Hello lovers, welcome back to another monthly favorites post!!
Life Updates
Birthday Celebrations!
February started off with birthday celebrations for my two favorite Aquarians- my mom and one of my good girlfriends. My friend’s birthday was on February 4th and my mom’s birthday was February 12th, so they kept me busy with the festivities for two weekends in a row. They involved lots of good food and good drinks.
Which got me to thinking about how important female friendships are and why we as women need to pour more into our platonic relationships the same way we do our romantic ones. I’ve drifted apart from majority of the female friendships I had, and I don’t know whether it was for the best and it’s just time to make new friends or should I have tried harder to keep the ones I had.
I’m back in college, again!
I started taking college courses again on February 15th in pursuit of finishing my degree program which I was halfway done with before I was forced to take a break. I’m much more motivated this time around and I’m determined to finish what I started. I almost convinced myself that I didn’t want a college degree but if I have the opportunity to pursue higher education, why waste it? So, please pray for me cause it’s a wrap for my social life.
It’s Pisces SZN!
By the time this post goes live, we will be well into Pisces season. I’m a Pisces moon and I’ve been feeling all the feels. I was super emotional at the beginning of the month, and I felt the strong need to express my feelings more than usual. I cried and released a lot. Also, my intuition has been extremely heightened during this time. I can only wonder how the Pisces suns are feeling right now.
New creative pursuit…
But so little time.
I started a podcast and even created an intro for it but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to manage a podcast and a blog on top of working fulltime and going to school. I really want to know how these other bloggers and influencers are able to consistently post damn near every day while I’m struggling to stay present online for 5 minutes without getting distracted.
The purpose of the podcast is to act as the audio version of this blog site. Meaning, I would be reading my posts out loud and verbally sharing my thoughts. I really want to accommodate those who prefer to listen to audio rather than reading text.
Entertainment
I finished watching ‘Legacies’ and now I don’t know what to do with my life. I haven’t felt this way about a show ending since ‘Insecure’. Although both of these shows ended on a good satisfying note, I became so attached to the characters and their story lines.
Many of my favorite shows have returned with new seasons this month. I’m currently watching ‘Wu-Tang: An American Saga’- Season. 4 (Hulu), ‘Snowfall’s 6th and final season (FX/Hulu), ‘Bel-Air’- Season 2 (Peacock), ‘Harlem’- Season. 2 (Prime), and I just finished ‘YOU’- Season. 4, Part one (Netflix) while still watching ‘BMF’ and ‘Abbott Elementary’. My plate has been very full, but I’ve managed to get in a few new TV series and movies. Check them out below:
(New) T.V. Series
- Watch Still Missing Morgan Streaming Online | Hulu. “On a humid evening in 1995, Colleen Nick’s life would be forever changed when her daughter, Morgan Nick, was kidnapped while playing with friends nearby. Her friend, Patty Wetterling, is one of few people who can relate to life with a child missing for 27 years. Patty’s son, Jacob, was kidnapped six years before Morgan. When the Morgan Nick case is reexamined in 2020, a documentary crew was there with the new investigators – leading to the first dramatic shift in the investigation in 25 years” -(Hulu).
- Watch The 1619 Project Streaming Online | Hulu. “Hulu’s six-part 1619 Docuseries is an expansion of “The 1619 Project” created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times Magazine. The series seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative” – (Hulu).
Movies + Documentaries
- 47 Meters Down: Uncaged | Watch Now on Netflix. “Two sisters join their two classmates on a cave dive to explore submerged ruins, only to find themselves hunted by a shark with heightened senses” – (Netflix). Although not as good as it’s 2017 predecessor, I thought this was a fun movie to watch. It did a pretty good job creating tension and suspense out of an unknown situation.
