get out (beyond) the vote

I am a Democratic voter who turns out for every presidential election, but in 2020 that simply doesn't feel like enough. With the onslaught of U.S. news lately that includes staggering coronavirus deaths, neverending violence against Black people, out of control forest fires from effects of climate change, and then the death of one of the most important voices in equality and justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, to top it all off - I know many people are feeling the same, that we need to do something more to contribute to bringing about a serious change through this election.

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It can feel very overwhelming to know what to do, but some friends and I have been trying to keep each other accountable on doing some specific things to take some action and control - and I thought I would share a few of these things here:

text banking: as an introvert, I never could fathom the door-to-door or telephone varieties of volunteering for a campaign, but newfangled technology means that anyone can do this from home at any time, by texting! I searched for my area on the Vote Save America site to get involved with Michigan Democrats to do text banking, but the beauty of virtual reach-outs like this is that you can help out other states too. There is a really helpful blog post here to explain more about how it works and how you can get involved. Through text banking I also learned about friend banking, reaching out to your family + friends to make sure they have their plan in place to vote. You can filter by "friend-to-friend outreaches" to get involved in this type of outreach in a formal (but not hard!) way.

letter writing: I signed up with Vote Forward to write letters to voters; they give you templates of partial letters that you fill in with your personal statements, in the hopes that this personalized approach will connect better with potential voters. All of their instructions are really helpful and make the process easy. I know also that the campaign for my local candidate for U.S. representative is sometimes looking for volunteers to write postcards, so that's another place to look to get involved in your area. Also check out this site, this site, or this site for other postcard/letter-writing opportunities in various regions around the U.S.

donating: putting my money where my mouth is on the presidential level and the U.S. congress level for my local candidate, but also looking for places where further contributions could make a difference in flipping a seat - SwingLeft has a fund that will route donations to the most important and competitive races. And also I have given directly to Mitch McConnell's opponent, Amy McGrath, because it is time for him to GO. Finally, I encourage you to check out organizations that work against voter disenfranchisement, such as this. 

making myself visible: I've got my bumper sticker and yard signs out; in my overall very conservative town, I want that Biden merch to be seen, for people to know that not everyone around here is toeing the supposed line. Also, I would not typically do much with blog and Instagram posts on the topic, but however big (small...) my platform is, I am using it more this time around to share what I believe and encourage others to use their voices too.

supporting local change: and finally, when the national political news (having president acting like he's not going to leave office even if he loses, for one, or getting non-masked groups of people together despite local officials voicing strong concerns for the health and safety of their citizens, for two) ratchets up my anxiety yet again, I try to think about local change, hoping that one step at a time on righting issues of equality and discrimination could have a trickle UP effect. This means showing up for (masked!) rallies outside of city hall when they're considering a non-discrimination ordinance and writing in my comments before their vote, being part of local BLM demonstrations, etc.

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I vote because I want to make sure the people in charge of running things and making laws have the best interests of all citizens, and the world, at heart: in caring for vulnerable who need access to healthcare or childcare or social safety nets, in valuing our kids' education and safety (gun control, please!), in protecting those who are discriminated against for their race or sexual orientation or gender, in actually working for equality and justice for all, in taking care of the earth. All of these things are actively getting worse right now. There's a lot on the line.

I truly think that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are in this race out of concern and care for Americans, and not for personal political power; I 100% think the opposite is true of Donald Trump, and look where it has gotten us. Really: is anything better in the lives of ordinary Americans than it was 4 years ago? I'm voting for the option that has empathy and care, not ego.

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In closing: after RBG's death I saw the above sentiment floating around a bit, and it really hit home. I am a person who comes out on top in nearly all aspects of privilege in this country (aside from sexism against women), so my life might not demonstrably change with a different makeup of the supreme court, or with the same presidential administration remaining in place. But life could be seriously altered in terms of civil rights, health and wellbeing, and more for so many people. And that is concerning and sad and also MOTIVATING. 

My mail-in ballot has been requested (check the status of yours or preview the ballot here, Michigan friends), and I'm going to be dropping it off at the ballot box outside of City Hall once I have it. In-person early voting is also open here, and other places too - check this handy calendar for more info. What's your plan of where/when/how to vote? 

blogger style: one item, two ways

We're nearing the end of the month, which means: checking over my month's TBR goals, getting itchy to see what might show up soon on Book of the Month, prepping my next Currently linkup, and of course, going with Dana into the wardrobe twin section of our closets for our next blogger style post. This month we're both styling leopard print tops.

