And here we are, we made it to the end of July. With that, comes the end of the break I’ve been taking from work for the last three months. I am so grateful for this time I’ve had and also grateful for how I spent it.
This months intention was to Invite Joy: Create some adventure. Go places. Do things. Hug your people. Take chances.
I didn’t actually go anywhere or do much. I did hug my people. I read a lot. I painted a lot. I loved spending my time this way.
Here are some goals I had for July:
continue to draw, sketch, paint or do some artistic endeavor as often as I can – done and done
try to eat fresh food – i’d say this is mostly done too
do most of of HCOTF – i did most of it
support N with his camps + classes – i did this though it fell apart a bit
support D with essays + driving – did this too, as much as he wanted
Journal daily – did this!
Read a lot – so much
Support J – did this too, to the best of my ability
continue medication – done
Continue documenting the joy – done
Love my people – love them so very much
Scrap and OLW – i did both of these
Go outdoors, sit outside, be in the sunshine – i didn’t sit outside as much as before, but it’s been ok
dive deeper into ease, release, equanimity, space, possibility and see what you might want to do for each. ( still haven’t done this ) – still haven’t done this, not sure what that means
remember that it’s all bonus – i have, i’ve remembered this
Be ok with not getting much done, rest. – i’ve also rested so very much
be in the present moment, don’t count down the days – i would say i’ve also done a reasonably decent job of this
Also I got shots for my hip pain. I got the CPAP machine.
I was originally not supposed to have all of July off but my doctor recommended that I do and I am so grateful that she did. It was the right call. I finally feel fully wound down, and optimistic and looking forward to integrating work into my life again. Here’s hoping it’s a positive experience.
I will continue to try take it each one day at a time and look for the joy again and again. Because I know that I already have all I need and want. Everything else is bonus.
I had never heard of this series but I swallowed both of the books in one shot. I cannot wait for the third. Fantastic character development. Well written and interesting. Highly recommended.
“You’re an animal, Sibling Dex. You are not separate or other. You’re an animal. And animals have no purpose. Nothing has a purpose. The world simply is. If you want to do things that are meaningful to others, fine! Good! So do I! But if I wanted to crawl into a cave and watch stalagmites with Frostfrog for the remainder of my days, that would also be both fine and good. You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don’t know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live. That is all most animals do.”
What a gem of a book! It’s unlike anything I’ve read before. I don’t even know how to describe it. I’d read that this book felt like a hug and it really does.
“We don’t have to fall into the same category to be of equal value.”
I had a hard time getting into this book for some reason but once I did, it captured my heart and I loved every moment I spent with it. What a gift.
“Do you not find consciousness alone to be the most exhilarating thing? Here we are, in this incomprehensibly large universe, on this one tiny moon around this one incidental planet, and in all the time this entire scenario has existed, every component has been recycled over and over and over again into infinitely incredible configurations, and sometimes, those configurations are special enough to be able to see the world around them. You and I—we’re just atoms that arranged themselves the right way, and we can understand that about ourselves. Is that not amazing?”
Something drew me to this book and I wanted to read it the moment I saw the cover and read the blurb.
This is the story of seven children who find their mirror shining one day and can go through the mirror to a castle where a “wolf girl” tells them that they can visit this place until the beginning of the next school year (which is march in Japan) between the hours of 9-5 every day. They are looking for a key and then a wishing room. Only one wish will come true but that one wish will absolutely come true.
Each of these kids is not going to school. They are all struggling in their own ways. The story is told from the perspective of Kokoro who has been bullied and has quit going to school as a result.
The story is poignant, beautiful, unpredictable and so very full of love. I did not put it down once I started reading it and I will continue to think about it for a long time.
with gratitude to Erewhon/Hachette Book Group and edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Beautiful story of a young love who get to meet each other again after many years. There’s so much explored here about art, being black, love, motherhood and more. Beautiful writing.
Kate Baer’s poems aren’t subtle. They aren’t for the weak of heart. This collection has many poems about motherhood and each poem is beautiful, raw, and makes you feel more and more seen. I am grateful for Baer’s voice and art.
with gratitude to Harper Perennial and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
“You never really have someone,” the speaking pixels said, “not forever. You just get them for a little while, if you’re lucky. And you never know how long you have them for.”
I loved this little gem of a book.
This is the story of Jodie who loses her beloved sister to leukemia way too young. Her sister is a major instagram influencer and has lived life to the fullest. She’s loved by everyone and is sweet and kind. After she dies, she sends a video to her sister asking her to finish the remaining items left in her life list. Varying from “fly over Antarctica” to “be an extra in a broadway musical.” Jodie, unlike her sister, is shy and does not like to be in the center of attention.
But if she completes the list, a corporate sponsor will pay off all of the debts her family accrued. The debts are breaking her family and Jodie can’t in good conscience, refuse.
So begins Jodie’s journey filled with several other charming side characters. It’s hard not to fall in love with all of them. This is a sweet novel that will wrap around your heart like a hug.
with gratitude to Kensington and edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I tried and tried but couldn’t get myself to finish this book. Yes there are funny bits and yes I love Eggers’ writing but honestly, I just can’t get myself to read another 700 pages about big tech and how evil it is, even with all the jokes. So little character development means my attention wavers and I have no attachment to the story. Since I DNF’ed this even though I was 65% through, I am not rating it.
