October 2018
Hello Friends! It’s been a busy month, hasn’t it? I feel like this whole month I’ve only gotten 3 full hours of sleep at night. So yeah, caffeine’s definitely been my best friend as of late.
Anyways, this is my first contribution to the page, “On My Radar,” where I’ll post the random music I’m vibing to, the podcasts that make me feel smarter or empowered, maybe some quotes, along with a few other things— we’ll see how this plays out.
Not that anyone particularly cares about my weird and possibly garbage taste in things, but here goes!
This Month’s Mixtape:
I’m not entirely sure how to embed entire mixtapes from Spotify, but anyways, here goes. This is just a handful of totally random songs that I’ve found interesting this month. There’s a weird amount of Acoustic songs in there, which is off-brand for me, but I’m blaming it on the fall vibes this month. Let me be clear, I’m not a DJ— so this mix is the unintentional opposite of whatever sense of cohesiveness that actual mixtapes possess, but if you’ve ever seen me around with my headphones on, I’m probably listening to a variation of these songs on loop until I’m sick of them.
S/O to any songs that are on here that a friend has put me on— particularly Why ii Love the Moon, that my friend Crystal got me on. I’m not sure if she’s more embarrassed to be included in my random list of songs than proud, but I need to give her credit because I wasn’t cool enough to find that song on my own.
Podcast episodes I’m really into right now (in no particular order):
Have you ever thought about Agent Orange and the aftermath? I particularly had no interest in the subject until I listened to this episode of Jonathan Van Ness’s Podcast. And now I’m over here googling and making plans for all the things I want to do to help the kids born with special needs because of the chemical’s effect on their DNA. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-curious-with-jonathan-van-ness/id1068563276?mt=2&i=1000363088606
This episode of Oprah’s Master Class had me in tears at WORK. I’m not kidding, it was great. Tune in to hear the Rock tell his own life story. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/oprahs-master-class-the-podcast/id1401057414?mt=2&i=1000416035221
I think I read Tuesday’s with Morrie about 15 times throughout my teenage years. I’m overdue to revisit it. This episode of Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations really made me put my life into a different perspective. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/oprahs-supersoul-conversations/id1264843400?mt=2&i=1000391530227
DO YA’LL REMEMBER THAT BEYONCE SONG FLAWLESS WHERE SHE FEATURES A TED TALK ABOUT FEMINISM?? Well, this is that one, and I liked it so much that I downloaded the audiobook for it too. PSA, don’t be scared by my use of the word, “Feminism” It’s really a good listen and I just want you to trust me on this one. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tedtalks-society-and-culture/id470623803?mt=2&i=1000384658940
I really liked this episode because I’ve always been interested in female empowerment in modern day India. This particular talk made me proud to be an Indian woman, and proud of all women everywhere who refuse to be pigeonholed into one particular role for their whole life. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ted-talks-daily/id160904630?mt=2&i=1000418166604
Quotes that had me thinking:
“Sometimes I can feel my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.”
— Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
“There is always a certain glamour about the idea of a nation rising up to crush an evil simply because it is wrong. Unfortunately, this can seldom be realized in real life; for the very existence of the evil usually argues a moral weakness in the very place where extraordinary moral strength is called for.”
— W.E.B. Du Bois, from The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America, 1638-1870
“You will burn and you will burn out. You will be healed and come back again. And I will wait for you.”
— The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald
“I don’t want just words. If that’s all you have for me, you’d better go.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald The Beautiful and Damned
“The purpose of literature is to turn blood into ink.”
— T.S. Eliot
“There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.”
— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers
“I have been bent and broken…but, I hope, into a better shape.”
— Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Movies/Shows I’m Watching:
First of all, I just wanna say that this Month’s Movie list is totally biased because I’m a huge fan of Halloween.
Halloween (the 1970s version)
And I truly feel like you’ve got to watch this meme right after https://twitter.com/yl_mimz/status/1052624643331371008?s=12
Friday the 13th (the 1980s version)
My mom schooled me on how freaky all these voyeuristic filming strategies are and I’m certifiably spooked.
Hotel Transylvania!!!!! (and the sequel with the kid)
ITS TOO CUTE NOT TO WATCH
Every Halloween episode of The Office
S2E5, Halloween
S5E5, Employee Transfer (just the opening, but it’s still the best)
S6E8, Koi Pond
S7E6, Costume Contest
S8E5, Spooked
S9E5, Here Comes Treble
Hocus Pocus
Twilight
watch this after three glasses of wine and I guarantee you it will feel like an Oscar-Worthy Film
Closing Arguments:
I’ll put more up next month, and most likely do it in a more cohesive way— but I’ve had this idea to make this page and contribute to it, and I’ve never acted on it. So, this is me acting on it! I don’t know, maybe it’s just useless nonsense to ya’ll, or maybe it’s not— but anything I put on here, I put on here for a reason. Besides, I really feel like there might be some real gems on here! Like the super random, roller-rink vibes, 80s cover of “Better Now” that I’ve got on my mixtape!!
Anyways, I’m signing off now, and will be back with more soon. I just need to process all the birthdays and spooky activities, and horrible terrible coincidences I’ve had this month. I hope you guys have had a great month so far though, and please comment below if you have any recommendations for me on anything because I’m always on the lookout.
Sending good vibes your way,
Ganges Gal was