Appropriate to my work-from-home life, the leopard wear in my closet is a sweatshirt, but there are so many cute cardigans and sweaters and sweater blazers out there for any wardrobe style, if you have anywhere to wear it these days... For now in the transitional weather I'm wearing it on its own with jeans, but I've got plenty of layering + booties plans for down the road! Also as usual might have to copy whatever version Dana came up with - go check it out here.

 

Oh, and PSA: the jeans that have been showing up over and over around here are now available in a darker wash, perfect for transitioning to fall... so now you know what I'll be posting every week from this point!

Sharing on Style Six.

five things Friday: the Home Edit edition

Like plenty of people (as evidenced by the top Netflix billing at the moment), I'm pretty obsessed by The Home Edit's new Netflix show. Watching a show with before-and-after reveals of organization is always up my Container Store-loving alley, but in a time of upheaval in life, it is even more satisfying to see. And even better when they organize everything RAINBOW STYLE! I'm so into it. And also inspired to organize more, of course... I've already done my bookshelves rainbow style; now I'm kinda wishing I had more colorful clothes so I could do my closet that way too. 

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Here are some of my other personal faves in organization that I think would totally be Home Edit ladies approved (they even have a whole collection page with The Container Store with lots of these type of goodies - no surprise).

The dividers I use in a coat closet to separate my purses on a shelf, so much nicer than how they used to just be shoved there with straps all tangled. The spice drawer rack/labels got a whole blog post, I love this form of organization so much, and the OXO container set is my other kitchen organization fave; my entire pantry is outfitted with these for storing everything from cereal to pasta to flour, etc. and they're still going strong after 5+ years. For office and playroom, the tiered utility cart is a fave for wrangling extra supplies. And finally I love these acrylic makeup organizers for keeping everything beautifully wrangled in a medicine cabinet - all of my makeup supplies are contained in 2 of these babies and I always know where everything is. 

 

If you haven't watched the show yet, definitely you've got to. I love how it's partly celebrity organization, so you get to see this fancy high-end stuff and fun appearances/peek behind the scenes with people like Reese Witherspoon and Retta from Parks & Rec and Neil Patrick Harris, and then partly regular people's homes so you can see real-life chaos turned to beauteous order (though the "regular" people do seem to be quite wealthy people as well...). I actually wasn't super familiar with this organizing duo before, but apparently they have quite the cult Instagram following and now I want to check out their book (also the new one that just came out) too!

Now I'm off to decide on a weekend organizing project. My idea of a good time!

what's in my bag + Go Care PPE kit giveaway

I've always loved a good bag, and maybe even more, a good "in the bag" post - always fun to see what people have got in there! If you're like me, your poor purses have been suffering from under-use in the last 6+ months, but when they do get used, they've got some new requirements these days...

 

Whenever I do head out for a curbside pickup or a necessary appointment, I grab my go-to cross-body bag from its hook by the door, and these are pretty much its permanent contents, which cover my Covid-era expanded and yet limited needs:

• Masks for me and for Hendrik, because one would not want to get caught out and about without a spare! These are his favorite fit, and this is mine + regular and kid-sized carbon filters to tuck inside
  
• Mini hand sanitizer 
• Wallet
• Keys + leather keychain
  
• Sunglasses
• Nude lipstick (so as not to schmear any color inside a mask!)
  
• Mini altoids tin containing ibuprofen, Tums, and kids' tylenol
• Pen 
• Invisibobble hair tie

(Am now realizing, as I dumped out the contents of my purse, that actually one upside of not in-person shopping is that I have no receipts floating around in here!)

In the spirit of new needs for your on-the-go bag these days, I was excited to learn about Go Care, a company that sells pre-packaged PPE products for all - consumers, workers, at-risk individuals and generally anyone who wants protection while remaining active in their daily lives - including mini hand sanitizer, mask/glove kits, and even "college care package" PPE kits that include all of the above (brilliant!). 

Enter below to win one of these PPE kits from Go Care, which are great for anyone to safely head out and about, not just college students:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Post/giveaway is sponsored, but all opinions are my own.

wearing lately: flat-out fall

Hendrik would 100% want me to note that until yesterday, we couldn't count anything as "fall," whether or not our Michigan weather somehow took an instant cue from school starting and cooled off right on September 1. But now with the official arrival of fall, we have actually hit that amazing weather sweet spot that happens so rarely: temperatures for bare ankles, favorite flats + breezy short-sleeved silk blouses, and sunshine to boot! (What, you don't define weather in terms of exactly which jeans/shoes/top combo you can wear?)

