Welcome to Sending Smiles. I am delighted that you are taking time out of your day to be here.
This month, I visisted The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks with my friends Erin and Kyle. Erin and I participated in Vacation Races’ Yellowstone Half Marathon. This was Erin’s first half marathon. I was honored to share that experience with her. Spending almost a week outdoors was rejeuvenating.
Always remember, you are whole and worthy of unconditional love.
Binge Listens
A playlist of songs I listened to on repeat this month.
What did you enjoy listening to this month?
Binge Watches
Television shows and movies I watched this month.
Bridgerton
Genre: Drama, Romance
Streaming Service: Netflix
Quote: “And when one chooses the heart over the head, often all reason goes out of the window. But the body has a way, indeed, of knowing most what it needs.”
Bridgerton is a period drama series that follows the lives of high society families in Regency-era London as they navigate the marriage season. The outfits! The passion! The scandal! Shonda Rhimes has outdone herself. The colorful clothes, gorgeous actors and actresses, and the orchestral covers of top 40 hits are a blast. I appreciate how the show portrays how different life was for men and women. Characters like Penelope, Kate, and Eloise are vocal about the patriarchy’s impact on their well-beings.
Friends
Genre: SitCom
Streaming Service: Max
Quote: “It’s like all of my life everyone has always told me you’re a shoe, you’re a shoe, you’re a shoe, you’re a shoe. And then today, I just stopped and said, what if I don’t want to be a shoe? What if I want to be a purse, you know, or a hat?”
Friends is a beloved sitcom that chronicles the lives and hilarious misadventures of six friends living in New York City. I was in high school the last time that I watched Friends all the way through. Now, I’m 27, and have a greater appreciation for the characters. Laughing out loud to this show was stress relieving.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama
Streaming Service: Netflix
Quote: “Sorrows. Sorrows. Prayers.”
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story explores the intriguing backstory of Queen Charlotte from the "Bridgerton" series, delving into her early life, challenges, and rise to power in Regency-era London society. This show is a prequel to the Bridgerton series. I advise watching this inbetween seasons two and three. I am someone who enjoys learning about characters’ backstories, so I preferred Queen Charlotte to Bridgerton. Getting to know younger versions of Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury made me feel more empathy for their characters.
Summer House (Season 8)
Genre: Reality TV
Streaming Service: Peacock
Quote: “You didn’t even compromise on moving. You won’t compromise on anything with her. Let her live in New Jersey and drink her Coronas in the backyard and make a swimsuit line and let it fail. Who cares? Let her be happy.”
Summer House is a Bravo show that follows a handful of New Yorkers in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s who share a house in the Hamptons during the summer weekends. I started watching this show because I am an avid listener of Giggly Squad. This season followed the unraveling of Lindsay Hubbard and Carl Radke’s engagement. I listened to a Viall Files interview with Lindsay, and related to her experience being blindsided. Danielle Olivera founded Donne, an app inspired by the closet in Clueless. Jesse Solomon is vulnerable about battling cancer. Paige Desorbo and Craig Conover have healthy conversations about their long distance relationship. I appreciate Bravo shows because they remind me that we feel the same emotions, despite our backgrounds.
What did you enjoy watching this month?
Binge Reads
Books I read this month.
Another Country by James Baldwin
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Quote: “That way, you can begin to forgive yourself. That’s very important. If you don’t forgive yourself you’ll never be able to forgive anybody else and you’ll go on committing the same crimes forever”
Another Country by James Baldwin is a novel that explores the complexities of identity, love, and racial tension among a diverse group of characters in 1950s New York City. This was my first James Baldwin novel, but it certainly will not be my last. The prose are melodic and enjoyable to read, despite the challenging topics. I was moved by the themes of love, mental health, and race.
This book contains descriptions of suicide and domestic violence. Please take care of yourself while watching and visit the International Association for Suicide and The Hotline, respectively, for more resources.
What did you enjoy reading this month?
Joy Journal
Ordinary moments that made me smile.
Using the spray olive oil after using the defective avacado oil for so long.
When I looked up guidance on writing my postgrad admissions statement, I found an interview with the Head of Admissions/Chair of Visa Compliance at the university I am applying to.
I serenaded “I wanna hold your paw” to my cat, Apollo, and held his paw. Instead of pulling away, he held back.
Waking up to Apollo stretching and reaching for me.
Paying off my credit card statement.
Reading the letter of recommendation that Christina wrote.
Talking to Mom after my race.
Eating sandwiches riverside with my friends.
Seeing the colors at Mammoth Springs.
What ordinary moments made you smile this month?
Outfit of the Month
My Month in Photos
