bolojeco

Latest Posts by bolojeco

"I was in darkness, but I took three steps and found myself in paradise. The first step was a good thought, the second, a good word; and the third, a good deed."

Friedrich Nietzsche

"Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Birds born in a cage think flying is an illness."

Alejandro Jodorowsky

Dieter Rams' 10 Principles of Good Design

Good design is innovative

Good design makes a product useful

Good design is aesthetic

Good design makes a product understandable

Good design is unobtrusive

Good design is honest

Good design is long-lasting

Good design is thorough down to the last detail

Good design is environmentally friendly

Good design is as little design as possible

6 Steps to Success by Earl Nightingale

Set yourself a definite goal.

Quit running yourself down.

Stop thinking of all the reasons why you cannot be successful, and instead, think of all the reasons why you can.

Trace your attitudes back through your childhood, and try to discover where you first got the idea you couldn't be successful, if that's the way you've been thinking.

Change the image you have of yourself by writing out a description of the person you would like to be.

Act the part of the successful person you have decided to become!

“1. The friends you have at the beginning of the year can completely change by the end of it. People change, and if they aren’t improving your life in some way, it’s okay to drop them. 2. Take many pictures. Don’t let it take over your life, though. You don’t want to look back and see that you only captured your memories with your camera lens and not within your mind and heart. 3. Find your safe place. Whether it be in the arms of a certain person or on the balcony of Barnes and Nobles with a cup of soup, find it and don’t let it go. You can have more than one safe place. 4. Be nice to everyone. You honestly don’t know what skeletons people are hiding in their closets. Everyone has their skeleton. Every person on this earth has something in their life or past worth collapsing on the ground in uncontrollable sobs over. 5. Reading is so important. Highlight the things that you read that you find intriguing. Read a lot, it can only do good things for you. 6. Writing always helps. 7. The girl with anxiety has the deepest thoughts. The autistic boy has the kindest heart, and the schizophrenic has the ability to put a smile on your face in seconds. Do not judge character based on a mental illness. 8. Music has an indescribable ability to connect and heal. Let it do its thing. 9. Her prettiness doesn’t make your prettiness any less pretty. 10. Getting close and letting someone in is scary as hell. You know what else it is? Worth it. 11. The minute you feel your happiness being dictated by someone else, take a break from them. 12. Adventuring is a must. Sunsets always help the soul, showing that endings can be as beautiful as beginnings. 13. Spend more time with your parents doing things they enjoy. Later in life, you’ll be wishing you’d spent more time with them than on your Netflix account. 14. Home is not always a place, but whatever you love with your whole heart. I have many homes, and it’s okay if one home doesn’t feel like home anymore. 15. Making someone smile and feel genuinely happy has the ability to warm your heart from the inside out. No matter how much pain someone is going through, you made them forget about it for a few seconds. Isn’t that something? 16. Feel everything and let it hurt, but don’t go back to what broke you. 17. Don’t let fear hold you back from what you want. The view from the other side is spectacular. 18. Tell people how you feel. Even if you’re scared it’ll burn your life to the ground. You say it loud. 19. You find the most extraordinary things in the most ordinary places. 20. Swollen lips and sweaty “I want you’s” can make you feel again, but I don’t want to feel anything if it means having to sit there feeling like the wind is constantly being knocked out of me when he stops calling back. 21. Sometimes the way you think of someone isn’t the way they actually are. 22. Never underestimate the amount of joy the holiday season can bring you. Try and find ways to feel that way all year long. 23. Timing is never going to be perfect; if you care about something enough, you’ll make the time. It’s all about priorities. 24. If women used their words to build each other up instead of tearing each other down, our world would change drastically. 25. Recovery can take 2 weeks or 5 years. You aren’t any less of a person if it takes you longer to find a way to let go of what’s hurting your heart. 26. You only need yourself, but having people by your side trying to understand means a lot more than you might think. 27. You find your truest friends in your darkest hours. 28. You can feel the whole world in a month and nothing after 2 years. Time does not define love. 29. Always say yes to dessert. 30. Concerts make life worth living. So does yelling your favorite song along with your best friend in the car with your best friend with hands intertwined. These are things that show you that you don’t need to be on drugs to feel invincible. 31. So does kissing.”

