issue #95 - the resetting one

While I haven’t figured out what’s next in the last week, your notes on embracing the unknown and taking a proper break was the exact mindset shift I needed.

This month is all about book edits, but it’s also for re-establishing my morning routine and my circadian rhythm (thanks to this book), and spending more time off my phone.

Not the most ambitious of goals, I confess, but that’s the point. My M.O. has been to jump into the next thing right after wrapping up the last one, and to juggle multiple things at the same time.

That last part is a big thing. I’ve prided myself on my multi-hyphenated career, but this Instagram post has me re-evaluating it. I don’t know exactly what’s next (but I can assure you that #5SmartReads isn’t going anywhere), but I’m looking forward to figure out what that’ll be.

What we read this week

Hitha

• The Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor - I’ve been jonesing for a good space novel, and Kimberly recommended this one to me after seeing how much I loved The Gilded Ones. She billed it as an Afro-futurist space opera, and it’s a brilliant one at that. Binti is a brilliant mathematician who gained admittance at the most prestigious university off-planet. En route, her ship is attacked by an alien species called the Medusae and she’s one of the only one who survives. The series follows Binti’s survival and cultivation of her mysterious powers. This book isn’t for everyone, but it fits in my random favorite genres and it is a stellar read.

Shibani

• Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert - This is the final story of the Brown Sisters, this one about the youngest sister Eve. Eve is a mess - she can't hold down a job, doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. Jacob Wayne has put all his life's savings into his beloved B&B. When an encounter with Eve ends with her hitting him with his car, he find her infiltrating every part of his life. This is a very sweet (and sexy) romance - perfect way to unwind from a crazy day or week.

Qudsiya

• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne - The Heart’s Invisible Furies is a gorgeous bildungsroman about a gay man from Dublin growing up in the mid/late 20th century. It artfully weaves together storylines, and is a painfully sad, but moving account of navigating extreme homophobia and the winding road to peace.

Kate

• The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto by Charles M. Blow - Part historical and political analysis, part memoir, part manifesto, this book asks how we make lasting change in the movement towards racial justice.

The Top 5

1. ‘I’m a Neuroscientist, and This Is How To Reboot Your Brain After a Year of Chronic Stress’ (Well+Good)

2. U.S. Coffee Beans Supplies Are At A 6-Year Lo, And More Problems Lie Ahead(Food & Wine)

3. The Virus, the Vaccine, and the Dark Side of Wellness (Harper’s Bazaar)

4. The Uneasy Intimacy Of Work In A Pandemic Year (Vox)

5. Motherhood in America is a Multi-Level Marketing Scheme (Medium)

The Catch Up

Monday

• The GOP's new power centers (Axios)

• Nigella Lawson’s How To Eat is a feast of favourite recipes and high camp (The Guardian)

• Lawmakers can’t cite local examples of trans girls in sports (Associated Press)

• How will people act after getting vaccinated? The complex psychology of safety(STAT)

Tuesday (Shibani)

• The 2,000 Year History Of Italy’s Favorite Dish (CNN)

• US Says It Will Cut The Cost Of Solar By 60% In A Decade (Electrek)

• 3 Reasons You Should Buy A Business Now (Inc.)

• So You Want To Have a Lucid Dream? (New York Times)

Wednesday

• Office reopening patterns across the country (Axios)

• Jen Shah Of "The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City" Has Been Charged In A Massive Scam That Defrauded Older People For Years (BuzzFeed News)

• America Redefined (ELLE)

• Let highly qualified immigrants fill America's physician gap (Washington Examiner)

Thursday (Qudsiya)

• My Year Of Nothing But Everything (Disability Visibility Project)

• Activist Lydia X. Z. Brown On Disability, Justice, Mutual Aid, And How Race And Disability Intersect (Marie Claire)

• 12 Things Disabled People Want Their Nondisabled Friends To Know (The Huffington Post)

• How To Talk To Your Kid About Disabilities (The Huffington Post)

Friday (Kate)

• To Narrow Inequities, Some Colleges Invest In Minority-Led Funds (WGBH)

• Private Schools Have Become Truly Obscene (The Atlantic)

• Pandemic periods: why women's menstrual cycles have gone haywire (The Guardian)

• From Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter: The Power of Social Justice Movement(Scientific American)

Things we love this week

Hitha

• I’ve been on the hunt for a chic bed tray for longer than I care to admit, and this one is finally back in stock. Great price, gorgeous design, and I look forward to the upgrade it’ll give my morning routine.

• I think I’ve been watching and reading too much Bridgerton because I finally bought this dress after having it bookmarked for a month. I also bought this cropped hoodie (and this slip dress to wear with it) because I’m really tired of sweats and so ready to start dressing up again.

• There is one exception I’ll make to sweats, and it’s these sweatpants that look just like boyfriend jeans. Overpriced? Absolutely. But I’ve owned mine for over 8 years and they’ve never been more loved and worn than this year, and my cost-per-wear is down to cents at this point. Just wash them in cold water and air dry.

Shibani

• I joined the cult of Peloton and now I've become one of those people who only works out in matching sets. My current favorites (for comfort, durability AND budget) are the powersoft sets from Old Navy.

Qudsiya

• I am absolutely loving Season 2 of the award-winning podcast, The Secret Adventures of Black people—stories about black folks holding it down through space and time. Hosted by Nichole Hill, these are beautifully-curated stories that celebrate black join, friendship, and family. Check out this podcast immediately, and give them a follow on Instagram. And shout out to Nichole’s story editor, Ilana Nevins, who also audio produces my podcast, Down to the Struts.

Kate

• Lockways Magnetic Dry Erase Board - I finally invested in a giant dry erase board for my home office and it has rocked my world in ways that office supplies should not. Whatever, I'm not apologizing.

Take care of yourself, and please share #5SmartReads if you’re enjoying them!