A note from a rice cake enthusiast - I’ve been eating rice cakes since I was probably 15, because I have an almond mom. I would like to spread the good rice cake gospel of my favorite combos: rice cake + cream chz + bloobs 🫐 + drizzle of honey; rice cake + birthday cake granola butter (or cookie butter) + berry; rice cake + melted slice of cheddar chz.
After last week, I tried your suggestion of keeping books around for squeezing in reading between activities. I found that keeping my books of short essays has been perfect for sneaking in a few pages at a time! Also, I love love love children’s books and YA fiction, so definitely adding the skull to my list!
Loved this 👏🏽👏🏽 I’ve been taking your advice and leaning against lots of counters, reading. I’m doing a day in the life post soon, too. I can’t explain why I love them so much, but I do.
Loved When the Coffee Gets Cold AFTER I read it and several days passed. It’s a book that I didn’t love immediately but I often think about. It takes you there and lets you ponder. I’d say stick with it, but if the genre itself is off-putting then maybe now is not the time to read it. I always have a book at hand whether it’s on my phone (Audible), my Kindle paperwhite or a physical copy. I prefer different types of books through different mediums - so there’s always something going on. It’s a rare day that you don’t catch me without some sort of book within reach - the majority of my reading is from 930p-12a (and weekend).
The Awakening was required reading when I was in high school-and I went to an all girls’ Catholic school. I’ve reread it once since, but feel like I truly would not have appreciated it until adulthood.
This was so much fun to read! I feel like I'm in the minority here but I rarely read on my lunch break. It's usually the only time I can squeeze in a few minutes of television uninterrupted.
I love this so much! The biggest takeaway for me is putting the book I am currently reading next to me. I usually leave my fun reading (I am a professor so I read a lot for work, but it’s mainly theory, so I always have other reading for leisure) next to my nightstand, but I need to start bringing it with me to my home office (in basement). I also need to remember to put my book in my purse so I can read on subway, while waiting at kid activities, etc. I probably need to start having more than one book going, but I struggle with that. Currently reading On Having and Being Had by Eula Bliss.
Gorgeous issue, Petya! I’m not sure if you’ve read Stephen King’s On Writing? Something he wrote in it is that he always carries a book so that he can read anywhere and everywhere — his number-one writing advice is simply to be reading at every opportunity. I think about this all the time and you’ve reminded me with this essay that I need to prioritise this as much as possible.
Re: rice cakes — I love eating them with hummus, sliced tomato, and sesame salt/dukkah/spicy chilli crisp. Enjoy!
Such a fun sneak peek into your life! Thinking of a personal library like a wine cellar is such a great point, love that. My go-to rice cake topper is avocado and canned tuna (with lots of s+p)! Also, I think I need to get some tiny books for lunch break reads, thanks for the tips. xx
Such a delightful, inspiring read, Petya! I typically read for 1-3 hours before bed - mostly fiction these days. I reread AWAKENING a couple months ago...and now can’t put down the ACOTAR series.
Really enjoyed this, Petya! I used to read much more before I retired than I do now. I think I am so busy with all the other things I want to do with my life, but I want to get back to reading more often. You've inspired me! And I love your Bookclub with your daughter - what a wonderful idea in addition to reading to her.
I need to reach for a book instead of scrolling on my phone--but, of course, that is how I ended up reading this post! Which I really enjoyed. I'm having trouble balancing book reading with newsletter/blog reading. I think I read The Awakening 4 or so different times earlier in my life--college through early 40s. At times when life seemed to be coming undone. Audiobooks have become my favorite way of reading, and based on your recommendation for the narrator, I think I might try it again. I suspect it won't speak to me the same way now, though. (Kids grown and a lot of other things not as consuming as they once were.)
