From Anne Shirley-Cuthbert to Chickpeas: January Favorites
“Do you know that there's a halfway world between each ending and each new beginning? It's called the hurting time, Jean Perdu. It's a bog; it's where your dreams and worries and forgotten plans gather. Your steps are heavier during that time. Don't underestimate the transition, Jeanno, between farewell and new departure. Give yourself the time you need. Some thresholds are too wide to be taken in one stride.”
Nina George wrote that in her novel The Little Paris Bookshop. It's a beautiful book.
January, I am happy to report, was the month I left my own halfway world. I read six novels. I watched lots of movies and created a (semi) consistent yoga routine. I saw my friends and had people to eat lunch with. Play rehearsals are well underway, I'm finding unexpected friends in timid freshmen and too-cool-for-school sophomores, my competence in math is gradually (slowly) improving. The space between May and December of 2019 was my wide threshold; I feel that I'm finally crossing it, with bold strides to boot. In short, January was dazzling. I'm so glad I live in a place where halfway worlds are given permission to fade into memory - here are my favorites from this month.
Books
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. You've got to start out a new year with a period piece. In our 2020 of Hydro Flasks and global warming, it's refreshing to look back to a time of swing and drop-waist silhouettes. Nick, the narrator, is boring as hell, but once you get passed that, the novel is actually pretty dandy. Look out for chapter seven - I find it to be incredibly well written. Like, wowza. This was a text assigned by my dear English teacher, but I wish we could talk about themes different from the American Dream. It would be cool to talk about the divergence between love and infatuation instead, wouldn't it?
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Picture it. It's the fourth grade, and the teacher announces Friday will be a movie day. Every one else in the class votes for Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters, but you vote for 1985's Anne of Green Gables. Shockingly, the teacher goes with your suggestion. Halfway through the movie, however, everyone else is complaining so much that she ejects the disk and starts a new film. You are devastated. Ah, the wild woes of childhood! This book is a nostalgic masterpiece, rich with fantastic quotes, humor, and sorrow.
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Greta Gerwig inspired me to read this. Need I say more?
Films
- Little Women, directed and written by Greta Gerwig. It is touching.
- Little Women, directed and written by Greta Gerwig. It is beautiful.
- Little Women, directed and written by Greta Gerwig. It is a must-see.
- Marriage Story, directed and written by Noah Baumbach (Gerwig and Baumbach... talk about a power couple, yeesh). This movie made me cry about three times, but somehow, I felt happy at the end. The performances, particularly those by Adam Driver and Laura Dern, are phenomenal.
Shows
- Anne with an E. I am terribly angry this show has been cancelled, because it's transformed into one of my very favorites. Amidst the sea of angsty teen dramas (Riverdale) and storms of sci-fi (Stranger Things), this show is a breath of fresh air. It's incredibly pure and innocent at the core, but is infused with issues relevant to today's world. A delightful blend, if you ask me.
- This isn't exactly a show, but the Hollywood Reporter's Actors Roundtables on YouTube is fantastic. It's so interesting to hear from different actors, directors, and writers about their own experiences and the film art form itself.
Music
- Suit and Jacket, Judah and the Lion
- Before You Go, Lewis Capaldi
- Dirty Paws, The Head and the Heart
- Funky Duck, Vulfpeck
- Meet Me In The Woods, Lord Huron
- Red Barchetta, Rush (R.I.P, Neil Peart. Thank you for being such a big part of my life)
- Underneath the Stars, performed by VOCES8 (yay for choir tunes!)
Fashion
- Hair scarves. I'm mildly obsessed with hair scarves at the moment. I thrifted one from Goodwill a few weeks ago with ducks all over it. Thus, I turn up to school most days looking like a duck-loving farm girl - I'm not mad about it.
- Layering everything. It goes without saying that January is a typically brisk month. To keep warm, I tend to layer turtlenecks under t-shirts, or tights underneath jeans. Also, wearing multiple pairs of socks is always fun.
Food
- Molly Yeh's Braised Chickpeas with Squash. This takes a little time to make, but oh boy is it delicious. Meant to mimic the savory umami of a braised brisket, this vegetarian dish has fabulous flavors and textures. My family's had it about three times in the last two weeks. We can't get enough.
- (A Proper Brew Of...) Yorkshire Tea with a dash of milk. I didn't used to like black tea all that much, but this month, it really spoke to me. It's so nice. So, so nice. I drink it and pretend to be a proper English lady instead of studying for chemistry more often than I'd care to admit.
Quote
Always be kinder than you feel.
People
I don't exactly have favorite people, but I would like to thank the people who made this month so lovely for me. Thank you to Lily and Cornelia and Emma for spending time with me. Austyn and Genevieve, thank you for all of our lunches on the bench by the school door. Maya, Cal, and Luke, you are my favorite fake siblings of all time. And to everyone else in our production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Lianna, Ryan, Jackson, everyone - it is a pleasure to work with you. Thank you for making this month sunshine-y.
A Dose of Advise
High school is a wacky time - I think I've made that quite clear on this here blog. And some things rather prevalent in high school culture are dating, crushes, flirting... the like. Here's my amateur love advice to all zero of you who asked: don't chase after people. Don't make yourself a fool for other people or play small. Just spend your time being you, accomplishing your dreams, and improving day by day in every way. If people are to be in your life, whether that be in a friendship, a courtship, or any other kind of relationship, you shouldn't have to change yourself. I'm tired of watching my friends, typically girls (but really everyone), morphing into new people for the sake of others. People will come and go from your life. But you? You'll be in your life for always. Take care you remain true to who you are.
I am looking forward to what February will bring. I'm pretty sure I have four auditions, which is a little overwhelming, but I'm excited nonetheless. Show week should be marvelous. Book wise, four more novels should be complete by the time March rolls around (I'll keep you posted).
When an eyelash falls out, I wish on it, just for fun. One fell as I was writing this conclusion. Here's my wish: for the month ahead to be yours for the taking.
Until next time,
Maya
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