A Bookish Update: Books I’ve Read Since August

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Fun fact: reading fiction during graduate school is difficult. Funner fact: reading fiction and blogging about it is damn near impossible.

I suppose that is what I signed up for. And while I owe you a post on how graduate school/#phdlife is going, overall I’ll say it’s going well (I think) and I’m enjoying it (I think). Also, it’s hard. So I’m taking a break from reading and writing the paper I should be working on to share my thoughts on a few books I’ve read lately.

A Bookish Update: The Best Books I’ve Read In The Past Few Months

You can always check in on my 2017 reading update here. As of today, I’ve completed 84 books. My goal is to complete 100 by the end of the year.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
I bought this as an audiobook when it was nominated for the National Book Award. I’m not sure any description could truly give this book justice. A Little Life tells the story of four college friends, but there is one clear subject of the book. Throughout the audiobook (31 hours, so a time commitment), I felt more emotions than I have ever felt reading a book. I sobbed. I felt sick. I laughed and rejoiced. I felt hope and despair. This book has been catapulted to my top five favorite books of all time. OF ALL TIME. The narrator of the audiobook was absolutely amazing. I plan to listen to this book again, and will likely buy the hardback as well.

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller
This is another book I bought as a Kindle Deal and it was well worth it. The book starts in the present: a father deserted/man widowed by his wife, his adult children taking care of him. Through a series of letters that are interwoven between chapters that take place in the present, we learn about the wife and what led her to…disappear. This book drew me in immediately and was a quick read. Loved!

My Life With Bob by Pamela Paul
Book fanatics, this book is for you. This is non-fiction, written by the editor of the NY Times Book Review. Bob is Paul’s book of books, where she chronicles the books she’s read. It’s a beautiful story, filled with emotion and totally relatable, about a woman and her love of reading.

Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
Bad Feminist is another book I bought through an Audible sale. I didn’t have many expectations going in, but this book did not disappoint. The premise/thesis of this collection of essays is: you don’t have to be a perfect feminist to be a feminist. In her essays, Gay discusses everything from being a Scrabble lover, to being a Sweet Valley High fan as a child, to working as a female academic at a college. I loved her storytelling ability and the voice she gave her stories. I didn’t agree with everything she discussed (which is ok!), but I loved the non-judgmental way she discussed being a feminist and how it can mean different things to different people (with the basic understanding that feminism at its core is the belief that genders are and should be considered equal).

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
I bought this book as an Audible Deal of the Day for $3.95. Totally worth it. This Is Where I Leave You chronicles the coming together of a family after the death of its patriarch. Mixing present action with flashbacks, the story is enthralling, if not at times unbelievable, but depicts a family coming together during a time of distress, highlighting how tragedy and comedy can intertwine. (I loved the narrator and recommend the audiobook).

Your turn! What are you reading lately?

My Ph.D. Adventure Begins Tonight

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I’ve had orientation. I’ve completed my first readings. And tonight, my first class for my Ph.D. program meets. My adventure is officially beginning. And I have a lot of feelings.

A big part of my cannot believe this is happening. When I started the application process last fall, it felt like a long shot. I had to take the GRE, which was a huge hurdle for me. I had to write my personal statements, identifying what I might want to research, and identify people I trusted to write letters of recommendation for me. And then I had to wait.

And then, the YES came.

Over the past nine months, starting my Ph.D. didn’t feel real. It was something that would start in the fall. And now the fall is here.

So how am I feeling? Excited. Terrified. Inspired. Inadequate. Crazy (definitely, crazy).

I’m still working full-time, so on Mondays when I have class I’m working until 2pm, then driving 75 minutes to the University of Minnesota for evening class. I’m hoping that excitement will give me the drive and energy I need to make it through these crazy days.

So, here goes nothing. I can’t wait to see where this adventure takes me!

 

Reading People: A Book Review

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I love reading and I love personality tests. Combine these two things with the Anne Bogel’s new book, Reading People, and you have a trifecta of my favorite things!

