Bedridden and overwhelmed but I also did some cool stuff – two-week catch up

Howdy cowboys, I hope you like riding on a real cowboy 🤠

(yeah I kinda did turn into a sick Monica Geller this week)

The past two weeks made me pray to any celestial being that might listen (Lucifer and Obi-Wan Kenobi?) that I survive until the end of June. Who knew that juggling two jobs, a social life, writing my dissertation and the upcoming finals can be so draining that the only song I can stomach on repeat is Katy Perry’s California Gurls. Usually, I can manage that but not when I suddenly discovered on a “fine” Thursday morning that I’m sick with the flu. And that I have a late-evening class to conduct, a final project to work on, and a test on Postmodernism to write. In times like this, I really want to scream into the void. Luckily, anxiety did not jump into this already overwhelming mix. And that’s good. We don’t want to party with a crippling fear that prevents me from doing anything I like.

As I didn’t have the time to make a reading and watching log last week, I’m gonna provide you with a slightly longer list this week, so buckle up because you’re gonna scream my name all night, sugar.

My movie log:

1. The Innocents (1961) – 8.05

Ahh, this was so pleasantly terrifying because of how subtly it hinted at madness or disturbed children. Some scenes from this movie will literally haunt me but honestly, it mainly reminded me how much I love older cinema. I wish I had more time and energy to come back to those decades because they don’t make movies like that anymore. While I didn’t necessarily like Henry James’s novella that it is based on, this one is a hidden gem.

2. The Intern (2015) – 9.05

Cutesy little romance because this is all my busy brain can stomach! Would be greater if not for all the steamy scenes with 70-year-old Robert De Niro though, I really wish I didn’t see his implied hard-on.

3. Paranormal Activity (2007) – 13.05

Nothing speaks toxic masculinity louder than the first installment of this franchise which is the main downfall of this movie. The irrationality of the male lead and how he constantly ignores and chooses to do everything to upset his partner? That ain’t it. Also, I would like to pat myself on the head because when this film was the main rage when I was in the second grade I absolutely swore to never see it again, not yet in my horror girly era. Also, for some reason I was convinced that it is based on a real story, was it an urban legend in everyone’s school? The premise is cool and the supernatural is done subtly without unnecessary CGI (with the exception of the last scene before the credit rolled, lmao – cheap trick).

3. Insidious (2010) – 14.05

This one goes to the “my dissertation made me watch it”. I thoroughly enjoyed Wan’s The Conjuring franchise but his newest movies don’t do it for me. This one, however, was a pleasure. It is not conventional when compared to the movies released at the same time – back then all the rage was the special effects and screamers to make the audience uneasy. Wan’s use of the uncanny without resulting to cheap tricks makes it a hugely enjoyable watch. Although I don’t remember Darth Maul haunting children in some demonic dimensions.

4. The Strangers (2008) – 15.05

Once again watched it because of my MA thesis. Unfortunately, unlike Insidious, The Strangers was ridiculously boring and pointless. I can’t even write a review for this because literally, NOTHING happens. I like silent, slow horrors that slowly build anticipation but this one did not make me feel tense in a single moment.

5. Orphan (2009) – 17.05

THIS WAS SO GOOD I NEVER WANTED TO INCINERATE A CHILD SO MUCH. I literally had to pause the film numerous times and breathe heavily because of how frustrating this little fucking orphan was. Also, it made me start a “Reasons Why I Will Never Have Children” list on my phone. Once again, the MA thesis writing list found a gem.

6. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – 19.05

My wife made me do it. Literally. Only to see Mads Mikkelsen in the cinema in a couple of weeks. Thought it would be more boring because I’m deeply prejudiced towards adventure movies – it was the only thing that my grandma and dad watched when I was little and I can vividly recall being bored beyond fucking any brain cell left working in my brain. Also, I don’t want to imagine how badly Harrison Ford smelled when filming this movie.

7. The New Guy (2002) – 20.05

The stupidest shit I watched but very enjoyable at the same time. A must-watch if you like cringe-fest.

My reading log:

Between countless texts I had to read for my classes I managed to squeeze in a couple of books. Not as much as I would want to but since romance is the only thing my brain can process nowadays… well.

Spare – Prince Harry

That was utterly terrible and not only is Harry’s dick borderline traumatized but also me. Honestly, if the goal of this novel was to raise sympathy for him – please, you could’ve easily spared us, Harrold. Thinking about picking up this one because of how funny the TikToks are? Don’t do it. It is literally over 500 pages of an old man wallowing in self-pity. Also, he still calls his mother mummy, isn’t that a red flag? Speaking about red flags. Harry has some weird ideas about masculinity and femininity. He is repeatedly condescending towards women and thinks he has it all figured out when it comes to what makes man the man. This book literally has a passage in which he describes his initiation into manhood by someone showing his face into a dead animal’s carcass. Yup. You heard me. So if you hate mansplaining, animal abuse, and war – skip this one.

Things We Never Got Over – Lucy Score

My wife picked this one as our book club read for May. I must say I was very prejudiced towards this one. After all, the blurb at the back cover mentioned 1) a runaway bride 2) bad boy/good girl dynamic 3) an evil twin sister 4) adopting a child your evil twin sister left behind tropes. Sounds like a clusterfuck. I know. And the characters are infuriating. Especially Knox who is a walking red flag and doesn’t respect Naomi at all but also randomly buys her Victoria Secret’s underwear after knowing her for a week. At some point in the book he ever refers to her as “his leftovers” having slept with her and left her because “he doesn’t do relationships”. Yes. Even writing this makes me angry BUT. But this was so entertaining in how dramatic it fucking was. Drama followed after drama and I wasn’t bored for one second of it. So yeah.

Wanna know what I’m reading currently? The sequel: Things We Hide from the Light

That’s right. Self-respect left a chat a long time ago and it’s not coming back. Stay tuned for my thoughts about this one! And thanks to the flu and being bedridden like a weak Victorian child I’m already on page 220.

Any hopes for this week? I don’t know. Maybe just survive. My TikTok once again is telling me that someone is coming back to my life. But I don’t want to feed my delusions and anxiety. Let’s just hope that I’m alive at the beginning of next week.

Slay my Petunias,

xoxo - mar