Feeling the flat-out fall feels makes me happy on these days, because how can you not feel happy when you're wearing a bunch of your all-time favorite things in your wardrobe (I have owned all of these except for the bag for 2+ years and they're all very worth the investment, let me tell you) - and also because on these days you can maybe forget that winter is coming. (Which is of course my very least favorite thing about fall.)

It's about the little things right now, and this combo adds up to a nice mood boost over here, after feeling the falling flat feels of the news cycle all weekend, from RBG to coronavirus and all the other things. Another way to feel a boost besides enjoying the sun and a little self-care by way of a good outfit: volunteering and activism. Did my first round of text banking last night, and it's nice to do something. Now working on a blog post with other ideas in that realm, so stay tuned for more!

Sharing on Style Six, Trend Spin.

5 things Friday: Madewell insider edition

In the past year or two I have really streamlined my clothes/shoes shopping down to a few particular brands that I know are the style that suits me, and also consistently have the fit that suits me. Why waste time even browsing anything else? Saves me money, time, and poor decisions... For clothes one of my few (online) stops is Madewell, so I get excited when they have a site-wide sale like right now, which is 20% off for Insiders (anyone who signs up for the free account!) and 25% off for higher tiers (ahem, me), through Monday.

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Now of course we don't want to be shopping just because there's a sale - but if you're in the market for any quality staples, I can highly recommend a few items/categories that I have owned and loved for a significant amount of time in wardrobe terms. 

First, their leather bags are just great in terms of style, quality, and price, and my all-time favorite is this little crossbody, which is super versatile, and even better with the (free!) monogramming and/or a fun swapped-out bag strap.

Second, JEANS. Which are important to me because I wear them every day in the non-hot seasons, and Madewell is the only brand I own at this point. I have several styles by now, first getting into the brand via the less-expensive roadtripper style, and then moving on to several other options, in denim, black, and white. My current absolute favorite is the stovepipe style (another color option here and here), which have been in pretty much every outfit post lately. I love the high waist and more relaxed fit. Super comfy and current.

Then we have sweaters - many styles I love, but a go-to has especially been a cream-colored pullover. Simple but chic with jeans - and also jackets. Can't go wrong with this type of utility jacket - well worth any investment, given how many years the style has been going strong. (Speaking of investment, the leather jacket is a big one, but it is truly an excellent jacket.)

Finally, I love a good patterned blouse like this one (I have an older version that's very similar and I've worn in multiple seasons for years, more sizes here); cute on its own, and also really cute layered under a jacket or a cardigan, dresses up or down, goes with so many colors thanks to the multi-colored pattern. Can't go wrong!

So those are all things that I have owned and gotten tons of use out of and would recommend - even better to get them on sale! And while my closet is in great shape right now, I admit I do have my eye on a few more things whilst a good deal is on offer...

p.s. not sponsored or anything - just wanted to share some faves from one of my favorite brands; affiliate links are used though!

recent reads: twinning

I've always been fascinated by the idea of having a twin - I don't think I'm alone in that. There's just something about the idea of having a sibling that's that close, almost your other half. And that of course makes a twin relationship a ripe subject for fiction! Recently I realized that three books I've read in the last year fit this category - they're entirely different genres, but they all center around a special bond between twins. Interesting to put them together and consider what the authors have done with that relationship, in different ways:

The Vanishing Half 

The identical Vignes twins are legendary in their small, southern Black town of Mallard, for how inseparable they were as little girls and for how they ran away to New Orleans as 16 year olds. Eventually Desiree escapes a bad marriage and comes back home to Mallard to live with their mother, daughter in tow, but she no longer knows where Stella is after an estrangement that began when Stella realized that she could pass as white to get a job in an office. Now, as an adult, Stella's husband and her own daughter have no idea about her past, and she's fighting to keep it that way. Ranging in time from the 1960s to 1990s, also alternating viewpoints that include the three generations of Vignes women, the story looks at how despite the rift and the lies, their fates remain intertwined as the next generation intersects. This is one of those books that I liked so much it's almost hard to write a review of. I mean, how do I encapsulate it all in a paragraph? It's so readable and compelling - sometimes because of characters you can see heading toward trainwreck, sometimes because of relationships you just have to love and root for - it's the kind of generational family drama that would make an excellent mini series, and apparently it's headed that way (yay). And then on top of having such well-developed characters and compelling writing, it is also a fascinating exploration of what race even is, and all the more powerful when you see how it can make basically the same person - an identical twin - have such different opportunities and outcomes and security in life to be on either side of it. Race is clearly a defining thing in our country, but then when Stella decides to pass as white, it also illustrates how race is something we have totally, falsely constructed - she's the same person either way, but marked so differently by society. Needless to say, it made for great book club discussion. Overall, it was a great reading experience that only continued to improve even after I finished the book and had it just stick in my brain, mulling over the issues and why the characters made the choices they did; listening to further discussion on podcast episodes like this or this also really added to my appreciation of the masterful way this book is written and the observations it makes about race, identity, family bonds, and more.

