Loving Lately

I haven't done a post for a while on my current TV, Netflix and reading favourites, so here goes.

As far as viewing goes, I've been enjoying the following lately:

1) The short series now finished on Channel 4, 'Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners'.  In this series, the OCD cleaners were sent over to the US to help out some serious hoarders and grime gatherers.  I think there were only 3 or 4 shows in the series, but as always, I really enjoyed this show, which always and in this instance, combined with the Flylady, inspires me to clean my house.

2) I am currently and have for a few weeks now,  been enjoying 'The Durrells' on TV on Sunday evenings.  It's just one of those wonderful Sunday evening TV programmes that is so easy and enjoyable to watch and Keely Hawes is just fabulous in it.

3) LB found a new series to watch on Netflix the other week, namely Girl Boss, which I've been really enjoying watching with her. (Although some bits aren't all that appropriate for a 14 year old to watch).  It is very loosely based on the book Girl Boss, the story of Sophie Amoroso and her successful internet clothing business. I've heard it slated in some places, but I've found it pretty enjoyable to watch and I don't think it's meant to be taken too seriously.

4) On Sunday, having done lots of cleaning all week, I was looking around on Netflix for something to watch whilst doing the ironing.  I came across a series called 'Anne with an E', which is a remake of the Anne of Green Gables story.  It is wonderful and I will be continuing to watch this over the next few weeks.

5) For any fans out there, there's also another new series of The Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt starting on Netflix on the 19th May, so I'll definitely be watching that too.

6) Finally, of course, I'm loving Friday evenings in the company of Monty Don on Gardener's World, to get me in the mood for gardening over the weekend.

Lots of good viewing to be getting on with, whenever I fancy a bit of escapism.

On the reading front are the following favourites:

1) I'm currently reading 'Your Money or Your Life' by Joe Domingues and Vicky Robin, that I bought from the CS the other week. I've heard this book recommended in various places; on YouTube, in blogs, etc. In all honesty, I was wondering if I would find this book at all useful, as I've read so many financial self-help books so far this year, and thought it would just be more of the same, but actually, this book is really interesting and really gets you thinking about the value of money and what it actually is.

Originally written in the 1960's it has been linked with the voluntary simplicity movement in the US, which started around this time.  It's contents, however, don't date and it's still as potent now as it was then. The basic premise is that money represents the hours of your life spent to earn it and it encourages you to think about whether the things we buy are really worth the time they take, to earn the money to pay for them. 

In addition, it takes a look at what your real earnings are, once the costs of working are factored into the equation.  In this sense, it makes you take a look at your actual hourly rate, which may not be as much as you think, once you calculate how much you are spending as a consequence of going out to work, keeping up appearances in the workplace or escaping from the daily grind.

This book also encourages you to identify what is your 'enough'. The point at which your needs are met and you experience fulfilment and can stop seeking more in order to be happy. It's a very thought provoking book, in a way that other books of this genre haven't been. I'm thoroughly enjoying it's approach, which consists of a series of steps to follow that should lead you toward FI or financial independence.

2) Another book that I've just finished reading is the The Home Handbook.  I purchased this book at Poundland for £1 and I've really enjoyed reading it.  It was a very easy read, which you could pick up and put down very easily. It has some wonderful advice for the managing and cleaning of your home on a room by room basis.  Definitely worth the investment and a definite keeper, as a reference book for all of those tricky household cleaning dilemnas.

So these are the things I've been loving lately.  What have you been enjoying lately?