Plenty of Parentheses

A fast month. Speedy. Flying past us in bursts of heat and shards of sun. A venture into vast and vibrant cities, juggling work and wonderment and wanderlust. Visiting new countries and continuing to appreciate the ones we come from. China is full of culture, its landscapes often breathtaking and its history so interesting. A place full of juxtaposition, somewhere I feel lucky to have experienced firsthand.

Curiously Cultural

3% on Netflix is a Brazilian TV series that depicts a dark dystopian future. It is (a little) reminiscent of The Hunger Games wherein 20 year olds go through the Process to earn their place as part of the heralded 3% who are allowed to live on the Offshore. The show is originally in Portuguese, though there are versions with other languages dubbed on top. Watch in it Portuguese with English subtitles if you can; it feels a little more authentic. There are 3 seasons available at present with a fourth in the pipeline. A great show with complex characters (with switching allegiances so you're never sure who to trust).

Literary Life

The books this month have both been excellent reads. There is something so comforting about delving into a book when you're travelling alone. Whether that's on a train, a plane or wherever you may find yourself, that familiar feel of gripping the two edges of a book and anticipating turning page after page can work wonders when you're feeling alone. How to Make a Friend by Fleur Smithwick was a truly thrilling read. It's a relatable read because the characters feel very authentic. Its protagonist, Alice, has an extremely eventful life, made all the more difficult by her accompanying invisible friend Sam. The blurb intrigued me immediately and the book kept me turning the pages for hours on end. It#s an intelligent read, both emotionally and conceptually, and I highly recommend.

On a somewhat softer note, The Summer Theatre by the Sea by Tracy Corbett tells the story of Charlotte, who loses her job, her flat and her boyfriend in (more or less) one fell swoop. Deciding to go and stay with her sister in Cornwall while she figures out what to do next, Charlotte finds herself working with the local amateur dramatics society. It's a fun read, nothing too serious, which makes it great escapism. There's romance, Shakespeare, the building of familial relationships and standing up to bullies. A quick, easy all-round read.

March feels multicoloured. From the smallest of green shoots to pale blue egg shells to the prettiest yellow petals from a shop-bought bunch of daffs. Assurances of sunshine replaced by whirls of white snow and the promise of egg-shaped excitement plays joyfully on the horizon. It's a month of movement; moving towards Spring with its new growth and longer days (but the enjoyment of the outdoors still remains heavily dependent on layered outfits and waterproof coats.)

Curiously Cultural

The (long-awaited) second season of Jessica Jones, starring the superb Krysten Ritter, surfaced on Netflix this month. It's a fantastic entry point for anyone interested in the Marvel Universe, being grounded in grit, determination and fully functioning (and fantastically flawed) three dimensional characters. An interesting season; it is match for match in terms of quality, depth, drama and acting with Season 1. In some ways the episodes are all the more intriguing (especially in the latter end of the season) and despite a couple of unsatisfying subplots, overall it's a strong second season. If you like unlikely heroes, complex relationships and a touch of super strength and spy-work, Jessica Jones is the show for you. Also on Netflix was the third season of Judd Apatow's series, Love. It's modern, it's current (and perhaps a tad too cutesy?) But then perhaps that's what you get when you sign up for a show titled Love.

Literary Life

Cold days called for cosy evenings full of reading, meaning the completion of three books in total this month. Life of Pi was up first. It's a book that feels as if it's been around forever, wherein you think you know the story (and it quickly manifests that, actually, you don't). In many ways, a surprising read. Not all what you might imagine (or maybe that was just the case for me and my misinformed imagination). A little unsettling, a little long but worth the wait for the final three chapters.

River of Ink by Paul M. M. Cooper was perhaps not given the best shot (given that three quarters of this was read in a hospital waiting room) but it was still a fairly gripping read. It touched on a topic I had never really read about before - the service of poetry and literature for a pretty tyrannical leader - but it was an enjoyable cultural experience with a satisfying conclusion.

Thirdly was Journal, the diary entries of Hélène Berr. A truly emotional read, full of insightful commentary and detailing of her life in occupied Paris. She wrote so beautifully, with such intelligence and bravery. She articulated both facts and feelings with such openness (and even optimism, at times). It was a revolutionary read, one that could not be recommended higher.

Treasures and Troves

Makers gonna make and triers gon' try. Emphatically falling into the latter category, try is most definitely the best verb to describe this little creation bubble that popped in my brain this month. It came from wanting somewhere to store bath bombs that wasn't just a wire rack, which could be visible and open yet still decorative. The result? A white wooden crate adorned with poms poms, scrabble letters and an old pair of upcycled shorts. As you do.

Flat lay of a white crate, staple gun and lemon print fabric

Wooden letter tiles attached to a white crate with a glue gun

As we ascend on April, may it bring bountiful boxes of chocolate eggs and budding blossom (and a break from the rain would be beautiful, too).

