What I’m Into: October 2020

Main Events

October is usually when the seasons shift around here. The rainy, gloomy, and cold weather has begun, and I’m trying not to think about how much more of it is ahead. I feel like we skipped Pleasant Fall completely and went straight from summer to Dreary Fall. Instead of eating in the sunny backyard or walking around the block, I’m now spending my lunches napping or watching Friends on TBS. I’ll adjust and get my act together eventually, and make the most of the nice days we do have.

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?!?!?!!?!?!?! Just kidding, it’s too late now, but I hope everyone is on it. Taylor and I early voted last week, downtown at the Election Commission, to really commemorate what I pray is not our last free and fair vote.

In an effort to contribute something, I also wrote a batch of letters for Vote Forward this month.

Reading

The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi (4 stars) This is exactly what it sounds like. It was really helpful.

If, Then by Kate Hope Day (3 stars) Parallel universes start to overlap in this novel about a small Oregon mountain town.

Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) by Mindy Kaling (5 stars) A new Mindy essay collection, published individually and exclusively for Kindle. I didn’t even know this was coming out and devoured it all in a day. Also, HOW ABOUT her surprise quarantine second child?!?

Blessed Are the Nones: Mixed-Faith Marriage and My Search for Spiritual Community by Stina Kielsmeier-Cook (4 stars) After Kielsmeier-Cook’s husband deconverted from Christianity, she found an unexpected kinship with a small order of nuns in her neighborhood. I’ve had this memoir on my list since it was first announced. It’s a little different than I expected, but very good!

After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress (2 stars) This sci-fi novel jumps around in time before, during, and after a nature-driven apocalypse. Something about the writing just didn’t hit for me… even though it’s won some awards. I would have given up if it wasn’t so short.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh (3 stars) A nameless, wealthy Manhattan protagonist decides to sleep away a year of her life (thanks to increasingly strong drugs) and wake up a new, better person. Her year ends the summer before 9/11. It seemed like an appropriate pandemic read. I wouldn’t say I “enjoyed” this, but it was compelling enough that I read it in one sitting.

What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather (4.5 stars) Dan Rather is a national treasure. This man was born during the Depression and has SEEN IT ALL. In this book, he shares his experiences and wisdom, taking us back to better times when most Americans could agree on basic truths like “Nazis are bad.” It gave me hope and peace. Highly recommended.

Three Story House by Courtney Miller Santo (3 stars) Finally got around to reading this Memphis-set novel about three cousins restoring a dilapidated riverfront house.

The Hidden Life of Trees: The Illustrated Edition by Peter Wohlleben (5 stars) My mom gave me this book for my birthday, and I LOVED IT. Lots of fascinating info about how trees communicate with each other, the life of a forest, symbiotic relationships with fungi, and much more. I expect to refer back to it, and think it would make a great botany text for homeschoolers.

Listening

On my drive to Nashville early in the month, I finally listened to The Chicks’ new album, which is as amazing as everyone says. This is my favorite track – just incredibly written. I wish I’d had it ten years ago.

Rachel Wilkerson Miller started a podcast! The second episode was about cults, and you know I’m always here for some cult analysis.

I discovered this month that Sarah and Beth of Pantsuit Politics have another podcast, The Nuanced Life. They had a good episode this week about pregnancy.

Watching

Debra has been trying all year to get me to watch Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, and I finally gave in! I only have an episode and a half left. It’s pretty great overall – the cast is wonderful.

My favorite show This Is Us returned this week, incorporating relevant pandemic and racism storylines without pulling ANY PUNCHES. I could not admire the writers and cast more – you know they did a lot of rewrites this summer. It’ll be interesting to see which shows embrace 2020 reality, and which go on in a sort of alternate timeline.

Adele’s episode of SNL was the best of the year, hands down. I’m excited for John Mulaney.

I didn’t know much about Judy Garland’s life until Taylor and I watched Judy. It was excellent, but really sad.

Other things I watched and liked: Becoming; Douglas with Hannah Gadsby.

Travel

I visited my sister in the Nashville area the first weekend of October. Taylor and I both strictly quarantined for two weeks beforehand so I could go. We hadn’t seen each other since February, and I hadn’t seen my BIL or nieces since the beginning of January. We went to a couple of parks and just enjoyed being together. It was like a break from the virus, getting to hug and be close to family without worrying.

