Isn't this book beautiful? I can't wait to read it. Do you have any plans for the weekend? I plan to check out a local Easter market and maybe visit a friend too.

woke up at 5:30 to get some phd formalities done before a morning class. which was cancelled. so of course i went to the library for another 4 hours to get through 2 theory books and write 1,3k words of my phd project. i was teaching late evening classes today, so i managed to get groceries in the spare time <3

also i’ve been adding leftover gingerbread cookies to my oatmeal in the morning and it’s definitely changed my life

—Lemony Snicket, Poison for Breakfast

scenes from a scottish BnB 🩶

“When you are kissing someone, you feel, perhaps that you will never be alone, but of course, everyone is alone sometimes. It is lonely, sometimes, to be alone, but some people are good at being lonely. I am one of them. I am a loneliness savant, a word which here means that loneliness comes naturally to me, so I am quite good at loneliness, if I do say so myself. I like to think about lonely things, poems and philosophy and sad songs I admire, and places and people I do not know, or will never see again. It is said, in a song I admire, by another associate of mine, that the loneliest people in the whole wide world are the ones you’re never going to see again, and this is the sort of thing I like to think about: lonely, thoughts and lonely language, and lonely things that happened, a long lonely time ago, things that you tell yourself, walking on the gravelly ground under a tree that has been there for a long time, do not matter. Telling yourself that something does not matter is one of the loneliest things you can do, because you only say it, of course, about things that matter very much. But often, and this is the lonely part, they only matter to you.”

- Lemony Snicket, Poison for Breakfast

{07.07.22}

Breakfast and a graphic novel!

Another day, another coffee!

Another day, another chapter!

I will finish this book some day, I swear! 🙈

Only Dull People Are Brilliant At Breakfast by Oscar Wilde

I've had this on my tbr for the longest time, and finally I read it. I also decided to use this tiny book for the studyblr w/knives summer reading challenge 2.0 for the prompt by a queer author. I had a few picks for this prompt, but since I am also doing the pride reading challenge I opted for this read.

I am delighted with this one. I have been a big fan of Wilde for years, although I have still a lot of his works to read. This book has made me fall in love with this extravagant Irish man even more. The perfect way to describe this small collection of thoughts by Wilde is to imagine what it would have been like if he had had access to Twitter or similar socials. It's brilliant. This book collects thought on various topics from marriage, to his time in prison, to love and art, and much more. I have fallen in love with his ability to write sharp criticsm that still mantain all his class and style. It's a shame I only have a digital copy of it, because I would have annotated the hell out of this book. I feel like I will reread it multiple times. It's a read I absolutely recommend, as it's a very light read that still gives off the perfect idea of what this man might have been like. I would pay to go back in time and have one conversation with this author.

I will post a proper challenge update once I have read a couple more books.

My Great Library of Zosma Key from the Litjoy Storybook Key Collection arrived and it's so beautiful 📚✨️

This is inspired by Strange The Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor my favourite duology!

It includes a key to the Great Library of Zosma, a mini copy of Miracles For Breakfast - Tales From the Unseen City and a wax seal stamp of an ornate moth.

Do you have favorite mystery books? I love mystery books. My all time favorite mysteries are probably some written by Agatha Christie. I used to read Agatha Christie all the time when I was younger.

27.03.23// last week was really messy and my anxiety is still spiking hAHAH. but i’ve done a good chunk of reading and writing done today so at least that’s nice.

Finished one poetry book and now hopping to another. I was taken in by the review on the cover by Diane Glancy: “There is heaven and hell in these heavenly poems.”

📖 The Sky Watched: Poems of Ojibwe Lives by Linda LeGarde Grover

Captain Frederick Wentworth's letter to Anne Elliott 🍒💌 I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W. I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.

Bookworm to Benchpress

I couldn’t stand my roommate, Caleb, at first. Our online conversations before university had led me to believe he was someone similar to me—reserved and bookish occasional gamer. But the person I met was a whirlwind of energy that exuded force, a stark contrast to my quiet demeanor. Caleb was the epitome of a dude bro, his boisterous charm drawing people like moths to a flame. His presence was overwhelming, and I often found myself irritated, yet intrigued by his larger-than-life persona.

Caleb's influence began subtly. He would often encourage me to join him for early morning workouts. "C'mon, bro. It's good for you," he'd insist, his enthusiasm chipping away at my reluctance. The gym sessions were grueling, yet there was a sense of camaraderie that I couldn’t help but enjoy. His philosophy of 'being built different' was both baffling and inspiring.

Gradually, I found myself being pulled into a more disciplined lifestyle. Caleb was a force of nature, waking up at the crack of dawn with a zeal that was infectious. "Discipline starts with the dawn," he'd proclaim, and I found myself mirroring his routine. I began with 50 push-ups each morning, a task that seemed insurmountable at first, but grew easier with time. Breakfasts transformed from sugary cereals to eggs and orange juice, fueling my body in ways I hadn’t imagined.

Then came the cold showers, a practice that initially felt like torture. "It's about pushing your limits, bro," Caleb would encourage, a mischievous glint in his eye. I begrudgingly started, each icy blast a battle of willpower. But with time, what was once a dreaded experience became a refreshing challenge.

The changes in me were not just physical. My confidence soared, and I found myself engaging more with others, stepping out from behind the safety of my books. My clothes fit better, and my posture improved. Caleb’s influence was unmistakable. "Show off that progress, man! Your life is defined by discipline," he'd say, his encouragement a accompanied by a pec dance.

Our relationship, initially strained, evolved into a mutual respect. I realized that beneath Caleb's flashy exterior lay a deep commitment to self-improvement. His antics, which I had once found abrasive, were now moments of inspiration.

One evening, after a particularly intense workout session, Caleb opened up about his philosophy. "Being disciplined isn't just about the gains or the girls," he mused, a rare seriousness in his tone. "It's about loving the journey, the daily grind. It's about finding joy in discipline itself. That's the real reward."

His words struck a chord within me. Caleb, the embodiment of discipline, had unwittingly become a mentor, guiding me towards a path of self-discovery and growth. His relentless pursuit of excellence had become my own, a shared journey that transcended our initial differences. In that moment, my respect for Caleb deepened, transforming my once intolerable roommate into an unlikely source of inspiration.

{18.08.22}

Currently reading:

Started this one today, immediately after finishing Parable of the Sower this morning!