What a whirlwind week! Our province-wide lockdown was upgraded to a Stay-At-Home Order and a State of Emergency. On the flip side, the weather is gorgeous, and the sun is a nice substitute for all this bad news. How have you been feeling? What have you been up to to pass the time? Check out some ideas below! 

[Watching] 

My watch schedule is still full of Oscar nominees! I like to watch all the films up for Best Picture, along with a few others that rake in a lot of nominations. You might find this kills a lot of time, and opens your world up to more stories, too! This week, I checked out two Best Picture noms – Judas and the Black Messiah and The Father. Two very different moods, but two incredibly done films that evoke sympathy and understanding. You can learn more about these two movies here, as well as where to rent or stream them.  

[Listening] 

This week has been a treat for new music! Joey Stylez released his eighth studio album, 3EyeHip! It’s got hip-hop, folk and EDM vibes and features some awesome artists, like Northern Cree and Jason Chakita, along with his partner, Carsen Gray Laplante. My personal favourite track is “Red Revolt.” Normally I’d stop at one recommendation, but there is just too much amazingness going on. Samantha Crain released her eclectic folk EP, I Guess We Live Here Now, and it is the perfect pandemic collection. It really highlights these stay home vibes and the sadness that comes with distance from loved ones. And last, but certainly not least, Shawnee dropped a new single on Friday called “Got It Bad” and it has a pop soul style to it – super catchy and it highlights her fabulous vocal range!  

[Reading] 

When I’m feeling down, I revisit a sad but perfect book. It’s called Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. It’s all about finding your own family after going through deep loss and the tenderness you can find in new places. The simple writing style makes it easy to digest, despite how heavy it can be. It’s oddly comforting in these times.  

[Spending Time] 

Have you been able to practice self-care lately? I think it’s easy to forget about our own mental health and wellness during the lockdown because we want to help others. So, I put together ELMNT FM’s 28 Days of Stay-at-Home Order Self-Care. Check it out below and follow along as you please!  

What’s been on your Stay Home Club this week? Drop a comment below.