What You Might Have Missed In Act 2 of 2025
Can you believe we are more than halfway through 2025?
Truly mind-boggling!
For anyone new stumbling onto this corner of the internet, ciao my friend, I'm Marco. This Substack, Your Friendly Obsession, is basically where my brain goes to unpack all the things: ranging from creative exploration, reflecting on life and it’s complexities through personal essays, diving into my passion for reading and recommending books, the occasional hot takes on pop culture or what’s peaking my interest, and exploring what it means to live as authentically as possible. This quarter I’ve been exploring video format more to the point of diving head first and make a Youtube channel, as an extension of this Substack/writing induced creative journey that I am on.
My new favorite phrase these days is, “crashing out.” Which I picked up from my favorite summer dumpster fire, Love Island USA. And quite honestly, while the phrase was previously unbeknownst to me, I love a crash out from time to time….the wheels of my mind love to spin and sometimes they go off road.
More often than not, I am just trying to make sense of the world, these are trying times and I am just grateful to be alive.
This second quarter (April, May, June), I shared 15 posts to Substack: 1 handwritten note, 1 “first bites” food/product review, 1 special birthday edition of Conversations with Nonni (podcast/video), 1 fictional short story, 2 monthly book roundups (with video), and several many personal essays, creative reflection, and life updates!
Things are getting experimental around here, and I am having a blast expressing myself and connecting with this gorgeous community on Substack.
While Spring has turned into Summer, and the seasonal depression is slowly fading as temperatures rise and the days grow longer, I am taking the time to look back at this last quarter of life, and package it up.
I’ve really gotten into Labubus, [solidcore], and swimming this quarter.
I’ve had the privilege of spending some quality time (not nearly enough time) with family and friends.
I’m happy you are here, if you are reading this I am grateful for your support, and I am wishing you major love and light <3
Without further ado…consider this your Q2 highlight reel/catch-up guide. Here’s what you might’ve missed:
I. Let’s Get Personal Shall We
The theme of this year has been a lot of “looking inward” in an effort to live life as authentically as possible and encourage others to do so. Theres always a bit of reflection or deep thinking involved with excavating your past and present thoughts, but the best way to connect is to be vulnerable. And I think this group of posts get real personal:
A reflection on my family’s immigrant origin story and how it has helped to form my unique POV on destiny and how I navigate my dreams in the US.
A think-piece on viewing life as a series of “before & afters”.
A raw and reflective essay on what my main goal in life is and how losing my late mother was the catalyst for a major change in my life.
Have you ever thought about the gap between who you are in the present moment vs who you want to be in the future. Me too.
A referendum and an accountability post about taking the initiative and pushing myself to act instead of ideate.
A post that might inspire you to blow up your life, or at the very least think about it.
I was sick in April, and wrote an emo post, which also happened to be about my youthful emo-phase, swooshy hair and all.
A spring cleaning/sharing some housekeeping and life updates from spring.
I was painfully influenced by Mel Robbins and Julia Cameron and I could not shut up about it, insert said post…ha!
II. Books & The Start of my Youtube “Journey”
I’m having a grand time recapping the books I would recommend each month, started this in May and really want to continue. It’s been helping me to remember what some of them are about too!! woo!
A review of the books I read in the month of May 2025, and how they all have this overlying theme of love, in its many shapes and forms.
A roundup of my June reads, where anything goes, and an assortment of genre is represented. Plus, some queer reads!
III. Conversations with Nonni
My Nonni (grandma) turned 87 in June, and I am so grateful to have her around and share a loving relationship with her. Also, very grateful for her stories and wisdom, and especially lucky to be able to capture some, like this, in perpetuity.
A special limited edition “birthday” podcast episode featuring my grandmother. She talks about her favorite birthday's, gifts, birthday plans, and love.
IV. A Sprinkle of Fiction
I’ve made a commitment to myself and my internet tribe, you, to post at least one fictional piece each month, so here is the latest and greatest in the form of a short story.
No, I do not have a child, but I did explore the mind of an agoraphobic widower, for this fictional short story that I wrote in June.
V. I guess I do food reviews now too?
As an aspiring Renaissance man, I am now trying my hand at food/product reviews, first up was a new spin on the Reeses form with a TWIST!
VI. A Handwritten Note
Every now and again I like to switch up the format, so I wanted to hand write a note to my gracious readers (you!).
A kind word to my dear supporters and readers, extending gratitude and love for all the support.
VII. The Consumption Diaries + Recommendations
Beyond Substack, here’s some stuff I consumed that stuck with me:
Top Books: Wild Dark Shore, Babel, Dark Days Ahead, and Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert
Top Movies: Nonnas (laugh out loud funny & super endearing), A Nice Indian Boy (the newest entry into the comfort film pantheon), Materialists (watched with one of my best buds and we thought it was a poignant and accurate portrayal of dating and absurdity)
Top TV: RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars 10 (Always watching some drag race!), Love Island USA 7 (trash, but its my trash), Overcompensating (Benito is a once in a lifetime creative, this show is belly laugh funny and it made me nostalgic for the college days), Hacks S4 (My fave), Eurovision Song Contest 2025 (Could not get enough of my annual tradition).
VII. A Little Love for My Substack Community
Part of the fun here is reading other brilliant people. Here are a few that brought me joy / made me think this quarter:
Max’s Newsletter: Any chance I get, I try to share the valuable insight of
, please check out his newsletter!The Inclusive Screen:
is my go-to for inclusive movie and television recommendations and always captures exactly what I am thinking about some mutual watches!
Ambitious Softie:
has really inspired me to shake off the doubt when it comes to creating and just go for it!
The Slow Lane:
and her amazing posts and videos have me adopting tech rests and reclaiming “me” time, and I am starting to feel like myself again as a result
A Reading Life:
has encouraged me to seek out reads with more substance, and she so eloquently describes how the books in her life capture a moment in time, a feeling, or speak to life’s bigger themes. Fan for life!
VIII. Wrapping Up Act 2…What’s Next?
Well, my friends, there goes Act 2! A whirlwind of personal excavation, some things to think about, and books galore.
Looking ahead to Act 3, I'm hoping to lean more into the creative in a courageous way, but also embracing the wonderful community here on Substack:).
But what about you? What did your second quarter feel like? Did any of these posts resonate? What were your top books/movies/shows? What was the highlight of the last three months for you? Let me know in the comments! Always love hearing from you all.
And if you dug this roundup and aren't subscribed yet, you know what to do:
Thanks for reading, thanks for being here. See you in the next Act.
- Marco
I love everything you share and I am so honored to be mentioned here! Mutual admiration society! 🤓📚🥰
appreciate you tons!!