kat ꩜

surviving a week in the life 🍻

(as a 24 year old trying not to die from heatstroke)

The last two weeks flew by. It started with a seminar for work, which was actually pretty okay-ish (I thought it would be way more boring). My boss and I ended up getting Vietnamese food together a few times during the week, so nothing to complain. I got back home on Friday afternoon, just in time for one of the hottest weekends imaginable (or so I thought, the next weekend was even worse) :)

The heat immediately killed any motivation to do anything, so I spent Friday evening exactly where I wanted to be: on our sofa, finally starting Final Fantasy VII Remake again because one of my colleagues at the seminar kept talking about it and it got me in the mood for some Cloud!! At some point we walked downstairs to the kiosk for Red Bull and snacks because neither of us wanted to spend more than five minutes outside and it was way too warm to cook anything.

Saturday was somehow even hotter. We watched The Amazing Digital Circus, which was… okay? I don’t know, I really liked the first four to five episodes but after that, it didn’t really do much for me. In the evening we had a little watch party for the Netherlands vs Sweden match with all our Nijntjes sitting on the sofa with us, and Ben made the nicest snack platter ever. Let me tell you, I devoured that shit.

Sunday started with pancakes (as it should) before we escaped to our friends’ place because it was way cooler than our flat. We ordered pizza, played video games, and just hung out for the afternoon. The week before we’d also played this really cool fantasy adventure board game where I fully committed to roleplaying my character, which was so much fun but sadly my boyfriend and my friend aren’t the biggest board game fans. When we got home I finally used the Hello Kitty bath bomb my mum got me for my birthday, and it made my bath pink and sparkly ⭐️

Monday was a really good day. Work went by quickly, we ordered food afterwards, and started watching Widows Bay. Genuinely one of the best shows I have watched lately, it’s so funny and yet so creepy, just a perfect mix :)

Tuesday might actually have been my favourite day of the week. I worked from home, had a bit of a migraine during the afternoon, so I put a film on while waiting for Ben to get back from climbing. He made taco bowls for dinner, I had an ice-cold crispy Coke with extra lemon (which just tastes better somehow), the windows were slightly open, we’d both just had showers, and it was finally just warm-ish instead of unbearably hot. We watched more Widows Bay while eating blueberries and chocolate pretzels, and it was overall just such a cosy night in 🦦

Wednesday was pretty much the same: ordered food, watched more Widows Bay, and spent way too long scrolling through Vinted convincing myself I didn’t need anything and buying some shoes anyways. I feel like the heat is damaging my braincells because I genuinely cannot tell you anymore what happened at work that day…

By Thursday I was completely over the heat. Ben was out for most of the evening, so I just laid on the sofa reading my book while trying not to melt. It felt like our living room had turned into a big oven but luckily Ben froze my waterbottle, so i kinda used that as a giant icecube for my stomach lol

Friday at work was weird because my circulation really didn’t appreciate the weather. I nearly collapsed because of the heat, which was… not ideal but my boss got me some water, something to cool my neck down and ice cream :) Thankfully I felt better by the evening because we went over to our friends’ house. I somehow won Monopoly even though I haven’t played in thirteen years, drank an entire bottle of wine by myself (oops), and we ordered KFC. When we finally walked home after midnight it was still 28°C outside. Actually criminal 😭

By Saturday I was slowly starting to lose my mind. The fan was running at full speed and our flat was still unbearably hot. We finished Widows Bay (I already cannot wait for season two), Ben picked up all my Vinted parcels for me, and then made the nicest strawberry and mango ice cream in the Ninja Creami for me. It was honestly one of the best things I’ve eaten all summer. We also started Supernatural, made bruschetta for dinner, and rewatched Weapons together since I’d originally seen it in the cinema without him!

Lately, I really feel like I’m slowly getting the hang of Vinted :)

For a long time, I didn’t really see the appeal of the website (even though I love buying second-hand stuff), because I found it really hard to find nice items that were affordable and suited my style.

Luckily, my friend helped me out, and recently I’ve been getting recommendations for the coolest things, which I wanted to share with you 🌟

Starting of with the same handbag in two colours!!

I actually came across them both separately from different sellers and snapped them up straight away. My mum used to always carry Oilily bags and they just bring back such fond memories for me :')

The blue bag at the top even cost me just €2.80! Both bags have slight signs of wear on the leather, but I think that just gives them character. I have been taking the blue one to work with me and it‘s pretty spacious, my laptop, book and lunch fit in there easily 🍃

I’ve been looking for a pair of cowboy boots for ages, but I didn’t want to order a pair made of plastic for over €70 :(

My friends and I are going to a festival in July, and with a bit of luck it won’t be 4 billion degrees outside on those days, so I can wear my boots.

