curledup roundup: Jun
Better late than never, that's what I always say!
Hello! I hope that you are having an enchanting, revitalizing, delightful summer, wherever in the world you find yourself. Here is a smattering of things I read, places I went, and feels I felt over the month of June.
By way of an introduction to this post… I love to snoop and see on what people are reading on planes.
I turned 30 this month! And I’m thrilled about it. I feel really lucky and grateful. When I reflect on my 20s, I see how much easier said than done it is to “trust the process”. But I’m vowing to my 30-year-old self to fully, wholeheartedly do exactly that. I’ve finally learned that the energy required distrusting the process, going against the grain of what’s meant for you, trying to control the things you can’t, is futile; it’s wasted. There’s only so much space in my brain, and I don’t want it filled with rumination, I want it filled with peace, contentment, learning, loving, expanding. That energy is not at all wasted—it’s life-giving. And it’s precisely what I’m feeling at the turn of this decade.
This passage from Pamela Anderson’s newsletter — yes, you heard that right; yes, you should absolutely subscribe and read her memoir too — that showed up in my inbox on my birthday, felt like a sign, an affirmation, a hug from the universe. Light a candle, make a wish…
In April of last year, I went on a reading and writing retreat to Italy hosted by the wildly intelligent , author of Wordslut, Cultish, and the recently released The Age of Magical Overthinking (that I had the pleasure of hearing about on the streets of Siena at 3 am). On that trip, I met some incredibly impressive and beautifully open people. One of those people was Lane. Italy was a stop on her global world tour — her , some would say — where she was in the process of rediscovering herself after divorce. She was moving through the emotions, the entanglements, the fast and slow epiphanies that come with having your world turned upside down, in real time. That process became the work of art that is Creation of Woman: Evangelical and Transgender in the Bible Belt. To say I was honored to have read drafts of this while it was in the works, would be an understatement. Lane is a champion of readers, a phenomenal writer, and an international treasure! Do yourself a favor and read it here.
I went to the wedding of two of my gorgeous friends in Asheville, NC. The morning after dancing the night away, I visited Firestorm Books and picked up another Mary Oliver. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — she’s an inspiration to look at the world around us a little deeper, a little lighter, with a little more awareness and awe each and every step of the way.
Speaking of the art of noticing, I recently read We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters. I loved the way the book was structured: making the argument that what’s wrong with, essentially, the entire world, is that we’ve moved from a ‘slow food’ way of living to a fast one. She outlines the tenets of fast food culture, which she explains is beyond just McDonalds and more about the expectations chains and systems like that have created, as well as the tenets of slow food culture that can combat it: beauty, biodiversity, seasonality, stewardship, pleasure in work, simplicity, and interconnectedness. Life is more than just food, but in this manifesto, she makes the case that the way we approach food and eating trickles into every facet. She encourages slowing down, being more intentional, rethinking ideas and frameworks we’ve been taught. I especially loved this one about beauty…
I must pass on a thriller recommendation I received from my best friend: None of This is True, specifically in audiobook format. A winding, twisting tale that does exactly what the title suggests, leaving you unsure of what to believe with each passing chapter. An easy read and never a dull moment.
I saw Mary Jane on Broadway, starring Rachel McAdams, and was blown away. I didn’t know much about it going in, and left feeling gutted about the subject matter — the heroic act that is caregiving — and in complete reverence and wonder of the performance.
If you’re looking for a quick, one-sitting read, look no further than Claire Keegan. When I was in London, I picked up So Late in the Day from Daunt Books. A post-breakup POV with the subtle, simple, precise language she’s known for, I flew through this one.
Sylvia Plath with some of the most brutally true words…
See you (extremely) soon for another roundup of July, and hopefully more beyond that! Being easier on myself in my 30s :) Happy summer!