Um, is this me, blogging on time for two months IN A ROW? It really, truly, is. What did I do in March, you may ask? I'll tell you.
Something I read: the first week of the month I read Listen to the Marriage, which I actually kind of loved. I found the beginning a little slow, and it took me awhile to get used to the narrative style. The book is told from the marriage counselor's point of view as a recently separated couple comes in -- individually and together -- over the course of a year. It fascinated me because it's primarily dialogue, and the reader won't know anything about the characters' lives unless they choose to share it verbally in the session. It honestly kind of reminded me of reading a screenplay. I head about this book from the Modern Love podcast and it did not let me down!
Something I watched/listened to: I've been listening to audiobooks almost all month! I saw the trailer for Where'd You Go, Bernadette? and remembered how much I loved the book -- I read it at Christmas in 2017 (I think) and so enjoyed it! Jojo had listened to the audio version and recommended it to me before she knew I had read it, so I thought this would be a good way to refamiliarize myself with the book without *technically* checking out more library books. Y'all, it's so much fun. Just, wonderfully, dramatically, delightful. The release date is August 9 so I will report back if the movie is equally delightful!
Something I cooked: Y'all. I MADE BREAD. WITH MY HANDS. I specifically googled 'easy bread recipes' and picked one with explicit directions and pictures and this blogger promises in another post that her nine year old was capable of making this bread, which I found encouraging. Anyway, I think my loaf pan was a little small because the top got a little flat, but it was totally delicious and I ate like half of the loaf in a single day. I will be making it again!!
Something I did (at home): I read two books I actually own!! I am MEETING GOALS, PEOPLE. Also, it's Mandy's birthday (today!!), so we spent last night out for dinner and drinks with a friend of hers and had a lovely time.
Something I did (at work): We had a whole slew of Spring Break programs, including a family-friendly Antarctic-themed escape room of my and a coworker's own design. In the words of one third-grader, it was "totally wicked!!"
Something I want to do next month: Honestly, I am traveling for conferences twice next month and will be gone seven working days, which is kind of a lot, and I just want to stay healthy and get all my work done since we are waist-deep in planning for Summer Reading. (I feel compelled to add that I did make and freeze a casserole so when I get back I won't even have to cook lunches for the week between trips. Meal. Prep. QUEEN.)
PS: I actually read a lot this month and wanted to share a few titles
Blink is a fantastic nonfiction read about implicit bias and snap decisions; it captivated me.
Sophie Kinsella is one of very few contemporary authors who makes me laugh out loud, and her latest, I Owe You One, is no exception.
I've been meaning to read Silence and Beauty ever since it came out in 2015 (incidentally, when I was reading Silence for the first time), and I finally finished it this month -- a really fascinating study of art, beauty, trauma, and faith.
Lastly, I'm sorry to disappoint those who love these titles, but I didn't think either The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society or Salt to the Sea lived up to the hype. The characters felt flat and indistinct from each other. As a reader who loves character-driven stories, they were rather disappointing.
More next month! And more books read from my own shelf!
