Henry Bailey

SOFT Crewneck Pullovers

This is the most boring, yet most essential, recommendation I can make. As someone who is irrationally cold all the time, I usually
look for oversized pieces that are thick enough to make me feel like an unsheared sheep. And crewnecks are perfect for that; there’s not much else you need when wearing a crewneck. I am under the firm belief that it is impossible to be unstylish with one of these bad boys. Instead of worrying about layering or color palettes, just get a simply colored crewneck. Why would you possibly want a t-shirt that leaves you cold and unsatisfied, like cafeteria food? And why wear a hoodie? The hood almost always gets in the way, and when I put the hood up I look like a delinquent youth. That’s why I propose to you the perfect middle ground, as thick as a hoodie, as easy to put on like a t-shirt. Now you might be asking, “why are you struggling so much to put on things that aren’t t-shirts?” And to that I say, don’t worry about it… So, don’t think too hard, get a soft crewneck. 

Family Ties – Baby Keem ft. Kendrick Lamar

I’m not particularly huge into hip-hop. However when Baby Keem’s new album, The Melodic Blue, came out. It got a lot of buzz, which in the year of huge album releases like Kanye West’s Donda and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, is extremely impressive. 

The flow on this entire album is incredible, but this song in particular has a level of confidence that captures the listener and brings them along for a ride. Baby Keem raps for the first minute over a beat dominated by an orchestral-like horn loop. It feels like a victory lap—even if you haven’t listened to any other song off the album. The lyricism is clever and talks about Keem’s independent journey as an artist. Then, the beat switch happens and Kendrick Lamar’s recognizable Grammy award-winning flow comes through as a perfect addition to the track. Even more impressive is that with three-beat switches, the song is still very comprehensive. And, Baby Keem manages to take control of this track, even with someone as talented as Kendrick Lamar on it. It’s a song you can’t help but listen to over and over, and you simply cannot get sick of it.

Marvel Studios Hawkeye

Marvel has been on an unprecedented streak when it comes to quality television being produced. It seems as if every new show
that comes out, improves on what was done previously. And Hawkeye is no exception.

Marvel’s Hawkeye could qualify as a Christmas special. The show follows a 22-year old college student, named Kate Bishop, who
figures out her family is involved in an underground black market ring that auctions off stolen Avenger’s property. When the auction is broken into by the Tracksuit Mafia and a few people die, Kate decides to track down the people responsible. This forces Hawkeye out of retirement, and the two must work together to bring down the whole operation.

So what’s really special about this show? 

Representation.

In Hawkeye, there are two deaf characters, Hawkeye and Echo. The entire series has characters regularly using ASL. It’s not just something that is mentioned, rather it’s a main plot point in the series. As Hawkeye struggles to learn how to live without his hearing when his hearing aid is destroyed, we see really sweet conversations between Kate Bishop and Hawkeye both making an effort to communicate when it seems nearly impossible. An important distinction is that Hawkeye became deaf after years of fighting as an Avenger. Our other deaf character, Echo, was born deaf. We see her struggling as she grows up in a school that doesn’t have a dedicated program for the deaf. Echo is also an amputee. We get to see her wrestle with these challenges and use them to her advantage. And although currently in the series she is a villain, you can’t help but root for her.

Taking a Break From Social Media

I promise you I am not trying to sound like your parent, this is just for your consideration. 

I don’t mean you need to delete all your social media apps or anything like that. But a simple break, even just for a day, can do so much to improve your mental health. There are certain ways that social media forces you to view yourself, and it’s difficult to realize when it’s truly affecting you. Taking a break from social media for a bit is simply a way to clear your mind. This allows you to focus more clearly on not only your goals, your work, but whatever self-image issues you might be struggling with and help you discover some that you weren’t aware you had. It’s sort of like a reality check. Although I’ll admit, it’s REALLY boring, I still believe that it’s very much worth it and a very important thing for everybody to be doing.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser

This right here, THIS RIGHT HERE. I read the label when I first got it, and the ‘goat milk’ aspect is what captured my attention. But when I first used it, I heard harps and saw the pearly gates of heaven. I am not a skincare guru or beauty product connoisseur. But this completely livened me up, my face was so smooth I was able to glide a razor across it like I was Tonya Harding. I am pro-mask-mandate but when I tell you that it is a crime that my face was covered up after using this product, I am telling nothing but the truth.  The only downside is that Kate Somerville products are generally expensive, but if you’re willing to spend a bit more for a cleanser. I highly recommend this.