Pop Culture Serotonin

Week 4 isn't completely over yet. But tomorrow is Good Friday and I don't have to work. (Thank goodness. This is definitely a plus at working at a faith-based organization). So far, the weekend has just left like a fairly normal weekend wedged in between weird quarantine-times mixed with grocery store anxiety. Since Levent and I don't go out much, our weekends still feel pretty similar. That has been a nice thing in this upside down world.

But it is week 4, this crazy emotional rollercoaster is starting feeling, well expected. If nothing else, thanks to knowing what it's like to live with anxiety, these past few weeks have given me the opportunity to really pay attention to my body and to allow myself to feel my feelings. And believe it or not, my leg pain has been, more or less, minor. So now I am back to thinking that a bulk of my discomfort comes from anxiety. It's a pretty humbling realization. Have I really been ignoring how deeply anxious I've been for the past 3 (3?) years to the point that my body has no other option but to yell at me via a very tight and mysterious hip, butt, leg and ankle? The body is a weird thing.

Every time we watch a TV show or a movie, I've been allowing myself to deeply feel things, which can be a helpful practice. After all one of the keys to dealing with anxiety to be able to recognize it.  I've always been overly empathic; so much so that it can really be hard to function. I think on some level that I haven't truly been allow myself to feel that deeply in such a constant capacity. (Maybe this is the leg pain? Who really knows). So much so that before covid, I had such a hard watching new content. I would just rewatch the same shows over and over again because I knew they were emotionally safe. I knew what to expect. But for whatever reason, now with covid, I just want to watch new content all the time. It is very unexpected and the flood gates are fully open, oof. My sister encouraged me to try and view the capacity to feel deeply as a gift, which can be hard. But here I am, doing the work.

While I am feeling all my feelings over here, I thought I would share some of the pop culture serotonin that has been making my life feel less chaotic and anxiety-filled.

Podcasts, audiobooks and playlists

Thank goodness covid19 is happening in the age of the internet, right? Totally correct. I continue to kick myself for not maxing out my library card before the library officially closed. (What was I thinking?) However, it's been okay because I have been supporting the independent bookstore in Wichita by buying some books that way. But since I have been having a hard time focusing when reading, audiobooks and podcast have been the best source of literary diversion and walking companions.

There are a bunch of podcasts that I love but here are the ones that bring me the most comfort during covid-life. (I've actually found that right now I need podcasts that mention what is happening right now with covid19 but also talk about other things. These three (and a half) have the perfect balance for me right now.

Podcasts

Office Ladies: going over individual episodes of The Office with Pam and Angela? What's not to love?

My Favorite Murder: Okay, this podcast took me a awhile to get into. For one thing, no one warned me that the two hosts Georgia and Karen spend a long time chatting at the beginning about unrelated things. I was not prepared for that (and all the swearing). But what I've grown to love about this podcast is how open they are about mental health and their lives. It feels like spending time with friends now and I appreciate their sense of humor. True crime is also so interesting.

Staying in with Emily and Kumail: I've been charmed by these two ever since watching The Big Sick on amazon. Since Emily falls into the vulnerable health population, this couple is used to having to quarantine themselves. So the podcast is their tips about life and work at home. Full disclosure, I just started this podcast but it has already made me laugh out loud.

The Splendid Table: Samin Norsrat Answers Your Cooking Questions. Okay, I love the Splendid Table but this is just a recommendation of a certain episode. I am a super fan of Samin's ever since watching and listening to her Netflix show/book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. This episode of the Splendid Table, Samin helps the host answer fan questions about cooking during quarantine. She is such a delight.

Audiobooks

I've had this weird relationship with audiobooks, where I never wanted to listen to one unless I had already read the book. I don't know why. I've been letting that go this year because there is too much literature out there and not enough hours in one single lifetime. Lately, my favorite books to listen to have been ones that I haven't read first. (Gasp).

The Lady Sherlock Holmes series: A series based on the concept of Sherlock really being a woman named Charlotte Holmes. I don't know what it is but I always love old-timey British people killing each other solving crime.

Crazy Rich Asians series: I actually read the first book in this series (it was my last book I had from the library. I thought it was pretty average but I went ahead and listened to it as an audiobook and liked it so much in that format, I thought I would just continue on. I am currently waiting for my turn at the last audiobook in the series.

Playlists

MCC's Spotify playlists: Working in social media has been really interesting/stressful/uncomplicated/complicated during covid19. One of the things I decided to do for work was make a bunch of playlists and share them on MCC's social. It has actually turned out to be a very fun project and a few of these playlists (sans the Hillsong one because it is SO MUCH Hillsong. Yikes) have been keeping me company most days.

Random bits of internet

So being on the internet all day every day is not good for my mental health in the best of times. Covid19 made this way worse. But there are some things on the internet that have been bringing me a lot of joy.

Whipped coffee: The internet decided to get really into bread making and whipped coffee during everyone's social distancing. I've always been into bread making; so I opted to try out the whipped coffee. It is my new favorite, spring day treat.

Zoo animals: I love following the Cincinnati Zoo on Twitter. (Their social media team is AMAZING). So it's not surprising that one of my favorite content to come out of social distancing is when zookeepers show the animals each other during the shut down. It's hilarious and I am here for it.