Back in June, I was chosen to be part of the Reading People launch team. Reading People is a new (soon-to-be-out on September 19 book) by Anne Bogel, the blogger behind Modern Mrs. Darcy and podcaster behind What Should I Read Next. To say I was excited to get a first look at her new book would be a complete understatement!

Reading People by Anne Bogel - Book Review

What Is Reading People?

Reading People isn’t a book about reading (though I would totally read that book too). Instead, it’s a book about reading (or learning how to read) yourself and the people in your life through the lens of personality. It’s about knowing yourself and others better. It’s about knowing yourself and others more deeply.

I’ve always been drawn to learning more about personality; whether it’s the Myers-Briggs (I’m an IFSJ!) or StrengthsFinder (I know my top 5 strengths!) or figuring out if I’m a highly sensitive person (I think I am!), I am fascinated by learning more about myself and how I can use my personality traits to best interact with others. I also thinking knowing more about yourself (for example, I’m an introvert) can help you feel less alone in the world.

What I loved about Reading People (and what made it unique from the typical personality typing run-downs), is that Anne infuses the facts and research with stories and examples. I loved that after telling me the “need to know” information, she shared a story about herself or a friend or family member (or favorite book character – Atticus Finch from to Kill a Mockingbird is an INFJ!) to make the facts accessible to a regular person who isn’t a pro in personality typing. I felt like I was learning about personality from a friend, rather than reading a technical rundown on a website.

Reading People by Anne Bogel - Book Review

Why Does Personality Matter?

I value learning about personality because it gives me the opportunity to learn more about myself and others. I truly believe that I work at my best when I know what I need to work my best. I also believe I work better with others when I know what they need from me. For example:

  • Introvert/Extrovert: I am an outgoing introvert. I enjoy being around people and being social, but I need a quiet space to recharge after spending time with people.
  • Highly Sensitive Person: After reading the chapter on Highly Sensitive People, I began to ponder whether I fit into this category. I’m not sure and need to research more (I already bought The Highly Sensitive Person to learn more), but Anne gave great examples, such as not being able to concentrate when there is a distracting noise in the background or how tags in shirts really impact my ability to concentrate, to consider.
  • StrengthsFinder: I just completed the StrengthsFinder before reading this book (great timing!) and loved seeing the different themes that strengths fall under (I’m a mix between Relationship-Building and Strategic Thinking).

Reading People by Anne Bogel - Book Review
Here’s the good news – Reading People is coming out soon and you can pre-order it! Why pre-order? Well, in addition to getting the book, you also receive the Reading People audiobook read by Anne, plus access to her Reading Personality class!

If you do pre-order/order the book, follow my advice:

  • Don’t feel like you have to read the book from start to finish. I found myself jumping around a bit, and that is fine. Make it work for you!
  • Have a notebook, highlighter, and pen (or be ready to highlight A LOT in your Kindle). I took a ton of notes while reading Reading People and already plan to read it for a second time. This time, I want to be more deliberate about keeping tracks of the notes that I take.
  • Be open to learn more about yourself! Understanding yourself can be difficult, but it’s also incredibly helpful to be your best you (cheesy, but true!). Have an open mind and use Reading People as a way to know yourself better.

For more info, be sure to check out the Reading People website.

I was sent a free copy of Reading People in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own. 

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

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Yesterday was National Book Lover’s Day. On Instagram and Twitter, people shared TONS of books they love. I added many more titles to my TBR list on Amazon. This all inspired me to share my five favorite books of all time (as of today, because the list is constantly changing).

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
I first found out about Wally Lamb about five years ago and quickly devoured all of his books. At the time I started with his most recent, We Are Water, and then tackled I Know This Much Is True. I Know This Much Is True is by far (in my opinion) his best. It starts off with a bang and I found myself quickly drawn into this saga. It’s a long, sprawling novel that explores family history, mental illness, and its impact on the two main characters, who are twins. It’s touching and sad and I find myself coming back to it pretty consistently. If you haven’t read Wally Lamb, I highly recommend his work.

