Top 5… sanity savers!
Good morning bookworms!
Today’s Top 5 Tuesday is ‘sanity savers – things I’m enjoying while in isolation!’ Because so help me, I am starting to lose my mind… In saying that, today is day number… twenty-six that I have been in isolation. Now, that’s a lot for Australia. We had our first confirmed case in Canberra on 12 March, and I have been in lockdown / isolation / quarantine (whatever you want to call it) since Friday 13 March. Why? Because I am immunosuppressed. My immune system does this super fun thing, like attacking the healthy tissue in my organs when left to run wild, so we kill it off every eight weeks with a low-level chemotherapy drug (which yes, still makes my hair fall out). It also means that if I were to catch this, I would have nothing to fight it off with. So, I live in my apartment with my husband (who also doesn’t go out) and three cats (who are starting to drive me mad with neediness) and we get basically everything delivered now. We also are both fortunate enough to be able to work from home, so we can still pay the mortgage. Wow, longest intro ever.
Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by the super lovely Shanah over at the Bionic Bookworm. You can visit her here, and join in for Top 5 Tuesday by checking out all the amazing topics that are coming up!
Videogames
Honestly, I could probably have listed the three I have been switching between as separate items, but I’ll try and be more creative than that! But just so you know, the three that are currently occupying my downtime are: Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing New Horizons (just got on Sunday), and The Sims 4 (my old faithful)!
I know I’ve racked up about another 20 hours on Stardew since this began, and I’m trying to only play it on weekends so that I remember what day of the week it is… But Animal Crossing is a whole other matter!! I am so addicted right now – it’s really bad. ?
TV / movies
Hubs and I are slowly making our way through the back catalogue of things we have been ‘meaning to get to’ in the last couple of years. So far we have watched a range of things like Coco, Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, Jumanji 2, Shazam!, and Bad Moms 2.
We’ve also been rewatching some favourites (we both love anything directed by Edgar Wright, and all the superhero movies), and I’ve been catching up on some TV series that I had let slip by the wayside (Hawaii Five-0, NCIS LA, Supergirl). I also found out that Netflix had been HIDING the next season of Miraculous from me, so I absolutely binge watched all of it last weekend.
Blogging
I don’t know if it was my mini-hiatus to set up the new blog, life, or the near disaster (in my head) that was moving to self-hosted, but I did have a couple of weeks where I wasn’t really blogging much. In fact, this week is probably my first week really back at it. And I have to say, it is HELPING.
Maybe it’s just that BookEnding Spring is here, so I’ve got some fun prompts to do (and not feel guilty because it’s been 6-12 months since I was tagged in them), but I’m enjoying being back in the community again!
Puzzles AND Audiobooks
These two go hand-in-hand like chocolate cake and frosting. Like Frozen and Olaf. Like… ok, that’s about as many analogies as my brain can handle. Anyway, I got out a (ridiculous) 1000 piece Harry Potter puzzle (that is essentially just blue and black) on the weekend. And while I was puzzling, I almost put on music, but then I remembered that I had Wundersmith on Audible, so I continued my Nevermoor re-read to get ready for Hollowpox!! I’ve got the Stephen Fry Harry Potter versions ready to go afterwards. But yeah, I recommend these together!!
Books
Let’s be honest, this is probably going to make everyone’s lists right now!! However, I want to be specific. For me, I am shoving sweet, adorable, happy contemporary books through my brain like there is no tomorrow. I haven’t picked up a fantasy or sci-fi (or so help me dystopian) book since I’ve been at home. I just can’t do it. Paranormal, yes at the start (but it also has a romance in it). Romance books? Probably, I just haven’t yet. And that’s mostly because all the amazing publishers who send me books are sending me adorable YA contemporary books at the moment and I AM HERE FOR IT.
Faves coming out in the next couple of months are It Sounded Better in my Head by Nina Kenwood, Camp by L. C. Rosen, and The Map From Here to There by Emery Lord (but read book 1 first, because it’s amazing too). And this week I got Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye and I am in LOVE with its synopsis. Happy books is where it is at for me right now.
What are you doing to distract yourself from boredom?
28 Comments
Marley @ Dragon on a Book
Puzzles and audiobooks is not a combination I would have though of, but it’s definitely pure genius! I’ll definitely have to look into that. And wow, Date Me, Bryson Keller sounds really cute! It’s definitely the time for cute contemporaries, in my opinion.
meeghan
Hi Marley!!
I just got an email from the publisher saying the release date has been pushed back to 2 July, which is the SADDEST because the world needs adorable books like this right now.
Also, thank you. I very occasionally have genius moments. Like, once per decade, so this one is right on time!! ?
