“Male editors who fulfilled their job duties were deemed not ‘formidable‘ but ‘genius…‘

Lurking within the word ‘formidable‘ is this original sin: she did nothing to prop up male authority or disguise her own, nothing to make it easier for men to defer to her.”

An audiobook and a walk with my Luna Bear ☺️

“She valued intellectual risk, because she herself had profited from wading into books that made her stretch to encompass them.”

“…her father and Crullie seemed to have provided only support, never censorship. Katharine was allowed to read books that scared her and books that she didn‘t understand—and these were ‘often the ones that meant the most‘ to her.”

This is what “watching the game” with my husband looks like 😅

This one caught my eye in the Women‘s History display at the library ☺️

I moved through this one slowly, annotating/underlining, taking it all in. Airey takes a no-nonsense approach while still being motivating and inspiring. He gave me a lot to think about and helped me come to some important decisions for how I want to approach my business. More importantly, it didn‘t overwhelm me but filled me with excitement. In my opinion, every designer wanting to start their own business should have this one on their shelves.

“‘At its best… money facilitates community health and support for yourself and your extensions, and in the larger world it provides a context of universal interaction between countries that can lead to healthy cultural exchange. At its worst, it becomes a vehicle to manipulate and oppress from a stance of power…‘”

“‘Good ideas are like falling in love… when it‘s not the real thing, you can debate about the pros and cons forever. But when it‘s really right, you know it when it happens and you‘d be crazy not to act on it.‘”

Here‘s to the simple joys in life!

1. Did plenty of creating this week (makes my soul happy).
2. With the Merlin ID app from Cornell, I was able to ID all of the bird sounds in our yard (I drew ones I saw, image on the far left).
3. My cats Sunny & Midnight gave me plenty of moments full of love/laughter, as usual 🥰
4. I had a me date at the bookstore.
5. Went on a few walks with my son & our dog, we had nice talks 🥰

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

Letting myself slow down a bit this morning… I‘m loving this one so far and I just LOVE the feel and smell of a decent paperback. This one has slightly thicker, creamier pages than a lot of paperbacks so it‘s a bit heavier but feels so good in my hands. So I wanna know, when it comes to physical books, do you prefer hardcover or paperback?

“…no matter what, you are not alone, not with ten quintillion insects on this planet and 390,900 plants known to science—no, you are most certainly not alone in this rich and dark dirt.” What beautiful essays. Aimee connects her life to nature as she‘s learned profound lessons from fireflies, bonnet macaques, ribbon eels, etc. Lessons like, learn to laugh at yourself, and just dance! Nature reminds us that the simple things make life worth living.

Had a “me date” at B&N with the gift card my hubby got me for Valentine‘s Day, hadn‘t a chance to use it until now. Really excited for these 😁 #bookhaul

A quiet Sunday afternoon on my porch surrounded by my books and journals, yet another cup of coffee, and my fur babies keeping me company 🥰

Already started this one, after it waited in my Audible library for a very long time lol. I‘m enjoying it so far…

I finished this one a few days ago. I enjoyed the scaffolding techniques to unlock our hidden potential (and that of others), but I think I‘ll need to read the actual book to really absorb the info. There were chapters meant for parents, or those who work with/mentor young children, so if that‘s not you, it might not resonate. There were also topics for organizations/teams, which doesn‘t currently resonate with me. But overall a great listen.

5:20 AM before CrossFit… I love CrossFit but I really didn‘t want to get up this morning. Having a moment to myself helps…

I saw someone post this one on Substack and was able to find a used copy.

I do read self-help! Per my last post, you‘ll see one I finished last night and I explain why I find them invaluable.

But the tagged book is probably the one that has helped me the most. It‘s a quick read, but the concept of kaizen has infiltrated my life and helped me accomplish goals. Starting small is how I‘ve managed to be consistent with fitness for over a year and a half, CrossFit specifically for 11 months.

#sundayfunday @BookmarkTavern

Some people look down on “self-help” books, but I believe these kinds of books can be invaluable. Even authors who aren‘t “industry experts” have something of value to offer in the way of their wisdom and experiences. And at the very least, when certain things resonate, it helps you feel less alone. Meggan isn‘t an industry expert, and she does emphasize getting professional help with your mental health, but I loved this book. Continued ⬇️

Next up…

This one took me a while to finish, it‘s a chunky one plus I was juggling other books. But it‘s magnificent. The descriptions are poetic. The otherworldly atmosphere is almost palpable and I felt transported every time I flipped open the cover. I liked the characters, even one of the antagonists. There‘s also a sadness in its pages, a sense of grief and loss. Even as they cope with that; the characters find, in each other, a way forward.

