Simone Reddington

It’s fair to say that we’re definitely in the peak of the summer as the UK has been basking in very hot sunny temperatures quite frequently this past month. We’re also adjusting to life under the ‘new normal’ as the last of the Covid restrictions were lifted this month. Here are some of the best things that I’ve enjoyed this past month.

• Tidying Up- This might sound like quite a strange one, but reading Marie Kondo’s The Magic of Tidying Up made me very motivated to have a complete clear out of my bedroom, and I had no better opportunity to do so that when I had to isolate for 10 days at the beginning of the month. Although I do think some of Marie Kondo’s ideas are slightly eccentric (for instance I don’t think every item in our homes should necessarily need to ‘spark joy’ for us to keep them), there are a lot of sense in her methods as I think most of us have a lot of clutter in our homes that we keep in the hope that it might ‘come in useful one day.’ I filled over 10 bags of clothes, old make-up, books, out of date documents and general bric-a-brac. Some of it went in the bin but a lot of it went to my local charity shop where hopefully other people may find joy from the things that no longer serve me a purpose.
• Iphone 11- This month I finally upgraded my phone after the battery on my loyal iPhone 6S finally called it a day after over 3 years. I’m not a very materialistic person, and certainly not when it comes to technology, but I thought I was well due an upgrade so I went to Carphone Warehouse and came out with the iPhone 11 in a very aesthetically pleasing lilac colour. The camera quality is absolutely stunning and its so good to have a phone with a battery that lasts longer than 5 hours.

• Us- Myfavourite read of July was David Nicholls’ Us. The novel tells the story of Douglas and Connie, a married couple who have have been together for nearly 25 years, despite being the polar opposite of each other. When Connie admits that she feels that their marriage is over, Douglas plans a family holiday around Europe with their moody teenage son to prove to her that there is still spark in their relationship. Nicholls’ narrative is absolutely perfect as he reveals the characters’ flaws and vulnerabilities through flashbacks from when they first met, showing how their lives changed over time. I also adored his close attention to detail as he described the art and culture of the impressive cities that the family travelled to, as I felt that I was exploring Europe with them as I read the book in the garden with a gin during the summer 2021 heatwave.

• Make Me Famous– I haven’t watched much TV this month, what with the weather being so hot, and the one programme that I certainly haven’t been watching is Love Island. Although it used to be my guilty pleasure a few years ago, knowing that 3 of the show’s previous stars have tragically taken their own lives has put me off watching it. What I have, however, watched is Make Me Famous; an hour long drama on BBC iPlayer about a young man who appeared on a reality dating show and the effect that his short-term fame has on his mental health. Although the characters were completely fictional, the programme (written by radio DJ Reggie Yates) was based on interviews with various reality TV stars. It’s a harrowing watch that is a reminder how damaging fame can be, especially in today’s social media age.