6/03/2019

May Wrap Up



I feel like May has been short and sweet. So I will keep this intro short, and sweet for once. May has been...a ride. More on that some other time, perhaps. On a more positive note, it is May wrap up time. Whoop whoop! Today we have five things I loved, some positive bits from the month (because we are all about the positive vibes, yes we are) and books I have read in May, aka the one where I reread things. 

Five Things I Loved:

*The Years x Annie Ernaux: Shortlisted for the Man Booker International prize, this book is a feast. And I don't mean that in a, bucket of chicken+pot of coleslaw kind of way. I mean it in a decadent, banquet, cup overflowing with champagne kind of sense. The Years is a memoir told through images, snapshots, snippets of a time and a place. The narrator places herself on the edge of the scene and as a result, The Years is a truly unique reading experience. I'm probably articulating this terribly but if you like your memoirs unconventional and non-linear, you will like this. I loved it.

*NARS Liquid Blush in Orgasm: Nowadays I seem to gravitate towards cream blusher and I love the way this brightens and illuminates in one handy pump. You barely need any product too and I love the faux glow it creates. Yass please. 

*Britney's Wellness Week: My uni pal from way back, Brit has been creating some really fricken great videos lately. Don't get me wrong, she always creates awesome+inspiring things but lately they've been really resonating, for many reasons. Anyway, last month I loved her wellness series, as well as videos on self care+mental health. Britney speaks so candidly and openly about her experiences and it inspires me+makes me want to share my stories too. I am getting there. But anyway, I recommend her videos so much. They are real and relatable-go watch 'em.

*Rocketman: THIS. FILM. THO. Or as someone said to me, "Sophie, this is your Bohemian Rhapsody 2.0". So true. I fricken loved Rocketman. It's somewhere between a musical+biopic for me, which I am 100% here for. Part fantasy, part reality. It's a story of Elton at the height of his success and rise to fame, and the eventual mess that is drugs and toxic family backstories. Taron Egerton is amazing as Elton. So talented. And that soundtrack+the costuming. I want ridiculous sunglasses and a denim jacket with star patches now plz. Seriously though-go watch it if this sounds like a bit of you because it is brilliant. 

*That Stila dupe: Props to my girl Lucie for bringing this eyeshadow to my attention. It's sparkly and shimmery and makes me feel like a fairy or something when I wear it. Idk, sparkly eyeshadow makes me feel sparklier. There must be some science/psychological reasoning there. Anyway, what I also like about this is that it is a much more affordable dupe for the Stila Glitter & Glow shadows. I mean, Beige Kitten is basically a near-identical dupe for Kitten Karma. Definitely get amongst it if you like cream shadows+sparkly eyelids.

Five Good Things:

*Literally Lorne-This was a Friday evening of poetry, thanks to the Auckland Writer's Festival. Highlights included hearing Tayi Tibble and Ashleigh Young reading their work in art galleries and the city library respectively. And; you could recite a line from a poem at a cafe and receive a cookie. Small pleasures. For those wondering-I chose "throw me in a haunted wheelbarrow and set me on fire" from 'Monica' x Hera Lindsay Bird. 

*Quiz Nights-What is this, the mere concept of me out on a weeknight!? All seriousness, how fricken fun are pub quizzes? Where have I been... I mightn't be particularly good when it comes to geography, or sport but hey-it's a fun evening and I like to flex my general knowledge muscles. Or somethin. 

*This cover x Lana Del Rey-"Summer tiiiime, and the livin's easy".  I feel like a new Lana Del Rey album has to be on the horizon. I lovelovelove this cover though so much. I've thrown it in a lot of my playlists during May and it's made me go back on a Lana-fest. Quite frankly, that is never a bad thing.

*Treasure hunting at the beach-I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to acknowledge that water+the beach makes me happy. I find the sound of water lapping against the sand incredibly calming. The sight of sunlight sparkling on the water makes my eyes like the heart-eyed emoji. Idk, water just relaxes me. As does looking for beautiful shells and sea glass. Note to self: Sophie, you actually like the beach.

*This article on reading, a lot. I am going to leave this here as it really speaks for itself. And it resonated, a lot. I get told at least once a week that I read a lot-in varying degrees of judgement. I will leave this extract here though: "That something so innocuous can provoke such a range of strong responses is very interesting. How can a quantity of books represent a reproach to some and a celebration to others? To me, as the perpetrator they are neither." 


Books I Read in May:

*Ah and on that note, here's what I read-well, most of it. You'll notice at least half are poetry volumes-short & easy.

/ Harry Potter-Books 1 & 2: Earlier in the May I was a bit poorly #thxflu and it meant a lot of reading+sleeping. I was feeling nostalgic so I reached for the Harry Potter books and it was magic. I know JK Rowling is a bit problematic nowadays but you cannot deny how brilliant these books were and are. 

/ How I Get Ready x Ashleigh Young: Ashleigh is one of my favourite writers so I was highly anticipating her poetry volume. It didn't disappoint. I read it in one frenzied go on my train ride home from work and loved every second of it. 

/ Terrific Mother x Lorrie Moore: A short+sweet read from Faber's 90th birthday series. It's darkly funny and sharply written. I need to read more of Lorrie Moore's words soon.

-What did you love during May?


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