – Well well well! The Disney parks will be opened by his birthday. Wheels are back in motion! I’m thinking dinner at his favorite restaurant and a new lightsaber at Hollywood Studios. Yay!

14. Be a better friend, wife, sister, daughter, and granddaughter – I think May has been my best month for this. I had a great Skype call with my best friend where we talked about life and how much we mean to each other. I’ve been supportive for my friends going through big transitions and crazy circumstances in light of what’s happening in the world, and sending funny TikToks along the way! Aaron and I have really grown so much as a couple since quarantine started. I think we fall more in love and feel more happy every day. As far as family goes, I went home for Mother’s Day for an extended weekend and spent a whole night gabbing with my brother and sister, and even went jogging with my mom. My dad and I talked on the phone earlier last week, and I spoke to both of my grandparents on the phone this month. It was my grandmother’s birthday this month, so I sent flowers, helped my mom make her a birthday playlist, and sent a photo album (that I made myself!) of wedding photos and she loved it. I should keep this up next month! I love the people in my life!

15. Be happy –  I am so lucky. I feel so loved and so grateful for what I have. I am still doing my best, and working to accomplish my goals. I wish I could bring the peace I feel in my heart sometimes and give it to other people. The world is scary and I’m so thankful for the security blanket I have.

Okay, June. Birthday month? Bring it!!

5 Tips for Running

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As I approach the final week of my Couch 2 5K Program, I feel as though I’ve improved as a runner during this experience. Unlike previous experiences with this program, I’ve been running outside through the neighborhoods surrounding my development. Previously, I had been running the program on a treadmill. Treadmills were effective in keeping a consecutive speed, but it took away from the actual strength it takes to keep up a consistent rhythm in a realistic environment. It’s one thing to run on a treadmill, but in a 5K you hit pavement, and that kind of ground is different on your bones than a path being fed to you by a treadmill belt.

Here’s a few tips that I can share from running the road for the past eight weeks:

 

  1. Run in quarter length socks. For a while, ankle socks that didn’t peek from beneath your sneaker were the stylish choice. It seems now like socks that go somewhere between past the ankle and below mid-shin are en vogue. Style choices aside, there is nothing more painful than a blister on the heel. A heel blister will ruin my run and keep me off my feet for two days. If you’re going for a run, make sure your sneakers fit and your socks go above the top of your shoe. Since I made the change, I haven’t had a heel blister! That said, these babies are GREAT for treating a heel blister.
  2. Calling all gals/nonbinary pals – STRAP DOWN THE CHEST. I’ve noticed a lean towards minimum impact in sports bras, which are very comfortable and perfect for workouts that don’t require CRAZY amounts of movement (think yoga or weight-lifting). As a girl who wears minimum impact sports bras almost daily (way less stressful than traditional bras for me, since I don’t like no coverage at all), I totally get this shift. That said, if you’re more Kim than Kendall on the Kardashian scale, you’re going to want to go for the MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE bra. If you’re in the market for a new sports bra for running purposes, I recommend two-tier-trying before buying. Don’t buy online, go to the store and put on something that advertises “Maximum Impact.” If it seems to be a good fit, attempt a few HIIT exercises, like burpees or jumping jacks. If, ahem, everyone stays in their assigned seat, you’re in a good spot! The Victoria’s Secret Knockout Bra has worked for me for years, but Old Navy makes a good maximum impact bra, too.
  3. Scent up before you lace up – This might be TMI, but sometimes my sweat distracts myself. The moisture and yes, occasionally, the smell. Yup. I said it. It’s never made me stop mid-run, but I’ve noticed it, and that’s enough for me. A good spray deodorant keeps me dry (I like Dove Coconut!) but NATIVE stick is a favorite too!
  4. Your music. Is. Everything – I have touched upon the importance of a good workout playlist in a previous entry, but it’s worth mentioning again. Intuitively, a good lifting playlist should make you feel strong, and a good running playlist should make you feel fast. My running playlist is full of music from the last ten years. Indie pop is a great feel- think MGMT, M83, Florence & The Machine. Of course, my previous entry on workout playlists featured a “superhero” theme. Superheroes are both fast AND strong, so you can mix and match here (just last week I beat my speed record while running to the Wonder Woman theme)!
  5. Run in the early morning – CHASE THE SUN. It is the best time to run. The temperature is cool, but the sky is light. You won’t be blinded by the sun, nor will you be sweating in scorching heat. As well, the world is typically quiet this time of the morning. You won’t really run the risk of traffic, and there’s nothing better than a cool-down walk under a pink-and-blue sky. Sweat the night off, and turn your mind on under the sunrise.

