Salutations friends! I hope you’re doing well, staying hydrated, and fully prepared for spooky season! I know I took the majority of last week off and only gave a few small allusions to what’s been happening via social media. To be as open as I can be, there’s a lot of medical emergencies happening within my family. So that’s been consuming a lot of my attention right now. If you’ve been here a while then you know family is everything to me and no matter what it is, I would drop everything to be there for them. Truly, I would move earth and sky to be there for my family.
Anyway, I wanted to return to my blog with something positive and to just talk about some of the things I’ve been enjoying while in self-isolation. I think back in the late spring, early summer I posted my first article with just a few small things. However, I wanted this one to be a little bit different than that article. I wanted to break this article down into bookish things and non-bookish things. There have been quite the few things that have been making isolation a little better and bright. So with any further delay, here are some of the things I’ve been enjoying!
🍂 Bookish 🍂
🍂 Notion
If you haven’t heard about Notion by now then I don’t know where you’ve been hiding. Notion has been taking the book community by storm. I recently talked about how helpful Notion has been in my note taking article, where I mention how helpful it’s been with getting organized. Even more so when it comes to arcs. Notion has really been helping me organize and prioritize my arcs. I also created a template that helps with tracking upcoming releases as well. I’ve really been having fun with it and exploring the different templates, how to customize and personalize it to fit my own needs, and if you haven’t checked it out already, I definitely recommend giving this site a chance!
🍂 Wick and Jane Candles
I feel like I don’t emphasize it enough of how important it is to shop small and support small businesses. Wick and Jane is a small candle business, run by Jane, who is the sweetest and one of the most delightful souls I’ve met in the book community. Ever since I placed me first order from Jane, they’re the only candles I ever buy anymore. These candles have amazing throw (I’m talking I can smell it on the other side of my home kind of throw), named after some of our favorite book characters, and the candles themselves are so beautiful. She also has other products such as lotion, roll on perfume, and I believe body spray now. So check out the shop and if you’re in need of some candles, maybe place an order!
🍂 Cook books
Since being home and isolating, I’ve been doing a lot of home cooking and that means breaking out cook books, family recipes, and all things that contain deliciousness! One of the cook books I’m really enjoying has been the Overwatch The Official Cookbook. I did get to see my family over the weekend and they dropped off very belated birthday gifts for my spouse and I, and one of those presents was this cookbook. I’ve been wanting this cookbook for so long and I haven’t stopped looking over all the recipes in it. I’m currently planning to make two of the recipes and I’m eager to try some of the others like the Deadeye drink!
🍂 Non-Bookish 🍂
🍂 Squishables
If you didn’t know, I very much love plushies. They are one of my greatest comforts and mental health helpers. In my current journey of healing and rediscovery of my love for many things, I realized how many things I was suppressing or trying to fit into such a small enough box due to convincing myself there wasn’t as much room in my life because of reading. So when a very dear, long life friend of mine sent me a package of Squishables, I was in tears. The ones I received reminded me of how much I love this company, loved the community, and reminded me how important they are to me.
🍂 Video Games
I talk about video games all the time whether in reviews or just chit-chatting here on the blog. Recently I’ve been doing some late night gaming and have fallen into two spooky season events. One for Overwatch and the other for Killing Floor 2. I’ve also been really excited to try Phasmophobia, as well. A lot of gaming streamers I typically watch have been streaming this game and ever since I’ve been hooked, eagerly wanting to give it a try. Also, there’s my highly anticipated game, Monster Prom 2 Monster Camp coming out this month and I’m eagerly waiting to get my hands on it so I can start playing. And of course, I’m always lurking in the rabbit hole that is Animal Crossing. I’ve really been falling in love with gaming again and having a blast.
🍂 Davids Tea
As much as I love coffee, I love tea just as much. After we drank so much of the tea we have, I had to place another order for tea. Usually I drink a lot of Harney & Sons, but I wanted to branch out and try other brands this time. A fellow member of the book community recommending trying Davids Tea and I’m pleasantly surprised with how much I’ve been loving the tea. I definitely wish I had branched out sooner, but I’m really glad to be drinking their tea now!
Okay, friends! Those are some of the things I’ve really been loving and enjoying in isolation right now. A lot of this has been a piece of my healing and rediscovering things about myself that I’ve missed, pieces of myself I loved, and being at peace with myself. I hope you all enjoyed this little post. Do you have some favorites you’ve been enjoying in self-isolation? Come chat with me in the comments below. Until next time, remember to be kind to yourself! I love you! 🧡
Chapter Malliumpkin 