Big Goal: Ok so I’ve decided that the big goal for September will be radical self-kindness. I am going to let myself do [...]]]>

Hello September, my birthday month. This month usually goes by fast, for me because I tend to take a bunch of days off. This year it’s going to be all over the place because I am taking time off and then I have two conferences back to back. By the end of the month, I expect I will be a bit of a mess. But it will also be a really full month.

Big Goal: Ok so I’ve decided that the big goal for September will be radical self-kindness. I am going to let myself do what I feel the most like doing, I am going to do my best to turn off the voice in my head that can be cruel or maybe even be nice to the voice. I am just going to cut myself slack all over the place. Let’s see how it feels.

• Progress on the big five:
  • Y: Fall will be coming and the rains so all I have for the yard this month is to see what more needs to be done for winter prep, if anything. For the front yard, I will try to get some plants from TJs and add to my box if I can.
  • G: maybe I can finally put those final boxes away? We’ll see.
  • S: laser, doctor, big goals this month. crossing fingers.
  • Sa: vet appointment and back to school night this month.
  • D: drive to school.
• Three Medium goals:
  • Help A finish the eight that really needs to be done. Get on some sort of rhythm.
  • Tickets for NY.
  • Can I gently restart some of the practices with healthy meals, yoga, and visual note taking.
  • Chores:
    • A appointment
    • hang up office lights
    • we’ll see what else.

• Start: a new book with D.
• Stop: beating myself up.
• Continue: documenting E
• Brave: once a week. can i do it?

Here’s to another month. Joyful one this time around. Paying attention. Loving my people. Savoring and living in awe. And taking steps to move onward.

Ok well I didn’t do well on my big goal for August. I ended up being much more anxious than usual, so the opposite of grounded. All my routines went out the window and I basically just did what I could to get through the days. So alas we will not call it a win. I did journal a bunch, just not enough.

This book was so sad. In the beginning I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get into the story of Mei whose childhood friend comes back into her life when she publishes a book about a terrible tragedy that happened to her as a child. Mei is already having such a hard life with her parents’ insurmountable debt and her on again and off again boyfriend who won’t propose and now she feels like she owes it to Mei to solve [...]]]>
I Know the Ants by Lang Leav
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was so sad. In the beginning I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get into the story of Mei whose childhood friend comes back into her life when she publishes a book about a terrible tragedy that happened to her as a child. Mei is already having such a hard life with her parents’ insurmountable debt and her on again and off again boyfriend who won’t propose and now she feels like she owes it to Mei to solve what happened and it spirals her life even more out of control.

There are some heavy topics and really sad moments in this poignant story. Once I was half an hour into it, I could not stop, I thought about the characters while I wasn’t listening and kept wanting to go back and see what happened to make their life go so off course.

with gratitude to netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed this story about a friend’s last wish which is that her two estranged best friends travel to several places around the world to spread her ashes as a plot to get them to reconnect. It was funny and fun and joyful and emotional while reminding us why friendships matter and how they change your life forever and how some friends will be with you even if you haven’t spoken in years.

with gratitude to Bookouture Audio and netgalley for an advanced [...]]]>
The Wish List Trip by Kerry Lonsdale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story about a friend’s last wish which is that her two estranged best friends travel to several places around the world to spread her ashes as a plot to get them to reconnect. It was funny and fun and joyful and emotional while reminding us why friendships matter and how they change your life forever and how some friends will be with you even if you haven’t spoken in years.

with gratitude to Bookouture Audio and netgalley for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review.

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This was a very unusual book, not like anything I’ve read before. It takes place in Silicon Valley and focuses on toxic startup culture but then there’s a crime and then there’s Mario who helped them before they were somebody and how he needs to wait the lockup period before he can get the money he so needs. And you’re rooting for him and then you’re not and then you are again. And crazy things are happening. I felt like it lulled in the middle for [...]]]>
The Lockup Period by Vince Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very unusual book, not like anything I’ve read before. It takes place in Silicon Valley and focuses on toxic startup culture but then there’s a crime and then there’s Mario who helped them before they were somebody and how he needs to wait the lockup period before he can get the money he so needs. And you’re rooting for him and then you’re not and then you are again. And crazy things are happening. I felt like it lulled in the middle for me a bit but I really enjoyed it in the end. It was a fun ride.

with gratitude to netgalley and Dubious Ventures Press for a great audio and for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Wow what a rollercoaster this one was. I was like he’s bad, oh no he’s good, no wait is he bad? No no i was right all along. or was i? I found myself doubting myself the whole time. Even though it was a disturbing subject matter, this book was a fast and furious read. And it really isn’t what you think! 🙂

the audio was fantastic and completely kept me hooked.

with gratitude to netgalley and Sourcebooks Audio for an advanced copy in [...]]]>
It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow what a rollercoaster this one was. I was like he’s bad, oh no he’s good, no wait is he bad? No no i was right all along. or was i? I found myself doubting myself the whole time. Even though it was a disturbing subject matter, this book was a fast and furious read. And it really isn’t what you think!

the audio was fantastic and completely kept me hooked.

with gratitude to netgalley and Sourcebooks Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This one was full of twists and turns and just when you thought you had it figured out, another twist came. I felt that it was a little repetitive and melodramatic at parts but I didn’t see most of the twists coming, and I didn’t want to stop reading it from the first page onward.

with gratitude to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This one was best read on audio!!

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3.5 stars.

This was both different from and similar to Klune’s other books. It was more serious and I think also a bit more science fiction but also it was still full of heart and deeply felt like this stories are. It made me think a lot and feel a lot. and those books are always great.

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Ok so I read this book with my son as it’s his favorite book. But his favorite part is the beginning so he wanted to make sure we read that part together. It was hard and crazy and deeply interesting.

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