May Recap 2016

Another month gone. I’ve been at my new job for about a month and a half and it feels like I’m still brand new, but also like I’ve been here forever. I’m, of course, still enjoying it and learning more each day about refugees and immigrants and about my own skills.

The other thing I’ve been trying to work on is exercising. I’ve been REALLY lazy over the last 12-18 months. I don’t know if it’s passing the two-year mark in my relationship (look at the pretty flowers at the end) or if it’s just me getting old and lazy, but I know I have to get better about it fast. So I’ve been trying to walk more in the mornings. That photo above was on a random street in South Boston and my friend Mal on Facebook summed it up perfectly: “Boston As F&ck.” (If you can’t tell it’s a Sam Adams tap.)

Aside from all of this we’ve been getting ready for China (very last-minute). We’re both starting to get excited, but with everything we did this month work and personal, it still doesn’t feel like it happens in less than a week.

Books & Bookish Things
This was another abysmal month when it came to reading. I finished two books:

438. An Acceptable Time (Time Quintet #5) – Madeleine L’Engle
439. Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight – Alexandra Fuller

I surprisingly enjoyed both of them. The second one is for my friend’s book group and even though it was slow I liked it more in the end than I thought I would. We’re discussing it tomorrow and my post will go live sometime while I’m in China so you have something to read 🙂

I also made headway into Lyndsay Faye’s Jane Steele, which I’m enjoying more than I thought I would. The dilemma at the moment is what do I take with me to read on the really long flights I have coming up. I’m definitely taking at least one of the books on the Recent Acquisitions list below, but I also think I’ll read a few of my longform articles I have stored on Instapaper.

The one advantage of walking more is that I’ve been catching up on podcasts! These two are book related and were incredibly enjoyable. If you don’t listen to either 99% Invisible or The Allusionist I would recommend them.

In the new episode, I take an unequivocal stance in the battle of Clueless vs Emma. Come at me. https://t.co/Npp52Gcchz

— The Allusionist (@AllusionistShow) May 17, 2016

Recent Acquisitions
I managed to pick up five books this month, including one unsolicited review copy I won’t be reading. Of those five four of them are ARC/Review copies that either I requested or sent to me. I’m really looking forward to The Madwoman Upstairs and Charlotte and Emily especially after making most of my way through Jane Steele.

• Whose Mind Is It Anyway? – Lisa and Franko Esile*
• The Madwoman Upstairs – Catherine Lowell*
• Charlotte and Emily – Jude Morgan
• Daddy Dearest – Paul Southern*

Culture Corner
One of the reasons I’ve been so exhausted this month is that when I’m not working or stressing about work we’ve been doing so many other things including:

• Revisiting the deCordova Sculpture Park
• Going with Tim to see his first Ballet thanks to a friend giving us tickets (it was very modern and fascinating)
• Seeing three movies! (No idea where my Love and Friendship ticket disappeared to)
• Volunteering planting American Chestnut trees with my sister’s organization
• Seeing Cirque du Soleil Kurios

Everything was wonderful and I wish I had time/energy to write about them all individually.

What’s Next?
China is next, obviously. There are a few books I really want to read about China, but I’m waiting to read them until after I come back because at least two of them are banned there. I’m hoping to get some reading done on my trip including some for work, but who knows what will happen. I also plan to re-visit Michael Scott’s The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series as I gave it to my friend Caroline in German and I want to be able to answer her questions when she asks them!

What are you excited about for June? Are you ready for the heat? I’m not.