A few years ago, I turned into the kind of person who puts the Christmas tree up on November 1. What changed me from a staunch “day-after-Thanksgiving-and-not-a-moment-sooner” decorator? Two things: 1) I love that twinkle light life and 2) I travel for the holidays so decorating early gave me more of a chance to enjoy it before heading out of town.
What I did not expect is the way it would help me see my apartment in a different light. This is a long way of saying that this weekend’s plans are going to involve some heavy rearranging of the living room furniture. Something about adding and then subtracting a Christmas tree has me imagining new layout possibilities. Fingers crossed I like the changes and don’t move it all back next weekend! (Last year’s post-December changes involved moving the placement of my desk in my bedroom. One year later and still going strong!)
When I’m not moving furniture around, I’ll be curling up with the sequel to one of my favorite books from last year. There’s a big snowstorm expected this weekend so I’m stocked up on all the cozy essentials. I hope you are too.
I hope this collection of links and favorite things helps get you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
How many books did you read in 2023? See how you stack up! (The Washington Post gift link) I really liked the question about book organization. (I’m a genre/subject organizer myself.)
The people’s hero Keanu Reeves has written a novel with China Miéville. (Literary Hub) I have to admit I’m intrigued.
The Dos and Don’ts of Grocery Shopping Etiquette, According to Employees. (The Kitchn) Great reminders.
Don’t forget: Spring Book Preview (MMD) is less than two weeks away!
I pride myself in giving good gifts so I have to brag about the biggest hit: a Custom Pet 3D Pillow from Happy Paws Paradise on Etsy. That’s right: I ordered a 6 inch pillow of my cat-nephew Bluegrass. My friends tucked the pillow into their suitcase while I stayed behind for auntie cat-sitting time and we cracked up over Pillow Bluegrass recreating real life Bluegrass’s habits, like hiding under furniture during a storm. Last week they sent me a photo of Bluegrass facing off with his pillow alter-ego and I could not stop laughing!
Where to donate books near me: Check out these maps for drop-off locations in your area. (USA Today)
A Second Life for My Beloved Dog. (The Atlantic gift link) A beautiful essay on the intersection of grief about pet loss and our photo apps.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Reunion Recap: The Monica Show. (Vulture) As a long-time Real Housewives fan, I’m still reeling from the RHOSLC finale last week! Vulture does great recaps of most Bravo shows but they don’t always recap reunions. I’m glad they’re making an exception!
“A Day in the Life of Abed Salama” Illuminates the Physical and Invisible Walls that Determine the Lives of Palestinians. (Electric Lit) I first heard about this book after the author appeared on The Stacks Podcast. I just picked up a copy from the library and I’m looking forward to starting.
I’m a recent convert to the Enbliss Wireless Bra from Soma. It’s seriously comfortable while still offering good support. (I’ve bought their joggers for years but I’m only now trying the items they’re known for.)
The Protagonist Is Never in Control. (Guernica Magazine) One of the best essays I read last year. “And you’ll realize, too, that a person can tell a story any way she likes; that the same story — a little girl who loves to read — can be told as a horror story or a fairy tale, depending on the choices of the author.” (CW for child emotional and physical abuse)
I listen to maybe one or two audiobooks a year, usually when I’m on a road trip. My library hold for The Woman in Me by Britney Spears (Audible) came in just before my annual trek to Nashville for the holidays and it accompanied me on the drive back home to the Chicago suburbs. Michelle Williams did an astounding job bringing Britney’s words to life.
The Dangerous Allure of Residential School Denialism. (The Walrus) “These facts have been a matter of record for more than a century. The reason Canadians did not know until recently how bad residential schools were is that they did not want to know. The new national shame is how many are still averting their eyes from the truth.” (CW for child physical and sexual abuse)
Don’t miss these posts:
10 books by authors with a pen name. Pen names are a storied tradition in the writing life.
Revitalize your To Be Read list with this simple method. Simple but it’s a game-changer!
14 wintry audiobooks to listen to on dreary days. It might seem counterintuitive but I try to get outside every day during the winter. My daily walk lifts my mood and it provides the perfect audiobook-listening time.
Have a great weekend!
Leigh Kramer is the Editor and Social Media Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are romance, fantasy, and YA. You can follow Leigh on Goodreads.
14 comments
I really enjoyed the Washington Post article on polls of how many books, who reads what type of format etc. I am glad physical books are still up there. I do understand that an ebook format is so convenient for people who travel and/or just don’t have room for a physical book. I also enjoyed the pen names. Thanks for a fun Friday look at what you love.
I thought it was so interesting too! There are so many different ways to approach reading and I loved seeing that reflected in the graphs.
That was really interesting! I’m in the 1%! I don’t fit my demographic (white 54yo woman) well at all. I’m an eclectic reader and mostly do audiobooks followed by ebooks. I do a lot of walking and driving so like audiobooks for company, and I prefer ebooks to physical books because I can read them anywhere without having to lug around a book or have good lighting. I’m disorganized (suspect undiagnosed ADHD) and can’t tell you how many physical books I have missed before I’ve finished them or returned them to the library. I’m surprised that older people don’t gravitate more towards ebooks and audiobooks in general because of eyesight issues.
I love Soma underwear! I take advantage of their great panty sales to the point that my underwear drawer is spilling over. They’re so pretty AND comfortable. Thank you for the bra recommendation. Soma is pretty much the only store I’ve found that offers bras that fit me well. The one you shared does look extremely comfortable, and I’m going to try it! Again, thank you!
They have the BEST sales! I hope the bra works well for you.
When are these great Soma sales?!?
I feel like they almost always have a sale going on! Most bras were on sale for $29 when I popped into the store a couple of weeks ago. But the best sales tend to be on holiday weekends.
Soma cool nights pjs are a must for me!!! They are buttery soft and I don’t sweat! I stock up when they have their sales.
I completely agree! My pajama drawer is almost all Soma now.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/01/11/escambia-dictionaries-removed/?utm_campaign=wp_book_club&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_books
Have we now reached peak absurdity?
Dark times indeed.
I couldn’t agree more that some grocery store shopper behavior is appalling, and a little bit of self-awareness goes a long way. However, I have one small employee gripe: I know you have a job to do when stocking and you should not have to cater to shoppers, but logistical cognizance is a two-way street!
I recommend reading Jamie Lynn’s book after you finish Britney’s!
Oof I just can’t do it after listening to the episode of Glamorous Trash with Chelsea Devantez that covered it. I was going to link to it but it must have been a Patreon bonus. Sometimes Chelsea reads books so the rest of us don’t have to LOL.