I’d missed most of Debra’s pregnancy, so I was happy to get to feel my newest niece kick. She’s due in December.

“Around Town”

One weekend, Taylor and I stopped in to a (mostly deserted) industrial antique store downtown. Several of our old doorknobs need repair and I haven’t been sure where to find parts, but now I know where to go!

We’re still getting our sports in, setting up two screens if necessary. Our next-door neighbors, who are also Braves fans, watched a NLCS game with us in the backyard on the projector. Meanwhile, I was thrilled when the Tigers beat UCF for the first time in 30 years!! It still feels weird and sad to be close enough to the football games to hear them, but not actually there. Going in person just doesn’t feel worth the risk at this point. Plus, our gazebo is a lot warmer and more comfortable.

At Home

We have some truly epic mushrooms growing on and around one of our old oak trees. Thanks to The Hidden Life of Trees, I know to let them do their thing.

Taylor painted both the guest room and his office this month. No pictures yet because the rooms are still in disarray, but we went with a highly rated blue-gray, Sherwin-Williams Krypton. PSA that the tone of your trim makes a huge difference with this color. At first it skewed much bluer than I expected, but after Taylor took the trim from off-white to white, it had the more neutral tone we were going for.

Eating

We had our first (outdoor) restaurant date since Valentine’s Day at Tamboli’s! I had the “meat board” aka charcuterie pizza. I wanted to try the veggie pizza, but the veggies were all pre-marinated in a mix that includes red onions (which I’m allergic to).

I am basic and love Pumpkin Time, so I tried pumpkin oatmeal pancakes and also made more healthy pumpkin bread, as muffins in my beloved pumpkin cake pan (similar).

I also love a tortellini soup, and this recipe is healthily loaded with vegetables!

I’m suddenly into smoothies as a breakfast, dessert, or snack. Frozen dark sweet cherries are my favorite fruit to use (followed by mango and peaches). If it’s a dessert smoothie, I put in vanilla ice cream instead of yogurt (we love the single-serving Breyers cups).

Wearing

After much frustration with all the separate shipping costs on Poshmark, I placed my first ThredUp order and am really pleased. The prices are great, the listings are consistent, and shipping is flat rate. I got a couple of gussied-up J. Crew sweatshirts. The only drawback is that you can’t search, say, “rainbow sweater” like you can on Poshmark, so a lot more browsing is required.

Other than that, it’s just day pajamas and night pajamas around here. Next.

Beauty

My face exfoliator tool (the third or fourth I’ve purchased) died after only a few months. As usual, I tried to go on without one and noticed a negative difference in my skin within a week. Although the price made me cringe, I decided it was finally worth getting a real deal Dermapore. I kept the cheap knockoffs in the shower, but am not willing to risk it with this, so my process has changed. I invested in an exfoliating cleanser and wash with that in the shower prior to using the Dermapore. Then I use the tool over the bathroom sink, where I can keep rewetting my face. These extra steps mean I use it less often than before, but it still seems to be enough.

While I was splurging, I also got two bottles of Ouidad’s heat spray, which was 50% off. It really does make a difference.

My second Ipsy bag was extremely cool and Halloween-appropriate!

Wellness

Big news: we bought an elliptical! Since the gym reopened, I’ve been going solely to use the elliptical. Lately I’ve started to feel not great about it even with all the safety precautions. I did some research and put out feelers, and a friend of a friend happened to be selling her Sole E20 elliptical. It’s now set up in the guest room! We’ll likely rejoin our gym whenever all this is over (2022??), but in the meantime, I’m thankful to save the money while exercising safely and conveniently. I’m especially glad to have this option with winter coming. We might also get a rowing machine (since we got a great deal on the elliptical), but that’s still under discussion.

Random Happiness

My oldest niece and I are having a weekly Ramona Quimby, Age 8 book club over Zoom. I love it.

Taylor is selling a bunch of old Yankee Candle stuff and found this owl tart warmer. I immediately claimed it for myself.

My church has safely, successfully met in the parking lot for three weeks running. It might not work all fall and winter, but I’m thankful for however long we get.