Introducing... my 2021 Hobonichi

Planner people are really the ultimate optimists, right?

Look at us all, buying planners after 2020 showed us that we can’t always plan what life is going to look like.

But there’s something that I’m always going to enjoy about it. There’s a ritual to selecting a new planner. To setting it up and carefully inscribing birthdays and holidays. There’s a beautiful faith that life goes on, that we’re going to be here to enjoy it, that we want to honor these days with purpose and distinction.

Or maybe we just like stickers and washi.

Or both. Definitely both.

I still used my Hobonichi Cousin almost daily in 2020, even when I had no outings or appointments or anything to look forward to. This is because I use the daily pages as my journal so that meant this sturdy, beautifully designed book was in my hands a lot.

I did an unboxing video for those who are curious as to what a 2021 Hobonichi looks like: (Don’t judge. I am not a videographer, obviously.)

I’ll do another post in January with how I’ve decided to personalize this but ICYMI, here are some past blog posts about this year’s set up and previous years’ as well.

My 2020 Planner Line-Up

My 2019 Planners

And… that’s all for now. If you want my blog posts sent straight to your inbox, subscribe to my Inner Circle Newsletter here. Or follow me on Instagram to see my occasional weekly spreads.

You Need to Watch Ted Lasso

We Need to Talk About Ted Lasso

This is the number one thing I’ve been telling people to watch lately. (And I’m NOT alone)

It’s a story about an American football coach who moves to London to coach an English Premier League football (soccer) team.

It’s a comedy, but it’s got the heart of Schitts Creek, the community of Parks & Rec and the quick wit of The Good Place.

It’s got incredibly supportive female friendships.

It’s about sports, but without the toxic masculinity. 

It’s about the culture clash between the UK and the US but without any false superiority.

It’s about relationships, platonic, romantic, community.

It’s about joy.

It’s about finding a new way to look at life.

It’s my favorite thing right now.

Watch it.

It’s on Apple TV. and you (all of us) deserve something this good in 2020.

Here’s a podcast about it because Brene Brown agrees with me (OF COURSE SHE DOES).

And when you’re done watching it, come find me on Instagram and let’s talk about how much you love it.

A Story About Pie

Let’s talk about pie.

Yes, pie.

The dessert, not the mathematical number.

I have a friend, A, who is a phenomenal pastry chef.  I have been able to sample her creations on numerous occasions, but I have never pressed my advantage. Our children were in the same class in first or second grade and that was the first time I heard about A’s cream puffs.

You see, it was A’s child’s birthday and instead of bringing in store-bought cupcakes for the class, A brought (per her child’s request), homemade cream puffs.

My child informed me that they were delicious and could she also have homemade cream puffs brought to school for her birthday?

My child asked me for cream puffs for years. The memory of those delicious cream puffs haunted my poor, underprivileged child saddled with a useless mom who was not even going to attempt homemade cream puffs.

Yet. I became friends with A anyway, even though she showed me up in the cream puff department. And the tartlette department. And the macaron department.

She is a trained and accomplished pastry chef, after all. I accept that I cannot compete in these arenas.

But like I said, I’ve never asked for special favors or samples. I would never presume. Baking is hard work and can be expensive and I respect that this is her job.

Then one day last week, A posted a photo of a new recipe she was developing.

It was a completely new type of pie.

A described it in loving, intricate detail, using elevated vocabulary that only true foodies would appreciate.  Panna cotta. Sweet milk. Chocolate ball.

Okay, even I understood that last one.

I get a text soon after from A: Do you want to try this new pie?  

Um, yes.

I dropped by A’s house and she had a miniature sized  pie waiting for me. It was perfect. Perfect shape, perfect dollop of whipped cream on the top, sprinkled with just the right amount of chocolate garnish. Not a crumb out of place. Not a scorch mark or over-brown spot to be seen.

“I’m trying it out,” A said. “I want to know what you think.”

“It looks perfect,” I said.

“Eh,” she said.

EH?

And right then, I saw it.  The tangle of emotions that a creative person gets when they’re trying something new. The excitement, the uncertainty, the passion, the perfectionism.

To me, that miniature pie was perfection. If I had made up the recipe – from scratch, mind you – then created eight sample-sized pies that all looked like they could go straight into a Parisian patisserie’s display case, you would not be hearing “eh” from me.

I would be jumping on top of couches and demanding an excessive amount of praise for creating something amazing from nothing.

For A? It was simply the first draft of a new pie.

Which is something I recognize. My first drafts… well, yes, they’re amazing. But I know they can get better.

I told her then – she was inspiring to me. (And I’m telling her now.)

The fact that she has a new idea – and then uses her skills and talents – to create something that people will gobble down (with pleasure) in five minutes?

It makes my heart ache a little. Humans want to create things. We want to bring smiles to faces. We want to impact days, if not lives.

Whether it’s pies or hand-knitted sweaters from artisanal-dyed yarn or bold paintings or fun stories about falling in love and solving mysteries, so many of us want to share little expressions of ourselves with others. We want them warm, fed, smiling, inspired.

If you’re a creative person, thank you. You make the world a better place.

You know what else makes the world a different place?

A new pie, every month.

That’s right. My friend A has a pie of the month club.   Which is where this story goes to a whole new level.

While I was appreciating A’s new, never been created before pie recipe, and seeing the connection between her culinary creativity and my literary efforts, I remembered the Pie of the Month Club.

“Why don’t I do that?” I asked myself.

I really hate when I do that.

But I have spent the last seven months having lots of deep thoughts about life, work and creating. (#pandemic) I’ve asked myself a lot of uncomfortable questions.

