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Or, In One’s Element

Reader,

After months of struggle that were begging me to name 2022 my annus horribilis, I am back to walking and running. This is significant (and bookish!) because the outdoors is my favourite place to listen to audiobooks; this last week and a half has been a boon to my reading. It turns out I’d missed it (what are your favourite forms of exercise?) and it’s helping my reading. That’s good news as last week was a wash on the reading front and it’s wonderful to be back on the wagon.

I realised recently that I forgot a key fact regarding my holiday reading plans: my wage work does not take a break during the Christmas to New Year’s Day period. On the flip side, I had failed to use a lot of my leave days so find me on Goodreads and Storygraph as I become incorrigible read a ton of books during that week. The fact that the week will start off with a Laps & Livres meet seems like a good omen to me.

Family and social commitments meant I had no Sabbath, Digital or not, and I felt it coming into the new week. I was so exhausted and the fact that I was unable to have downtime led to me barely reading or relaxing. Granted; Kaskazi Festival was a good time, including meeting a friend who very generously brought me a Yoto Mini (which you may recall I was pining after), and that gathering left me enthused about such moments of fellowship. Which is to say, I’ll definitely be attending a Carols Service this weekend (come along if you’d like!) for more of the good stuff.

Some things I’ve enjoyed or come upon lately that are interesting:

• Maus I (grateful, once more, for the homie who got me reading comic books again)

• The universe sent me this tutorial, combining my love of reading and my hopes of getting back into my craft bag.

• This service that lets one listen to articles (here’s how to prompt it via Twitter while we’re still using it)

• The 2023 #SomethingBookishReadingChallenge, which I’m excited about

• My Yoto Mini (I was asked if I’d give it to a kiddo and the answer is “till I get them their own”. This is not a sponsored message &c)- I was so excited I slept late setting it up.

I finished 1 (one!) book last week: The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde (read by Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins). I discuss it in the latest video. 

As ever, please write back to me and tell me what books you’re reading or looking forward to reading this week — it’s always a great time talking about books.

Enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely time reading. Talk to you soon!