1- Noah Kahan, where you been all my life?
I am extremely late to this particular music party, but after hearing about his latest album on NPR All Songs I realized two things: a) I need his music in my life and b) I had heard him before, but I kind of thought he was Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). They definitely have different styes, but something about the vocal timbre is similar to me!
(I really like Bon Iver too).
I just started listening to some of the back catalog yesterday after playing The Great Divide on repeat for the past few weeks. He seems like someone who would be great to see in concert someday, and I know he’s on tour now but I’d love to get to know more of his music for a while first.
2- Loved Laura’s interview on Deep Questions!! I finally got to listen to it this morning during my workout! (And had to giggle at the part at the end where he marvels at the impossibility of using a paper calendar . . . what can I say!? It really does still work for me and I am not saying it is for everyone, but I do believe it remains a viable option for many people.)
3- I decided to track time again. Kae’s quantitative data analysis inspired me once again. The only way to get my own data is to collect it . . .will report back on that venture next week.
4- This is going to sound so dumb, but the whole restrictive macros thing I think was really bringing me down. I am just not the kind of person who wants to stick to a very regimented diet. I absolutely still want to eat in a very conscious, purposeful way (still loving CalAI!) — it’s just that for me there has to be room for some food that is purely . . . fun.
5- Currently reading: The Society of Shame by Jane Roper. I picked this book up because I got to connect with the author at the a capella reunion last month! (I jokingly called her my “security soprano” because it can be scary to aim for those high notes without a buddy).
ANYWAY, I am about halfway through have found to to be a ton of fun! AND she even stuck an a capella reference in there (The ProgesTones, lol).
(Other Williams College alums I happen to love the work of: Jenny Jackson – Pineapple Street + Sierra Greer – Annie Bot)
UP THIS WEEKEND:
A lot of kid shuttling (Saturday)
Traditional end-of-school-year dinner (this will be the 6th consecutive annual Melting Pot experience)
Grad party for my awesome nephew who is headed to Duke (!!!)
MOOD STUFF: I am still feeling really flat and blah BUT actively seeking some solutions and in the meantime, trying to just focus on what is in front of me. (Like work and books and music and family and friends.)
AAAND off to clinic.
(I do rather love my recently added Friday tradition of Starbucks & Blog Post on the way!)
19 Comments
Yep- when I did that super restrictive diet last summer it made me sad. I knew it was temporary and it had a purpose- to fix some digestive issues- but life just felt so blah without ANY treats!!! I guess there are people who “eat to live” but I’m not one of them.
I can’t remember- did you read Yesteryear? I’m finally reading it and it’s definitely living up to the hype, which isn’t always the case for me. I’m loving it.
Enjoy your weekend! It sounds fun.
i actually DISLIKED Yesteryear! Esp from the midpoint on. I will have to share my hot takes in a future post but it’s hard without spoilers!!!
I loved Yesteryear AND I totally understand why it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m stumped at how to have the discussion without spoilers.
Oh man I disliked Yesteryear too. Can’t wait for your take. I feel like everyone is loving it and I’m like did we read the same book??
I am about to start it for my book club in June! I am curious to hear your hot takes. At the very least, it seems to have polarizing reactions so probably good for discussion at book club?
i DO think it would be fun to discuss in a book club! Even though I disliked it 🙂
I also disliked it, as a whole, but less with the concept, and more with the execution. It could have been (this is so subjective to me!!) a great book, with a great premise, but it felt almost half realized. I wonder if that’s because it had already been optioned for a movie during the writing/editing phase…to me, it felt more like the beginning of a script and not a novel, with the characters broad caricatures of what could have been depth driven.
I did read Lázár, which was promised to be a sweeping historical epic from a wunderkind author. It’s…good (you may like it! I generally did!!), although he was heavily inspired by Thomas Mann and I felt much happier with Buddenbrooks, which has the heft of a sweeping family historical epic. I think the author’s next book will be where he hits his stride.
Why, I AM fun at parties, why do you ask?
I felt similar about Yesteryear. Great concept, terrible execution, terrible editing, and a contempt (hostility, even) for both the protagonist and the novel’s audience on the author’s part that I found really appalling. It would be a great choice for a book club for those reasons alone!
I started yesteryear last night (Sarah hates it, so I figured I’d probably like it), and… lol. It’s bad. Like badly written. But what a delicious hate-read! It’s kind of like certain ladies influencer blogs, lol. And what’s especially entertaining is reading about all the strong reactions people have to it. Thanks for the tip!
Wait till you get to the part where she describes someone knitting with sewing needles. Someone get this lady a Pulitzer!
The knitting with sewing needles absolutely SENT me and I think I raged to my husband about that as much as I did about the rest of the book/writing. I also listened to her podcast, and it’s better than her book, but there are other podcasters who deep dive into this whole genre very thoughtfully and without the contempt and condescension for a influencer lifestyle they have significant reservations about.
It gets worse!! I actually had the same initial reaction. I’ll be curious to know your thoughts. Agree with badly written. I disliked yellowface which I know you liked but at least the writing was not a problem in that one!
oh and did you read Sky Daddy? I agree we have sort of a venn diagram of dislike/like BUT i think there is an overlapping portion and my guess is this one would exist there along with Emily St John Mendel . . .
I am currently triple fisting Yesteryear, Swift and Saddled (sequel to Done and Dusted), and The Emperor of Gladness — you would be so proud of me! Will add Sky Daddy to my TBR to start soon. I agree about the Venn diagram. I remember I read Annie Bot because of you, and The Wedding People I liked even though I didn’t find it as amazing as a lot of people did. LOVE Emily St John Mandel. My favorite is Glass Hotel.
ooh I am gong to put Swift and Saddled on hold! Yes Annie Bot I would have predicted might be in that middle venn diagram part. (and i think i would say it was my favorite book of 2025 with sky daddy so far leading 2026).
I hope you get to reset a bit during the weekend. A new month is coming and that always brings good energy. I use a google calendar for life management but could definitely use a paper planner professionally. I think if you don’t have many teams calls, etc, it would be fine?
My husband did a FODMAP diet and it was absolutely awful to have to think that much about food. I am a good creative cook, and it was just soulless. The 8 year old and I were putting chilli crunch on everything.
No restrictive macros for me. I generally eat healthy. But I don’t want to live in a world where ice cream isn’t on the menu from time to time! I once heard an interview with some wellness influencer who said they don’t eat red peppers because they spike blood sugar. OH COME ON!
That’s hilarious. How much red pepper is anyone eating?!? 😂 If red peppers are a no-no then that influencer would fall over dead reviewing my diet. lol!!
I’m with you on macros. As soon as I start trying to eat for any other reason than hunger and appetite, things go sideways for me. Thumbs up to CalAI though! I do need to keep an eye on my protein, and it gives me a very easy way to do that.