hii lovesss, 

heyyyy... i know that it has been a minute since i've posted a blog post. i promise i will be on my shit and be engaging a lot more with y'all. to be a lot more honest, i've just been rotting away in my room . i feel like these classes have taken my energy away and i have just been using it to doomscroll and sleep away in my room. BUT i will be a lot more consistent and post at least 1-2x a week. i miss posting blog entries and hopefully i will be able to explore different types of content for the blog later on. but moving forward, i will try not to ghost y'all like that again. i missed y'all 😩. 

- m <3

kelela has come to save us everyone

 album review 

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Hiiiii loves, 

Have any of you listened to Kelela's new music release? I absolutely loved her new album "new avatar". One thing about Kelela is that she tends to bring a new sound to every project she releases, and it never disappoints every single time. There were new songs included, and other previously released singles that were included on the album. These songs could somewhat represent different parts of herself when they were made. They still mesh well with the album as a whole. 

The balance of this album is so apparent when you listen closely. Kelela dives deep into the eye of a relationship that is essentially not working for either person. That sound continues to get more passionate and emotional as the songs go, and Kelela begins to tell a story of heartbreak, intimacy, passion, and vulnerability that many of us can be familiar with. 

My absolute favorites on the album have to be "if we meet again", "idea 1", and "point blank". BUT I genuinely love all of the songs on that album. I think about this album toooo much. The only rating that it could get is 5 stars! 

However, if you want to hear more of my thoughts on this album, check out an article with 2 amazing writers and me at i-candy zine. 🍭🌼💕 (SHOUTOUTTT I-CANDY)

click on the image to see the article <3

- m <3

youtubeee ?

Hiii guyss, 

I hope it was a wonderful day for you guys. I know that Mondays can be a bit scary. Even if you did not have the best day, I hope going over my page helps brighten it. 

However, I've had something on my mind for a minute now. I've been thinking about starting a YouTube channel. But every time I think I'm going to go through with it, I end up backing out. The perks of not wanting to be perceived. 

I think it would be such a good project, and it sounds like so much fun. I would do similar content there, like how I produce posts on here. I would do reviews, commentary, maybe vlogs, and so much more. But I don't knowwww. It's just been a thought and I can't get it out of my head. So, what could be the perfect place to express that other than here?

If anyone has a YouTube channel and wants to relay their experience with it, please do!

- m <3

ms. toni morrison, the woman that you are

book review: Sula by Toni Morrison

rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A writer with words that melt in your brain, impossible to scratch off. Toni Morrison's ability to convey such beautiful messages in her books, specifically in the book I will be talking about, Sula. This could be relevant to you all if you’re looking for a new author to get into and hear perspectives through a different lens, especially heavy themes. I’ve read Toni Morrison’s books for a while now, and I wouldn’t say that I’m an expert, but I might know enough. I will be speaking about her portrayal of complex friendship, identity, and the writing style that Morrison uses throughout this book.

Even with that being said, Toni Morrison still touches on other topics vital to the understanding of Sula as a complete piece.

To start, I will go into the complex friendship between the main characters, Sula and Nel, which surrounds the air with intense and thick tensions that can either make or break their relationship. Sula, who is the protagonist, is shown as someone who's a bit different from the other characters. She embraces the point of pain and pleasure, whether alone or together. Nel is Sula's best friend, who has a history of being in an oppressive, restrained household and decided that she won't subject herself to that anymore. Their entanglement deepens when their relationship unfolds because of one man. Nel's man. A sense of grief, mourning, tension, battle of friendship, and much more combine when they are together. But it adds a different layer to female friendships that isn't explored with Black characters so often in a way that Toni articulates so well.

Toni speaks of identity in a really unique way in Sula. She speaks a lot about the sense of identity and looking for herself as a whole. She dives a lot into the importance and recognition of autonomy and what it means to be free, and what that means for her. Within the book, you can see how that will correlate with sexual freedom, challenging social norms, which could also be seen as taboo in the Black community when it comes to women. It was extremely interesting to read.

Toni's writing style is one that you don't see quite often because of her choice of words, which flow like poetry. The way she uses words with or against each other is fascinating to read because of how much detail she goes into when writing her characters, storylines, plot twists, and more. Her writing style stays with you because of how raw and unsettling it can get, but it's framed in a way that fits. She keeps you engaged in every sentence, and if you stop paying attention, you will be lost. But that's the positive part is that she keeps you there.

Her writing style has had a tremendous impact on the industry, and her books are so influential in people's lives. That is one of the main reasons why I recommend this book for young black women in their 20s, entering adulthood. That's because it was recommended to me for the same reason. It made me reflect on how I navigate complex relationships with my friends or myself.

I read this book a long time ago. But it has been on my mind recently. I knew I had to do a book review on it! If anyone is contemplating reading a book by Toni Morrison, DO IT. It will change your life.

- m <3

she's a writerrrrr

A little fun fact about me.. I am a screenwriter. An aspiring screenwriter. I want to do it all. Directing, producing, acting, and honestly anything the industry could offer. I love putting my film ideas into real writing. Well, I love when it's done. But the process... is a little rocky. I have been in the process of writing three scripts all at once, and I've just been taking my time. I'm still in the working stage of learning the ins and outs of how I work. 

