#11: Brain Rot and Guilty Pleasures

Some things I like a lot

Jul 17, 2025

I am sleepy and grumpy today. I caught myself having an imagined argument with the lady that pushed in front of me to get to the lift this morning—when this happens, I know I need to reset.

The rest of the world does, too: there’s violence on the news, political trouble brewing, and a slightly frozen little toe on my foot because heating is very expensive.

So instead of doing what I’ve been doing for the past few weeks (grumbling), I thought I’d wax lyrical about some of my favourite hobbies and brain rot activities that have kept me going.

Books

We obviously have to start with books. I’ve had some truly great reading experiences lately.

In Memoriam, by Alice Winn

This absolutely destroyed me. But in a good way. I know I’m a sucker for historical fiction, but this was something else. A reflective, heartbreaking story of war, privilege, love, loss and everything in between. I sobbed—it reminded me of the humans at the core of conflict, and the families ripped apart by politics.

But there’s so much lightness in this too. The jokes they make in the trenches, the boyhood crushes at boarding school, the dappled light on the English hills as a reminder of all that they’re fighting for. And the brokenness as we realise that it’s not worth the pain.

What a bloody book. Easy five stars, and I won’t be forgetting it in a hurry.

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The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

An old favourite! I was in a bit of rut, so I did what any normal person would do: reached for the classics. And it did not disappoint—this holds up. I read the first in the trilogy from cover to cover in about two days. A ridiculous pace for me.

This is Going to Hurt, by Adam Kay

I wrote a little bit about this one in last week’s post. It’s funny and unbearable, but also a must-read. And Adam Kay’s next book has just been announced!

Green Things

I have a black thumb, which basically means that I attend more plant funerals than Rupert Murdoch does his own weddings. Thankfully, I’m much more disciplined with my kitten: she’s healthy, playful and happy (judging by the many biscuits I received on my stomach this morning).

Grand, green images straight from Pinterest make me feel like a failure, but lately I’ve been working on a mental re-evaluation: I’m going to suck at new hobbies for a little while. I’m also an avid student of the fast-and-loose school, so admitting that I’m much more likely to saturate or dehydrate something than do some proper research means that I really have to come to terms with saying goodbye to Rosemarie the rosemary bush.

But I’m celebrating a small win this month: five plants are currently sitting in my garden, safe in their pots, healthy and green. I don’t think I did anything in particular to deserve their generosity, but I’ll take the wins where I can get them.

There’s something special about sitting outside in the weak winter sunlight, munching on my lunch and watching the red chillies bend the little stalks with their weight. There’s something lovely about seeing a tiny bug nestled in the lemon tree. And our resident praying mantis, Philip, is happily evading the birds for now. Life is good when you have a small deck and a few pots.

Knit and don’t quit

I’ve taught myself to knit.

Before you consign me to a retirement village, or think I’m one of those amazingly skilled craftspeople who make their own sourdough—I suck. I really do, my first little square has a million holes and each line is as wonky as my future.

But I’m having fun, learning a new skill and using my hands. I’m working out how to be okay with being (very) bad at things, and do them anyway.

I won’t be wearing this ‘scarf’ anytime soon, but it’s pretty cool to make something out of very little. Maybe I should make a hugely complicated jumper next?

Just keep gym-ming

Hear me out! I’m the last person in the world to advocate for going to the gym. I usually feel sick when I sweat even slightly, and the thought of doing any manner of physical activity in the same room as strangers makes me panic.

But I recently bit the bullet and signed up. It’s a cute little gym with no lights and no scary men with big muscles. And I’m trying this new thing where I work out how to treat my body well, and this is one way to give that a good hot crack.

So I’ve had a month so far to adjust and I have to say…I realise why people do this. I’ve taken my time and bumbled my way through a few different pre-programmed workouts on the machines, and it’s weirdly fun. I like feeling good about myself physically, proud that I’ve gone to a place outside of my comfort zone and panted a bit. I come home smiling every time (except for that first session where I nearly passed out in front of the instructor).

I’m starting to crave a session on the treadmill or cross thingy (the one where your arms and legs move in the air, and if you get it wrong even slightly you get thrown from the machine and into a different dimension). Can you tell I have a long way to go with this whole ‘gym journey’ thing?