Marley @ Dragon on a Book
Oh no, that’s disappointing! I’m sure it’s for the best though.
_tirilu
That doesn’t sound like fun. You take care of yourself, okay? <3
Since I still go to work, my schedule hasn't changed much but I definitely agree with your reading choices. I don't wanna read anything too big or too heavy either. At the moment I'm just vacuuming up all the Middlegrade books I have at home. It's not so much a escape or a cheerup as pretty much the only thing my brain wants at the moment.
meeghan
OMG, middle grade is the BEST, right?! So much whimsy in the fantasy. I love it!!
I hope you’re taking care with still going to work. Sending you lots of good health wishes x
evelynreads1
Always books haha! I’m very tempted to go out and buy a switch.. I really want to play animal crossing now that I see everyone playing it haha!
My post!
meeghan
If you can do it safely, I recommend. It’s not a game that you can spend 12 hours playing (well you could, but you might get bored…) it’s a “check in every day for a couple of hours” game. Which is nice as the others I play are definitely “sink 16 hours in” games!!
evelynreads1
Yeah that is what I like about it! But unfortunately according to websites it is all sold out in the physical stores (and also online)..
meeghan
Yeah, the game was sold out in physical copies here too. What a time to have shares in Nintendo!!
evelynreads1
Hahah yeah those people are very happy!
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Shanah - Bionic Book Worm
EEK! I just got Animal Crossing on Sunday too! It’s waaaay too addicting! My daughter stole the Sims 4 game and has been playing it non stop lol
meeghan
OMG. It’s FAR too addictive!! ??
J.W. Martin
We’re pretty much doing the same things except I have no room for puzzles and no money for a switch & animal crossing…
meeghan
Maybe sudoku or crosswords to go with the audiobooks??
How are you, Joe? I hope you’re ok!!
Jayati
I’m not much of a gamer but recently, I’ve been wanting to try one out. Maybe I’ll start with something that doesn’t require a switch so if I’m into it – I can buy it later! I love making puzzles too, but I don’t have any new ones due to the lockdown 🙁
I’ve been making some lego though – my brother bought me a Harry Potter lego of the 93/4 platform and it’s almost done!
meeghan
Oh I adore Lego!! We have the Millenium Falcon that we haven’t started yet, so that’s my next project after this puzzle.
We also have book stores that sell puzzles doing home delivery here, so we’re very lucky!! Maybe Amazon or somewhere also has them??
Rukky @ Eternity Books
Definitely books! And well school continues so that’s keeping me occupied lol. I’ve heard so much about Animal Crossing and now I really want to play it, but first I have to get it somehow…
I’m also going to try and get Nevermoor, because I just realized that I’ve been missing out by running away from Middle Grade. It’s so chessy, and young and innocent, and honestly so much fun! It also doesn’t have all the drama and headache that comes with YA and Adult smh. I’ve been reading Percy Jackson and The Sisters Grimm and it’s really really fun.
Stay safe and please take care of yourself ?
meeghan
OMG YES! Middle Grade books are where it’s at!! Nevermoor is filled with so much whimsy!! I just finished my reread of Wundersmith last night and I love it so much!!
*Flora*
Similar for me Meeghan, watching TV, blogging and listening to favourite audiobooks.;-)
meeghan
Such good things to do at the moment!!
lilisblissfulpages
I love jigsaw puzzle though I feel like I don’t have enough time to relax and enjoy them.
meeghan
I feel that!! I’ve been doing the same one for two weeks. But I’ve really only been spending a teeny bit each day (or sometimes every couple of days) working on it.
lilisblissfulpages
I can’t work on mine though coz they’re at home and I’m still at my aunt’s. thanks to the lockdown, I still can’t go home. 🙁
meeghan
Oh no!! Sending you love and hope you’re ok. ?
lilisblissfulpages
Thank you. ??
Veronika @ Wordy and Whimsical
I love this post, and I love, love, LOVE how your blog looks now, Meeghan! (I’m like, 99.99% sure I have not seen it like this yet?? Hopefully.) I haven’t been going through my bloglovin feed for weeks now, so I’m way behind on blog hopping (but I do love your blog, so I signed up through wordpress email too!). Anyhow. I don’t play video games, so that’s the only one not true for me. Also, puzzles – but we’re going to purchase one exactly because of this situation, haha.) I really love Coco and Shazam! so I hope you enjoyed those. 🙂 Great post!
meeghan
Thank you!! I seem to have lost some followers on the transition, but I went self-hosted in March and changed everything!! I also love it. I talk about it in my March wrap-up, but it’s still new so you haven’t missed much!! ??