— emmuuhhhhh, 31 Things I’ve Learned Coming Into 2016 (via wnq-writers)

Charlotte is wearing the Black SL 570 Sunglasses from YSL (on sale for $312), Black Velvet Dress from Diana Gazaryan (n/a) and Crystal-Embellished Satin High-Heel Sandals from Alexander McQueen (sold out)

Home (Music Box) played by lonelybunker

it girl winters

hydrating skincare routine for those dry-skin days

surrounding yourself with only positive + engaging people

cozy sweaters / sweatshirts

a workout routine that works to meet your goals

a go-to puffer jacket to throw on over everything

soft bound moleskines + black muji gel pens

ugg boots are a must

40oz hydroflask with straw for hot cocoa or ice water

fenty gloss bomb lip luminizers

glossier ultra rich moisturizer

baby long sleeves

cute matching workout sets

slick back ponytails or simple blowouts

shiny, healthy hair and nails

journaling, meditating, stretching

a favorite pair of staple mid-rise straight jeans

new books to devour, one per week

whole foods; eg solid, protein packed meals + produce

bluelight glasses > headaches + eye pain

either eight hours of sleep or two per night (no in-between)

phone screen time less than 1hr 30mins

glossier you solid or sol de janeiro '62 all day every day

body care forever... scrubs, washes, oils, u name it

signature simple jewelry

lash serum or extensions for an effortless glam

hot girl treadmill walks when you're too tired to run

studying and revising daily

homemade matcha or starbucks rewards

saving money for meaningful purchases

loving yourself & finding joy in everyday

BECOMING THE BEST VERSION OF YOU !! xx

please enjoy and feel free to send asks with more prompts/q's !! 🧘‍♀️

Photo: Jonas Jacobsson

✨ things that make my life feel expensive ✨

Always being curious to learn and actively pursuing knowledge. This is #1 for me. Constantly be trying to elevate yourself with information. There's no better time than now to be able to learn new things. Psychology, theory, fiction, persuasion, finance, history, emotional growth, nutrition, beauty, time management, philosophy, politics, strategy, classic literature, art, high fashion, hard sciences, technology, investing. There's so many things to learn about. There are a lot of free courses out there as well.

Having manners and etiquette. Smile at people. Be friendly. Be especially kind to people working in the service industry, retail, customer service.

Being well spoken. Limit profanity and slang. Don't gossip or say anything about yourself in a negative light. Think before you speak. It's okay to pause, think, and articulate.

Water, tea, freshly squeezed or cold pressed juices in champagne flutes or wine glasses.

Making fancy cocktails (or mocktails!) and putting them in proper glasses, with stirrers. It helps if you have a bar setup too, I have a cute lil bar cart with all the fixings.

Expensive smelling candles. They don't have to actually be expensive, they just need to look cute and smell good.

Fresh flowers.

Taking bubble baths.

Cooking delicious recipes from scratch, and eating at the dining room table with a full setup. Candles, glassware, cloth napkins, jazz music in the background, the whole nine yards. Ambience is everything.

Drinking tea in the afternoon out of a teapot and teacup.

Natural air fresheners. Essential oil diffusers, incense, reed diffusers. I'm a big fan of fresh eucalyptus bundles in the shower too.

Salt lamps and battery operated candles. I try to live off of low, warm lighting and sunlight as much as I can.

Houseplants.

Buying cute crystals and setting up an altar to myself. I have a pretty silk scarf laid out on the end of my vanity, with crystals, sage, written affirmations, etc.

Silk robes.

Big fluffy bathrobes.