- Watch Pamela, a love story | Netflix Official Site. “In her own words, through personal video and diaries, Pamela Anderson shares the story of her rise to fame, rocky romances and infamous sex tape scandal” – (Netflix). Nobody can tell your life’s story better than YOU can. This documentary was very refreshing. I enjoyed hearing Pamela’s story from Pamela herself. It’s really messed up what that tape did to her and her career while Tommy didn’t even get half of the disgust and criticism that she did.
- Watch Unseen | Prime Video. “In 2009, Cleveland police discovered the bodies of eleven women decomposing in the house and yard of known sex offender Anthony Sowell. With unprecedented access to the surviving victims, “Unseen” tells a chilling story about the invisibility of women on the margins of society and raises troubling questions as to why this killing spree went unnoticed for so long” – (Prime Video). This documentary had me very emotional. My heart hurts for all the victims that didn’t make it and the survivors who did. One of the most horrifying cases I’ve ever seen. I got chills.
- Watch M3gan Streaming Online| Peacock. “M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s best friend. When a brilliant roboticist gives her young niece a M3GAN prototype, it soon becomes violent and does anything to protect the girl” – (Peacock). Best movie of 2023 so far. I loved every minute of this movie. M3gan was badass! I really want to see more of her in another movie. She might give Chucky a run for his money. AI is taking over for real, it’s scary out here.
- Watch Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert Streaming Online | Peacock. “For the first and last time, Amber Hagerman’s mother details her daughter’s shocking murder and shares chilling documentary footage that captures the 9-year-old’s final days; Amber’s legacy is an alert system that has saved over a thousand children” – (Peacock). Thinking about all the children lives that could’ve been saved (including Amber herself) if the Amber alert system was always in place, hurts. But I’m grateful we have it now. If you ever wondered how the Amber alert system came to be, watch this documentary.
- Watch The Strays | Netflix Official Site. “A woman’s meticulously crafted life of privilege starts to unravel when two strangers show up in her quaint suburban town” – (Netflix). Many mixed reviews on this one but I don’t care what anyone says I liked it; I thought it was really good. It was suspenseful and unpredictable. That ending though was crazy!
And the worst movie I’ve ever seen goes to…
Jeepers Creepers Reborn | Watch Now on Hulu. “Chase and Laine head to the Horror Hound Festival, where Laine begins to experience unexplained premonitions and disturbing visions associated with the town’s past, and in particular, local legend the Creeper. As the festival gets underway and the blood-soaked entertainment builds to a frenzy, Laine believes that something unearthly has been summoned and that for the first time in 23 years, the Creeper is back” – (Hulu).
I purposely waited for this movie to become available on a streaming service because I refused to waste money seeing it in theaters. Something in my spirit told me it was going to be bulls*it and I was right. I felt so insulted after watching this abomination of a movie. The CGI and special effects were awful, the acting – atrocious, everything was just so cringe and cheap. The franchise should’ve ended after part two and the directors/ producers should truly be ashamed. Every review I have seen on this movie were bad and I’m here to say, they might tell you a joke, but they’ll never tell you a lie because they were all facts.
Check out Cody Leach’s hilarious movie review below:
Music Favs
I had no idea Don Toliver was dropping a new album and as always, he did not disappoint. There are absolutely no skips on this one. ‘Love Sick’ dropped on Feb 24th and it has been on repeat ever since. His girlfriend and fellow artist- Kali Uchis new album drops a week later on March 3rd and their both featured on one another’s projects. How cute!
The second album that’s been on repeat is surprisingly Lil Yachty’s ‘Let’s Start Here.’ Now I’m going to be honest and say I’ve never listened to a Lil Yachty album before, I never was a huge fan, and I probably couldn’t name any of his older songs. But I loved this album; it was a lot of fun to listen to. There’s a lot of 80s influence and sounds from various genres- rock, alt, funk, and disco. I know he’s known for being a hip-hop/rap artist, so it was surprising to hear something like this from him. ‘Let’s start here’ really showcases Lil Yachty’s versatility and maturity.
