No. 58: What to Read, Watch, Wear & Listen to in November
No. 58: What to Read, Watch, Wear & Listen to in November
Plus the October Favorites. Holiday season is here, y'all.
Yesterday, O came home from work in the middle of the day to meet a notary with me. We’ve worked with this particular notary in our home a few times now and though we know very little about each other, we have a strange see-you-once-every-six-ish-months kind of bond. In our small talk, we of course landed on how quickly October was going by.
He ended the all too familiar ‘time is flying by’ portion of the conversation with a beautifully sad thought saying, “when I was younger, I just couldn’t understand why my mother and grandmother always said ‘time is flying by.’ Sometime after the three kids, without even realizing it, I understood.”
When O agreed and responded by saying this was the fastest year of his life, the man, an older gentleman, smirked and looked him in the eye. “You just wait til’ next year, friend.”
And I know he’s right. Because every October feels almost like a postcard of October. You look at it like a mountain in the distance with all your to do lists and adventures and tasks and get-togethers. You wonder how you’re going to do it all—the class parties and the pumpkin patch visits, the budgeting and the cooking. Before you even realize it, before you even have a concrete plan, you’re helping toddlers step into costumes and rehearsing their singsong “Trick or Treat.” You spent the month preparing for the the mountain only to realize it was barely an anthill in your own back yard. It took no time at all to get to it and through it and now it’s over.
I always look at October like a speed-bump. It’s my reminder that the end of the year is here. It’s happening. If I get too bogged down in the details or pay too much attention to the dread of busyness, I will miss it. I’ll miss the magic camoflauged in the mundane and monotony. Our calanders all look like confetti for the last two months of the year. There is more to do, more money to be made, more places to be. It’s easy to look forward to Christmas break just because it’s the only island in a wide open sea, but I’m learning to love the treading. Soon enough, I’ll crawl onto that sand and praise God for the relief. For the deep exhale and for the rest. But in the meantime, I’ll remember that the treading makes me stronger. The treading makes me focused. The treading makes the island worth working for.
Only because I’ve missed it before will I choose to savor both.
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What to Read:
I’m working my way through two devotionals right now: Upon Waking on Katie’s recommendation and He is Strong which Emily so kindly sent to me. I don’t know if I’d recommend doing both at the same time, but I certainly know I personally wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m also loving Tom Lake.
What to Watch:
I shared above that Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV has been such a beautiful show for me this season, but I still lean heavily into old favorites through the end of the year. Meg Ryan certainly still reigns supreme, but we’ve now crossed over into Sandra Bullock season, especially While You Were Sleeping. The Family Stone, Knives Out, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Annie, Grumpy old Men and even First Wives Club all feel right. Lastly, if you’re a holiday nut like I am, Hallmark Christmas Movies and the movies every streaming platform creates to replicate them are always the right choice. The Christmas classics are for December in my book, but more on that next month.
The TV watchlist for October still stands strong this month so enjoy them if you crave that coziness.
What to Wear:
I am a huge advocate for investing in the best quality and most ethically made items available to you. I do, however, realize that fast fashion is sometimes the only option for budgetary reasons so this month’s capsule wardrobe is completely from H&M. I have pieces from H&M that I’ve worn weekly for five, six and seven years now so I keep an eye out every season for the staples that aren’t trendy or tacky but will be worth the investment in the long run. These all fit the bill!
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My Fall Momiform and customized capsule wardrobes in this post are also still foolproof.
What to Listen to:
The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack (I Believe in You and Me on repeat)
The Holiday Soundtrack and the Sleepless in Seattle Soundtrack are my hosting and dinner party go-tos.
Journeywomen Christmas Playlist
of course, the 90’S R&B Holiday Playlist
The Rewatchables Podcast (listening to play by play breakdowns of my favorite movies makes me so, so happy. It’s the best background for a good walk and while most episodes are catered to men, there are a whole lot of my favorites in the bunch.)
That’s gonna do it for today, friends. I’ll be back next week with a more vulnerable post likely in podcast format to share the struggles of untangling the realities of creating content post-stepping away from my role as an influencer. And wondering if I still am an influencer. And how to do all of this in a way that is authentic and true to my own peace and beliefs when there’s a clear roadmap to more money and success with one simple left turn. It’s a big topic that weighs heavy when I don’t chip away at it bit by bit so we’ll do that together. Thank you for making this a safe place to ask and answer those questions—I’ll see you there.
Have a beautiful weekend, friends.
As to being an influencer: I stepped away from Instagram for two years but made sure I was subscribed to be influenced by you ❤️ you may be an influencer but feel more like that friend who has a pulse on style and what’s really worth buying, if that makes sense! Coupled with your honest, graced-filled perspective, your newsletter is a lovely part of my Friday every week 😊 thank you for the sacrifices you make to produce it!
Capsule note: I’m always amazed that you wear so much white with little kiddos! What’s your laundry secret?
Literally stunning. Every part of this made my jaw drop. The most beautiful writing and as alwaysssss, the PERFECT recommendations.