Slow and Steady

Lately things have been steady, but this is for the first time in years. It's interesting because for so long this was all I wanted. A little home, to be married, and a work predictable job. Right now I have all those things and no, this isn't going to be the part where I say I was wrong all along and that this isn't actually what I want, because I am very content with all the steadiness and predictabilities that this season is bringing us. I'm so grateful for this time where Mike and I can slow down and look at each other and sit and dream. No we don't have any crazy plans for our first year of marriage. Just to work and save and pay off debt and sink into this new life.  I decided to put the grad school process on hold until next year because this needs to be our year to just slow the heck down. So here are some snippets of our slow lifestyle as of late. It has been lovely.

Weekends in the cottage have been dreamy. Candles, reading, music, pizza, movies, friends, baking, and sleeping in (if 8am is considered sleeping in...). 

It has almost been three months since our wedding day and I am so in love with this little turd. 

 The Northwest is starting to get coooooold. Like, "I need to go buy some mittens and a wear socks for the next 4 months" kind of cold. 

 Seattle has been Seattle. Beautiful, randomly sunny at times, a bit stormy, and grey on more grey. Mike and I went to a Sounders game a few weeks ago (the one where we won the championship! It was super fun). We also showed some friends around the city and took them to Kerry Park and Discovery. It was good stuff.

Fall has been ridiculous. It is this season that makes me not miss California at all. Even if people are at the beach right now while I am huddled inside with tea and warm socks. 

 We changed our clocks last week ( a sad day in my book ) At least it is lighter in the mornings on my way too work, but sadly not for long.

"These are the days that must happen to you" - Walt Whitman 

Reading List: Women, the "F" Word, and Other Controversial Topics.

Here is a list of books about women. Written by women. But not just for women. Because men write books all the time that are not only marketed for men, but also for women. I don't have a problem if women write books for women, or if men write books for men. But it seems that often, when a women writes a book (particularly in a non-fiction/essay type style) it is to be marketed solely for women. Now this assumption is not a well researched one because I am too lazy and I am not in college anymore, BUT this feeling does stem from what I have perceived and I think it holds some truth. So long story short, just because these are books written by women it doesn't mean they are only for women. Okay. Let's move on.

(Left) Bad Feminist - Roxane Gay: Just started this one... so far it is a really refreshing and healthy conversation about feminism. It clears up a lot of confusion (you know, like when you hear feminism and all you think of is Beyonce...)

(Right) Yes Please - Amy Poehler: I mean, it's Amy Poehler? This book will be amazing. 

(Left) Not that Kind of Girl - Lena Dunham: Oh Lena. I am a fan of Girls. I am not a fan of everything that happens on Girls, with my complaints being on how narcissistic the characters are rather than how graphic the sex scenes are because sex is sex and at least this show is real about it. I appreciate the raw and gritty aspects of Dunham's writing style. I know there is a lot of controversy around Miss Dunham (in fact Roxane Gray criticizes Lena pretty harshly in Bad Feminist for the lack of diversity in Girls, which is an issue) All in all, this book will be intriguing to read. 

(Right) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - Mindy Kaling: I read this book a few months back and I could not put it down. It made me want to be a comedian. Go read it now. 

(Left) How to be Parisian Wherever You Are: This looks like a guilty pleasure read for sure, but who wouldn't want to be like a Parisian wherever they are?

 (Right) Girl Talk: It is more of a coffee table book than a bus book (which is something you can take with you to read on the bus... obviously.). I previewed some of the pages on Amazon and it looks hilarious.

 And on a more serious note... 

(Left) The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery: Someone recommended this book to me almost 3 years ago. It was one of those things where I was super busy with school but I checked it out from the library anyway, and then read one page and it was due back and someone had a hold on it and I was broke and had no money to buy books for fun, yada yada yada. Although this book isn't about women, it is written by a brilliant one!

 (Right) Girls of Kabul - Jenny Nordberg: This books seems fascinating and heartbreaking. It is about girls in Afghanistan whose parents decide to raise them as boys. 

So there it is. Some books written by women, about women, but remember... not just for women. Because women's thoughts are not only to be heard by women.