Current Mood


Reading...
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
I've been meaning to read this book for ages and it is more relevant/timely as ever in 2020. Penned as a letter/essay to his 15 year old son son, Coates addresses the issue of race relations through his own personal experiences drawing a conclusion that "The truth is that America is built on the construct of "race," which continues to harm all of us every single day." While I don't live with the burden of being a black man in this country, I did really relate his story as I do know what it is to grow up as a POC in America without any type of privilege. This book is powerful, thought provoking, intellectually sound and the words really stay with you. I can totally understand why it is a lauded bestseller and would absolutely recommend it to everyone.

Watching...
Zombie Detective & Record of Youth
I'm honestly over zombies but Zombie Detective is an absolute riot as it is comedy/mystery about a zombie in his second year of resurrection who struggles to adapt to his new life and coexist with humans as he becomes a detective while also searching for the truth about his past. Choi Jin Hyuk who portrays the titular character is spot on with his comedic timing in this role and it's hilarious how he is a zombie who experiences an existential crisis, has a conscience but also fears humans.
Record of Youth is a slice of life K-drama that I'm really liking for how it realistically portrays the generational gap between young people and their parents as well as unfair treatment based on class and societal pressures that the two main characters encounter. Because of that it's not all sunshine and rroses but that's also what makes it relatable. This was one of the last projects Park Bo Gum filmed prior to his mandatory military enlistment.

Listening to....
Shoegazing & Britpop
Somehow the music of my youth is very comforting right now. Both fall under the alternative genre. Shoegazing was more ethereal while Britpop was more brighter and catchier. Ride's Vapor Trail has been on repeat a lot lately.

Cooking...
Korean Soups/Stews
Constant neck and arm pain forced me to make some adjustments to the way I cook. This meant meals with less prep and chopping. My husband helped me when he could but he was dealing with his own shoulder pain. Watching Three Meals A Day inspired me to start making Korean soups again. I've finally mastered galbitang which is my husband's favorite short rib stew. The key is to soak the ribs overnight, pre-boil and strain it when it's done. I've also made doenjang (fermented bean paste) stew and kimchi jjigae. They're all quite easy in their own way.

Enjoying...
8 Hours of Sleep Again
I'm a big believer in the health benefits of sleep and one of the worst things about my bout with pain was not being able to sleep through the night. Now that I'm mostly over that I've been getting back to eight solid hours and it feels so good. Regular rest is one of the best things you can do for your heath, Of course the Yankees being in the baseball playoffs is making it hard to stick to my 10:30PM bedtime but I make allowances as needed. 11:30 is my absolute cutoff though.

Organizing...
My Pantry
So I did do some shopping after posting last month's wish list. The Home Edit Divided Freezer Bin was a win. The Divided Lazy Susan ended up working better under my bathroom cabinet than in the pantry. However this Interdesign Lazy Susan worked perfectly. I ended up having one dedicated to dry seasonings and one for sauces/oils. These are the perfect pantry bins for cans and dry goods. I got rid of all my tea canisters and consolidated all my teas into this organizer. This project totally gave me so much joy. It was great for editing and auditing exactly what we have (lots of black beans, chickpeas, noodles and tuna) and need (not much *pats self on back*). I'm not going to be that sucker that isn't prepared for an emergency. I keep opening up and admiring it now because it's so neat and streamlined. For those how asked, yes I did watch The Home Edit on Netflix but I fastforwarded through most of the celebrity stuff because I can't relate with people who willfully acculumulate too much stuff however I did find the actual organizational bits to be helpful. Next to tackle: our entryway closet, hall closet and the linen closet.

Reminiscing about...
Hawaii
This time last year we were on vacation in Honolulu and having a ball. So much has changed in just a year. I miss traveling but don't plan on doing it again until it's safe.

Spreading the word about...
Voting
Election Day is now less than a month away so I'm going to share this post I wrote about the importance of voting here again. I've been using this CV x When We All Vote Canvas Tote and whenever anyone comments or asks about it, I make sure to ask them if they are prepared to vote. I got my absentee ballot in the mail last week.

Don't miss out on my latest beauty giveaway!

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12 comments

R's Rue said...

Can't wait to vote.

Pilar said...

Great post Rowena! That book sounds interesting. I've been looking to add a few new books to read this Fall. Thanks for sharing!

Paola Lauretano said...

I absolutely need 8 hours of sleep again!
Kisses, Paola.

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Emmylou said...

I've been meaning to read one of Coates's books. And thanks for the heads up about Zombie Detective! Sounds like it's right up my alley, chingu:D And so glad to hear you're getting much-needed sleep. And I've really got to try making Korean soups! :)
Stay safe. XOXO

The Exclusive Beauty Diary said...

That book seems very interesting. I would like to read it. Thank you for recommendation.

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Omaye said...

Tried organising my pantry and gave up. It was too tedious and I wasn't just feeling it. Did it again with help and lets just say that I didn't really do a lot. It can be so exhausting. The good part is that I cleared a lot of things and realised that they were items that I didn't even know that I purchased.
Time well spent at least....
xxxx

Jo Rashi said...

The book sounds pretty amazing... thanks for sharing dear :-)
Beauty and Fashion/Rampdiary/Glamansion

Midnight Cowgirl said...

Hooray for sleep! Also, I love the vote tote :)

Dressed With Soul said...

I'm so happy to read that your sleep got so much better as like you I also believe in the huge benefits of a good and decent sleep!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
www.dressedwithsoul.com

Doctor Anne said...

The book goes straight onto my reading list, thank you for the recommendation

Jackie Harrison said...

I will like for you to share korean stew recipe awesome ways to spend your time.

Ivana Split said...

The book you recommend sounds like a great read. The Korean soups and stews sound delicious. When it comes to adding ribs or any kind of dry meat, my husband always soaks it and we boil it before adding it to a stew or whatever we are making. It makes the taste less overpowering. You reminded me that I was planning to cook a soup tonight, because tomorrow I have to leave home early.