Please read my first A Little Bit Lately post to find out what these are all about. It’s been so long since I’ve done one if these that I think I’ve forgotten most of what I’ve been reading and watching! Life gets in the way somethings but rainy Autumn days are the best time to cosy up and watch a film, read a book or listen to some music. Here is what I’ve been loving lately!
READING
I’ve read so many great books over the last month, it’s just been half term and we’ve all been full of colds so spent a lot of it cooped up in the house which meant doing a lot of reading. I’ve just finished Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell which I absolutely loved, so much more than I thought I would. Same goes for The Forgetting Time, another one I possibly wouldn’t always choose but ended up really enjoying – I read both of these in a couple of days and they both gripped me for different reasons. I’ve also read The Girl In The Blue Coat which is about the German Occupation of Amsterdam in WW2 and Ready Play One, all about a virtual reality future. Both books were totally different but very good. I’ve just started La Belle Savauge by Philip Pullman which is a prequel to His Dark Materials trilogy – they are some of my favourite books so I’m looking forward to reading this but also a bit nervous as I really want it to be great.
WATCHING
There is always so much to watch this time of year. I’m so happy to see Stranger Things back, even if it does freak me out. I can only watch two a night as it gets too much for me. We also caught up on Glow, better late than never, and I absolutely loved it! I don’t know why we didn’t watch it when it came out but I’m so glad we gave it a go, it was really funny. I’m also getting into Riverdale and The Good Place on Netflix and loving the new Outlander on Amazon, one of my favourite shows to curl up and watch this time of year.
LISTENING TO
I’m all about Podcasts at the moment; now the twins are in nursery I have walks to and from school on my own so I pop my headphones in a listen to a podcast. I have been trying to listen to some serious and useful ones; Coffee, Work, Sleep, Repeat and Wellies On The School Run have some great recommendations for wonderful creative ones. However, I keep getting distracted by the more silly ones! I’m currently listening to My Dad Wrote A Porno and Potterotica which are both hilarious; it’s pretty self evident from the titles what they’re about. They are for grown ups but honestly not as sexy as you might think, they are ridiculously funny. The only problem is I do laugh out loud which is a little weird when I’m out in public and grinning away to myself!
LOVING
It’s Autumn, what more can I say? I love everything about this time of year! I am particularity loving our walks to school – we managed to have a good couple of weeks before half term where we dodged the rain and it was so beautiful out. I must admit I don’t always want to head out and the fact we have to do it three times a day now isn’t always fun but it really does do me good. I try to keep remembering that when the boys are fighting over who gets to open the door in the morning.
THINKING ABOUT
This is possibly going to end up in a separate blog post at some point but I’m thinking so much about social media and getting the balance right. I’m working hard on not constantly being attached to my phone and honestly I have had to really work at it, it’s taken me months to get used to not just picking it up when I’m feeling bored. I’ve been talking to a lot of friends about this recently and it feels a lot of people are becoming more aware and trying to take a step back. As a blogger though this is a little harder. I still like to be active on Twitter and Instagram but I’m not on Facebook as often as I was and even Instagram has been messing with my mind. Maybe it’s because engagement has dropped so much on there it’s started to make me question myself more. You may have noticed I don’t really have a theme, I keep wondering if I should but for me it is still an extension of my blog which means it’s a whole mix of things. Sometimes I ramble too much in the captions and sometimes I hardly write anything – then I wonder if there is something more I should be doing. I’ve given it all too much brain time for something that isn’t actually that important in the grand scheme of things, not for me anyway. I’m trying to let go of that and just enjoy posting things I love – sounds simple right? It should be shouldn’t it? That’s the way I’m trying to look at it now.
Some bits of life lately over on my Instagram
5 Comments
Ooo, I’m just rereading the Dark Materials trilogy before starting the new one. I can’t wait!! The phone thing, I know what you mean. I don’t know if it’s something that would work for you, but unless we’re walking somewhere creepy, I don’t take my phone with me when I’m out with the boys. And I often leave it at home when Paul’s with us. I check it now and again when I’m home but it means that when we’re out doing family stuff, I rarely have it with me … and I don’t actually miss it xx
November 1, 2017 at 5:19 pmHmm, yes, I have been thinking about that! I do use it to take photos but there isn’t any reason why I can’t stop taking photos once in a while, haha, I’m sure I will survive. I’m going to try it and report back, I’m definitely re-training my brain to stop reaching for it. I’m very excited by the new Pullman book, I really wish I could hide away for a weekend a read it though xx
November 1, 2017 at 9:18 pmCan you believe that I haven’t watched Stranger Things? I know! I just don’t fancy it although I’ve heard amazing things. I know what you mean about social media, I have actually bought some books lately to pick up when I’m bored rather than scrolling. It’s be amazing. Love your posts and hearing about what you’ve been up to 🙂 xx
November 1, 2017 at 9:52 pmLove these updates Hayley, and thanks so much for giving me a mention! I saw your Instagram post on Fangirl and it sounds really interesting. We still haven’t watched Stranger Things but it’s next on my list once we finish Mad Men. I’m with you on the phone thing and I’m also trying to step back more often. It’s good to have a break xx
November 2, 2017 at 12:40 pmLove your update Hayley and I know exactly what you mean about being attached to your phone. I think I just pick mine up without even thinking about it, and I need to realise that the world won;t come crashing down if you don’t check things a billion times a day. I think I might really work on it over the Christmas break. I got drawn into Stranger Things as husband and Morgan were watching it. Whilst it’s not my usual type of show I really enjoyed it x
November 19, 2017 at 6:59 pm