February Highlights: Red Sunglasses, "North Woods," and More
Reflections on a no good, very bad reading month.
I’m staring at a pile of half-read books. February wasn’t a “good” reading month for me in the sense that I didn’t finish many titles. Career shockwaves have left me with a short attention span and little patience for fiction… so I thought.
As I reviewed my month, I was surprised that even though I didn’t read as much as usual, I still found stories in different forms. Everywhere. Below, I’ve rounded up some of the narratives that defined February for me—literary and otherwise.
Red Sunglasses Era
Due to the aforementioned “shockwaves,” I’ve been craving a change in perspective. As it turns out, that change came in a rather literal form: a pair of red sunglasses I purchased on Depop for $5. When I look through their lenses, the world turns slightly surreal. Almost cinematic. This warped vision has helped me start to dream about the next chapter of my life.
Sometimes we need to unsettle our senses. Look through a telescope. Eat a peppercorn straight up. Wear the slightly itchy sweater. Note to self: Sometimes, the smallest alteration can help us unsnag the fabric of our lives.
Nature Reading and Reading Nature
Earlier this month, I wrote a little essay about nature reading: “Lately, I’ve found myself reaching for nature books. I know by now that this urge is like a smoke signal from within. It means I’m sad or worried. Ungrounded, stuck in my head. I need sentences that feel like sand between my toes. Windy paragraphs. I need to read a page (or a dozen) about a single hummingbird. I need to remember that there’s beauty all around me. Look. Look. Look.”
Even though I didn’t finish any of the nature books—womp womp—they’ve served their purpose. When I step outside, I find myself a little more enthralled by my surroundings. I’m staring at flowers and trees and remembering how awesome they looked that one time I tripped on mushrooms. (Sorry, Dad.)
I know that I’ll eventually finish all of these books, and doing so will feel like one long exhale. But for now, I’m reading Daniel Mason’s North Woods and loving every single second.
If you, too, struggled to finish fiction this month, know that you’re not alone. Books, like nature, are always there for us—just outside our windows. Sometimes, we spend our time frolicking in the fresh air; sometimes, we watch from the window. Both things are okay. Okay?
CSA, Baby
Earlier this month, we started receiving a CSA box, which feels like a Very Adult, Very LA thing to do. Every Sunday, a bundle of gorgeous vegetables arrives on our doorstep like a bouquet. Much of the produce is unfamiliar to me, so I have to Google recipes and come up with a game plan for using every ingredient before it goes bad.
This whole venture was inspired by The Taste of Things, a film directed by Tran Anh Hung. Throughout the movie, the characters handle food with so much reverence—whether they’re preparing it or eating it. Every meal is a story, some better than others.
While some nights I just want to eat and go to bed, the movie reminded me that food can be a source of creativity. When other sources are tapped, I can collect ingredients and make something.
No matter how lost I feel at any given moment, I know that this act of making is why I’m here.
Reading: North Woods, Daniel Mason
Writing: Something new
Watching: One Day, Love Is Blind
Eating: A lot of savory oatmeal
Life Lives is written and edited by me, so please excuse the occasional grammatical error or spelling gaffe. My Very Talented Mother, Caitilin McPhillips, designed my logo for me. Thanks, Mom.