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Ken Follett is the king of suspense; Pillars of the Earth is his first stab at writing historical fiction. Pillars of the Earth is my favorite Follett book (and he has written a handful of amazing books). It takes place a long, long time ago (try the 12th century) and centers around the building of a Gothic cathedral. There are three main characters and a large cast of supporting characters, who I very easily envisioned living and working in the town of Kingsbridge. Pillars of the Earth reads sometimes like a soap opera, spanning over 40 years or so, and kept me up late at night, unable to stop reading. I sped through this the first time and quickly found myself reading the sequel, as well many of Follett’s other books. This is another long one, but amazing.

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
This book touched me. It has so many facets; mystery, love, friendship, issues of identity, dystopia… Never Let Me Go focuses on three friends who grew up together, and is told by one of the friends who is now grown looking back on her time in school. Ishiguro was a complete artist in how he crafted this book; the entire time I felt like I might know what was going on, but he never explicitly told me (until the end). I loved that I was constantly questioning myself and what I was reading as I worked to piece together the story that was being told. I’ve read this book multiple times and find that I get something new out of it each time. It’s a beautiful and tragic story about the lives we lead and the relationships we cultivate and how we sometimes just can’t control our circumstances.

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’ve always been drawn to The Great Gatsby. It’s an epic, tragic love story, set in time that I find so alluring that keeps drawing me in. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be Gatsby and Daisy; even though neither are great people, their love story and the impact it has on Nick, is irresistible to me.

My Five Favorite Books Of All Time (As Of Today)

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
People seem to love this book or hate it. I’m in the love category (obvs). The book focuses on an aging author who hires a young woman to tell her true story, which seems much stranger than fiction. This is a story that intertwines family and mystery and a ghost (!!) that kept my guessing until the very end. It’s not high literature, but it is such a well-written book with an ending that I did not see coming. Loved it!

What are your favorite books (as of today)??

 

Going Through a 30-Something Season of Change

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This year, I turned 30. When I was younger (you know, a teenager, 21 years old…) I thought that when I turned 30 years old, I would have it all figured out. Being 30 meant that I would be old. It would mean that I’m officially an adult. I would have my life all figured out and that it was all downhill afterward. I didn’t think that when I turned 30, I would find myself entering a whole new season of change.

Season of Change - Turning 30 and navigating the ups and downs of life

I’ll be the first to admit that things have come together more than I thought they would. Over the course of three (!!) years, I met the love of my life, moved a state west, found an amazing job, got married, adopted a dog, and bought a house – and those are just the big things. It’s been a whirlwind, to be honest. My life went from stagnant to flying by, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Here’s the thing; my life is all about to (and already has started to) change. Last fall, I took the plunge, conquered my fear and took the GRE. I aced it (#notsohumblebrag) and was accepted to begin my PhD in the fall at the University of Minnesota. This is a huge accomplishment that I’m immensely proud of and cannot wait to start. This would have been enough of a change.

But then an opportunity at work came up. Over the past month, I have transitioned from my job of three years (which I loved) to a new position. This was completely unexpected. I wasn’t planning a move, but this position came up in a new unit and I couldn’t say no to it. It’s directly in line with what I want to do and is giving me the opportunity to gain a new skill set in the field that I love.

Both of these things are great. But at 30, I wasn’t expecting to enter a new season of change. 

Life seems to come in waves. I anticipated the next few years to be the calm before the storm. The quiet time before Jason and I begin to think about adding kids to our family, as we think about where in the US we ultimately want to settle down. And now, it’s all up in the air. All of the certainty seems to have vanished.

