April recap

All the books I read, movies I watched, and thoughts I had in April 2025.

Books - 0

in progress: War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Films - 1

Harakiri (1962) - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thoughts

Everything Happening at Once

I spent so much of this past year waiting for a lot of big changes to happen, and now they're all happening all at once. I found a job in entertainment, I started production on my independent feature film, I committed to law school, and I am moving to Los Angeles. What should feel like "ah, finally" has felt mostly like chaos. I never thought these things would all come about at the same time, and in the perfect timeline I had space between each major change to adjust and be prepared for the next thing. But no!

Honestly, I couldn't be happier. It's overwhelming, it's stressful, it's a lot of planning and couch-surfing and calling out sick just so I can have time to get my life together. It is also bliss, the business I always sought, getting things done, making art, taking initiative, being versatile. I am capable of all these things separately, and I am also capable of all of them at once.

No books finished this month, but I am knee-deep in War & Peace, which I thought I would have a lot more free time to read. It will likely take me another month, so be prepared for a complete dissertation's worth of a review when I am finished. It is already one of the most beautifully complex and compelling works I have ever read.

I did make time for one movie! Good thing I chose the most technically perfect film I have ever come across (and also the highest-rated film on Letterboxd), Harakiri (1962). If you're looking for a film that is stunningly crafted in every way, filmmaking at its finest, I highly recommend you check out this compelling samurai story.

Apartment Hunting

The trials and tribulations of finding somewhere to live in Los Angeles! I had so much fun lurking on Zillow and scheduling frantic apartment tours this month. I toured about six places, fell in love with three of them, and finally found the one. It was a constant battle to find a place with that classic LA charm that is also practical and safe. From cozy apartments with tile floors in Los Feliz to narrow, winding roads to the suburbs off of Sunset, I felt like every place I visited was almost exactly what I needed.

It came down to being realistic with myself and with the things that I know will stress me out: safety and parking. Anything on the ground floor was enough to make me nervous about a shattered window, and it's not worth finding a place with personality if it's not going to have any parking. After two rounds of tours, I found a stunning little studio in Echo Park, small enough for me and my minimal earthly possessions, guaranteed parking in a safe and walkable neighborhood, at a price I could afford.

Now, the fun part begins! I move in this week, and I have already been plotting how I'll set up the space. I have always lived in places that came furnished, so I'll have to buy everything that isn't a desk or a bed.

I care a lot about my space, in a very Virginia Woolf "A Room of One's Own" kind of way. I like my space clean and serene. I've never lived in a studio, and I think my lifestyle now is perfect for it. I have reached the LA future I could only daydream about after graduating college, and now I am determined to make the space my own. Look forward to some fun furniture-hunting posts coming soon!

Favorites

Zillow

"My apartment" Pinterest Board

Sara Carrolli's bookish videos

YouTube Channel

"Aquamarine" by Addison Rae

Apple Music

Heretic's Nosferatu Fragrance

Thanks for reading! I would love to hear some of your April reads, watches, and favorites in the comments. In May, I am looking forward to moving in and furnishing my new apartment, working my new job, and advocating for the best future I can create for myself.

-Cheyenne