Podcasts for the Soul
With so much more time on our hands to walk, clear out our rooms, and lie in bed staring at the wall, here are some podcasts to soundtrack your lockdown life. Continue reading Podcasts for the Soul
Tag: Lifestyle
Acknowledging Uncertainty: How Coronavirus has Changed the Way We Plan For the Future
Our lives are mapped around referential points. We all have calendars littered with birthdays, exams, parties, graduation ceremonies, interviews, visits to friends, events, plays, holidays, gigs. None of us live purely spontaneously. For decades modern life has functioned on the presumption that imposing order onto our immediate futures will make us more productive, prompt and predictable. Life is prearranged invisibly around us, marked by the constant promises of the near future, what’s coming next, what will I be doing tomorrow? Continue reading Acknowledging Uncertainty: How Coronavirus has Changed the Way We Plan For the Future
Adjusting To The New Normal: Home Life
It has been nearly four weeks since the beginning of lockdown conditions. Yet it is indisputably important to become hermits of our home at this time – not everyone is invincible to the invisibility of the virus. It’s a necessary collective effort and, really, few outcomes are worse when fighting a national health issue than staying indoors. It is restricting our daily lives, yes – but at the cost of extending the lives of those most vulnerable in our society. Continue reading Adjusting To The New Normal: Home Life
Finding the Joy in the Mundane
With the outbreak of COVID-19, the world was forced into reactionary mode. Measures of varying degrees took place around the globe. The UK is now in lockdown, with no knowledge of when measures will be alleviated. As a result, an influx of articles and social media posts occurred, all in the name of ‘making the most’ of this period and being as productive as possible. Continue reading Finding the Joy in the Mundane
Do I Have to Have a Productive Pandemic?
Humans are social beings, and even as an introvert, being trapped with the same three faces for an indefinite sentence is a little overwhelming. Just as the weather was heating up and you were planning on a pitcher at the Impy, your social life was suddenly cut short. Now you’re muffling through a scarf to say hi to passers-by and walking round them like you … Continue reading Do I Have to Have a Productive Pandemic?
My Culture Comforts: Nora Ephron Films
It’s no surprise that people have been using these past few weeks to productively catch up on (binge watch) all the TV shows and films they may not have previously had time for. However, especially with the future being so uncertain, it can also be nice to return to some past favourites. Over the past week, I have re-watched four of my top Nora Ephron films (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia), each time remembering why I love her. A combination of Ephron’s phenomenal writing, upbeat soundtracks and of course a stellar cast (with Meg Ryan as a particular favourite), it’s hard not to find comfort in these classics. Continue reading My Culture Comforts: Nora Ephron Films
In the Pod: Recommended Podcasts
In the midst of the current lockdown situation, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the wealth of uncertainty; and without much social interaction, isolation can start to feel, well quite isolating. So, as they form a large element within my own quarantine routine, I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite podcasts to hopefully brighten up those isolation blues. Continue reading In the Pod: Recommended Podcasts
Coping with the New Long-Distance: Relationships in Lockdown
Long-distance is a daunting concept. More often than not this word is filled with myth and misunderstanding. During the current situation, many of us have now been thrust into (short-term!) long-distance relationships without a lot of choice which can be quite scary. But maintaining a healthy, sexy, loving relationship is absolutely possible from a distance – it’s just about adapting to your new circumstances. Continue reading Coping with the New Long-Distance: Relationships in Lockdown
Playlist: Put Your Mind to Sleep
1. ‘Starry Starry Night’ – Lianne La Havas
This tender cover features in Loving Vincent and is the perfect track to open the playlist with. Lianne La Havas’ hushed soulfulness is like a lullaby that will have you dreaming of floating through Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’. Continue reading Playlist: Put Your Mind to Sleep
Reading Corner: Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls (audiobook)
Having tried audiobooks in the past, I have never actually been able to finish one – always getting bored or losing concentration for too long so the storyline no longer makes any sense. Something about listening to a thirteen-hour audio seems more daunting and time consuming that just simply reading the book. Now, however, since time is not an issue, and distractions from the outside world are near-impossible, I decided it was a perfect time to give them another try. Using yet another fake email (I know, I’m a cheapskate), I signed up for my third free audible trial, browsing the listings for a book that I both wanted to read and did not yet have a physical copy of. I’m a huge David Nicholls fan, having read all four of his other novels, and his latest release Sweet Sorrow has been on my to-read list since it came out last summer. Continue reading Reading Corner: Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls (audiobook)
