snail mail: november'25
media roundup & recommendations
while october brought joy and excitement, november led to an overall slowing down. with other areas of my life being busy, i had less time to devote to my daily pleasures. this month’s list is not very extensive, but there are things on there. and whilst it’s a little disappointing, something is better than nothing, right?
as with previous months, here’s a roundup of things that have been consumed and enjoyed:
november’s moodboard:
books:
compared to last month where i was reading up a storm, this month was a lot less fruitful.
the bell jar by sylvia plath: i did like the bell jar. i did. i enjoyed maggie gyllenhaal’s narration of the audiobook; her voice kept me engaged, especially at times where i wasn’t fully connected to the story. there were times where i understood esther’s melancholia and her feelings of being trapped. like many others, i was moved by her vision of her many lives branching out into different figs; any one of them ripe for the picking. the fact that the novel is semi-autobiographical made me feel for plath who committed suicide soon after the book was published. the book didn’t resonate with me as much as i thought it would but that’s okay.
everything is tuberculosis by john green: i’ve been a john green fan from the ripe old age of 14. he is the reason for one of my closest friendships to date because instead of participating in a p.e. lesson i sat on the side and discussed looking for alaska with another teenage girl. everything is tuberculosis made me mad. to think that this devastating disease that could be easily eradicated but is still ravaging parts of the world. i learnt so much about how this disease has shaped culture and history; from its changing name to the towns that were created due to it, that still exist today. green’s passion for the subject made me feel passionate as i read. as i heard his anger, mine grew. as he learnt more about the disease, my eyes too were opened. who knew that this disease was as impactful as it was. everything is indeed tuberculosis.
movies:
frankenstein (2025): i never understood the attraction of jacob elordi but here we are. all it took was for him to be a disfigured, misunderstood creature with a tragic origin story. who knew that was my type? oscar isaac was a creepy milk-drinking victor frankenstein and i had little sympathy for him. go to therapy to work out your mummy issues. the visuals were absolutely stunning, as was the costuming and score. thank you guillermo del toro for providing something beautiful in this ai slop world.
freakier friday (2025): so manny jacinto can’t quite do a british accent, the plot was pretty clichéd and jamie lee curtis annoyed the hell out of me. maitreyi ramakrishnan’s character was unnecessary and boring. and yet the nostalgia of freaky friday kept me watching. yes, the callbacks were overdone but i didn’t mind. plus pink slip’s take me away is an absolute banger.
tv shows:
i am a trash demon. reality tv is my garbage can and i am a racoon.
selling sunset: toxic. honestly the drama was fun for a while but now it’s weird with the different factions and the clear racism and homophobia from certain cast members. season 9 was barely watchable. i think the franchise has lost its original appeal and has devolved into something sinister and strange.
love is blind: chaotic, messy, absolutely unhinged. none of those people should be getting married and thank god they realised that as well. a reminder that shouldn’t really be a reminder, childhood trauma does not excuse poor behaviour i.e. crying because a woman is “denying” you sex.
taskmaster: after the joy of series 19, i hoped that series 20 would make me laugh just as much. expectations were high and while it wasn’t my favourite series, there was a lot that made me deep belly laugh. it’s easy to feel happy when you’re watching british comedians become more and more unhinged while competing is absurd tasks with varying levels of competence.
music:
berghain by rosalía: the closest i’ll get to berghain. hypnotic techno cathedral music. absolutely brilliant.
madeline by lily allen: who the fuck is madeline? i have a complicated history with lily allen because while she did make certified bops it’s hard to enjoy a song when childhood bullies i.e. friends sing “smile” at you, complete with pointing and shouting “when i see you cry it makes me smile”. so yeah… but who doesn’t love a woman creating a narrative album to process her messed up relationship?
pump up the jam by technotronic: did you know that this song was played five times at the funeral of director stanley kubrick? you would if you’d watched cunk on earth. this running gag was one of my favourite parts of the mockumentary and after doing a recent rewatch it’s made its way onto the list for better or worse. i’m not sure if i would say this is an objectively good song, but the jam is pumpin’.
culinary:
asparagus risotto: after a long day at work, i felt nourished eating a bowl of asparagus risotto. i remember sitting down to dinner with my friends and saying “i need carbs”. and boy, did i eat carbs. paired with a side of mashed potatoes did i heal my soul with this delightful meal? yes. did i suffer from stomach pains from eating an entire bowl of asparagus risotto with a side of mashed potatoes? yes. was it worth it? 100%.
visual inspiration for december:
december looms ahead. i wish this time of year was more festive where i am. though i don’t miss the cold or darkness, i do miss the christmas lights and the m&s holiday edition foods. yes, everything can be brought back to my problematic fave marks and spencer. anyway…during this time of year i always feel sentimental as i reflect on the past year while simultaneously looking ahead. and so we enter the final month of 2025. let’s see what december will bring.
xoxo,
d