Michaela's Musings

Earlier today, I visited an antique market in Barcelona's Old Town. As a lover of all things ancient and old, I was enamored with the gorgeous setup. Vendors selling a variety of vintage jewelry, religious statues, and fading vinyls. But something kept catching my eye. From table to table, there was a seemingly endless collection of West African and Black paraphernalia. Masks, cowrie shell belts, dolls, and statuettes big and small. And I couldn't help but wonder... What did all these old white people do to end up with these objects? This phenomenon is nothing new. Colonial powers plundering Africa, Asia, and the Americas and using their indigenous regalia for their red carpets and crown jewels. We see it in museums, and it's no different when it's collecting dust in someone's living room. Anyways, back to the market. The whole experience made me feel uneasy, but the icing on this cake was one particular object. It was some sort of cup fashioned after a Black man...

As a music lover, my tastes often fluctuate between various genres. Sometimes it changes based on the season, if I'm traveling, or the dominant experiences in my life at the time. Since I'm in Barcelona, I wanted to take the opportunity to actually document some of my recently most listened to before my taste changes again. So! Here are the top 5 songs that have been in constant rotation lately. I can't be high around you anymore - FLO From their sophomore album, the UK girl group delivers a delicious track about doomed love under the influence. The production is amazing. It's full, glossy, and reworks that classic early 2000s feel to a more modern sound. The lyrics detail the narrator's inner turmoil over a guy who's only affectionate when intoxicated. They really resonated with me due to an experience I had earlier this year. And as that hurt recently resurfaced, this song has made me realize that I deserve someone's sober love over another's drunken a...