Wrap Up (April 2017)

April has kind of been an up and down in which I have hardly been productive yet still kind of feel good. It's complicated I guess. By the way, I kind of feel like a tacky kitschy YouTuber by going back to monthly favorites but that's how the "I-Need-More-#relatable-Content" cookie crumbles.

+Television

Documentary Now: Season 2

I didn't have much to say (don't you fucking dare talk to me about 13 Reasons Why. It's a shitshow. It's stupid. I don't want to talk about it further. I feel drained.) about television this month aside from Documentary Now Season 2 coming to Netflix. Though I'd have to say season one was my personal favorite, this installment had its moments. For anyone new to watching Doc Now, you have to start with s2 episode three, a parody of Swimming in Cambodia, in which Bill Hader literally just talks about having to move from one apartment to another for twenty one minutes. It's such a ridiculous and surreal ordeal, the two main components for the best DN "documentaries". On the topic of this show, I've watched "The Eye Doesn't Lie" at least four times this month and I'd highly rec it to literally anyone, it's up there with the best episodes of anything I've seen. Very general but extremely worthwhile.

+Music

Harry Styles

I have way too much to say about this and will most likely write an entire essay (expect that on WC soon) because I could spill my heart out on this one. I'd like to start off by saying "Sign of the Times" is the power ballad 2017 needed desperately. I'm fully aware that I'm incredibly bias since I practically live up Harry Styles' ass but I truly stand by it; his lyrics are simple and slightly Bowie-eque, it provides everything a mainstream power ballad needs in having easily singable moments with a swift change in tempo, and he is just such a gorgeous man. Also can we talk about how he really looked like a Father John Misty type on SNL? And his female drummer/keyboardist? Hands down the wildest and most impressive rebranding I've seen in a minute.

actual (slight problematic but not really) love of my life.

All Day: Speeding

Ok so since I want to say for about a year now (??) I've been lowkey in love with this white Australian rapper (you may know him from that weird interlude in "for him" where he goes, "I'm about to bring emo back if you leave my home, I'd Panic! At The Disco and you'd rather watch a tv show... if not you should be familiar with it because it's the cringiest musical endeavor and I live for it). Like I can't even say he's all that objectively good but something about his persona really gets me hype so I've just kind of gotten accustomed to running with it (love can be blind as well deaf). Anyways, his new album is actually a pretty decent bop (I found it really good for when I'm writing because I can tune it out at points). Along with that, his latest photoshoots and videos are admittedly interesting and reflect back well onto his style. Am I in love with the Australian Eminem? Will boys with hair longer than mine wearing thrifted sweaters eventually ruin my life? Who knows.

April Playlist

I've curated about twenty songs that kind of sums up the funk I've been in the past thirty days. Sort of depressing sort of surreal.
 Sidenote: one of my favorite songs on here is Regina Spektor's (I've been getting quite back into her obviously) "Man of a Thousand Faces"- the line, "Smiles at the moon like he knows her" just really sticks out to me for some reason.
Anyways, if you're interested, my emo set of songs is located here.

+Food 

BAOHAUS

This cult, slight Instagram trap, fast food restaurant has won my heart for the month. I don't have much to say on the topic because food is food but I'd really encourage you to check it out since it's fairly cheap (for NYC) and actually decent unlike most other "trendy" places in the city (I'm looking @ u By Chloe). 

Also relevant to this topic, Trader Joe's coffee mochi  is really fucking good. I ate an entire package of them last week. Really fucking good. Also vegan. 

+Books 

Just Kids: Patti Smith 

Yet another thing I have far too much to say on. For the abridged version, after reading this autobiography of essentially Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe's love story, as cliche as it sounds, my perspective has shifted. At least in the way I view Robert and my own approaches towards art. It's just one of those books that stay with you long after you're done reading. I can't recommend this enough- even to someone uninterested or unfamiliar with both. 

(also on the topic, I've been trying to pull a Rosie and read at least 16 books a month. A bit of a reach but I'm really going for it- let's see how this goes.)

+Misc. Links

Soko: I'm At Peace When I'm in Danger
I've been getting really back to my middle school roots of my obsession with Soko. For starters, I just find this such a calming video to watch but also she's so beautifully spoken and the editing done, skipping conversation through conversation, just ties together every little unique bit of this woman.

