Life as we know it
January has been simultaneously busy and chilled, how did it go by so fast?
After ringing in the New Year in Oregon, it was back home to more or less routine: applying for jobs, cross-stitching and reading. But I did keep myself busy with the first fun outings of the year!
Grant and I went to Wild Lanterns at the Woodland Park Zoo, which is walking distance form our house. I was really impressed and blown away, it was a lot more than I was expecting. This is such a great way to engage audiences in these dark, cold months. I especially loved the live animal demonstration with the owl!
Now the first of many concerts for the year: Dorian Electra. I’ve never seen them live before or been to the venue (Neumos). I chilled on the balcony with a pint while genuinely enjoying the opening acts (Death Tour and Lil Markito) before enjoying Dorian’s set from the floor. I danced my ass off while enjoying the production they clearly put a lot of work into. I’m very happy I live in a county that values public health: everyone has to be vaccinated to attend shows like this and even then, almost everyone was wearing a mask.
I took a day trip to Bellingham this month, you can read all about it in this post!
I attended another concert of I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME at Neptune and man, I felt old. Seeing parent chaperones brought me back to the days when my dad used to bring me to concerts. I also felt old among the adults who rejoiced the show ended by 9:30 so they can still hit more bars when I was excited to go home and relax with some shawarma. Anyway, the show was fantastic, they sounded amazing and are most certainly talented musicians.
Finally, Grant and I saw the Anastasia musical! I haven’t seen a new-to-me musical in years (I think since Lion King in 2018) and being a huge fan of the movie (definitely top 5-10 of all time) I was excited! It was a lot to live up to but I enjoyed myself. The theater was stunning and reminded me of my ushering days working at a similar-sized venue in college. I think lovers of the movie might be a bit let down by the musical as the animation allows for a lot more creative freedom than the stage offers, it takes away a bit of the magic by trying to reproduce a lot of the movie rather than going in a complete different direction like the Lion King musical did. I’m waiting on the edge of my seat for next season’s show announcements!
Speaking of announcements, I have a few jobs lined up. My primary one is a household assistant where for ten hours a week I will pick the teenage daughter up from school, cook and clean for a lovely family. I’m also taking freelance pet-sitting gigs (cat-sitting, dog-walking, etc.) from an app and possibly working part-time as a receptionist at a gym a five minute walk from my house. We’ll see how they all fall into place next month!
January in Review 2021 || January in Review 2020 || January in Review 2019
January in Review 2018 || January in Review 2017
Books and media
What I’ve been listening to: Heaven in Hiding by Imminence, Home Video by Lucy Dacus, In Shadows by Fit for an Autopsy, Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast, Life Is Not a Lesson by Glitterer, Little Dark Age by MGMT, Back in Love City by The Vaccines, Something for Thee Hotties by Megan Thee Stallion, Dawn FM by The Weeknd, Razzmatazz by I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, Self Care by Yours Truly, Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice, CAPRISONGS by FKA Twigs, I Don’t Care How You Remember Me by Tigers Jaw, Jazz Welfare by Viagra Boys, Fix Yourself Not the World by The Wombats, Lil Markito by Lil Markito
What I’ve been reading: The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang, The One by John Marrs, The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, Bad Blood by John Carreyrou, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Hummingbird’s Gift by Sy Montgomery, A World Without Police by Geo Maher, Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau, The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Cod by Mark Kurlansky
What I’ve been watching: Don’t Look Up, New Girl (seasons 1-6), Pray Away, Seaspiracy
Favorite blog posts
11 best things to do in Portland || The ultimate guide to renting an RV with Outdoorsy
My 22 favorite trips of all time || 10 places to visit in Maui || 20 best book club books for 2022
10 things to do on a daytrip to Joshua Tree || No-bake cookie dough tart || 10 places to go RV camping in California