Two weeks ago, I spotted these little gems on Vinted. I’d actually already bought another pair in black, but fortunately they were never dispatched and I got my money back… Must have been fate :)

For €15 in my size, perfectly fitting genuine leather cowboy boots from a very sweet Italian girl! Of course, I wore them straight away at the office yesterday, even though it was WAY too hot lmao

I bought these skirts from an elderly lady last year (I think they cost €2 each) and they remind me so much of the skirts my mum used to wear when she was my age in the late 80s :)

Whenever I wear one of these skirts, especially in winter with a thick jumper, I feel like Audrey Horne from Twin Peaks ⛰️

Another bag I secured was this huge Oilily sports bag? It looks too pretty for the gym, so I might use it as a 'sleepover at friends' bag 🦦

I’m a huge fan of brown handbags in general (bags should always match your shoes), but it’s the floral pattern on this one in particular that really does it for me. How cool are those turquoise flowers??

I’ve been wearing colourful eye make-up a lot lately and I can’t wait to coordinate my make-up with this bag :)

And finally, a couple of little heels that I just love sooo much!! Perfect for hot weather, and they look so elegant with dresses and skirts, and cool with bell-bottom jeans :)

Probably the shoes that make me feel the most grown-up and they‘re perfect for summer evening outings with friends! Surprisingly comfortable as well

the holy grail of keeping track!! ⭐️

what to play tonight…

the heat’s been killing me today, haven’t moved in 6 hours or so 🥵 ordered takeaway and boyfie’s napping to handle the heat

finished Dispatch tonight and i’m seriously in love with the game, can’t believe it took me this long to pick it up!!

an uneventful week in the life

(as a 24 year old doing absolutely nothing all week)

After I posted my last update last week, I had a relaxing Sunday; I had my pancakes and in the evening we met up with friends for dinner.

We went for Korean BBQ and it was absolutely delicious; I even had mango bingsu (shaved ice, for those who don’t know) and came home absolutely stuffed. I was due to work the early shift again the following week, but at about half past one in the morning I suddenly felt really unwell :(

In any case, I got really, really ill and was signed off work by my doctor for the whole week. Ugh…

However, the week went by surprisingly quickly, especially considering I spent most of it at home. The highlight of the week was definitely our new sofa, which I am just so obsessed with. It’s huge, green, and ridiculously comfortable. We specifically picked one that pulls out into a bed so our friends can stay over more easily, and I spent most of my time on the sofa lately :)

Since I was mostly stuck at home, I spent a lot of time reading, watching shows, and unfortunately doing online shopping. Being bored at home is genuinely more dangerous for my bank account than me actually leaving the flat and being out and about. Last week alone I bought a few second-hand films and books, a pair of boots from Vinted, and a new television for the living room. I keep telling myself that buying things second-hand is basically saving money lol

I rewatched the first season of Twin Peaks, which was just as perfect as the last time, and I also started rewatching Gravity Falls. On top of that, I watched the new Backrooms film. That’s all I’ll say about that. If buying isn’t owning, piracy isn’t stealing :)

Towards the end of the week I started feeling a bit more like myself again, which was nice. On Saturday evening our friends came over, we ordered food, played Smash Bros, and had a really lovely time. They brought these massive strawberries which were so good that I accidentally ate almost all of them by myself lmao

Of course, we’ve also been playing the new Fortnite season. At launch it was honestly unbearable because one of the assault rifles desperately needed a nerf, which thankfully has happened now. Apart from Ben, none of us are completely sold on the season yet. I think they’ve changed the map and loot pool a bit too much, but despite all my complaining, we’re still spending nearly every evening hunting sprites and extracting them for our collections.

Work was mostly uneventful. I did manage to mess something up, which was not ideal, but I think one of the warehouse staff has a bit of a soft spot for me, so thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it could have been :)

Ben also bought me flowers because I’d been feeling so exhausted all week, and they’re now sitting in our living room looking very pretty. He also found that viral ice cream that’s been all over TikTok on accident. I had the little peach one and, honestly, it was pretty mid. At least it looked cute.

ִ ࣪𖤐 — my thoughts on Obsession

Watched Obsession at the cinema last night and I just have to share my thoughts or I might go insane. Please beware that this is a very spoiler heavy review!!

