I went into December with a big ambitious list of books I wanted to read by the end of the year. And then I started living the reality of December: events and parties and pottery classes and holidays. A huge amount of fun, but not an atmosphere conducive to hunkering down and finishing a list… Continue reading Polysyllabic Spree – December 2015
Farewell, 2015!
2015 was a year of getting comfortable with uncertainty. I learned to embrace this in 2014 as well when I quit my job to travel around the world, but when I met Graham and decided to extend my travel even longer, the uncertainty increased significantly. I delayed getting a new job for a year longer… Continue reading Farewell, 2015!
The Week 12.27.15
Graham is back from England! I found it hard to get into the Christmas spirit this year until he returned. (Although I think the hot weather was another large factor.) But he got back about a week before Christmas, and we’ve spent it happily cocooned in the apartment, and we had a wonderful Christmas. We had… Continue reading The Week 12.27.15
November in England and Wales
Graham had to go back to England for two months starting in October, and I, very fortunately, got to take a vacation and go visit him right in the middle of his two months away. This was my fourth trip to England, my second time there with him, my first time meeting his family, and… Continue reading November in England and Wales
Top Ten Non-Fiction Reads of 2015
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, asks for “Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015.” I decided to focus this list on the excellent non-fiction books published in 2015 that I loved reading this year. Here’s my list, with very oversimplified descriptions of when I’d recommend reading them. IF YOU WANT… Continue reading Top Ten Non-Fiction Reads of 2015
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
“If you’re alive, you’re a creative person.” Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert is not meant to be a “how to” book, it’s meant to address the hang ups that most often prevent people from pursuing a creative life, and to motivate us to explore the creativity within us. Usually those hesitations take the form of… Continue reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Week 12.13.15
Hello! It’s been quite a while since my last weekly post. Life has been speeding along at 88 miles an hour and has been filled with a lot of wonderful and busy things. Since my last update post, I’ve been to England, Wales, and Michigan, started weekly pottery classes, attended a Yule Ball, raised money… Continue reading The Week 12.13.15
Polysyllabic Spree – November 2015
November was a whirlwind! I was traveling 2 of the 4 weeks, and wasn’t home for a single weekend. I’m happy that I managed to finish 8 books, and happier still that they were all great reads. Books read: 8 Already reviewed: Felicity by Mary Oliver The Penguin Lessons by Tom Mitchell NON-FICTION I listened… Continue reading Polysyllabic Spree – November 2015
The Penguin Lessons by Tom Mitchell
Here’s what I think you need to know about this delightful book: 1. First of all, I need to thank Lauren for putting this book on my radar. You should head to her review for a longer, more thoughtful review than this one. 2. What you’ll find inside this true story is this: a young… Continue reading The Penguin Lessons by Tom Mitchell
Hay-on-Wye: A bookworm’s paradise in Wales
I first heard about Hay-on-Wye last year. It’s a small village in Wales known as “The Town of Books.” When I asked Graham if we could go there on our next trip to England, he readily agreed, because he is the sort of boyfriend who will drive his girlfriend to a town of 26 bookstores… Continue reading Hay-on-Wye: A bookworm’s paradise in Wales
Shop Local: Independent Bookstore Bookmarks (& giveaway!)
It’s the time of year when giant box stores try to get us to leave our cozy, family filled homes and stand in line to buy things sold to us by the employees they’ve made leave their families to go work so that we can shop on a national holiday. It’s heartening to see some stores… Continue reading Shop Local: Independent Bookstore Bookmarks (& giveaway!)
Thanksgiving
It’s been a rough few weeks to be a human, hasn’t it? We’ve seen tragedy in Paris, Beirut, Mali, and many other places. We’ve seen people reacting to these tragedies with fear and hatred. It feels like something vitally important to our humanity is at risk: our ability to love each other, empathize with each… Continue reading Thanksgiving