Be safe, and happy running!

Hair – A Vision Board

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To some’s dismay and others’ delight, restrictions are being loosened on society! Restaurants are opening to half-capacity, as are shopping plaza and entertainment venues. I might not even have to wait until full normalcy to get my Dave and Buster’s date! Certainly, people are becoming more relaxed in the face of the return to normalcy. I am still weary of an uptick in COVID-19 cases as thing accelerate towards this return, but I am leaning on the side of cautious optimism. I can’t help but reflect on how people spent this time over the past two months of isolation. Many baked bread, others clung to TikTok like oxygen, and a lot of people took out their antsy feelings on their hair.

Salons were one of the first things to close as a precaution during this time, and many of the protesters of these conditions complain of needing blowouts and their roots retouched.

Whatever.

via GIPHY

Others took the lack of salons as an opportunity to do that one crazy thing with their hair, figuring either they will like it or no one will see it if it’s terrible. I’m interested to see how many stylists will have tales of “I had to fix THIS box dye job” within the first month of normalcy!

Some people cut their own bangs, some people touched up their own roots for the first time, and some people cut their hair and dyed it blue… and it came out FABULOUS.

I like my hair, and I’ve only dyed it once. During my spring semester of my junior year in college, I was studying abroad when it hit me: “YOU MUST DYE YOUR HAIR RED.” I waited until I got back to the US and found a box and begged my mom to help me do it.

That was my hot girl summer. And it was glorious.

The red quickly went ombre, and then went completely as I got some lowlights done a year later, and I haven’t touched it colorwise since. I’d gotten bangs the year after (and liked it), and brought the bangs back after my wedding last year (hated it). I don’t take big risks with my hair because while I think some people can rock the dark blue, cotton candy pink, unicorn bob of their dreams, that life is NOT for me. I keep it simple and classic. Fun fact: Anna Wintour has had the same haircut for decades. I know what I want my haircut to be for the rest of my life, but I’m WAITING until the right time. Just like with my junior year dye job. It will come to me when it’s ready.

SPEAKING OF WHICH: While I did not trust myself to re-dye my hair on my own, I did decide that this year, I will add some color. I don’t think I’ll ever go full blonde because I’d have to bleach my hair to do that, and I don’t want to completely ruin my natural hair color. That said, quarantine has inspired me to come up with a few ideas:

  • Darcy Edwards from Degrassi: The Next Generation – A well-intentioned, but judgy teen played by Shenae Grimes. She went on to star in the CW reboot of 90210 in 2012, leaving her role in Degrassi to do so. I started watching the show as Darcy’s younger sister, Clare Edwards, began her freshman year at Degrassi High. I was a freshman, she was a freshman, it made sense! At any rate, a saint in the Internet ether uploaded the entire series onto YouTube. As a result, much like I did in high school, I watched Degrassi reruns for an entire weekend.

    iwatchedtvfor14hours
    Image from Reddit. Deleted scene from “The Office”. NBC.

    I forgot how much I liked Darcy’s hair. I think that when my hair grows out a bit more, I want to grow it out and color it like hers. I like the sidebangs with, yes, a bit of red.

    darcyedwards
    Images from Google, taken from screenshots of “Degrassi: The Next Generation”. CTV.
  • Chocolate Chili. This is a darker version of the color Darcy has, and it’s more like my natural color. I don’t know if “Chocolate Chili” is the actual name for it, but I saw it used as one of the descriptor/captions and I think it works. Think dark chocolate and a chili pepper.

    chocolate-chili
    Image from Pinterest. Click to View.
  • Caramel Highlights. Light brown flowing seamlessly through dark brown.

    caramelhighlights
    Image from Pinterest. Click to view.

I basically went down a Pinterest rabbit hole of dark hair with lowlights or highlights.

