It’s funny because Halloween is the October-est day of October and then the very next day is November. Which has an entirely different vibe all together.

There’s autumn and then there’s November. Which brings with it a whole different kind of Autumn. October is about instagramming your shoes in the leaves and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. But November is about buckling down and turning your heart, maybe, a little bit away from just yourself and more towards the others who are around you. Cuddle Puddles and blankets and time to bust out that coat (though I’ll put that off for as long as possible because I really hate the bulk).

Currently Reading: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. Good for anyone who needs to feel completely inspired and torn apart all at once.
Just finished reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. I’m a real sucker for memoirs. I really, really don’t know how to feel after finishing this one. It was a quick read and thoroughly interesting. But heartbreaking–and not in a terribly redeeming way. Though it could just be my current life-phase that’s reading it in that way. Other people who have read The Glass Castle, what do you think? How did you feel?
Excited to start reading: Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott. For such a fan of Annie, I really should have read this by now. I am ready and hungry for the food that she serves up to my soul.

Currently Listening to:
Over the Rhine: Meet Me at the Edge of The World . This album released in September. I bought it straight away but a lot of the time, Over the Rhine is pretty seasonal for me. And this time of year it’s perfect. I like to put it on when I’m doing yoga or in the kitchen making soup (both highly meditative practices). Ryan introduced me to Over The Rhine a few years ago and I was a quick convert. It shouldn’t be uncommon to find thoughtful, quality lyrics alongside beautiful music but lately it kind of is. A couple of favorite songs from this record, All Over Ohio “Love–let it be not just a feeling/ but the broken beauty/ of what we choose to do”, and Baby if This is Nowhere, “Baby, if this is Nowhere/ How sweet it is to find/ Now that we are finally here/ Nowhere suits me fine.”  Over The Rhine makes me want to move to the country, quit my day job, and start a prolific garden.
Also listening to the You Made it Weird podcast–it’s updated once a week and it’s a really long show (usually around two hours). But I like it because aside from the fact that Pete Holmes and his guests are both funny–but then they get really real. You know how sometimes you sit back and think, “it’s been a while since I’ve had a real, good, hearty conversation”. Well this is that kind of conversation. And you get to just overhear it. Recently, Pete interviewed June Dianne Raphael and it was so touching and raw. One of my most favorites. The Horatio Sanz interview was excellent as well.  It’s really a rare occasion when I’ll finish an episode of this podcast and not feel somehow stirred or compelled or thoughtful.

Currently watching: Pretty much only Parenthood. There are other things that happen to the TV in my presence (Master Chef Junior and the usual Comedy Central news shows) but Parenthood is the only thing on TV that I’m setting aside actual time for. You know, due to all those other things that I’m flooding my brain with.  Where my Parenthood Junkies at?!

Other favorites:
The other night, Ryan and I made Reubens and that’s just comfort food at it’s absolute best.
My friend Lacey started up this new, incredible studio space/ store called Hatch Studios in Hutchinson, KS just a few months ago. I mean, I LOVE THAT but what I wanted to say was that I bought some delicious artisan, patchouli soap from there and I friggin love it.  Also, in a few weeks they’re going to be hosting a paint-along class that I really want to go to and if you want to come with me, I would love that. This is me–inviting the entire internet.
These leggings.

XOXO
-Lib