Bits of May
the good, the bad, and the kitty
Hello friends! I have gained quite a bit of subscribers this past month, so I shall humbly introduce myself. My name is Ashlee and at the end of each month (or beginning of the next one) I post a “Bits of” telling you what I’ve been up to and what media I’ve been consuming! So please, stay a while!
While May is typically my favorite month, this May decided to test me.
My car got very sick. She stopped working when I was 40 minutes away from home, for a dance rehearsal. We had to call an ambulance and take her to the hospital. Once I got her back, a few days later, she wasn’t responding to my key to unlock her! Perhaps her battery died? Maybe she was very tired from the hospital? My dashing husband used some wires to get her going again. A few days later, I drove her to the same town she got sick in originally and she got sick again! I had to pull over on the side of the freeway which was very scary and not fun. We had to get another ambulance for her and take her back to the hospital. This all cost me a lot of money and also so much stress and many tears. In the end, she seems to be back to herself again. This was quite the kick in the shin to remind me to keep up with my car maintenance. An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Or like maybe take ur car to get serviced every now and then so u don’t have to pay multiple thousands of dollars later and breakdown on the freeway.
May wasn’t totally full of bad luck, the day that my sweetheart jumped my car, I ordered Thai food from our fav restaurant, because it was simply what I deserved after the horrors I had experienced with my car getting sick. The food arrived and I was welcomed with the two dishes we had ordered AND a surprise order of pad see ew. Maybe there is a god after all.
If you read my previous post, we recently welcomed a kitten into our little family. It has been such a joy to watch our little Gracie grow and come out of her shell. She is such a playful little thing!
As wonderful as having a sweet kitten is, my arms and legs have gotten shredded from her claws. She does not understand that I am a human person with skin and her claws rip open said skin.
Been thinking of getting into credit card debt because I have never been in credit card debt and am still in my twenties and I feel like I’m allowed to be a little irresponsible but also it makes me really nervous so maybe not.
A friend of mine put on a lil market with a bunch of vendors and some music performances (two of my other friends played!). I wore a really cunty outfit and was apparently putting out some vibes because it seemed everyone was in love with me. I even got asked out and had to pull the I’m married card and he immediately ran away. At this event I had planned to spend some money on some clothes but none of the clothes were dazzling me so I got a flash tattoo instead (stars).
Danced with my mommy on stage and it was so sweet and wholesome and fun!!!
Told my psychiatrist I have been pulling out my hair and he said let’s up those meds again. I have been wanting to decrease my meds for a while because I thought maybe mental illness is fake and I was just young. But then I started pulling out my hair so perhaps it is real after all :/
For Memorial Day, my husband and I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium aka the greatest aquarium on planet earth. It was such a nice day, we never get the same days off. We said hi to the otters and fishies and were awestruck by the jellyfish. Then we went to the beach and I stole a bunch of shells.
May 5th was my 10,000th day alive. I wanted to have a party for this but I had dance rehearsal instead. I shall plan another party soon. It is very important to have parties and celebrate every little thing.
The sunflowers in my front yard continue to grow and bloom. Sometimes I wish I could be a sunflower and stand tall and bask in the sun all day, but alas, capitalism calls to me.
Went to the dentist and discovered I have two cavities which is incredibly humiliating because I swear I brush my teeth twice a day and even floss sometimes!!!!!!
Spent the whole month with no Instagram or tik tok. It was a very necessary cleanse for my brain. I will go back to Instagram because I want to share things with my friends and see what they are up to, but I think I will continue to download to look and then delete again so I can focus on things that actually bring me fulfillment and joy.
My sweet niece turned 1!! I went down to San Diego to visit and celebrate. It was such a sweet party with the family and friends and oh my goodness has she grown so much! What a special thing to see my big sister become a mother. She has taken motherhood with such ease, I am in awe of her.
May Media Round Up
READING
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna~ I listened to this while I worked and was so fascinated by Hanna’s life. Poor thing has been through so much and still continued to work to create music and zines and also help the girls and women in her community heal from their assaults. Loved that she narrated it as well.
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrente~ The second book of the Neapolitan Quartet. While these books are slower reads, they are so juicy and beautiful. She takes us through the friendship of two girls as they grow into women and all the complications that follow. Ferrente can never do wrong in my eyes and I gave it 5 stars across the board. I’ve already started the third book.
The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector~ My dear friend, Nick (hi), sent this to me, thinking I would like it. And boy did I!!! A super quick read and full of juicy quotes. 5 stars.
WATCHING
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) dir. Isao Takahata~ I went into this completely blind and I have to say it was the most devestating movie I have ever seen. Cried like a baby. Very stunning, but oh my GOD.
Burlesque (2010) dir. Steve Antin~ As a dancer, I am shocked it took me this long to watch this. It is objectively very bad but that is what made it so good. Cher and Christina Aguilera and Kristen Bell and Stanley Tucci! What’s not to like?
My husband and I have been watching Outlander and finished it on Netlfix last night. Though apparently season 8 has just come out so we will be renting it so we can be all caught up. Such a sick show!!!!
LISTENING
From listening to Kathleen Hanna’s audiobook, I had to listen to lots of Riot Grrl. Bikini Kill and Le Tigre and Bratmobile and Mannequin Pussy and Sleater-Kinney and the Breeders to name a few. After listening, I made my husband give me a guitar lesson, I want to be a rockstar too!
I have been thinking…. do we enjoy these monthly roundups? Instead I could do seasonally/quarterly. Months go by so quick so I am not sure if my readers get bored of it lol. I have also been thinking of doing a travel bits of. Like bits of Amsterdam and I share a tid bit of a moment in Amsterdam. (I am very well traveled.) I don’t know. But I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Well, that’s all folks! See you next month!
Love u xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxox
I actually love that picture