Books I Read Over Break

As this is my last full day in Boston and also a blizzard day (16-18″!), and as I have no books left from the library (I had to go back and cancel my extra holds yesterday 😥 ) this list isn’t going to go through any alterations before the actual end of the break tomorrow around 7 pm (at which point I will be at the airport) (unless I finish The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur SUPER QUICKLY), I can get away with posting this a bit prematurely.

I have packed my bags and read my last book.

• The Secret Lives of Color, Kassia St. Clair: An excellent and really interesting book about the histories of various culturally significant colors (like Mountbatten Pink, Lead White, Cerulean, et al.) featuring odd and various anecdotes from the past.  Each color discussed gets a few pages.  Very far from dry, perfect for increasing your store of random information for use at parties and family gatherings, and a very aesthetically pleasing book.
• Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult, Bruce Handy: I’m a huge children’s lit reader. Possibly more so than I was as a child (and that’s saying something).  Watching the author discuss and examine childhood favorites (Goodnight Moon, Peter Rabbit, Green Eggs and Ham) through an adult lens, with an attention to various social/cultural movements, is so fascinating. It doesn’t hurt that the author is really witty. I think I audibly chuckled a few times.
• The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, Hyemin Sunim: Part of what inspired my very crunchy and zen resolution list (the other part being that I’m just a crunchy and zen person) (well, I try to be zen).  Beautiful illustrations and lots of crunchy and chewy food for thought. So glad I stumbled on this in Shakespeare and Co. (And so glad BPL carries it!)

Contrary to my usual preferences, if was a very nonfiction-heavy vacation.  But I feel edified, improved, and most importantly full of odd anecdotes to share.

Friday Links 7/7

As always when it’s the first links installment of the month, the above photo is my new monthly desktop background (tiled, of course!)
It’s Friday and the weekend and I seem to be living my best life- at least that’s how it feels when things go your way for a few days. I’ve been doing a lot of cooking, found the perfect denim dress (finally!) and have some nice plans for the days ahead (Hopefully involving watching some horse racing! And possibly a film).  And my birthday is coming up! I’ll be 22, which is a nice even palindrome.

There are a lot of potential posts in the offing, which means that I need to gather my thoughts into a more orderly order and then proceed. You may have noticed that my Baby Driver thoughts yesterday were a bit scattered- but I was feeling guilty for not mentioning it, as it’s a really great independent film, and we need more of them.

Let’s get down to business!

• First a McSweeney’s link about sexual harassment that will either get any misogynistic assholes reading to a) leave or b) write me a nasty comment. Five times you thought you were sexually harassed but actually weren’t. How many sound familiar?
• The top names in Spain have just been released! I’m feeling intrigued by Leire and Valeria, both for girls.
• The Parenting Series has begun again at Cup of Jo, with 17 Surprising Things About Parents in Namibia.
• Elizabeth Gilbert (she of Eat, Pray, Love fame) writes about a spiritual truth learned from a bus driver: “anyone can be the light, at any moment”. Really a lovely story, of the ‘not all heroes wear capes’ variety.
• Just Dance: a sun-soaked portrait of the dance craze sweeping Brazil.
• You know the trolley problem? That particular moral poser regarding who dies if you have the opportunity to sacrifice one to save the lives of five? What would Buddha do? Here’s how Buddhist monks respond to moral quandaries and ‘trolleyology’,
• Some Trump supporters got mighty pissed at the Declaration of Independence (which they didn’t recognize). Oh, the irony.
• Curly girl comics. Pretty adorable, and pretty relatable even if my hair has calmed down in recent years. Plus it reminds me of Gabriella.
• Linda Chambers speaks out on being fired from Vogue. Even if you’re not into fashion, I really recommend reading this. It’s an interesting meditation on ‘failure’, judgment, self-doubt, and the power of your own narrative. And if you do like Vogue- then yes, it’s a bit dishy, which is why it was briefly taken down.
• The Guardian thinks ‘post-horror’ movies are taking over the cinema and I think that’s ridiculous. The presence of a few films eschewing stereotypical horror tropes does not mean we’re entering a post-horror genre. There have been unusual horror films since the beginning of cinema and there is nothing new under the sun. Stop being stupid, Guardian.

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Wellness on a $0 Budget

I talk about wellness way too frequently.  It’s getting to be one of my favorite topics, along with the inexhaustible lists of books and movies.  Partly it’s me (what kind of millennial yoga-loving anorexia-surviving introspective vegan would I be if I didn’t?) and part of it is the current craze for wellness, mindfulness, and all of the associated paraphernalia (rose quartz lamps).

Interrupting this broadcast: I HEAR THUNDER THANK GOD FINALLY

Anyway…

I have ambivalent feeling about the current cultural boom being experienced by wellness.  On the positive side, it’s helped me find more people who share my interests and brought my niche interests to a much wider audience.  Yay! An opportunity for new friends with new shared interests!
Additionally, as society and the market adapts to appeal more to this current cultural climate, it also suits me better.  There are increased vegan dining options, more articles around that I find compelling…. more things are available that resonate with my lifestyle and mindset.