Ate It Up #06
October & November, end of the year recap
I have combined October and November and it is now the end of December. Time has slipped away from me and it’s almost 2025. Happy New Year! I have been overly indulgent since finals week, the election, and the holidays these past months. As I should be!? And I hope you are too. But my workaholic tendencies still got the best of me and it feels really hard not to think about the work I still have to do going into the new year. While home for Thanksgiving, I simultaneously applied to a few PhD programs, came back, and had finals week, so my break often felt like work. On top of that, I have caught a gnarly cold the last few days. Give a cute girl a break!!!
Then for Christmas, I got to go to Washington DC, to the National African American Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and the National Museum of Art for research for my MFA. It was one of my favorite trips. I forget how much I love seeing art in galleries full of dust, stone, and stories. I saw a Gordon Parks exhibit, a James Baldwin exhibit, Obama’s portrait, and so many other beautiful things. I want to do a whole write-up about it. This was my first time in DC, and I think I’m in love. Everyone there seemed so smart, so many Bluetooth convos, Navy and Wool everywhere!
These months, I gorged. On films, books, music, quality time, and enjoyed. Here are some of my highlights! <3 Also, this is gonna be too long to read via email, so you gotta read in the app, sorry bout that! Love ya!
Shows
Hacks(MAX)
I’ve been a fan of this show since 2021. The crude humor and characters truly are my cup of tea. There is nothing to compare to the mixed bag of the relationship Ava and Deborah share. It is a tender, chaotic, toxic depiction of how boundaries are non-existent when it comes to life and work, not only in the media industry but also with a boss who can be overbearing but whom you admire and respect. Ava to me is a perfect character. So talented yet unsure of her skills, desires, and wants. While Deborah has had to consistently reinvent herself as she realizes what she wants is different than what the industry has constrained her to be. It is also a show that physically makes me laugh out loud, so kudos to that.
Shrinking(Apple TV)
I love this show. I adore this show. Although the writing can be a little predictable, I often find it to be heartwarming and endearing. I find all of the characters to be so comforting, full, and realistic. I find the casting to be perfect and can’t imagine anyone else doing this show justice. If you’re not watching, I think you should! And I think you would like it. ;) Harrison Ford is still fine(don’t talk to me) and I truly adore him and his acting skills, for me he makes the show. Whoever wrote his character deserves a raise.
Rivals(Hulu)
Saw people talking about this show on Tik Tok then my friend watched it and told me too because she knew I would like it. She was right! I love a British show and a romance, so this was right in my network. I found it to be silly, fun, and playful yet charming. The characters just seem like they truly enjoyed being there with each other which felt fun. Also, everyone looks the fuck good, so props for that, big fan of that. The only thing I didn’t love was the Rupert and Taggie trope, idk there’s something about it that’s so messy it takes me out of it. SORRY! I’m excited for Season 2 and maybe I will be able to more clearly state how I feel. But it was cute and sexy, hate the player, not the game!
Sex Lives of College Girls(MAX)
Season 3 is up and at them! And I missed this show so much. The show makes me reminisce about college and my girlfriend's group. I think it depicts the chaos of girlhood, being young and not knowing but also knowing yourself. It has become a true comfort show for me and so far, it still holds a special cringey place. It follows four friends as they navigate adulthood, romance, and friendship. The casting is so good and the storylines over the season remain interesting and full.
The Other Two(MAX)
I’ve never heard anyone talk about this show. At least not in my circles but I came across it just scrolling on MAX. I don’t mean this as a bad thing but I’m like who is watching this? Cause I want to talk about it! The show was created by the two leads who are former lead writers on SNL. But it follows two millennial siblings as their younger brother rises to fame. The show is over the top in its true cultural slapstick SNL fashion. It is punchy, and cloudy and depicts the humor within familial dilemmas and siblings so truly well. It makes me cackle from how out-of-pocket the humor is, I love it.
Movies
Over the holidays I watched so many movies with my family. It reignited my interest in Letterboxd, so I have been cataloging away. Find me here!
