Accidental Hiatus, Pandemic Coping, Checking In

Hiiiii pals.

Wow, what a time. My goodness. I…

Well, it’s been almost seven months since I last wrote a blog post. I’ve been staring at my drafts for those seven months, thinking “go on, it’s almost finished, just write words.” And then I’d close the tab and start my fourth re-watch of New Girl.

Quick update: I have stayed safe and healthy, my family is safe, I am grateful every day that I remain employed, the places I have been since March include the park, the grocery store, the drugstore, the dentist, the office, and one (1) glorious day where I got a haircut AND went to Trader Joe’s. Otherwise it’s Gus and me, in the apartment, all the time. Apart from the dental hygienist and my hair stylist, I have not been touched by a human since early March.

I have like 14 tabs open for a post about caftans I’ve been meaning to write for months, and I think I’m just going to close them and set them free. Actual writing may come back to the site one day, but for now, I think I’m going to treat the blog like some of my group chats, where I just share things I’ve found that I like that make the day and the news and the feelings slightly more bearable or more beautiful.

Quick catch up, aka things I’ve been wearing during lockdown:

1. Absolutely NOT underwired bras unless absolutely necessary, give me a break
2. This Glamorise sports bra, like, all the time, I have three of them now, they’re terrific, I have to size up in the band but they’ve been lifesavers
   
3. This wire-free bra by Bravissimo, the best of the (non-sports bra) wire-free bras I’ve tried since March. I wish the band were deeper and sturdier but the cups and fit are the best, and they’re lined with cotton. Runner up is the Sugar Candy lounge bra, which I’ve had for years and used to rely on for long international flights (lolsob)
4. Some caftans and gowns and things that are coming in a future post
5. Beyond Yoga leggings. My sister got me a pair for my birthday and they are super duper high-waisted and SOFT like you wouldn’t believe, I’ve blown through all my Peloton referral credits getting more Beyond Yoga leggings from their apparel store

Speaking of which:

Things I’m doing to feel good during lockdown:

1. Yoga with Adriene. It’s free, there are monthly playlists with a video each day, I do whatever video Adriene tells me to do, she’s so positive and always gives modifications and adjustments, and it’s been great and I cried during one of the meditations a few months ago, just great heaving full-body sobs, yoga is good for you. After a few months of just moving from bed to desk to sofa and back again, starting yoga was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
2. Peloton. Pals I love the ridiculous expensive exercise bike! Like! I love her! I’ve complained about it for 14 months straight so forgive me for harping on it yet again, but I STILL have mother-effing plantar fasciitis and cannot run, even walking too much isn’t great, and I was desperately looking for something to get my heart rate up and wear me out so I could hopefully sleep better and get those sweet, sweet endorphins. I had never taken a spin class and was terrified that I’d bought something so pricey, but it’s just been a joy. Cycling is HARD but my foot feels absolutely fine (well, it doesn’t feel worse), the classes are fun and motivating, and I’ve wound up really beefing up my home gym setup to take advantage of the offerings as much as possible. It’s genuinely my very best pandemic purchase, self-care-wise. The mobile app is much more accessible (read: significantly cheaper) and is just as much fun, with great yoga, meditation, stretches, and workouts you can do with or without equipment and really good outdoor audio-only content. I’m a huge convert, so hit me up if you have questions or want a referral code or anything, and my username is SweetNothingNYC if you wanna follow me on the app or bike.

   Also they make you name your bike during the setup process and I hadn’t prepared and panicked so my bike’s name is Angelina Ballerina. Gus hates her.

Other coping mechanisms:

Books: The Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas, the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (followed by a re-read of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, quite possibly my favorite book of all time), The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, the Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers, Persuasion and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen, Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh, plus basically any romance novel, I have read a million of them since March

TV: Schitt’s Creek, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Unsolved Mysteries, Great British Bake-Off, New Girl, Avatar: The Last Airbender, High Seas, Legends of Tomorrow (just skip season 1), Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

Movies: Portrait of a Lady on Fire, EMMA., Pride and Prejudice, Ever After, Knives Out, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Enola Holmes (significantly more charming than I thought it would be but CORSETS ARE NOT THE PATRIARCHY, they’re just old-timey bras, women invented them, they helped hold your boobs and your skirts up, Jesus Christ, death to the corsets-are-oppression myth PLEASE)

Speaking of the oeuvre of one Jane Austen, my good friends behind the magic that is Podlander Drunkcast: An Outlander Podcast have started a new run of episodes that is, uh, perfect for These Times, especially since who knows when Outlander will come back. Join them for Sauced in Austen, where they’re working their way through as many Jane Austen adaptations as possible, starting with the BBC/A&E Pride & Prejudice. I will be on a future episode to talk about The Lake Scene (!) and Regency-era lingerie, naturally. Also speaking of the Drunkcast and also books, Allison Shoemaker wrote the best book about TV I’ve ever read: How TV Can Make You Smarter, basically a primer on storytelling for TV and a road map and introduction to your favorite shows you haven’t watched yet.

Okay that’s all for now, going forward I’m going to pop in and say “here’s a thing I like, bye!” with hopefully more frequency. I’m sending you all my love and fervent wishes that you find comfort and solace and peace, such as you can. If you wanna share your coping strategies/favorite quarantine purchases please do, I will literally read about anything anyone has done to treat themselves.

Swimsuit: Empreinte (c/o)

Wireless bra: Bravissimo

Photos: Lydia Hudgens, via FaceTime

October 10, 2020 by Sweets | 7 Comments