April Monthly Round Up

Here’s to the longest month in existence: APRIL!!! Another few weeks of lockdown done and dusted; yeah, it’s hard but every day is another day closer to the end of it all but we’re not there just yet. We’re doing our best to have a positive outlook on everything but days like these are definitely getting harder for everyone. All we can ask of everyone is to Stay Home, Stay Safe and listen to the restrictions put in place because they are there for the good of everyone. Flatten the Curve and we can all have a mad sesh when this is over. But let’s have a look at what we think are the highlights of April 2020.

Book of the month

E: I’ve been reading a lot of the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. They are spectacularly funny and all of her characters throughout the series are so unique and so funny in their own right. So far, Evanovich has 26(!) books in the Plum Series so that’ll keep you busy for a while if you like female bounty hunter problems and grandmas with a fascination for funerals.

N: As I wait for a big book order to arrive, I’ve been reading some of my tweenie and young adult books to be able to recommend them to some of my neighbours. I’ve been making my way through The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot. My favourite is the fourth book in the series ‘Young Blood’. Think teen version of Ghost Whisper if you watched that programme. Suze kicks bad ghosts butts and helps the good ones to see the light. 

TV Show Picks

E: This is probably the only time I will ever say this: The Late Late Show on RTE. In April alone they had Hozier and Dermot Kennedy on as musical guests and that is legitimately the only reason I watched.

N: I’ve been enjoying ‘Be Our Chef’ on Disney+. Families compete to make dishes influenced by Disney characters. Think Master Chef but, for families. It is on every week so I can’t binge watch but, I find looking forward to a Friday is a good thing now. 

Movie Picks

Good Movie Recommendation: 

E: For this one, I am choosing ‘Gifted’ starring Chris Evans, Octavia Spencer, Lindsay Duncan and the fantastic young actress, Mckenna Grace. Mckenna is so amazing as gifted child Mary Adler who’s being raised by her single uncle, Frank (Evans), and helped by neighbour Roberta (Spencer) but Mary’s grandmother, Evelyn (Duncan), comes into the picture to attempt to make Mary complete her mother’s project.

N: To be honest we have been watching A LOT of movies. A lot of them are blurring into each other if I am honest, so I’ll go with one suggestion that I had a blast singing along with my sister to: ‘The Phantom of the Opera Live at the Royal Albert Hall’ (2010).

Cheesy Bad Movie Recommendation:

E: Jumper (2008) – It had so much potential and I don’t know what happened! The basic premise is that the lead character David (played by Hayden Christensen) can transport himself anywhere in the world because of a genetic anomaly. It was loosely based on a novel of the same name by Steven Gould. I’m just saying that the acting was fine but the writing and plot of the movie?… mmm read the book.

N: Geek Charming (2011) – Sarah Hyland and Matt Propkop star in this one and I am not going to lie… The reason I love this one is because I had the biggest crush on Matt Propkop. A nerd and the popular girl at school? Sure why not… Never gonna happen in real life but, we can imagine it! 

Gaming Picks 

E: A mobile colouring game called Happy Color, it’s relaxing. Kind of exactly what I need, right now.

N: Mortal Kombat II, I’ve been playing this with my siblings. Slowly getting better but, still being beaten by the two monsters that are my siblings. They are insanely good at it and extremely competitive so; I usually don’t stand a chance. We had a lot of fun though so, that is the main thing.

Music 

Single of the Month

E: Boyfriend – Selena Gomez – Selena just gets it. I have loved Selena’s latest comeback album and her work creating Rare Beauty, her cosmetics range, with all of its inclusiveness. This woman is killing it on all fronts.

N: ‘Every Time I Make You Hate Me’ Rofi James. The lads are back and I adore this song. Listen to the story behind this song. On a personal level I feel it is the song some people may need more than others. Ronan’s voice is just so raspy in this one and just wow! It adds to the emotion. I recommend it to everyone. 

Album/EP of the Month 

E: C A L M because I finally got my hands on it digitally and on vinyl and it has no skips. I think I’m in love. I will admit it took me a while to realise that the letters of the album title represent the members of 5 Seconds of Summer (Calum, Ashton, Luke, Michael)… I’m not a smart person. I adore Red Desert and Wildflower in particular so I’m now dying to see them live. Please don’t cancel 5sos!!

N: Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa – I’ve had it on repeat for a while and let’s be real ‘Physical’ is all over the radio so you really can’t avoid it. Up to now I usually just like the songs Dua brings out as singles and a few others off albums but, there are no songs I skip on this album! I also adore 5 SOS album this month too but Em mentioned it so you know…. 

Favourite Thing About April

E: The weather! Holy crap was April a beautiful, sunny month which probably means as soon as we are allowed to set foot outside our 2km radius that it will rain for the rest of the year. We’ve had our two weeks of summer now.

N: Walks. Taking the time out of my house and exploring within my 2km radius. Thank Merlin for living in the countryside. 

Favourite Item of the Month

E: My new vinyl player/Bluetooth speaker. It does both and I love it. I’ve always wanted to be able to buy vinyls and now I can start my collection. I have so many albums I wanted to get first but Dermot Kennedy’s ‘Without Fear’ was the start of it all. I’m going to have so many vinyls, I just know it.

N: My camera. I’ve been spending more time messing around and just practicing different shots. 

Event of the Month?

E: There haven’t been any events for me to talk about *le cries*

N: One World: Together At Home. We made a night of it and even though it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it was going to be, it is going to be one of the events during this global pandemic that is going to be talked about for years to come.

Moment of the Month

The best moment of the month for me was being told by Niamh that Beauty Bay, the website where I get all my Jeffree Star Cosmetics from, had a small, sneaky restock of the Jeffree Star x Shane Dawson eyeshadow palette, Conspiracy. This girl got her own Conspiracy palette thanks to that moment. Thank you Neef!! ❤

N: Setting up the projector on the wall outside and playing PS4 with my siblings in the dark. It was freezing and we were curled up in blankets and layers of clothes but; that moment will be one of the defining memories of Lockdown. 

Your Quote of the Month

E: “No more rules, the freedom of dressing. The beauty of mixing vintage clothes with a pair of jeans that I love.” – Yves Saint Laurent

N: “You’re mad. Bonkers. Off your head. But, I’ll tell you a secret… some of the best people are!” – Alice in Wonderland. 

Three things you are most excited about for May? 

E: 1) More sunshine! I don’t care if I get sunburnt, I want more sun in May. 2) There have been talks of gradually lifting restrictions in Ireland and I genuinely want that to happen before I go stark raving mental and 3) I’m looking forward to sinking my teeth into my next book ‘The Historian’ by Elizabeth Kostova and getting back to my artwork if inspiration hits me because I miss drawing but finding inspiration is hard. 

N: 1. Honestly I found April incredibly hard to be productive. I had to do a number of things for work and for others which got done. But, I need to get over my anxieties a bit and sit down with my thoughts and get done what I want to get done. 2. Hopefully some restrictions are gradually lifted, it would be nice to head into the woodland where I work to even walk around it by myself. 3. My books are arriving, I am slowly going a bit crazy without a few challenging books to sink my teeth into.