March recap
- Cheyenne Slowensky
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
All the books I read, movies I watched, and thoughts I had in March 2025.
Books - 6
Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - ★ ★ ★ ★
Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube - ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Cultish by Amanda Montell - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig - ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Queer by William S. Burroughs - ★ ★ ★ ★
Films - 5
Paris, Texas (1984) - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Mickey 17 (2025) - ★ ★ ★
Vagabond (1985) - ★ ★ ★ ★
The Player (1992) - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Children of Men (2006) - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Daisies (1966) - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Thoughts
Mantras & Big Decisions
I love a good mantra. While not inherently life-changing on their own, having simple phrases to commit to memory and be mindful of throughout the day makes a much larger change than I had initially thought. Two mantras have carried me through this month and have comforted and reassured me in making a very big decision. They are:
I cultivate peace within.
I trust myself to make the best decision with what I know now.
Every time I felt stressed this month I would say out loud "I cultivate peace within," and I could feel my shoulders relax away from my ears, my mind take a step back and go "oh, this is not a big deal," and eventually I began to instinctually choose peace in moments of inconvenience or stress or dread. The long drives up to L.A. and back no longer physically pained me, I found myself halting the first negative thought from coming out of my mouth, and I simply allowed myself to remain unfazed. I am still finding the balance between letting everything get to me and being completely detached from everyday moments, but I am certainly much less anxious than I was at the beginning of the month and I will continue to choose peace and to present a calm demeanor in difficult situations.
The next mantra helped me make a major decision this month, a "two roads diverged in a yellow wood" kind of decision. One path would keep me at home, applying to jobs in entertainment which I have been doing to no avail since I graduated last May, and the other would take me back to school. I recently made the decision to attend law school this fall, and the second mantra helped me reach that conclusion in what has been a never-ending debate in my mind for months.
I had to trust my instincts, and as much as I wished I could live out both scenarios and see which one would lead me to more success, it's not possible. I had to work with what I know in this moment to make that decision. I gave the job market a shot; I took a whole year to apply to jobs, I had an internship and a few week-long productions, but I never found the job stability I need.
At the same time, I was studying for the LSAT and applying to law school. My heart was always torn between which path was the right one for me, but when I was accepted and granted a wonderful scholarship by the one school I really wanted to attend, I found direction again. I find law so fascinating in how it uses language, an inherently ambiguous and fluctuating thing, to make concrete distinctions, ensure compliance, and materialize relationships. I still fully intend to work in entertainment, just from a different angle than I had initially envisioned. Trusting myself to understand my circumstances and what I see for myself both now and in the future is what allowed me to make that decision, and I cannot wait to see where law school will take me.
Joshua Tree
If you've read my Asteroid City review, you know I love the desert. Earlier this month, my boyfriend and I took a weekend trip to Joshua Tree, and it was as desolate and dreamy as I had remembered it. Joshua Tree is a strange town full of stores selling strange things while surrounded by strange-looking trees. We hiked, we stargazed, we ate delicious food, and mostly enjoyed each other's company. I haven't visited many other National Parks, but I fear none of them will affect me the same way as the magical strangeness of Joshua Tree.
Favorites
Mantra with Jemma Sbeg
Mile Higher with Josh & Kendall
soggyrice3's videos
Kaweco Sport fountain pen
(color: Honey, nib size: Fine)
"Paris, Texas (Feat. SYML)" by Lana Del Rey
Thanks for reading! I would love to hear some of your March favorites in the comments. In April, I am looking forward to having direction in my life, writing in my journal with my new fountain pen, getting in the back-to-school mood and continuing to work on creative projects both for myself and in collaboration with others.
-Cheyenne
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