June 2020 | Monthly Faves
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I love June for a number of reasons:
It's my birth month.
It's the first real SUMMER month.
It feels optimistic to me.
#3 has been ingrained in me for years now, dating back to my school days. June was always the month I got out of school, so it felt optimistic to me—the beginning of a series of relaxation, sunshine, and friends. I was never a fan of August because that was the last full month of summer fun, and school loomed in the near future like a dark cloud, tainting my experiences. (Maybe a little dramatic?)
I must say, this month was packed to the brim with events and memories. I hope you are enjoying your summer just as much as I am!
1. TV SHOW: The Vampire Diaries
Okay, so yeah... no secret here.
The Vampire Diaries is my favorite show, right up there with Charmed. (Charmed has more sentimental value to me, but The Vampire Diaries is superior in terms of production).
I was going to choose SpongeBob SquarePants as my monthly fave because I just started watching the series from its beginning on Prime Video in June. And it has been entertaining! I'd say more so in the sense of distraction when I just want to take it easy, or as background noise when I'm working on something. I couldn't choose it, though, because I didn't BINGE watch it and crave the next episode in the way I did The Vampire Diaries...
I've already seen The Vampire Diaries before (and more than once!). This time, I convinced Thomas to watch it with me, though! It's funny—this was Thomas's evolving opinion:
First few episodes: "I'm not sure... I'm still getting a feel for it."
Then: "Okay. It's interesting."
By mid-season or so: "Fine. It's good."
The season finale, at like 1 am: "NO!! We need to watch season 2!"
This GIF represents it well. 👇
ONE MORE THING!!! As I was looking for a cover photo to represent The Vampire Diaries, I came across rumors that there MAY BE A SEASON 9 COMING OUT?! What? Can this be true??? This is recent news too...
I've done some research, but it's hard for me to give a definitive answer because I don't believe one currently exists. There is a lot of conflicting news regarding the show's return. I did read that some of the original cast, like Ian Somerhalder—aka my husband—and Nina Dobrev, don't want to return. I'll continue to keep my eyes and ears open, and if you come across any credible insight, please let me know!
2. Song: Come Over by Sam Hunt
I always enjoy talking about the process of discovering a song, so here goes...
It actually started with Thomas playing a different song by Sam Hunt called "Hard to Forget," one of his newer releases, one day in the car. I was totally thrown off by the intro of the song—you just have to listen to it; it's the most swanky, country tune ever, and it's actually from a different song—so it was it was on my mind.
I was counting some money on my bedroom floor one day when I wanted to listen to it again but couldn't remember the name. I asked our Alexa device to play Sam Hunt in the hopes of finding it, which I did. But before she played "Hard to Forget," she played a DIFFERENT song by Sam Hunt... one I ended up loving even more...
And yes, it was "Come Over." 😍
It immediately caught my attention because of how greatly it contrasted from his usual music. I would describe Hunt's music as pop-country, and he's distinctive for his pattern of talking in his songs. But this song was slow, sweet, and almost solely acoustic (as opposed to his other songs with more drum and bass presence).
It was so unique that I decided to look it up, but that's when I saw that Kenny Chesney also has a song called "Come Over." When I listened to it, it was the same!
I then wanted to know WHOSE song it was originally! After doing some research, I found out that Sam Hunt co-wrote it for Kenny Chesney in 2012, yet a year later released his own version.
"Co-writer Josh Osborne said that when writing the song, he and the co-writers were composing melodies when co-writer Sam Hunt suggested to make it a 'kind of desperate thing, like the guy is pleading with this girl to come over.' Upon reaching the chorus, they decided to repeat the phrase 'come over' five times to '[get] into the emotion of the situation.'" (source)
I don't know which version I like more. At first, I was adamant about my preference for Hunt's version, but after listening to Chesney's version a few times, I found myself wanting to listen to that more instead.
So what are the differences between the two versions?
I love that Hunt's version is a duet—and as you know, I'm a SUCKER for duets. But there's also something about Chesney's version that I felt drawn to. After speaking to one of my musical friends (shoutout to Meg!), she pointed out that it may be that:
Chesney's version is a half-step lower in key
there IS harmonizing in Chesney's version too, presumably with his own voice
Chesney's version is recorded with a full band, not just an acoustic guitar like Hunt's
Either way, I adore both versions, and—though this may sound weird—admire the desperation in them. The song has a pretty simple and common storyline: two people have ended it but they still feel drawn to each other, even though everyone says they're bad together. The singer becomes desperate and pleads for his lover to come over.
However, I LOVE the line in the chorus that goes:
🎵 I don't think that I can take this bed getting any colder 🎵
The words themselves are impactful, and the rhythm in which they're sung aids the emotion of it. It's kind of like they took that line and chopped it up into fragments, so it reads:
"I don't think, that I, can take, this bed, getting any colder" with each comma being a pause. And then comes the sharp contrast of the 5 "come over's" all sung one after the other with NO pauses.
All together it works. And I love it. And I got my mom to love it too. 😏
3. Saying: "Nah, fam"
This is a new one.
I have no idea why, but I adopted the saying "Nah, fam" this month. I guess it's a funnier, softer way of saying "no." It's elicited quite a few chuckles!
Honestly, I haven't even been meaning to say it; it just comes out!