Sunlight. Get as much as you can, even in the winter. Go outside in your puffy coat if you have to.

Being in nature, in general. Nature walks are essential.

Listening to jazz & classical music.

Reading. There are a lot of free ebooks online, or you can go to the library too.

Champagne.

Cooking with fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits etc.

Trying new hobbies. Ballet, yoga, Pilates, barre, horseback riding, etc.

Maintaining a clean and beautiful home environment.

Wearing perfumes & perfume oils. Right now I'm obsessed with Oudh, it smells incredible.

Wearing jewelry I love.

Trying new recipes out of fancy cookbooks.

Going to wineries and attending wine tasting events.

Try baking delicious and healthy treats.

Fresh, high quality bedding. Crispy, high thread count white sheets. Feathery pillows. Great quality mattress.

Get up and watch the sun rise, if you can. Sunsets are beautiful too.

Get blackout curtains, especially if you live in a city with light pollution.

Fancy coffee table books.

Fresh bread, either from a local bakery or homemade.

Going to farmers markets.

Going to museums and art galleries.

Having dinner with friends. Either at a nice restaurant or having a dinner party.

Sleeping. Resting. Hibernating. Sitting. Napping. Relaxing. Being Present. Single tasking.

Espresso drinks at home, with a milk frother and espresso machine. The cost of a mid range espresso machine will pay for itself in no time if you drink takeout coffee regularly.

Bluetooth speakers in the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen.

Big, fluffy, white bath towels.

High quality, nontoxic personal care products. This goes for hair products, face products, body care, makeup, even toothpaste. Don't throw everything out, just be conscious of your purchases when you buy new things.

Going on picnics in the park.

Dark chocolate.

Gelato.

Days at the beach.

Beautiful lingerie.

Matcha lattes.

Going to brunch.

Going to the library and bookstores.

Smoothies.

Reservations at new and exciting restaurants.

Reusing pretty candle jars as containers.

Reading luxurious magazines and newspapers. Some of my favorite are Vogue, Town & Country, Architectural Digest, Food & Wine, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, and The Wall Street Journal.

xoxo ♥

“You’re just too good to be true Can’t take my eyes off of you You’d be like heaven to touch I wanna hold you so much At long last, love has arrived And I thank God I’m alive…”

“… Pardon the way that I stare There’s nothin’ else to compare The sight of you leaves me weak There are no words left to speak. “

“… But if you feel like I feel Please let me know that it’s real.”

June Habit Swaps : 

Instead of Netflix : Read a book

Instead of sugar : Eat fruits

Instead of self doubt : Repeat affirmations

Instead of scrolling on social media : Go exercise 

Instead of judging others : Help someone out

Instead of processed food : Home cooked meals

Instead of self hate : Self love

crêpes suzette cake.

Eggless chocolate cheesecake (no bake)

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

a wise woman once said, “you are capable of twice as much as you think and ten times as much as your mother thinks” and honestly i think about that a lot whenever a wave of doubt rushes over me telling me that i can’t do it. sometimes you just gotta look your doubt right in the eyes, stand up straight and say, watch me!

List of some of my favorite blogs.