I don’t know how far into the future this is, but I do want to do something a little bit more dramatic with my hair. Anyone will tell you that good hair = good attitude! I’m not desperate for something new, but I feel like I’m three blowouts away from a new color. Time will tell!

 

 

Images from Gallery are from my Hair Themed Pinterest Board.

There and Back Again: A reflection on a visit home

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On Thursday afternoon, I packed up my things and drove the two and a half hours down to my mom’s house to surprise her as a belated Mother’s Day gift. To be honest, her reaction and hug to me walking in the kitchen alone was worth the trip! I’ve spent the past three days at home with my family. I had to work Friday, but I got to speak with my siblings during lulls and my mom came home not long after my work day finished. It was just nice to be with all of them knowing we couldn’t really go anywhere, as things in my hometown are still shut down almost entirely until tomorrow (just as I leave!).

While I was home, I realized a few things by being around my family.

  1. I’m funny. The power went out while I was home, and my sister demanded entertainment for the four hours (give or take) that we had no electricity. We played Cards Against Humanity, and I won! We played “Would You Rather” and “Who Would You Rather” (tee hee), and at a certain point I started blaring dance music and prancing around without a care in the world. My sister laughed so hard, to the point that she said my “moves” made the power outage worth it. My mom also said I made her laugh while we played “Clue”. I tend to get dramatic when I accuse people of being the murderer.
    ethelbeavers
    Image from Pinterest. The Trial of Leslie Knope.“Parks and Recreation.” 1 December 2011. NBC.
  2. I miss cooking. When I’m at home during the week, I love to bake, but Aaron is the one who cooks almost all of our meals! In my mom’s house, my siblings and mom take turns making dinner, but my sister is struggling to find things she likes to make. She’s very picky and not a great cook! She’s hoping to change that, and she and my mom were really excited that I had recipes and cooking ideas to offer. Talking about it made me wish I cooked more! I told Aaron that when I come home, I want to make more of our meals. He suggested cooking our meals together. I feel so happy he wants to share the “joy” of cooking with me!

    via GIPHY

  3. I want to work out more. I’ve been keeping an ambitious step goal and enjoying Couch25K, but I want to work on my strength more again. My mom kept talking about how impressive my brother’s body looks after spending time doing laps in the pool daily, and my sister is a petite double negative. I want to be fit, dangit! I’ve honestly started thinking that I might want to try getting fit enough to do a bikini competition. I’ve gone down a Youtube rabbit hole of a fitness influencer I like, and a few years ago she did a few of them (and won at least once!). It’s not a test of how hot you look in a bikini, it’s based on muscle. I don’t really like the idea of getting super spray tanned, and it’s definitely something I have to research more, but I think it’d be kind of cool to be in a fitness competition this time next year! Can you imagine?

    via GIPHY

I had such a great time with my mom, brother and sister. I’m going to do a girls’ weekend in a month with my mom and sister, when things will have become a bit more sanitized! Family time is everything to me. I’m so lucky to have the family I have!

2020: Dipping my hand in the internet cookie jar.

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Folks, I’m gonna play it straight – I’m pacing my living room right now at 8:45 PM, trying to hit my step goal before bed. I also have to do my laundry/pack an overnight bag before bed, AND write a blog post! So here I am, writing and walking. Multitasking challenge accepted!

I have made multiple posts about style on this blog, and how I want to dress and present myself to the world. With that in mind, I thought today would be a good day to face the monster that is the internet browser cookie. Or cookies. You get it. The lesser of two cookie monsters.

That’s my guy right there!

So as we know, if you look at something on the internet… the internet, like the North or Pepperidge Farm, remembers. You could click on an ad for a product on Amazon and then see that product in Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest… you are STUCK LIKE MOLASSES. It HAUNTS you. You either resist, or you buy.

Maybe it’s quarantine. Maybe I’m just putting thoughts into actions. Either way, I’ve already lost one battle against internet ads, and I fear I’m about to lose another.

So let’s face it, no? Here are a few items that I want to incorporate into my wardrobe… and the internet agrees.

I haven’t let this one get me yet… but it’s wearing me down daily. They haven’t cancelled my cruise yet, and I want to have only cute, flirty, fun bathing suits. This brand, cupshe, has already let me fall prey to it this quarantine (see below), and it wants me to come back for more with this delicious red number. Do I need it? No. Do I want it? Yes. Very yes.

