What I Read in July

 What. A. Month! I spent most of the month on vacation or out of town. Our family took our annual trip up to northern Michigan to relax for the first two weeks and celebrate the Fourth of July, I visited Hilton Head Island and Savannah to celebrate a friend's bachelorette party, and went to Kansas City for an Unbound board meeting and then to spend some time with family. I had such a great time spending quality time with friends and family this month...and I'm ready to figure out a routine for my "new normal" :)

With all the travel, I was able to read quite a bit this month! 

One Summer on Mackinac by Alana Robin: This was a fun read that I picked out for spending time in northern Michigan! I found the author on TikTok. Definitely light, and a fun romcom. Would recommend!

On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen: A less light read, this was a look at the relationship between religion, the patriarchy, and acceptable behaviors for women. An interesting look at what behaviors we exhibit, and if they are truly a negative thing or just painted to be that way. (For example, where's the line between well-needed rest and being lazy? And why does the definition seem to be different across genders?) Would recommend! 

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: My husband wanted a "good mystery" for some summer reading, so he bought this book! I hadn't read it since high school, and enjoyed a re-read. Even though I had already read it, I didn't remember what happened in the end. A fun surprise! Would recommend!

Ghosts of Savannah by Terrance Zecke: It seems I've turned into a Savannah enthusiast. I went down to Hilton Head for a bachelorette party, and extended the trip to spend some extra time in Savannah. A friend gifted me this book, and I read it on the plane on the way down. It was fun to know the backstories as I walked around! I've now taken a couple of walking ghost tours in Savannah, and what I noticed is the stories on the tours and the stories in the book are similar but not always exactly the same - which is the fun of folklore. If you're heading to Savannah, I'd recommend!

What you are looking for is in the library by Michiko Aoyama: When I left Deloitte, I chatted with another woman around my age who also decided to leave and pursue other career opportunities. She recommended this book to me. I loved it! It is made up of six short stories that are connecting but not entirely overlapping, and looks at the relationship between life and work. Would definitely recommend!

Still Lives by Maria Hummel: I had been reading quite a few non-fiction books, and felt like I needed to break it up with some fiction. This was a book I had flagged in Libby to read for later - a Reese Witherspoon Book Club book. A mystery about an artist who goes missing, from the perspective of someone who works at an art museum. A fun step into the art world, and an interesting mystery with a few twists along the way. Would recommend!

Good Energy by Casey Means, MD: This book was recommended to me. The premise is that inflammation is what causes disease, and therefore reducing inflammation through what you eat and how you live can improve your health overall. Given the (massive) inflammation I had when I had Maisie, I've been more intrigued in low-inflammation eating (like the Mediterranean diet) and thought it would be worth reading. The author clearly has a chip on her shoulder about the medical system today, and somewhat took it out on doctors (so if you're a doctor - be warned before reading!). She basically explained the science behind why it can be beneficial to live a crunchy lifestyle - no "ultra-processed" foods, get outside more, stop sitting all day long, avoid plastics and micro plastics. While I was pretty annoyed while reading the book, I'll probably take away some of the tips, like her recommendations for pre-made/grab-and-go "clean" snacks. I'll probably also start buying grass-fed meat when I can. Maybe even buy a water filter for our family. I'd maybe recommend, but just be warned :)

Beyond reading, I'm still working to find my "new normal". I have been working to establish a writing habit, and still haven't quite figured out what time and place works best (although shoutout to Goddess and the Grocer which is my current favorite writing spot!). I'm exploring some more with Poppy's Paints. Thank you to those of you who have taken my survey! (And if you'd like to help, you can take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DLWQFN7) We have a pop-up coming up in September, which I'm excited about, and I have a few more ideas for some additional pop-ups this fall! I have a couple of leads on consulting roles, and a few ideas for where I might be able to find more. I've been spending a lot of time on my board role at Unbound, and excited about the impact that the organization is making. I'm still feeling very much in the messy middle, but optimistic that it will all come together. Well - I'm going to keep telling myself that, anyway :D

xoxo,

Emma