I genuinely do not know how to explain the effect Obsession had on me other than saying that it made me feel absolutely miserable. I gave it 5 stars on Letterboxd, but after leaving the cinema I just sat there staring at my screen, completely unable to put my thoughts into words. I have watched a lot of horror films, but I have never had a film get under my skin quite like this one. As I’m writing this review a day later it’s still predominantly on my mind.

First of all, the performances are absolutely incredible across the board, but Inde Navarrette completely blew me away. Her performance is genuinely one of the most impressive horror performances I have ever seen. The amount of emotion, physicality, and sheer terror she brings to the role is unbelievable. There are scenes later in the film that simply would not work with another actress.

What struck me almost immediately was how insane Nikki was from the point Bear broke the stick. Going into the film, I assumed Nikki’s behaviour would start out relatively normal and gradually become more extreme. Instead, she is deeply unsettling from the very beginning. The first scene after Bear makes his wish already made my skin crawl. When she gets back into the car, puts her head on the dashboard, and starts sobbing, it sounds like she is crying so hard she can barely breathe, yet her body and head remain completely still. It is such a small detail, but it instantly gave me goosebumps.

What I love a lot about this film is that the One Wish Willow itself is not cursed. At first, I assumed that was where the story was heading. Surely the One Willow Wish was evil, right? Except it isn’t. Ian gets exactly what he wished for. The shopkeeper already used his wish and seems perfectly fine. The problem is not the wish. The problem is Bear!!

Bear’s wish is fundamentally selfish because it completely destroys Nikki’s autonomy. There is no “good” version of granting a wish that somebody loves you more than anything else in the world when they simply do not feel that way. The wish cannot create genuine love, so it has to replace Nikki with something that can provide it, some kind of entity. That idea becomes more horrifying the longer the film goes on. Nikki is possessed, but she is still there. Trapped and suffering :(

This is where the film’s portrayal of Bear becomes so effective. He is such a perfect depiction of a “nice guy”. He claims to love Nikki, but he has no interest in knowing who she actually is. He is in love with the idea of being with her. Every time Nikki’s humanity tries to break through, his concern is never truly about her wellbeing. His concern is maintaining the fantasy he wished for which is why he tried to change the wish instead of trying to cancel it immediately (not that that would have worked anyways, but it was very telling of Bear’s character)

The moments where the real Nikki briefly resurfaces absolutely broke me. The phone call where you hear her screaming in agony sent chills down my spine. Her confused “what the fuck?” when she temporarily regains awareness. The tears in her eyes and her blank expression while they have sex. Her desperate attempt to kill herself with the broken bottle. Every single glimpse of the real Nikki made me feel worse and worse.

The most devastating scene in the entire film for me was when the entity is asleep and the real Nikki briefly emerges. She just quietly begs Bear to kill her over and over again. By that point I was already emotionally exhausted, but that scene genuinely made me tear up in the cinema. And then, somehow, the film immediately makes it even worse!!

When Bear responds by asking, “What’s so awful about being with me?”, I genuinely could not believe what I was hearing. My boyfriend and I exchanged the most horrified look imaginable. It perfectly crystallises everything wrong with his character. Nikki is literally begging for death rather than continuing to exist in this state, and his response is still centred on himself. It is one of the most selfish and disturbing lines I have EVER heard in a horror film.

The tension throughout the second half is almost unbearable. The car scene with Sarah was especially brutal because you know exactly what is going to happen. The entire sequence is built around anticipation. You know Nikki is coming. You know somebody is going to die. You spend the whole scene waiting for it, dreading it, and yet when she suddenly smashes through the window it STILL scared the living shit out of me. The violence that follows is so gruesome that I genuinely had to look away while Sarah’s face was being repeatedly smashed into the steering wheel…

And then there was this one moment I thought was absolutely brilliantly made, because when Nikki started walking backwards like a stop-motion character, I nearly went into cardiac arrest. I had goosebumps for what felt like the rest of the film.

By the final act, I felt genuinely sick to my stomach, just utterly miserable. The film keeps finding new ways to twist the knife. Bear eventually trying to end the wish by getting someone else to wish for it should feel like redemption, but after everything that happened, especially after he tried to modify the wish instead of immediately ending it, I found it impossible to sympathise with him.

Which is why the ending felt so perfect. Of course Bear does not have the courage to follow through with killing himself. Of course the only reason he dies is because Nikki uses the wish against him, forcing him to love her just as obsessively as she loves him. It is cruel and completely fitting. The entire film is built around the horror of having your identity and autonomy taken away, and in the end Bear experiences a fraction of what he inflicted on Nikki.

