Shit Blue Said

Happy Friday loves! This weekend I'll be celebrating a very special occasion- it's Blue's birthday! In honor of this event, I'm sharing some of the odd and wonderful snippets of shit she's said in the last couple of months. Enjoy! 

Blue: I had a threesome with Ben and Jerry’s last week. I felt a little shame.

Me: Never feel shame.

Blue: Well I called Ben Jerry and it got a lil weird.

On the radio, Cake's "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" transitions into Thirty Seconds to Mars' "Dangerous Night"...

Blue: What?! They’re putting on this pussy ass emo shit? Fuckin millennials. It’s all their fault! Stealing jobs, stealing my joy...

On G-chat...
Me: I spilled my soup all over my pants and part of Marisa's chair just trying to open the damn can. And now I spilled water everywhere trying to wet the napkin to clean it. It looks like I sharted on this stupid chair.
Blue: You try soap or club soda or something the bloggers would say to use?
Me: No I tried water and paper napkin because that's what I had.
Blue: Bring a lil laundry dog
dog not dog
goddamn it detergent

Blue: That was the night we met [our friend] Soul! She had a big ass mustache and I was like okkkaaaaaayyyy...

Soul: I got my mustache from strangers lol.

Blue: You should probably get that checked. 

Blue: I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
Me: I think that ship has sailed.
Blue: Nu-uh. [Our friend] Michele started a new career as a dental hygienist at 47.
Me: What was she before?
Blue: 46.


One-liner of the month: Blue: Wondering if I'll be able to get a good deal on a bulk supply of Patience on Amazon Prime Day. 

All read and approved by Blue before posting.

You can find other Shit Blue Said here: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol.3, Vol. 4, Vol. 5, Vol. 6, Vol. 7, Vol. 8, Vol. 9

10 on 10: Books/TV Shows/Movies

Today I'm sharing ten "entertainment" things I'm into right now with Erin at Simple Purposeful Living! Though the prompt calls for 10 books/shows/podcasts, I don't listen to any podcasts so I shared movies, and to keep it short, I'm doing a mixed 10 list! Here are some of my favorites and recommendations from this year. 

Books

Little Fires Everywhere- Celeste Ng
This was the first I've read by Celeste Ng, and I finally understand all the hype. I loved how this story unfolded. I loved the writing style and language. I loved how it tackled a very difficult and realistic issue and the different viewpoints the story was told from. I wish that some of the side stories wrapped up differently, but I understand why they did not. I will definitely be picking up Ng's other novel!


Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine- Gail Honeyman
I really liked how Honeyman dropped hints at why Eleanor was the way she was rather than just coming out and saying it all at once. Though she was abrupt and even rude at times, I could understand why she was the way she was, which made me like her quirks, even if others didn't quite "get" her. I also really liked how it was told in the first person, so we could really see what was going on in her head. I definitely did not see that twist at the end though! 

Simon vs. The Homo Sapien's Agenda- Becky Albertalli
I'm not sure exactly how to describe my love for this book. I've always enjoyed books that have phone texts, letters, or email snippets in them, so that definitely added to it. I thought Albertalli did a really great job portraying the male perspective too; I had no idea the author was female. I liked not knowing who Blue was for the majority of it, and that ending! This is one that I will definitely re-read, and probably purchase, and that's saying a lot since I don't remember the last time I actually bought a book! 


And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer- Frederik Backman
This novella is beautiful. I was a little confused when I started it because the scenery kept changing, but once I understood what was happening and where they were, it all made sense and I was able to truly enjoy it. I can't say much else without giving it away because it's super short (96 pages), but it's one of those books that I want to own and re-read.


The Roanoke Girls- Amy Engel
Hard to admit I really liked such a messed up story, but it was so twisted and well written. Engel just punches you in the gut sometimes and I had to read passages a few times thinking "wait... did that seriously just happen?" especially in the beginning.  Even with all of the sickening actions/behaviors, I remained fully engrossed and invested in the characters.


