Captivations is a bi-monthly post with links, stories, and news that captivated me. This series went on a hiatus (the last post was in February), so here’s a big update!
Recap – What’s happened since February
It has been a weird year of blogging so far, but we’re still here! Slower, more intentional, and hopefully the most impactful. Since February, life has been…volunteering, a taco food tour, a friends’ wedding, cookbook clubs, mahjong meetups, a big trip to the Philippines, World Cup watching, reading, and a summer of hot dogs, to keep it short.
Curious – time flies, how do you keep track of your days?
Watching
You might know I watch a lot of TV. Besides World Cup matches, here’s what I’ve watched this year and recommend.
- Stranger Things (Netflix) – The 5th and final season came out. Can you believe it’s been 10 years since the first episode? They wrapped up the show nicely.
- The Pitt (HBO) – Season 2 of this award-winning show came out this spring. It’s one of my favorite shows. If you like medical dramas, this one will captivate you and give you a stressful, in-depth look at what it’s like in an ER.
- Shrinking (Apple TV) – The 3rd and final season of Shrinking was released. This is a feel-good, hits-deep kind of show that focuses on chosen family.
- People We Meet on Vacation (Netflix) – A lovely movie adaptation from one of my favorite authors, Emily Henry. This sweet romance is about friends to lovers.
- Off-Campus (Prime) – I’m obsessed with this college hockey romance show. It’s not just college kids falling in love. It’s a show that depicts healthy relationship habits and healing. But yes, there are also good-looking guys playing hockey.
- Rooster (HBO) – This drama-comedy stars Steve Carell as the lead. He takes a writer-in-residence job at a college to be near his daughter, whose marriage is ending.
Social Exhaustion
Are you introverted or extroverted? If you’re more introverted like I am, you have to recharge from too much socialization. If you’re feeling it, here’s a list for you. Pro tip: build these habits into your life. For me, I read every day, and I try to limit myself to one or two friend outings a week.
Epic Adventures in Every State
Need some travel inspiration? This list on Afar shares some epic adventures. With America’s 250th birthday, there’s been a big focus on things to see and do in the country. The World Cup is happening in multiple US cities right now, adding to the press around great sights!
Simple
On the other side of making memories, going to work, and doing all the things, are people who are feeling overwhelmed. I like this list of 6 things we can do to make things simpler. It shares ways to slow down and be present in the midst of all the things. Like this little note.
I also feel this Substack article about being online deeply. As someone who has lived a lot of life online (this blog is 13+ years old), it’s a reminder to connect with people in real life and find inspiration outside of the screen.
Single 40s
I know a handful of people in their 30s and 40s who aren’t married. It’s a typical occurrence. This article reminds us why that is ok, even cool. I’ve thought about this, though – where are the matches for my friends?
How to Be Happy
Finland is the happiest country in the world. What is it? These four things help:
- Work-life balance
- Access to nature
- Learning new skills
- High trust
Overall, it’s a feeling of contentment and satisfaction over happiness. Maybe if we lower expectations, take responsibility for our own happiness, and acknowledge gratitude for the small things, we’ll see more satisfaction every day.
Space
Have you seen these photos the Artemis II mission took?
Are you emotionally mature?
This list of 8 habits might be something we all need. Conflict and disagreement will happen. How do you react? Can you work through the emotions in your mind and body?
The Cost of AI
Elsie Larson wrote this article about AI that echoes how I feel. We use AI too freely. I know it can speed up work and help generate ideas, but what do we lose? Is using it training our brains to think less? Will it affect how creative we are in the long run? How will these shortcuts change the way we think, do, and expect? Is it teaching us to devalue human work and creativity? Will our work start looking and sounding the same? I don’t have answers, but it’s a good conversation topic!
5 Things I Love Lately
- Summer – not the heat and mosquitoes, but the overall easy-going vibes
- Bakeries – so many new ones in Austin!
- Gardening – watching food grow from seeds
- Watermelon – find the smallest blossom end, and you’ll find the best one
- World Cup – I can bandwagon most sports, and the series has had some good games
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