I’ve been falling in love with rock music again and I’m happy I discovered this band called: Pierce the Veil. They give me early 2000 vibes when rock music was at its peak. So nostalgic.
I’m also loving Channel Tres new EP ‘Real Cultural Shit’ and his music in general. He gives 70s pimp vibes from his fashion sense to his sound. The EP is described as a celestial dance party powdered by futuristic funk. It’s vibrant and fun and I’m so here for it. I regret missing his show back in October 2022 because I had no one to go with. That won’t happen again.
Some of my favorite songs right now are: ‘Closure’ by: Kelela, ‘What time’ by: Sukihana, ‘Damn the man, Save the empire’ by: Pierce the veil, ‘Skinny Ape’ by: The Gorillaz, and ‘The Ride-‘ by: Lil Yachty.
You can find more of my current favs in the playlist below:
<<< Link to Spotify Playlist >>>
<<< Link to Apple Music Playlist >>>
Favorite Albums:
*note: each album title listed is clickable with direct links*
- HERBERT – Album by Ab-Soul | Spotify
- Raven – Album by Kelela | Spotify
- Jaws of Life – Album by Pierce the Veil | Spotify
- Love Sick – Album by Don Toliver | Spotify
- Let’s Start Here. – Album by Lil Yachty | Spotify
- My 21st Century Blues – Album by RAYE | Spotify
- Bad Influence – Album by Ojerime | Spotify *Oct. 2022*
- This Is Why – Album by Paramore | Spotify
- Archives & Lullabies – Album by Sabrina Claudio | Spotify
- Back on Dexter: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape – Album by Kash Doll | Spotify
- Linger Awhile – Album by Samara Joy | Spotify *Sept. 2022*
- The Kalling – Album by Kabaka Pyramid | Spotify *Sept. 2022*
Favorite EPs:
- FLOOR PACK – Single by Flozigg | Spotify
- It’s a Wrap – Single by Mariah Carey | Spotify
- Real Cultural Shit – EP by Channel Tres | Spotify
Podcast Episodes
Beauty + Locs
// This month, I went with a purple marble design.
I also decided to try the stiletto shape for the first time ever. It was cute for the first couple days but I miss the square shaped nails. The stiletto’s were so pointy, I was worried that I might accidentally poke my own eye out. Plus the more my natural nails grew out, the longer the acrylics got, and the more difficult it became to type. I can’t wait to go back short for my next mani.
The news of the gel UV light possibly causing cancer got me feeling a little uneasy. I really like gel polish because of how long-lasting and fast they dry. I can’t imagine going back to messy regular polish. I may need to get it poppin’ with the press on’s for a while.
// I am now 14 months loc’d as of February 10th, 2023…I’m so happy to be nappy!
Fashion
Nothing new in fashion this month but I just want to say how much I love wearing muumuus around the house and sleeping in oversized t-shirts rather than actual pajama sets.
There’s this red silky satin-y dashiki style “house dress” (pictured below) that I’ve had for years that I reach for more than any other sleepwear that I own. It’s oversized, breathable, and very comfortable. I probably look like someone’s old African auntie, but I don’t care. Comfort is going to win every time!
Food + Snacks
The Cheesecake Factory in Towson, MD will never see me again (on the weekends). I had a reservation for 3:30pm, arrived 15 minutes early, and still didn’t get seated till 50 minutes to an hour later. The food was good, but I was still so upset over the long wait time.
// Favorite snack right now: DIY Granola Sundae. Which consists of strawberry ice cream or strawberry yogurt mixed with Hershey’s chocolate bars (the ones with almonds). You can either crush it up like granola or just dip it like a sundae and add more nuts as desired. A very sweet and nutty treat.
That’s all for now, xoxo.
Happy Birthday to all the intuitive and sensitive Pisceans out there, and I hope all the Aquarians enjoyed their birthdays!
Tiffany’s Diary 