Completely Full Bookshelf

Uh...a lot has happened since I last posted here! Geez. In August, this blog turned 9 years old, and I also started a job that I've been in for about 5 months. I like it a lot! And I've had lots of other personal adventures I look forward to telling y'all more about soon. I've decided as of today that I am going to read 5 pages every day. I've been in a huge reading slump for at least six months, but really a few years. And I'd like it to stop now, because books are really good for my mental health and my happiness, and I think they are a missing piece in the puzzle of my life. Before I carry on with reading new books, though, I have several books, bookstores, libraries from the past 6 months that I'd like to update you on now! Books My Boyfriend Is a Bear Written by Pamela Ribon and illustrated by Cat Farris Adult graphic novel You know, for a hilarious graphic novel about a woman named Nora who finds true love by dating a literal giant bear, I was honestly...

(This post title is in honor of my best friend—she'll know what I mean!) It's been capital-B Busy this last week. Work meetings, org fairs, officer meetings, therapy, night classes, visits with friends (yay!), yoga classes (see below), and networking dinners. I've driven so much  to get to everything—I've been north and south and north again, sometimes both in the same day. It's been hectic, but honestly, it hasn't been bad! There's been a nice balance of work and fun, and I've felt like I have a (relative) sense of purpose. Some random things: My best friend got me into yoga classes, and now I'm hooked! I've been taking some that are full-on exercise classes, and I hate  exercise. But the thing is, we do deep breathing while doing the poses/exercise, and the deep breathing gives me something to focus on besides my body's angst, plus it sometimes gets my body to calm down with it, which makes the exercise easier. I think this is the only form...

Hi everyone! Sorry for not posting last week—I was away on a lovely week-long vacation to the beach, which was really emotionally healing. I feel like in getting to enjoy myself and avoid all the usual pressures of life, I got to feel more confident as a human being and get in touch with some of my deeper thoughts—so now I'm feeling more like myself upon my return. Unlike my big trip last year (see here and here ), I did far less reading. Instead, I: Visited an art museum Rode on a boat Went to the mall Swam in the ocean Sat in a hot tub Hung out with my family Virtually talked with my friends Took around 250 photos (not including the art at the museum) So not much time for reading! But I did knock out one nonfiction book that I probably wouldn't have found time for, were it not for traveling. I'm really excited to tell you all about it, so let's do it! Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School Written by Tiffany Jewell and other contributors Young adult · ...

This is sort of a weird post, because I don't have any reviews for y'all today—mainly because I've been a bit of an Agent of Chaos™ this last week and haven't finished any books! (I'm in the middle of two graphic novels simultaneously, which is living dangerously for me, and probably the reason I haven't finished either one.) So instead of book reviews, I figured I'd share something else with y'all! Over the last month, through different kindnesses and strokes of luck, I have gotten to visit three different indie bookstores across the state of Texas. I don't live close to an indie bookstore, so this has been an absurd privilege (and an absurd drain on my family's bank account, thanks to my purchases...). I wanted to share about these bookstores so that, if you ever get the chance to visit these cities in Texas, you know where to stop, and if you don't, at least you can vicariously enjoy their delights through my photographs! It honestly just ...