5/5 stars, chose this as my June BOTM without even knowing much about it because I loved her first novel, The Mothers, so much, and it did not disappoint!

Nothing to See Here

Lillian is a 20-something living with her mom, no prospects in sight, when she hears from an old boarding school roommate, who is now married to a much-older senator with his sights on higher office. Madison is looking for help in caring for the twins from her husband's first marriage, who are coming to live with them. There's a particular reason the family needs help with these kids: when they get agitated, they literally burst into flames. Though she has no childcare qualifications and barely has her sh*t together in general, Lillian manages to gain the kids' trust and develop a relationship with them over the course of the summer, and to mostly keep their condition under wraps too, a condition of the political aspirations. This book is pretty weird - the spontaneously combusting kids aside, the characters and scenarios they find themselves in are a bit absurd (I mean, it takes place in Florida - what books in Florida aren't weird? See Mostly Dead Things, The Lola Quartet, Swamplandia, pretty much everything by Carl Hiaasen), so that might throw readers off a bit, but I think the book mostly manages to not be entirely ridiculous and just works. I loved the bond between this unique pair of twins, how Lillian accepted them in a way that their family didn't accept their true identity, and the relationship that develops among the three of them. If you want originality and weird, darkly funny and yet heartfelt satire - Kevin Wilson is your guy.

3.5/5 stars, a bit outside my wheelhouse but ended up feeling quite endearing in the end

 

The Good Sister

Twins Fern and Rose were always close, but they clearly had their differences, with Rose being the responsible one and Fern the one who needed looking out for, as she struggled with social interaction and sensitivity to stimulation or touch (think autism spectrum), and as their mother seemed to be a neglectful sociopath. But readers also learn that Rose's protection of Fern is partly because of a protecting a secret: something very bad that Fern did when they were young. Now, as adults, Fern is managing living on her own and working as a librarian, but still with a lot of involvement and help from Rose, but the dynamics start to shift a bit when Fern gains a bit of independence and starts to realize that Rose might have some secrets too. The marketing tagline refers to the "lies that bind" the twins, which encapsulates pretty well the twistiness of the relationship here. The twins seem to be able to read each other and share their own language in the way the stereotype about twins goes, but as the storytelling alternates between Fern's perspective on what's currently happening and Rose's diary entries with her take on their childhood, you start to sense an imbalance in the relationship dynamics, but just can't quite place where it's coming from... Despite the billing as a "thriller" (it's a very slow-burning one) this book reminded me a lot more of Eleanor Oliphant or When We Were Vikings (especially that one, down to the main character working in a library and everything!), where the main character has some kind of interpersonal difficulties, an emotionally traumatic past, a current sticky navigating of a romantic situation, and ultimately a character you will really grow to love as will her colleagues and friends in the story (despite their struggle to get along/understand each other at first). Compared to the other two titles mentioned, though, this one had such a feel of impending doom for so long that it was hard for me to stomach at times. It felt almost wrong to be inside this unsuspecting character's head, and for the author to even be developing a naive, socially inexpert character that could potentially get taken advantage of like this... but I did get super hooked in the end, as eventually I really grew to love Fern, and as the pages practically turned themselves with how psychologically crazy some characters turned out to be. 

3/5 stars, received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review; releases in April, and you should keep it on your radar if you're into family/domestic suspense novels; meanwhile, I really liked this author's The Mother-in-Law

Even more books featuring twins in other categories! Jacob Have I Loved (middle grade), I'll Give You the Sun and Fangirl (YA), Cutting for Stone (literary fiction), East of Eden (classic), The Unhoneymooners (rom-com), Sisterland (contemporary fiction - haven't read it yet though). 

