Friday Five: Officially at the Pandemic Wall

Happy Friday! I don’t know about you, but I’m glad to have made it through February. Nothing specific I just seem to be at that pandemic wall and dealing with all the feelings around it. I’m hopeful that I can really use this weekend to reset (as best as we can right now) and be in a better headspace to start the new month.

Friday Five: Officially at the Pandemic Wall | Washington DC Blogger

This post contains affiliate and/or referral links. If you complete a purchase through this post, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of What Nicole Wore.

ONE | What’s a Pandemic Wall?

I read this article in the Washington Post about the general idea of a pandemic wall a couple weeks ago and took some solace in knowing we’re all going through it. While I’m still committed to staying home as much as I can, wearing a mask, and appropriately assessing risk, I’m burnt out. I feel guilty about being burnt out because I also know how blessed I am. I’m employed, my quarantine bubble includes my immediate family whom I can’t imagine not being able to see for a year, I’m healthy, etc.

Still, I’m admittedly frustrated by this feeling that I’ve “lost” this last year. Doing a further dive into this next week on the blog, but wanted to share in case anyone else can relate.

TWO | The Breakfast Sandwich of My Dreams

I have one errand that I run every weekend and that’s my trip to Trader Joe’s. Getting out of the house really does feel like a treat now even if it’s just to pick up avocados! This past week, I picked up the pretzel bagels after seeing them in a Trader Joe’s facebook group and Y’ALL. They’re perfect for a breakfast sandwich!

I slice one and then add a slice of cheddar cheese, one scrambled egg (with cheese), a slice of ham or turkey, and half of one an avocado with a sprinkle of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. It’s very filling and helps me get through my avocados before they go bad.

THREE | Asian American Hate Crimes are on the Rise

The past year has been incredibly tough and scary for the Asian American community as they’ve faced an increase in discrimination, harassment, and hate crimes. While this article about a neighborhood standing up to protect their Asian neighbors feels uplifting, it’s also a stark reminder of how much we as a society need to step up and educate ourselves. (It’s also, in my opinion, a bit ridiculous that the onus completely feel on the family and neighborhood versus law enforcement providing better protection but…)

FOUR | Recent Watches

Last weekend, I finally watched Knives Out and really enjoyed it. I’m admittedly not much of a tv or movie watcher so I worried that I’d turn it off but I was intrigued to know the ending. If you haven’t watched it’s available to stream for free with Prime Video.

Of course, this week I also watched The Bachelor. Check out my recap with Tomi here:

FIVE | This Month’s Purchases

I really didn’t think I did that much discretionary spending until I started putting this list together and realized it would probably be easier to share in a collage. (Since I started tracking all of my spending in monthly Google Sheets, I’ve been much better about saving!)

I ordered the super popular REVLON hair dryer as my mom’s birthday gift; I feel 95% certain it’s not something that would work on my hair, but she says she really likes it! These blue light blocking glasses were kind of a dud for me. My prescription frames have a blue light coating, but I wanted something for when I wear my contacts. The glasses just change the color of everything SO much to me.

The IGK Good Behavior spray is part of my weekly hair routine; this set includes a full size bottle as well as a travel size for the same price as one full size bottle.

To the surprise of absolutely no one…I’m still wearing sweatshirts just about every day. Snagged this cute pink striped one on sale this month.