Monthly Mains: January 2021

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

I'm a big fan of shopping local, supporting small businesses, and giving my money to companies that give back to the community and do good. I also have spent my time in quarantine doing a lot of online shopping and needed something to help me justify all my purchases. And so I bring you Monthly Mains, a series where I’ll highlight three things that have made my life better (and will probably make yours better, too).

I'd like to start off my first post of 2021 by congratulating everyone reading this, because YOU MADE IT. After the last ten or so months of the global pandemic, that IS something to celebrate (while following your local COVID-19 rules and regulations, of course). 

One of the things I'm trying to do this year is to be more intentional about using the things I have in my life (especially candles) rather than adding new products/items to it. Don't worry - with my nine months of quarantine shopping, I've still got lots of material for this series to continue for a long while. 

This month, to go with the theme of the fresh start that comes with a new year (although if I'm being real, 2021 is basically just 2020 extended so far), I want to share some free tools that are accessible to anyone with a cellphone and a WIFI connection. Here are three apps that I have found incredibly useful this month:  

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

This past December, I was sucked into the world of Indian serials. The drama, rage, intensity and over-the-top storylines/scripts/scenarios/everything are surprisingly addictive. Watching the three serials I do has turned into a nightly bonding session with my mom (who I used to make fun of for watching these shows. Serves me right.) and it's also created a very sudden and urgent need for me to be able to read, write and speak Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu flawlessly. Luckily for me, I've been able to get started on making that happen with Hindi lessons on Duolingo. 

Duolingo's goal is to offer personalized, fun, universally accessible language lessons. The app follows a game format - there are levels, you collect gems that can be used to "purchase" perks, you are awarded badges, you get five hearts that are lost with mistakes, etc. The lessons themselves are fairly quick to do, making it easy to get a bit of learning into even some of the busiest days. Depending on the language (Duo offers more than 30), you'll learn letters, common words and popular phrases. There are tests at different points to ensure you're not losing what you've worked so hard to pick up, helpful tips on making the process easier, and even weekly progress reports so you can track your progress.

I've been using Duolingo for years, but not consistently, and more to keep up my French and Spanish. If that's all you want to use this app for - to keep up with a language you know but don't speak all the time, it's a great resource. I was skeptical about being able to learn a new language off of my phone, but so far, it seems to be working for me.  I've only been learning Hindi for about a month now, and while I'm still just figuring out the letters of the alphabet, and am mostly confused in my lessons, I have noticed that I can identify certain characters when I see Hindi words off the app. Of course, I'm practicing daily and trying to use what I'm learning in the real world, which help when learning any language. But I really do believe that the app has been a huge help to me so far, and I can tell I am learning something from it, and that something is sticking. 

If you want to try to learn a new language (or, like I mentioned earlier, practice one you already know but don't use often), download the Duolingo app.

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

Lately, every day seems like a busy news day. There is always something big happening - whether it's locally, nationally, internationally, or a combination of the three. It can be hard to keep up, and even harder to know what has been properly sourced and fact checked and what hasn't. Good journalism (as in well written, properly researched, integrity-filled journalism) is so important, but seems to be getting harder to find with social media and the need for immediate information. Luckily, there are a number of established, trusted news outlets that offer apps, including The New York Times (NYT). 

As a former journalist, I think it is crucial to be informed about what is happening around the world, even if you are not directly impacted by it. I also fully believe in paying for good journalism. I have a few different news subscriptions and believe the cost for each is money well spent. But, if that's not your thing, many of these news apps offer access to great news coverage for free as well. 

In my opinion, the New York Times offers some of the best news coverage. Most of the time (I have to admit that journalism isn't perfect, and even the best news outlets can make mistakes or get facts wrong) the reporting is very in-depth, the stories are incredibly well-written and informative, and there is an excellent balance between hard news and lighter pieces. The app allows you to choose what kinds of stories you want to be notified about, curates content on topics you're interested in, and shares breaking news alerts when they happen. The NYT also offers access to a number of different games (like the daily crossword) and NYT cooking (aka recipes with photos of meals that will make your mouth water) when you need a break from the news. 

I would highly recommend installing a few different news apps on your phone (CBC, BBC, The Athletic, The Washington Post, to name a few), but if you can only choose one - the New York Times is my suggestion (and yes, I would also suggest paying for a subscription so you can access all the news stories, but the amount of good journalism you get without a subscription is still better than no good journalism at all). To learn more about subscription options, or to get an update on the news from around the world, visit the New York Times website. 

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

I like to think I'm pretty okay with my finances. Or, at least I was, until COVID changed life as we know it and I spent nine months quarantine shopping. Along with setting the intention to use what I have and not bring more into my space in the new year, I also told myself that it was time to reel it in on the spending front and start to keep much better track of what my money was going to, and how often. 

There are probably a number of ways to track your spending and budget, but since I am almost never without my phone, an app seemed like the best option for me. I chose Expense Manager for two main reasons: it's super easy to use, and along with a regular list view, it uses a few different kinds of graphs to visually breakdown your spending habits. 

The app allows you to separate spending into a number of different categories (food, household, automobile, etc.) and if what you need isn't there, you can create your own. You can also set spending limits, input recurring costs and income, and set up a debt repayment calendar. 

Overall, this app has a number of features, it's easy to use, and it gives a great overview of how money is being spent and saved. It's a great way to see where I'm overspending and what I have that I'm not using and can cut out. If this sounds like a tool you could use, download it from the App store or on Google Play. 

 Side dishes 

Podcast: 

California Love

Quote: 

"The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion."
– Paulo Coehlo

Read: 
How a 22-year-old L.A. native became Biden’s inauguration poet

– The Los Angeles Times

Song:
Khairiyat - Arijit Singh