I left the cinema feeling awful. I had goosebumps throughout the film, I had goosebumps walking out of the screen, and I still got goosebumps thinking about certain scenes afterwards. I have genuinely never had another horror film affect me in quite the same way.

SUMMERWEEN 🌲🎥🫀

We‘re getting closer and closer to my favourite time of the year, slasher summer!!

For anyone unfamiliar, summerween is basically what happens when you refuse to let halloween wait until october :) It’s all the cosy, creepy, slightly eerie vibes of spooky season… but under a bright summer sky!

Some people call it slasher summer too, but the idea is basically the same. And this year, we decided to fully commit!! (well I decided for my boyfriend and friends)

I made a list of everything i want to sink into while the days are long and the nights are warm, which you can find compiled below :)

My highlights this year are already locked in:

a gravity falls rewatch because i have hella nostalgia for this series

a scream marathon with friends (scream 2 will forever have my heart)

replaying the quarry because it‘s basically summerween until dawn

reading joyland by stephen king because I heard so much good shit about this book

and going to the local summer fun fair, which is basically horror-adjacent anyway if you look at it the right way (just think about stranger things season 3)

ִ ࣪𖤐 — Books I want to read this summer

I got some fun recommendations from friends and colleagues, bought most of these books second hand or found them in my mum‘s shelves hehe

Joyland - Stephen King

The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix

Fear Street: The Boy Next Door - R.L. Stine

Tender Is The Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica

Bloodstream - Tess Gerritsen (personal fav!)

My Best Friend‘s Exorcism - Grady Hendrix

Come Closer - Sara Gran

Follow me on goodreads!! :)

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/181840612

ִ ࣪𖤐 — Films I want to watch this summer

Rosemary‘s Baby (1968)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Jaws (1975)

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Friday the 13th (1980)

Prom Night (1980)

The Evil Dead (1981)

The Burning (1981)

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Chopping Mall (1986)

The Lost Boys (1987)

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Scream (1996)

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Urban Legend (1998)

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Summer of '84 (2018)

Midsommar (2019)

The Black Phone (2021)

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

X (2022)

Clown in a Cornfield (2025)

ִ ࣪𖤐 — Series I want to watch

Twin Peaks (1989)

IT (1990)

X-Files (1993)

Buffy the vampire slayer (1997)

Supernatural (2005)

Gravity Falls (2012)

American Horror Story: 1984 (2019)

Stranger Things Season 3 (2019)

IT: Welcome to Derry (2025)

Widow's Bay (2026)

A fun list compiling most of the films/ series listed above on my letterboxd account, if you wanna check it out!

ִ ࣪𖤐 — Albums I want to listen to

Floating Into The Night - Julee Cruise (1989)

The Pleasure Principle - Gary Numan (1979)

Ocean Rain - Echo & the Bunnymen (1984)

Japanese Whispers - The Cure (1983)

Combat Rock - The Clash (1982)

Never for Ever - Kate Bush (1980)

Little Queen - Heart (1977)

In Dreams - Roy Orbison (1963)

Psychedelic Jungle - The Cramps (1981)

I also made a summerween themed playlist on my spotify account if you want to get in the mood for spooky summer!

ִ ࣪𖤐 — Video games I want to play

The Quarry

Sims 3: Supernatural

Don't Starve Together

Oxenfree

Cult of the lamb

Night in the Woods

Firewatch

Life is Strange

Dead by Daylight

ִ ࣪𖤐 — Activities I plan to do with my friends

scary movies night with friends

reading horror books

going camping

lake day

cocktail night (making bloody mary's, zombies, death in the afternoons & blue lagoons)

hiking & kayaking

road trips

roller skating

visiting local fun fair

what I watched recently ⭐️

It’s time for another What I Watched Recently :)

To be honest, I didn’t watch nearly as many films in May as I usually do. Between the sudden heatwave, moving into our new flat, concerts, dinners, after-work drinks and generally spending as much time as possible with my friends, I found myself outside a lot more than in front of a screen (the sun’s out and suddenly I‘m a social butterfly)

That being said, I still managed to watch quite a few things over the past two months, especially at the cinema. There’s just something about sitting in a dark, air-conditioned cinema when it’s boiling outside that really appealing to me after work!

So while this month’s list is a little shorter than usual, there were still some films and series that I really enjoyed, so let’s get into it :)

Drop Dead Gorgeous is such a ridiculously fun film! I love a good Mockumentary and the cast was really insane for this film (I adore Kirsten Dunst).

What I loved most was the vibe. It perfectly captures small-town America with a darkly comic edge, and the humour is really mean-spirited (very funny to me). Overall the film is just soo charming, you really just have to see it for yourself.

