Happy Friday! This week I’m reflecting on a concert, sharing what I’ve been watching lately, my next slow read, a poetry flight for the Swiftie in your life, and I dive deep into my feelings about the friends I’ve made through book clubs!
Guster
On Valentine’s Day, my husband and I went to Guster’s “We Also Have Eras” Tour in Oakland at the Fox Theater. We took BART and got there around 7:45 and the concert started promptly at 8:05 (which we very much appreciated!). As soon as I got there, a woman handed me a friendship bracelet! I didn’t know every single song like my husband did, but I enjoyed learning the history of the band through the eras and I knew most of their better-known songs: Satellite, One Man Wrecking Machine, and Amsterdam. I also love Keep It Together, which I’m pretty sure I first heard on The OC.
Currently Watching
A few weeks ago I watched The Perfect Couple on Netflix in one week. It’s based on the 2018 novel by Elin Hilderbrand about a murder over a wedding weekend. That opening wedding dance scene is so fun to watch!
I read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood many years ago and I’ve heard about the show for the last several years, but didn’t have a subscription to Hulu. I finally decided to start the free trial and I’m trying to get through as many episodes as possible!
The Slow Read
I finally finished Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig! I started in September by reading one small section per day and decided this works well for me. Next up, I’m reading On Writing by Stephen King. From what I hear, this is more about the art and craft of writing and is not scary…I’ll let you know!
Invisible Strings
You know by now that I’m a certified Swiftie, so I will always share the latest with you about her music! If you are a fan of her songwriting, I recommend this poetry selection. I can’t do the summary of Invisible Strings justice, so here is the official description from Goodreads:
With a record-breaking four Grammy awards for Album of the Year, Taylor Swift stands alone in the world of pop music. One of the most talented lyricists of all time, her music captivates millions of fans throughout the globe with the narrative depth and emotional resonance of her songwriting.
In Invisible Strings, poet, professor, and dedicated Swiftie Kristie Frederick-Daugherty has brought together 113 contemporary poets, each contributing an original poem that responds to a specific Taylor Swift song.
In a spirit of celebration and collaboration, poets have taken a cue from Swift’s love of dropping clues and puzzles for her fandom to decode, as each poem alludes to a song without using direct lyrics.
The collection showcases a diverse and accomplished array of writers including the 23rd US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, Pulitzer Prize winners Diane Seuss, Yusef Komunyakaa, Carl Phillips, Rae Armantrout, and Gregory Pardlo, National Book Critics Circle Award winners Mary Jo Bang and Laura Kasischke, and bestselling poets Maggie Smith, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Kate Baer, Amanda Lovelace, Tyler Knott Gregson, and Jane Hirshfield.
Swifties will experience the profundity and nuance of Swift’s lyrics through these poems, while having fun matching the poems to songs from all of her eras—vault tracks included! For poetry lovers, this one-of-a-kind anthology is an unparalleled collection of new work from today’s most lauded and revered poets.
Friendship + Books
The best kept secret of adult friendship is not staying in touch, being nice, or being “there” in tough times.
Yes, those are important.
The real secret of adult friendship is being weird or extra nerdy together. It’s a connection that surpasses the obligatory “check-in.” You’re checking in all the time because you’re obsessed with the same things.
When I tell people about the friends I’ve met through book clubs, they are often surprised. But here’s the thing – there’s always more books. (Or at least I hope!) So our conversations are never ever finished.
So if you are looking to make more friends as an adult, don’t just find a “hobby.” Find a passion outside of work that never has an end date. Then find other people or groups with that same focus – you may have to look online and then find people who live near you!
And don’t be afraid to be extra nerdy!
Can you de-code what PWMOV stands for? (Hint: It’s the title of an Emily Henry novel.)
I’m headed to a wedding this weekend of a friend I met at book club! I hope you have a wonderful weekend with some time to read!
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