The Crazy Year of Favorites

Picture: Fraser Flat, Long Barn, CA by moi

As 2020 comes to a close, the time in isolation and learning about myself has led to finding new favorite things, and today I am going to recommend them to you. I’m going to share some of my favorite TV shows, movies, and all sorts of things that made 2020 a little more bearable. I hope you can find a thing or two that you may want to try.

TV SHOWS:

Since my parents and I have been home for 7 months, we go into watching a few shows together, and the shows that we binge-watch were absolutely phenomenal shows. (If you want other TV show recommendations, I have some here)

Schitt’s Creek: I can’t say enough about this show. All three of us have very different tastes in TV shows and all three of us proudly say that this is one of the best, if not the best show, we’ve ever seen. This show has everything: hilarious comedy, incredibly rich characters, a lot of love, and those moments that make your heart hurt in a certain way. If there is anything I want you to take from this post, it’s to watch this show…please.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: This show has a very special place in my heart. It was brought to life by the creators of Gilmore girls, one of my favorite shows. It takes us on a journey of a housewife in the late 50s navigating her newfound love for stand-up comedy. The story is rich, the characters are beautiful, and we were laughing until we couldn’t breathe.
Community: This is a show that I watched on my own and let me tell you it is one of my favorites. I have told everyone I know to watch it. I started it once I finished Vampire Diaries (another show that you should watch) towards the beginning of quarantine, and it was just the right amount of crazy for me to distract myself from the world. It has a similar vibe to Parks and Rec and The Office, but a little bit more out of pocket.

MOVIES:

Hamilton: I had the honor of seeing it live in San Francisco last year and fell in love with the show, and then watched the original cast when it came to Disney Plus. This show and its soundtrack may have saved my sanity. My whole family, especially my dad and I, sings it at the top of our lungs. I love Lin Manuel-Miranda and this show is absolutely incredible.
Love Wedding Repeat: This movie is for all the rom-com lovers out there. It pulled at my heartstrings in all the best ways. It’s one of those stories where you kinda know what’s gonna happen, but also keeps you sucked in. I absolutely highly recommend it.

WELLNESS:

Astrology: I spent a lot of time this past summer focusing on different interests, and astrology was one of them. While I don’t let it control my entire existence, I love to use to look a little deeper into myself and learn new things about why I may or may not be the way I am. It also gives me something to do because there is so much to learn about. You could spend hours and hours looking into all elements of astrology, plus the sky is a really cool thing.
Journaling: While I’ve had a journal for as long as I can remember, I haven’t used it as much as I have in the past year. I’ve created vision boards, tried different writing styles, and kept documentation of all of the things I’ve felt throughout this madness.
Taking care of my skin: Recently, I have recognized the importance of taking care of my skin (thanks to Skincare by Hyram). Not only has learning about knowing the ingredients on my face help me prevent any skin damage, but it has also become part of my daily routine and a little piece of self-care each day. This whole year has taught me the importance of taking care of myself, even if it’s just doing one little thing each day.
Cooking/baking: I have always loved to cook and bake, and this summer I was in the kitchen longer than I have been in my entire lifetime (that may be a little bit of an exaggeration). It became an outlet for me, spending a few hours each week experimenting with cupcakes, loaves of bread, and assortments of dinners. It was also a way for me to show people I care about them. I love cooking for other people, it makes me feel all warm inside. What can I say, I’m going to school to pursue a career in hospitality, it runs through my veins.

OTHER RANDOM THINGS:

Podcasts: I’ve binge listened to a few podcasts about Gilmore girls, Friends, and other podcasts with people from Bachelor nation and people who inspire me. It was like interacting with other people, but not really. It was also a way for me to listen to something when I was not in the mood to listen to music but still wanted some background noise.
Pinterest: Would it really be a GAS post if I didn’t talk about my obsession (more like addiction) to Pinterest. I used it to inspire me, create vision boards, plan trips I hope to go on someday, design my dream apartment in Paris, and so much more.
Lip gloss: This is very random, but I fell in love with lip gloss. I never wear makeup, but lip gloss was my way of feeling put together. It was a little boost of confidence and a little bit of normalcy in my day.
College: While you’re probably reading this and thinking I’m crazy, let me explain. The summer months were filled with me working VERY hard to distract myself and keep myself busy. When school started, I had order, distractions, and an infinite amount of things to do. I also got to learn some crazy interesting things and meet some crazy awesome people. Started college made me feel like I had a little bit more normal in my life.
Sunsets: With or without COVID, they are still my favorite thing. I would be able to meet up with friends, watch a sunset, see the stars, talk into the wee hours of the night, all while keeping safe. All of the sunsets I got to catch were the highlight of my summer. It was nice to get out of the house and visit with my favorite people. Plus, the nights were so clear and the stars were so bright, it felt like magic.
A trip to a cabin: A few weeks ago, my family and I got so sick of being in the same place, so we packed up the car, grabbed my dog, and drove up to the Stanislaus forest. We rented an Airbnb, brought plenty of cleaning supplies, and hiked the whole weekend. We were away from people and deep in nature, it was very much needed. It felt so good to connect with the trees and have those cozy fall vibes that you see on Pinterest.

That’s all I have to say for now. We have nearly made it through one crazy year. I hope some of my favorites inspire you to pick one of two of them up. Until next time, don’t forget to stay vibin.

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