Internet group singing: It makes me cry every time. So far my favorites have been:
The Backstreet Boys singing I want it that way (although it looks like they took the full video down. SO LAME. This isn't the time to take away content).
The cast of Dear Evan Hanson
The cast of Hamilton

The Washington Post's TikTok account. Don't have that app? No worries, you can see most of them on Dave Jorgenson's Twitter page. 

Videos of social support during social distancing: Any video of cities clapping for medical workers or singing songs or exercising as whole apartment building. Cannot even handle it. I love it though it makes my heart glad to be human.

This is really piggybacking off the last one, but my colleague/Instagram friend (we've never met in real life) has been daily documenting in her instagram stories what love song one of her neighbors is blaring every night around the same time. She has no idea why or where it is really coming from. But it is content I keep checking every evening just to see what song this random person in Mexico City is playing. You can join in the fun on Instagram @Annaleegies. The internet is a strange, yet magical thing.

Speaking of Instagram stories, this next one is even more random. I follow food writer Priya Krishna on Instagram. She is currently back home with her parents (for what I can only assume is her helping them out during social distancing). Every evening her parents and her have happy hour and they cook. Sometimes her Dad makes yogurt. I don't know why but I love watching these too short instagram stories but her parents are so charming. (I was also introduced to the very simple cocktail, the Tom Collins, in one of her videos). Here for it with absolutely no apologies. 

Apps

Headspace: I've used this app off and on over the past few years. It was helpful during wedding panic attacks and it has helped me understand a lot about anxiety. The global pandemic seemed like a good time to renew my subscription to this meditation app. (But don't worry, they actually released a free section due to corona if you want to try it out). They have everything from meditations on specific themes, to sleep sounds and stories to simple meditations for activities, like walking. Right now, I use it the most during my mid-morning walk to take a break from work. It helps me tune into how I am feeling and pay more attention to my body. It's so hard though.

Duolingo: I started using this language learning app to learn some basic Japanese as a way to keep my mind off all my travel anxiety I had before we new that we had to cancel our trip there in March. Now I use it to brush up on some basic Spanish lingo. I use it kind of in spurts but when I do, its really fun.

Focus settings: This isn't a specific app but I realized a few months ago that my Google phone now has a feature where you can block certain apps whenever you want. It has been so helpful in keeping me off social media on the weekends. I spend all week on it and it makes me really anxious (#covid19). So having a tool that keeps me off Instagram, Facebook and Twitter has been so welcomed.

Binge-worthy shows and movies

TV shows (by which I mean things you can stream)
After all this talk about new content, this section is going to be about what I've already watched. (Levent and I are in between shows right now. We just wrapped up Fleabag and the internet was right about how good Season 2 is. Season 1 is not great. But hang in there if you started it. Season 2 is hilarious and devastating).

Due to my anxiety, when I am stressed out, I usually spend my time dwelling with comedies. (Most dramas end up stressing me out, even before covid19. You can reference that too empathetic paragraph again). Here are the ones that consistently bring me the most joy no matter how many times I watch them. (And more often than not, they are Michael Schur shows)

Parks and Rec
The Office
The Good Place
Brooklyn nine-nine
Kim's Convenience
Community (which is finally back on Netflix - although it eventually jumps the shark)
30 Rock
New Girl

Anne with an E: A drama I have been watching is Anne with an E on Netflix (so I do have some new content to talk about). It is Netflix's version of Anne of Green Gables and it is so well done, I don't even mind that they have really taken the plot and run with it. (I have recently listened to some of the series audiobooks again and there are really gaps of time when like nothing happens/are skipped over. So I understand why the show makes the choices it's making).

Father Brown: Again with the period British pieces where someone is murder and someone solves it. In this case, it's a Catholic priest. Despite it being about murder it's fluffy and it's how I want to spend my Sunday afternoons.

Movies

Since we didn't go to Japan, Levent and I took a day off together in order to have a long weekend a few weekends ago. I announced that I wanted to watch a movie every evening of that weekend; so that's what we did. Then the following weekend (last weekend) we did it again. Now I am in it. We don't usually watch movies but I am loving it, despite the fact that about half of the ones we've watched have not been winners. We've kind of floated the idea of watching all the Oscar nominated movies that we haven't seen yet/look interesting (I am not interested in watching the Irishman). So we'll see if we continue down that path or not. Out of the 5 movies we've watched so far, Jo Jo Rabbit has been my favorite, which was a complete surprise.  (I also kind of liked Ford v Ferrari, although I would've liked it better if it had been like 30 minutes shorter. I am brining it up now because my official review of it was "it made me feel nothing." Considering the stressful time we're living in, if you need a low stakes/emotional stable movie. This is it). 

Here are some of my all time favorite movies. (And you should know my favorite type of movie are "charming ones."

Dan in Real Life
The Big Sick
Little Women (either the 2019 version or the 1994 version)
Pride and Prejudice
Moonrise Kingdom
Troop Zero
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

I am sure there are more, but hey you know what you like. Lean into it.

That's a pretty big list. So I think I will end it for now. Find what pop culture serotonin you need right now, friends. We'll figure out a way to get through this.