Sharing on Show Us Your Books.

wearing lately: fall feels

Not that I consider myself THAT much of a "style blogger" - obviously, I do take pictures of myself in outfits to post sometimes, so I guess I kind of am (?) - but I've been thinking about some style blogger considerations recently, especially prompted by Kimi's thoughts about posting repeat outfits, and also the fact that I've been pretty much been wearing the same stuff/"boring" outfits over and over in these pandemic times. What is "worth" posting? How "new" does it have to be? Does anyone care or remember what outfits I posted 6 months ago?

So, this is basically the same outfit I wore in the spring when I was dreaming of that season, and thus I was thinking it was perhaps not worth posting because it's not new, and because blog posts are supposed to be all about fall outfits now, right? But I guess we'll just say the addition of a yellow leaf I found on the ground makes it "fall." Or maybe just the fact that the weather is acting like fall and I'm wearing it! 

I like fall hues - and also fall clothes shopping! - as much as the next blogger, but this is reality: wearing my favorite items over and over, wearing what the weather calls for, living on a reasonable wardrobe budget, not really going anywhere anyway because it's a pandemic. I will say, though, that I felt pretty great in it! 

Sharing on Style Six, Trend Spin.

around the house: master bathroom reveal!

When we planned (my dream) master bathroom renovation for 2020, little did I know how much time we'd be spending in our home this year and how extra nice it would be to have this little oasis. Also little did we know that one of the snags to cause delay along the way - because there always are snags and delays, especially in a very old house, where you learn pipes need to be replaced or floors need to be leveled...or maybe your designer just didn't order enough tile - would be a global pandemic that would shut things down and leave us at the drywall/sub-floor stage, with the toilet uninstalled and living in the garage, for weeks and WEEKS. But all can be (almost) forgotten now, because it's done!! 

I still just feel so pleased every time I walk in here with how light and airy it feels, and how the design turned out as the serene and sophisticated grown-up to the other remodeled bathroom it is back-to-back with. (Also quite happy every time my hair dryer doesn't drop into the sink, and I can actually see my legs when I shave.)

Can't leave you without a good set of before and after photos... as you can see, this bathroom was a big space but poorly utilized, so that it wasn't terribly functional - it had only a pedestal sink, had zero storage, and had a shower so small and enclosed it was truly like showering in a cave (and a tub so old I was not touching it). Now the only thing that remains of that space is the toilet, which got to stay where it was. The old tub next to the shower was ripped out to become the big vanity (fulfilling my lifelong dream of double sinks, after sharing pedestal sinks with Peter our entire marriage), and then the shower got MUCH bigger by turning sideways along its previous wall. The original doorway was walled off to become one of the shower walls, and the door was moved to across from the toilet (now the door is located where the little stool/free-standing cabinet were in the photo below). What a difference the layout has made to actually utilize the space. 

Like our kitchen and our kid's bathroom remodels, we lived with the previous look for several years, and while certainly not my style didn't think it was that bad - until I put the photos side by size. Wowza! (Also if you click on those other rooms, you'll see that I have honed in on my house style: gray and white, plenty of subway tile and marble, and wood accents to warm things up. Definitely makes it easier to pick materials when you know what you like, and you know what's worked in another room!)

Now excuse me while I have to "go to the bathroom" for 15 minutes again... 😍

 
Sources

Cabinet knobs: Rejuvenation
Drawer pulls: Rejuvenation
Faucets: Delta
Globe sconces: West Elm
Towel/toilet paper holders: West Elm
Rug: Urban Outfitters
Picture frames: Target
Copenhagen art: Juniper Print Shop
Flower art: Juniper Print Shop

Bath towel: Threshold

Hand towel: Threshold

Faux eucalyptus stem: Hearth & Hand by Magnolia
Towel ladder: Etsy 

Tile: Cararra-look porcelain tile ordered through a local place; this is similar for shower wall tiles, this and this are similar for floor tiles (possibly my favorite element of the whole room!), and this is similar for accent wall tiles.

Shutters: Budget Blinds (local branch does such good work!)

watching lately

As per usual, I'm way late to the game on most of the things that I've been streaming lately - so probably none of these recommendations will be news to anybody, but I'm at least here to say that if you haven't seen them, they are absolutely worth your while.

All Together Now: not sure how I haven't read it, since Matthew Quick is one of my favorite authors, but this one is based on a YA novel of his, and it truly is YA delightfulness brought to life, with the big emotions, quirky friend group, and sweet love story (and then bonus in a movie version is a great soundtrack and also Fred Armisen as the hilariously dorky drama teacher). Amber is a lovely, caring, hardworking, and talented teen (seriously, she will put a smile on your face) who is hiding a secret: her mom struggles with alcoholism, and they are currently sleeping at night on the school bus her mom drives during the day. When tragedy strikes, Amber has to learn to accept help from all of the people whose lives she has touched along the way. Oh, I had such a good cathartic cry with this one, and I loved it so much I already want to watch it again. And that is seriously saying something, for someone who doesn't watch very many movies in general.