1. This week marked 11 months of CrossFit.
2. I got a new doctor this week and really like her so far.
3. Due to healthier habits, my blood pressure is the lowest it‘s ever been, we are slowly weaning me off medication I‘ve been taking for it.
4. I‘ve been able to get a lot done, including more writing and drawing.
5. Excited for date night this weekend with hubby 🥰

@DebinHawaii #5JoysFriday

Decided to join in… feels pretty accurate, especially Michelle Tanner stuffing her face with spaghetti, can totally relate 🤣

Type “Literally my character” into your Pinterest search bar and see what you get…

#literallymycharacter #pinterest @TheBookHippie

1. Tired physically and emotionally
2. I usually journal, go for walks, and do CrossFit. Something new I‘m trying recently is breathwork/meditation.
3. What books people have read on the topic of mental health/psychology, maybe advice people are willing to share that they‘ve gotten from a therapist that was a game-changer.

#mentalhealthmonday @Kerrbearlib

Did some journaling and some reading while my son attended his tutoring session at the library… I love this hour to myself ☺️

This picture doesn‘t do this edition justice… found it in a little bookshop nearby and I just had to have it 😍

Had so much fun building these DIY “book nook” bookends. It was a Christmas gift from hubby, just didn‘t get a chance to build it until today. I love how it came out 😍

“What governs a life, if not chance?”

“Create the circumstances you need for a great Christmas, but then try to go with the flow and make the best of whatever unfolds.”

This was a VERY soft pick. I almost rated it so-so. I love the descriptions of the Highlands, especially once winter finally hit in the story. I couldn‘t stand all the descriptions of the renovations and organizing they had to do for the cottage, the camper van, the shop, and the castle. It felt like I was reading a house flipper‘s memoir at times. And there were some errors (typos and such) that irritated me a bit. But what kept me going were ⬇️

Wanted a different kind of holiday read, and discovered this while browsing online. Really excited for it. I think this will be my final holiday read for the year.

I really enjoyed reading Tolkien‘s letters from Father Christmas to his children. I can only imagine what joy it brought them in the moment. And of course it had all the flair of Tolkien‘s imagination with goblin wars, dancing penguins, hidden caves, and a silly polar bear who helps Father Christmas but often makes things worse with his curiosity and clumsiness. I loved all of his drawings as well. What a worthy edition to my annual holiday reads.

“Christmas is not a single day; it is a season, and a manifestation of the spirit of generosity. It's a time for cherishing loved ones and using our skills and talents to create moments and memories. But it also takes place in the middle of winter, so we must be careful not to overextend ourselves.”

Cozy on the couch by the tree with another holiday read 😊🎄

This is a soft pick. The few issues I had with it were minor, but overall this was a cozy, wholesome read. If you‘re looking for action and adventure, you won‘t find that here. But I loved the depiction of a Parisian Christmas and all of the bits discussing the Lost Generation of writers in Paris. I loved the literary mystery the MC unfolds as well, it was a nice touch to this cozy Christmas story.

1. It‘s actually a bucket list item of mine to spend Christmas at a cozy cabin somewhere with snow. I grew up in Miami so a white Christmas is fantasy to me at this point lol.

2. Paris at Christmas time, especially where the tagged book is set in, sounds amazing. A literary, Parisian Christmas *le sigh*

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

“Simplicity, generosity, delight, and belonging are true touchstones of festive joy.”

“You know that feeling when you are snapped out of a stressful situation by laughter, a kind gesture, or an unexpected occurrence? That is when you open a door to joy.”

“Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered… but nobody could ever count my love for you.”

Enjoying more of my holiday reads by the tree with a cup of tea while I wait for laundry to finish drying. I wish I had discovered Tolkien‘s collection of letters to his children sooner (I discovered it only last year). Such a whimsical, wonderful way he made their Christmas‘ more magical, I‘m sure. And it seems he didn‘t let up once they got older either lol.

Doesn‘t matter how many times I read this classic, I still love it so much 😊

My current holiday reads. I discovered the tagged book here just last night and found it was free on Kindle Unlimited. It seems like such a cozy read. And I reread A Christmas Carol every year. Already finished rereading The Return of the Light by Carolyn McVickar Edwards a couple of days ago (one of my fave holiday rereads). Making good time with my holiday reads this year lol.

I really enjoyed this story and LOVED these characters. It‘s a bit progressive for the times it‘s set in, but it‘s fantasy, and I don‘t read fantasy for the historical accuracy. This story is full of treasure-hunting pirates, dangerous magical artifacts, horrifying sea monsters, sorcerers, djinn and other supernatural creatures. I‘m glad the ending hinted at more adventures with Amina, I can‘t wait to see what else she gets herself into.

“Had I been so naïve to see purpose in the incidents that had led to me being here, rather than quirks of an uncaring universe? What madness to gaze upon the violent chaos and cruelty of this world and have faith!”

It‘s the little things…

“It is not always easy to do the right thing… More often than not, it is a lonely, thankless ordeal. That does not mean it is not worth doing.”

Realized I didn‘t have any Christmas themed bookmarks and wanted one to use with my holiday reads. And this book has exercises I wanted to do in a dedicated notebook, so a Christmas journal seemed necessary lol. Early Christmas gifts to myself I guess ☺️

The farther I get into the story, the more I love Amina. She‘s such a badass 😅

“I have traveled widely enough that I take everything written about ‘foreigners‘ with doubt and know better than to judge a community by their worst individuals.”