Life Lately

Listening to: Hogwarts white noise simulations

This is probably the dorkiest thing I've ever admitted to loving… I generally listen to either classical music or white noise when studying. This week, while working on EdTPA, I've been pretty much exclusively listening to ambient white noise playlists that are based on imagined Hogwarts scenes. There's nothing quite like writing while listening to audial depictions of different common rooms, complete with quite music, rustling papers, a crackling fire, and occasional owl hoots. If you, too, have an inexplicable desire to listen to 8 hours of imagined Hogwarts settings, you can find a YouTube playlist here.

Watching: Jane the Virgin

I only started this American telenovela last week, and I'm already halfway through the second season! The first episode begins with Jane, a Catholic 23-year-old virgin, getting accidentally inseminated by her preoccupied gynecologist. Needless to say, drama and hilarity ensues, and the telenovela format truly makes it a unique gem of a show. It's also beautiful that there are now multiple TV shows with leading ladies of color! Of these, I especially love Jane the Virgin, Scandal, The Mindy Project, and How to Get Away With Murder. My kindergarteners, most of whom last semester were black, are completely obsessed with Disney Junior's Doc McStuffins - the first big children's show to feature a main black female character, despite studies consistently showing how critical egalitarian media representation is to healthy child development. If only Hollywood (where in 2014, 90% of lead actors and actresses were white, and not a single black person was nominated for this year's Academy Awards) would move in TV's direction.

Loving: Bobst Library

I don't know if I'm still allowed to visit NYU's main library because alumni have regular access or my ID's graduation date is May 2016, but I have spent a lot of time here lately. It feels strange to stroll around campus when I don't actually go here anymore, but there is no better place to write. Speaking of which, EdTPA is officially my nemesis, but this view (actually taken a few years ago) from the library and my favorite lunch spot next door make it significantly less crappy.

Eating: banana cookie dough bites

These little vegan creations are delicious sweet study treats. They're easy to make, and a great excuse to use my new food processor! I found the recipe here.

Happy Wednesday!

-Tascha