Younger: Liza Miller is a 40-year-old housewife who needs to find a job after her husband leaves her - but she's finding it impossible to get back into the workforce after raising a child, because everyone in the publishing industry wants to hire millenials instead. When she gets mistaken for a 20-something in a bar, she decides to just go with it, and pretend she's younger, to get a job at a major publisher, and to land that younger guy as her boyfriend.... The show is lighthearted and amusing, satirical and a bit sexy (think unmarried 20-somethings in the big city!), with plenty of awkward moments thanks to Liza constantly having to cover up her lie - but once I fell in love with the character - and not to mention the behind the scenes of working for a big publisher - I got very hooked. Goes down super easy with 20-minute episodes. (Available on Hulu.)

Becoming: what a delightful companion to Michelle Obama's memoir (which I highly recommend on audio, by the way). It basically follows her on book tour, which is a fun behind the scenes look at what it's like to be an author on tour - and even more fascinating, what it's like to be the beloved former First Lady. Also quite comforting to watch during covid times, as seeing the Obamas never fails to give me a (bittersweet) boost in trying political times, and even the weirdness of seeing her in huge crowds and hugging and handshaking  (Only on Netflix.)

Little Fires Everywhere: One of my favorite recent books, and it is done so well in this miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. I loved how the 1990s setting and the characters were brought to life, and it's interesting to watch it now, in the midst of current racial tensions, because it is still so very timely. It is pretty intense, so it took me a few weeks to get through, but it really is excellent. (On Hulu.)

Inside Out: not sure how we missed this Pixar movie until now, but we decided to watch for our September family movie night, and what a delight! The idea of different emotions (joy, sadness, disgust, anger, and fear) being represented by little characters inside a brain, that help to regulate a girl's emotions and create "islands" of personality and core memories is just so inventive and is so well done. It's amusing and also basically a therapy session in the form of a cartoon - so many insights about feelings and reactions to dig into here! Also the voice actors are spot on - Phyllis from The Office as the voice of Sadness is particularly excellent. (On Disney+)

So those are some favorite current watches. Well, that and a deep-dive into re-watching my favorite Jane Austen adaptations. Talk about comforting! I have watched Persuasion, most of Pride & Prejudice, and even Clueless (on Netflix!) so far. Ahhh. Now gotta find where the best rendition of Sense & Sensibility is streaming.

wearing lately: love it

Not going to lie, I've been pretty uninspired in the blog outfit post arena lately. Some days I'm just re-wearing the same midi dress or denim shorts I have posted multiple times already, and other days I'm just kind of over my whole wardrobe in general - so I just haven't posted every week. But there's nothing like a little early September cool-down in weather to get me to love my closet again, because... jeans!

As a work-from-home employee for 10 years (!) now, jeans are naturally my daily wear, and I really start to miss them in the hot summer. What better way to rekindle my love for this part of my closet than with a shirt that actually says it right on the pocket? (It's old, but how fun would it be to embroider your own like this.) Plus, a high pony makes a girl feel pretty jaunty too.

Next up (if the weather holds) is the best part: fall jackets!!

Sharing on Style Six, Trend Spin.

blogger reads: one book, two takes

I've been trying to consciously choose more Black authors when I pick from my TBR pile this year, and so I'm glad that blogger book club with Dana gave me another opportunity, when we decided to both finally get around to reading Nic Stone's Dear Martin, a timely and powerful YA book that weaves together a contemporary high school coming of age story with a raw look at race relations in the US - originally published in 2017 but still (unfortunately) very timely in terms of current headlines.

Two-sentence summary: Justyce McAllister is top of his class and Ivy League-bound, but he learns the hard way that being "good" won't protect him from police bias or from being unfairly judged. Trying to figure out how to handle his feelings in the aftermath of injustice, he embarks on a project of writing letters to Martin Luther King Jr., exploring how and if MLK's teachings from the Civil Rights era still have relevance today and if he can find any guidance there for how to live his life and make a difference. 