Is that weird? Do you ever temporarily (or at least I hope temporarily!) adopt a saying into your vocabulary for no significant reason?
No? Just me? Okay. 🤷♀️
4. Accessory: Druzy cuff bracelet
For my birthday, one of my best friends, Camille, bought me this stunning bracelet. I love everything about it, from the lovely lilac druzies to the fun cuff style. It's a very versatile, elegant piece. It's even supposed to represent June, my birth month.
5. Clothing Piece: Blue and white romper
(Although my girl, Brianna's, romper was probably even CUTER!!!)
I found this at one of my favorite stores—you guessed it, Goodwill. I don't remember the exact price, but I know it was a steal!
We had a BBQ during the day-time portion of my birthday, and this is what I chose to wear. I wanted something FUN yet comfortable since it was outdoors for the most part. I liked the longer arms on it!
The blue and white pattern was so eye-catching, and the material was soo stretchy and comfortable. It WAS rather low-cut, so I chose to wear a lace bralette underneath. You could opt to just pin it with a safety pin too.
I ALMOST just wore it out at night too since I loved it so much, but I did end up choosing the dress I bought (also from Goodwill might I add!) for more variety.
OH! Did I mention it has, wait for it... POCKETS?!
6. FOOD: Cheesy naan
I loooove me some naan.
For those who don't know, naan is an Indian flatbread baked in a very hot tandoor (clay oven). It's kind of like pita bread, yet it's more soft, pillowy, and moist. It's delicious—one of the best types of bread there is, if you ask me.
What I really appreciate about naan is its versatility. There are so many ways that I enjoy eating it, including:
Dipping it in an olive oil and balsamic reduction combination
Eating it with my scrambled eggs and fried veggies in the morning
Melting cheese and adding sliced meat on top
You could even make something resembling a pizza with naan too, although I haven't tried that yet. (Now I have to!).
It's the third bullet point that both my brother and I have been exploiting this past month. It truthfully started mostly out of convenience because we wanted something tasty and filling but quick to make. And this fit the bill. It was as simple as we could get! We kept making it, though (and I mean I once made it THREE times within a 24-hour period, yikes...), because of how yummy it was.
This was my 2-minute process:
1. Grab a slice of naan,
2. put a couple slices of your cheese of preference (I used sliced Gouda or Swiss),
3. layer on a few slices of deli meat (roast beef with the Swiss and smoked chicken with the Gouda), and
4. melt it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
That's literally it. So simple it's almost embarrassing! JK, I love it.
7. Memory: Smilin Moose
Hudson, WI is about a 45-minute drive from where I live, and it's got some spectacular bars, restaurants, and attractions. It's definitely a place I'd like to explore further in the future.
The day after my birthday—so June 13th—a small group of some of my best friends and I went out to a bar & patio in Hudson called the "Smilin Moose Lodge Bar & Grill." The crowd at night is definitely a younger one, and the energy was lively and entertainment. Honestly, half the fun was just people-watching. It was actually a relatively drama-free environment, unlike many bars, and we appreciated that.
Lots of great memories were made that night: dancing to hip 2000's songs, tons of laughs with friends, getting hit on by at least 3 strangers (a must-have on a birthday, right?), and so on.
Definitely a cool place to celebrate my 21st! The funny part is, the next day I said, "Okay, I did my duty as a 21-year-old. I'm ready to be old again."
My other favorite memory was having a picnic with Thomas one evening. It was tranquil, happy, and refreshing. I loved it, him, and the outdoors. Here's Thomas being a lovely doofus.
8. PROJECT: Painting our walls
This wasn't my favorite project because I enjoyed it the most. I may be artistic, but I'm not a fan of painting walls. It was my favorite project because I'VE WANTED TO GET IT DONE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW!
It didn't make sense to paint in the past, given that we were just renting. It would've required too much time, energy, and money—all for us to move out anyway (and possibly have to paint it back or get the fee to do so deducted from our deposit!).
We've actually only done one wall thus far as we wanted to make sure we liked the color. And we do!
9. ACTIVITY: Spending time with friends
I finally broke the spell...
No more Call of Duty! Not to say I wouldn't still play it from time to time, but my obsession has ceased. It's a bittersweet relief!
My favorite activity in June was getting to spend time with friends. Very general, I know. But it's hard to pinpoint a specific activity. We went to the lake, out to a few new bars/restaurants to celebrate birthdays, had a movie night, went for a walk, played Jackbox games (we love Party Pack 3!)...
I've been a social butterfly this month! Sometimes at the expense of getting real work done, but I cherish such connections and memories so greatly that sometimes, they simply out-weigh everything else. I'm a huge advocate for responsibility and how holding oneself accountable will foster a stronger work ethic, but as you probably know by now, I'm also an avid advocate of balance. And oftentimes, maintaining social connections is an important aspect of positive mental health. 🥰
10. Picture: Kissing on the day we bought a house
Related Post: "WE BOUGHT OUR HOME!!"
I hope you enjoyed reading!
What were your favorites for June? Can you believe it sped by so fast?
Based on my predictions, July isn't going to be any less busy for me. But hey, that's what the summer months are for, in my opinion! At least here in Minnesota where we tend to go into hibernation like bears during the winter, which might I note lasts for over HALF the year. Ugh!
Take care of yourself!
Until next time...
