I’m late with my October memo for an unusual reason – I couldn’t think of anything exciting to write about. I can only assume it’s related to me being more stressed than usual, because as a rule, I get excited very easily. Fortunately, (some) inspiration has now arrived, although in a very random manner. So here’s a motley crew of things I’m currently liking/looking forward to/thinking about.

1. Cillian Murphy. I’m going through an obsessive Cillian Murphy phase, which is unexpected, considering that I’m not watching Peaky Blinders (although it does seem to be excellent) and haven’t really seen him in any movies recently. I spent 30 minutes at 2am the other day, watching CM talk about his movies when I definitely should have been getting some beauty sleep – or sleep of any kind, really. He is so kind, intelligent, talented and interesting that I almost forgot about him also being the most beautiful person ever. Plus he’s from Cork, like my favourite colleague, which obviously reflects well on Cillian’s judgement and character.

2. Booker prize. The winners were announced yesterday and while I’m still lukewarm about reading The Testaments, I have been very interested in Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other since I read her interview in The Guardian this spring. The book wasn’t available in Brussels, though, so I never got to it. This has surely changed now, so no more excuses. (And I will eventually read that Atwood as well.)

3. Another prize. Esther Duflo and Abhijit V. Banerjee received what technically isn’t the Nobel prize for economics, but I’m happy to report most people ignore this insignificant difference that twats like to point out in comment threads. I read their book Poor Economics when it came out in 2011. I’m not terrifically well informed on how to fight poverty – it is a complex and rather depressing topic. Whatever views I do have, however, are almost entirely informed by this book. They focus on what works, test their ideas and resist generalisations. I suspect the book has aged very well and would warmly recommend it.

4. Victoria Beckham makeup. I don’t care what people say, if VB designs clothes or launches makeup, I’m interested. Her collaboration with Estée Lauder was obsessed over for a reason and launching her own beauty line was only a matter of time. It’s here now, tightly curated and sleek-looking, to no-one’s surprise. I’ve ordered a small selection (it’s only available online at the shipping fees are not fun) and will let you know how I get on.

5. Instagram is great. Instagram is getting such a bad rap these days that I’ve become quite protective of it. Indeed, it can be unfun to look at perfect people doing perfect things at all times. Fortunately, there is no reason to do that. Instagram has millions of accounts that are not about the perfect lifestyle. Unsurprisingly, it is especially good for visual stuff: I’m currently obsessed with @90sanxiety for the style of that decade and @accidentallywesanderson, but there is so much out there – designers, cinematographers, curators, artists. I for example found Genieve Figgis by chance on Instagram and absolutely adore her work. But it doesn’t have to be (purely) visual: I follow @excellentcoatsonirritatedwomen for some feminism with added clothes, @reductress for modern humor, @extinctionrebellion and @gretathunberg to keep myself accountable and @eesti_politseikoerad for what it says on the tin.

How is your October going? Anything I should add to my list?