August 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up
August “slipped away like a bottle of wine,” as Taylor Swift would say…
This month I’m…
Reading: Simone Breaks the Rules, Debbie Rigaud. Harley in the Sky, Starfish, Summer Bird Blue, and The Infinity Courts, Akemi Dawn Bowman. The Whole Life, Esther Smith and Eliza Huie. Just Dance, Patricia MacLachlan. Hamilton: The Revolution, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Jeremy McCarter. The Lady Rogue (reread) and Starry Eyes, Jenn Bennett. Talking As Fast As I Can, Lauren Graham. A Sky Painted Gold and A Snowfall of Silver, Laura Wood. Tokyo Ever After, Emiko Jean. Rebelwing, Andrea Tang. The Janitor’s Boy, Andrew Clements. A Glasshouse of Stars, Shirley Marr. 17 total.
Listening to: The 1975. This “late night car ride with Jess Mariano” playlist. Sleeping At Last. Come From Away. My beach/flying playlist (mostly Venus by Sleeping At Last and Means Something by Lizzy McAlpine) and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader soundtrack. My road trip WIP playlist. This dystopian POV playlist, especially Gasoline by Halsey. Ben Platt’s new album, especially Carefully. Summer of Love, Shawn Mendes. Maisie Peters’ new album (!!!), especially Volcano and Boy.
Watching: Gilmore Girls (season three). Radium Girls. The Little League World Series. Outer Banks (seasons one and two, extremely obsessively, and every video of the cast on the Internet).
Writing: Work was insane this month. I worked way too much. It was alternately fun and stressful. I also reread old fiction, played with two new novel ideas, and finished outlining an old YA contemporary I want to work on this fall. And I did volunteer work with Diamonds and People Hope as well as writing some letters to pen pals.
Buying: Used books and beach souvenirs.
Grateful for: Growth, new experiences, and people to unpack it all with. So much new music coming out at once. An unexpected care package. Cute tubie pads from a friend. Remembering who I am. Slow work days. Friends who keep you supplied with much-needed cough drops all day long. Time with extended family.
What did you do in August? Any plans for September? Have you been listening to any good music lately?
