I believe I’ve officially been writing these “What’s New” posts for two years now! I started them because I really wanted to have something consistent on the homepage of my blog, and I thought it would be fun to have a monthly check-in that was a little more personal than my more topical posts. For anybody who reads these every month (thanks. by the way!), you are probably sick of hearing me talk about my writing goals, exercise goals, and crazy video game backlog every month. But it’s a really fun post for me to write. Plus, if I ever get bogged down with real life (like I have been lately) and fail to write many blog posts in a month, I know that at least I’ll do this one, and I’ll feel good about it. =)
Last month I started exercising more, ran a 5K in super-hot weather (for me, anyway!), tried some Hellblade with my boyfriend, played the new episode of Telltale’s second season of Batman, went to a music festival, and watched the most intense season of Game of Thrones ever. My friends/family are placing bets on who is going to make it to the end of the show versus who’s gonna die. So the month was busy and really perfect that way. I had just enough energy to enjoy it all, and lots of memories were made!
Now that September is here, I would normally be in full-on fall mode. I go crazy for cooler weather, peppermint drinks, holiday music — all that goofy stuff that comes in autumn and winter. But this month I’m taking a trip to a Hawaii, so I feel more like I’m gonna be closing the summer with a bang. I’m excited to go somewhere I’ve never been before, and a tropical vacation sounds like the ideal way to forget about the rest of the world for awhile and decompress. I want to be like a puffer fish and deflate myself.
Other things I’m excited about:
Destiny 2 — Like so many others, I played the original Destiny to death. I love that game, but I just ran out of things to do. Which means I’m so, so ready for Destiny 2 and all the improvements it may bring. Warlock mode!
Halt and Catch Fire — This is one of my favorite shows ever. The first season was a little cheesy in spots, but season 2 hooked me. It’s 4th and final season has just started, and I’m excited to see how everything wraps up with these characters I’ve come to really care about. Cameron Howe especially is one of the most interesting depictions of someone who is a true creator — artistic, genuine, brutally honest, a little self-involved, egotistical but also super vulnerable about her work. Plus, being set in the 80’s (and now very early 90’s) is a fun nostalgia trip with some great music, and I love exploring early online chats, gaming, and the birth of the internet through the characters’ jobs and pet projects. If you haven’t watched the show, I highly recommend it. (Feel free to skip season 1 if it’s not your bag.)
Cooking — Last month I tried to eat healthier, and a big part of that was finding a couple of recipes that fit my diet (and that were also easy to make). I always find that I feel best when I am eating a lot of pure, low-carb foods — not totally Whole30 or keto, but sort of like their casual cousins. Who let me eat a burrito and a slice of cake every weekend. So I found a really easy recipe for coconut shrimp stew that I made three times, which pairs perfectly with a crisp white wine since I am also totally training to be a wine snob someday. Now I’m looking for more tasty recipes, and I have to say, after trying Blue Apron for awhile, I’m finding it a lot easier and more interesting to make up my own meals! (Blue Apron is awesome, but you’re pretty restricted in what they send you, and the recipes can be surprisingly involved. They usually took me at least 40 minutes.)
Novel Writing — I’m still doing that. Not much else to say, but it’s coming along and really fun when I get in the flow.
Other than that, I have Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and Undertale on my list of video games I’d like to play soon. I don’t know whether I’ll get to them this month or not, but I hope to play them before the year’s out! (At my pace, that means I’d better get started ASAP.) I’m also still playing Persona 5, which is one of those games that is super satisfying to sink many hours into at a time… but it’s so crazy-long, I don’t have any goal in mind of when I’ll finish it. I’ll probably be playing it on and off for months, and I’m totally cool with that.
What are you guys up to this month? Are there any new video games coming out you’re excited about? I also don’t know what movies are out this month, so I need recommendations!
— Ashley
Robo♥beat 
I really love Halt and Catch Fire. It has been neat to see them branch into video games and online communities as the seasons went on. The phone call between Joe and Cameron in 402 was really cool. Brought back memories of high school when I had to call people on a landline!
I wasn’t a big fan of the first Destiny, but I only really played it during the launch month. I think I may give 2 a go and see how they have evolved things.
Well, for what it’s worth, I like these posts. I enjoy the conversational feel.
WoW will likely remain my gaming focus for at least most of the month, though I am considering taking another break soon. I’m still having fun — I’m probably more content with the game now than I have been in years — but the list of other things I want to play is starting to pile up. Still have stuff to do in SW:TOR, haven’t played ESO in a while, still weighing whether to do another Inquisition playthrough, and there are some new releases later in the autumn I want to check out.
I’ve also been doing some experimentation with cooking, but the less said about those misadventures, the better. When it comes to writing, I’ve finished the rewrite of book one and am about to move on to book two. I don’t enjoy rewrites, but I think I am making it a better story.
Also, after twenty years, I’m giving the Silmarillion a second try. Actually enjoying it so far, though I do have to take it in small doses.
Isn’t the new Star Trek show starting this month? I’m a little skeptical, but the trailers look promising, so I will probably give it a shot.
That’s awesome your writing is going well. And funny to hear you’re also experimenting with cooking! Yeah it’s still a little hit or miss for me right now, but I’m enjoying it. Star Trek is coming out this month!! You’re right, I just saw that news yesterday. I’m really excited partly because I’ve never watched Star Trek while it was airing, so this will be my first live viewing experience with the show. I have no idea what I’ll think of it, but it’ll be interesting to see anyway. The actors seem like good choices.
Oh, wow, you’ve never watched Star Trek when it was new before? I grew up with it. First with Voyager, then Enterprise. It was a family event. Every week we’d all gather around and watch Star Trek over dinner, then discuss the episode.
That sounds so fun! I only know a couple of people in my circle who watch Star Trek, and I met them in the last few years. My family doesn’t watch it!