But I'm trying to be as consistent as I can to just write whenever an idea comes to me. However, I am the type of person to plan when to write. I will need an entire outline to get all of my thoughts in order. By then, the idea is already gone. So, I just try to write when it comes to me. I don't know how people are able to finish these scripts in just a couple of days. It feels as if it's never going to get finished when I'm writing. Maybe I'll sneak a preview on here, hmm.

- m <3

rom-com of the year?

film review: Finding Emily (some spoilers) 

rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I hear how people have been raving about this film for a couple of months, and I was also pretty excited to watch it myself when the trailer came out. But it was a while before it was released in the U.S., and I've been seeing that people claim that it is the rom-com of the year? So, I definitely needed to see for myself. I wonder why people thought that. 

Finding Emily is based on a guy named Owen who meets a girl, later named Emily, at a function of a university that he works at and that she goes to. They end up talking for what seems like ages, but it was probably like 30 minutes. She's interested in him and the conversation. He's completely enticed by her. He feels as if it was love at first sight. 

She ended up having to go to her friend's birthday party and gave Owen her number in a rush. He later tries to contact her the next day and finds out he can't because her number is missing that last digit. So he takes it upon himself to go to the school to find her and bumps into another Emily that you see in the poster. Both have goals to accomplish, and one that is kept secret. They later team up together to find Emily while not realizing how much they come to like each other. 

Now, the film is beautiful in terms of the camerawork. There were so many good shots, and I liked the way it was going. But as it goes on, that miscommunication trope whew. That is a trope that I HATE to see go on in any piece of media, and it is unfortunate because it went on for so long in this one. Also, that ending???  

I couldn't really enjoy the little cute moments between them because of how much was being kept a secret from Owen about why the other Emily was really helping him find Emily. If anything, the real rom-com of the year or decade has to be Rye Lane. When the trailer first came out and buzz started to circulate, there were some people that were comparing it to Rye Lane, given that it kind of gave the same vibe almost. But people were completely wrong. It didn't have that soft, cool edge that Rye Lane had. I'm not sure if there will be another film like Rye Lane. But they need to stop playing with them. 

Overall, I did somewhat enjoy the movie. It had warmth. I liked the supporting characters and the connection of other characters to the main leads and their relationships. Even so, it was just the circumstances that made it a bit harder to fully connect with the main characters because it gave an "I know something that you don't" type of vibe throughout the majority of the movie, and it wasn't one that I could personally ignore when I was watching. 

Let me know if any of you have watched this film yet. How did you feel about it? Do you feel the same way or? 

- m <3

fall is here y'all hehehe

Technically, fall starts on the 22nd of September. But the way climate change has this weather behaving... we might as well call it in early okay. So, to get in the fall spirit, we have to get our watch list in order because what is fall without some movies and shows to watch? 

Starting off with shows:

The Walking Dead (2010-2022): I talk about this show like it's my baby okay. I believe that it's good to watch The Walking Dead in any season. However, it just hits different in the fall. The storylines, the connection between characters, a comfort show that beats all odds. 

Supernatural (2005-2020): Supernatural is the epitome of a fall show. It has that eerie, rustic, fall feel. If you are going to consider watching any show on this list, this needs to be one of them. It includes the supernatural that feels tied to Halloween. So, if you want something to watch that feels more on the spookier side of fall, watch it and let me know if you think it's a fall feel. 

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (2017): A supernatural K-drama that I will forever rave about. This show feels warm, buzzy, with lots of laughter, and a bit of an emotional connection between the two main characters that gets deeper as the show goes on. It's a feel-good show that keeps you on your toes and provides comfort during this season, which is what fall is all about. 

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021): One of my all-time favorite K-dramas that I always go back to rewatch. Now, this show is more of a spring/summer show. However, the sweetness of the show goes across the board. Your tooth will chip because of how sweet it gets between the main leads and how comforting love feels in the shadow of fall. 

Moving on to movies: 

Hocus Pocus (1993): Hocus Pocus is a very halloweeny vibe. But it still fits in that category for fall. A 90s classic that will have you ready to get into the spirit for October while the leaves fall. If anyone watches this for the first time, let me know if it puts you in that fall mood. 

Legally Blonde (2001): A 2000s rom-com that is perfect for watching in bed and you wanna take it back a couple years for a minute. It's a nice campus movie that speaks on many subjects in a different way than other films at the time that tackled feminine characters. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001): Nothing screams a fall nighttime watch for a movie more than Harry Potter. I truly believe all of the movies are fit to watch in the fall. But the aesthetics of the first one still blow my mind. Anytime I put it on, snuggling in bed and under the covers is a sign of a good fall movie. 

Halloweentown (1998): Halloweentown is an ultimate classic. I don't think there's much to say on this one except it's on everyone else's fall watchlist for a reason. 

Twilight (2007): If you don't have Twilight on your watchlist for this fall, put it on there. I recently watched all of the movies not too long ago and the weather was perfect. It was a rainy day with a cool breeze. The rewatch was needed and I do not regret it at all. 

How do we like the list?? Now, some of these shows might not appeal as much as ones that have a fall vibe. But it just makes sense to me. So, I had to. Hopefully I didn't sound too repetitive in my explanations. I wanted you guys to have vivid descriptions of the movies and shows in words that applied to them. So hopefully it landed nicely. 

- m <3