This is the fourth iteration of the monthly ‘Favourites‘ series, where I reflect on and share five things that made the month splendid. I’m currently questioning whether to continue with these as I wonder if sharing more original thoughts would be a better use of this platform. If readers have any suggestions, I’d love some input. Anyway, let’s get started.

Favourite book: The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre. This was recommended by a friend from Perth and it had me hooked from the prologue. To give a summary, this biography/true crime book explores the life of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB colonel who is secretly a double agent for the British MI6. The amount of pressure that Gordievsky faced to disrupt Soviet Russian intelligence was insane – I got adrenaline rushes reading some of the feats this man pulled off. Highly recommended for anyone looking for some extra drama in their life.

Favourite movie: Midnight in Paris (Netflix). For anyone remotely interested in Paris’ flourishing art scene in the 1920s, this movie is a must-watch. Characters such as Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dalí and F. Scott Fitzgerald come to life and work together to showcase Paris at its finest. This movie contains subtle messages on art, love and living in the moment, making it one of the best movies I’ve ever watched.

Favourite bedtime routine: Audiobooks. Consider this problem:

1. You want to read before bed;
2. You need white light to read your kindle/paperback;
3. White light prevents you from sleeping.

Solution: Plug your earphones in and listen to an audiobook in the dark. I’m currently listening to To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee on Audible and when sleep gently takes me, I consistently have the most vivid dreams.

Favourite online course: Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer. This is the first online course I’ve ever paid for and it was well worth it. The instructor is a former Wall Street Journal editor and breaks brilliant writing down into four manageable components: simplicity, clarity, elegance and evocativeness. Through short lectures and exercises, any confidence that I had built up as a writer got slowly destroyed until I realised I had nothing left. This is oddly liberating – it’s great to be humiliated once in a while – and I’m excited to practice some techniques in future posts.

Favourite quote: “I believe that love that is true and real creates a respite from death. All cowardice comes from not loving or not loving well, which is the same thing.” – Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) in Midnight in Paris, credited to Woody Allen