Happy Friday and Happy Hannukah everyone!
watching...
On the recommendations of countless Israelis and Americans alike, my roommates and I finally took the plunge and started watching Tehran. It moves pretty slowly and not much happens each episode until the last 5 minutes, but still, we're all hooked. The story really grabs you and I've caught myself audibly gasping on more than one occasion. We only have 1 episode left so no spoilies if you've seen it!
eating...
I MADE LATKES LAST NIGHT. This year is my first time really living on my own during the holidays, which means I'm forced to make my own holiday foods! It's been an exciting adventure in my independence that only resulted in a brief grease fire (oops)! I had to freestyle a bit on the recipe to make them both gluten-free and vegan but they actually turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. Recipe potentially coming soon...?
reading...
This week I've been chugging through The Sympathizer, which has been on my list for a while now. It's actually a bucket list item of mine to read all of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novels in history, (and even the runners-up) so this one is getting me one step closer! So far, I'm really enjoying the book, and I imagine I'll post a full review here on the blog to really do justice to the richness of the prose. It's heartbreakingly hilarious and I am intimidated by just the thought of attempting to review a book like this...so we'll see how it goes.
listening to...
Lately, I've been obsessed with the podcast, Resistance. It's a fairly new show, inspired by the resurgence of BLM protests this past summer. Each episode tells the story of a different BLM activist and I have yet to encounter an episode that didn't give me the chills, bring me to tears, or both. So far, I think the episode that hit me the hardest was Shake the Room (and not just because it's an incredible song); the host Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. really makes you feel as if you're there, being harassed by the NYPD and it's impossible to not feel as if you're heart is breaking for those for whom this is their reality. I feel immensely privileged to hear these stories from the comfort of my daily bus commute, rather than being forced to live them.
writing about...
Click here to read about my adventure making sweet potato avo toast. spoiler alert: it's not that adventurous.
grateful for...
I'm especially grateful for my makeshift Israeli family this week. It's been harder than I anticipated being away from my parents for Thanksgiving and Hannukah. We always spend these two holidays together as a family and it's hard being away from my parents not knowing when I'll see them next. Yet, as difficult as it's been, it would be a whole lot worse if I didn't have such incredible roommates. The photo at the top is the five of us, wearing my family's Hannukah glasses from the first night of Hannukah. Those morons are my family and, as corny as it sounds, I'm so lucky to have them in my life.
doing for the planet...
This month I'm challenging myself to a no-spend December! I'm not spending any money on non-essential shopping, ordering food, or anything else I can get for free/at home. It's actually been pretty difficult because most of the malls in Israel just opened up, but I was inspired by my recent reading of Let My People Go Surfing to consume fewer goods...and I'm trying my best. One of my favorite (of many) quotes from the book reads, "We live in a culture where replacement is king...Consumers take, make, dispose, and repeat- a pattern that is driving us toward ecological bankruptcy." So this month I'm trying to consume less! For the environment and also for my wallet, lord knows I could use the extra limitations on my spending.
I hope everyone has the loveliest weekend full of latkes and sufganiyot (whether you celebrate Hannukah or not)!
xx, lindz
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