What are you up to this weekend? We’ve had three winter storms in eight days here, but this weekend the temps are finally on the rise and I’m hopeful our streets and sidewalks will be less icy by Monday. We have it easy in comparison to those suffering mightily in the wake of this week’s winter storms. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, truly.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that you enjoy browsing these interesting reads and good things to put you in that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
- Red Cross Responds to Winter Storms, Blood Donors Needed Now. How to help those impacted by the storms, from near or far.
- It’s Not Just You. A Lot Of Us Are Hitting A Pandemic Wall Right Now. You’re not alone.
- I just refilled this favorite scalp and body scrub, again. It’s an essential item in my winter survival kit.
- We’ve noticed a HUGE uptick in questions about The StoryGraph from our readers these past few months. On this week’s new What Should I Read Next episode I chat with its founder Nadia Odunayo about star ratings, her reading life, and her new website for avid readers.
- Five Things to Do With a Chicken Cutlet. Trying these ideas soon…
- In Praise of Mediocre Books. “I’m all for ditching a book you’re not enjoying. No time! But I also think it’s okay to enjoy mediocre books. We don’t, in fact, have to judge every book against our favorite book of all time.”
- I need this Pemberley sweatshirt in my life.
- ‘I get better sleep’: the people who quit social media. Their stories are quite compelling.
- The Secret, Essential Geography of the Office. “Home is supposed to be a constant, steady place, a shelter for a family. It shouldn’t change very much. But an office is basically a big clock with humans for hands.”
- North Carolina Bookstore Gets Huge Boost in Sales From Surprise Super Bowl Night Commercial. This will put a smile on your face.
- This book cart sticker made me laugh out loud! It’s funny ’cause it’s true …
- The Pandemic-Induced Popularity of Google Street View. Do you ever do this?
- Gail Mancuso & Marisa Coughlan Team For Thruline Feature Adaptation Of ‘The Happy Ever After Playlist’. Exciting news for Abby Jimenez! She joined us for Stay at Home Book Tour to discuss this title: watch that right here.
Don’t miss these posts:
- Buy the flowers. There’s never been a better time.
- Let’s talk about highly sensitive people. Learn what this term means and how it can help you better understand yourself and others.
Have a great weekend!
23 comments
I’m seriously thinking of ridding myself of Facebook. I can’t stand how it’s become a political platform and how hateful people can be. I’m distracted by it, find myself leaving the book I’m reading to scroll through Facebook. I’ve taught myself to knit during this pandemic and I bet I would get more accomplished if I deleted FB from my life! And YES!–I have covid fatigue, covid brick wall, whatever we want to call it but I am one of the fortunate ones. My husband has had both his vaccines and I receive my second one next week. I actually feel there is a light at the end of our tunnel. May vaccine distribution ramp up and may all those who want the vaccine have it soon!
I know we don’t know each other, but I deleted my Facebook account about 4.5 years ago…I only remember that because it was during the previous election. All I can say is DO IT. It’s so freeing!
I’ve also thought of leaving Facebook. Some people use it as a political platform, and it gets to be too much. When my stress level reached overload a couple of weeks ago, I muted one of my friends’ posts for 30 days – frequent pandemic-related conspiracy posts – and turned to an ASMR room while I read. Problem handled, for now! I have very mixed feelings about Facebook, but it does allow me to maintain some social connections. So still more points on the pro side for me, I guess.
I’ve thought about leaving FB also, however it’s a link to friends and family that I don’t see much. Finding the ‘snooze’ button was freeing! And I have joined a couple of nature groups (a state nature one and one for birding) and the photography the group shares is very, very soothing, and really the only reason I scroll daily. Not on any other platform at this point, and reading news is very low priority.
Truly wonderful that a bookstore got its very own Super Bowl commercial!
Thanks Anne, as always, for another enlightening post. Happy weekend!
Good point! I’m following Anne on Facebook (of course), and also two local/regional museums. They have interesting posts, and in the case of the larger, regional museum, interesting video content through their FB links.
This was the first time I’d used the snooze feature, but it won’t be the last!
I would love to leave Facebook, I’ve been on it since you had to have an invite! But what I love more is the mom group I joined when I was newly pregnant with my first – almost 6 years ago. We live all over the country, and have gotten very close. If we could ever figure out a way to move off of Facebook (we’ve talked about it a few times) then I would gladly get rid of it. But for now I can’t bring myself to break up with all of those dear friendships.
I feel the same way about Facebook. I had an account long ago but closed it years ago. I sometimes am tempted because I know MMD has a page on there and I feel I miss good stuff but even for this club, I won’t resign. What I do get from the club is plenty enough to keep me busy. 🙂
I can relate to the folks in the article on quitting social media. I am in my 30’s and quit social media 9 years ago. Have never regretted it even for a minute!
You had me at Amor Towles! So excited for this!
I so enjoyed the article about office geography and the thoughtful discussion of space and place. My workplace (a library) is full of different spaces which serve different purposes and lots of nooks and crannies. I love them all!
Thank you for sharing!
Amor Towles! This is the best news I’ve heard! Needed some good news down in Texas. 🥶🥶🥶
I loved the article about mediocre books! I’ve felt more and more lately the pressure I put on myself to find my next 5 star book! Sometimes I just want to read a “hallmark movie” rom-com with bad writing and cheesy plot lines because it makes me feel good. Maybe now I can let go some of the guilt I have that I’m wasting my time.
Oh my goodness! Not only did the story about the Foggy Pine Bookshop Super Bowl-style commercial put a smile on my face but it also brought tears to my eyes! Kudos to those who created and aired it. Best wishes to Foggy Pine and all the indie bookstores out there!
Had to subscribe to see the list of books you read in one day. Aren’t I already subscribed if I got the email?
I am so excited for the new Amor Towles novel! Thanks for sharing.
Sorry, we fixed it!
YES! This is why I don’t quit books! There is usually some redeeming quality, such as lovely turns of phrase or great similes, to what is overall a mediocre book. I also agree that my calling a book “mediocre” is from my own experience w/ it, and maybe not someone else’s. Since I review every book I read, maybe someone else will find a book they wouldn’t have considered reading, and will pick it up.
I love the mediocre book article. I have been reading so many HEAVY books lately. I’m so anxious to ‘just read’ a cozy mystery. Will I ever give a cozy mystery a 5star rating on goodreads? Probably not. But I am pretty confident I’ve never regretted reading any of them.
Leaving FB was the best mental health decision I made in 2020. My HSP and anxiety struggles decreased significantly. I thought I would miss it, and started by taking it off my phone and going on every couple of weeks setting a timer for 10 minutes and then logging out. Within a month I was completely free. I’m still on Instagram and that is a much better platform for me. I don’t know what took me so long to leave the FB world.
So delighted for Foggy Pine Books, my local indie bookstore! They so deserve the attention they are receiving. Great owner, stellar customer service and excellent community involvement.
How fun that they’re your local indie!
Although I’m on Instagram because I love photos, I’ve never done facebook and don’t miss it, except when the only way to get info on a business is on facebook! That is so frustrating!
I am So thrilled to hear about Amor Towles’ new book, even though I did not like Rules of Civility at all, but I’m hoping I will like this one as much as I loved Gentleman. I’ve already added it to my Goodreads “Want to Read” list.
Also very glad to read the article about mediocre books, because yes, sometimes I feel guilty reading sub-par books that I am really enjoying!! If I’m liking it, then I keep reading!
Finally, love “No Shelf Control” for my bookcases….
I love the Ouai scrub! I tried it after you mentioned it once before and it’s fantastic! And it smells so nice 🙂