We're having some good times this trip, but I'm looking forward to the next phase of the journey, which will be away from the older generation for a bit. I'm grateful to be able to visit with them, but every time I open my book, they want to talk about something else. I am accustomed to more quiet time than this.

Photo: Red squirrel having a snack in Summit County, Ohio.

We're traveling and visiting family, so I've not been reading as much as usual (except for an hour of an audiobook in the car the other day), but we've been listening to a lot of music, including this Brahms waltz that showed up in my dream the other night. The first time I remembered a song from a dream and could identify it after I woke up. https://open.spotify.com/track/3ElNBOxaakZ4wEbCvZLei5?si=noxwspu3SISAG9da4Iqvag
#TuesdayTunes @TieDyeDude

1) I think it was the tagged, which I ordered as soon as I learned Meta was trying to suppress it.

2) I would have thought series, but I think I have ordered more stand-alones. I don't read a lot of series, and when I do, I tend to read them when all the books are out so I can binge them.

@TheSpineView ##Two4Tuesday

The overarching joy this week is that both of my big kiddos are home for the summer! Other joys are of a suburban/urban scenery and fauna nature (although I suppose my kids are suburban fauna, too):

1) Bee snuggling in a rose.
2) Dewy spiderweb.
3) Cat sleeping in packing material.
4) Mom and babies in a bird nest on an electrical box.
5) Sky.
@DebinHawaii #5JoysFriday

I enjoyed this one more than I have many of Christie's later mysteries. The story is silly, of course, but it's lively and kept me guessing with its many red herrings. I love having Mrs. Oliver and Poirot team up again, and it's also pleasant to see Poirot's vulnerable side (and his matchmaker side). I admire Christie's ability to just stop a book at the end, much as I admire people who can end a phone call without a long goodbye.

This novel is relatable in some ways, while also sappy and a bit tedious, as beach vacations often are. What's not relatable is why someone would go back to the exact same sub-par place for vacations for twenty years. I couldn't handle the sameness, although I guess it's comforting to know you won't have privacy or reliable plumbing year after year? And swimming in a pond is gross. I think I see why living in New England wasn't a good fit for me.

1) I like Mary Oliver's advice:

Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

2) See comments

3) Playing the tagged game with my family last night. It's a hoot!

@Eggs #WondrousWednesday

This one ended up feeling a little less substantial (a little less oomph-filled) than it seemed like it would be, but I enjoyed the story, the character development, the coincidences. It's also interesting to see how authoritarianism manifests basically the same regardless of the stated politics behind it, possibly because it's about power and the ideology is just the vehicle for getting one man (or a few of them) as much power as he can wrangle.

I'm having one of those days that just feels tough for no really good reason. The kind of day where I was looking forward to repotting houseplants and am unreasonably undone that the delayed delivery of two pots has pushed the task until tomorrow, where I know I'm being bratty and ungrateful, but I can't seem to be anything different. So to heck with it; I'm reading.

June #bookspinbingo. As my teenager would say, let's go! Time to lock in!

@TheAromaofBooks

The Storygraph has this AI-powered book preview (basically a prediction about whether a user will like a book or not) that I like to look at after I finish a book. This is from its prediction for how I'd feel about The Guncle Abroad. It seems like it's figured me out pretty well. It makes me wonder: How much can you tell about a person based only on their reading history? I feel like the answer is, "A lot," but I'm not sure about that.

This one is relatively fun, and it's kind of nice to have Patrick called out on some of his silliness, but I'm not sure I'm super interested in general in people for whom flying first class is the default and purchasing real estate in SoCal or NYC is no big deal. The characters spend their time displaying a lack of awareness about their own wealth, being wowed at others even richer than them, and delivering one liners and schmaltz. Fun but light.

This lady has no respect for my to-do list. Or the fact that my coffee mug is empty. At least my book is within reach (just out of frame).

Two bingos in May! I completed my #bookspin (although not my #doublespin). And I seem to be avoiding my #Roll100 titles...
#bookspinbingo
@TheAromaofBooks

As I was putting this together, I realized that May 11-17 was a really good reading week...I listed my favorite, but there were a few other contenders, which is a lovely problem to have.

Farewell, May 2025! You were a good reading month.

#WeeklyFavorites @Read4life

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView ! My first time playing this one...

Today is grocery shopping, running a mock 5k to see how my new training plan is working (aside from me gaining 5 pounds, which makes no sense but always happens when I add miles), and hopefully applying to a couple of interesting jobs. Oh, and getting my June library holds set up for our travels.

No idea whom to tag, so jump in if you want to play!

@AllDebooks #chatterday2025

Everett has a way of writing characters that just draws me in, even if the plot confuses me. I wish I could identify what it is he does because it's really effective. I really enjoyed this one, although when I got to the third story, I wondered if I'd been reading the whole thing wrong. In the first and third stories, Ogden had been in the army, and in the second, he'd been in the Marines; I assumed this was an oversight, but now I'm not sure.