The story isn’t particularly deep, but that’s not really the point. The film succeeds because of its quirky characters, chaotic energy and high shock value. Not every joke lands, but when it works, it’s genuinely hilarious. Absolute cult classic!!

The Virgin Suicides is a haunting, beautifully made film that lingered in my mind for a while after watching. It has a slow, dreamlike pace, but that suits the story perfectly, giving everything a sense of distance and mystery.

What makes the film really interesting is its perspective. This is not the girls’ story told from within, but rather a memory filtered through the neighbour boys who observed them from a distance. The film feels incomplete, as if we are always just outside the lives of the Lisbon sisters, trying to piece them together from fragments, rumours, and nostalgia :(

We never truly knew them, only the idea of them that the boys constructed over time.

The Princess Bride is pretty much THE perfect film.

That‘s all I have to say about this one!

I rewatched Reservoir Dogs (again), and no matter how many times I see this film, I‘m still totally invested every time :)

What I love most was the tension between everyone. The film keeps you guessing about who can be trusted, and the drama just keeps building and building. The characters are all memorable in their own way, even though some of are… special, to say it nicely.

I will say that the violence is quite intense in a few scenes, so it is not for everyone (I still have to close my eyes whenever we get to the scene with the ear) but I really recommend it!!

I finally watched It Happened One Night, and I completely understand why it’s considered such a classic. I didn’t really expect a film from 1934 to feel this charming and easy to watch, but it honestly surprised me in the best way. Can‘t believe this was filmed before WW2 to be honest…

What stood out most to me was the chemistry between the two main characters. Their conversations are so witty and natural, and got me kicking my feet and giggling :)

For me, this is the definition of a genre-defining romance film. It’s made me look at older romantic films in a completely different light, because you can really see where so many modern stories get their inspiration from (though I have to say this film feels very modern for its time). A true classic that definitely deserves all the praise it gets!!

I really wanted to enjoy Mandalorian & Grogu, but as I already expected, it left me underwhelmed and a bit disappointed.

The biggest problem is that it feels more like a few episodes of the TV series stitched together than a standalone film. The story is quite thin, the stakes never feel particularly high, and much of it comes across as a side quest rather than an important chapter in the Star Wars universe. I think seeing it in German Dub also affected my rating negatively, as the German voice for Rotta the Hutt straight up killed me. I could not take anything he said seriously…

Pedro Pascal and Grogu remain likeable, and there are some impressive visuals and creature designs, but that isn’t enough to carry the film. I really enjoyed seeing Embo again though, and I thought Grogu was especially cute in this film.

It’s not a bad film per se, but it’s a very safe one. Fans of the series will probably find enough to enjoy, but as Star Wars’ return to the big screen, it feels surprisingly small and unremarkable. I think they tried to release this one to not have Starfighter be the first big star wars film after 8 years, lower stakes and stuff. But I would have been satisfied to see this arc in a 2-3 episode Mandalorian season 4 instead :)

I watched Perfect Blue in cinema with my boyfriend during the 4K remastered release, and it was basically a dream come true for me! We both love Satoshi Kon, and this film is something we already adore, but seeing it on the big screen made it hit even harder.

One thing I really don’t agree with is the rather popular take that Perfect Blue is some kind of 'rape fantasy' (saw a post on reddit and it has been stuck in my mind). To me, that completely misses what the film is actually doing. It is not presenting anything like that for enjoyment or shock value in a shallow way - it is deliberately uncomfortable because it is showing how Mima is being stripped of agency, identity, and control in every part of her life.

What Perfect Blue really focuses on, in my view, is Japanese idol culture of that era, and the intense pressure around it. It shows the disturbing overlap between fans, management, and performers, where young women are treated less like people and more like images to be consumed. Mima’s attempt to move from a clean-cut idol image into a more 'serious' acting career reflects something very real about how those industries work, and how hard it is to escape a manufactured identity once it’s been built for you.

At its core, the film is about identity being distorted and taken over by everyone else’s expectations. Mima is constantly being defined by other people, until even she starts losing grip on what is real. The way the film blurs reality is intentional as it puts the audience in the same confused, uneasy position as her.

Just my take on the post! Beautiful film, amazing soundtrack, stunning visuals. Maybe not a film to watch with your parents in cinema (poor dude sat next to me with his mum) but definitely a must watch!!

Also watched The Others, and I did not expect to get whiplashed by the plot twist, that‘s for sure!

