Things I Consumed / Did in the Past Weeks Vol. 1

Since I feel like I've slowly lost my ability to do writing (hell, even my vocabulary has gotten worse each day!), I've pledged myself to start regularly updating this page by writing down what I consumed/did and/or what weird dreams I had the past weeks. (Will try to do it biweekly, but hopefully committed enough to do it weekly). 

Disclaimer: This list is inspired by Haley Nahman, ex-Man Repeller (RIP) deputy editor whose weekly newsletter, Maybe Baby, I subscribed to. In the newsletter, she listed "15 Things I Consumed Last Week." 

So, here goes the first edition of Things I Consumed / Did in the Past Weeks.

1. Learning Spanish in Duolingo. I've heard about the app since around 2 years ago, and some of the people I know swear by it since they claimed it makes learning new language so easy. So I decided to download the app with the intention of learning new language (duh). Accent-related videos are the kind of videos I watch on YouTube and only knowing 2 languages certainly doesn't reflect the level of linguist I kind of aspire to be. Anyway, I downloaded the app and was torn between learning French or Spanish at first, but then I remember I took French class in college and it was embarrassing--the only phrases I still memorize now other than 'Au revoir' is 'Quelle heure est-il?' (I even still need to Google how to write the latter phrase.) So, I decided that Spanish, it is. It was going well, and now by writing this I just remember I haven't continued the lesson for days. Sorry, Duolingo, I'll get back to you tonight.
2. Lots and lots of One Direction videos on YouTube. Yes, THAT One Direction, 1D or whatever you call it. The biggest boyband in the mid 2010s. I can't remember what dragged me into the YouTube rabbit hole of their videos, but now, 3 weeks passed by, and the algorithm in my YouTube home feeds have (almost) completely changed to all 1D-related videos. I never hated them, I knew all of their hit songs since they all seemed to be playing nonstop on the radio back then, and quite frankly I enjoyed their songs. But that was it--never even thought to follow them on social media. (I just started following Harry Styles on Instagram since I loved his first solo album that it was constantly on the loop in my car and Dunkirk was magnificent.) But now, fast forward 5 years later since they announced their "hiatus", I found myself following both Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles on Instagram. And on Twitter too for Louis. Not a big fan of the Larry Stylinson theory, though. 
3. Louis Tomlinson's Walls album. It's currently on repeat. TBH Louis is my favorite 1D member, yes, fight me. He might be seen as the weakest in 1D, but I think it was more due to his raspy voice that might not quite fit the type of 1D pop songs. Now that he released his first debut album (well, it was released last year), I feel like the music fit his voice well. Some tracks kind of remind me of the 90s Britpop songs I used to listen to in Hard Rock FM while driving to campus, and, additionally, Liam Gallagher was even credited as one of the lyricists in one of the songs. Louis said this album was heavily influenced by the music he listened to growing up (he mentioned Oasis a lot, also Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse), and it was indeed reflected in it. Well, not in all songs, but in some of the best ones IMO. I discovered that he was due to have a concert in Jakarta in June this year, which I'm really eager to go, but seeing the circumstances, I bet it would be rescheduled or even cancelled. 
4. Cycling. Been doing it for almost 5 months or so now in the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle approaching the dirty thirty of age. So far I'm still enjoying it since I got to ride in Bandung with all its easy breezy weather. And hey, I got tanner! :)
5. The Crown. Yes, the series. Just started watching 2 weeks ago, currently still not finished Season 1--my progress is as slow as a sloth's movements. I knew about the series for quite some time, but I was still hesitant whether to jump into the fictional Lady-Di-vs-Camilla bandwagon. Then the news about the series snatching many awards in Golden Globes broke out, I convinced myself to give it a go. Turned out it's as good as the awards proved to be. Fingers crossed I'd progress much this week--I'm so looking forward to meeting Lady Di and Camilla in Season 3 (or 4?).
6. YouTube. So, here's a thing. Pre-pandemic, I was not really into YouTube--I very rarely accessed it unless I really wanted to. Then, boom, came along the lockdown. The first five months of the pandemic, I was practically living by myself with literally nobody else under the same roof and nobody to meet and talk to beside the food delivery guys, my apartment's security guys and the cashiers at the supermarket. (Looking back, I was quite surprised how I could survive living like that for THAT long.) So, one day I started to take a peek into YouTube to fill my soul's emptiness, and before I knew it, I was hooked. Now I watch videos on YouTube almost on daily basis. Anyway, pre-1D-obsessed era, my go-to channels were history- and ghost-hunting-related (not even gonna defend myself for the latter obsession)--they were Weird History, Puppet History section in Watcher and Buzzfeed Unsolved. Some YouTube trivia fact: My comment on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke with Paul McCartney video got 386 likes (yay, Me!). If only I could write it down in my CV.. 
7. Cooking Dash, Candy Crush Saga and Interior Story. I used to mock my friends who spent money on games, but now the joke's on me since I think I've spent collectively almost IDR 1 mio by now for buying gold bars in all 3 of the games. I am OBSESSED with all 3 of them, especially Cooking Dash. I seriously needed help. But now I've successfully gained back my self-control of not spending another IDR on games. Gotta convince myself that I can still survive with only 11 gold bars in Cooking Dash.

That's all that I can think of for now. Fingers crossed I would be so committed as to update this page regularly with new (hopefully) interesting enough things in the list.