Hello Free Time? I'm Done with my Master's!
The Week That Was
Last Saturday, I turned in my final (big) assignment for my Master’s, and this week, I’m headed back to Boston for graduation!!! I’m in disbelief that the day has finally come after four years of doing my Master’s part-time. While I’m pretty emotional that it’s over, I would be lying if I didn’t mention that I’m excited to have some free time back and be able to focus on the next phase of my life. I can’t wait to see my cohort, other friends from the program, and my parents, who are traveling in for the weekend to celebrate. A Boston/Cambridge travel guide will be coming sometime this summer!
Here are some other things and thoughts from the week that was:
A new favourite woman author: Lauren Groff is one of those writers who has been on my radar for a while; however, it wasn’t until I read her latest book, The Vaster Wilds, at the end of last year that I realized how unique and sublime her writing is and her dedication to having strong, complex women protagonists. As soon as I finished that book, I knew I needed to read everything she writes. So, for my second Groff book, I chose Matrix, which takes place in the 12th century and tells the story of Marie de France, who, at seventeen, is banished to an abbey in England and leads it into prosperity. It is so beautifully written. I can’t recommend her books enough. And, if we need more reason to love her, she is opening a bookstore in Gainesville, Florida, that emphasizes books banned in Florida’s schools and libraries and by Floridian authors.
Bathroom renovations: This week marked the beginning of our bathroom renovation, which includes replacing all the pipes in the building and then redoing the bathroom with new tiles, appliances, fixtures, and all the things. This weekend, I watched back-to-back home decor videos on The Sunday Times Style YouTube page (Matilda Goad, Beata Heuman, Lucy Williams), and in addition to loving all the vintage items and personal mementos in their homes, I’m inspired by all the colour and am now thinking of having the bathroom walls painted something other than white. Thoughts?
Chicago adventures: Now that I have my free time back, I’m excited to make the most of all that is happening in the city. This week included attending a fundraiser for a new entrepreneurship incubator that is in development and a trolley tour around the city to learn about Chicago’s labour history. I learnt so much and now have (another) long list of topics to research. (Highly recommend doing historical tours about the place you live!) For those in Chicago, I’ll share some events I’m excited about in advance….First up, Chicago Innovation is hosting its first Climate Innovation Summit in June. The speakers look incredible!
A DJ set to groove to: My sister is a badass DJ (on the side) and has been playing lots of shows recently in San Francisco. Last week, she played an hour-long classic house set for an independent radio station in Liverpool, UK. The set is on YouTube, and I have been grooving to it all week long! I’m so proud of her and am blown away by her talent. Also, Billie Eilish’s new album? Fantastic. Maybe this is the year I see her live…
Handcrafted summer items: I love a good print in the summer, and I can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous ones prxkhxr creates. Their prints are stunning and developed in-house from scratch in New Delhi. I’m particularly interested in this *bright* orange shirt and shorts co-ord set, made of 100% hand-spun and handwoven khadi muslin fabric. It’s a summer dream. And, while we are on the subject, I’m also very much considering these handcrafted peacock earrings to add a little glam to simple summer outfits.
New-to-me taco: We ate out more than usual because we hadn’t had running water for most of the week. One of the highlights was having a chile rellano taco (!!) for the first time. Chile rellanos are chile peppers stuffed with cheese and then deep-fried. They are usually served with sauce and a side of rice and beans but this one was put into a taco. Brilliant!
How was your week? Anything exciting or interesting happen? Would love to hear from you!
Articles I read (and recommend) this week:
“This bookstore in Kolkata is run by an elderly couple that loves nature and wants you to feel the same way” (Vogue India)
“Spotlighting War’s Cultural Destruction in Ukraine” (Sapiens)
“‘The Body Shop held our hand’: how the troubled British firm helped a recycling startup in India” (The Guardian)
“The Renaissance of Feminist Bookstores” (Ms. Magazine)
“Archeology is buzzing about this rare relic of a female ballplayer at a Chicago museum” (WBEZ Chicago)
“Why rituals, not habits, make you more productive” (Fast Company)
Podcast episodes I listened to (and recommend) this week:
“Lysistrata” (In Our Time)
“Napoleon’s Hundred Days” (In Our Time)
“The Future of Sustainability: Repair, repurpose, reimagine” (TED Radio Hour)
“Hardika Shah // Founder and CEO of Kinara Capital” (Investing in Impact)
And a Youtube video:
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a great week! Talk soon! xxx