1) Camille, my reading buddy.
2) The penultimate concert of the academic year (Carmina Burana with choir!).
3) Rose Garden walk.
4) Silo getting his claws stuck in my son's shirt and then forgetting how to use his legs.
5) This pipe on our regular walking route that looks like a tiny robot guy from one angle, which I find delightful.
@DebinHawaii #5JoysFriday

I am not happy that it's already June (I'm excited about things we're doing in June and that both kids will be home, but it's crazy that May is already over), but I'm always happy to put together my #bookspin list. I've got my #roll100, my #authoramonth, and my #camplitsy25 included here. (We'll see if I can get all of my hashtags right.)
@TheAromaofBooks

After a long day helping set up the high school gym for the Grad Night party, having an awesome time subbing a prealgebra class, and playing tennis with my spouse, I have a precious few minutes to read the tagged under a lovely sky before my kid is done with orchestra rehearsal.

Nate isn't quite as annoying as George (of The Book of George), but his story also isn't as interesting. After an enjoyable beginning, it moves into Nate's reiterative internal justification for inconsiderate behavior that provokes, at best, a kind of tired irritation, much like the emotional arc of his love affairs. His hopelessness and oblivious privilege are mundane (albeit realistic and well-written).

1) I'm pretty happy with my name now (after trying to go by my middle name for a couple of years), but if I had to choose a new one, I'd choose one that sounds strong and stately to me, like Millicent or Birgitta.
2) Sam-I-Am, Maurice, Owen, Conrad Birdie.
3) Schuyler (actor who played Diana Barry in the Colleen Dewhurst Anne of Green Gables miniseries), Angharad from Welsh mythology (on my parents' long list for my name).
@Eggs #WondrousWednesday

I picked up this book today in the hopes that it will satisfy my desire for fancy drinks while not destroying my sleep like even one of the "real" versions does. There are kind of a lot of ingredients in a lot of these, but they look tasty.

It's my #Litsyversary! Six years on my favorite non-toxic (mostly) social media! Not a lot of time for reading today, but I did get to listen to the tagged this morning while driving to and from hanging out with a friend at the park, where we saw beautiful roses.

I own this one in print, but I wanted to do housework today, so I opted for the audiobook. The contemplative pace is great for listening while doing chores. Everything in this novel means more than one thing, which I find comforting. There's also a comfort in the slow pace and the feeling that there's always time to reflect and improve. I feel like reading this on paper now, too.

This memoir captures the immediacy of Zamora's journey as well as the fast intimacies created by a shared intense experience, and it's delivered effectively through a voice that feels genuine to a nine-year-old's experience. It feels tedious at times, but this, too, feels true to the experience, which alternates between boredom and terror. I'm looking forward to the book club discussion. (Photo from a hike I took near the border in winter 2023.)

I switched from audiobook to ebook so I could snuggle with Camille. She seems content with this change. First day in shorts (for non-exercise) this year and next to an open patio door. Feels about right for Memorial Day!

Even now that I've finished this and enjoyed it, I'm not entirely sure how to read it. It's cleverly written and goes into some depth about navigating relationships during times of extremism. There's also a fatalism to this alternate history, a sense that with culture becoming increasingly polarized into extreme viewpoints, certain outcomes are inevitable. Extreme positions of any kind give opportunists and narcissists a platform to thrive.

Low-key readathon: Activated!

Only trouble is, the cat is so cozy, I'm about to fall asleep myself. 😴

#JumpStartSummer @TheSpineView

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1) Finished out the read-aloud year and brought home the book bin.
2) Bought a wagon so I'm less likely to injure myself taking the book bin to the main office next week.
3) Orchidelirium! Orchids have so much character!
4) Played my first piano recital.
5) Silo, our resident Distinguished Fellow.
Not pictured: I had a great informational interview exploring a new-ish field for me.

I've got a busy weekend of music (both professional and talented student musicians) and stagehanding (if that's a word), but I'm hoping to sneak in some reading each day. I'm working on some Percival Everett for #authoramonth, Solito for book club, and the tagged just for fun, although I'm leaving open the possibility of just mood reading. #jumpstartsummer @TheSpineView

After hearing the synopsis, reading the first few chapters and skimming the rest, I think I have the basic idea: You'll be happier and more successful if you aim for an ideal but measure yourself by your progress, not by how far you are from the ideal, like heading towards the horizon to give you direction, not because you expect to reach it. Decent idea, but it doesn't need this many words to convey it.

Bookends post for March and April 2025 is finally up: https://imperfecthappiness.org/2025/05/22/bookends-march-april-2025/

I list what I read in those months and ponder an unsettling temporal development.

Overall, I found this book to be moderate, data-driven, and interesting, with a couple of caveats. First, Twenge sometimes doesn't flag clearly what is data and what is her opinion. This is fine, it just means I have to pay closer attention. Next, I found the GenX section disappointing. She ignores outliers and nuances she points out in the Millennials section, and she reaches different conclusions from some data than I do. (cont'd ⬇️)

10/100, but it's more like 75/100 adjusted for Ulysses.

