Some of you might have been around when I joined TikTok and wrote up a R.E.P.O.R.T. since it was a TikTok trend (which I realize as I include these links that they were done on two different websites, so maybe this R.E.P.O.R.T. will be more exciting content for you). Well, I had written this R.E.P.O.R.T. up originally to post on Substack, but since I haven’t really been all that active on that platform, I thought I would go ahead and share it here.
With the way the internet works, these days, trends are fickle and fleeting; you’ll be lucky if your fifteen minutes of fame even come close to five. So even if you want to hop on something after it’s time has passed, my advice would be to do it if you want to do it. So here is a little bit about me and what my May looked like.
Reading: The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
The main reason I hopped on TikTok in the first place was to join BookTok, but this book predates that. I originally picked up The Kingdom of Back when it came out because I have been a fan of Marie Lu since reading her book Legend. I had this book on my shelf, but I didn’t start reading it until now. As I am trying to spend more time outside and off my phone, this was one of the books I reached for.
It seemed very thematic that I picked up this book after reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. While Addie was cursed to be forgotten, the protagonist of The Kingdom of Back is driven by the desire to be remembered. Coincidence or emerging interest? I guess time will tell.
Eating: Homemade Pork Fried Rice!
Normally, fried rice is not something that I go out of my way for or make often. But this month, I tried making it a different way. I had some leftover pork lard from a different recipe that I used, and it made all the difference. I don’t know how often I will have pork lard on hand or in a recipe, but if I ever have any leftover again, I will be making more pork fried rice. Yummy!
Playing: with Damian, Always.
There always seems to be so much going on with and in my life, and I wish that I could be playing more. The one that gets the assigned play time in my life when its available is my dog, who is named Damian the Wigglebutt. Playing can be anything, from playing tag with him to making up some silly song about him (and I will sing it only to him). I’m sure he would prefer more treats than ear splitting songs, but as the dog, he will have to take what he can get.
Obsessing: Gudetama
So this month, Sanrio released their annual Sanrio Character Ranking for 2026. I’ve been obsessed with voting, because my favorite character is Gudetama. This is because Sanrio uses this information to determine what merchandise they’re going to develop and where they are going to send it. However, considering that he hasn’t been able to crack the top ten since voting started, I am probably going to continue to be limited to the Gudetama merchandise I have access to.
There was a year where I felt like I saw Gudetama whenever I would visit a Barnes and Noble or a Five Below, but that feels like several years ago now. So I voted, because I hope for the development of more Gudetama things in my region of living. Considering that he didn’t even make the top sixteen bracket in the first week of May, he is not as beloved to others as he is to me.
Recommending: A Man on the Inside (Netflix)
After my sister Jasmine and I finished watching The Good Place, we watched the first season of A Man on the Inside, a television series about a widow who finds a renewed purpose in his life. Season two was recently released on Netflix, and we finally got around to watching it.
What I enjoy about the show is how fun and wholesome it feels. I also don’t know of many shows that focus on the life of the elderly, and while there are certainly sad moments that pull at the heartstrings, I’m glad it is also able to showcase the fun side of getting older and the value of discovering new aspects of your personality.
Treating: Myself to some sunshine!
As a kid, I don’t think I really appreciated the beach; sometimes the waves would be too aggressive, and I didn’t love the feeling of sand everywhere. And for those of you who go, you really do know that I mean everywhere. Now that I’m older, I have found that I appreciate trips to the beach more. My speculation is that I’ve found a partner that has made me appreciate the slower moments in my life, which includes our trips to the beach.
On the other hand, I have always loved going to the pool. My treat in May was finding the time to hit the beach or the pool to soak in some sun. I would lay out and read a chapter, and when I would get hot, I would take a dip in the water. So really, May was just a real treat for myself.
And that is it for my May R.E.P.O.R.T. Are monthly roundups something you are interested in seeing? For those of you who use Substack more, can you share with me the observations you have about the platform? Is there anything in particular you would want to see from me? Comment your thoughts down below!
As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog post. If you enjoyed it, be sure to let me know by liking this post, commenting your thoughts down below, and telling your friends all about it. And of course, if you don’t want to miss the next one, make sure to subscribe so that you can be notified the next time I put out more material like this.
Love Always,
Kristi My ❤
Kristi My Dao 