June Gloom

June is usually a very good month for me because it is my off-contract month at work. No work! For a whole month! But this June, the world is on fire, or at the very least, the United States is, and I decided to buy a condo, while also selling a condo, and having just moved into a condo. And all the while, marines have been deployed against Americans on US soil and the Supreme Court upheld state bans on transgender youth care. 

It’s been very stressful. 

Here’s a list of random good stuff because that is the best I’ve got:

• Trader Joe’s Invisible Gel Body Sunscreen. One good thing about moving to a condo: I have access to a pool now! And this sunscreen from TJ’s really, really works. I can sit out in the sun and not burn at all. It goes on clear and stays on like glue (but it’s not sticky). BTW, does anyone else’s tattoos get really hot in the sun?

• Pools. You know what pools don’t have? Pollution, sharks, or jellyfish. Sure, there is something to be said about ocean breezes and the roar of the waves meeting the shore, but in a pool, you can float and never worry about what else is floating in the water with you.

• This dress from Pact. It’s so comfortable! And it looks cute as hell. I got it in blue and I love it.

• Assistants to the realtor. I have some pretty good realtors on my team, but holy smokes do those assistants get shit done. They are on top of everything, every date, payment, and form. Each day, I get an email from an assistant telling me exactly what I need to know and what I need to do. It’s glorious not to have to do it all myself. 

• I’m getting my annual eye exam in a week and then I will buy new glasses. New glasses are the best! I currently own about 9 pairs of glasses, all bought online for wicked cheap. I switch them out depending on my mood and outfit. Specifically, I’m going to buy these pink glitter ones because pink glitter goes with everything.

• Leverage: Redemption. I decided to pick up where I left off a million years ago with season 2 and I am having so much fun. The good guys are smarter and better at everything and the bad guys are easily foiled and always, always get it in the end. It may be kind of an escapist fantasy for the times we are living in, but I’ll take it. My favorite characters are Elliot, Elliot’s hair, and Breanna.   

To the Books!

Books Added to my Wishlist

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon by Annie Mare: Queer love in the multiverse!

Waiting for Brittany Spears: A True Story, Allegedly by Jeff Weiss: I’m not 100% on this one because I can’t determine if it’s going to be just that much more exploitation or a funny examination of the author’s life through the lens of Brittany’s infamy. More investigation required.

Books I read

The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty by Valerie Bauerlin. My library is doing a true crime summer reading program for adults and this was their recommended title. I picked it up fully expecting to give up on it within the first 50 pages, but instead I read the whole thing in like a day and half! Bauerlin looks at not just the crime, but the whole complex ecosystem, history, and culture that surrounded it. 4 stars. 

GIrl in the World by Caroline Cash: A fun, funny graphic novel about one night in the lives of a group of girl friends. I was really delighted by the saturated, colorful art and the irreverent attitude and humor of the characters. 5 stars. 

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce: I read this in a day, staying up late into the night (lol, like 9:30pm--I’m an early to bed, early to rise kinda gal). It’s not an urgent text, but it was compelling. The overall vibe is suspicion and unease, less outright scares, and very little gore at all. If you are looking for a good, spooky-but-not-frightening read, this is it. 4 stars. 

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling. Normally I reserve 5 stars for books that move me--tears, laughter, rage, whatever. I found myself sort of separated from this text and I’m not sure why. Bad, terrible, horrifying things happened to the characters and I cared, but I didn’t react viscerally. I still am giving the book 5 stars because it kept me glued to the page and reading feverishly into the night (10pm). The book is weird (cannibalism!) and full of dreadful decisions and their violent consequences, and I could not stop reading. 5 stars. 

Books I Gave up on

Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer: Eagle-eyed readers will recognize that I gave up on this book a few months back. Well, I decided to try again and as it turns out, I really don’t like it. 

Cat Pic of the Month

Wallace is not doing great with the move to the temporary condo living while I search for and buy a permanent home for us. He’s a pretty anxious dude on the regular and all the change this past month and half has not been good for him. Here he is checking out the shower and you can tell he’s upset that I can see him. That’s how glass works, Wallace!

Show Me the Noods!

This is my go-to noodle dish: ramen with tofu and broccoli. I use Momofuku’s Soy and Scallion ramen (it’s not a soupy ramen) and it’s delicious. Here’s the recipe: sauté extra firm tofu slices in a little sprinkle of oil in a non-stick pan. When the tofu is golden on both sides, boil the broccoli and ramen together. Drain, add the sauce packets, then dish up with the tofu. Top with sliced scallions. Eat!

In Conclusion

I heard there is a heat dome coming for the midwest and eastern US, so remember to stay hydrated, folks! You can most likely find me at the pool, reading an email from my realtor’s assistant. I’ll be in the one in the pink glitter glasses.