Healing Crystals To Cope With Depression
Really simple and straightforward article on how to harness healing powers of crystals (pretty obvious that I've been getting into that lately). I just appreciate how easy to read and "user-friendly" the writing is- would totally rec Energy Muse for anyone starting to get into mindfulness and crystals.

Finding Your Soulmate By Finding Yourself
I think I watched this when I was maybe in my freshman year but on a binge watch of Stylelikeu (which I could write an entire article about- think modern, more casual tedtalks- they're incredible) I discovered this gem yet again. Amy Van Doran first off is such a force to be reckoned with like I genuinely find her to be the coolest, but also her points on what finding love entails and just listening to her talk about her childhood is fascinating.

WHY IM A LONER 
Whenever Hitomi Mochizuki speaks gold comes out. The entirety of these twenty two minutes are so raw and conversational, I'm so drawn to the way Hitomi records herself. I can't recommend watching the full video enough.

why you should read more (a lot more)
As if I haven't plugged her enough, Rosie Leizrowice is a writer I'm constantly mesmerized by. Every single one of her blog posts are easy and straightforward reads that somehow also pack these huge messages.

Hope May brings you everything and more,

Annie 

Mystery Blogger Awards (blast from the past)

So I completely didn't realize these were still a thing but I was nominated by the lovely Cait and I remember a good blogger "award" being a rather ace time. However, the last occasion I did one of these was when I got a Liebster in 2014 (it's SO cringey oh my god) so who knows??

Part One: Three Facts About Me
1. I have a black Siamese cat named Nova who I genuinely believe has some form of mystical properties.
2. I'm horribly superstitious and have developed the odd habit here and there due to this that I have obviously normalized in my own brain.
3. I have a deep and ongoing love for flowers, specially hyacinths. My biggest desire is to open a flower shop somewhere lonely and hot like Arizona.

Part Two: Cait's Questions

-Does pineapple belong on pizza?
I actually hadn't tried pineapple pizza until a good week ago in which I was about to get on a train back from Northampton and was at this really overpriced pizzeria with this inconveniently large slices and impulsively asked for the controversial topping to feel like I was getting my moneys worth. Final answer: No. It doesn't.

-Do you think you can have breakfast food for dinner?
OK first off, why do I always get landed with questions involving breakfast food when I do one of these? Final answer: yes. Of course. Pancakes for every meal.

-If you could pick one film to watch for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rather hard question in that my answer isn't essentially my favorite film of all time (it's Almost Famous if you were really dying of anticipation) but I'd have to choose Superbad just because of the entertainment value and that I've essentially tested this theory already through having watched it too many times to count and still finding humor within it. They Came Together is a close second for the same reasoning.

-Do you have a favorite makeup brand?
Though my makeup routine has been reduced to a good two steps, due to my lack of interest in cosmetics at the moment, I'd have to say NYX since their eyeliner is killer and they don't test on animals.

-What're a few things you're excited for in the next few months?
Probably the weather getting warmer, ending my junior year, and Pageant by PWR BTTM coming out next month. Also my e-book should be released sometime in the fall which is overwhelmingly cool.

Part Three: Favorite Blog Post You've Written
Ugh I wish this one was harder. Undoubtedly One Direction (and other): Why I Need Feminism. Kind of depressing since I wrote it nearly two years ago but I really went for it and it got such an intense response- exciting stuff.

Part Four: Pass It On! My Questions:
1. What are some of your superstitions?
2. What was the last show you went to? Do tell.
3. Least favorite trend?
4. Is 13 Reasons Why an unrealistic and offensive depiction of mental illness?
5. Do you believe in the law of attraction?

Kind of embarrassing in that I can't even think of anyone to tag due to being so out of touch with the main blogging community (my attention has been diverted more so to the online publication crowd lately- lovely people. Truly.) And I guess that's a good segue as any into a request for bloggers to leave their links below/ PLEASE rec me some good bloggers (esp. those that are into sustainable fashion/mindfulness/ethical shopping) I could really use a refresher.

Anyways, thank you to Cait for tagging me- it a pretty gr8 throwback and I love the nurturing and positive side of blogging like these tags. Good stuff.

-Annie