February often flies by. Maybe it's the fewer days, maybe we will it to pass because it holds none of January's promise for newness and none of March's signs of Spring. Snow has been a presence all of its own, bringing with it a dusting of elegance and joyous exuberance all at once. There is something so thrilling about waking up to blanket of snow, sinking well-wrapped feet into a glistening landscape and hearing it crunch while you walk. Since snow is sometimes a rarity, it almost feels like a daydream when it happens. While the world comes to a bit of a standstill, you walk around and fall gently in a daze as your fingers feel numb and your nose feels cold.

Treasures and Troves

But there have also been days when the snow has been absent (which, let's be honest, is usually 98% of the time) and sleep isn't such an easy avenue to walk down. Despite long days at work and all the exhausting elements of life admin, sometimes sleep evades us even when we're longing for it. I have no antidote for that (so sorry) but this Champney's Heavenly Days Sleep Pillow Mist has been a really welcome addition to the evening wind-down routine. (Routine might be a slight exaggeration; it's more of a short list of things which are good to do but often forgotten. Woops).

A gentle spritz or three above your pillow does not send you straight to the land of slumber (how brilliant would that be?!) but it does provide a soothing sense of calm and every sleepy inhale seems to somehow send you one step closer to sleep. The scent is lovely; fresh and sweet but never overpowering. Part of the As Good As New collection, the temple balm is also a helpful addition. Both are definitely worth a shot if a soothing night's sleep is on your wish list, the pillow mist especially.

Curiously Cultural

When it's too cold to venture out (or even when it's not), there's been plenty of reasons to staying in this month. Collateral on BBC2 has been an intriguing watch with a truly stellar cast. It is fast-paced and hurtles down a path that is simultaneously predictable and unpredictable. The fourth and final episode is looking to be a riveting conclusion. We're also halfway through Keeping Faith, starring the wonderfully Welsh, Eve Myles. It warrants a fuller review, which will likely appear in the next edition of a month in words once all episodes have aired, but the first three can be found on the iPlayer should you want to see for yourself this serious yet soulful drama.

Literary Life

Just one book completed, though others were started (and not abandoned, just postponed). The Book of Mirrors was a solid read; lightly enthralling and deeply layered, almost to the point where you would forget until a chapter would suddenly remind you. Books can be a brilliant distraction but events occur in the world and you find your attention focused (for better or worse) on social media. This can be uplifting, reaffirming and sometimes simply sad. Occasionally all three, depending on the day. Hoping that March, with its brighter days and warmer winds, will bring with it some bookish delights.

With the expectation for February snow well and truly fulfilled, let us wonder what March has in store. Fingers crossed for fresh flowers galore.

Sometimes January is about discovery. Trying new things, devising New Year's resolutions, writing goals or making plans. But it's also a month of recollection. That doesn't have to mean looking back over the previous year (though that is often the case on those cold, dark-skied days); it can mean quiet contemplation, grouping thoughts or hobbies, papers or photos. More than anything, January consisted of repetition. It saw mundane moments - slipping cold feet into fluffy socks and nestling cool hands in woolly gloves; walking briskly to work and then retracing the steps back home again. But it saw magic, too.

Curiously Cultural

Having the opportunity to listen to Les Miserables be performed live at the Queen's Theatre is a phenomenon like no other. Dulcet tones echo around the room while you're there, but the performance leaves an imprint on your brain (much like it did back in 2013 when I was lucky enough to first see the show). Though Christmas is now long gone, there were reminiscent echoes of it in seeing London lit up for Lumiere London. People marvelled at each luminous installation and instead of trees, people gathered round art, and photos were taken in place of mince pies and puddings. Carrying just a little more leftover festivity was watching discovered in watching Aladdin as a musical at the Prince Edward Theatre. Immediately it invites you to fondly think back on memories of past pantomimes, but with added charisma and choreograph (and one show-stealing Genie).

Literary Life

The books which were flicked through held echoes of the past; La Belle Sauvage brought the nostalgia of reading His Dark Materials for the first time, with the (re)discovery of Philip Pullman's magnificent writing for second time in one life. La Belle Sauvage is a most marvellous tale, capable of transporting you to a world away from the one in which you exist. It's easy to race through the pages, especially in the second half of the book, but trying to savour the experience was a welcome literary challenge. A must-read for any Philip Pullman fan and an enjoyable read for anyone with a taste for a wildly imaginative and immersive novel.

In a completely different way, reading The Diary of Lena Mukhina: A Girl's Life in the Siege of Leningrad also provided a look, or an insight, into the past. It is always strange to read the real words of someone in a time we simultaneously know so much and so little about. It was interesting to count the parallels despite the uniqueness of the situation Lena had to sustain. It was an inspirational read that serves the reader in many ways (not least that of inspiring a resurgence to journal). The entries are so detailed and descriptive that it can feel almost fictional at times, but it's so harrowing too. Remembering that this is history (and not too recent history at that) makes it a rather remarkable read. If you are at all interested in history, in diaries or just the written experience of others, then you might well enjoy this read.

With fewer days than any other, we expect February to fly right by which, after January's long-lasting hold, isn't necessarily a bad thing. We end January hoping for sun but fully expecting snow.

How did the first month of 2018 fare for you?

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