Monday! We are back with our weekly list of distracting things. Today is day 33 of quarantine for me. I am not sure what to tell you. Overall, the weekend was pretty positive? I’ve settled into a new routine of solitude, with a semi-active social calendar thanks to my new best pal, Zoom. On Saturday evening, a friend hosted a Zoom book club to discuss Open Book. Yesterday I had a Zoom brunch with my old coworkers. Social interaction was really nice. It’s definitely helping. Though I reallllllly do just miss hugs.
Productivity ebbs and flows. On Saturday I did the most: vacuumed, scrubbed the bathroom, took out all the trash. On Sunday, I did the least. So much TV, a little bit of tears, a lot of moping. I got my period and had terrible cramps so just let myself be a ball of mush. There was a lot of media consumption, to say the least. It’s up and down.
ANYWAY – I watched a lot of mindless movies this weekend…here’s the full list.
Honestly, it went from good/medium to… worse?
- I started with Book Club (so cute, felt like a Nancy Meyers movie but isn’t!) on Friday night. I had seen it before but it’s very cute and has a fantastic cast.
- On Saturday I watched Sleeping with Other People with Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis. I actually ended up loving this one!
- Then I watched A Simple Favor on Amazon Prime on Saturday night. It was fine, but a little weird. Like a mix up of a thriller/comedy but not quite successful at either thing.
- On Sunday morning I watched Love Wedding Repeat on Netflix. It was fine but definitely not my fav. The premise is cute – a beautiful wedding in Rome with alternating endings depending on one small thing. If I’m being honest I am not sure why it’s trending on Netflix.
- And then I really just trashed it up last night with The Roommate on Netflix. Minka Kelly, Leighton Meester… pure 2011 goodness (or badness). Leighton plays Minka’s crazy roommate. It was distracting but definitely not great cinema.
In somewhat more intelligent news, I’ve also been reading No Filter, by Sarah Frier – the inside story of Instagram, out tomorrow! This book is a fascinating look at how Instagram was built. It is taking me longer to read (I’m only about 130 pages in) but I am really enjoying it and learning quite a bit. It’s been interesting learning the backstory on the app we all know and love so much!
PS – last week’s distractions and the best gooey chocolate almond flour cookies!
The Escape List Podcast
Becca turned me onto The Escape List this week! It’s a podcast dedicated to escaping, which is definitely the thing we all need right now. The hosts are deeeeply relatable (i.e. talking about zoom overload) and give you good ideas for how to escape/distract yourself. It’s short (the longest ep is 24 min), sweet, and fun. This week they talked about Little Fires Everywhere, cleaning tips, and more. I ordered the Tub O Towels last night, purely on their recommendation – can’t wait to spend my conference calls scrubbing the walls… consider me #influenced.
Cute (Non-Medical) Face Masks
Cute (Non-Medical) Face Masks
Okay so first of all (because talking about masks can be a sensitive subject) I want you to know that I don’t actually go anywhere. I haven’t been inside a building that is not my apartment since quarantine started. I’m extreeeemely fortunate in that I haven’t needed anything from the pharmacy and I get my groceries delivered, either from my fav CSA or Instacart.
So when I do go outside, it’s just for a walk in my neighborhood… never anywhere crowded. So I bought a few fabric masks as a precautionary measure. I ordered this cloth mask in a few patterns (the leopard is the best one though!) and my friend from high school makes these cute lips masks – I liked them so much that I got one for two of my best girlfriends. And it hasn’t arrived yet, but I also ordered this fun tie-dye mask! SO GOOD.
Bored Panda
A funny, v distracting site that will make you laugh is Bored Panda. This site is nothing new. It’s been around for ages and I’d definitely heard of it before but a friend of mine brought it back on my radar because of all its funny cat content!!! So many fun distractions.
It’s packed with amazingness like this roundup of funny cats on Snapchat, and this hilarious roundup of convenience store cats. They don’t just have cats… there are all sorts of animals… but cats are what I personally very much need right now!
At home workouts (And Gear)!
Okay so what is everyone doing for workouts? I have been really into Melissa Wood Health. I love that the workouts are short enough (I don’t get too distracted!) and manageable, but hard enough to notice a difference. Sometimes I will do Sky Ting’s live stream workouts, and I just discovered Ryan Heffington. He has the most amazing Instagram Live dance parties… I did one yesterday!
I would LOVE your recommendations for fav home workouts though... And I find that the key is to mix things up so that I don’t get too bored.
As for equipment: I already owned a yoga mat, strap, and two yoga bricks. I bought these resistance bands (recommended by Liz!) and love that they’re fabric (the plastic ones always slip and cut into me sometimes). Yesterday, I ordered a few more things: ankle weights, slider disks, this pilates circle, and these (oddly pretty!) bracelet wrist weights! (if it’s helpful for later, the “at home workouts” section of my Amazon Shop has all of these things linked!)
