That’s a Wrap! Time To Unpack March on the Blog
Hello friends, and welcome or welcome back to the blog!
Happy April, friends! I hope everyone is doing well and sticking to your healthy habits in this first quarter of 2024. Remember to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, and give yourself some grace.
The saga continues on the blog, as I’ve struggled a bit this month. I know it’s not noticeable because I believe in shining on the outside, even when things are not that great. After all, life can always turn quickly. March has been my TV month as a way to escape and wind down. My books have waned a little bit, but I’m still three books ahead of schedule for my Good Reads Challenge. And so it goes.
*****March Posts!*****
Practice What You Preach!
I know I spend a lot of time on the blog talking about activities to relieve stress and work the other side of your brain. Well, my daughter and I partake in several of these things. Life is not always easy; it can be stressful and discouraging at times, and the simple task of doing something different can change your mood. For us, it’s a few LARGE puzzles a few times a year. Here is our latest puzzle.
This puzzle is from Puzzles of Color, called “Harvest” by Laylie Frazier.
There Was Some Shopping
I won’t list everything here because I dedicated an entire post to some product reviews and new beauty items I was trying. I’m still using everything, and so far, so good. I also posted about “Shooting Film,” so I got a cheap film camera and a few specialty rolls. I’ve just mailed in my KikiPan film, and now I’m onto this Dracula and Wolfman Film. I’ve also been going journal crazy (now that’s a problem). I’ve gotten a few from Amazon, and the pretty graphic one from Walgreen.
I have started using the notebooks for just about everything. I’ve started keeping a journal to track A1C levels and what I eat to stay in range. My A1C was high on my last visit, and I had been doing so well about keeping it below 6.4, but it jumped way up. I’m also using a journal for my film camera, which helps me to log the ISO meter for my photos. Of course, I use one to take notes and annotate when I read. It helps me remember when I write my reviews because I don’t do them immediately. Sometimes, it will take me weeks to sit down and write it.
Style Boards
Sadly, I didn’t create any style boards in March.
All the Movies
My daughter and I watched a few movies and documentaries for Women’s History Month. Here’s what we watched.
Everything was new to me, with the exception of Everything, Everywhere All At Once, and if you haven’t seen it …what are you waiting for? It’s so damn good.
The Exorcist: Believer (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
This, by far, is the best sequel within The Exorcist franchise, as only the first one gained an Academy Award. This installment brought back Ellen Bursten and the original Ragain, Linda Blair. This horror movie is not for people who want to dip their big toe in this genre (you gotta crawl before you walk with this one). I enjoyed it, but it’s not for everyone, so proceed cautiously.
Quiet On The Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
This documentary will break your heart, and if you’re a 90s kid, it will ruin the shows that you grew up with. I am not a 90s kid, but I did watch shows with my daughter. It’s so disheartening to hear these stories, but hey…everything in the dark will be brought to the light. Great documentary.
Barbie (⭐⭐⭐⭐.5)
I think everyone has seen this movie except me. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would, and it’s a great movie (not for little kids) to celebrate Women’s History Month, and there are some extremely important monologues for women, by women. Loved it.
Tokyo Vice (⭐⭐⭐)
It moves pretty slowly for the first few episodes and picks up gradually. I’m still on the fence about this one.
The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
What the title reads is exactly what this is, and from the outside looking in (as a parent), what parent would inflict this type of discipline on kids for being teenagers (yeah, I said it)? TEENAGERS. Who are vulnerable, uncomfortable in their skin, all the angst and raging hormones…yes, they are going to act out (to a degree), yes, they are going to rage, and those feelings usually level out when the time comes, but (hey) what do I know? I’ve only raised one kid. Anything too good to be true usually is, so a pseudo-school promising a high school diploma and ridding your child of all their behavioral issues (in one fell swoop) should be a red flag. This was eye-opening.
Feud: Capote vs The Swans (⭐⭐⭐⭐.5)
This explained a lot, even though I know some of it was fictional for entertainment purposes. Ryan Murphy never disappoints with his various limited series, so this is a great look at classism, the LGBTQ community, and race.
Ladybird (⭐⭐⭐.9)
I didn’t think I would enjoy this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a movie about mother-daughter relationships and the push and pull as well as the vulnerabilities of young women.
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
This brought back so many memories of my teenage years and all the great music. You learned about these women innovators in a male-dominated field and how women changed the game in what they say and present themselves. Now we own our sexuality, we write our own music, and we are literally changing the game. LOVED IT.
March Book Haul
Come on (in the voice of Danny in Grease) you know I’ve hauled some books and a few other things. Yes, it’s a weakness, but buying books is hardly a terrible habit.
Life Moves Pretty Fast (Hardcopy) by Hadley Freeman
The Mary Shelley Club (Audible copy), by Goldy Moldavsky
The Monstrous Misses Mai (Kindle Copy), by Van Hoang
March reading
Here’s what I read.
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REVIEW LINKS
The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar (Not Yet Reviewed)
The Eleven
The Sun Down Motel
We Lie Here (Finished in February, did the review in March)
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Pending ARCs!
Home is Where The Bodies Are, Jeneva Rose
Killer House Party, Lily Anderson
Middle of the Night, Riley Sager
My Darling Dreadful Thing, Johanna van Veen
Horror Movie, Paul Tremblay
APPROVED: The Eleven by Kyle Rustkin
APPROVED: I Need You To Read This, Jessa Maxwell
April Calendars!
You can find all my calendars as well as all of the printables used on the blog.
Smartphone Wallpaper!
I created a few more designs for the smartphone wallpaper. Check them out on my printables page.
Season 3 is Live!
I’m still going strong with the podcast. I’m on a short break now, but you can still catch up on Season 3.
Well, Friends, I think I’ve covered everything in this round-up. Thank you for stopping by today as I recapped all the March happenings. Many thanks and blessings to my homies for supporting this blog. It means the world to me. Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to my little piece of happiness. — Peace