TV Shows

The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 (Hulu)- I'd read the book and watched Season 1, but the show ended at the same place as the book, so I was curious to see where it would go in Season 2. 

WestWorld Season 2 (HBO)- Holy mindf*ck. I seriously have to Google reviews/recaps after the episodes because half the time I'm really confused, but it's so well done. If you're looking for a show where you may have to actually think, I'd recommend this one. 

Queer Eye Season 2 (Netflix)- This one may as well be called Cry Eye, because I seriously cry in almost every episode! And it's so hard not to binge watch this show, but I did manage to make it last 2 weeks. I honestly didn't want it to end! In a world of negative news, this was the feel good show of the summer. 

* Sharp Objects- I read the book, so I've been really looking forward to see how it would play out on TV. So far, I'm loving this mini-series on HBO. But I've only watched one episode, so I can't really say it's a favorite just yet. Fingers crossed though! 


Movies

Coco (Netflix)- I thought I knew about traditional Mexican holiday, The Day of the Dead, but apparently there's a lot more to it than I thought! I also thought the trailer looked a bit cheesey, but I loved that there was so much heart in this movie, and I definitely teared up in parts. Plus, I'm a sucker for a happy ending! 

Black Panther- I was on the fence about this one, as in, I didn't really want or care to see it. But I wanted to see Avengers: Infinity Wars and he was in it, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Man, am I glad that I did! It was so much better than I expected! And I really loved the two female leads! 

What are some your your favorite books/movies/TV/songs right now? I'm always looking for recommendations!

Looking for more? Check out my other entertainment recommendations here! 

Show Us Your Books- June

It's the most wonderful time of the month! I had a fairly good reading month, with two great reads and a dud that I'm glad I read because I really wanted to, even if it wasn't that good. Also, I've completely changed most of my picks for Erin's Challenge. Luckily there's no penalization for these changes, and I'm already two down! Woot! 

Unrelated, I hate disqus. It still won't sync my comments, and I keep getting an error. I've deleted/reinstalled it twice and this KEEPS happening. Is anyone else getting this error? HALP! "WARNING: Check your Blogger settings ...we could not test your blog's settings...To prevent this, go to Blogger → Settings → Comments and set... to Anyone." Which it is set to. I don't understand. 

Anyway... onward to the books! 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine- Gail Honeyman: 4 Stars
library ebook/library hardcover

I really liked how Honeyman dropped hints at why Eleanor was the way she was rather than just coming out and saying it all at once. Though she was abrupt and even rude at times, I could understand why she was the way she was, which made me like her quirks, even if others didn't quite "get" her. I also really liked how it was told in the first person, so we could really see what was going on in her head. I definitely did not see that twist at the end though! 

" Some people, weak people, fear solitude. What they fail to understand is that there's something very liberating about it; once you realize that you don't need anyone, you can take care of yourself. That's the thing: it's best just to take care of yourself. You can't protect other people, however hard you try. You try, and you fail, and your world collapses around you, burns down to ashes." 280

"...Ignus aurum probat. 'Fire tests gold.' The rest of the phrase: '...and adversity tests the brave.' How true." 308

"Supportive. Supportive meant...what did it mean? It meant caring about my welfare, it meant wanting the best for me. It meant laundering my soiled sheets and making sure I got home safely and buying me a ridiculous balloon when I was feeling sad." 

Love and Other Consolation Prizes- Jamie Ford: 4 Stars
library hardcover

The story is told in flashbacks by Ernest Young. We see Ernest as a young orphan boy shipped off to the promised land only to be sold to the highest bidder- a Madam at a local brothel. And then we see him today, with his two daughters and lovesick over his wife's dementia, trying desperately to keep his wife's former profession under wraps from his news-reporter daughter, who's doing a piece on the 1909 World's Fair before the upcoming one. Beautifully written, but extremely bittersweet and left me wanting more from what happened between then and now.

