Happy Friday evening! We made it. After wrapping up work today, I’m (finally) putting the finishing touches on this newsletter while sitting under a shady tree on a hot summer day at the park. Today I’m sharing all about how my son got his library card last week, celebrating my dog’s birthday, a bookish podcast hack, my reading ritual conundrum, and what I’m currently reading. This weekend I’m looking forward to finishing one book (details below!) and attending MMD Reader’s Weekend. Enjoy!
Having Fun Isn’t Hard When You’ve Got a Library Card
If you read last week’s newsletter, you know we had a lovely Bay Area staycation. We had plenty of fun visiting local attractions, but on one of the days we stayed super close to home to run errands and do some life catch-up. I needed to return a few library books at the drive-thru book drop, but then my son said he wanted to go in and do some browsing. You don’t have to tell me twice!
We looked all over for Dora Fantasmagory and Dog Man, but as you can imagine, they were mostly all checked out. He did walk away with one book! As we approached the counter, it occurred to me that even though he has grown up going to libraries, he didn’t have his own library card. I asked a few questions at the front desk and a few minutes later he was walking out with his very own astronaut-themed library card! We got home and he asked if we could order a wallet to put his library card in. Very official!
If you are local to the East Bay, check out how to get a library card in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
We have a teenager!
Last week we celebrated our dog’s 13th birthday! Brewer is our Springer Spaniel who has been part of our family since 2012; many years ago, my husband brewed award-winning beer, hence the name “Brewer.” He’s been with us through moves across the country several times, our engagement, wedding prep, and he was waiting for us when we brought home our baby boy in 2017.
Brewer isn’t as playful at 13 as he used to be, so instead of dog toys we made sure he had a delicious birthday dinner and a yummy bone for dessert!
A Book-ish Podcast Hack
When I don’t want a book to end, I search for podcast episodes about the book to keep the vibes going! Sometimes it’s just a podcast where two book lovers discuss what they liked about it or it’s a podcaster interviewing the author – a real treat! This method is especially helpful when I’ve read a book too far in advance of book club and I need a reminder on the plot, character names, conflict, and how it all ended. (Since I’m a mood reader, I try to get an early start on book club books!)
Recently, after finishing The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl for book club, I immediately searched for podcasts about the book. Here’s what I found!
If you are looking to get more out of your next book, try searching for a podcast episode about it. If you haven’t finished the book yet, you may want to watch for “Spoiler Alerts” – some podcasts do not reveal the ending while others do a deep dive into it.
Establishing a Reading Ritual: A Conundrum
In my mid-year goal update, one of the items I’d like to “start” is having a reading ritual. Yes, I read quite a bit, but not in a predictable way. Some of my bookish friends wake up and read for 30 minutes every single day, it’s the first thing they do. I’ve found that I have more creative energy in the morning and I’m more prepared to consume information in the evening. I’ve also tried listening to my audiobook on my morning walk and I just cannot do it, and I LOVE audiobooks, but for me they are more of a driving or cleaning companion.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I probably need to have an evening reading ritual. However, that is also when life is most chaotic – dinner, sports, preparing for the next day – and, admittedly, it is when my willpower to stick to literally anything is at its lowest.
Lately, my son and I have been reading side-by-side when he’s about to fall asleep. He reads his book and I’ll read mine. This might be as close as I get to a daily reading ritual at this point in life.
Currently Reading
I’m almost finished with The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison – it’s a page-turner for me! When I first saw it in the Summer Reading Guide, I immediately added it to my TBR, and then when MMD selected it as the August book club selection, I was thrilled!
You know I’m a fan of contemporary time-bendy novels and this one was also filled with millennial nostalgia – including references to Gossip Girl and The OC! I also noticed lots of music mentioned, so I checked Spotify to see if a playlist exists.
From the publisher:
With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood’s latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a tiny nervous breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip to Ireland. Specifically, to the village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving.
When Meg arrives, the people in town don’t just recognize her, they seem to know her. She quickly—reluctantly—realizes she has somehow slipped into an alternate reality. One where she did move to Ireland as a teenager, one where she never got famous, and—most shocking of all—one where Aimee is alive and well.
She just wants nothing to do with Meg.
Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-two-lifetimes chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke . . . or else risk losing Aimee all over again.
A few questions for your weekend:
- Do you remember when you first got a library card?
- Tell me about your morning or evening reading ritual. Or another time of day?
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