By 
For once I can say a month went by slowly… It’s hard to believe that the Denver Mini Derby and my trip to Seattle were only a few weeks ago! I’m so excited for it to start feeling like summer, but I have to admit it’s a little weird to not have a summer vacation for the first time. I used to sit down at the beginning of every summer break and make a list of all the activities I wanted to do and goals I wanted to accomplish while school was out. But then, inevitably, I would spend most of the break doing nothing… and feeling rather content about it. Sigh, those were the days… I still made a list of fun summer activities this year, I’ll just have to work a little harder to cram them into the weekends!
What’s New?
- My undergraduate thesis won a national award! My paper (which is 54 pages long, yikes) was awarded Honorable Mention for the Consortium for Undergraduate Law and Justice Programs Best Undergraduate Student Paper Award in Interdisciplinary Legal Studies. Here’s what they had to say about my thesis: “Grace wrote a superb paper analyzing the political processes animating Georgia’s particularly harsh sex offender law, HB 1059, as well as the implications of the law for sentencing across multiple classifications of crimes. Grace’s careful and insightful research is notable for the media research involved, scope of the work, and comprehensive analysis of the law.” Exciting stuff!! Next step: getting it published (hopefully).
- In not-so-exciting news, my phone camera has been messed up the last couple of weeks. I have a Google Pixel 6 (which I bought less than a year ago!) but now all of a sudden it won’t focus when the subject is close—hence why a lot of my blog posts haven’t had many close-up shots recently. It sucks! I’ve already tried everything but a factory reset, which I really don’t want to do… but I guess I’ll have to give it a try. Fingers crossed that solves the problem.
Today’s Outfit
I’m becoming more and more of a wannabe country girl, from the music I listen to to the clothes I wear. My parents introduced me to the store Cavender’s last time I was in Vegas and they have the cutest Western pieces! My fringe bodysuit is from there, and my Ariat cowgirl boots were a Christmas gift. I love how this summery ‘fit came together and think it would look so cute for a country concert (the skirt rides up too much for line dancing, though). I also had fun editing these photos to be a little grainy for an artsy album cover look!
Top Performing May Blog Posts
Favorite Outfits from May
I was surprised by how much I loved the black crop top and magenta shorts together. It’s a very casual and college-like outfit, but I felt so cute and summery in it. I’m also obsessed with my new salmon-colored bodysuit, also from Cavender’s. It’s thick enough where I don’t have to wear a bra with it, and the ruffle sleeves are so cute for summer. I love the color blush but never wear it anymore because it washes me out so badly—this dusty rose/salmon shade is a much better fit for my fair skin. And it matched so well with the hand-me-down striped skirt!
What I Watched
- Fyre—I vaguely remember hearing about the failed Fyre Festival several years ago but knew nothing about it. My boyfriend and I decided to watch this Netflix documentary, and it was SO interesting! The people and story are the kind of fact that’s stranger than fiction.
- “Jury Duty”—This reality show was hysterical… I haven’t laughed so hard while watching TV in a long time. This ordinary guy is chosen for what he thinks is regular jury duty, but every other member of the court (the judge, the lawyers, other jury members, etc.) are actors pranking him. I don’t usually like shows like this, but it was a quick watch and just too funny!
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button—I would not recommend this movie. It had favorable critic reviews and even won a few awards, but I thought it was so boring… Benjamin Button (played by Brad Pitt) ages backwards, but did nobody else think it was creepy that he went to a brothel as a child?! Sure, he looked 70, but he was mentally around 7 years old… weird.
- The Trial of the Chicago 7—I loved this movie and thought it was really well done. It loosely follows the aftermath of the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests, which is admittedly a part of history I knew very little about. I enjoy watching historical movies like this one and then comparing the artistic liberties of the film to what actually happened.
- “Shrinking”—This HBO show, which stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, follows a therapist who starts telling his patients what he really thinks rather than “listening” like a therapist is supposed to do. It was different than I expected but made me laugh! It’s definitely trying to be the next “Ted Lasso” feel-good series.
