2022 has been interesting for me. I mean, the last two years have been very interesting for everybody. A huge mess that keeps getting bigger and messier. But I recently made a huge change in my life by quitting my job and now I’m just trying figure out what to do next.
While I liked my job, I just didn’t like who I was working with/for and the environment I was in surrounded by people who didn’t seem to care and one person who kept dragging me down all the time. It festered a really bad mindset for myself and for the past couple of years, it has affected my mental health & relationships with friends and obviously, if any of y’all have followed me on my blog here, then you could tell that I rarely, if ever, post. Not to be too clichΓ©, but it was toxic.
So as messy as this year has been thus far for me, I haven’t found much motivation to read. Every now and then I would gain some sort of gumption to read a few pages of a book, but then in a few minutes I would give up because I was too tired or couldn’t focus enough. That said I have finished 3 books so far!! (you can put in the applause or clapping emojis in the comments for me). So I’ll blab about all three for a bit, for this “seasonal wrap-up” because I really enjoyed all three and highly recommend them,
Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton — My first read of the year that was technically an end of 2021 read but who cares?? To be honest, it did take me a while to finish this and not because I wasn’t interested, I just had so much bullshit happening in my life. That out of the way, this book!!! I love books about messy, toxic female characters and this one delivered so hard. I cannot wait to read her newest book, The World Cannot Give.
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell — For some reason, I chose to read this concurrent with Social Creature. I book I got because of the hype surrounding it. It was the book that got Lorde to get off social media and fuck off in Antarctica, so what could it do to me? While it didn’t absolutely make me do anything as profound as Lorde’s venture to Antarctica (#1 I ain’t rich enough #2 It wouldn’t be Antarctica), it made me think so much about how capitalism has affected my life and how to try to detach myself from that way of thinking. Just such an informative and fascinating read that I think is accessible for anyone wanting to read a book about this, that’s filled tons of great resources and references.
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid — Going into this one, I knew all the hype and its also the hype I was on a couple years ago but I could never seem to get myself to actually READ IT. When I finally got to it recently, I devoured it. It’s my kind of read about a messy rock band going through drama during thee peak rock ‘n roll making music era, the 1970s. It read to me like an episode of VH1’s Behind the Music but with even much more depth and exploring the humanity within the characters mixed in with the same feelings I get whenever I watch Almost Famous. “It’s all happening”, as Penny Lane says.
Yes, I do enjoy the fact that so much of the characters and stories are based off Fleetwood Mac and the real life behind the scenes of them making Rumours. In fact, I think I wanted to this be as messy and even messier than Fleetwood Mac’s story. Also I love that this plays into my favorite stereotype that bassists are always the chill, laid back or quiet ones that stay out of the mess (Pete deserved to tell some of his story though!!). I am always here for classic rock band drama. It’s so entertaining! I cannot wait for the show now, since really seems like its made for television/film-storytelling format and obviously I am super interested to hear the songs.
So there we go, a glimpse into what January, February and March held for me. I hope to be reading much more in April and the following months, and also to blog more. I’ll have some more time on my hands and plenty to discuss. Thanks for reading! π
Booked on a Feeling 