Arrival(Prime)
THIS. MOVIE. This is one of Fred’s favorites and he told me I needed to watch it when he watched it solo a few years ago. He was right. I loved it. I found it thought-provoking and just beautiful. It follows super smarty scientists, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner as they navigate aliens that are invading Earth. It reminds me of a mixture of Inception and Avatar(with way less CGI). I found the cinematography to be gripping and the themes of fear, time and reality to be depicted in a way that stayed with me. I’m a big fan. A new favorite of mine.
Twisters(Prime)
Finally saw this! It was good. Much sadder than I thought, which my friend had warned me about. It was entertaining to watch. I found myself struggling to get over how quickly Kate’s character had to jump back into the storm-chasing saddle after such a traumatic event. But kudos to her! Chase your dreams girl! I also wasn’t a fan of the kind of romance trope the movie suggested, could have done without it. But I enjoyed the chase and the thrill of storm chasing, along with the gadgets shown for chasing. It felt very like DIY/Ghostbusters compared to the usual technologically advanced depictions that other films have. Which I think worked well. I found it also very rural, which I connected to as someone who grew up in the midwest, a kind of comfort feeling.
Rebel Ridge(Netflix)
Police movies can be a hit or miss for me. So getting into this I wasn’t sure what to expect. Idk what was in the water in this town but it is wet with racism and I felt viscerally angry at the outlandishness of the characters. Made me want to jump into the screen. The movie follows Terry who is a former marine as he deals with crooked cops while trying to post his cousin’s bail. I found this movie to be action-packed, sad, satisfying, and entertaining. Aaron Pierre ate that character up and played that role so well.
Twins(MAX)
Why was this movie good? Fred and I have been wanting to watch this for a while and finally did. The plot is so goofy, following two long-lost twin brothers, Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger. They take on the journey of uncovering their roots and being there for each other through their hardships. A crazy mash-up and so crazy that it worked. The movie was really funny, tender, and kind of sweet. I don’t think I have seen a movie with both Danny and Arnold so young. So it was so dynamic to see these roles and how their acting changed over the years. Why was Arnold so big and attractive haha. I could not imagine just seeing this man casually walking/existing like that’s normal. It is so comical to add to the plot.
Book Club(Netflix)
I love a movie about books. I’ve never really heard much about this one but figured it would be a bit of me. And it was! It follows a friend group as they start a book club and deal with divorce, dating, adult kids, and everything about Womanhood. I really enjoyed the dialogue and the reality of middle-aged problems the movie touches on. It was cute!
Wicked(In Theaters)
Uhahhh-ahhhh-uhhhahhhhh. You know what I mean! I cried in this movie twice and honestly want to see it again so badly. I loved it. I first learned about Wicked through my Glee days, throwback. Since then I have loved the soundtrack but actually still need to watch the Broadway play, so I’m a fake fan! The movie follows Elphaba as she navigates racism and her powers, and uncovers the truth. As well as Glinda, the popular IT girl reinvents herself to be a better person and the two of them become friends. Both Cynthia and Ariana had stellar performances and the soundtrack. EATS. I think Elphabas's character stands for an unhidden truth that nobody else is truly ready to face. Which is why she stirs people up so much. Because she doesn’t lie, her whole existence is a truth that even her own family can’t face. But that’s tea for another day! I love this movie!
The Substance(MAX)
They were not joking when they said this movie was full of body and horror. It takes the cake and eats it too. This was by far one of the most visually stunning films I’ve seen. The editing and effects of grotesque imagery are truly unforgettable. Despite wanting to look away, I literally couldn’t. The film follows Elisabeth as she chases youth through a substance that creates a more youthful half-self. This movie maximalizes the desperation of youth, the hunger and thirst for it and it exudes. This is not a movie that is by any means for everyone. But I found the themes and messaging to be a valid commentary on beauty standards especially as we age. The harshness puts an emphasis that we place on youth, having it, and being it by any means necessary. I think it is worth the watch if you’re looking for contemplation and beautiful imagery.