 

Fun fact — I didn’t even pick this for myself! I thought it was an outfit that a friend of mine would rock, so I sent it to her. And yet… the internet thinks I want it for myself. It’s not really my style, but I really like it. I have no idea where I would wear it. KEEP IT MOVING.

This. Bathing suit. Got me. I thought it looked so cute, so flattering, and I had previously gotten something from this brand (cupshe). Well. Let me just say.

I got this because I was tired of waiting to buy the dress. The romper. The bathing suit. When I wait, it vanishes, and I wish I had gotten it when I had had the chance. You know what? Life is too short! Don’t be an impulse shopper and spend thousands of dollars in one night on wigs, but you know what? If you see the dang thing, buy the dang thing. Just do it.

Interestingly, getting a photo of this that wasn’t from my order was challenging. Turns out that since buying it a week ago, this swimsuit has sold out completely. Because of COVID-19, I know shipping will take a while, but I hope that this choice to go for it was a good one. And not, say… a scam.

Come on. It was also on Amazon. Would Amazon lie to me?

I will update this post when this dang swimsuit arrives. I remain optimistic. You know, if it looks great on me and it’s high quality, I will feel really happy I bought it before it sold out completely. If it doesn’t and I’ve been smeckledorfed, then laugh at my pain… and stick to the cookies you can eat!

 

UPDATE: It arrived. Great condition. This was a good choice. I made a smart move. If you see something and you want it, go for it. 

This One is for the Moms

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It’s a party with all your friends. It’s so late you’ve forgotten what time it is, and you’re on your third slice of cold pizza. Conversation has drifted towards the philosophical, and it all culminates with talk about how great your moms are. Sound familiar?

It’s a cliche to say that you should treat your partner like every day is Valentine’s Day. While I think there is some truth to that (with a few exceptions: 365 days of chocolates and jewelry could bring breakouts and bankruptcy), I think that the phrase should really be saved for Mother’s Day. Being a mom is the toughest job, and it’s often a thankless one. So with this post (and yes, a card with some flowers and a surprise long weekend visit planned for this Thursday), I thank my mom for being my biggest fan, closest confidant, and ultimately my best friend.

My mom was a doctor for six years (give or take) before I showed up on planet Earth. To be honest, I had a bit of a bubble burst when I discovered that not every experience with a doctor was a pleasant one, because I couldn’t imagine every doctor not being as perfect as my mom. When I was a kid, we used to get stopped at the supermarket, the movies, restaurants, you name it, by some patient who would gleam at me and tell me how my mom saved their life.

A few years ago, Aaron got a skin irritation on his hip that kept getting worse. My mom got concerned and asked that he come into her office for her to take a peek at it. I gripped his hand as my mom fixed him up, him wincing in terrible pain the whole time. He later told me that it was the most excruciating thing he ever felt, but it was still the most positive experience he had with a doctor (it got better after a month of treatment with my mom’s input).

I could just stop at appreciation for my mom with the fact that she’s a doctor, and serving the on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. That said, I want to switch gears to the more fun things about her. When she was growing up, she learned fast how to live from my grandfather, who I think is the definition of an American success story. For the Braver family, you can find happiness in the pride of a hard day’s work… and when that’s not enough, hop on a plane and go see the world. My grandfather would work tireless hours in his accounting firm (from a corner office where occasionally, my mom and aunt would go visit to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade), and then take my grandmother on a grandiose adventure. We’re talking a hot air balloon ride around countries in Europe, and I’m pretty sure he did that more than once! He instilled in my mom (and myself) to never accept a B when an A is attainable. My mom clearly took that to heart as she went off to college and med school… and a year of study abroad in the UK. Like mother, like daughter!

When she’s not hard at work, or up in New York taking care of said grandparents, she’s on a jet-setting adventure. She’s been to Central America, Canada, South America and almost all of Europe! If I had a million dollars, I would pay for her to have a cruise around the world. She loves a good museum, but she’s an even bigger fan of a cruise (a floating hotel to get from nation to nation). I’m the same way!

