Stranded in a sea of uncertainty? Remain calm.
enclosed are resources for escapism
“Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living.”
— Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Reading
I was reading on my Kindle the other day and realized I should really make a protective sleeve for it. The screen is pretty scratch-resistant but when it does get a scratch it leaves a shadow on every “page” which is even more distracting in full sunlight. So I found an easy crochet pattern on Pinterest that I’ll link here if you’re interested. I would recommend using a color-changing yarn for it if you have one. On another note, here’s what I’ve been reading lately:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. According to the internet: Oskar discovers a key in a vase that belonged to his father, who died a year earlier in the September 11 attacks. The discovery inspires Oskar to search all around New York for information about the key and closure following his father's death. I found this book to be so easy to read and relatable in many ways. As you read it, the story makes more and more sense. It was such a different experience as a reader, I felt like I was experiencing it all with Oskar. So many great quotes to take away but this one was one of my favorites:
“I feel too much. That's what's going on.' 'Do you think one can feel too much? Or just feel in the wrong ways?' 'My insides don't match up with my outsides.' 'Do anyone's insides and outsides match up?' 'I don't know. I'm only me.' 'Maybe that's what a person's personality is: the difference between the inside and outside.' 'But it's worse for me.' 'I wonder if everyone thinks it's worse for him.' 'Probably. But it really is worse for me.”
The Library Book by Susan Orlean. According to the internet: The Library Book alternates between a true-crime work on the suspicion of arson in a 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Library; and a broader history of that library and Orlean's personal devotion to libraries in general. Orlean traces the story of suspect Harry Peak, who was arrested but ultimately not tried in a criminal trial for arson, due to the weakness of evidence against him. If you love books about books and a bit of true crime, you will enjoy this one. There were moments when it read a little too historical and I didn’t care too much about some of the backgrounds of some of the characters mentioned, but I overall enjoyed the book.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. According to the internet: Millie is a young and beautiful woman who applies and is offered a job as a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy couple. For Millie, who has a criminal record, it's a fantastic job -- until it's not. Things go downhill quickly as Nina Winchester exhibits increasingly bizarre and frustrating behavior. Millie is also offered a room in the house in the attic ... that only locks from the outside. I’ve had this one on my TBR list for a few years now and heard really good things about it. It happened to be $3.99 on Kindle the other day so I decided to finally read it. I’ve only read one other book by Freida McFadden and loved it. She knows how to write a good thriller. I finished this one in less than a day. Even though a lot of it was pretty predictable, it still kept me on my toes. It really emphasized her ability to tell a good story and leave her readers wanting more. Which is why this book is one of three more books in a series. It’s difficult to make a thriller book a series because there’s only so many twists a story can take, but this book left me with some questions at the end so I’ll have to pick up the next one soon.
My Recent Posts
coastal blues. a poem.
was that thunder on a clear day?
or waves crashing
into empty hollows on the rocky shore?
it's changing and changing
and ever-changing
a rush, a chill, a scenic lore
in cool orange
in waves and waves
and waves and wavesThe House On the Hill. a short story.
The house was perched on a grassy hill overlooking the nearby lake. It was an old farmhouse with a tower protruding from the center. There were slight gusts of wind that lifted some of the roof panels, making them flap up and down.
The front porch was held up by rotten cedar posts, and one of the window shutters was hanging by what seemed to be a single nail. I walked up the creaking steps careful not to step on a questionable floorboard when I was faced with a tall, narrow door with a lead-light panel.
My knock was timid. Like a child’s.
It was mid-afternoon, but the glass reflected a dull darkness. My eyes searched for any sign of movement, but the only response was an eerie silence.
"Hello?" I attempted to shout out. I knocked again. Louder this time so the flapping roof panels didn't drown out my voice.
The black glass gradually morphed into a pale, wrinkled face. Eyes dull. Black. Like the glass door was possessed by the image.
"Hi," I said. "Um, I'm Holly. Your new caregiver.”
No response.
"Are you Lois?”
"Yes, obviously." Her voice was gruff.
She walked away and dissipated into the darkness. I was about to respond to her curt response but decided it was pointless. So I took in a deep breath and let myself in.
Music
I was wondering, was anyone ever gonna tell me about Men I Trust or? I listened to their most recent album Equus Caballus and thought it was so well done. It has a retro vibe to it that doesn’t feel outdated or unnatural. They are a Canadian indie band with an impressive following, I highly recommend if you like chill indie music. Here are a few of my favorites from their recent album:
To Ease You
Come Back Down
Carried Away
I follow Hayley Williams on Instagram. A huge reason is because of her song recommendations. She will often post who/what she’s listening to recently on her Instagram stories. The other day she recommended the band Kills Birds. They’re a small rock band with a female singer. They have a great sound and such a cool vibe. Listen to these from their latest EP Crave:
Hollow
Madison
Behind
Also, I was listening to a bit of Fleetwood Mac the other day and really liked their song Sara from their 1979 Tusk Album. It’s not a very popular one and it’s a bit slower but it’s worth giving it a listen.
Thanks for reading! I hope your month is filled with 5-star books, exceptional playlists, and perfect cups of coffee xx
