Happy Sunday, friends! I sure have a lot of random recommendations, things to share, and a burning question for you:
1. Here’s what I’m currently reading. I like it but it did take a while to get into. Fantasy books are like that (for me anyway) because you have to learn about a whole new world, sometimes with new terminology, while also getting to know characters and what they are doing.
2. My mom got me a Harry Potter book cover that I love—it’s from this Etsy seller.
3. Recently bought myself this hat. Springfield, MO pride!
4. My favorite necklace is a gold pendant from Madewell, but I recently bought this one to layer with it. Love a pretty gold pendant.
5. I’ve been drinking lots of different teas from this David’s Tea sampler. Probably my favorite so far is “Forever Nuts,” but I love the ADVENTURE of trying new teas. 🙂
6. Is anyone else watching Goop Lab on Netflix? I am loving it!
7. I am a bit of a true crime podcast enthusiast (long time murderino), but Elise recently turned me on to Crime Junkie. I’ve had some painting projects lately so lots of time to listen to murder shows. 🙂
8. Been making lots of recipes from Super Simple lately and I love it! My favorites so far are the sesame orange chicken, Thai basil beef, and chocolate chip cookies. I don’t eat meat all the time, but when I do I often feel kind of lost cooking it because I was a vegetarian for most of the years I was into cooking. Still learning all the time!
9. Question: What’s your karaoke song? I’m curious!
10. Want to know what I currently have on hold at my library? Two books, Bad Monkey and also Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts. I have multiple books to read at my house already too … but I am a bit of book hoarder apparently.
Hope you’re having a great weekend full of whatever you need—cleaning, grocery shopping, adventures, or down time. xo. Emma
22 Comments
I have never done karaoke but if I did, it would be Stand Out from A Goofy Movie. Those who know, KNOW ????
YES! Highly underrated movie and soundtrack.
I love the little working area in your photo! Thanks for the links and have a lovely Sunday! 🙂
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My karaoke song is Landslide by The Dixie Chicks… I’m a low alto singer with a relatively small range, so it was challenging to find a song that was both fun to sing and that I could pull off. Definitely envious of people who can hit those high power notes!
Unfortunately my best karaoke song is to Divinyls’ I touch Myself. I say unfortunately because I don’t really want to be singing the lyrics to a room of strangers, but it is in my vocal range and the only song I feel I’m confident in hitting the notes.
Speaking of Murderinos… I recently finished the new Bundy series on Amazon that was featured at the end of a recent MFM episode and it is so well made. Hard to watch at times, but definitely worth it to see it told from the female perspective.
September by Earth, Wind & Fire. Such a classic!
Do either of you(Elsie&Emma) have goodreads accounts? I love seeing what people reads/ what there reviews-points are for books on there. Would love to follow you if you have.
I do but I haven’t updated it in a while. It’s one of those things that on my list to do, but haven’t gotten around to it.
Also love true crime (murderino). Crime Junkie podcast had an unfortunate issue with plagiarism that they never really addressed adequately (according to the other podcasters they plagiarized from), so I haven’t listened to it.
Hi! First of all, I just want to say that I love you guys at A Beautiful Mess, and you have brought a lot of sunshine and light into my life for many years. Secondly, I just want to say that I totally understand why people are consumed by True Crime stuff, but I want to also let people know that it is extremely hard knowing that people are watching brutal murder cases involving loved ones for entertainment. I am someone who knew a murder victim and a perpetrator very well that has been the subject of podcasts and true crime TV and it completely devastates me every time I think of people tuning in to be entertained by it. Just want to put that out there. Otherwise, keep doing what you’re doing 🙂
I value your perspective but I don’t really consider it entertainment. To me it’s much more like listening to the news, or watching a documentary.
The first one I ever hard of was Serial (season 1) and until then I have to admit I had never really considered wrongful convictions and that kind of possibility. Now I’m a proud supporter of the Midwest Innocence Project and it’s completely because of listening to a true crime podcast.
I think it’s very important to be sensitive to the situation and anyone involve but from my perspective I’ve seen a lot more good come from TC than bad; missing people being found, cold cases being solved, corrupt government organizations being called out, and sometimes innocent people being freed. I’m amazed the powerful and positive impact many of this shows have had.
Hi Emma – thank you for responding! I definitely agree that some good can come from these shows – especially the more “high brow” podcasts/episodes like Serial or Making a Murderer where they take a more investigative, journalistic approach. The problem with me lies in the explosion of cheaper, simpler true crime shows and podcasts, like those on Investigation Discovery, where they reenact all the gory, horrible details of the crime. This person I love was the subject victim of two of these type shows. They do not celebrate his life or the person he was in these shows. Instead, they walk you through the murder plot step-by-step and highlight all the horrific, gory details that encompassed the last few minutes of his life. They talk about the blood, how he was beaten beyond recognition, how he begged for his life, etc. A lot of the facts of his case were wrong, which shows they didn’t even take the time to do much fact-checking. This is the kind of thing that hurts to have out there. That being said, I do agree with you that sometimes, if done well, true crime can have some good. Despite having been so close to a murder victim, I am very actively involved with the prison system and believe in rehabilitation and mercy, and I know the faults of the criminal justice system well. So I very much appreciate you being involved with the Innocence Project. I don’t think 95% of people who are addicted to true crime ever do anything about it to improve the system for victims or people in prison, but if True Crime inspires you to help, I say keep watching 🙂
My karaoke go to is “Forever in Blue Jeans” by Neil Diamond. I’m ok, but my husband is the true rock star of our family! He will sing the heck out of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. I’ve seen ladies swoon over his performance ???? He makes it his own, and throws in a LOT of curse words, but people say that simply shows how passionate he is. I just laugh, and make sure he has a drink ready for after.
WHAAAAAT!!! SSDGM!
Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody. It makes me happy!
It can totally take time to get into a fantasy book! I’m currently reading a court of mist and fury (the series that sherry from young house love highly recommended!)
I don’t participate in karaoke but my husband and my best friend’s husband always sing “all my life” by KC & Jojo together. 🙂 it seems to always be a big hit hahaha!
Foo Fighters’ Best of You is a great karaoke jam! Depending upon the mood (or the performances before yours), you can really soften it and make it your own, but if you’re feelin’ bawdy, as – let’s be honest – we often are at karaoke, it can build up to a rowdy, quasi yell if you’re feelin’ it! A good range of energy in one song. Plus, I feel like the Foos garner me some cool points even when I am decidedly UNcool.
Re: book hoarding: raising my hand for hoarding of scandalous proportions! I need to go through my bookshelf and my kindle, determine the number of unread books I have, clear out any that I know I won’t read, and then set a hard commitment not to purchase or borrow any more until I finish all the ones I already have! (ps – I know that this will never actually happen. Who am I kidding? I once went through my entire home to gather all unused/partially used notebooks, as well as all notecards/stationery, vowing not to acquire any more until fully depleting my stash, and… Mt. Papermore is still looming, seemingly unconquerable.)
As a person who also knew a murder victim, I TRULY LOVE that people are still talking about them and will never forget what injustice they had. Perhaps it could even help someone or be a prevention tool. I’m a Karen, so maybe that’s why 😉
I love Goop Lab. I am really hoping for more episodes, being I have watched them all, already! So interesting
I love David’s Tea! I’m lucky enough to have several in my city. If you like Forever Nuts you need to try their Peanut Butter Cup! It’s amazing as an oatmilk latte too!
My go to is definitely “Party in the USA”. Very hard to sing, but after all the people who get up there and sing all the slow songs ruining my buzz, I like to lighten the mood up and people always start singing and dancing lol 🙂