Hello my friends! Is the world getting to you, like it is me? I figured as much, so I wanted to pop on here and share some of my brain candy — all the things that are consuming my mind and pulling me away from the hellscape, but also some things I’m really loving right now. I won’t waste any more time. Enjoy!
xo, Nicole
Things Consuming My Mind Lately
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
I saw this movie back in January and I am still thinking about it, at least every other day. It’s a part of one of my favorite dystopian/horror franchises and is the fifth installment. If you haven’t seen 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, or 28 Years Later and want watch this one, that’s fine. It really could be a standalone film. You’ll understand the lore a bit more if you watch the previous three, though.
The juxtaposition of science versus religion and cruelty versus empathy shines through in nearly every scene. One of the most prevalent themes of this installment is that despite humans being infected, their humanity still exists somewhere inside them. Despite that, the uninfected are shown to be sometimes more terrifying than their zombie counterparts. There’s more of a focus on that than the zombie of it all, and I really enjoyed that take on this dystopian universe.
Ralph Fiennes stuns as Dr. Kelson and the scene that is featured as the trailer’s thumbnail was so freaking good. I wish I could see it again for the first time.
Metallica Announcing a Sphere Residency
AND WE SNAGGED TICKETS. AH! I shall be insufferable until October, when I get to enjoy seeing one of my favorite bands at a venue I’ve been dying to visit. They sold out the initial run so fast that they had to add more dates immediately. I would be shocked if they didn’t lengthen their stay here, or come back for a long residency in the near future.
They’re doing their classic two-night stand, which means we’re in for a sick smattering of their catalog. I cannot wait to see what kind of graphics they have in store for the Family.
I am now seeking recommendations of other things to do while we visit Vegas — places to eat, experiences, etc. We will have a day off in between shows and we want to make the most of our short trip. Please send them my way!
Fast Food CEOs One-Upping Each Other
If you aren’t chronically online like I am, you might have missed the absolute disaster of the McDonald’s CEO posting a video of him tasting one of his company’s “products”. And LOL, yes, “product” — see below the first video for a very real tweet. This is taking up entirely too much space in my brain lately, I admit, but damn if it’s hilarious.
Watch in succession here:
Garron’s video is the best of all of them, which is why I put that here instead of the official video. Enjoy a laugh. This CEO is definitely not eating at his restaurant regularly, if ever.
Burger King’s CEO had to jump in, naturally. Notice how he doesn’t take the bite of a wuss, probably because the Whopper is actually a decent burger.
Next, Wendy’s — known for their unhinged social media presence — couldn’t disappoint the masses. Not only is it absolutely apparent that this guy actually loves his company’s “product”, he knows what the audience loves — fries dipped in a Frosty. 🤤
Alright, Taco Bell, you know what to do. I’ll even give you an idea, on the house:
CEO hops on TikTok or IG Live after a night out. He’s buzzed. He tells the camera the party had nothing but snacks, and he’s famished. He pans to a spread on the counter: there’s a Mexican Pizza, Quesadilla, Nachos, Doritos Tacos, at least three different burritos, and definitely some cinnamon twists. Probably two different Luxe boxes for good measure, and a large Baja Blast. He takes sloppy bites of everything. Proving that without a doubt, Taco Bell is the king of fast food.
You’re welcome.
Other Things I’m Loving
Being An Americano Girl ☕️
When my head hits the pillow, I find myself dreaming about the delicious little cup of espresso I will pour when I wake up.
I’ve always been a caramel macchiato or vanilla latte type of bitch, hot or iced. At home, I’m totally fine with a simple cup of coffee (with exactly a dash of cinnamon, a splash of nonfat milk, and one packet of stevia — we’re after a brown paper bag, if you need a color). Recently, I switched ordering blonde Americanos from lattes when I need a little treat (AKA every time I leave my house).
When I make coffee at home, I go for my Keurig or French Press and tend to use any kind of light roast, or some espresso to make my own latte. As a barista in a past life, I remember many drink recipes so I can easily create what I love at home. I also love getting lost in an Instagram hole, watching the girlies make delicious lattes and giving me ideas for what else I can try on my own. But more often than not, I find myself drifting toward the Americano. There’s just nothing like it.
Playing Video Games
I’ve always loved playing video games. For most of my life, it was mostly just anything in the Super Mario universe (Nintendo has always been my jam). But, I married a gamer, and he has broadened my Horizons.
This week, I finally beat Horizon: Forbidden West, one of my favorite games to play. I just love killing those damn machines and I am so good at it. It’s comparable to how good I am at killing zombies in Dying Light. So, between rounds of building out hotel rooms on Animal Crossing and crafting a sick island on Dinkum (both blissful, allowing me to dissociate), I work out my rage or frustration with life on Horizon.
Now that I’ve beaten the game, I have all the sickest weapons, best outfits, and tons of XP, so even the hardest machines go down super quick. You know that makes the game even more fun. I’m grinding and finishing side quests, so I can make this my third Platinum game on PS5, right behind one of the best games of all time, Astro Bot. If you haven’t played that, I have one question for you: do you hate joy?
At-Home Manicures
In 2020, when I couldn’t visit a nail salon because ~pandemic~, I went all in on Olive & June (not an ad, but I’d be thrilled if they gave me free product to talk about them more often, lol) and started learning how to do better manicures in the comfort of my own home.
I watched videos, took my time, and eventually really got the hang of doing it myself. Now, I feel like my nails look professional when I throw on some polish in between meetings or on a lazy Sunday morning. And the money I’m saving by going DIY? Yeah, that helps pay for more books. Win/win!
What’s taking up space in your brain? What are you adoring lately? Share the goodies with us, don’t be shy. I could really use some more internet rabbit holes to explore, too, so send those my way as well.
See ya next week!
I, too, am chronically online and knew the story—and now I have to look up Garron’s take, he is the BEST 😂😂