What I’m Into: February 2020

Reading

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (3.5 stars) As children, four siblings visit a fortuneteller who tells each of them the date of their death. The book unfolds each of their lives in turn from there. Well done, but sad.

Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint by Nadia Bolz-Weber (5 stars) Pastor Nadia’s first memoir/essay collection is both deep (I almost highlighted half the book) and entertaining.

Villette by Charlotte Bronte (3 stars) Last fall’s pick for Rachel’s Readalongs. I’ve been chipping away at it and finally finished! It eventually hooked me, but for the most part, the classics are not really my jam, especially when in a language I only vaguely understand.

Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith by D.L. Mayfield (3.5 stars) A memoir about living among immigrants and learning what it really means to be a neighbor. It will challenge you.

If I Loved You Less by Tamsen Parker (3 stars) A remake-of-a-remake Emma/Clueless adaptation set in Hawaii, which I read about on Modern Mrs. Darcy.

Listening

I was excited when Hayley Williams, frontwoman of my favorite band Paramore, started releasing new solo material. Sadly, most of it is a little Billie Eilish for me. Maybe I’ll like the rest of the album better? #old

At the same time I was reading D.L. Mayfield’s book, I discovered she and her husband Krispin have a podcast, and they’re devoting their current season to the Frank Perretti novel This Present Darkness. It is a MUST LISTEN if you were an evangelical in the 90s.

SSR Episode 82: The Parent Trap compares the old and new Disney movie versions to the original German novel, which is surprisingly disturbing.

Watching

Taylor and I finished The Leftovers last weekend (my first watch, his second). As a burned fan of Lost, I approached the ending with trepidation, but was very satisfied! My other viewing obsession this month was Cheer. I could discuss either of these shows and their protagonists for hours.

Miss Americana, the Taylor Swift documentary, is compelling and actually helped me as I wrestle with speaking your truth even when it costs you (and when you know the cost to you is still much lower than to the less privileged).

P.S. I Still Love You, sequel to my 2018-best romcom To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, was delightful both as a whole and to look at.

Around Town

25 years after her last concert in Memphis, my mom, Debra, and I went to see Ze Greatest Singer in Ze World, Celine Dion! Her voice is still flawless, and she’s really personable and funny.

As an early birthday present, I took my mom to see the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Orpheum. I love modern dance because the body mostly does what the music is doing, which is my instinctive dance method too.

On my mom’s actual birthday, we went to a tree planting at Shelby Farms that my company co-sponsored. The ground was totally saturated and not easy to work with, but we managed to plant yellow poplars, pines, sycamores, and oaks. I look forward to visiting the trees as they grow!

Meanwhile, for my MIL’s birthday, we got a big upgrade from our usual Grizzlies seats – and it was a throwback night too!

For Valentine’s Day, Taylor and I went to Pete & Sam’s, and then Ben & Jerry’s. I received some lovely flowers too. ♥

Due to SAD-related lack of energy and motivation, I didn’t see friends very much this month, but a few of us went out in the neighborhood for Mardi Gras! I tried a king cake beer from a new-to-me brewery and liked it.

At Home

After a month of living in the guest room, we moved into our real bedroom when our new king bed and nightstands arrived! It was the last piece for me to feel fully at home in the house. Neither of us have ever had a king bed before, but we’re instant converts. Also, for Valentine’s Day, Taylor gave me a weighted blanket because I’ve been curious about them. So far, I like it for naps and for covering my feet at night, but not to sleep completely under.

One week, I accidentally bought whole bean coffee not once, BUT TWICE. In response, Taylor went out and got me a basic coffee grinder. I always assumed grinding my own beans was beyond my abilities, but it takes 10 seconds and the coffee is noticeably better! Game changer.

Having grouped all our belongings in their general areas, we’re now in the detail organizing, missing-items phase. The other night I couldn’t find the blender part of my immersion blender. I literally searched the house from top to bottom. The following night, while helping Taylor look for a specific pair of pants, I found the blender. I guess the key is to keep looking for the next thing.

It’s still too cold for me to want to work outside, but this month Taylor made a compost area at the back of our yard and completed a few other tasks. Some gnomes appeared between the roots of one of our pin oaks.

I finished organizing the built-in bookcases in the living room – for now, anyway!

Eating

The best thing I ate in February was the quinoa and mushroom “meatloaf” at South of Beale. I’m looking for a copycat recipe, but so far they all include lentils, which this dish did not have.

In an attempt to offer something healthy-ish, I made Smitten Kitchen’s corn and black bean weeknight nachos for our Super Bowl party. They were delicious! Another night, I did the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup from Rachael’s Good Eats. It was just okay, but I blame my suddenly acid-sensitive stomach, not the recipe.

Beauty

Discontinued Hair Product Alert: Suddenly, I can’t find my trusty Garnier Whole Blends brown bottle leave-in conditioner anywhere. But it turns out their Curl Nourish Butter Cream is actually better! Most coconut oil conditioners are too heavy for my hair. This is just right.

While I have oily skin from the chin up, the rest of me is perpetually parched. I apply lotion about 50 times a day, most importantly right before bed. I’ve never found one that kept me feeling moisturized for very long, but the new Gold Bond Ultimate Overnight lotion comes pretty close. Worth a try if you have similar issues. #notanad

Random Happiness

We got a dusting of snow one morning! That might be it for the year, but we’ve had our share of March surprises, so you never know.

Due to the move, I’m just now unpacking and starting to use some of my Christmas presents. One such gift was a mouse hand warmer for the office. Have you ever desperately warmed your hands on paper that just came out of the printer? You need this. It’s USB powered, so it’s safe and barely uses any amperage and no one can object.

I really enjoyed watching NBA All-Star Weekend this year. My parents and I used to visit my brother every year on that weekend when he lived in Indiana, and we would watch the dunk contest together, so that always makes me think of him. On a related happy note, he’s coming to visit in April!

Cocoa Puff the rabbit has returned to Instagram! This account gives me so much joy. I also started using Instagram Stories for the first time this month and am enjoying it, despite not fully understanding it. On Twitter, I started a separate account for Enneagram musings and memes after thinking about it forever. SIPster Kelly came up with the name.

Your Monthly Rufus

Rufus reclaimed his cat bed right as we were about to put it in the attic due to lack of interest. Taylor set it up in the sunniest spot in the house, and now Rufus spends much of his day there. He’s also still loving the front porch.