I remember that once a year, around her birthday, my grandparents would take my mom and her sisters on a trip somewhere beautiful. I was always too little, but I was so excited for the future when I could go on trips of my own with my mom. In junior year when I studied abroad, my mom was so quick to sign me up for a travel group. With that, she got notifications about future trips. One day, she got an email for a weekend trip to Amsterdam. She asked if I was going to go, but I already had a trip planned that weekend (to Wales!). I joked, “Hey, maybe you can meet me in Amsterdam while I’m abroad!” She paused and said, “Let me work on that.” Cut to three months later, and we’re staying in the prettiest hotel (with a daily wine and cheese special) on the banks of the canals of Amsterdam. We went to all the museums, visited the tulip gardens, and discussed life in a restaurant called Red that only served variants of steak and lobster. It’s a great memory, and hopefully the first of many trips together!

I don’t think I could have had the wedding of my dreams without my mom’s attention to detail and love for planning. We spent so many weekends in Vermont finding the right venue, the right vendors, and the right dress. We would toast champagne and split a plate of escargot at our favorite French bistro in Burlington. Planning a wedding in and of itself was special, but between our work schedules, her weekends with my grandparents, and having to share home visits with my siblings, the weekends just with her were the best.

I talk a lot about how Demi Lovato, Tina Fey, and Mindy Kaling are my biggest role models, but slot number one is reserved for my mom, Robin Ann Braver. She’s funny, intelligent, and compassionate to everyone she meets. She is a truly special person, and the world is better for having her in it.

Happy Mother’s Day to the best mom a girl could want. I love you, Moooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!

This commercial pretty much sums up today:

Quarantine Diaries: A to-do list

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May it be said that this month has started off precariously. Firstly, we have been made aware of killer hornets present in North America. This is a new development that has our society wondering who moved what artifact to curse 2020? As well, we are currently seeing the restrictions being lifted in regards to quarantine conditions for COVID-19. Restaurants are opening at 25% capacity, retailers are being allowed to open under specific guidelines, and more “non-essential” businesses are being allowed to reopen (again, under specific guidelines). Most seem eager for a return to normalcy, but others are concerned that the return to normalcy is too soon and will lead to a second spike in COVID-19 cases.

I’ve enjoyed my time in quarantine as much as one can. I’ve mostly been in sweatpants, with no makeup, and snuggling with my cats and Aaron when I’m not at work. I’m very lucky to say this, I know, and I’m aware that most people are struggling under lockdown conditions. With that in mind, there have been parts of life that I have sorely missed while being in lockdown. As such, I have put together a “bucket list” of sorts of the things I want to do when things are truly over and the world has returned to homeostasis.

Here’s a look at what my schedule holds, loosely, when we are officially all done with “quarantime”:

*note: this list does not include stargazing, because that’s already implied with my new years resolution!

1. Play tennis. Tennis is one of few sports I enjoy and do well playing. I used to play somewhat regularly with friends and Aaron a year ago, and I miss it! I found local courts near my neighborhood and I’m hoping that I can get access again for a few games before it gets too hot.

2. Go to Disney. Travelling will appear a fair amount on this list (and for good reason), but come on, fam! How could this not be at the top of the list? I haven’t been able to enjoy Disney in months, missing an entire EPCOT festival with it. I’ve missed the parks so much. Aaron and I have plans to visit at least my favorite Disney restaurant (with an excellent view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks) for my birthday, but I want to do a weekend day trip like the good ol’ pre-COVID days.

3. Play minigolf. I love minigolf. It is so much fun. I went minigolfing earlier this year (coincidentally at Disney) and I had so much fun. It’s just delightful! I want to either go to the Disney minigolf course or go to the one at CityWalk (or the dozens of others in this theme park/family vacation hub of a city)!

4. Visit Boston. I miss my girls (girls referring to Allison and Kelsey, or as we call ourselves, “The Snapdragons”), and I love being in Boston with them. I foresee us going to the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum, the dim sum place we love, and Boston Commons, where we can sit in the shade and I can climb a tree. I can’t wait to see them.