Here’s the thing, though. I didn’t plan for this. If anything, I would say that I was planning for the opposite of this. But all of a sudden, I am faced with opportunity. I see challenges and opportunity and open roads ahead of me. I would by lying if I said I wasn’t intimidated as hell. I am. I am 3 years old and am going back to school with a bunch of kids, while trying to learn a new job, where I work 50+ hours each week. It’s crazy.

And I would by lying if I said I wasn’t totally excited to take it on. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say. I didn’t plan for this, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Cheers.

Your Turn! Do you (or have you) find yourself going through a season of change in your life?

A Weekend of Gardening With My Dad

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Happy Sunday, friends. Long time, no talk! Last week was unbelievable. I’ve transitioned to a new job at work and began last week. It is exciting and a challenge, but I forgot what it’s like to the newbie in an office. I can’t wait to share more about this soon.

On Thursday evening, my dad drove from Milwaukee to spend the weekend with me. Living in Minnesota, we live so far (6 hours) from our family; it is so nice when people take some time to visit us. Jason’s good friend is getting married in September and this weekend was his friend’s bachelor party, so it was just us. I had an amazing time spending the weekend gardening with my dad.

Spending the weekend gardening with my dad!

My dad came to help me with yardwork and landscaping. Back in May, he and my mom housesat while Jason and I were in Europe. He did so much work and did such a great job that I told him he could do anything to my yard if he wanted to come and mess around. He took me up on the offer!

He told me to order some mulch and we would go from there. When I got home from work on Friday, he had done a lot of work. He weeded, he removed some dead plants (ah, the joy of being a new homeowner!) and made everything look good.

Spending the weekend gardening with my dad!

This area was previously overrun by plants/weeds. My dad cut down the good plants and covered with mulch. It’s my job to water it and keep it looking good.

Spending the weekend gardening with my dad!

This is another area that just looked sloppy. I started weeding last weekend, and my dad made even more progress. With the mulch, it looks so much better than it did before. (These are the flowers that were by the mailbox in the previous pic).

Spending the weekend gardening with my dad!

This area underwent the biggest transformation. It had been half covered with rocks, full of weeds, and dead plants scattered throughout. My dad cleaned this all up, then covered it with mulch. It makes such a difference to our house when you pull up!

Spending the weekend gardening with my dad!

Finally – my favorite. When we moved in, this entire area was overgrown. Over the past two weeks, I’ve been weeding this area. The weeds were huge (up to my waist) and the roots deep. I’ve made good progress. My dad and I went to a local nursery (Steve’s Nursery in Elk River, if you’re local) and found some annabelle hydrangea’s to plan. This is the start of my garden, but I’m loving it and can’t wait to build on it! (Thank to Hoss for the photobomb!).

First Work, Then Fun

After working for 8+ hours on Saturday in the sun, we were tired and ravenous. We drove down the street to a local favorite, Lupulin Brewery. Lupulin is a staple; they are a small, local brewery who makes amazing beer and has an awesome atmosphere. My dad demands we go every time he visits! We ordered a few beers (the Belgian Blonde is a fave) and ordered a pizza from Pizza Pub. It was the perfect way to cap off the day after working so hard!

My neighbor also stopped by with goodies from her garden. She brought lettuce, cucumbers, and radishes. I’m convinced she stopped by to sweet talk my dad to work on her yard next! She was one of many people who stopped by to tell us how great the yard was looking!

Overall, I had an amazing weekend spending time and gardening with my dad. I appreciate all the work he did, but more, it means the world to me that he took the time to drive and spend time with me. I am so lucky to have so many great family and friends in my life, and weekends like this remind me of that!

Your Turn! What was the best part of your weekend?

What I’m Loving Lately 7.21.17

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Good Morning! I’m sipping a hot cup of coffee, enjoying the early morning sunshine. And listening to the Hamilton soundtrack, because I can’t stop listening to it. It’s a great way to start the day! Now on to what I’m loving lately…

What I'm Loving Lately

Pop Culture

The Big Sick. Jason and I went to see the Big Sick last weekend and loved it. To me, it was a modern day romantic comedy, but with more heart than a typical romantic copy. Plus, it has a 97% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 92% audience approval.