What I liked/what frustrated me: This book is powerful and well-written, with great characters; I especially liked how Justyce and some of the other supporting characters really had depth. They weren't just good or bad, but they sometimes made mistakes or poor decisions - they're real people rather than just villains or heroes, which is something we need to remember when talking about race and racism and people's actions in real life. (Also, I must say, I really liked the small, sweet romance element, giving you a bit of the heart pitter patter and banter that lightens things up a bit.)

Overall I thought that the book dealt with big issues well from a teenaged perspective (and I think YA can be really great for this, because authors can be a bit more overt with characters' feelings and activism when it comes to issues), but there were a couple of times where it felt like we were dealing with every issue surrounding racism and police brutality and code switching and affirmative action, and maybe the focus could have been narrowed a bit at times. 

Favorite quote: “Yeah, there are no more 'colored' water fountains, and it’s supposed to be illegal to discriminate, but if I can be forced to sit on the concrete in too-tight cuffs when I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s clear there’s an issue. That things aren’t as equal as folks say they are.”

Recommended for: fans of issues-based YA, particularly authors like Angie Thomas. Also, even though it's YA fiction, it's an interesting companion for something like Ta-Nehisi Coates' non-fiction Between the World and Me, which addresses the challenges of growing up a Black boy.

Star rating: 4/5 stars 

I think I might love Angie Thomas' work more (which I think is an excellent comp for the type of subject/characters/writing in Dear Martin), but that might just be because I tend to like female protagonists best - but I did appreciate getting Justyce's perspective and will definitely add more Nic Stone books to my reading list after this one - it looks like there's a sequel to this one just about to publish, in fact, and it looks great. 

Have you read this one? Check out Dana's take on it here and chime in if you have thoughts!

five things Friday: latest obsessions edition

We're one (short) week in to Hendrik's return to school, and I am just so happy with how jazzed up he seems to be when I pick him up in the afternoons - so good to be back in the classroom, and with friends! And I have no problem admitting that while we had a lot of good times together these last 6 months, I'm pretty thrilled with my quiet house and fewer work interruptions again. Plus, more time for indulging in some of my other latest obsessions that are so good I just have to share: 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

1. Starbucks cold foam: Okay, before this year I was really not a coffee drinker, but with lattes as my gateway into the world, I have discovered my go-to: cold brew with cold foam, especially the salted caramel cold foam!. Wow, Starbucks - you have reeled me in (though I got one on you: getting an iced Americano gives a similar - to me anyway - taste, but cheaper than cold brew!). There's only so often I can indulge this drive-through habit though, so I have been working on perfecting my own, with Starbucks cold brew concentrate or making my own cold brew with this handy filter/jar, and then whizzing up some cold milk with this frother.

2. Olaplex No. 3: I haven't been to the salon since February and am not sure when I'll go again - and while my hair length is whatever, my hair texture is not always so great. Sometimes you just need that salon refresher to be shiny and smooth. But then I tried this 10-minute repairing treatment, and I have found how to get that shiny and smooth feel in my own shower! I use it once a week and my hair feels so good (also like the shampoo/conditioner/styling product from this mini pack).

3. Everlane long weekend tank dress: this is not a surprising obsession if you are around here much, as I've done outfit posts featuring this dress twice this summer. You should know that I've worn it probably twice a week for the whole summer though, I love this dress so much. And I'm excited to bring it into fall with some jackets on top, especially after seeing how Shea did it up.

4. Letterfolk tile mat: I have been coveting this customizable mat on Instagram for ages, so when Letterfolk had a site-wide sale I gave myself a covid treat and ordered it. My new hobby is looking for and trying out new designs. So fun, and it looks so cute in Hendrik's bathroom.

5. Restorative yoga: the whole Peloton app is really my obsession, but I love that it led me to try something new: restorative yoga. Which is basically savasana but in poses where you're propped up by bolsters and yoga blocks in different ways. It's so soothing and nice to do, and I feel either amazing or super ready for sleep after it - both good things in stressful and uncertain times!

I'm thinking my weekend will involve a little of all of these things - I mean, how could I not wear a "long weekend" dress?! Hope your weekend is full of your current favorite things too.

 

listening lately

First week of school is going great for Hendrik, but new covid protocols for dropoff and pickup mean way more time than I would like just sitting in line in the car. But to reframe it to something more positive: at least it's prime time to listen to something good. Here are some great new selections in podcast land that I can recommend for just such a time:

Nice White Parents: from the creators of Serial, this 5-part series starts with the premise that "if you want to understand what's wrong with our public schools, you have to look at what is arguably the most powerful force in shaping them: White parents." With a case study of one New York public middle school, it discusses how intentions to build a better school system can get skewed or misguided when White parents get involved... It's really well reported, and also especially fascinating at the time that I've been reading a lot more fiction and non-fiction about race, segregation, etc.

