Hello hello Dear Reader, happy Wednesday.

Is it really happy though?

IS IT?

How’s your week going? I’ll be honest, I told one of my besties Happy Monday in a text on Monday and then I was like BUT IS IT REALLY?! What exactly is happy about it?! NOTHING at my end, hopefully something at her end (never did find out if there was anything!)

I usually try to theme these posts with a summary of the week since I spoke to you last, so you might be wondering why I titled this one “what a day”. And the truth is, because it feels like every single day since last Wednesday has been a WHAT A DAY.

Last night, after crawling off my last work call close to 11pm, feeling like surely this can’t be IT just working all day everyday, repeating feelings of overwhelm, overload and chaos into oblivion, I lay in bed and googled “what is my purpose in life”. I came across a psychic reading offering on Etsy for £11 and thought you know what, sod it. I’ll do it. It was one of these 24 hour readings where you pay for it and they send you everything you need to know about your purpose and what the hell you’re doing with your life over message, but – perhaps a surprise to NO-ONE – I’m still waiting to receive it. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m doomed to have no purpose in life or because I just got scammed, either way, a lesson learned I guess?

Anyway, I hope your week is going well and a bit less dramatic than mine, and you are ready for your weekly instalments of things to read, watch, and listen to (and also that you know your purpose in life, if you have any tips that don’t involve being ripped off by fake Etsy psychics please share them!!)

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Reading

The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

I haven’t read this in the last week OF COURSE because all I’ve done is work (can you tell I’m feeling EXTRA sorry for myself right now?!) but I’m buying myself some time for next week when I WILL have finished the book I was reading about 17 weeks ago when I first started up the Coffee Corner series again, and started a NEW book (yes, it’s happening!) But this is the only other book I have read and finished this year (along with the book I mentioned last week from Mitch Albom!) and as shocking and devastating as that is, I’m owning it (there’s still 4 months left of the year to reach my goal of 12 books in 2023!)

Libby Page is basically the only author (aside from Cecilia Ahern but I’m not sure she’s still writing?) that I will purchase and read their book without knowing a thing about it. So much so that I’ve blindly pre-ordered her latest book which comes out in April 2024. I’ve mentioned her first book The Lido numerous times over the years, as I just loved it so much. It just made me feel hopeful and uplifted. I really LOVE her writing style, and to be honest I just really like her from what I see on Instagram. This book is focused around a beautiful vintage dress, AND THAT’S ALL I’M SAYING! Go and read it. As always, there are characters to fall in love with, adventures to enjoy, and warm, fuzzy feelings to absorb. Not my favourite of her books (I think that’s probably still The Lido) but absolutely worth a read (as are ALL of her books!)

I’m always open to recommendations by the way, so just in case that wasn’t obvious, please do get in touch if you’ve read something recently (or ever!) that’s blown you away. I love pretty much all genres so I reckon whatever you recommend I’d have a go at.

Watching

Catastrophe

My gorgeous aunty (HI BIBBY IF YOU’RE READING!!!) told me to watch this and that it was HILARIOUS, and she was not wrong!!! I’m only 3 episodes in but honestly, it’s been full of laugh-out-loud moments in all 3 episodes that I’ve seen.

I believe it may have been out for a little while, but I hadn’t heard of it, as I think it only got added to Netflix in the last few months, which is where I watch 90% of my TV. It’s about an American guy who comes to the UK on a business trip and happens to get a woman pregnant, and then they make a go of being together to raise the baby. The main woman gets on my nerves a bit (but I secretly wonder if it’s because her neurotic, over-worrying personality reminds me a bit of myself LOL) but if you can get past that, I think you’ll enjoy it!

As I said, I’m only 3 episodes in, but I would 100% recommend if you wanted to watch something lighthearted and funny. They’re only short episodes too, around 25 minutes, which makes it the perfect thing if you just want some downtime whilst having your tea or a breather from life.

Return to Space

Last Friday night, unlike Katy Perry taking endless shots and dancing on tabletops, I decided that I was really in the mood for some real-life science. So in true rock and roll fashion, and owning the absolute OLD, BORING 90 YEAR OLDS THAT WE’VE BECOME, me and James watched this documentary all about Elon Musk and the SpaceX rockets.

Honestly, I didn’t particularly like Elon Musk before I watched this documentary. But after 500 pauses on what was already a long 2 hour+ documentary to ask James questions, I discovered that I actually think he’s a pretty interesting, dare I say inspirational guy. I’m kind of regretting getting rid of Twitter out of sheer hatred for him now. Just shows that you can’t trust everything you read in the mainstream media – WHO KNEW?!

(I’m being bloody sarcastic if you’re wondering!!!) I regret that I let the mainstream media corrupt my view of him without researching him first.

He’s not perfect obviously, but love him or hate him, he’s done some pretty incredible stuff. Whilst it’s crazy to think of someone having the kind of money he has, I’m inspired by his brain and intelligence, and I think taking ridiculous, humongous risks like he does, whilst it shows privilege, it also shows a bit of character! He wrongly gets bunched up with other bozos like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson (which was admittedly the type of guy I thought he was – far too much money and more dollars than sense), but after watching this documentary, my opinion changed.

I’d defo recommend!

Listening

I Wish it Was Me – Obongjayar

So in case you didn’t know, because I’ve only mentioned it 587 times up to now, I’m going to Brussels in September to see the absolute beautiful, wonderful ray of sunshine that is Fred Again!!! He’s FINALLY releasing a new song this Friday (but who’s counting?!) that he first aired at Glastonbury back in June. It’s called Adore You and it’s the most CATCHY, wonderfully happy tune EVER.

The beautiful thing about Fred Again is that he features other artists or even just general people like you and me in his songs and he turns segments of speech or vocals into masterpieces. One of these – the one who features on Adore You – is a guy who goes by the name Obongjayar. There are some parts of one of his songs called I Wish It Was Me that Fred has turned into an amazing EDM mix. And whilst the original is totally different to the Fred Again mix, it’s really great and I’ve been listening to it on repeat. Here it is, enjoy!

Before You Go…

I am feeling so overwhelmed with work and life at the minute and it’s taking every ounce of power in my bones to not give into it. Feeling overwhelmed and getting stressed about it is a habit I’m really trying to break, but no matter how much I try, I just can’t seem to do it.

So here’s a question to you all, dear readers, how do you deal with feelings of complete overwhelm and shutdown? Those moments when there literally aren’t enough hours in the day, your workload is just ever increasing and everyone seems to be rubbing you up the wrong way because you are feeling so out of control and stressed?

I have noticed it as a pattern in my life that I can’t seem to break – it happens in every job and also every aspect of my life really. I’ve been trying and trying to do it on my own but clearly doing something a bit wrong somewhere, so any help would be appreciated.

I know some of you like to private message me sometimes so please do if you have any tips of guidance on this matter, I’ll be forever grateful!!!!

That’s it from me this week, have a great week and I’ll see you next Wednesday, WHICH IS COINCIDENTALLY MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!