May 2020 | Monthly Faves
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My people. Life gets more insane by the day.
I live in Minnesota, where rioting after the murder of George Floyd took place. His death was extremely tragic and unjust. I know the protests have spread to other cities across the U.S., and even other countries, so you probably are already aware of this news.
Just when you think you've processed all the news about Covid, this curve-ball gets thrown into the mix...
I won't talk about it too much here. I did make a Facebook post on my page www.facebook.com/fromfarrah discussing why, and how everything is affecting my blogging life.
The Cliffnotes version: I am still going to be posting as frequently as possible, but please have patience with me if my posts aren't very adventurous or if I do not post with the regularity I originally aimed for. I'll do my best! ❤️
Moving on to brighter things... I come to you today with my third Monthly Faves post, this time for the month of May! (Probably the only constant thing in my life, haha).
I skipped quite a few categories this month because, frankly, there was nothing that stood out for them. I don't want to sit here and make up answers just to fill in the blanks.
Instead, I'm thinking to make a post including different short clips that represent my life in May. I feel that would more accurately depict the big and small events that stood out for me this past month than falsifying answers here would.
ANYWAY, everything below does represent things I enjoyed in the month of May and would recommend to you. Happy reading!!
1. TV SHOW: Emmymade
This month's TV show selection is not actual television. The only show I've been watching is Arrow, and though I think it's very entertaining, I wouldn't say I enjoyed the seasons I covered in May (3 and 4 I think?) more than the first two. Plus, I like The Flash more. 🤷♀️
What I have been watching a lot—like every day when a new video comes out—is Emmymade. She is the cutest, most articulate gal who tries the coolest and weirdest recipes, gadgets, etc. You could consider her videos short "episodes" (less than 10 minutes) if you will!
She is on YouTube, named emmymadeinjapan. But I've been watching her on Facebook, at emmymade.
Whether or not the culinary world is your "thing," I think you'll enjoy these things about her:
her soothing voice
her bubbly personality
her ability to articulate her thoughts and opinions with clarity and thoroughness
how she engages all her senses in her reviews (touch, smell, taste, sight, sound)
the brevity of her videos
2. Song: "Immortals" - Fall Out Boy
Remember this song? From Big Hero 6? Back in 2014?
So here's how I got into this song again...
Thomas was replacing the hard drive on my laptop, and he wanted to know which files to keep and which to get rid of. He came across a list of songs I must've uploaded onto my laptop from apparently a VERY old phone of mine. There were songs on that list I hadn't heard or thought about in years.
I added a bunch of them to my current Spotify playlist, but the one that I listened to on repeat was definitely "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy. It got to be so catchy!
It's definitely a louder, more energetic song. Granted, Fall Out Boy IS an American rock band, so this is to be expected. Huge contrast from April's song choice, though.
There are a couple lines that I particularly love:
"I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass / I try to picture me without you but I can't."
"And live with me forever now / You pull the blackout curtains down."
It's more so the way they're sung with the melody than the actual words themselves, but yeah. Check the song out! If nothing else, it'll hype you up.
3) FOOD: Fast food beverages
Kind of a weird answer, I know. Not really a "food" either. BUT what I've been craving on an almost every day basis is beverages—and yes, I know everyone needs to drink in order to survive, but I'm talking fancier beverages than water, like iced coffees and lattes and frappes and iced teas...
(This was a large iced Vanilla Pecan latte from Dunkin Donuts. Wasn't a fan, but I think I'd have to try it twice to know for sure if it's the drink or just the way my specific DD made it. The coffee beans tasted burned and I couldn't identify any Vanilla Pecan flavor. Generally I love DD, though!)
Maybe it's because the weather is getting warmer? Maybe it's because I've always been too frugal in the past to spend money on expensive drinks, but now that I've been so busy at work and am making decent money and don't have as much time to make drinks at home, I've been justifying treating myself more frequently. Or maybe it's because I was fasting for the month of Ramadan (let me know if you'd be interested in hearing more about that), so all drinks sounded extra appealing. Maybe I'm just curious to try all these acclaimed drinks I see over social media!
Who knows? Either way, I've been trying new drinks left and right. I'm still on the hunt for that one drink that is just ME—my go-to, what I'd recommend to everyone. I know this doesn't count because I ordered this today in June and not in May, but I tried a cold brew from Starbucks with toffee nut and white mocha and some cream; it was pretty good! Better than everything else thus far I'd say. Probably not the healthiest, though.
To prove my point, I've even been buying Java Monsters. I practically NEVER drink soda or energy drinks. This is weird for me. I'm rolling with it.
4) EMOJI: 🤩
This is a new category for my Monthly Faves posts!