Million Bazillion: in his 6 months (!) at home, Hendrik got very into lunchtime podcast listening (a habit I encouraged, because then I could go listen to or read my own thing!), and he's a sucker for trying any other podcast that his favorite one (Brains On) includes a promo for. This new one is from the NPR Marketplace team, a podcast about helping money make sense for kids, on topics like where money comes from, why things cost how much they do, what ads are all about, and how/why to save money. He finds it quite interesting, and honestly I'm even learning a few economic tidbits in the parts I've overheard. 

The Michelle Obama Podcast: I mean, she could be talking about anything, and it would just make me so happy to have Michelle back in my ears (after spending hours with her, listening to Becoming, I feel like we got really close), but in addition the guests and the conversations are great! (Only on Spotify, FYI.)

America Dissected: Peter has listened to this one for a while, from the Pod Save America network and hosted by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about issues related to healthcare policy and public health in the US, but done in a way that is very interesting and accessible. The current season is very coronavirus-focused (unsurprisingly); I listened to a recent episode where he interviewed Dr. Fauci, and I thought his interview and insights were great, so I've been listening to some other episodes now as well, including topics like back-to-school safety, how epidemiology works, etc. The information and style appeal to my doctor husband, but also to a non-medical person like me who is interested in healthcare access for everyone and things like that.

Books Connect Us: produced by the publisher Penguin Random House, this podcast was started at the beginning of the pandemic to interview authors from home and talk about how we can stay connected through these times, particularly through books. I like how you get a peek into authors' lives in terms of their process and then on top of that how they are handling the disruptions and uncertainties of the current times. Interesting behind the scenes, but also comforting to know that I'm not alone in juggling these things. I pick and choose episodes based on recent new releases I have read - especially liked the ones with Emma Straub (All Adults Here) and Kate Stayman-London (One to Watch), but they've talked to a huge range of other authors including Taylor Jenkins Reid, Nic Stone, R. Eric Thomas, Curtis Sittenfeld, Elizabeth Gilbert, Abbi Waxman, and tons more.

What have you been listening to lately? If school dropoff continues to take 40 minutes instead of last year's 15 minutes, I might need more ideas!

currently

appreciating: the fun times Hendrik and I have had over the last 6 months with him home... and also the fact that he is back in the classroom this week. Even if I do have some anxiety about the covid situation (which just makes the school year downright weird any way you go about it), it has been too long since this only child had some peer interaction.

anticipating: the arrival of my Peloton bike in a couple of weeks! It, along with pretty much any home gym equipment out there, has been on backorder for some time. I already know, thanks to getting to use my parents' bike over the summer, how much I'm going to love it, so that makes the anticipation even more impatient. Meanwhile, I am still doing plenty of strength, yoga, and stretching via the app with my favorite instructors.

collecting: the laaaast decorating touches for the new bathroom, slower going when I haven't actually shopped inside any store since early March. While it (finally! after 5 months!) became fully functional about a month ago, the accessories weren't quite there yet for me to call it done. We're super close now that I finally decided on the rug and ordered some picture frames; now just waiting on West Elm to have a free shipping promo before I order the towel bar. Then I can take some official photos for a full reveal post - but above is a little sneak peek for the meantime...

starting: one of these books from my September TBR list this week: a contemporary retelling of Persuasion; a novel set in 1990s Nigeria about gender identity, family, love, and loss; and a 1960s immigrant/coming-of-age story set in NYC. All good options, so where to start?

finishing: summer and our covid bubble time, sadly. We have been in a "bubble" with my parents and in-laws, but with Hendrik is back in the classroom, we're back to no indoor get-togethers with them again, for the time being. A huge bummer, but even though cases in our area are not super high, we don't want to take the chance of spreading anything to family beyond our threesome. And this also really makes it feel like summer is truly finishing, because it means no more cottage weekends with my parents - not even Labor Day weekend. Sad to be missing this time with them and the lake, and hoping that school families (and everyone else in town!) take covid precautions and best practices seriously so that we can all make it work for kids to be in school - and thus make this worth it!

Speaking of - who knows where we'll be in a month, whether schools will still be able to meet or not - but either way, I know where I'll be on Wednesday, October 7 - giving an update on the "currently" situation: admiring, going, making, scheduling, and wishing.

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