The Hamilton Soundtrack. I admit that I am 2-3 years late on this one. But I thought I would check out the soundtrack and that has led to me listening to it non-stop. It gets my pumped up and puts a smile on my face, which has been needed lately. Now I am obsessed with figuring out how to get tickets in Chicago or in Minneapolis for next year. Favorite songs: The Schuyler Sisters, You’ll Be Back, Dear Theodosia….all of them!

When Dimple Met Rishi. I read this book Wednesday night in one sitting. I loved it. It was a sweet, YA love story done right. And by done right, I mean it all felt incredibly realistic and I cared about each of the characters. I liked that the teenagers were relatable and didn’t feel like they were fit in the mold of what people think teenagers are. Anyways, HIGHLY recommened!

Life

It’s been an interesting week around these parts. Last night, I finally finished a pair of pants I’ve been sewing. I stopped mid-project because my sewing machine and I got in a fight. But I made a lot of progress last night!

What I'm Loving - Sewing Leggings

The kind folks at Modern Map Art offered to send me a map of Minneapolis. I love it! There are multiple colors to choose from – I choose green and yellow because they are Packer colors and I like to maintain my Wisconsin identity while living here in MN (#stubborn). I can’t wait to hang this up!

What I'm Loving - Modern Map Art

This weekend I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and relaxing a bit. Hopefully reading (Dreamland Burning is up next!) and enjoying the sunshine.

What are you loving lately?

 

Anxiety, Mental Illness, and Life

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I just finished listening to Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson (actually I listened to it and I recommend listening to it because she is a phenomenal narrator). It was amazing. I laughed until I cried (usually in the car, where people could see), and I reflected on things until I was brought to tears. It seems silly, being 30 years old, but mental illness is something that isn’t discussed much in my life. I work in higher education so I talk about and around mental illness and anxiety and how it impacts students, but these conversations are typically abstract.

I have anxiety. Not “general, everyone gets it anxiety,” but “go to the doctor and take medication to control it” anxiety. And unfortunately, it’s gotten worse this year. Many people in my life have no idea that I have anxiety. Most people look at me and think I have it figured out; I have an amazing job that I love and am good at, I am married to my best friend, and if you look at my Facebook or Instagram, it looks like my life is pretty great. And it is. But I have anxiety. And it doesn’t feel as if it’s okay to talk about.

When Things Get Tough: Living with Anxiety

Living with Anxiety

I didn’t realize I could ask for help until I was 27 years old. Until this point, I just figured that something was wrong with me. That I wasn’t like other people. That it was normal to constantly worry about every little thing that could go wrong or to fixate on a conversation and re-live it 784928 times, or that it was normal to have a panic attack when I was in any social situation. I just figured I was not like everyone else and that I would have to live with that.

Until I realized I didn’t have to live like that. That life with constant anxiety didn’t have to be my norm.

It’s unfortunate, but I think when people hear the term “mental illness” certain images or perceptions come to mind. And these perceptions, whether accurate or not, have a massive impact on how comfortable people feel sharing what their certain situation is.

Anyways – when I was 27, I asked for help. And it was terrifying. It ranks as one of the most vulnerable times in my life. At first I felt like a failure; I’d been handed mostly everything in my life and there was no reason that I should be struggling. Why me? But I asked for help. After talking with my doctor and discussing my symptoms, she recommended counseling and medication, both of which helped and still help. Then I moved to Minnesota and completely uprooted my personal life and started planning a wedding – and needed more help. And now this year, the worst year of my life (no exaggeration, and I’ll probably share more later), I’ve needed to ask for help again. And now I see that it’s ok to ask for help. I may not be “cured” but I am doing better than I was.