My favorite BRIGHT workout wear!
Cute workout gear is EVERYTHING. It motivates me and makes the whole thing more fun. I’m loving dressing myself as a human rainbow. It’s fun, it’s cheerful, and it makes my daily workouts much happier. The bright green OV set (top + leggings) is prob my personal fav!
clockwise from top left: All Access Leggings // Tory Sport Leggings // Girlfriend Collective Leggings // Outdoor Voices Zoom Leggings // Outdoor Voices Warmup Leggings // Tory Sport Cross-back Bra // Girlfriend Collective Sports Bra // S’well Water Bottle // Outdoor Voices Sports Bra // Outdoor Voices Crop Top // Amazon Dinosaur Airpod Case // Tory Sport Hoodie // Tory Sport Graphic Tee // adidas by Stella McCartney Sports Bra // Nike Neon Sports Bra
What is distracting you right now!?
Thanks for l these recs! It gives me some fun to dos for the week that keep me from thinking to much about everything going on. So appreciative . Btw, I’m loving Dr Bader.
Aw you’re so welcome!
Happy Monday! Hope you are well lovely x
Lisa | lisaautumn.com
I too am very confused why “Love, Wedding Repeat” is trending on Netflix. I honestly thought it was terrible and cringey!
Right!? I feel like I can no longer trust Netflix as it told me to watch that and The Roommate.
OMG thank you for sharing. Ordered the tie dye mask! Etsy has gotten overwhelming with face masks and I was paralyzed by all the options. I feel like I having 2-3 options is totally necessary if I’m going to embrace this mask life. We’re in an area with a lot less cases, but also a lot less options for grocery delivery. I’ve had to go into the store a couple of times, and holding my breath passing other customers is getting to be a bit much. I’ve learned I prefer to have about 3 bald eagles between me and another person vs. the recommended one — pre-covid me felt the same honestly, but she wasn’t an Olympic anxious breath-holding champion.
Oh good, I am so glad!!!!!! It’s super cute, I can’t wait for mine to come.
My absolute favorite, and most effective, distraction is the DJ D-Nice on IG Live. The BEST music is played and the comments are so great! The tracks he plays are beyond!! He is often raising money for healthcare workers or doing something positive. The community that listens has created bingo cards based on stuff that D-Nice says and does. It is hilarious. It is my favorite virtual community, hands down.
Ooh thank you so much for the rec! I’ve never heard of this!!!! Will check out today. 🙂
Yay! Thanks for the recs. I just bought the tie-dye mask! 🙂 Your posts are always appreciated… thanks for putting in the work. Wishing you a peace filled Monday!
Yay! It’s so cute – can’t wait for mine to come. And you’re welcome, thanks for the kind note!
Just ordered two face masks from the Etsy shop where you got your leopard one, thanks for the link!
Oh good! Mine shipped so quickly (I got stripes and donuts too!)
Again, LOVE these posts. I just ordered some face masks… and *need* that dinosaur AirPods case to come back in stock!!! I’ve never felt so strongly about anything in my life.
I’ve been distracting myself by watching movies I loved as a child and they’re all so terrible but also the best. Now and Then, Sister Act 2, Clueless (which is actually just good), Labyrinth, Clue, Speed, Home Alone, all the 90’s Disney movies… it has been so fun. I think I might even do a theme night this week and order food based on the movie I watch.
Oh! I didn’t even realize it was out of stock!!!! That’s funny. FYI, searching “silicone animal airpods case” on Amazon will yield some pretty great finds.
So glad you are enjoying these posts! And THANK YOU for the list of movies – these are all making me feel very nostalgic, I may have to copy. 🙂
I’ve seen on Bored Panda before and lemme just say, it’s addictive. Same with TikTok. Not great when I’m trying to work haha! ❤️✨
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
Agreed!!!! TikTok is so distracting! Hope you have a great week, Charmaine.
First of all, your recommendation convinced me to listen to Jessica Simpson’s audiobook, and I am surprised by how much I like it. So thank you for that tip. I might have to checkout the book about Instagram as well. I find glimpses into Silicon Valley fascinating. Did you ever read Bad Blood about Elizabeth Smart? That was another fascinating peak behind the curtain of Silicon Valley, although with worse results.
Second, in terms of at home workouts I really like Kit Rich. She comes from a pilates background. On her Youtube channel she just finished posting a live 14 day workout series.
Third, one distraction I plan on trying is Legos. I am taking my inspiration for this activity from my niece who loves Legos. I bought a set of Harry Potter Legos to try out.
omg good – it’s soooo juicy!!!!! I never would have picked it up on my own either! The instagram book is fascinating. Such an interesting behind the scenes look at how they built it. I haven’t read Bad Blood but I watched all the documenataries. So haven’t been sure I should still read?
And LEGOS… genius!!!! Enjoy!
