MONTHLY MISSIVE: JULY

Photo by Christoph Peich on Unsplash

---

July has been slow in the best possible way - I've spent so many days just lazing about with a book or hanging out with friends doing nothing. It's been super nice to have a month where I've just been able to wander aimlessly, make spontaneous plans, and go on adventures with no real itinerary beyond "I've heard there's cool stuff here, let's explore it". I've gone to fantastic public theatre performance, wine tours, concerts, art nights and so so many little hole in the wall restaurants and shops and have been loving every minute of it. Venture beyond the cut for a full list of things I've loved this month, online and off.

• Praying by Kesha - As well as everything else by Kesha, ever. This music video made me cry so many tears, and the song is phenomenal.
• In Store Playlists - File this under things I never knew I needed; someone has been collecting the In Store Playlists from the Gap between 1992-2006. It's a trip and a half to look through these.
• Lust For Life - Lana Del Rey is definitely a #problematicfav if there ever was one, but I've always liked her sound, and her latest album does not disappoint. I'm totally in love with Love, with it's dreamy synths and pulsing guitar, it's probably one of my most-played tracks recently. I'm also super digging the Dazed features on her history of nostalgic Americana branding and what it's meant to pop culture.
• Music Videos - I've been mostly bored by music videos for the past few years (with a few obvious exceptions), but after the aforementioned Praying brilliance I've been really getting into them again. I've read an bunch of articles analyzing recent music video releases, some of my favourites being this article on Katy Perry's Chained to the Rhythm, this piece on witchy feminism in modern pop videos, and Pitchfork's analysis of Charli XCX's Boys video.
• Sound and Vision - Such an incredible Bowie homage, I was utterly captivated.
• Codenames - I finally got the chance to play this a few days ago and let me tell you it totally deserves the crazy amount of praise it's been getting. It's so fun!
• Title Sequences - I'd never really thought too deeply on TV title sequences - I have a tendency of fast forwarding when I can and zoning out when I can't - but since reading this article I've been totally fascinated.
• Stranger Things 2 - The new "Thriller" trailer has me super hyped. I cannot wait til October, this is going to be so good. Also, someone made this.
• 1970s Stock Photos - Need I say more?
• What It's Like To Be A Woman At A Tech Conference - An insightful and funny look at being a woman in a male dominated industry.
• Why Business Leaders Need To Read More Science Fiction - I mean, I am of the opinion that everyone should read more science fiction, always, but I love the points this article makes about the ways that science fiction can inspire real progress.
• Well Researched Articles on Global Warming - Because we all need to be informed on this. I loved this piece in New York Magazine, and I loved this analysis of it from The Atlantic even more.
• Bellwether's Vintage - Aka my favourite new vintage place. I stumbled in here with some friends as a side-trip on an unrelated adventure and fell immediately in love with it's seventies' aesthetic and absolutely gorgeous collection of vintage pieces.
• Cottages - I stayed at one for a friend's bachelorette weekend and I had forgotten how great they are. It is all of the good parts of camping and none of the bad ones.
• Comics In the Classroom - This was put together by the American Libraries for San Diego Comic Con, and it is so fantastic! I love comics/graphic novels so much, and any time they are treated as valid literature to be discussed in school gives me warm glow-y feelings.
• Yogurt - Oh yogurt, how did I forget how much I love you? Especially fruit on the bottom yogurt. I rediscovered it at the grocery store this month and have been eating it practically every day.
• La Machine - This french company production company creates unbelievable theatre productions using giant machines. I was lucky enough to see a performance this past weekend and my mind is still completely blown by it. Absolutely awe-inspiring. It was like living my steampunk dreams.

What did you get up to this month? Hope it was amazing!