Little Things in Lockdown Vol. 3

Last week I submitted my dissertation and officially finished all my assignments for my bachelor’s degree! Yes, nearly 19 years of education wrapped up on a random Saturday afternoon in my bedroom. This isn’t exactly how I intended to end my degree: I guess the celebrating will have to wait until things are a little less dystopian. What’s next? Well, a global pandemic has only rendered job hunting more difficult. So, for the time being, I’m trying to avoid having an existential crisis and instead, I’m relishing the downtime, and working my way through some online courses. Otherwise, here are a few other little things bringing me joy in lockdown.

W A T C H I N G

Netflix’s dark comedy Dead to Me returned with season 2 and Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini once again prove that together, they are an unstoppable force. This season’s writing peeled back so many layers of their complex characters, and the hilarity and the suspense were at an apex. Like last year, they left us with, quite honestly, a cruel cliffhanger given that we’ve now got to wait over a year for season 3.

I also recently flew through my first K-drama: Crash Landing on You is the best series I’ve watched this year. The rom-com follows Ye Ri, a South Korean heiress who gets whirled away in a paragliding accident to North Korea and accidentally crash-lands on the treetops of a forest of the demilitarized zone. There, she is rescued by North Korean soldier, Ri Jeong Hyeok, and his ragtag group of subordinates. As Ri Jeong brings her into his home to protect her and plan for her transport back to the South, so begins a fated Romeo-and-Juliet romance. After a bizarre first episode, the series evolves into a dazzling story with comedy weaved in at every opportunity, hilarious supporting characters, and an unpredictable plot to keep you on your toes.

R E A D I N G

Over the weekend I finished reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, a book that I wanted to pick up for years. I have never read anything like it. It’s a multigenerational saga of the Buendía family in the isolated town of Macondo featuring reincarnating gypsies, civil wars, familial incest, the list goes on. I’m lost for words.

Now, I’m reading Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library having been lucky enough to receive an eARC from NetGalley:

“Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived.”

Despite having an advanced copy (and trying to restrain myself from buying more books), I’m tempted to treat myself to the signed exclusive copy from Waterstones because the cover is simply stunning.

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Finally, I plan on starting A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne, a book I’m sure I will love having adored The Heart’s Invisible Furies last summer. This book chronicles the life story of an aspiring author who will stop at nothing to pursue his goals.

W E A R I N G

One product I’ve religiously been using recently is Nuxe’s Dry Oil Huile Prodigieuse: a multi-purpose oil for face, body, and hair. This little bottle has been a saving grace for my dull skin. In the morning, I mix it into my moisturiser and it leaves my skin glowing without looking greasy.

L I S T E N I N G

During lockdown, I’m racing through podcasts, and You’re Booked by Daisy Buchanan is my latest discovery. This is the perfect podcast for ‘literary nosy parkers’ who would love the chance to snoop around their favourite authors’ bookshelves. I’m working my way through the archives and my reading list is growing exponentially.

Also, ‘Grounded with Louis Theroux’ is a new addition to the podcast world. Each week sees an excellent hour of story-swapping, intelligent celebrity interviews, and the odd technical mishap.

What are you loving during lockdown?

Catch up on my previous Little Things in Lockdown here.

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