Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

Everyone is talking about the ultimate “hot girl summer” plans but here, I am dreading the summer. Well, that is sorta usual if you stay in a hot desert like I do.

Long story short, the summer is almost here and we are perfectly ready to “be roasted if you step out” during the day. But the nights are fairly pleasant, still.

And I am utilizing those few cooler nights to go on a walk (with masks on and socially distancing) these days.

What has your month been like? Do you like weather wherever you live at? What are your hot girl summer plans? Let's talk. Click To Tweet

Quick May’21 updates

What was your May’21 like?

  • We are all trying to enjoy the last few days before scorching hot summer. So we found the parking full and crowded where we go. And obviously I hate it.
  • There is still a ban on flying into UAE, and many other countries, from India, due to COVID. So I have a couple of friends who are still stranded there and trying to come back to their family and work in here.
  • I had a full on reader slump and I barely read two books. And I am so behind on my reading challenges.

What I read this month

I read just two books in May’21 and they were quite short ones. But in my defense I had a terrible case of slump and didnt feel like reading anything. Hopefully June would be better.

What I watched this month

I watched quite a bit of TV in May, thanks to all these time I saved not reading anything. Sigh. But here we are.

  • Line of duty S6
  • Rewatched The boys S1 & 2
  • Rewatched Superstore all seasons

Currently watching Mom S5 on Prime

On my blog

Book Reviews from May’21

Sunday personal posts from the month

Other posts from the month

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the month. Give me a follow, will you?

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Let us chat

What has your May’21 been like? Do you like weather wherever you live at? What are your hot girl summer plans? Let’s talk.

Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

Where do you see your blog going?: Sunday Musings #120

Lately, I have been thinking about the future of my blog.

While I began blogging here as a hobby and a past time, I think I would like it to be more than that. Or maybe I won’t. I keep going back and forth a lot, and would love to see/hear more about how it would work.

I am a freelance writer and a digital marketer, but I don’t think my site reflects that at all. I just want to see this site going somewhere. As you can see, I am being absolutely unclear on that.

If anyone here or anyone you know has made the jump from a book blog/site to something else, please let me. I would love to have a chat.

What I read this week

With all that is happening around Israel-Palestine chaos, I wanted to understand more. And that’s why I jumped at the opportunity to join the read-a-long for Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa.

It follows the life of a Palestine refugee who searches for a better life in the Middle East. I am about half way into and I am enjoying it immensely. I will be back with a review soon.

What I watched this week

I am re-watching some episodes of Mom starring Anna Faris. And also watching Invincible on Prime – another super hero animation, which I am loving so far.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover Review Featured

November 9 by Colleen Hoover – A book review

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When your beach dreams fail: Sunday Musings #119

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?

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Let us chat

How has your week been? Where do you see your blog going towards? Do you have any plans for it? Let’s talk.

Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

When your beach dreams fail: Sunday Musings #119

Remember last week I was telling you, guys. about how I will go to the beach more often? Guess what, we drove down to the beach yesterday evening to watch the sunset and relax. But we couldn’t actually find even a single parking spot anywhere!

I KNOW it sounds preposterous but we drove around the area twice! It has something to do with the fact that it was the first Friday (the day off) after a long weekend and the sun already is scorching us.

Still I can’t believe it that we drove back without even getting into the beach. At least I went to another mall to cool it off before we reached home.

So much making plans, right? I am not gonna make anymore plans and live life spontaneously.

What I read this week

As I have been saying for weeks now, I am in a sort of “on/off reading slump”. So this week, instead of waiting for myself to get over the slump I decided to read some graphic novels and comics.

I read the Strange Planet and its sequel Stranger Planet by Nathan Pyle, over the last two days. I read it slowly and enjoyed them both.

I also joined an Instagram book club for a read-a-long of Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa, that follows the life a young Palestinian refugee and her life around Middle Eastern countries.

The read-a-long starts on Monday and I can’t wait to read it. Seriously, it has been a while since I have got excited about reading. Fingers crossed, guys.

What I watched this week

I have been swamped with work this week, and I didnt have much time to watch anything. But I have been rewatching Superstore a little bit – an episode or two just before hitting the bed.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

20+ Amazing Books on World War 2

Books on World war 2 Featured

Invest in yourself: 12 ways to improve your life

Invest in yourself Featured

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy- A book review

Invest in yourself Featured

Summer is here?!: Sunday Musings #118

Invest in yourself Featured

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?

Pin me!

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Let us chat

How has your week been? Did your plans usually work out or does life has its own way to screw you? What are you guys reading? Let us talk.

Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

Summer is here?!: Sunday Musings #118

The summer is almost here in Dubai and we are running the airconditioner during the day time as well. Mornings are relatively cool but guys, “spring” is officially done with Dubai.

Also we are planning to make the best of these days and hit the beach more often before the summer.

Despite whatever we do to distract ourselves, we can’t just stop worrying about the situation at home in India.

Anyway here is a twitter thread with a couple of places where we can donate for COVID India. Even if you are not able to donate, sharing the info would be a great help.

What I read this week

I have been seen Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by by Cho Nam-Joo everywhere in the past few months, so I had to pick a copy the last time I was out.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 revolves around everyday misogyny in the South Korea in the 90s. While I loved how relatable it is, it got harder to read because, again, it was too relatable.

Sigh, I will finish reading it but I am craving something easier on my heart. Any suggestions?

What I watched this week

So I am doing a rewatch of Super store on Amazon Prime. I also watched a couple regional Indian movies on Netflix and Prime.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

elgeewrites Summer is here?!: Sunday Musings #118 SM117F

Boy Who Steals Houses, The by CG Drew – A book review

Boy Who Steals Houses by CG Drew Featured

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

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elgeewrites Summer is here?!: Sunday Musings #118 SM 118P

Let us chat

What was your week like? What are you currently watching and/or reading? Let us talk.

Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

Even though I returned from India about two weeks ago, my mind would not shut up about the COVID scenario in India. Yes, my family is safe, for now. But it is still scary.

There are a very few hospital beds available. Oxygen and its cylinders, and the medicines are scarce. And there is an acute vaccine shortage, attributed to poor planning by the government and of course the population size.

To top the mess, we just had our election results out in 5 states and had the heads sworn in, so there are lot of political bashing and blaming going for the COVID mess as well as the other things. And of course, a lot of fake forwards and messages that are passing through as well.

And watching the news and videos is heartbreaking. But even more paining is how desensitized people and especially medical workers are becoming to death news.

There are several NGOs and individual fundraisers that are currently keeping information and fund flowing. If you guys are interested I could share a few of these links later. Just let me know in the comments.

Staying safe and fully vaccinated in UAE currently is making me feel grateful and guilty about the privilege.

So, what else is happening? What are your week like? What are you currently reading and watching? Let's talk. Click To Tweet

What I read this week

So I finally pulled myself off the reading slump that lasted almost a month and read my first book of May.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy was on my TBR for a long long time. I queued up the movie on my OTT for this week, so I had to read it before watching.

What I watched this week

How good was Line of Duty S6 on BBC? I love the show and I am so glad that the quality never dipped all through the six seasons.

I also watched a couple of episodes again on Amazon’s The boys. It is worth a superhero series rewatch.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

elgeewrites 2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117 Lies We Bury by Elle Marr Featured

Lies We Bury by Elle Marr – A book review

elgeewrites 2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117 SM116FB

March and April’21 updates: Sunday Musings # monthly wrap

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

Around the blogosphere

I loved this wonderful post that Sahi had shared with 40 books by Asian authors on her TBR.

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Let us chat

So what else is happening? What are your week like? What are you currently reading and watching? Let’s talk.

Hot girl summer and May’21 updates:: Sunday Musings #121 monthly wrap

March and April’21 updates: Sunday Musings # monthly wrap

I hope everyone is doing okay, considering that we are still in the midst of chaos.

Usually, I love April, considering that it is my birthday month and that I usually have some plans. This year was going to be better than 2020, or that is what I thought. In short, it wasn’t.

I finally could go to India after a long year and had all plans in place to meet my friends and family (socially distanced and masks clad only). Of course, things have to go awry, cuz it can.

How has your month been? What are you reading and watching these days? Share your wrap up post. Let's talk. Click To Tweet

Anyway, let me give a quick round up of the major things that happened in March and April 2021 in my life.

Quick March and April’21 updates

  • I flew to Bengaluru, India during the third week of March and after a few swab tests, I was allowed to get to home quarantine.
  • I used the quarantine well and read a couple of books. And that lucky reading spree ran out with the quarantine bout. Yes, I have not read a book in the whole of April.
  • I reached Chennai, to my parent’s place in April and spent almost a month there. Of course, mom put me to use and got some cleaning and decluttering done. (Mothers have it all planned ahead, I say.)
  • Thanks to COVID pandemic (once again), I was not able to visit much of my extended family or beloved friends.
  • I did get to meet one of my close friend, on her birthday and made a day of it. Of course, with all the social distancing protocol in place.
  • My birthday was not much different than other day, you guessed it because COVID numbers in India had started rising by then. And a couple of my friends, whom I could have met, had tested positive too.
  • I was to return to Dubai on 25th. On 22nd night I received a mailer that all the flights from India into UAE from 25th were cancelled for at least 10 more days. And I had to scrape through the last available flight on 24th. Quite an adventure, if I can call it so.
  • Then with the flight cancelling fiasco and the drastic raise in COVID numbers all around India, I am done with April’21.

What I read this month

These are the books that I read when I quarantining in Bengaluru, earlier in March

What I watched this month

Even though I could not read much, I spent my time in India catching on several shows and movies. So get ready for a long list!

  • The Godfather – part 1 (despite reading the books decades ago, this is the first time I ever watched this one.)
  • WandaVision
  • Moxie – (I liked the changes the movie had, from the dated book version)
  • Instant Family
  • #blackAF
  • Young Sheldon S1 to S4
  • Citizen Khan S1
  • The Big Bang Theory – S1 to S4
  • Killing Eve S1
  • Superstore S7
  • Snowpiercer – Movie
  • Queen’s Gambit – (yes, finally)

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, this month.

Book Reviews from Mar’21

Sunday personal posts from the month

Other posts from the month

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the month. Give me a follow, will you?

Pin me!

elgeewrites March and April'21 updates: Sunday Musings # monthly wrap SM116P

Let us chat

I hope your April was lot better than mine. How has your month been? What are you reading and watching these days? Let’s talk.