"Ernest searched the crowd for someone, anyone to come forward- to shout and holler, to wave his or her hat int he air. But no one appeared. And his mother was gone forever. Ernest felt utterly alone in a gathering of fashionable strangers." 61

"He kept his mouth shut and took a deep breath, exhaling from a place in his chest that ached with sadness and longing. He couldn't bring himself to speak about the things he wanted, either for himself or for the people he loved, so he turned away. He pretended to be interested om a display of fur coats made from mink and fox, though he couldn't look at them without remembering the wild and beautiful things that had been trapped to make them." 211

Smothered- Autumn Chiklis: 2.5 stars
Netgalley

I requested this book because I thought it would be relatable. Though I'm no longer a recent college graduate, I was once and I too had an overbearing mother and had to move home after graduation because I didn't have a job lined up. I also really enjoy YA novels. This read more like YA than adult fiction, even if it was about a college graduate, yet it was completely unrelatable. Six months after graduating, she still had only applied to one job. She wallowed away every day whining about she couldn't find a job without actively seeking one out. There was no real plot. I also didn't like any of the characters. They all seemed like  rich and self-entitled brats (including the mother) with the exception of Theo, who was the only one who seemed even remotely "real." The journal-style formatting and the addition of medical reports, texts, and articles made it a quick read, but I literally had to put this down for a bit because I was so tired of her incessant complaining and juvenile behavior. 

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.



Currently reading: Summer Sisters- Judy Blume

What are you reading?

What's New With Me: June

June was a craaaazy busy month, but that's because it's finally SUMMER and time to get outside after the endless drone of winter and the non-existent spring. We kicked it off with free VIP tickets to the JerseyFest Food Truck Mash-Up (thanks Michael!). Blue and I stopped attending these because though the food trucks were good, the lines were certainly not, and sometimes they ran out of food before you even got to try it. But with these tickets we got in 2 hours before everyone else and some specialty dishes. Plus, we finally learned how to do it right from prior experience. Not only did we split everything we tried, but we brought tupperware to bring home even more good eats for dinner. Here's some other stuff that happened in June...

BOOK CON! I attended my first NY BookCon and it was awesome! So many books, and authors, and fellow book nerds all in one place! If you've ever been to a comic con it was kind of like that, except with books and literary swag. My favorite parts were getting to hear James Patterson and Bill Clinton talk about the book "The President is Missing," a panel with Rainbow Rowell and Charles Soule called "Marvel: From Pose to Panels" co-presented with NY ComicCon about the similarities and differences between writing novels vs. graphic novels, and "The Reel Real" panel about the process and what's it's like having your book turned into a movie with Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give), Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapien's Agenda/Love, Simon), Lauren Oliver (Delirium series), and Soman Chainani (The School for Good and Evil series). Oh, I also got Sarah Morgan to sign a free copy of her latest book, "Holiday in the Hamptons." It was such a fun experience! 

We went to see Vertical Horizon, Tonic and the Gin Blossoms perform at a local theater turned venue. Be still my 90's loving heart! They had so much energy and were just as fantastic as they were back then (minus Robin Wilson... he was lacking, but everyone else totally made up for it). 

Blue and I attended the PopSugar Play/Ground, which promised to be fun pop-up weekend (with single day passes available) filled with yoga by Kayla Itsines, panel discussions with Mindy Kaling, Kate Hudson, Arianna Huffington, and Tiffany Haddish among others, shopping, free makeovers, and concerts by Tinashe and AlunaGeorge. It was not fun. It was a hot mess, which I should have known because even the online schedule was a disaster. Honestly I should have known when I read the description for one of the panels described as a "talk about owning your smart-girl self." It was very, very YOUNG (think early 20's- I'm 34...) and very crowded. I think we stayed for 2 hours (including the panel discussion). I'm glad that we went (no FOMO here), but ecstatic that I was able to get tickets for $20 instead of $70. 

