May favourites

Hey June! Nice to see ya.

I am very excited by the prospect of summer. Every year I have this whole list in my head of things I want to do that I inevitably fail to achieve. I feel good about summer 2018 though. I’ve made a solid start. Tomorrow I’m going for a walk with some llamas (for an article I’m writing for work, but I’m very much looking forward to it anyway) and I’m also looking into renting a kayak.

It’s weird, but as an adult I have become somewhat outdoorsy.

In terms of media I consumed in May, I wasn’t overly thrilled by anything. I finished Scandal just because I felt I needed to but wasn’t impressed, as I haven’t been for many seasons now. I keep watching iZombie even though it’s just so bad. What is with that ‘french’ guy? And more importantly, why? I was so excited when Agents of Shield finally started back up again in the UK, but some Instagram spoilers of the season finale have made me lose enthusiasm because I know all I’m heading toward is pain.

But that said, there were a few gems in the slush pile.

TV: Barry

I love everything about this show. I have long-held affection for the comedy hitman (really ever since I first saw Gross Pointe Blank when I was like 12) and Barry is a truly impressive take on this well-trodden ground with one of the strongest casts I have seen in a while. Everyone is so. Fucking. Good.

Podcasts: Sandra

I devoured this fictional series in only a couple of days. Voiced primarily by Alia Shawkat, who continues to be one of my favourite actors at the moment (with the exception of new Arrested Development, which I don’t wish to discuss) it establishes a world in which every household has a Sandra, an Amazon Alexa-like device that is powered by real people rather than the internet. Desperate to change her life, Helen (Shawkat) gets way too involved with a Sandra user, with menacing consequences. It’s the exact mix of weird, funny and sad that I enjoy so much.

Other things: Neal Brennan: 3 Mics

I have mixed feelings about having this in my favourites, but it’s probably the most impactful thing I’ve watched this month so here we are. What is so remarkable about this stand up special is the format. Brennan uses, as the name implies, 3 mics: one for one liners, one for stand up and one for ‘emotion’. He would cycle between jokes (some of which I liked, some of which I was less crazy about. As soon as a guy starts on ‘women do [insert stereotype here]’ my eyes immediately roll, but a lot of his jokes were funny) then the lights would go down and he would move to the ‘emotion’ mic. He told stories about failed relationships, his depression and his family sparing no painful detail – he’d get a couple laughs while doing it, but it wasn’t about that. I don’t know about anyone else, but to me at least, there is something deeply comforting about people who have the ability to hold their pain in their hands and offer it out to everybody so we all feel a little bit less alone. And to do that and then seamlessly step into making jokes about doing the reverse cowgirl? That’s impressive.

Instagram: @bookishbronte

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“But Hagrid, there must be a mistake. This says Platform 9 3/4, there’s no such thing. Is there?” . Which book captured your imagination the most? I’ve always completely lost myself in the world of Harry Potter. I grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. I sorted myself into Hufflepuff and found my Patronus and read the books so many times that the Hogwarts became real, it’s amazing what the imagination can do, isn’t it? #WHPimagination . . #harrypotter #hogwarts #hufflepuff #bookart #bookworm #booknerd #hurrayforplay #bookish #bookgram #alittlebeautyeveryday #nostalgicmoments #justalittlewhimsey #thisjoyfulmoment #ofsimpledays #ourplayfulstyle #visualcollective #livecreatively #myhappycapture #inspiremyinstagram #booksofinstagram #nostalgicmemories #creativityfound #bookartwork #shared_joy #thingsilove #harrypottertrain #harrypotterinspired #ourplayfulstyle #thevisualcollective#bookish_nio

A post shared by Bee I Colourful Creations (@frombeewithlove) on May 13, 2018 at 8:14am PDT

I’ve recently discovered the wealth of beautifully artistic Instagram accounts that exist. This is one of my current favourites.

How was your June? Any favourites you think I should check out?