If A can create pastry recipes from scratch EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH…

Could I do the same?

No, not pies, obviously. We’ve established that’s not my oeuvre.

Stories.

Could I put myself out there and go a little crazy? Try new things? Update old things? Write boldly, write unapologetically, write whatever it was I wanted to read that day? Add the fiction equivalent of cardamom when people expect cinnamon?

I think I want to try.

Maybe?

When you start writing commercially, you start to let other people’s opinions get inside your head. And it’s time for me to knock some of that out.

There’s a song that I’ve been loving lately that sort of sums this all up – my words and A’s baking.

If it ain't familiar, it's 'cause you ain't had it yet
Even if you don't like it, I bet you won't forget
There's always one or two pushing on the envelope
So I'ma raise a glass to you if you're one of those

- Maren Morris

So. Who’s in for Story of the Month club?

If you’re interested in following along with this new development, make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter. I haven’t thought through all the details yet but whatever they end up being, the Inner Circle will definitely be the first ones to know!

Best Books to Read Now - May 2020

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading. 

If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with  my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.

The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!

We’re all still stuck at home, hopefully healthy or recovering. Because we need books now more than ever, I’m still doing this.

My book recommendations for May….

Untamed - Glennon Doyle
Amazon || Apple Books

I’ll be honest. I bought this book.

Yes, I know I’ve been on a book no buy this year but my book club wanted to read this and what, exactly was I supposed to do in the middle of the pandemic?

WAIT for it to become available on the CloudLibrary app???

Dear reader, I hate to wait for books.

I mean, I do it all the time, but I don’t have to like it.

I recommend this book, a selection of essays mostly written about the last few years of Ms. Doyle’s life, for anyone who’s reached their 40s and are rediscovering who they are supposed to be or wondering why they are the way they are. This book won’t necessarily explain it for you, but you’ll definitely walk away with new insights about how we’re all still growing up even when we’re supposed to be adulted already. I highlighted a bunch of parts that I need to go back and re-read so I’m really glad I bought it.

Say Yes to the Duke - Eloisa James
Amazon || Apple Books

I did NOT buy this book. Instead, it was graciously sent to me by my good friends at Avon/ Netgalley. (Thanks guys!) I’ve read the entire Wilde series now and jumping back into the pages with this fictional family meant this was an extremely comforting read. I felt like I used to feel, back when I could see friends in person. Remember those days???

Manhunting - Jennifer Cruisie
Amazon || Apple Books

I DID buy this book… a long time ago. It’s from my TBR pile! Look at me! I think I bought it a long time ago because a friend told me it was her favorite Jennifer Crusie book. Now, I’ve loved and read Ms. Crusie’s romcom classic, Bet Me, at least five times but I’ve never dug into her other books and let me tell you, I LOVED THIS. Another comforting, funny, easy read during my stay-at-home days. It was published in 1993 (I think) which somehow added to the 2020 comfort. Why? No one had cell phones or internet or email in this book. It’s set at a resort and everyone there has to basically TALK TO EACH OTHER THE WHOLE TIME. What a concept. I can’t even imagine.

I saw some reviews that stated that the book was dated for another reason: The female main character keeps getting grabbed on dates/ in bars. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I can say that this is what dates the book as this kind of behavior does still happen, and often. I will say that it is done for comedic effect and the female main character is in NO WAY a victim. In fact, she handles each of the offenders efficiently and on her own, which is very au courant.

The Forbidden Rose- Joanna Bourne
Amazon || Apple Books

Another one from the TBR pile! This one is a prequel/ sequel to a book I included in my uber popular Swooniest Book List: The Spymaster’s Lady. (I think it’s officially the first book in the series if you go by events but it was published after The Spymaster’s Lady so it’s listed as #2). A Joanna Bourne book is like a box of expensive, dark rich chocolates. Exquisitely crafted. Meant to be savored. Extremely satisfying.

If you’re looking for EVEN MORE comfort read recommendations, I made a separate list (along with everything I’ve ever recommended, practically) here: What To Read During a Pandemic.

As always, I’ll be talking more about the books I don’t finish and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.

Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!

And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved while stuck at home or what you’re looking forward to reading next!  If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2020!

Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I could receive a few coins for posting them. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!

Women With Books - Amy Harmon - A Pioneering Book for a Stay at Home World

A new episode of the Women With Books podcast is up!

Women With Books Podcast featuring bestselling author Amy Harmon.

Amy and I recorded our conversation in two parts. The first time we talked, we had extensive internet issues probably due to the earthquake in Utah that had just happened. So we paused, rescheduled and then came back for round two. And I decided to keep that in – the break is around minute 18– because I wanted to show our pioneer spirit and show future historians what it was like trying to do podcasts during the Covid-19 quarantine era.

In this interview, you will hear what’s been on my mind a lot recently – a new kind of survival, homesteading, etc. and reading Amy’s book, which is about a family on the wagon trail in the 1850s, was so impactful. Not only is it a great book (I couldn’t put it down), but for me it was a great book at the right time, which is such a gift. And I’m so glad I get to share the book and this fascinating conversation with a thoughtful, talented author with you.

Press play to listen or download from your favorite podcast app.

Check out Amy Harmon's latest release, discussed in this episode: Where The Lost Wander. Or find her here. For a list of the authors/ books discussed, subscribe to the Women With Books newsletter (With extra Q&A from the guests!) Buy me a coffee! Support the Podcast at www.Ko-fi.com/womenwithbookspodcast Friend me on Goodreads!

Amy Harmon and I discuss the pioneering spirit, classic books that we enjoyed and whether my children would have survived the wagon trail.

Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I could receive a few coins for posting them. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!