I did the opposite of you and only read about Elizabeth Smart instead of watching the documentaries. I am not sure the book is as worth it if you already know the story. One thing that might make the book worth it is that it is written by the journalist who broke the story. The book is not only about the story, but also what led to breaking the story. It’s in a similar vein as She Said and Ronan Farrow’s book about Harvey Weinstein.
Haha that’s so funny. Yeah I feel like the book is probably the better option but the docs were fun!
PS – Just realized – it’s Elizabeth Holmes not Smart! I think Elizabeth Smart is the girl who was kidnapped!
I listened to your podcast episode about Open Book and it was so good!! You ladies were so funny. I also LOVED that book so much. Anyways!! I love all of that bright workout gear and your cute masks. I also hope that you are feeling better today too. 🙂
Oh my gosh good, I’m so glad you enjoyed that!!!!
Your blog has been a great distraction for me! I’ve also been cooking…a lot. I am in the middle of reading the nightingale and it’s such a great distraction and one of my favorite reads ever. My hands down favorite yoga person is yoga with Adrienne on youtube. I have never come across a video of hers that I don’t like.
I am so so happy to hear that!!! That’s my goal! 🙂
Love yoga with adrienne! I always forget about her.
Also – The Nightingale was SO GOOD!!!!!
Thanks for the recs! I just spent a good amount of time on Bored Panda laughing and feeling my heart swell.
I contemplated watching The Roommate this weekend and passed on it but now I’m thinking I should give it a go. I do love Leighton… You’ve convinced me to watch Sleeping with Other People though!
Yeah I think that’s a pass. But Sleeping With Other People was SO cute!!!!
Love the pic of you and your plant…that’s me ALL the time! I love plants but seems to have a black thumb 🙁 Thanks for the tips and love to read your reader’s tip…jamming to the DJ D-Nice playlist!
I can’t wait to listen to that!
I agree on a simple favor but Blake Lively’s wardrobe- soo good!
You are absolutely right!!!! SO good. And THAT CLOSET!
I HATE working out at home. But I knew I had to, so I’m making the most of it…
Marnie Alton from Barre Belle is so great I think I might subscribe to her program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gAiGNKain4
Ah! There’s a dance cardio video I did yesterday that I loved, but now I’ve lost it! I’ll find it and send to you. It was super fun.
My studio is doing some at-home videos, so that’s mostly what I’ve been doing. I want to try Tracy Anderson, but the lack of talking intimidates me a little…
I tried to get a Peloton yesterday because I miss spinning so much, but it’s a six-week delivery time here right now. I’m really hoping I’m back at my studio in six weeks!
Hang in there!! It’s good to be mush sometimes!!
Oooh I will check her out! Yeah, it’s not my fav either but I always feel so much better when I do it!!!! You hang in there, too! XO
I’ve been doing the Daily Burn 365 workouts! They have a free 30 day trial period. Everyday they pick a different 30 minute workout. There are a bunch of different trainers who teach everything from barre to yoga to HIIT to tabata to cardio kickboxing and more. The trainers never go in a predictable order, which is nice. Right now they’re doing “encore” episodes from their archives instead of filming them live everyday like normal (even when they’re filming daily you can stream at any point in the day!). They start out with a little motivational talk–there’s a theme every week so they chat about that. There’s also a pretty active Facebook community group, although I haven’t checked it out myself. I love it because they switch it up so I feel like I get a good mix of styles and workouts without having to put in any effort to come up with a plan myself haha.
Oh that sounds great! Thank you so much for the rec!
One of my Orangetheory coaches is running Instagram live daily workouts – no equipment required. It’s $5 a day. @ren_mauro
She does the entire workout with you so it sort of feels like you’re in it with someone else. They are brutally amazing.
Oh I love that! Thanks for the rec!!!
Pumpsandiron.com (website and you tube) Nicole has a ton of at-home workouts that are usually circuit-based. She has bodyweight and equipment workouts so you’ll be set before and after your new gear arrives!
Oooh thank you for the rec! Appreciated!
Love your blog, very personal. Gonna follow you!
I watched Love, Wedding, Repeat and had the same thoughts! I wanted so much more from it, it wasn’t great. I’ve gone back and forth about Sleeping With Other People, but now I’m going to watch it, I think I needed someone to tell me to go ahead and do it, haha. Thanks! My oldest daughter is a freshman in college and has us doing Chloe Ting’s workouts, we started yesterday and they are good. So sore, but in a good way 😉
Watch it! It’s not great cinema but it’s cute and entertaining!!!!
Will have to look into Chloe Ting, thank you for the suggestion!
Never was I happier that my partner got Google’s Stadia Cloud Gaming Service. Not a gamer myself but then he showed me Just Dance and we have been having little dance off competitions in the living room. You just hold your phone as a controller and it is a cloud service so you do not have to add a bulky game console to your home. Also admittedly I have already danced to all the Katy Perry songs on there!
Haha that sounds so fun!!!!