I think the best part was that afterwards we found this tiny Southern comfort food brunch spot  called Spoonfed NYC serving up fried okra, grits, and fried chicken and waffles. 

I joined my mom at Trinity Church for a Pulse Nightclub memorial mass and reception, and on the way back found some really cool recent murals near the Oculus. 

Michael joined me for a night at Gulliver's Gate. I first heard about from my friend who builds models there. Basically it's an entire world of miniatures. And yes, I mean literally the world. There was a New Year's Parade in China, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, the Sphinx in Egypt, even the Muslims on their pilgrimage to Mecca. My favorite parts were the interactive ones though; they give you a key to insert in certain places and you can make Santa and his reindeer circle a mountain, raise and lower the London Bridge, and even get your face to appear in Niagara Falls! You also get a "passport" that has things to look for in each location (like the Beatles crossing Abbey Road in London, pictured below). If you are in the NYC area, I HIGHLY recommend checking it out! 

I had to take 8 days off from work or lose them by June 30th, so I didn't work any Mondays or Fridays the whole month. I can't say I did a whole lot during that time besides rest and relaxation, but I did redo my bedroom (does anyone else remember doing this as a kid/teen?) and purging a whole lot of stuff. That pic below was the second Vietnam Veteran pick-up this month! I'm really happy with my room now; I feel like I'm finally utilizing the space well and everything has a place. (Sidenote: when you move your bed, waking up and not seeing the same view you wake up to every day is very disorienting.)

Always good eats- sliders, seafood Paella Valencia, personal pizza, and classic mac n cheese for national cheese day. 

We celebrated some birthdays with day drinks at a local bar, my friends came in from Denver for a short weekend trip and I met them in NYC, and I saw some old coworkers turned friends for dinner at my favorite Portuguese restaurant.

The month ended with a quick trip down to Key West, FL for my friend Kathy's wedding. It was extremely hot, but the ceremony was short and the food was great and after the reception we all went out to Irish Kevin's and danced the night away... until my shoe literally fell apart (pictured below) and I hobbled back to the hotel in one shoe. Also of note: they had a mac and cheese AND a mashed potato bar which is something I've always wanted for my wedding. It was as amazing as I thought it would be. Also, check out that Cheeseburger in Paradise wedding cake (ya know, because of Jimmy Buffett)! It was alternating layers of vanilla and chocolate with cream filling. Nom. 

That's it for me. What's new with you?

Linking up with Kristen! 

TBB Asks: Vacation Edition

1. Will you go on vacation this year?

Yes! On it now in Key West, Florida!

2. Do nothing but relax or pack it all in?

Usually we go on 2 vacations a year, one for relaxation and one where I try to do and see allthethings!

3. What month do you like to go on vacation?

March (to warm up after winter) and December for my birthday. 

4. Cruise yes or no?

YES but I haven’t been on one in a few years.

5. Favorite vacation tradition?

I always take a vacation for my birthday. I pick the place and itinerary and it’s the best!

6. Most memorable vacation?

Probably India as it was for a wedding and we had a MAJOR snafu getting to/from the Tah Mahal. But my first trip with Blue to Puerto Rico was memorable as I got to introduce her to family and new experiences like swimming with sea turtles and exploring a bioluminescent bay.

7. Pack light or pack it all?

I used to pack it all but now I pack specific outfits with one extra “just in case.”

8. Hotel, condo, or house?

Hotel or Air bnb for short trips.

9. Favorite things to eat on vacation?

Whatever the local fare is. For example, I’ve been eating mostly fish/seafood in Key West, beignets and gumbo in New Orleans, saag paneer in India... you get the idea.

10. Warm or cold destination?

Preferably warm, though that’s not always the case in December, and my next international vacation will be Iceland which will definitely not be warm no matter what time of year we go!

What was your favorite vacation?

Linking up with The Blended Blog!