What a fruity little May I had! In the interest of keeping this cute content series going:
Here are the top things I ended up reading, eating, playing, obsessing over, recommending, and treating myself to this month.
Reading: EMILY FARRIS
I started I’ll Just Be Five More Minutes: And Other Tales From My ADHD Brain on Friday thinking that since it was a collection of essays, it’d be a great book to pop into my bag to read in shorter bursts while on the tram, sitting in waiting rooms before appointments, etc.
Yeah, that didn’t work out.
From the first page, Emily had me hooked—her collection of essays became my hyperfixation for the next six hours straight. I laughed out loud so many times that my partner passive-aggressively asked me to shut the door because it was getting distracting, and I didn’t get up from my reading chair to eat, drink, or even go pee until I’d inhaled every last relatable word. In my mind, Emily Farris is basically my new neurospicy best friend.
Whether you have ADHD (or love someone who has ADHD) or not, I promise you, this book will make you feel seen in ways you didn’t realize you needed to be. Truly, I can’t recommend it enough. And for those who love an audiobook, I’ve heard that her narration is delightful on this one, too!
Eating: FRESH STRAWBERRIES
It’s officially strawberry season in the Netherlands and I have lost all self-control.
I keep getting cartons of them at our neighborhood farmers market on Saturdays, promising myself I’ll make them last through the week, only to burn through them before I even make it to Wednesday and end up across the street at the grocery store buying more.
I’m putting them on toast, in salads, into mocktails, straight onto my tongue chased with a spoonful of whipped cream… I simply cannot be stopped.
Playing: MAGICAL OVERTHINKERS
One of my favorite nonfiction authors and one of my favorite podcasters, Amanda Montell (of wordslut, Cultish, and Sounds Like A Cult fame) is back with another hit!
It’s called MAGICAL OVERTHINKERS, “a show about digital-age delusion, where every episode is dedicated to a subject [she] can’t stop overthinking about—from narcissism to nostalgia.” Per Amanda:
MAGICAL OVERTHINKERS will combine the debunking vibes of Maintenance Phase and You’re Wrong About, the empathy of Terrible, Thanks For Asking and Dear Sugar, the off-the-cuff humor and tea-spillage of Normal Gossip, but also the erudition and rigor of Death, Sex & Money and ([her] fav pod of all time) RadioLab.
In the debut episode Overthinking About Narcissism, Amanda interviewed Dr. Ramani Durvsula from the Navigating Narcissism podcast to separate fact from fiction as they dug through the trenches of TikTok mental health diagnoses and therapyspeak to uncover what really constitutes narcissistic behavior. Cerebral girlies will want to add it to their queue ASAP. They’re also going to want to subscribe to Amanda’s Substack.
Obsessing over: MY MANUSCRIPT
I’m wrapping up my manuscript for THE LGBTQ+ TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK for Lonely Planet, and I am thrillllllled—both at how it turned out and at the idea of being done writing for a while.
I can’t wait to share more as I’m able (layouts! cover designs! a pre-order link, the literal second that I have one!) but for now, I’m just looking forward to taking some time off in June to hang out with my family back in the States without a single thing on my to-do list.
Recommending: HACKS
If you haven’t been watching the third season of this phenomenal series on HBO MAX, you’re missing out on one of the funniest shows on TV. The comedic chemistry between Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart is unmatched.
My only complaint is that I get to watch two episodes at a time when they’re released each Friday instead of binging the entire series at once like the little Hackrat I am. (I just came up with that term for a fan of Hacks off the cuff as I was typing right now—think they’d like it?)
Treating myself to: PRIDE MERCH
Pride Month starts tomorrow and for once, I’m actually ready!
This year, I shopped the With Love collection from Lucy & Yak (I swear this isn’t sponsored although honestly, I wish it were—L&Y, have your people call my people?) and ended up getting this Nobody Gets Left Behind tee. A little more info about it:
Created by seven LGBTQIA+ artists, this is a collaborative piece, pulling together a plethora of individual experiences, celebrating the community. 100% of profits from this collection will go to three incredible charities we’re so proud to support: Not A Phase, Nai Bhor Sanstha and ParaPride.
I’ll be pairing it with their Charlie Shorts for Utrecht Pride, and I’ll likely re-wear the whole ensemble again for Pride Amsterdam in July.
What’s in your May report?
Even if you’re not someone who enjoys “journaling” per se, this kind of guided reflection is a fun way to think about how you’ve been spending your time and energy lately. So, what have you been reading, eating, playing, obsessing over, recommending, and treating yourself to in the past month? I’d love to know!