Three August Things
August really did slip away like a bottle of wine, am I right?
It was a month filled with more than three moments of fun. Leo season came in like a wrecking ball, and left just as quickly. It feels so nice to sit down and share these moments with you, even if it is over the internet. I look forward to it every month, so once again, thank you for being here.
I read six books in August, but one in particular stood out. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt was unlike any book I’ve read. It’s also very hard to describe in a way that’s accurate and avoids spoilers. Essentially, the story follows a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus and the humans he interacts with at the aquarium. There’s Tova, a widowed woman in her 70s who cleans the aquarium nightly; Cameron, the 30-year-old lost boy who is searching for his father; Ethan, the Scottish grocery store owner; and a cast of supporting characters.
It is a beautiful, heartwarming story about grief, acceptance, forgiveness, loss, family, friendship, and love. Reading it felt like being wrapped in a big towel straight from the dryer. I highly recommend if you like: unexpected narrators, the connection between animals and humans, and charming, creative storytelling. Five stars!
I turned 34 this month, and that just feels wild. If you’ll allow me a moment of vulnerability, there is a lot I’m currently working through in therapy to connect with and heal my inner child. My birthday and growing one year older put a magnifying glass on those things I’m working on. Sidebar — I’m not sure when birthdays and holidays became mile markers for life, but I’m so tired of feeling like I missed the boat, or that it’s too late for me to accomplish the things I want, or that everyone else’s success detracts from mine. What I’m learning, with the help of a paid professional, is to acknowledge all parts of myself without judgement. Reconnecting with who I was as a child has been one hell of a time. Don’t ever let anyone tell you it’s easy. It’s hard. But so important. All of that to say, my birthday brought up some Big Feelings. I only cried once, so hey, I’ll take it!
So anyway I threw myself a birthday party! As y’all know, I love reading. I also love throwing parties. Put those together, and you get the annual Blind Date With A Book Swap party I’ve been throwing every year since 2018. This was the first year I incorporated it into my birthday, and it did not disappoint!
As you can see from this tiktok I made, there were several of us who gathered at my favorite local Austin spot, in the 100 degree sweltering Texas heat, to have a drink, eat some queso, and swap books.
I got book-shaped cookie cakes for everyone, and we drew numbers and played it like Dirty Santa. I ended up with The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, which I have not read. I *loved* the Netflix show, so I am excited to read this during spooky season! I highly recommend surrounding yourself with close friends who come out to celebrate you and encourage (read: enable) your love of reading and book-buying.
Speaking of inner child, one of the most notable things I did during August was go to a concert to see two bands I’ve loved since I was 14. Seeing Andrew McMahon & Dashboard Confessional co-headline made for a magical, sweaty night filled with scream-singing songs I’ve belted my heart out to for 20 years, which is truly remarkable. It got me thinking…
I wish I could tell my 14 year old self that 20 years later she would hug Chris Carrabba, the man whose magazine photo she had on her bedroom door. Yes, door. The same man whose photo alarmed her dad and made him wary of her taste in men. (Tattoos.)
I wish I could tell my 14 year old self that 20 years later she would still be seeing Andrew McMahon perform, and that he would be indirectly responsible for her career path. I wish I could tell her that he means even more to her now than he did then.
I wish I could tell my 14 year old self that 20 years later she would be seeing the same bands with friends who mean the world to her; that these friends understand how deep this connection to Andrew feels, and they love that about her.
I wish I could tell my 14 year old self that she would hear the same song she cried herself to sleep to, over a boy who didn’t love her back, performed live. That the same song now provides her with such comfort and meaning.
I wish I could tell her all of these things, but I think, somehow, she might already know.