Elva Fields Blog » entertainment
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Latest Loves
A few things I'm loving lately:
1. This snake series from Wink Wink Studio. Truly, there is not a single painting of hers I don't adore.
2. Jon Batiste can do no wrong, and his latest single is on repeat for me. (It's the grand finale song on my January playlist.)
3. I've had to be my own traffic cop lately to slow myself down, sit still, and meditate to clear the crazy that's often scrolling through my mind these days. Instead of a speeding ticket, I gave myself an incentive to ease up my pace: a ritual with incense that feels like a luxurious treat to myself. Each stick burns for 20 minutes, so I know I'm at least going to get that much attempted calm, and the scent is NOTHING like the nag champa haze of college dorm days - light, floral, but grounding. (Bonus - my kids dig it, too, and sometimes sit a minute quietly before moving on to their next mess.)
4. One of my top-three teas of all time, no question. Never ever gets old. (And not just because of its name, but that certainly doesn't hurt.)
5. To distract me from my occasional doomscrolling, I've picked up a new habit...and even though it doesn't disconnect me from my screen, I figure it activates my brain and keeps me on the up-and-up with my vocabulary. (And isn't there something about word games keeping dementia at bay? Does asking that make me even more of a granny? Please don't answer that, actually.)
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Our Favorite Podcasts
I've spent a decent amount of time this fall in the car on a handful of road trips, some with kiddos and some without. While music is my mainstay, I'm also a huge fan of podcasts to pass the time. Whether I'm on the road, cooking, putting together designs in the studio, or washing dishes, here are a few favorites of late:
- The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel - one for the kids (but I'm a fan, too), it's a serialized story about a smart and curious student and his group of friends as they disappear, one at a time
- Sincerely, X - a TED talk given anonymously on air rather than on stage, because the nature of their story requires that their identity be withheld
- Revisionist History - by Malcolm Gladwell, whose humor and insight is endlessly entertaining and always interesting
- Homecoming - Obsessed. A story told in a way unlike any I've ever heard before. Add Catherine Keener, and I was sold. David Schwimmer is an incredibly talented surprise in this one, too.
- On Being with Krista Tippett - I've been listening to this show for years, often on early-morning drives to flea markets with nothing but NPR and coffee to keep me going. I adore the wisdom, honesty, and heart-driven thought in every single interview.
- Invisibilia - About the forces at work in life that we can't see, I often think for a long time after listening to this one. Fascinating, really.
-Wow in the World - another one for kiddos, but I learn SO much from these. Because my 8 am biology class in college just didn't stick.
- The Lively Show - A favorite for years. I'm totally digging her take on "alignment before action," offering ways to find a happier, more fulfilling life that works for each of us.
- This American Life - because, well, it's awesome.
- Anna Faris is Unqualified - In full disclosure, I've not yet listened to this one, but it's on my list. Keep you posted.