It’s a slow, quiet kind of horror, not really scary just very unsettling. There are no cheap scares or constant jumpscares and therefore probably a great film for horror film beginners :)

What I loved most was the atmosphere. The whole house feels heavy and isolated, and you really start to feel trapped in it alongside the characters. Nicole Kidman’s performance is incredible as well - I love, love, LOVE her as an actress!!

second hand finds 🌟

I’ve really been sick this week, so my doctor has told me to stay in bed :(

But our sofa arrived early this week, so now I’m lying on it all the time (fully stretched out, of course, so I can do the starfish pose, naturally) and passing the time watching TV series and browsing online shops. I’ve already finished the first season of Twin Peaks again, it‘s just so comforting :)

Our new TV is due to be delivered on Friday and I’m really excited, as so far we’ve only had the small one from my old bedroom in the living room. I get the feeling that whenever I’m off sick at home, I spend more money than when I’m actually out and about, because I have time to hunt for all sorts of deals online…

Speaking of deals, I’ve expanded our DVD collection this week and ordered some new books for the summer. All second-hand, of course!!

Let me show off my finds this week ⭐️

I bagged the Twin Peaks CD with the instrumental soundtrack for about 3€ :)

I'm so happy that my Lynch collection is getting bigger and bigger. I already have the Twin Peaks series and Fire Walk with Me on DVD and am currently keeping my eyes open for Blue Velvet on DVD, but so far every deal I see is at least 20€😞

I got a lot of DVDs because they were like 50 cents to 1€ each !! Got some of them for Summerween film nights with friends this year, and some of them just because I had them on my watchlist for a while :)

28 Days later + 28 Weeks later -> Have been on my watchlist for a while and wanted to get up to date before the next film comes to the cinema

Longlegs -> Watched with Boyfie back in 2024 and LOVED it, was so happy to find it in great condition to add to our collection

Pet Sematary -> Part of our Summerween watchlist for 2026

Brokeback Mountain -> On my watchlist for a while, very excited for this one!!

Donnie Darko -> Watched it recently on my own, approved by me, now time to watch it again with boyfie!

Inception -> The film inspired by Paprika, which I love

Akira -> Approved by Ben, still have not watched it to this day (gonna change now)

The Sixth Sense -> Has been on my watchlist, was only 25 cents, what‘s a girl to do

Scream 2 -> My fav Scream film probably, fundamental to Summerween 2026 because my friends will learn to love Scream like I love Scream

Inglorious Bastards -> Also approved by Ben, have not watched yet (gonna change now pt. 2)

The Cabin in the Woods -> Part of Summerween 2026, was recommended to me by a colleague

Zodiac -> Approved by Ben!! Probably the film I‘m most excited about from this haul

I’ve also bought a few books that have been on my wish list for a while. I love horror and thrillers, and I’m particularly excited to read Joyland by Stephen King :)

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

surviving a week in the life ⭐️

(as a 24 year old trying her best)

It’s been ages since I last posted! I’ve been incredibly busy this week – so much so that I haven’t had time to post much here on Tumblr.

It’s now Sunday, 31 May, just before 10 am, and I’m lying in bed next to my sleeping boyfriend. As soon as I’ve finished this post, I’m going to wake him up so he can make me pancakes (tradition!!) 🤭

I was off work last week, though it wasn’t particularly relaxing… I spent ages putting together sooo much new furniture and tidying up over and over again. Actually, our plan was to go to the cinema on Wednesday evening to watch The Mandalorian & Grogu at 7 pm (a film I’d bought tickets for a month ago), but that fell through because my boyfriend was still at work until 11.30 pm. Shit happens!

Luckily, he had Thursday and Friday off, and on Thursday we met up with an online friend of mine whom I’ve known since 2022! Back then, we were part of a small group of friends and played our favourite games together every evening. I was the only German in the group; the rest of my friends are American, so it was a really big deal for me to finally meet one of my friends in person. He’s also the reason I started playing Monster Hunter!!

