Blurbs: Back in office, US Elections, and some speed reviews.

One month back in the office

It’s been over a month since we went back to the office. So how was the first month for me? To be honest, not as good as I hoped. Nothing catastrophic happened. For one, I guess the daily grind of commuting, carrying my work stuff around, and following the adjustments to align with the safety management measures in the office brought my stress levels back up. The other is about the on-going challenges in my line of work that made me hit a wall again. Nonetheless, the reality is I have to get used to this. Until a vaccine is released to the market, we corporate workers will work in mixed environments of home and office, and follow the extra precautionary measures. 

US Elections 2020

Suffice to say, it’s been a tense and exhilarating week for people worldwide because of the US elections. I’m affected as my parents are Americans. I’ve been on Twitter  and news websites more than usual. People everywhere are just as concerned as Americans and rightfully so. The US being a powerhouse, everyone is affected by the state of their nation politically, economically, socially, etc. Also, US policies create precedence to how all other countries create their policies and agenda.

There’s no denying that this election was historic for both parties and the electorate in general. However, it also shows that a lot of work still needs to be done. Biden-Harris may have won, but that’s only on a slim margin. The 70+ million votes that Trump-Pence got proves that Trump-ism and his supporters are a force to be reckoned with, and his ideologies will not go away even as they do. With that, America is in an even more polarised position than ever. It’s an uphill battle that Biden-Harris Admin has to overcome. 

On the other hand, I feel hopeful that progressives are gaining momentum in our generation (Millenials) , and are increasing in the US Capitol. It seems it was fuelled by Bernie Sanders’ previous campaigns. I hope this movement also ignite the fire for other progressives the world to stand up to The Establishment, whether it is left or right, to bring equal rights opportunities, and justice for all. 

Speed Reviews: Netflix + HBO GO

In other news, here are some speed reviews of stuff I’ve watched recently (the list is non-exhaustive): 

Big Little Lies S1-2 (HBO GO) – This was what I liked the most out of all that I’ve watched. I loved the book and I’m happy they were able to recreate the small-screen version well. Choosing between the two seasons, I liked the first one more. Oh, and I hated Meryl Streep’s character here. She didn’t seem like a bitch at first but so ,so despicable in truth. 10/10

You Me Her S5 (Final Season-Netflix) – I loved the concept of YMH in the beginning; it was something new to me. But by S3, I got bored already. However, since I have this feeling of obligation in finishing up shows/movies/tv that I started, I powered through. It’s good that it’s done. I don’t know how else they can stretch this series if not. 4/10

Unwell – I usually like Netflix documentaries but not this one. The messaging is confusing. The premise questions whether these “fads” (e.g. essential oils, fasting, etc.) are effective and safe.  But they seemed to feature more people who are in favor of these unhealthy stuff. 3/10.

A Simple Favor – Liked it, but also got confused with this movie. It was only at the end of the movie that I realized it was a dark comedy film. 7.5/10

Late Night – A nice feel-good, predictable movie. Runs very similar to Morning Glory except maybe the protagonists do not have the same level of power at work. Speaking of which, is this Mindy Kaling’s life story? 8/10 

Knocking down the house – This was something I watched while during the US election results counting, and also because of my new found interest in these new progressives in the US Congress. This docu goes to show that the progressive agenda still has a long, hard road to topple The Establishment, but is gaining traction and will continue to do so. 

Some memorable lines: 

“It’s just the reality that in order for one of us to make it through, 100 of us have to try.” —- AOC to Amy Vilela, after several Justice Democrats lost in their Primaries. 

“This is ours, it belongs to us.” (Washington Monument)—- AOC’s Father when he took her on a road trip DC. Yes, I shed some tears. 

10/10