My Favorite Things Lately

It’s been a while but I thought it was time for another installment of my favorite things as I’ve found so many things I’ve been loving lately! So here it is: something to wear, something to read, something to watch and something to eat. You can see the one, two, three, four and five here.  Enjoy! I’d love to hear some of your favorites in the comments below as well!

Wear: Distressed Jean Jacket. Ready for a shock? I’ve never owned a jean jacket until now even though jean jackets have been a wardrobe staple for decades. DECADES. It was one of those items that I always thought were cute on other people, but anytime I tried one on it never felt/looked quite right. So I just figured they weren’t me. Then I found this really inexpensive distressed jean jacket from Old Navy and it. is. perfect. The perfect color and distressing, as well as super soft. I actually have 2–one for patches that I plan to add to over the years and one that I plan just to keep plain. You know, for fancy occasions. Also, check out the 4.8 stars with over 300 reviews! It’s not just me folks, this might be a holy grail denim jacket find. Get it now!

Read: If at Birth You Don’t Succeed: My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny by Zach Anner Zach Anner is a writer, actor, comedian who also has CP or cerebral palsy. I came to recognize Zach through his videos for the CP foundation, and then I remember spotting him on Speechless once. Turns out Zach has a much longer history in entertainment than I was previously aware. (Hello Oprah!) Zach and his brother and friends have been making movies since childhood, and he got even more involved once in college, he has done everything from being on a reality TV contest for the OWN Network back in 2010 (and spoiler alert, winning!) to his own web-series and other awesome gigs around the world. This is a hilarious memoir that once again provides a much needed and balanced perspective on life and pursuing dreams through the lens of disability.

Also, Pride and Prejudice + Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Well thanks to Jane Eyre a few months ago I have recently been in a spiral of classics and I am absolutely loving it. Again I don’t exactly need to tell you these books are good and well worth your time as I think that’s been firmly established throughout the last two centuries, BUT if like me, you read the cliff notes version in high school and just didn’t think Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, etc were your cup of tea (or at least that’s what you told yourself) then I’m here to encourage you to give it another go. I absolutely love the movies Sense and Sensibility and Emma, so I was pretty sure I’d like the movies if I gave them the effort, but I was also afraid that if I sat down with these books for more than 10 minutes I’d fall asleep. Lucky for us Audible, Overdrive and the like exist and I love listening to the goings-on with the Bennet and the Dashwood sisters while running errands, doing dishes and making dinner. If you haven’t listened to a classic lately, DO IT.

Watch: Booksmart. I do not remember the last time I immediately loved a movie as much as I loved this one. If possible, I would have immediately gone to the very next screening. This is the smart, funny female centered comedy that I wish had existed when I was a teenager. In addition to celebrating female friendship and elevating the smart girl status as the ultimate cool (how the idea of girls playing dumb to get the guy ever became a thing I’ll never know as that was NEVER my real-life experience), I also love how this movie smashes all sorts of stereotypes while never stepping into saccharine territory. Hilarious, smart, and female driven. Yas! I feel like I have to give the Mormon/LDS disclaimer and say that it is a very inappropriate movie. Lots of swearing and sexual humor (but no nudity.) Along those lines, my singular complaint might be how teenagers in this movie (and others) are portrayed as constant sex machines who are all so very experienced (or when having their first encounter it immediately goes beyond kissing into sex?) I have no problem with the idea of teenagers being sexual beings, and love that one of the central characters is a lesbian, but it often goes a little further than I find realistic. (By comparison, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before certainly doesn’t shy away from sexuality, but the I appreciate the fact that it’s not overly played out and that the central character knows she wants to wait… that happens too!) That being said, I still freaking love this movie. Girls night!

Eat: Built Bars. These are by far my favorite protein bars ever! They actually taste like I’m giving myself a treat and they’re about half the calories of regular protein bars. They have real, actual chocolate around a gooey, marshmallow like center that comes in different flavors. I didn’t really know what to expect the first time I bit into one, so the creamy center sort of surprised me, but now I love them. Caveat: The marshmallow-like center is where the different flavors come in and while I’ve tried several different flavors I pretty mush stick to just 3–chocolate, caramel and raspberry.

OK now your turn! What are you wearing, reading, watching or eating lately?