6 Things #63: August
Howdy friends, how's it going? Iām here with a fresh dose of 6 things that've been happening/keeping my heart happy in the past month. If youāre new here, hello! Welcome to my newsletter ā¤ļø Thanks soĀ much for being here and spending a few moments of your month with me.Ā Letās get crackinā, shall we?
Not gonna lie, part of me is relieved August is over š While many basked in holidays abroad and the UKās long stint of Summer Sun, last month felt like the last big push before some reflective time and well-earned rest. Itās quite rare I have a long list of contenders for 6 Things (this Summer clearly wanted to go out with a bang!), so Iāve chosen my faves from the month! Here are my highlights:
1. āļø In the millions!!
Hold the phone, Move passed one million streams on Spotify last month!!! Reaching this many streams as an independent artist, with a small and mighty team, no label backing or support from Spotify playlists for this particular song, is frigginā HUGE. I owe so much to this song - a game-changer for my creative confidence and introduced so many of you to my music. Thank you SO much for listening and sharing this milestone with me. The unchallenged, most-listened song on my profile reigns as a millionaire!! Iām incredibly, incredibly grateful š„¹ā¤ļø
2. š¼š Songwriting for Theatre!!
If youāve been here a little while, you may remember that I work for an incredible, new theatre company in East Durham, Ensemble ā84. Last month, I had the absolute honour(!!) of writing original songs for their latest production, Pits, People and Players - a new play based on the history of Horden Pit and the villageās rich mining heritage. Writing lyrics on my commute to work isnāt my usual practice, nor singing song ideas to the director by the outdoor bins, but to hear the whole cast sing something back at you that youāve written and, show after show, watch them bring each song to life in front of paying audiences was possibly one of my proudest career moments. It was magical. A huge highlight for August!
3.Ā šļø Dish
My new-found podcast obsession. If I wasnāt pondering over lyrics on the train, I was listening to Dish - Nick Grimshaw (broadcasting legend) and Angela Hartnett (Michelin star chef legend) hosting celebrity guests for a meal and a casual interview/chat. Itās become my go-to listen when Iāve got 30-40 minutes to spare. The best part is, you can listen to the episodes in any order and give the recipes a whirl if you so dare(!!). So far, my favourites are Claudia Winkleman, JADE and Nick Mohammad. I love it and cannot recommend it enough.
4.Ā š§ Bose QuietComfort Headphones
This year, Iāve been on a quiet mission to treat myself more - not in a āletās go on a shopping spreeā kind of way, but in an intentional āyeah, that would bring me joy or mildly improve my lifeā kind of way. Last month, I tret myself to some new headphones, the Bose QuietComfort SEs, which I tried a little while ago in John Lewis and bought for a bargain on Vinted! They are slightly too big for my little head š but I am so, so chuffed with them. The noise cancelling is *chefās kiss*. If youāre looking for some new headphones, theyāre worth checking out!
5.Ā š®Ā Baldurās Gate 3
Joe and I have started Baldurās Gate 3, a local player co-op DREAM. Neither of us have ever played Dungeons and Dragons, but the gameplay is inspired by D&Dās format - a narrator guiding you through cut scenes, rolling a dice to deem how successful your next move is, and making decisions that ultimately change how the game unfolds. Itās taken some getting used to, but weāre really enjoying it. Creating your character is akin to Sims (Iām a Wood Elf sorcerer, Joe is a Drow bard), the combat is turn-based and the storyline is very cool. If youāre looking for a new RPG game to dive into (co-op or solo), we highly recommend this!
6.Ā šæš½ļø Moana 2
A lighthearted, glorious watch. Joe and I were in the mood for a film and looking for something easy. We both enjoyed Moana and Iām never gonna say no to an animated Disney film, even if it makes me cry within the first 20 minutes (and sporadically throughout the film thereafter š). Moana 2 is magical, funny, uplifting and a beautiful continuation of the storyline. If youāre in the mood for an easy 1hr40 film, itās a great pick!
So, they're my 6 things for August!Ā What were your highlights from the month? Hit reply or drop a comment - Iād love to hear from you.
Until my next update, you know where to find me š
Big love, Jodie x
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