A New Month, A New Me
This has been a momentous November for me. I am officially living on my own for the first time in my life, I spent my first holiday as an un-married woman, and in a couple days I will be celebrating my one-year anniversary in my "new' job that has been an absolute blessing in my life.
To commemorate all of these events, it's time for yet another NMNM installment!
Books I've been absorbed in: Turtles All The Way Down by John Green and Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
As I've mentioned before, I try to always be reading fiction and non-fiction at the same time. This month these two books have me glued to my Kindle.
I downloaded Turtles All The Way Down while killing time in a coffee shop early one morning and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not normally one to read "pop fiction" but I really enjoyed this. It's a good short read and (from what I understand from friends with varying degrees of anxiety disorders) this novel does an incredibly good job of illustrating what it's like to live in fear of your own thoughts. The plot itself is a little "YA" at times, being that the bulk of the story revolves around a teenage girl trying to navigate friendships and romantic interests, but the added mystique of the manhunt for a missing, notoriously wealthy neighbor had me hooked until the end. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, quick read over the holidays this year.
I have been eagerly anticipating Tribe of Mentors since the author announced its release date earlier this Fall. I'm a little bit of a Tim Ferriss fan-girl and was also riveted by his previous advice tome "Tools of Titans". While I'm only about a quarter of the way through it (give me a break, it only came out on the 21st), I already have found even more thought-provoking ideas that have me inspired to start dissecting my daily habits, practices, and personal philosophies to find ways that I can improve even more than I have over the last few years. It's lighting up my analytic mind and feeding my spiritual side at the same time in the way that only a Tim Ferriss product can. I also highly recommend his podcast; it has been my "first listen" podcast for years now and I am always fascinated by the brilliant minds he finds. Their practices are more applicable to "ordinary" life than you might think. While it's a long book, it reads quickly so if you have five minutes or fifty this book is a great fit.
Blog I can't believe I'm just discovering now: A Cup of Jo
Until this summer it never entered my mind that I would ever start a blog of my own. I've fallen in and out of love with many lifestyle blogs over the years however, and so I truly can't believe I just stumbled across A Cup of Jo! This blog is so much of what I hope to be able to provide in the future. It is witty, relatable, grounded, but inspiring all at the same time. Once I found it, I dug through literally 100 pages of their archived articles and on each page there was an entry that #gotme. As a voracious reader, I'm discovering that the best inspiration for writing is actually reading and I have found a new lust for blogging from my recent exposure to their individual brand of stylish, fun, and honest writing.
Tunes in my ear and stuck in my head: After Laughter by Paramore and Because I Was In Love by Sharon van Etten
I didn't pay much attention to Paramore back when they first "made it big", so I had largely forgotten about them when I happened upon their performance at the infamous Tiny Desk at NPR. I was floored in equal parts by their new island-pop vibe and the depths of vulnerability they've found to explore on their newest album. I popped it on at work one afternoon and I've been hooked ever since. It's fun and catchy and cool, but at times it really works its way into a deep and delicate place that I really gravitate towards.
On almost the opposite end of the spectrum, Sharon van Etten's Because I Was In Love was recommended to me by a newsletter email from one of my all-time favorite podcasts (shout out to Reply All!) and it immediately started haunting me in the best possible way. I am always pulled toward music that many people would classify as "depressing" but this album indulges that addiction and scratches that itch without leaving you bummed out. It's heartbreaking in its vulnerability and strength at the same time. The harmonies are really the show-stopper here and while I can't quite describe exactly which elements set it off from my other "mopey music" go-to's, it really is in a league of its own for me in getting to that release I seek from listening to music. If you're curious, try out my favorite track "Tornado".
Comedian who has me in stitches:John Mulaney (live at Boston Symphony Hall)
I had the opportunity this month to go check out one of my favorite comedians live and he did not disappoint. We got to see an entire hour and a half of brand new material and I was crying laughing almost the entire time. Both of John Mulaney's Netflix specials are "laugh-out-loud by myself" funny and I had such a great time at his live show. Almost all of his shows for this tour are sold out, but if you love stand-up comedy it's worth trying to go see him this winter. I've always had an affinity for "nerdy white dude" humor and while he certainly exemplifies that, there's so much more to his humor. He's thoughtful and brilliant and has such a sweet (and funny) take on relationships. His perspective on life really shines through his routine, so if you're in need of a laugh give one of his specials a try!
There you have it, another month of recommendations courtesy of your truly. Do you have any of your own to add? Anything you think i missed this month? Let me know what you think anytime; I love hearing from you!