FUN STUFF.

Go grab a cup of tea. Or anything you like.

We are going to talk about fun stuff!

Yesterday I asked you for suggestions on movies and tv series I could check out, so now it’s my turn to share some of the things I enjoy… so take a seat, get comfy, and sip on your hot drink!

Edgar is having troubles finding a comfortable spot.

I want to touch on books, music, movies and games; for each I selected 3 to talk about – not necessarily my favourites, but rather the ones I’m most in the mood for, or the ones I believe more people could enjoy.

So let’s begin with books:

1. “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson. This book *is* my favorite, it has been since I’ve first read it last year, after being recommended to me. It’s a short read, but it’s rich in content. I have a tattoo inspired by one of the things the protagonist keeps repeating to herself in the book. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that Stoker, one of my favorite horror movies, is based off of this book (not entirely, but it was enough for me to be happy about it);
2. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare. I remember reading this book a few times during my high school years, and finding it extremely fascinating. This was probably the piece that pushed me to read more classics;
3. “Kitchen” by Banana Yoshimoto. It was gifted to me by a friend after I told her about my love for Yoshimoto’s work; I read it in a day, once again it’s very short, but to me, this book is amazing. It was the author’s first piece and after reading it, I felt incredibly inspired to start writing my own book, Dream House (coming out in English in April). Don’t get me wrong, my story has nothing to do with Kitchen, but the way the writer was able to narrate and describe so well from the very beginning, showed me that I shouldn’t be afraid to put myself out there. Her first novel was a masterpiece, I’m aware I need way more practice to reach that kind of level, but the point is that all of her work always deeply inspired me and motivated me; not to mention how well I can relate to her characters and how much I truly enjoy reading through anything she writes.

Moving onto movies, these aren’t any of my favourites, but I will explain you why I picked them:

1. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015). Okay, well… I know I just said this wouldn’t be one of my favourites, but it’s definitely on my top 10 list. I was invited last year by FOX to an early screening in London: as soon as I watched the trailer, I knew I was going to love it. And I was not disappointed, even in the slightest, by watching the movie. It’s brilliant, it’s creative, it’s heart-warming but in a non-cheesy way. This movie was realistic, which I appreciate. It’s clever. I could watch it over and over again without getting tired of it. And trust me when I say that, because I was in a 8 hours flight that only played 3 movies on repeat and this was the one I chose.
2. “The Squid and the Whale” (2005). A recent find for me, although it has been around for a long time. I picked it up a few weeks ago, simply intrigued by the title. Once again, it’s a realistic movie, not happy, not sad; just very interesting to me. As I was watching it I could overall enjoy the vibe of it, but to be fair, the reason why I liked this movie so much, comes from the very last scene. It gave me chills, it just wrapped up the movie so perfectly.
3. “The Room” (2003). Now, this one isn’t your typical movie. Before you call me crazy, or look up reviews, give me a moment to tell you about it. I was shown this film last year, and since then I have shown it to so many of my friends – the reactions are always priceless. It’s just so bad it’s amazing, and anyone who has seen it will tell you the same. It becomes part of your daily life, you will be quoting it often when it doesn’t even make sense. You just won’t be able to help it. So if you get the chance, give it a go, but make sure you are watching it with friends, otherwise there would be no fun in doing it. You would just think I’m a weirdo.

Next up on the list is music, which I find kind of challenging to talk about but will try my best for you:

1. “In Rolling Waves” by The Naked & Famous. They are my favorite band, they have been since they brought out their first album and every single song is just so unique compared to anything else I came across. They have a very specific style, you will hear it immediately, and that’s how I know that no matter what, their music will always sound enjoyable to me;
2. “Post Tropical” by James Vincent McMorrow. This guy’s voice is incredible, his talent is very obvious. He isn’t a very popular artist; his music is soft, alternating slow moments with quick, loud ones, managing to keep a nice balance. The way he matches the background sounds to his words is impressive. You will have to give it a listen for yourself, I can’t promise this will be of your taste, but I personally always go back to his songs;
3. “Coexist” by The XX. Another extremely interesting band. I believe they reached some popularity after composing a piece for “The Great Gatsby” (which was amazing, in case you were wondering / both the moving and the song) but once again their songs have something special about them. Some could definite them as “trippy” and would be right, but in my opinion they also tell a story. One song after the other.

Finally, let’s focus on games:

1. Neko Atsume, Kitty Collector. I’m looking forward to the dog version of this app, but for now cats will do. It’s really fun, nothing too crazy happens, but you get to buy food and toys for cats in hopes that you will collect all of them;
2. Undertale, the game everybody is talking about. It makes sense, it’s a great game. I got half way through and then smashed my laptop, so I had to restart the game, which isn’t a bad thing as depending on how you play it, you will get a different ending. I’m trying my best to go for the pacifist route.
3. Sushi Go! This little card game is simply a must have, it’s so fun and easy to play, and the packaging is so tiny that it makes it easy to bring it to parties. The rules are simple, and it’s not a very long game. I highly recommend it.

Looks like these guys finally got comfortable.

Oh! What a long, descriptive post. I hope you found something new you will try/watch/play/listen to. If you had to pick one favorite for each category, what would you go for? (not between the ones I listed).

Have a fun day, Marzia.