My local library was only open for a month before the world shutdown.
Last February, Felton residents showed up the morning of the grand opening with gusto. Parking spilled onto the street and down a couple blocks in both directions. A folk band played outside, and coffee and breakfast pastries were passed around. The red barn fit nicely into the downtown landscape. There was even a patio and a small park built alongside it for extra green space. What better way to get to the library than by walking through a nature trail?
I have a local newspaper clipping of the announcement for the library opening. I laminated it, and now its a handy bookmark. It reminds me of the buzz from when our town came together for the love of books whenever I reach for it.
During the pandemic, the library pivoted to curbside pick up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful for it. But there’s something joyous about aimlessly roaming the shelves. The possibilities of what could be taken home are endless. It’s what made Blockbuster so special.
As I was dropping off a book a few weeks ago an employee welcomed me inside with a pump of hand sanitizer in one hand and one of those click-y counters in another. I unknowingly happened upon their soft opening. They wanted to test out their new safety protocol before announcing it to the public. I was blissfully let it on a secret.
With a generous thirty minute time limit, I browsed sections almost entirely to myself.
My two latest books were from that glorious library visit. They were well worth the wait.
For the underdogs: Naturally Tan is an entertaining memoir from fashion expert Tan France, 1/5th of the Netflix’s reboot of Queer Eye. He divulges on what it was like to grow up as one of the few Pakistani Muslims living in South Yorkshire, his unexpected resume prior to landing his big break, cast member first impressions, his endearing relationship with his partner and the grounded life they built in Salt Lake City. And of course, fashion advice is sprinkled in too.
For me, a common autobiography drawback is when the author’s voice is overshadowed by a ghost writer. It’s jarring when writing is drastically different from how the author naturally communicates.
However, Tan wrote in the way he speaks. His cheekiness and sarcasm shone throughout the pages authentically capturing his cadence. I imagine listening to his audiobook would add to the experience. His casualness made me feel like I was catching up with a best friend over a cuppa tea. He refers to his chatter box tendencies which reflects in his non-linear writing. Admittingly, it would have benefitted from more structure. He tends to jump around from topic to topic which sometimes came off disjointed.
My bookshelves mostly consist of fiction so I lean towards crafted story telling. But when it comes to a memoir, my expectations for authenticity outweigh an overly polished story.
I smiled from ear to ear in my week with Tan. What a perfect precursor to the upcoming fourth season of Queer Eye.
4/5 mugs
For everyone: “We experience only what we pay attention to.”
How to Break Up With Your Phone is a thought-provoking every day guide to moderation. The 30-day plan encourages readers to spend less time on our phones and more time on the things we love. I wish this book was mandatory for all smartphone owners.
Some of the reset includes deleting social media apps and opting for the platform’s web version, turning off notifications, downloading a tracking app, setting boundaries (no phone zones during wake up/sleep times), charging your phone in a different room, taking occasional weekend sabbaticals and inviting others to join.
The goal isn’t to stop using our phone all together. But instead to create boundaries for a healthier relationship. The idea is to treat the phone like the tool it was originally intended for— acknowledge it’s usefulness but be willing to store it away as needed.
One of my biggest take-aways was to ask myself the 3W’s before reaching for my phone:
- What for? What am I specifically looking to do on my phone?
- Why now? Do I need to check my phone now or can it wait until later? This is where scheduling downtime at the end of the day or as a break between work comes in handy.
- What else? What else could I be doing with my time instead of being on my phone? Am I avoiding something? Is there something I rather be doing instead?
The 3W’s allows us to be more thoughtful of our screen time as opposed to reaching for it out of habit. If the answer is still yes after those questions, at least a goal is guiding us. With a set intention, we’re more likely to stay on track and maintain moderation as opposed to spiraling into a dark hole of mindless scrolling.
While phones can help capture memories, they rarely create new ones.
I want to make an earnest effort to chose the latter.
4.5/5 mugs
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