USHISTORIANS 

jjjjound

thenewmanhattanite

songaboutme

revolvver

twentythreefour

blancvoyage2

enthusiasmdocumented

j-h-s

benjamingrimes

bomber-harris

kissmeimlazy

tasteissue

thurstonjowl

joshuatb

archatlas

no1248

super-bold

chubbynavyblue

beforethisstormbegins

laragosta

theimpossiblecool

theasmontichronicles

zsazsabellagio

fabriciomora

whereisthecool

youmightfindyourself

ditteisager

groverscleveland

robertcarolina

michaeljakubowski

thematerialreview

hrstudioplus

thr33thr33s

therumbling

thedayafteryoudie

peerdewit

new-world

myleshenry

mrharristweed

michaeljakubowski

markwilliamwales

lovewiththeproperstranger

luismirogo

lifeofpolarnper

anfeargorm

arefreshingtake

assgrab

blancvoyage2

propertyofaprivatecollection

coolisacolor

colt-rane

wordsforyoungmen

papi-razzi

welcomeback

sarunba

haw-lin

greyhandgang

wordsforyoungmen

theimpossiblecool

bitofwork1991

thatkindofwoman

bloodyballroom

mishproductions

branding-new-perspectives

mostlymies

travel.freundevonfreunden

johncjay

marcoaintshit

rue-privee

20 Television Shows That I Enjoyed Watching In 2020

Television was so good in 2020. Last year is not going to be known for many good things because of the seriousness of the pandemic and the way it has affected people’s personal, social, economic and health experiences. For this reason alone, sometimes unwinding and enjoying some art was even more necessary for me and television is a part of that art. 

My favorite television shows (and limited TV series) list this year looks so much different from previous years because some usual favorites (e.g. Queen Sugar, Pose) had no season air in 2020, some favorites had a series finale last year (e.g. Suits) and some new favorites (e.g. The Morning Show, Succession) also had no season air in 2020. However, this opened up space to explore quality shows that I did not get into at first, but glad I gave a second chance, such as Westworld, which is my number one favorite show that I watched in 2020. Thandie Newton and Tessa Thompson are incredible Black actresses who did the damn thing in this brilliant show, along with the rest of its strong cast, storytelling and world-building. I watched all 3 seasons back to back last year, though its original airdate is before 2020. I really enjoyed other roles by Black actresses in 2020 including Kerry Washington, Anika Noni Rose and the young talented Lexi Underwood in Little Fires Everywhere, Xosha Roquemore and the legendary Cicely Tyson in Cherish The Day and Aja Naomi King as well as the legendary Viola Davis in the final season of How To Get Away With Murder. While The Queen’s Gambit is a fave watch of 2020, I did critique the writing for Moses Ingram’s character Jolene as I feel the writers did not do well with her characterization despite her clear acting skill. Honestly, if Jolene was written better, this series would be significantly higher on my list as I think it is pretty good otherwise. Still good enough to make the list though.

Peaky Blinders is another show which I watched all the seasons of the show in 2020 and it quickly became a favorite, as did Ozark and Breaking Bad, the latter of which long ago had its series finale. I am late to the train but glad I hopped on. Schitt’s Creek truly surprised me as I tend to gravitate towards dramas not comedies, but its brilliance cannot be denied. The show crosses my mind at least twice a week now and it seems to have made so many people so happy. The Last Dance is one of those limited series that will leave a mark on me forever; long live the legacy of the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan in the 90s. That was a fuckin’ era and I lived, hunny! Chernobyl came out last year, but I only watched it this year. It is brilliant, though painfully heartbreaking. But it is a must-see, nonetheless. Going back to watch slightly older dramas such as Rectify and Luther was definitely worthwhile; both are incredibly well-written and well-acted.

Below are the top 20 television shows or limited series that I enjoyed watching in 2020. Next to each title, I list the air dates and where they rank in my 2019 list (a top 20), 2018 list (a top 20 list),  2017 list (a top 25 list), 2016 list (a top 20 list), and 2015 list (a top 25 list) if they were included in previous listings since I started Cinemacked in 2015. (My lists include shows that had a premiere prior to 2020 as the list is about what I enjoyed watching in 2020 regardless of when the actual show or series first aired.)