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Extended Edition)—I’ve seen the original Lord of the Rings trilogy countless times, but I decided to watch all the extended versions with my boyfriend over Memorial Day weekend. Since I haven’t read the books, I learned SO much from the additional scenes that I didn’t know before! The original movies feel complete on their own, but I loved the added context of the extended editions.
- “Ted Lasso” Season 3—This season was my second favorite of the show (Season 2 is definitely the worst). It wasn’t as funny or as heartwarming as Season 1, but I still enjoyed it, especially episode 9. I’m glad the creators knew it was time to end the series instead of dragging it on, but I will miss the very lovable characters.
What I Read
I read Children of God by Mary Doria Russell in May, which is the sequel to my favorite book The Sparrow. Like the first book, Children of God is impeccably written. It’s the type of novel that really makes you work for it—Russell’s extensive vocabulary and keen ability to drop the biggest revelations into the most mundane of sentences means you can’t zone out for a second. That’s not the type of book I can read all the time (I’m already a slow reader as it is), but I admire the style and love the challenge every once in a while. I didn’t like Children of God as much as its prequel, nor did I find it a necessary read, but it did add closure and a redeeming factor to the first book.
May Spotify Playlist
This month’s Spotify playlist consists mainly of songs that I heard at karaoke but completely forgot existed. You can check out the nearly-two hour playlist here.
What I’ve Been Loving Lately
- Mint gluten-free Oreos—My aunt bought me a box of these as a treat while housesitting, and they are SO good. I knew Oreos made regular and double stuf gluten-free, but these mint ones were a new discovery for me. They taste just like Thin Mints! So delish, I can’t stop eating them.
- Blistex Kank-A Mouth Pain Liquid—I got the worst canker sore on the inside of my lip a few weeks ago that would just not heal. I went to the pharmacy looking for Orajel, which I’ve used on a burnt tongue in the past, but instead I stumbled across this liquid designed specifically for canker sores. It’s over-the-counter and forms a protective coating over the sore to help it heal. I get canker sores rather frequently (I think from my nightguard), so I know I will use this product a ton in the future!
What I’m Looking Forward to in June
- In a few weekends, my brother and sister-in-law are passing through town and will be staying with me for the night. I can’t wait to see them and play Euchre! (It’s a four person game, so my boyfriend has been reading up on the rules.)
- I have a long weekend off work later in the month and plan to visit one of my best friends (and freshman year roommate) in Grand Junction. I was supposed to do this trip right after finishing finals my first year of college, but I had to unexpectedly cancel—so this visit has been four years in the making!! I can’t wait!
- Lastly, there is a Scandinavian Midsummer Festival held in Estes Park at the end of the month. I heard about it from my friend who studied abroad in Sweden, and it sounds really fun! It’s free admission so I’d love to swing by and see what it’s all about. There’s supposed to be crafts, dancers, and traditional food.
This Month on Graceful Rags
- April 2023 Month in Review
- Weekly Recap #17, 2023
- Weekly Recap #18, 2023
- Recap of the Denver Mini Derby
- Weekly Recap #19, 2023
- The Long and Short of It
- Weekly Recap #20, 2023
- Summer Ready
- Weekly Recap #21, 2023
What was the highlight of your May? Do you have any exciting plans in June? Everybody seems to be travelling right now and it’s making me really antsy to go on my next trip! I’m trying to plan something in October because my boyfriend will be out of the country for two weeks, but I haven’t decided on where I should go yet.
Let me know what you think of this outfit, and have a great rest of your Sunday!
Miles of smiles,
Grace
Fringe Bodysuit: Cavender’s, $26 | Denim Skirt: American Eagle, $24 ($3.43 per wear), last worn here | Cowgirl Boots: Gift, last worn here | Sunglasses: Sungait, gifted by brand, last worn here | Belt: Sundance Outlet, $80 ($2.11 per wear), last worn here | Purse: Francesca’s, gift, last worn here