5. Visit Camden. Another Snapdragons trip! We were supposed to go to Greece this year, but I don’t see that in our future anymore with these current travel conditions. That said, there is a summer home in a quaint lakefront town in Maine. It is so Americana and quiet and beautiful, with walking trails, boating, and a delicious waterfront restaurant called Peter Otts. We all agreed that taking a week off from work seems a bit of a stretch this year, but a Friday and a Monday off to go to the family lake house? Doable. Oh so doable.

6. Visit New York. I refuse to say anything about my July trip for my grandfather’s birthday. And my best friend’s birthday. And my Hamilton tickets with said best friend. I’m going. No one can stop me. It’s happening. SssSsSssSSsSsssSsHhhhhHHH.

7. Go to *a* waterpark. I love a waterpark. I love waterslides, I love wave pools, I love feeling something akin to zen on a lazy river. I am thinking I want to go to Volcano Bay, since I could get in for free one day as a perk of my job. That said, I’ve never been to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon! I have options!

8. Enjoy a good spa day. I’ve added facials into my monthly self-care routine, but I want more on this day. I want the facial, the massage, a float, and maybe even an eyebrow wax. I also might want to put on eyelashes. Who knows? I will plan something perfect.

9. Go to Gideon’s Bakehouse. This place is the stuff of legends, and by legends, I mean Instagram. Gideon’s Bakehouse is on the far side of Orlando for me, which is why I haven’t gone YET. This bakery has the most droolworthy cookies you could imagine. They have a partner BBQ restaurant in Disney that occasionally sells their cookies, but I haven’t gotten one any of the times I’ve been to that restaurant. The line is almost always out the door for these cookies. I want to make the drive, brave the line, and just… enjoy. I officially proclaim that I will have no cookies until I go to Gideon’s. They are open right now under COVID-19 restrictions (pre order online, contact – less pickup), but I’m not going until this has ended. Where’s the drama in that?

10. Go to Dave & Busters. I am a girl of simple pleasures (minigolf and cookies, clearly). My ideal date? Eighty dollars worth of tokens. Skee-ball. Air hockey. That one arcade game. That other arcade game. Pizza. Maybe laser tag as a pregame. Aaron and I have yet to do a Dave & Busters date. After quarantine ends, that will change.

 

I want public safety, and I want to be able to do these things without picking up or passing on the germs that cause COVID-19. I’d hate to accidentally infect someone, especially someone I love, and I’d be doing all these activities with someone I love (except the spa day. That’s ME TIME). Until then, I will keep my visits to the “outside world” sequestered to grocery trips, my Couch25K runs, and the occasional trip to a local restaurant for pickup. Aaron has already requested bagels for breakfast on Friday. I am powerless before a bagel.

Mallory’s Monthly Reads – National Poetry Month!

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The month of April is National Poetry Month! I’ve mentioned it before, as I’ve participated in that month-long poetry writing challenge for the past two years. With that in mind, I sought out to read poetry collections this month! I didn’t fare so well. I read two poetry collections that I loved, and didn’t end up finding two more poetry collections to read for this month. Instead, I “read” (Audible) a series of personal essays by a slam poet author-turned-musician, and started another collection of feminist essays on modern interpretations of women in the media. As of this morning I was still “reading” the latter two, but I’ll only be proceeding with one. Read on for the why:

 

1. Inquire Within by IN-Q. I first discovered In-Q (a stage/pen name, real name Adam Schmalholz) on an episode of the new-age podcast I follow, “Your Own Magic.” While on the podcast he recited a few of his poems and I truly loved his rhythm, so I started looking for other performances of his work. Not only has he done several Ted Talks’ worth of poetry, but he’s an accomplished songwriter and has written a few bangers of my generation (chief among them being “Love You Like a Love Song” by Selena Gomez!). Inquire Within is his first published book of works, and was only released at the end of last month. I got the book on Audible, because again, I love his performance style! He approaches his subjects with honesty, and a lot of his poems are autobiographical and based on stories in his life. A few of his poems that I liked from this collection were “For Mom,” “Say Yes,” “Bipartisan,” and “Silence.” My favorite was “Forgiveness,” which was a piece about getting a tattoo inspired by his Jewish upbringing. Delicious plot twist.