Smile 2(Prime)
This movie reminded me that I hate the pop star trope. It’s tired, it makes me tired and just feels so played out. That being said Skye Riley(who looked so much like Timothee Chalamet to me lol) was acting, capital A and I feel like I couldn’t get over how expression-filled her face was and think she did such a good job. Compared to Smile 1 I think the craze was depicted so well and came across as truly out of control. The movie follows Skye as she slowly gets back into the saddle of her career before becoming possessed. Her life falls apart throughout the film, while she suffers and tries to keep her career and head together. I watched it with my family and we were all on the same page that we didn’t like it as much as the first, but entertaining nonetheless.
Books I Read in: October & November
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
I posted a longer review on my Instagram which you can find here. But I truly loved this book with my whole heart, no notes. I am so thankful to have taken my time reading it, ignoring the wave and rush of trying to read so many books. This book is a true work of art and has truly impacted me.
Writers and Lovers by Lily King
I just finished this during my recent trip to Washington D.C. / Virginia to visit family. I adore this story and am such a fan of Lily King’s writing. The novel follows Casey a writer who is dealing with the sudden loss of her mother. It is thick with beautiful prose and stunning use of language. Casey is quick-witted, reflective, and honest with herself and others, and truly adores her character. so much. This book had me underlining and annotating so much. Recently came across this piece from Brandon Taylors Substack about annotating and it resonated with me. And I want to go back into past reads and make more thorough notes/ reactions. So excited for that in the new year! Also can someone please make this into a show? I think it would be so good.
Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison
I read this book for my elective class last semester all about African American Novels. In it, Morrison coins the term American Africanisms. It is about how Blackness presents itself in American fiction specifically in 20th century literature. In it, she talks about how writers have multiple levels of awareness, and even if race isn’t mentioned it is always present. Reading it blew my mind and has forever impacted how I view literature, writers, and books, highly recommend it!
Currently Reading/ Recent Pickups
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
My current read and I’m really loving it so far! I have heard really great things about it for a while and am excited for it to be my first read of the new year.
Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst
I finally picked up a copy of this book! I’ve heard people talk about it over the years and then I actually started reading Tembe’s Substack, which is called extracurricular and it’s one of my favorites. So I’m excited to give this a read in the new year.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
I picked this book up, thinking that it was Middlemarch, and now realize it’s not but now I own it so I will read it. Looks like folks have a lot of good things to say!
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
I got my hands on this after the holidays and I’m reading it alongside my two friends as a little book club. This will be the first full Sally Rooney that I have read so I’m excited to report back.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I don’t know why I wanted to get a copy of Pride and Prejudice, but I used to have one and I started reading it several years ago probably in high school, and when I was walking around half-price books they just had a ton of paperbacks of it and I was thinking about the movie with Keira Knightley and I was like oh it would be fun to read it before watching it so I bought it.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
My mother-in-law gifted this book to me for Christmas ;) and I started reading it immediately. I adore Baldwin and his writing style despite having yet to read a full novel. This will be my first book that I’ve read by him and I’m just so excited to read it and to keep on reading more books by him in this new year.
On My Mind This Month: Notes
Gratitude
Routines
Building better habits while allowing myself to have bad ones
Goal setting for 2025 without too much Internet influence
Writing/working more analog(shoutout to Harini for a new reading journal)
Food/Recipes:
I made a gluten-free mac and cheese for Thanksgiving. A crazy thing to do at a Black family get-together I know. And I was reminded of it by my Uncle Jay through this Niecy Nash clip.
Despite my fear, I made it and the family seemed to love it, which was amazing and a relief. Something about cooking during this holiday season restarted a new love and longing for home cooking. I want an apron and to get cute and make cute meals! Bring on the cooking in 2025. For Christmas, the family also decided to have a cookie exchange. This was new information to me. Originally Fred and I were gonna bake cookies and deliver them on Christmas as a gift. But it was a pleasant surprise, and it made getting folks their cookies so much easier. For it, I made a gluten-free sugar cookie and a GF chocolate espresso cookie. They were both so good and healed my inner child with cookie decorating. <3
Music
Lots of really great music over these past few months/ year!
