random Sunday thoughts: the weather has me like woah
Okay, I was gonna write about how it's now that summer-like spring weather here in Toronto, and how I simultaneously love it and despise it. But, I couldn't get any clear thought out about it all. Well, no. That's mostly a lie. I love it because the warmth just brings a renewed energy and more feelings of enjoyment. I despise it because I hate being hot, and we have yet to have air conditioning installed. I love it because meeting up with friends in the evenings means you can be out a bit later, and not feel as tired. I despise it because I'm so much more lethargic during the days (because I also love that I want to nap in the sun rays and just lounge about doing nothing). I am always so torn on my feelings about summer, and it's not even summer yet! It's that sneaky preview of what's to come before a spell of cooler but still warm weather. But, I'm torn because I hate being hot and humid. I dislike feeling like I can't cool off, and that sticky feeling of heat emanating off your body. Please give me that cool blast of A/C so I can still enjoy the sun and fun and jubilant energy.
There's a total lunar eclipse tonight. The Eastern half of North America should be able to see it in its totality tonight starting at around 11:30 pm EDT (the penumbral eclipse starts at around 9:30 pm). I absolutely love eclipses. Honestly, if you don't ... why? There's something so cool about being able to witness the sun and moon interact in this way. They're usually chasing each other, but in this moment, on opposite sides of the Earth, we can see them line up and it's just beautiful. Too romantic? There is so much folklore about the moon, and the sun, that I can't help love to romanticize these moments. Mix it in with the science behind the actual why of eclipses happening, and it's just damn cool. I remember in grade school, when we would make devices to watch the solar eclipse safely, and those being an event during the day. Yet, at night, the watching of the lunar eclipse was something you had to do on your own—you can see it with your own eyes, and you had to stay up past your bedtime, fighting against those drooping eyelids to catch a glimpse. I will say, though, I am feeling extra exhausted today, and maybe it's because of the energy running through the air in anticipation.
Earlier this week, when I was out with a friend at an event, I stumbled into this awkward feeling of discomfort. I was surprised to see that an ex of a longtime friend of mine was integral to said event, and while we wouldn't be interacting at all, it just had me on edge. I couldn't fully enjoy what was an otherwise delightful and lovely time, because this friend's ex was directly in my line of sight (and they definitely saw me and probably recognized me, too) the whole time. Sorry to A, who had to witness my freakout 🤪 It made me think of why I was so bothered by it. I had never become a good friend of this person, so when their relationship ended, there really was no issue about it—I was always in my longtime friend's corner. Maybe because I knew some of not the best things, I just didn't want to actually run into them afterward. I didn't want to put on an act of politeness? I didn't want to be fake or rude. I know this actually had nothing to do with my friend, and wholly about me and how I wanted to avoid any interaction where I would awkwardly introduce them to the friend I was with, and we'd potentially do that awkward social interaction where you walk in the same direction after saying goodbye. Little did I realize that A and I would end up crossing an intersection, trailing behind them, and deftly avoided any interaction. It felt like high school!!!!
Anyway, I don't have too much to say today as I've mentioned how exhausted I am already. I'll leave you with a book review for book coming out this Tuesday! Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley!
Love,
Eunice
Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman
There's something sweet about Abbi Waxman stories. There's a nerdy heartwarming nature to her characters, where as awkward as they are, you want to root for them. Laura Costello, newly transplanted in LA from NYC, is no different. She's clearly running away from her academic family who aren't pleased with her decision to go to grad school to become a gasp! physical therapist after a horrible car accident that has left her emotionally and physically traumatized. Let alone the fact that she's trying to navigate her new neighbourhood in LA without a car. Yet, Laura is working to start anew and figure out who she is on her own: moving into an illegal boarding house run by Maggie, a motherly figure completely opposite to her own; making friends with the women from Knight's book store (if you read Nina Hill, you'll see a familiar face or two); joining a trivia team.
“Sometimes you recognize an important moment, other times it passes unnoticed.” There are many moments for Laura that passes by without notice, but I feel like that's reflective of many moments in our lives. Only in hindsight do you recognize the importance. Especially, in Laura's case, her relationship with Impossibly Handsome Bob the Gardener. If you're looking for a light, and comic read, Adult Assembly Required will take you on a path following Laura while she figures out that even if you're now an adult, there's always work to be done and help to be offered.
Arbitrary Ratings:
🍦🍦🍦🍦(Sweetness)
💞💞 (Romance)
⤴️⤴️⤴️⤴️ (Growth)
💫💫💫 (Overall)
Reading
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
Still reading: The Candy House by Jennifer Egan (may be a DNF)
Watching
Grace & Frankie – Season 7, Final Episodes (Netflix)
Heartstopper – Season 1 (Netflix)
Senior Year (Netflix)
Listening
Poog (podcast)
Articles, and more
How to Show Up For Your Friends Based on Their Love Language, Chloe Williams (Brit+Co)
Is Venting Your Feelings Actually Productive? The Answer May Surprise You, Olivia Giacomo (mindbodygreen)
3 Ways the Pandemic Has Made the World Better, Zeynep Tufekci (The Atlantic)