New year! Goals! Hype! New me!

I'm trying to recommit to writing a bit more than captions and do more reading, online or otherwise. Sadly, instagram was how I got a majority of my news last year. Embarassing, but true. So, I was thinking about what would get me back to working on this space and spending more time thinking and reading. I've already given up phone time while commuting (with mixed results) and I feel like I'm still looking for a slower pace, without sounding like someone that's just fetched water from a well and is hand sewing drab colored pilgrim clothes for her children. (Don't tell me you don't imagine me in this scenario.)

So, how about a monthly roundup of interesting stuff to read, to view, to eat, to discuss, to share - because we all love expressing our opinions via the less lazy people that have taken the time to articulate their views! Hyperlinks are how we show our love in this modern life. I'm thinking the first week of the month will be my schedule and I'm hoping that you will too. There are no rules, only links! (Next year, I'm giving up exclamation points.)

JANUARY

Food - I made this gingerbread layer cake with salted caramel sauce for Christmas this year and it was a winner with everyone in my house. I cannot decorate to save my life, but let me humble brag about how good it tasted - and thank Izy Hossack for solving our christmas pudding dilemma. But you can make it for any day of the week, because cake.

Tech - Traffic is fake. Everyone is worried about their numbers, follower count, impressions, their reach, but nobody knows the real size of their audience. So maybe we should all chill and thank our moms for being the only reliable traffic to our social channels.

Read - I finished the last page of The Secret History with a bit of longing for my less connected and analog university existence. I intentionally slowed down to make it last longer. I do believe that I liked this one more than The Goldfinch, if you'll allow me to be blasphemous. Donna Tartt's descriptions of the effects of drugs, alcohol, and illness are so vivid and visceral that I find myself cringing and scared straight with each of her novels. Basically, governments should hire her to run anti-drug campaigns. And it made me wonder if any of my friends are going to kill me.

Princesses are Terrifying. A Feminist article that I try to work into any conversation with uninterested people that I think will never read it or agree with me and will continue to annoy the hell out of me in person and online. Also, has Elle mag always been so political or is this a new thing?

Drink - I was sent a giant bottle of Mirabeau Pure Rosé, and I shared it with some friends new years eve. It was a big hit and now I've got to get some bottles for not sharing :)

Watch - The OA, and Glitch on Netflix while we wait for the next season of Stranger Things. On Amazon Prime - Catastrophe (hilarious and it's filmed in so many of the places I actually go in London). I want to emphasize again, THE OA. You must.

Wear - I am loving the Wedgie Levi's I bought a couple of months ago. Apart from the really poor choice of name. Let's bring back real denim.

Happy linking!

This Modern Life