There's really not much to say except that it represents to me the idea of being excited for thrilling, prosperous, and/or motivating things. Someone gets a new job? Relevant. Someone aspires to begin dieting? Relevant. Someone met a guy/girl whom they see potential in? Relevant.
Someone posts a cute selfie? RELEVANT!
5) PROJECT: Helping my mother and brother move in
Okay. Helping with the moving itself was not fun. If you think lifting boxes is fun, you're psycho. 😉
Just the general aspect of having them move in, though, was exciting. I've been loving getting to spend more quality time with them. And in truth, given that we all have varying work schedules and lead busy lives, it hasn't been much of an infringement upon Thomas's and my typical routines.
Some people might find it weird to have your mother move in when you live with your boyfriend, but in our situation, it just made sense. We live in a 3-story, 4-bedroom townhome, which is more than enough space for a couple with no children. We had an extra room, and financially speaking, it's beneficial all around. Plus, there's a different dynamic when your family is moving in with YOU than when you're moving back in with them; there isn't that disparity in power, which = a calm, neutral household.
Lastly, it may be different if my mother and I had a strained relationship, but I love that woman with everything in me. My choice to move out at the age of 17 (story-time?) wasn't the result of troubles in our relationship. It was just the right choice for me during that period of my life and was a step forward that brought me excitement.
(The reason I'm not focusing on my brother much is because he'll only be staying here for a few months, as he has a lease near his school's campus in the fall. I love him very much 😍).
This arrangement isn't permanent, but for a year or two, it'll be a welcome change!
6) ACTIVITY: Playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Why is this still a thing?! I thought phases were supposed to fizzle out...
If you read my last April 2020 Monthly Faves post, I very strangely got addicted to gaming. NOT very characteristic of me. Which is not to say there's anything wrong with it whatsoever, or that this is the first time I've played video games. However, generally speaking, the gaming lifestyle simply isn't mine.
YET FOR SOME REASON, I'M STILL ADDICTED TO IT!
I was hoping to have something new for this category this month, but I'd be lying if I picked anything else.
(...well, I HAVE been spending FAR too much time getting sucked into Facebook debates about our current social issues—and by "sucked," I mean voluntarily sprinting into 😅—but let's not get into that...)
If you want to waste hours shooting people in a virtual world like I do, here are some links where you can purchase everything you need:
7) APP: Tailwind
In this scenario, it's really the website version of Tailwind that I've been using more because the app is rather limited.
For those who don't know—and unless you run a blog or are a social media influencer, you probably don't—Tailwind is a site that allows you to schedule out your pins on Pinterest and Instagram (a huge aspect of blogging), as well as meet other bloggers in Tailwind Tribes that are in similar niches.
Basically, it's a critical, very helpful tool for branching out as a blogger and establishing connections with those in the blogging community. During May, growth in terms of #'s was less of a priority in my book than meeting others like me.
Perhaps Tailwind wasn't my FAVORITE app or website of the month (that award still goes to Tik Tok!), but I certainly did utilize it a lot—earning it its place in this post.
8) MEMORY: Meeting Cameron
Two of our best friends had a baby together back in April, and I didn't get to meet him until late May. ☹️ While this doesn't sound like much time passed, we would've been there to visit her in the HOSPITAL if we had it our way (AKA no Covid).
Nevertheless, once Mom and Dad determined it was safe for everyone to meet him, we all got together to catch up. And let me tell you... Baby Cameron is such a BEAN. What a cutie!
He was really good, too. I enjoyed getting to hold him as he fell asleep in my arms. He loves to be cradled up with his front side almost flat against your chest. Must make him feel safe and secure!
It's important that, in the midst of such darkness, we take the time to enjoy the rays of light too.
9) PICTURE: Modeling my first OOTW outfit
This last month, I made my first OOTW (Outfit of the Week) post. It was a wonderful opportunity to get some gorgeous outdoor photos!
CHECK IT OUT: https://www.fromfarrah.com/post/ootw-1
My favorite outfit was the first; it was so light, airy, and unique to me. It made me feel like I belonged on a Greek island or something!
And I just ADORED some of the photos we were able to get of me in it.
That's about it, guys!
Sorry. No movies, books, or makeup products to discuss. There just wasn't anything I saw or tried for those categories—and that's just how it is sometimes.
Hope you still enjoyed the post, though!
RECOMMENDED: If you like this, check out my previous Monthly Faves post: https://www.fromfarrah.com/post/april-2020-monthly-faves.
I pray that each and every one of you are staying safe and healthy, and that our country as a whole moves toward better, happier, safer, more just days, so that we may all thrive. 🙏
Until next time...
