Guess what day it is?!
Friyayyyy – the single best day of the week. Last week I worked over the weekend so I’m even more looking forward to this Friday! I realised that I really value having at least one full day off work each week, and I really need that day to be one on the weekend! I think this week it’ll be Sunday, and it makes me realise just how much life has changed since last year – Sunday used to be a day that I loathed, and now it’s pretty much always my second favourite (because there’s just something magical about Fridays!)
I’ll keep this week’s post short and sweet, because it’s Friday and I’m sure we all have somewhere to be.
It’s lockdown, there’s nowhere to be. But still, there’s wine to be drunk and no work to be done for the evening.
This week, I’ve once again been struggling with what I suppose is insomnia. I can’t get no sleep (*cue iconic Faithless techno beat*).
Seriously though, I can’t sleep. I’ve been like this for a while, but every so often it seems to get worse and I’m awake for hours during the night. I can handle waking up numerous times in the night if I can go back to sleep fairly easily – I’ve always woken up at some point during the night, that’s kind of normal, really. But lately, I’ve been waking up for several hours and feel like my mind is torturing me.
I have started reading before bed, which makes me feel tired and then I go to bed and fall asleep easily, as usual. Then 1am or 2am comes around, and BAM, like clockwork, I’m up and awake for the next 2-4 hours. It’s really becoming tiresome, but for some reason I just can’t stay asleep or get back to sleep once I’m awake. It is a really lonely place being awake at 3am with only your frantic and betraying mind to keep you company, and it’s gotten to the point where I’m dreading going to bed. I’ve tried lavender baths before bed, lighting all my lavender candles, using lavender essential oils, lavender pillow spray and lavender aromatherapy roller balls, none of which is doing the trick so far.
Is this a lockdown 3.0 thing? Is it a Mercury retrograde thing? Is this just what happens in life when you enter your 30s? CAN ANYBODY HELP ME?!
Anyway, ranting aside, I’ve got a few great recommendations for you this week that I’m scrambling together because I have a wine waiting for me (who am I kidding, I’ve obviously got a wine with me right now because it is Friday evening!) and I want to go and slob in front of the TV.
Reading
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
What would you do if you could go back in time to a specific memory or circumstance? That’s the concept this book toys with.
I am loving this book so far and have read half of it already in the last day. I’ll be finished it this weekend and onto the next in the collection, so will report back next week.
I always enjoy translated literature, as there was a time that I was to become a translator. Alas – it was not to be, but I do enjoy reading literature that’s originally published in other languages (although I do find myself scrutinizing the translation decisions and use of language and phraseology in every book I read!)
Watching
The Gift
I absolutely love this series! It is based in Turkey and is dubbed, and is such a hidden gem on Netflix. I watched the first season in the inaugural lockdown, and I was besotted with it so was thrilled to find season two on Netflix now! It follows the journey of the main character, Atiye, discovering an archeological site called Göbekli Tepe and finding hidden secrets linked to her and her past. It’s all a bit mystical and spiritual, and it’s right up my street. This was one I watched alone, as James wasn’t interested (surprise surprise), but I would wholly recommend it to anybody who’s looking for something to watch right now, or exhausted the rest of Netflix and Amazon Prime!
Also, the name of the main character – Atiye – (pronounced ah – tee- yay) means ‘gift’ in Turkish. What a beautiful name.
Listening
JA ARA E – Burna Boy
In my work life lately, I have been supporting the launch of a new podcast, so for anybody who is wondering what that entails, I’m responsible for writing the copy for things like the intro and outro, description and trailer, as well as sourcing some intro and outro music. This song was shared with me as inspiration for the podcast’s music, and I’ve never heard the song before but I absolutely love it. It featured on Beyonce’s album The Lion King: The Gift which is an amazing album and it’s pretty much been on repeat this week!
Before You Go…
My gorgeous friend Rach was the source for something I shared last week, and is, once again, the source of wonderfulness this week! She shared this video with me and I found it so beautiful that I knew there was only one place for it – I had to share it with you all this week. Enjoy! (And thanks Rach for always being a legend!)
To watch the video, click the link below (damn WordPress always messing with the Embed links!!!)
I hope you’re holding up OK in these dark lockdown times, and aren’t struggling too much. My inbox is always open to anybody needing to chat.
Have a lovely weekend one and all, See you next week!
Featured Image Photo by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash
Reflect and Introspect 