Here are 10 (ish) things that have caught my attention this month! Feel free to chime in below with things you’ve been up to and appreciating these days š
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Bethany’s 10 Things of January
For non-fiction reading I just finished Dear White Peacemakers: Dismantling Racism With Grit and Grace by Osheta Moore which was an excellent first read of the year. Moore’s book discusses a radical third way of combating racism with a focus on Belovedness which I found to be both refreshing and challenging.
For fiction I’ve been reading through Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse series and loving the Russian inspired fantasy world as well as Bardugo’s characters and way with words. (And apparently this is also a Netflix show? Is it it good?)
Music by Sufjan Stevens has caught my attention lately. He’s been releasing music for 22 years now and over that time he’s nine solo albums with a variety of instruments, themes, and styles. That dedication to creating and to be continually trying new things and experimenting with art is really cool to see! The folk style Seven Swans album is my current favorite.
PS: Speaking of music- February Album Writing Month is just around the corner! I’m signing up, are you?
I’m a little behind the times but I recently watched the original Ghost Busters movie! Released in 1984, this movie was a big deal- and yes that theme song is pretty much permanently stuck in my head haha. The main character Peter Venkman (played by Bill Murray) was a great example of a gray character who is unlikable in some ways but you still find yourself rooting for.
A very different type of movie I found myself enjoying this month was Hunt for the Wilderpeople, a New Zealand film directed by Taika Waititi. Random tidbit about the movie- it’s divided up into chapters, just like a book.
I don’t always have the attention span or time for strategy games but I had an excellent time staying up until 2am on New Years eve playing Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. It’s a cooperative role playing game where you face different scenarios and need to work together to… well, generally in my case to blow things up haha. It’s all good fun and I do enjoy the cooperative nature and set up of this game.
The weather is cold and I’m all about warm food! I’ve been really enjoying making this lental dal– once you have the spices on hand it’s simple to put together and delicious! It goes well with this lemon, ginger & manuka honey tea I got for Christmas š
Along with warm food I’m all about warm clothing– these fleece lined mittens are one of my favorite things right now. Next on my list are some good wool socks so let me know if you have some you’d recommend!
Creativity prompt: Our household has really been enjoying the Three Color Challenge lately. The rules are simple (and can always be adjusted to personal preference!): each person must blindly choose three colors (ie: by closing their eyes and selecting three crayons from a box), everyone receives a simple prompt (ie: a snowman), and then they must draw/color/create something with the prompt somehow incorporated.
No drawing skills are required! This is a judgement-free-zone and a fun way to play with art. It’s always cool to see how different all the pictures look in the end and it’s a great reminder that sometimes placing restrictions on our work can actually promote creativity.
Wellness prompt: I’m being reminded lately of how important it is to drink water and to get sleep. Simple but vital! Let’s take care of ourselves!
Personal challenge: I’m trying to cut back and evaluate how much I’m on social media these days- what about you?
As always, feel free to chime in below and let me know what some of your favorite things have been lately! Take care!
