The last month of college has been absolutely nuts, and for the first time in forever, I took a step back from the blog. I definitely needed it, because I couldn’t have given the blog the time it needed, and I would have been further and further disenchanted by my careless blog posts. But now that I’ve finished off college (though graduation isn’t until this weekend), I’m back to the blogosphere! Even though we’re midway through May, this April recap is very much needed, especially since I haven’t been doing my weekly check-ins.
Why you should watch Crazy Rich Asians, Kat Lee
I read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan in 2017 and mentioned it in my 2017 Reading Challenge recap. When I heard there was a film adaptation coming out, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. Now that the trailer has come out (just earlier this week), Kat‘s here to tell you what makes this film so groundbreaking.
This is a groundbreaking time for Asians and Asian-Americans in media and entertainment. In the past year, two Asian-led television sitcoms have graced the small screen, Fresh Off the Boat, which will, fingers crossed, be renewed for its fifth season, and Dr. Ken which was only recently cancelled by ABC after two seasons. BTS (방탄소년단) has captivated the international music scene, winning Top Social Artist at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards (breaking Justin Bieber’s six year streak) and performing live (in Korean) at the 2017 American Music Awards. And, most recently, Crazy Rich Asians has created a huge stir as the first English-language film with a primarily Asian cast in 25 years (the last one was the film adaption The Joy Luck Club released in 1993).
Playing catch up // weekly update
The school year is wrapping up quickly. I’m trying to hold time in place, but it keeps slipping through my fingers. Every time I get a moment to breathe, I can’t help but scramble and work ahead to try to make my last few weeks of college easier. And every time I think it’s getting easier, every time I think it’ll be okay to give myself a little time to relax, it all seems to catch back up to me. Every moment is about chasing the future, and the present is left wheezing; I haven’t found time to reflect on the past, not even the past week.
Live music & late nights // weekly update
It feels like two weeks have passed, but it’s only been one! This past week was packed. I’ve been saying yes to almost everything, including meeting up with friends, eating out, and going to events, because I figured that even though I could use that time for productivity, I probably wouldn’t, and in fact, filling up my schedule would most likely inspire me to be more productive with the time I had left. Which turned out to be true. But I think I went a little overboard with the fun and the treating myself, and will have to scale back a little to find a happy medium.
Bruno Major
Photos by Georgina Johnson | Edits by moi
Around the holiday season, I was listening to Christmas albums and thought, Bruno Major should record a Christmas album. His music is the type I love listening to on cosy nights in, which is basically every night. I popped by his Instagram to see what he was up to and found out that he had a North American tour coming up and would be going through Philly. I manically texted my friends to see if any of them listened to Bruno Major (not Mars!) and would want to see him in concert with me. I began subtly sneaking Bruno Major songs into all my playlists and playing them when I hung out with friends. (Strategy = inception!) I finally lured Georgina in and we were set to go.
Coffee chats & silks // weekly update
The week started off rocky, but at least that meant it only got better from there! Thank you to my friends for listening to me rant. Sometimes you just gotta let it out, be a little petty, and then get over it, ya know? Georgina said she thought it was funny whenever she read my blog and saw me synthesise my strugs into “it was rough.” If only it was that simple! But the blog really just isn’t the place for that kind of energy. Kat joked and said it’d “ruin the aesthetic.” I mean, is she wrong?? Anyways, all is well for now.