I’m ecstatic to revive this blog; when I think about doing something that scares me, my thoughts often bring me back here. Again and again I have been apprehensive about creating for this blog. It is difficult to reconcile pure aesthetic visual beauty with the greater meaning of things, of the hardships the world presents. What difference does a great outfit or a gorgeous photo make as the world struggles collectively to stay afloat? Does the creation of beauty always stem from a point of privilege? Am I flaunting my privilege by creating? If so, does that mean I should stop creating, should I focus all my energy solely on the aid of others who need it more?
These are difficult questions to answer, and I am reviving my blog in an attempt to answer them. I am driven by beauty. I think that beautiful things – ideas, photos, concepts, acts of kindness, etc. – make the world a better place to live in. Everyday I touch several corners of the globe talking to the people I love, and listen as they tell me their struggles, their hopes and dreams, their thoughts on the world, what they’re eating, drinking, reading. I’ll collate them and post them here, and I hope you get a better sense of the world with me too.
This first post is dedicated to what I’m currently reading! I have been going through books, magazines, online articles. Here’s my list:
Books:
- Girl, Woman, Other (Bernadine Evaristo): This won the 2019 Booker Prize and follows the lives of 12 characters as they navigate the nuances of life. I am currently on the first chapter and I’m not obsessed with it, but I’ve heard glowing reviews and am hoping it ramps up soon.
- This Is What Inequality Looks Like (Teo You Yenn): A Singaporean sociologist questions and explores what equality and poverty looks like in modern day Singapore. A very apt read, especially during a time like this.
- The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: I’m trying to read this for fun, I really am. But I’m also not going to lie, this is for class lol.
Magazines:
- Vogue, March 2020: I bought this issue because I thought that the Billie Eilish covers were stunning. It is rare that someone so young and fresh takes the cover, and I can’t wait to read the interview Vogue did with her. Reading this issue also reminds me that Vogue presents quality journalism, and I am constantly blown away by their standard of writing. (I know you can’t buy hardcopies of mags now, but Vogue does post some of their articles online and I’ve linked them here.)
- Monocle, April 2020: I adore Monocle because they write about everything under the sun and it’s interesting; I always learn something new and refreshing. The down side is that it’s expensive, and their online content often hides behind paywalls. I have not started on this, but I will post some of my insights sometime.
Misc:
- Verified Strangers (Lena Dunham): I am a sucker for millennial love stories and this is the best guilty pleasure there is out there. The main protagonist finds herself in love triangles, circles, pentagons, whatever you’d like to call it, and navigates life as it is. Lena Dunham uploads a chapter onto Vogue everyday (we’re at Chapter 18 now people), and her writing is fluffy, delicious, and funny.
- Morning Briefing, The New York Times: An email newsletter that provides me with tidbits of world news daily. I read it every morning while I have breakfast – I like knowing what’s going on in the world. Currently contemplating paying for a NYT subscription…
- Morning Brew: Another daily newsletter that is really worth reading. I feel like this one can get quite American-centric, but it’s wonderfully written, very quirky, and provides a little more depth than NYT’s Morning Briefing does.
I’d love to know what you’re reading! I’m excited to write more here, let me know what you want to see. I’m thinking bits of positive news, how to contribute towards covid aid, what we’re listening to, what we’re watching.
Win
THEWINDERWOMAN 
You must be logged in to post a comment.