Broken Badly

About 6 million people have watched the first season of Good Girls, so there’s a chance that you, dear reader, is part of a group who have contemplated this insane journey of three good moms who have broken bad and fallen into a life of white-collar crime. Gangs, drug trafficking, money laundering, blackmailing, guns, cadavers, and adultery are just a slice of the whole pie; which makes the fact that the writers could actually make it fun and entertaining even more impressive. Yes, if you're paying attention you will get some good laughs out of it (it's a 'dark comedy' after all).

In case you have not watched it yet, I would like to present you my case for it, Your Honor.

First things first. Here's the preview for the first season of the show, which premiered in 2018:

You know the feeling: you're watching a movie or a show, or reading a book. When you get to the end of it, you find out that the old lady, who uses a walker, was actually the murderer. Shock! Nobody ever suspects the old lady who can barely stand up by herself.

In Good Girls we see three rookie criminals making mistakes and trying not to get killed in the process. What makes it good is how relatable most of their problems, decisions and struggles are.

While watching I kept thinking "Oh, come on! I could do better than that, Annie!" But the truth is, I probably wouldn't.

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself in the shoes of a mother of a sick child, who just heard “unfortunately, insurance doesn’t cover the ten thousand dollar a month life saving medication for you daughter”?

If you liked Good Girls, then you might like In the Dark

Murphy Mason is out there trying to forget that she's bling by hooking up with strangers after getting pissed at the only bar she ever goes to when life decides to hit her with a big old irony: she's the only eye-witness to her best friend's murder. What? Well, technically she felt his face. Still ironic though...

While she's trying to figure out who murdered, Tyson, she starts dating Max and after many twists and turns falls into a rabbit hole of crime.

In the Dark humanizes people with vision impairments and friendship.

Now turn off the TV screen and listen to me.

I am not one to say “screens are bad for you and you should stay away from them”. I truthfully appreciate the art of film: everything about it seems to enchant me in many different ways, from costumes to camera moves. However, I also believe that the difference between medicine and poison lies in the quantity; everything can be bad for you if you abuse it.

For this reason, I would like to present you, still inspired by these amazing shows, some suggestions to experience life outside of a screen. Feel free to not do any of it, but I would highly recommend that you try to find joy in at least one. No need to thank me; you’re very welcome.

Tune in one of these playlists

After a show or movie that I love is over, I enter a mourning process. And the first step is to listen to its soundtrack on repeat for days, sometimes weeks in a row. Maybe that's why I remain single to this day...

Hit play and go for a walk, a bike ride or a car drive. Or just have a dance party in your living room. I do that sometimes... After my second glass of wine... Or first shot of tequila... Ai ai ai!

To make sure you don't pick a downer playlist, here's what they look like on Spotify. If you don't have Spotify, what are you even doing with your life?

For some strange reason, I couldn't find the OST for In The dark, so I'm making a new one, of course.

Go blind for a day

We tend to underestimate the amazing things our body can do.

The World Health Organization estimates that 285 million people are visually impaired, across the globe; 39 million of them being blind.

While it’s impossible to completely understand what living blind, this exercise could be a helpful way to remember and appreciate how remarkably easier our lives are when we can see the world outside of our minds.

Cover your eyes for a few hours and try to do things you normally would have no problem doing. I can guarantee it'll be tricky.

I do not recommend that you put yourself in dangerous situations. So don't try to use a knife, drive a car, or walk outside alone, ok? I trust your smart pants!

Bake something from scratch

Beth is a typical suburban mom aside from her delinquent life; she knows her way around the kitchen and I always feel inpired by her to make something for the people I love, as an act of service. How do you feel about doing the same?

Be it one of your grandma's secret pie recipes, a yummy space brownie to get high as a kite, or some sweet chewy cookies to snack on while you watch the forementioned shows: baking can be fun, and at the end you have a delicous treat.

Here's a super easy Banana Blueberry Muffins recipe, because why not? I'm not a baker, so when I say it's easy, I mean it. If I can do it, so can you.

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-2 cups of blueberries
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

In one larg bowl sift the flour to avoid clumping and add the baking soda, baking powder and salt. Reserve.

In a different large bowl mash the bananas and 1/3 of the blueberries. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, egg, the rest of the blueberries and the butter.

Mix the wet mixture with the dry, fill the muffin tray (about 2/3 of each muffin hole). Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes or until you poke it with a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Help someone out

Both shows remind me of the importance of having a support system.

Murphy Mason has no choice but to learn to accept help from other people besides Jess and Tyson; and until she does, life gets more and more difficult for a young woman. She happens to be blind and need some extra help; nevertheless, even someone with all the five senses in tip top condition needs help from others here and there.

Good Girls wouldn't be a four season show if it didn't involve three friends helping each other out at times of need: they would've gotten caught right in the first episode and then the show would be over.

If you have get a chance, help someone. Don't expect anything in return; but you will, for sure, feel really good. Repeat as many times as you'd like.

If you would like to help someone blind, specifically, you could download an app called 'Be My Eyes': “a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers and company representatives for visual assistance through a live video call”.

Let a good friend help you with something too

One of Murphy's biggest struggles is accepting help, and so is mine. You don't need to ask for help from everyone, nor you need to become someone's burden. But accepting help from the people who love you, and will not judge you for it, will deepen your bond. Humans are flawed. Our connection with other people also comes from exposing our vulnerabilities and allowing them to contribute to our growth and enlightenment.

If you've got a project going on, or are struggling with something, talk to a friend about it. Let them know you trust their judgement and value their opinion. You don't necessarily have to do what they say, but they will feel important and, if they're good friends, they'll be happy to go out of their way to hold your hand through some tough times.

If they're not willing to help or listen, you can thank me for helping you see that some people aren't real friends. It's a win-win situation, my friend.

Have a beer with a friend for no reason

Even if nobody needs immediate assistance, have a beer with a friend. If you're a location where lockdowns are in place, do it virtually. Spending time together and talking about mundane stuff is essential for your mental health. Even if you're an introvert who really loves being alone, remember your loved ones who might have been struggling with so much social isolation for so long. If you love them, try to spend at least a few minutes with them, even through a screen - which is everything some us have during these unprecedented times.