GNX - Kendrick Lamar
In a lot of ways, I think Kendrick really can’t do any wrong. This album was a surprise to me, and I had no idea that it was coming out. I gave it a listen-through once and immediately fell for it in all of its dynamism and charm, and it slowly became my favorite album towards the end of the year. I also can’t believe that he’s going on tour with SZA next year and I’m absolutely gonna be going!
GLORIOUS - GLORILLA
Eugh Eugh. This album makes me feel unstoppable. It is chalked full of upbeats and makes me feel like I can run a marathon, just walking down the street. I feel so proud of GloRilla and her growth over her time in the industry and think that she’s really found a way to tap into staying true to herself alongside making some really great music and this album Shines at doing just that. I also think that she is actually so funny and love how humorous a lot of her music is which is just a true fee on top of being a great rapper shout out to Glo!
CHROMAKOPIA - Tyler the Creator
Although I listen to all his new albums I find myself struggling to feel his music. But this album reminded me of how much his music truly can make me feel and I find myself just feeling very connected to it. This album is raw with emotion and sass and the features, I truly loveeeee. Balloon has been a constant and Doechii is having her moment alongside Tyler. I always love to see Tyler succeed, his music reminds me to dream and dream big!
Light, Dark, Light Again - Angie Mcmahon
On an episode of shrinking a song from this album plays during the close. It struck me. Made me feel like I had forgotten that feeling of when a song finds you. From there I watched the music video and slowly got into the album. I love this album and feel like I have been looking for this feeling for so long. It makes me feel like I’m a young adult with problems I am still trying to understand which is pretty accurate!
MEGAN: ACT II - Megan Thee Stallion
I’m a HOT girl coach Stan. I recently watched a documentary about her on Hulu. It was interesting to see her in a light outside of her entertainment. And how herself offstage shows up on the stage too. She is a bad bitch, frfr, and seems to be authentically about the life she raps about which I find refreshing. I have listened to Bigger in Texas nonstop on repeat with no plans to stop.
Lana(deluxe) - SZA
I got to see SZA during her SOS tour. It was breathtaking and the SOS album remains one of my favorites to date. I’ve been slowly getting into the deluxe album and it is so so good vibey, angsty, and thick. I love it and SZA in her bug era, she reminds me to stay weird and she MEANS it! I love her.
Random but good things: wishlist/pickups
I did some Black Friday shopping despite not having money and trying to shop less. I’m just a girl! I bought this purse from Anthropologie that I saw in store a few weeks prior. I don’t have a purse that’s not a tote bag or a small handbag so figured this was a happy medium. Had my eye on these boots and they sold out, but now they are restocked I can’t believe I don’t have a pair of cowboy boots or Black boots… It irks me. So hoping sometime next year to pick up a quality pair.
I’m trying to shop less on Amazon, and hopefully get rid of it this year. But I hate how many movies and things are on there that aren’t in other places… but maybe I just need to do some more research, let me know how I can wean! I love a good dupe and saw quite a few dupes for these The Row sock slippers which from the row are like $600 and these slipper shoes that remind me of Tod’s Suede loafers, originally $925.
Another thing on my mind, I want to simplify my makeup routine. Makeup makes me tired a lot. But I do find it fun and enjoy the routine of it. The simplest I remember my routine being was when I used to use glossier makeup when I was in high school. Something about that makes me nostalgic and for that, I’m craving some stretch concealer and some cloud paint. Right now, my makeup is mainly drugstore, and I like it that way!
I can and can’t believe 2024 is coming to a close. It has been an absolute whirlwind of a year. I am setting a slew of goals for this newsletter and am so excited about new things on the horizon regarding it!
That’s it from me, see ya soon!
XOXO
Ya little mama