Westworld (2016-current)

Peaky Blinders (2013-current)

Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)

The Last Dance (2020)

Chernobyl  (2019)

The Mandalorian  (2019-current | ranked #3 in 2019)

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Ozark (2017-current)

The Crown (2016-current | ranked #10 in 2019; no 2018 season; ranked #5 in 2017)

Rectify (2013-2016)

Defending Jacob (2019)

Luther (2010-2019)

Little Fires Everywhere (2020)

Lucifer (2016-current | ranked #13 in 2019; ranked #11 in 2018; ranked #12 in 2017; ranked #8 in 2016)

Cherish The Day (2020-current)

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

Hollywood (2020)

The Undoing (2020)

HTGAWM (2014-2020 | ranked #16 in 2019; ranked #10 in 2018; ranked #7 in 2016 and 2017; ranked #5 in 2015)

You (2018-current)

The links for the television shows connect to tweets; some are over time and some are a specific tweeted review per show that I published after streaming a show in its entirety. 

Of course these are not the only interesting television shows available to watch in 2020. This is a personally curated list of 20 TV shows that I enjoyed watching in 2020. Though there are some popular TV shows that rank highly on other people’s lists and on other mainstream publications’ lists, this is my listing in an indie space so it means it is about TV shows that I like and regularly watch, not necessarily what is the most popular worldwide.

I really enjoyed television in 2020. Not sure what 2021 will hold as the pandemic impacts art creation and many 2020 shows were actually filmed prior to the initial shutdown. I truly hope that people stay safe and healthy and that matters more than anything. But also, being a part of TV casts and crews is some people’s livelihood as well. The situation is complex. I truly hope the best for everyone and I am glad that art provided a small reprieve for me in 2020. (The photographs above: Thandie Newtown as Maeve in Westworld; Kerry Washington as Mia in Little Fires Everywhere; Xosha Roquemore as Gently in Cherish The Day; Viola Davis as Annalise in How To Get Away With Murder.)

Follow: Cinemacked on Tumblr | @Cinemacked on Twitter

Support Cinemacked: PayPal | Cash App | Patreon

Watch and Learn!

Learning how to thread your eyebrows.

Learning how to tint your eyebrows. 

Learning how to do at home lash extensions. 

Learning how to do your own gel nails.

Learning how to do your own acrylics.

Learning how to wax your body hair.

Learning how to do a full sew in with closure.

Learning how to install your own braids.

Learning how to install a closure wig.

Learning how to exfoliate your own skin.

Learning how to improve your posture.

Learning how to microneedle your skin.

Learning how to edit your Instagram photos. 

Learning how to build a capsule closet.

Learning how to dress snazzily.

Learning how to walk in high heels.

Learning how to choose a perfume. 

Learning how to choose lingerie. 

Learning to improve and work on your femininity.

Learn about interracial dating. 

Learning how to improve the way you speak. 

Learning another language.

Learning about real estate. 

Learning about investing.

Learning how to get a job as a flight attendant.

Learning how to improve your cursive writing.

Learning how to improve your handwriting.

Learning a new makeup style.

Learning a natural makeup look.

Learning to use a claw clip for hairstyles. 

Learning how to curl your hair.

Learning to do a sleek low bun. 

Learning how to straighten your hair.

Learning how to do a Dominican blowout.

Learning how to apply false eyelashes.

Learning how to apply self tanner.

Learning basic sewing.

Learning how to begin Iyengar Yoga.

Learning how to treadmill productively.

Learning to have toned ballet legs.

Learning how to work towards a toned body.

Learning how to make your bum bigger. 

Learning how to understand ballet.

Learning how to understand operatic film.

Learning how to follow a simple ballet.

Learning daily etiquette.

Learning dining etiquette.

Learning how to walk elegantly.

Learning how to emulate Miss Universe. 

Learning about plastic surgery.

Learning how to bartend.

Learning how to open a bottle of champagne.

Learning how to make a cucumber sandwich.

Learning how to make a fresh mimosa.

Learning how to serve tea.

Learning how to tight line your eyes.

Learning how to microblade (NOT AT HOME).

Learning how to choose a designer handbag. 

Learning how to choose designer jewelry.

Learning how to rush a sorority.

Learning about equestrianism.

Learning the basics of skiing. 

Learning how to sail a sailboat.

Learning how to golf.

Learning how to play tennis.

XOXO,

Renata.