This was an amazing insight, thanks for sharing. I currently only read an ebook on my phone in bed at the end of the day, but you have inspired me to try and fit in more pockets of time
Love learning how to sneak more reading in throughout the day! Thanks for sharing, P!! 💙
A note from a rice cake enthusiast - I’ve been eating rice cakes since I was probably 15, because I have an almond mom. I would like to spread the good rice cake gospel of my favorite combos: rice cake + cream chz + bloobs 🫐 + drizzle of honey; rice cake + birthday cake granola butter (or cookie butter) + berry; rice cake + melted slice of cheddar chz.
After last week, I tried your suggestion of keeping books around for squeezing in reading between activities. I found that keeping my books of short essays has been perfect for sneaking in a few pages at a time! Also, I love love love children’s books and YA fiction, so definitely adding the skull to my list!
Loved this 👏🏽👏🏽 I’ve been taking your advice and leaning against lots of counters, reading. I’m doing a day in the life post soon, too. I can’t explain why I love them so much, but I do.
Loved When the Coffee Gets Cold AFTER I read it and several days passed. It’s a book that I didn’t love immediately but I often think about. It takes you there and lets you ponder. I’d say stick with it, but if the genre itself is off-putting then maybe now is not the time to read it. I always have a book at hand whether it’s on my phone (Audible), my Kindle paperwhite or a physical copy. I prefer different types of books through different mediums - so there’s always something going on. It’s a rare day that you don’t catch me without some sort of book within reach - the majority of my reading is from 930p-12a (and weekend).
The Awakening was required reading when I was in high school-and I went to an all girls’ Catholic school. I’ve reread it once since, but feel like I truly would not have appreciated it until adulthood.
This was so much fun to read! I feel like I'm in the minority here but I rarely read on my lunch break. It's usually the only time I can squeeze in a few minutes of television uninterrupted.
Apple butter also improves rice cakes a great deal.
I love this so much! The biggest takeaway for me is putting the book I am currently reading next to me. I usually leave my fun reading (I am a professor so I read a lot for work, but it’s mainly theory, so I always have other reading for leisure) next to my nightstand, but I need to start bringing it with me to my home office (in basement). I also need to remember to put my book in my purse so I can read on subway, while waiting at kid activities, etc. I probably need to start having more than one book going, but I struggle with that. Currently reading On Having and Being Had by Eula Bliss.
Gorgeous issue, Petya! I’m not sure if you’ve read Stephen King’s On Writing? Something he wrote in it is that he always carries a book so that he can read anywhere and everywhere — his number-one writing advice is simply to be reading at every opportunity. I think about this all the time and you’ve reminded me with this essay that I need to prioritise this as much as possible.
Re: rice cakes — I love eating them with hummus, sliced tomato, and sesame salt/dukkah/spicy chilli crisp. Enjoy!
Such a fun sneak peek into your life! Thinking of a personal library like a wine cellar is such a great point, love that. My go-to rice cake topper is avocado and canned tuna (with lots of s+p)! Also, I think I need to get some tiny books for lunch break reads, thanks for the tips. xx
Such a delightful, inspiring read, Petya! I typically read for 1-3 hours before bed - mostly fiction these days. I reread AWAKENING a couple months ago...and now can’t put down the ACOTAR series.
Really enjoyed this, Petya! I used to read much more before I retired than I do now. I think I am so busy with all the other things I want to do with my life, but I want to get back to reading more often. You've inspired me! And I love your Bookclub with your daughter - what a wonderful idea in addition to reading to her.
I need to reach for a book instead of scrolling on my phone--but, of course, that is how I ended up reading this post! Which I really enjoyed. I'm having trouble balancing book reading with newsletter/blog reading. I think I read The Awakening 4 or so different times earlier in my life--college through early 40s. At times when life seemed to be coming undone. Audiobooks have become my favorite way of reading, and based on your recommendation for the narrator, I think I might try it again. I suspect it won't speak to me the same way now, though. (Kids grown and a lot of other things not as consuming as they once were.)
I love reading posts like this! And it’s a great way to get new book recommendations!
I recently got a library card at my local library and I absolutely love having access to so many books and audiobooks
This was an amazing insight, thanks for sharing. I currently only read an ebook on my phone in bed at the end of the day, but you have inspired me to try and fit in more pockets of time