february recap: articles, books, movies, & life updates

January crept along at turtle speed, but somehow February was gone in the blink of an eye. This month has been full of snow days, date nights, and savoring precious moments with friends. I’m pleased the report that my anxiety meds have finally kicked in, and I’ve felt much more present the past few weeks. It’s like I’m finally able to live in the moment, rather than constantly trying to plan ahead for the worst case scenario. The end of February also means I’m two weeks shy of my first ever flight, so I really need those anxiety meds to work their magic. Any and all tips for a nervous first-time flyer would be much appreciated. <3

Other highlights from this month include getting a new car, starting a new job, and seeing Faye Webster live! And of course celebrating Valentine’s Day with my love. <3

photos from february <3

I also rediscovered my love for what I call, “being a local bitch.” Oklahoma is a dumpster fire in many ways, and as a teenager, I always planned on leaving the second I turned 18. But now at 22, I’ve found that there are pockets of warm, loving, beautiful community when you know where to look for them. For me, nothing instills that sense of community and belonging like local music. I want to eventually write a love letter to OKC, complete with all my local recommendations, but this month I got to see Sky Hemenway, Maddie Razook, and Frail Talk live. They’re all incredible small artists.

Without further ado, let’s talk about what I’ve been loving during the month of love!

articles:

AI-Generated Slop is Already in Your Public Library by Emanuel Maiberg - If you’re a library user who enjoys audiobooks or ebooks, then you’ve likely used an app called Hoopla. Hoopla’s a great resource for public libraries because they offer a massive catalog of materials, but lately, Hoopla has gotten lax with their vetting processes, and AI-generated books are starting to pop up. And as you’d expect, they’re utter garbage.

The Auteur of Anime by Margaret Talbot - From 2005, a rare profile on Hayao Miyazaki and the making of Studio Ghibli.

Get Free by Eliza McLamb - I just don’t even have the words. An incredible personal essay on consent that probably every woman can relate to.

i want women to be meaner by from an evil woman - I will denounce choice feminism until the day I die! This article asserts that for feminism to be truly effective, it cannot be kind or appealing towards men. It critiques neoliberal choice feminism which waters down the goals of the movement in favor of appearing polite and approachable.

i wish i had kept the nose of my ancestors by the weekly scrapbook - I’ve struggled so hard to accept the little quirks about my body, like my hooked nose or my asymmetrical ears, that on anyone else, I would find endearing. Those insecurities also contradict my own deeply held beliefs about accepting your body as it naturally exists. It just goes to show how deeply ingrained patriarchal beauty standards are. This article was a beautiful, vulnerable exploration of coming to love those aspects about ourselves that we’ve been taught to dislike.