Here’s one of his Ted Talks:

2. Egghead: Or, You Can’t Survive on Ideas Alone by Bo Burnham. I think most people my age know, respect, and love Bo Burnham. He was one of the first people to share his “art” on Youtube, only to then make it past the home screens onto Comedy Central, HBO, a few Netflix specials, and writing/directing a critically acclaimed coming-of-age film that honestly nailed the nightmarish pubescent experience. Of course, what can be expected from the guy who sat on a keyboard in his tiny childhood bedroom room, lamenting that his whole family thinks he’s gay? In 2013 he published Egghead, which included several poems that were featured in his stand-up routine around the same time. I finally sat down and read it all in one sitting this past month, and I loved it. Bo’s last comedy special came out in 2016, and it’s still uncertain if he will ever do stand-up again (he’s said that performing live gave him terrible anxiety). He has a special place in my heart and I think/hope that his fans love and appreciate him enough to want more, but not ask for it. There was a movie that was set to come out last month called Promising Young Woman, and he was set to co-star in it. It got pulled from theatres because of COVID-19, but I hope it circles back around later this year. Bo aside, it looked like it was going to be an awesome movie (potentially even a new favorite for me). Anyway, I loved Bo, and his poetry collection made me smile a lot. A few of my favorites from this collection were “Him,” “Different,” and “Letter.” I think my favorite was “Listen.”

Here’s some of his poetry from the book that he used in his stand-up:

3. You Play the Girl: On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks, & Other Mixed Messages by Carina Chocano. This is a manifesto on how women are gaslighted, manipulated, and depicted in and by mass media. It dissects (through some personal anecdotes) famous depictions of women, ranging from the eponymous Stepford Wives to Samantha Stephens from “Bewitched.” I think this one is going to take me some time to finish. Each essay feels long, even if it’s maybe five pages. I think it’s just because the subject matter is draining. Women deserve more, and while scared/entitled men may disagree, women are often sabotaged by other women! What the heck, ladies? All I wanted was for Margaery, Danerys, and Sansa to team up with Arya to defeat Cersei Lannister. And what I got was… not that. We could’ve had it ALL, dangit. I DIGRESS. I might just do two essays a week and see where that takes me. If I proceed in that way, once I finish, I will come back and discuss it more at length.

4. Keeping This Mum by Undisclosed Artist.  I wouldn’t say I’m gutless, but I avoid speaking out of turn. I found Undisclosed Artist in a recommended TedTalk list and to be honest, I loved it. I found that he was an accomplished slam poet, and had a series of essays published that featured the praise of a composer I admire on the cover. This composer admired this artist so much that they had collaborated on a track together. Undisclosed Artist is now a rapper that was set to tour this spring, but the tour got cancelled because of Covid. Anyway, I decided that, similarly to IN-Q, I would download the Audible of Undisclosed Artist’s essay collection/memoir, because I enjoyed his diction. While listening to his stories, I started getting a weird vibe from him. I don’t want to say “pretentious,” because I don’t think that’s right, but it’s close. That said, something about the stories he told, and the way he told them, had me thinking that he was kind of a creep. A certain kind of creep that goes after girls, not women, and likes/has to be the smarter person in the relationship. The kind that wouldn’t necessarily be surprising to become a professor that sleeps with his students because they’re consenting adults and it’s not illegal, so who cares?
I know nothing about this guy, and for all I know, I could meet him one day and he could be a truly compassionate, intelligent, and respectable man. I would hate to form (or at least, form publicly) this opinion of him as a shady character. I have no evidence to suggest that he’s a shady person in real life, so I’d prefer to keep his name out of my mouth. I hope that my intuition is in overdrive, because the world could use another intelligent man with good choice of words.

 

This month contains Star Wars Day (May the Fourth, like “May the Fourth be With You”). Between “The Clone Wars” being Aaron’s favorite show right now, all nine films in the Skywalker Saga being released on Disney Plus on Monday, and my desire to buy a lightsaber, I’m really vibing on Star Wars right now. As such, my intention is to read several Star Wars novels this month (including Carrie Fisher’s memoir from her time filming Star Wars. Rest in peace, my cinnamon bun icon). I think the reason that I had trouble reading four books in a month the past two months was because the nonfiction subject matter bummed me out and drained my desire to continue. Maybe I could use a break from the nonfiction and self help and switch gears to some fiction. With that in mind, may the force be with me!