July Update: What I've Been Loving Lately
Busts, brats & belly-laughs
Hi lovely lot!
It’s time for another monthly round-up of stuff I’ve been loving, vaguely in the culture sphere but sometimes more meta. This month has sped by in a flurry of general election stress and somehow we have reached the end. I couldn’t really tell you what I’ve been doing over the last four weeks apart from having a Brat Girl Summer (well, not really, as I had flu, but whatever).
READING
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue: Funny, heartwarming, and disgustingly relatable in parts. I loved this novel and tore through it on the beach in France this month.
A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney ripped me open. Rob Delaney is one of the few celebrities in this world that I actually believe is as good a person as they come across. I listened to the audiobook version and wept.
The wonderful Shahed Ezaydi wrote a piece for Stylist Extra’s cover last week, about the realities of being the ‘single friend’. I’m not that friend right now, but it was a good reminder of a) the time I was and b) how not to treat my single friends.
A poem I keep returning to this month is Molly Fisk’s ‘Against Panic’. I’ve been not feeling fully myself, and this poem is always a good anchor in anxious times.
TV & PODCASTS:
Abbott Elementary’s most recent episodes are finally available in the UK and I fell even more in love with Quinta Brunson’s comedy chops. I’ve loved her since the BuzzFeed days, so it’s wonderful to see her thriving. 10/10 belly laughs.
My talented colleagues at Novara Media have a wonderful podcast called If I Speak, fronted by Ash Sarkar and Moya Lothian-McLean and produced by Chal Ravens. Episode 22 asked ‘How will I really know if I want kids’, and they spoke to Renay Richardson about her experience of doing it solo. It was enlightening and thought-provoking. It did send me into a slight spiral for an entire afternoon, but that can only be a sign of a good podcast!
Fun fact about me, I fucking love superheroes. Always have, always will. Netflix’s Supacell filled the Misfits gap in my heart and even exceeded it. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.
OTHER:
I was kindly invited to Studio Bust recently. They make bespoke bust sculptures via 3D scanning and made me one of my body. It felt grounding for my body image and the final bust is genuinely a beautiful piece of art. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel seeing it and holding it in my hands, but it was an emotional, lovely experience. For a big life event, or if you are looking for something to treat yourself with, I can’t recommend it enough. I won’t share my bust (because internet creeps), but below is an example of how gorgeous they are:
