Usually I am a quick learner, but I spent quite a large part of the last two weeks of June 2020 trying to figure out the free opt-in email subscription on MailChimp and failed spectacularly.
It is not much about being unable to get it working, as much as it is about my ego, I guess. I mean ‘how can this happen to me’, you know? I would appreciate any help at all in getting it running.
What app or technology got the best of you? Tell me so that I would not feel so bad and miserable alone.
How was your June 2020? What worked well and what didn't? Here is my monthly recap. I can't wait to read about your month and more. Let us talk. Share on XQuick June 2020 updates
On the other news, I still have not got my laptop back from the service center and I am not sure when that is going to be, given the CoVid situation.
Yet another month rolls by and we are six months into 2020. And things are crazy as they were in the beginning. Here is a quick recap of the month.
- I have been getting up at least an earlier than usual almost every day in June 2020 to catch up on some deep work and it has been doing wonders for my productivity.
- Talking about my obsession with productivity, I am writing a series on the blog on the subject of personal development and a better you. Let me know what do you think of it.
- I will remember June 2020 as the month I whined, complained and felt helpless about the computer. Usually,I am not one for complaining but I realized how dependent my work and I were on a working computer. I can’t wait for the nightmare to end.
- On the brighter side, the UAE has removed most of the restrictions regarding movement with respect to the Corona Virus pandemic. And things are still under control here. I am happy that people adhere to social distancing and hygiene rules, for most part.
- At the same time, the stories back from my home, India are scary. I can understand if it were due to literacy and education, but it seems like the problems of stupidity and sheer arrogance. Well, thanks to your stories from the other parts of the developed world (I am looking at the USA and the UK), I know it is not an Indian thing!
- June 2020 has been really testing my patience and making furious with the world in general. But one thing that kept my flickering hope alive was the increasing number of people talking and supporting the BLM and LGBTQ movement online and joining the protests in person.
What I read this month:
While my reading was slightly less than average, I loved everything I read. I am really hard to please reader, so this is a huge deal. How many have you read?
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
- Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Lord Edgware dies by Agatha Christie
What I watched this month:
Last month (May) I spent a lot of time in front of TV and lagged behind the work due to that, so I reduced the number of hours I watch TV consciously. It worked mostly. Here are the ones that I loved watching.
- Line of Duty S1 and S2
- Community S4 and S5
- Fargo S1 and S2
On my blog
I had an excellent blog post line up in June 2020 as well. In case you missed my posts, here is a quick recap.
Book Reviews from June 2020
- Bride Test, The by Helen Hoang
- Poet X, The by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Unhoneymooners,The by Christina Lauren
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- Flatshare, The by Beth O’Leary
Sunday personal posts from the month
- What’s Up, People?: Sunday Musings #81
- Solar eclipse 2020: Sunday Musings #80
- How Are You Holding Up?: Sunday Musings #79
- May 2020 Updates: Sunday Musings #78
Blogging discussion posts from June 2020
- Book Blogging Is More Than ‘Just For Fun’
- Can Beta Readers Steal Your Work?
- How Using Instagram For Books And Reading Changed My Life
- Bookish Questions For Your Social Media Captions
Other discussion posts from the month
- How To Finish What You Start: Stop Being A Serial Starter
- How To Be More Productive In Life: Tips To Getting Things Done
- Summary Of Atomic Habits Part 3
- Summary Of Atomic Habits Part 2
I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.
From the Insta-world
Oh here are some pictures I posted on my Instagram. Share some love, will you?
Pin me!
Let us chat
How was your June 2020? What worked well and what didn’t? I can’t wait to read about your month and more. Let us talk.
Yikes! I’m sorry you still don’t have your laptop back. That really sucks.
And it’s crazy that it is already July right? It feels like just February. This year is definitely very strange.
I hope you’ll have a great week. Happy reading!
It’s like March extended version except for the heat.
I hope you are able to get your laptop back soon. So many things are up in the air these days because of the virus. I wish some of your productivity would rub off on me. I’m realizing that never having alone time is a big deterrent.
I am glad the UAE has the virus under control for the most part. I hope that continues to be the case. We need some good news.
I hope you have a great July both in life and reading. Stay safe and well.
I agree. And I am not sure of delivery of parts for laptop, so no idea when I would be getting it back.
Sorry about the newsletter problems. I feel like I constantly have trouble with technology. I remember it took me forever to figure out Instagram Stories. I still don’t use them very often. Have a great week!
I use IG stories often, but am I using it correctly? I won’t know for sure.
Sorry don’t know much about mail chimp, I’m afraid. I’m glad June is over, July has at least brought some relaxation of restrictions here in Scotland.
Have a good week.
I am glad to hear that,
I used a series written on a blog that spelled out every step of setting up Mailchimp and I can’t find it now! I don’t even remember the name of the blog. It took me all day to set it up, even with step-by-step instructions.
I would love to post pictures of what I’m reading on Instagram but at this point in my life (traveling in a motorhome for my husband’s job), my Kindle is my only option for reading. And it’s a Paperwhite, so no vibrant colors on the covers! Libraries have started opening in the town we’re in right now but I’m uncomfortable picking up books coming from other people’s homes. It seems fairly low-risk for covid, but it’s still something I’m weighing. I’ll cave in and go by soon enough, I’m sure. Your pictures are lovely!
Enjoy your week!
Oh, I will have to search for help then. Thank you for your kind words.
Sounds like your government is doing a great job with covid. I hope the computer and email problems get fixed. I know how you feel, my business is 100% dependent on my computer and internet service.
Have a great week.
I hope so too. Thank you.
Hey Gayathri, it looks like June was a good month for you for reading, viewing and productivity, just a shame that technology has been letting you down! My June has been a busier one, as restrictions have started to ease here in the UK and I returned to work almost full time this week. But my reading was a little below average, with three books finished, all of which were unusually non-fictions. Take care and happy reading in July! 😀
I am glad you are returning to normalcy and keeping up with your reading too.
The COVID situation in Florida (US) is crazy bad right now and I will absolutely attribute that to lack of education and responsible leadership, extreme political division, and pure ignorance and selfishness. There are so many still saying it’s nothing but a hoax, that it’s no worse than the flu, that all deaths are being labeled as COVID no matter the cause, and so much more. It’s so disheartening. We surpassed 10,000 daily cases here in this state alone last week. It’ll only get worse. 🙁
I can’t understand how people believe these are hoax.
I can’t help you with mailchimp, Gayathri, as I never managed to get that to work for myself, and just gave up and went with Google and WordPress…
I’m glad restrictions have been lifted for you. Hopefully, numbers will stay low even with people being out and about more. We have had more cases this past week, and so now it’s mandatory to wear a mask in certain places -like public transportation and such.
I hope you’ll get your computer back soon. I don’t know what I’d do without mine, and these days, I don’t even need it for work!
Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading 🙂
We are required to wear masks and gloves even if we are going for a walk and to maintain social distancing. So I hope the numbers would reduce soon.
I don’t know how bad things are in India but here in the US? Terrible. I feel like as a country we couldn’t be doing much worse? And there are so many people trying and taking it seriously, who really want to do the right thing and are willing to sacrifice for greater good. And then there are so many who aren’t, as well, sadly. The scary part for me is how many thinking, presumably rational people here in the States buy into the “hoax” thing! Glad things are going better there, though…
Daisy Jones sounds awesome. I want to read that.
Beautiful pics!
YES, the ones that don’t take it seriously are putting the sane ones in danger as well.