I threw my arms round him straight away; it was really surreal to see my mate in real life :') We went for a coffee first, before we had a stroll through Hamburg and showed him all sorts of things. At the moment, my mate is studying in the very south of Germany for a semester abroad, but he wants to move to Germany after he finishes his studies (who can blame him, given the current situation in the United States). He came all the way up to Hamburg just for me so we could see each other, and it was such a great day :(

On Friday we had an appointment at the council offices to sort out a few things, and afterwards we went to the shopping centre next door for lunch (fried chicken, yay). It’s so hot in Germany at the moment, and I was so knackered after shopping that I just laid on the floor of our study for a while, while my boyfriend turned the fan on for me. In the evening, I started a new hobby; over the last week I’ve been burning CDs and making my own covers and back sleeves so we can have a little CD collection with all our favourite songs :)

On Saturday, we met up with our friends at the Weed Bar at lunchtime and chatted about everything under the sun. I got the biggest munchies and polished off the whole stock of Cheez-Its there lol

I don’t know if you know this, but I absolutely can’t stand the sight of blood, neither other people’s nor my own; otherwise I pass out instantly (video games and films are fine). That’s the context for the next story lmao

I started doing the dishes on Saturday evening while my boyfriend popped out to do some shopping. So far, so good – unfortunately, our big bread knife slipped out of my hand and sliced right into my finger… It hardly hurt at all, but it must have been quite deep because it bled like crazy. I felt sick straight away, so I immediately held my finger under running water to wash the blood off. But it just wouldn’t stop bleeding😭

So my next plan was to press a tissue against it to stop the bleeding, but they were at the other end of the kitchen counter. So I rushed over, spilling blood all over the floor and the counter, and fainted before I could reach a tissue😞

I woke up at some point, rang my boyfriend and just sat there on the kitchen floor for a bit lol

Then I watched Reservoir Dogs; I’m particularly great with the ear scene as you can imagine. One of my comfort films, ever since I first saw it!

On Sunday I put my new make-up table together and it’s just so lovely and perfect and cute – I’m just really happy to have my own little space with huge mirrors :')

Luckily, Monday was another bank holiday, and we used the day off to relax a bit and finally catch up on our trip to the cinema. I’m neither particularly thrilled nor disappointed by the new Star Wars film; it’s exactly what I expected LMAO

The German dub probably made it even worse, but generally speaking, it was just 2–3 episodes of The Mandalorian strung together and put on the big screen. It was enjoyable, but I would have preferred something different as a film. Grogu was really cute in the film, though, and my personal highlight was seeing Embo!

So far, so good… Now the week is starting straight out of hell!

Tuesday was my first day back in the office, and I was hoping for a relaxed start, but I didn’t have a moment’s peace all week!!

My boss was on holiday, my colleague was unfortunately off sick, and we had an unbelievable amount of campaign work that had to be finished this week. Two hours in and I was already fed up – the UK campaign really is my worst enemy. I’m developing a real hatred for the Brits at work because of all the extra customs hassle Brexit has brought us. Soon I’ll be burning down the stores in Southampton, Manchester and Cramlington 😠

I really don’t want to bore you with the details of my work; let’s just say I’ve done loads of overtime this week, helped out in the warehouse, and I’m physically and mentally knackered, lol

My boyfriend organised a spontaneous date night on Tuesday evening and we went to see Perfect Blue at the cinema!! It was sooo brilliant and really lifted my spirits after my first day back at the office. It just felt absolutely hopeless to me that every day was getting worse and worse. I’ve never been so happy to leave the office on a Friday afternoon…

Friday evening was lovely; we spontaneously went with our friends to a water and light show in the city centre. We quickly grabbed some food and snacks beforehand AND we’d brought picnic blankets with us. It had been warm and muggy all week, and on our way to the park it started raining and thundering! We’d arrived about an hour and a half early to secure a spot because it always gets really crowded (the show doesn’t start until 10 pm), but because of the heavy rain, there was no one there anymore, lol

We were determined, though, and made the best of the weather. We had prime spots on a bench, where we spread out our blankets to sit comfortably and warmly, and two umbrellas under which we sat and weathered the storm :) It was sooo cosy; I love warm summer nights and rain, especially as I didn’t really get wet 🤭

We then had a few beers and played a game before the show started, and the show was soo beautiful too!!

Yesterday I slept in for ages, which is actually quite unusual for me, and then I spent the whole day out shopping with my sister. That’s how a Saturday should be!

Our sofa’s arriving next week and I’m already sooo excited ;) I hope you’re all doing well and have coped well with the muggy hot weather!

Time for pancakes now 🫪

upcoming album releases i‘m excited for ⭐️🌸

This summer we are eating goood!!

So many fun releases in the next two months, I can barely contain my excitement for some of them 💌

i’m so excited for Doctrine of Love by Jalen Ngonda. genuinely nothing hits for me like his music once it starts getting warm outside, his songs make me want to sit in the sun for hours on end and just soak up the sunshine. I listened to Come Around and Love Me constantly during summer 2024 when i was living and working in sweden, so hearing these new singles already feels weirdly nostalgic to me.