Notable titles of those I read:
1) Howards End (loved it)
2) The Trial (loved it)
3) Ulysses (loved being done with it)

#ThreeListThursday @dabbe

1) Reminding myself that, assuming we're not living in the Matrix, I only know for sure that I have this one life, so it deserves my attention, care, curiosity, and joy.

2) Tagged, although there are several I could name at different points in my life.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Today I finished the last read-aloud session of the academic year with the tagged book. I volunteered to bring my school's book bin back to the main office next week and to pick up and return as many as three other bins from other schools. I'm in good shape, but lugging this bin a city block to my car left me a sweaty mess with an ache in my back, so I ordered a heavy duty wagon to help with the other bins. Volunteering can get expensive!

Lalami's writing is sometimes a little obvious in its intentions, but this one plays with nuance a little better than The Other Americans, which I appreciate. It's definitely paranoia-inducing, so if you're reading fiction to avoid doomscrolling or if you don't want to look at your smart devices with suspicion, this might not be your best option. But aside from those caveats, I quite enjoyed this one.

I had a lovely time at the orchid exhibition at the botanic garden yesterday. It was a nice break from national news, unlike the tagged, which I started on audio. It seems pretty good, but I don't know if I'm in the right headspace to cope with the paranoia. (I also played at a piano recital and was so nervous that I pretty much blacked out during my performance, so I might need something lighter to read to help me even out.)

A quick and impactful read, this book by Richard Haass is like a distillation of David Brooks's writings about character. It was written before the 2024 election but predicts many of the threats to democracy that resulted. The suggestions are moderate and bipartisan, although in the current environment would likely be considered radical.

TL;DR: Protecting democracy is necessary, nonpartisan, and requires our active participation.

Back when I was a recent college graduate, I wrote a letter to John Glenn, one of my senators at the time, proposing an expansion of benefits associated with voluntary civil service (essentially making AmeriCorps service and military service equivalent). I never got a reply. Here in Obligation VIII, Haass proposes almost exactly what I did at age 21. I feel vindicated and also a tiny bit wise beyond my years (retroactively).

Please don't let one of the obligations be strict sobriety. 🤞

@MaleficentBookDragon I was inspired by your bourbon posts to make myself a Friday night Harlequin Racerunner (except with rye instead of bourbon because I wanted something less sweet).

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
I continue to feel down this week, but there were definite joys:
1) Mother's Day vampire movie! (Along with the recent discovery that my younger kid shares my love of scary movies...I've got a bunch out from the library to watch with him!)
2) After 2+ weeks, the new dishwasher is finally installed!
3) Silo looking cozy.
4) Silo looking regal.
5) Silo and Camille "hunting" an alligator lizard through the screen door.

Despite not being a fan of the ending, I really enjoyed this book. It's weird and quirky, and the tone almost reminds me of Stan Schmidt's Life of Fred series of story-based math books (a reference only a few homeschoolers are likely to get, but that's what it made me think of). I haven't read any James Bond books, so I can't say if it's like any of those. #authoramonth

I started this in Spanish and finished it in English because I read too slowly in Spanish. I'm not sure if that's ironic or not. Newport writes in this book that he aims to write in a style that's a cross between Stephen Covey and Malcolm Gladwell, and I think he's succeeded. He presents anecdotes from which he derives hypotheses about productivity, and then he offers possible solutions to reduce performative productivity. It's interesting.

What first struck me about this novel about art getting out of hand was how quickly I felt close to the characters. There's an event near the beginning that's foreshadowed clearly, but still it felt like a blow when it came because I had connected with the characters so much already. I listened to part of the novel in the car and found myself self-consciously turning down the volume at stop lights. (Guess which section that was.) #authoramonth

Our library system already has a budget that's lower than the average per capita library spending for the state, and last week more budget cuts went through, with plans to close libraries on Sundays and Mondays and reduce cleaning and maintenance services. I'm angry and discouraged that our city isn't prioritizing libraries, especially when literacy is under attack on a national level. So, I'm visiting the library and enjoying humorous signage.

For #TuesdayTunes, I'm revisiting the debut album of Tift Merritt, a North Carolina artist whose music almost always hits the spot for me. https://open.spotify.com/track/4pd9x8AzxZHEd17QT7vH6B?si=PtFE0iHTTjedh3W32GPEZQ&...
@TieDyeDude

I read The Plague years ago (while pregnant with my first, whose 20th birthday is today), and while I kept meaning to read this one, it took my second-born reading it in high school and begging his father and me to read it to get me finally to pick it up. It's a quick read, the style reminiscent of Hemingway in the first half. As my son promised, there are some fire quotes in here, as well as musings about existence in the modern age. I liked it.

"So, with all the sleep, my memories, reading my crime story, and the alternation of light and darkness, time passed...days could be both long and short at the same time: long to live through, maybe, but so drawn out that they ended up flowing into one another. They lost their names. Only the words 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' still had any meaning for me."

He's talking about prison, but this works to describe how a lot of 2020 felt, too.