After reading Furiously Happy, I realized that it’s okay to say, “hey, I need a little help.” I’m lucky that I’ve found a way to manage my anxiety through medication and an amazing therapist, and that most times it minimally impacts my daily life – but not everyone is that lucky. It’s scary to share this online, in a public place where people I know might read it. But the truth is, anxiety, depression…it’s unfortunately pretty common. And in my opinion, the only way people can become more comfortable talking about it is if someone starts the conversation. So thanks, Jenny Lawson. You made me feel like I wasn’t alone.

Your turn: Thoughts? Can you relate?

My Top Five Favorite Books of 2017 (So Far)

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Can you believe that July is this weekend? I’m in denial about it. Particularly because it’s currently 67 degrees here. It just doesn’t feel like we’ve hit the middle of summer yet! But, to celebrate hitting mid-year, I want to talk about my favorite books of 2017 that I’ve read so far – my top five! Thanks to the Broke and Bookish for the link up!

My Favorite Booksof 2017 (so far)

My Top Five Favorite Books of 2017 (so far)

I have finished 55 books and have two more currently in progress, as of this morning. It’s been a good reading year so far, with mostly good books (like 3 or higher rating out of 5). Here are my favorites, with a super short description:

  1. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
    A novel of family drama, of growing up, and how your childhood impacts your entire life.
  2. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Brynn Greenwood
    The story of a young girl and her older friend, abuse, neglect, friendship, and love.
  3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
    A timely novel about race, life, speaking up, and hiding.
  4. The Nix by Nathan Hill
    A long novel that explores everything from political activism to love to video games to trying to figure out who you are.
  5. The After Party by Anton Disclafani
    A peek into Texan high society and the story of two friends who are tied together and can’t quite become untied.

I’ve been reading more new releases and seeking out more recommendations as usual this year. I find myself getting recommendations from all over the place: podcasts, blogs, Book of the Month Club, friends, etc. What I’m loving about recommendations is that I am reading more books that I normally wouldn’t have picked up right away. I feel like I’m really broadening my reading horizons, which feels like I understand the world around me a little more each day.

Here is to a great year of reading so far and to another amazing 6 months!

Your Turn! What are your favorite books of 2017 so far?

What I’m Loving Lately | 6.6.17

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Happy Friday, friends! This is the second week I’m saying this in a row, but this week has been a long one! I’m not sure if it’s getting used to summer being here and wanting to be outside…but I’m wishing I had the entire summer off! #wishfulthinking Before the weekend officially hits, I’m sharing some of what I’m loving lately!

What I'm Loving Lately

What I’m Loving Lately…

Life

It’s been a quiet week this week. Mostly, I’ve focused on working on house-related things (like cleaning, boo!). This weekend I have a list of things I want to accomplish – mostly chores like cleaning my house and organizing my closet. I’m planning on sewing a pair of pants I began working on for earlier this week (ughhh) and enjoying the sun.

Pop Culture:

I shared my favorite podcasts this week. I highly recommend checking out the Popcast episode #197 – The 2017  Chris-America Pageant. It was sooooo good.

The Wangs Vs. The World

I just started listening to The Wangs vs. The World by Jade Changevia audiobook (old school cds in the car!). I’m loving it, particularly because it’s not what I expected. This was an impulse check out at the library this week, but it’s been on my TBR for awhile now!

Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot

Wonder Woman. The move is amazing, and not just as a “female-driven” movie, but as a superhero movie. I loved it. And I’m totally infatuated with Gal Gadot! She is such a badass, but also seems like someone I’d like to sit down and have coffee with.

Links:

14 Careers For Readers, Because It Is Possible To Make A Living Off Your Love Of Books via Bustle

How I’m Using Morning Pages to Write My Way Through via Claire Diaz Ortiz

Do Reading Logs Ruin Reading for Kids via The Atlantic

Is Your Vision Board Setting You Up to Fail via Gala Darling

Your Turn! What are you loving lately? Any fun plans this weekend?