Spotify Wrapped, Christmas Movies and Normal People
SPOTIFY WRAPPED
Today was my first year on Spotify which also meant it was my first year receiving my Spotify wrapped. I want to play it cool and say I didn’t care but reality is, I was positively GIDDY with the thought of hearing was Spotify had to say about me. Before subscribing to Spotify, I was an Apple Music fan (I still miss the interviews) but changed because everyone kept telling me that Spotify KNOWS YOU. As much as algorithms freak me out, I was struggling to find new music so appreciated the idea that some artificial intelligence could help me out. There is something strangely satisfying about seeing yourself reflected to yourself. Not in a looks mirror kind of way. But in the way that so much of what is presented to us is based on our decisions and in our life decisions there isn’t that tangible sense of what it contributes to. Spotify is like a horoscope of sorts. I found the whole experience oddly comforting, if not slightly embarrassing. *
Here are a couple of articles on the Spotify thing:
Why everyone’s mad for Spotify wrapped...
How Spotify’s audio recommendation system works
NORMAL PEOPLE
I watched Normal People on Stan. I loved it. A great six or so hours of my life.
I could not get into the book that is Normal People but dear god did I fall in love with Connell and Marianne. But the best person is without a doubt Lorraine, Connell’s mum. My friend Sarah has taught me many things but an appreciation for TV shows that are complicated and share the banal, messy side of life is one of them. So, it was with this new appreciation I was able to watch this show. Being older has also made me feel like I can cope with messy endings even though I just wanted them to be happy together. Should I have put a spoiler warning before that?
THE MIRROR VISITOR QUARTET
Speaking of messy things, I read this YA fantasy series and I loved it. Seriously. I won’t spoil this one because it’s new and I do have a heart. This series deals with big themes like destiny, religion, love, family and probably way more than I can remember. I feel like a lot of YA books in this genre deal with these films. I understand this because it is a time of puberty and growth etc. I think I am wondering why these things trail off as we get older, but I also don’t think I’ve read enough ‘adult’ fantasy books to comment. I also haven’t seen Game of Thronesor anything. Okay well I watched two episodes but found the rape and incest too much.
CHRISTMAS MOVIES
I keep threatening to watch a Christmas movie because it’s December, but I can’t think of one I want to watch. All recommendations welcome. I don’t think I’ve seen that many to be honest and I don’t think I could watch Love Actually again.
MISC.
I’m currently reading Pandora’s Jar and watching Dulbin Muders. Can report back once I have consumed more and feel like I have something solid to say. I’m also really into buying CDs again… so much so I had to order the deluxe version of Selena Gomez’s Rare from her official site because no one here seems to sell it?
It’s quite funny we started with Spotify and ended on CDs.
*I honestly didn’t realise I listened to Olivia Rodrigo all that much.