What I'm Consuming: September 2024

Disclaimer: I had this written and lost in my google docs for ages! How sad. I finally found it and am posting it now. October 2024 is on its way, I promise. Enjoy and you will hear from me again soon!

Free limonchello shots in Rome? Hell yeah. Here was our family-friendly photo taking these for the first time.

---

SEPTEMBER 2024

I have decided to scrap whatever I wrote in September and put me from the future, but now actually it is the present, in my introduction. You guys! Life moves so fast here! A Duck's World has suffered! Never the less, I have one month left and am committed to giving all of the content I promised would come. For now, enjoy a much-needed September reflection from yours truly.

---

MUSIC

The Stranger Album by Billy Joel

One thing about me is that I LOVE Billy Joel. Lately, my walk to school has been accompanied by “Scenes of an Italian Restaurant.” Recently, I found out that Billy Joel was coming to Syracuse during the spring semester, so naturally I cried happy tears and immediately logged onto presale to ensure I got tickets. Billy Joel here I come with my parents and my friend from home - The Stranger has been on repeat in celebration!

MOVIES

Monster's University

I come back to this movie on a yearly basis and for the longest time, I had no idea why. Last week I found myself back watching Mike Wazowski, and I finally realized that the reason I love the movie so much is because I honestly relate to it. Mike Wazowski has been set up to be a nobody since he was a kid - to everyone around him, he was too short, too small, too insignificant, and most importantly, not scary enough. But, despite such harsh remarks, he never lets it get to his spirit and is determined to accomplish his dreams as best he can. I think Mike and I share a lot of similarities, so I can see why I go to this movie at the start of each school year.

TV

Suits...again

We took some time off from Suits for other TV shows and movies but we are back and determined to finish the show. I’m on season 7 and I’ve got two to go.

BOOKS

Return To Love

This book was one I picked up last-minute before leaving for Italy; I just finished it a few days ago. I was looking for books that would help me on a growth journey while being abroad (a major theme in these last few weeks!) and I can honestly say that this has definitely done its duty. It definitely aims to change your perspectives on life and its meaning, which I found to be very powerful. A content warning for those interested in reading is that it can have heavy religious implications (catholic-related) that I did not realize when I first picked it up. I was able to move past this, but that might not be the case for everyone!

FOOD

Pasta (obvious)

I mean this is entirely self-explanatory, I have pasta nearly every day, and if not I am having a rice/vegetable/chicken dinner that is served at my dorm. The pasta is delicious here and I am particularly fixated on Cacio e Pepe; Romans are GENIUS with this creation!

DRINK

Beer and Wine (also obvious)

Added beer to this because this past weekend I traveled to Munich for Oktoberfest (DUH) and oh my GOD you guys what an experience I could talk about the trip for the rest of my life. So. Much. Beer. And rollercoasters and bratwurst and Sweet Caroline renditions. Ugh take me back. I also added wine because I am actually taking a wine-tasting class while I am here, so obviously that would lead me to be tasting all sorts of wine and learning to differentiate between them. It is a joy to be able to have this experience while studying abroad!

PICK OF THE MONTH

New York Times Games

While waiting at the Bus Station this past Sunday at 12am from a delayed trip back to Florence led me to open up the app store and begin browsing for games, as I was unable to look much at social media or watch movies due to the service. I stumbled upon this app and realized it has Wordle, Connections, and all the rest of the New York Times games (that unfortunately you need a subscription to play) and have been obsessed with it since! Will definitely be wordling again now. Yesterday’s word made me laugh out loud, and Sunday’s was lager, which I found to be very fitting for my weekend festivities. 

And that’s it for this month’s “What I’m Consuming.” Hope you are enjoying these blog posts as much as I am enjoying cooking them up. Let me know what you think of my choices! See you soon!

Cheers…or as the Germans say, Prost!