I love this whole classic soul sound in summer anyway - all the soft strings, little horns, the slightly dusty old-school production, everything sounding warm and emotional :) Apparently this album leans even more into 50s and 60s soul and r&b influences, which honestly sounds perfect for him!

So far “Anyone in Love” is easily my favourite track. It just reminds me so much of his prior work that I adore so much!!

I genuinely cannot wait for Do That Again by Malcolm Todd because Sweet Boy was one of my most played albums last year. I listened to it constantly during may and june while I was on holiday and now every song on there feels attached to sunny evenings and sitting around doing absolutely nothing productive hehe

This man does not have a bad song either, his whole discography is ridiculous to me because even the random songs i think i’ll 'just casually listen to once' end up stuck in my head for weeks. I love how his music sounds emotional and messy but still fun at the same time! This album was recorded during summer when he was newly single and it’s meant to focus a lot on being in your twenties and relationship drama.

The two singles already out have been playing constantly in our household as well. “Breathe” has that really addictive early 2000s-inspired sound with layered vocals and guitars, while “I Saw Your Face” feels a bit softer and sadder in comparison. I‘ve already seen loads of people saying this album feels like a spiritual successor to Sweet Boy, which makes me even more excited because that era of his music is genuinely perfect to me ⭐️

I‘m really curious about you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love by Olivia Rodrigo. The title of the album was definitely longer than expected after releasing Sour & Guts lmao. I’ve always thought she has one of the strongest flows in newer pop - her albums actually feel like they move somewhere emotionally instead of just being a collection of singles.

I don’t think she really misses for me either. There’s basically no filler in her discography and everything ends up catchy. “drop dead” has been on repeat in my headphones lately as well and the song has already become another tiktok trend even before release of the album lol

Quantum Entanglement by Dreamer Insomnia has piqued my interest!

The concept alone already suggests something more expansive and deliberate, both lyrically and sonically. I am interested in how they approach the idea of connection at a distance, especially if that translates into layered production or more restrained, atmospheric songwriting. There is something quite appealing about pop or electronic-influenced projects that lean into conceptual framing (at least for me)

I have not followed Dreamer Insomnia closely before this, but this release has made me curious to revisit earlier work and see how their sound has developed.I very much loved tracks like Valentina, Sensitive and Stop Calling The Police On Me and I’m hoping for an album that feels cohesive, with a clear mood running through it rather than a collection of disconnected tracks :)

Reality Awaits by The Strokes is a upcoming release where expectation and reality already feel slightly out of sync lmao

After The New Abnormal, which was such a strong and cohesive return, it is hard not to approach anything new from them with caution. That album set a very high bar in terms of songwriting and atmosphere, and I agree with the feeling that it is probably unrealistic to expect a direct continuation of that peak :(

So far, I feel quite undecided. I have liked both of the new songs in parts, but the production choices are difficult to ignore. The heavy autotune on Julian Casablancas’ vocals, in particular, feels quite distracting and takes away from what usually makes his delivery so distinctive. In some moments, it almost feels closer in spirit to The Voidz than a traditional Strokes record, which is not necessarily a negative thing, but why not produce another Voidz album?

Interestingly, that might also be where some of the appeal lies. The more experimental direction could grow into something people reassess over time, similar to how Comedown Machine was initially received. “Falling Out of Love” in particular has already stood out, and I can understand why it might stick with people even if the overall reaction to the album ends up being mixed at first (this is stolen btw, this last paragraph is all my boyfie‘s thoughts)

Where Have All the Good Men Gone? by Debbii Dawson is one album I am also excited about.

I have been really into her previous projects, especially Chemical Reaction and You Killed the Music. There is something about her sound that feels both sharp and emotional at the same time, pop songs that are slightly tilted off-centre but still really catchy. My boyfriend had her songs on repeat last summer :)

This new album already feels like it will continue that same thread. I am expecting a strong sense of personality in the songwriting, probably leaning into relationships and frustration in a way that is direct but still playful. Her delivery always feels confident without being overdone, which is part of why her music is so great!

I also have a feeling this will be one of those releases that ends up being very easy to play on repeat. My boyfriend will definitely be into this one as well, which usually means it will be on in the background a lot more hehe

A Boy Can Dream by OTLO is one I am looking forward to quite a lot!!

I was originally put onto OTLO by my boyfriend, and it has been one of those rare instant connection artists for me. There is something about his sound that feels emotionally really strong, everything is slightly soft-focused but still hits. Lovedrown in particular was a phenomenal album - it had that hazy, late-night quality that makes you want to just stay in your room and stare at the ceiling all night long.