It’s been a whirlwind of a week, friends! Graham and I got settled back at home in Brooklyn after nearly 4 consecutive weeks away. We became certified Gotham Archers. (Meaning we attended a beginner’s class and can now enjoy practicing at an awesome new facility around the corner from our apartment.) Yesterday I attended the 5th annual Cookie Puss Day celebrations at Asbury Park beach in New Jersey. (Cookie Puss Day is a bit hard to explain – but it’s an annual holiday on the second Saturday in August that centers around the Carvel ice cream cake character, Cookie Puss, and involves a big group of friends assembling on the beach for a day of ice cream cake, slip & slides, food, and general shenanigans on the beach.)
AND… I’m incredibly excited to share the news that I accepted a position at Etsy this week! I’m thrilled to be joining a company that I’ve loved and admired for years, and I’ll be part of a team that I’m so excited about: Product Education.
I start in a few weeks, and I’ve decided to take a short blog hiatus until then. It’s nearing the end of summer, nearly every day in New York has been sunny this month, and Graham and I are going to try to make the most of the next two weeks, striving to be offline and away from the computer screen as much as possible. We’re going to hit a few things on our NYC summer bucket list, and also head upstate for a week for some camping, hiking, swimming and kayaking in the Adirondacks. Whenever we’re not out and about, I plan on having my nose in a book, or snuggling up on the couch with Graham and watching movies. I also have a huge stack of September fiction galleys that I want to dive into & prep for some new release posts next month. I’m not going completely dark – I’ll still post photos on Instagram, and will still be on Twitter a bit. But I’ll see all you lovely people back here in a couple of weeks!
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This week I posted a review of the excellent new middle grade novel, Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead. I also posted my Polysyllabic Spree for July – all the books I bought and read last month.
I’m reading / enjoying a travel memoir, Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer’s Search for Wonder in the Natural World by Leigh Ann Henion. I love the premise of this one: the author made a “natural phenomenon” bucket list and traveled around the world seeking out some of the most incredible acts of nature that occur only in specific places. It’s adding a lot of destinations to my future travel lists.
Not much, other than sobbing over Jon Stewart’s final Daily Show. Are you tired of hearing that Graham and I are watching West Wing yet? We’re in season 6, so only a season and a half to go. I don’t binge watch shows nearly as fast as most people – we don’t have the TV on a lot. I had an upset tummy earlier in the week, and I re-watched the 2009 BBC adaptation of Emma with Romola Garai. It’s such a treat – so well produced.
I finished Missoula on audiobook, thankfully. It’s an important book that brings light to an incredibly serious issue, but listening to it is upsetting and anger-inducing. I’m relieved to switch my listening over to How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. (I will include more thoughts on Missoula in my monthly reading recap post, and I do encourage you to read it or listen to it, if you haven’t already.)
… that’s the week! How was your week? Are there any lingering things on your summer to do list that you want to make time for in August?
Well, I was torn about commenting, because I don’t want to break your internet vacation, but I had to say congratulations on the fantastic new job, so cool about the archery, and I don’t care that cookie puss sounds (and maybe is?) weird, it looks fabulous. :)
Have a great hiatus!
Comments are always very welcome, hiatus or no! And thank you so much for your, as always, kind words!
Yes – Cookie Puss day is indeed quite weird, but fabulous. :D
Everything in this post is happy, and I’m so happy for you! I hope you love your new job and make the most of your hiatus and these last vestiges of summer. :)
Thank you so much Shaina! Will be trying to squeeze in as much outdoor time and reading time into these few weeks as possible, and that seems to me like the best recipe for savoring the last days of summer! :D
Congrats on the new job–soundsvery exciting!!
I’m happy to hear Missoula is worth the read. It’s on my list. Did you read How to Build a Girl?I think that’s what Caitlin Moran’s other book is called. I read that this winter and enjoyed it.
Thank you so much Brooke!
Missoula is definitely worth the read. You’ll have to wait until you’re in the right frame of mind, but it’s so important, and I was grateful for the information about the realities of what sexual assault victims usually have to face in the aftermath as they pursue justice. I had a general idea that things were bad, but this one really honed in on the realities, and it was extremely eye opening. A very educational read.
This is my first Caitlin Moran, but I’m loving it! I’d like to read How to Build a Girl next. It will be interesting to read one of her novels, after reading this memoir / essay collection.
Congrats on the new job! It sounds so exciting, and it’s great that you’ll be working for a company you genuinely like.
Phenomenal sounds… well, phenomenal. Adding it to my TBR list!
Thank you so much Leah!
Phenomenal IS Phenomenal – be prepared to add a bunch of places to your travel bucket list. I’m going to post a full review of it when I’m done, it’s really good and I want to spread the word!
Archery! That’s awesome. And congrats on your Etsy position.
A natural phenomena bucket list sounds cool. I have a few friends who’d be interested in that.
Thank you so much Zezee! :D
I finished Phenomenal and I’d definitely recommend it – it’s a great memoir. I’ll be posting a full review of it here in a few weeks!
Congrats again on the new job. Enjoy your time offline!
Thank you so much TJ! :D
Wow, congratulations on your new job! I hope it’s every bit as wonderful as it sounds. Have a wonderful hiatus!
Thank you so much Jenny! :D
Congrats on the new job! It sounds like a fun one. I’ve always wanted to try archery (I only have one summer camp experience as a kid to go by). It seems like so much fun – very Robin Hood. :) Enjoy your weeks off!
Thank you so much Julie! :D
I was the same – I did archery at camp when I was in high school, and loved it. But hadn’t tried it in over 15 years. We had a really fun time, I’d definitely recommend it if you have a range near you!
Wow! Etsy sounds fun and exciting. Congrats! Will it be a work at home gig or an office? It’s funny because I know that these business are actual corporations, but because they’re online based I don’t think of them as having actual office space. But best wishes!!
And I hear you about Missoula. I haven’t read it, but your reaction reminds me a bit of An Untamed State. It was a tough read (though fictionalized), but I know it’s important to get those stories and perspectives out there. Need to check out Missoula–Krakauer is one of my favorites.
Hello! Apologies for my extreme delay in reply – just got back from camping.
Thank you!! I’ll be working out of Etsy’s Brooklyn Headquarters. They have (probably not surprisingly, based on the creativity involved in their business) the most beautiful offices – so excited to start! :D
Oh man – An Untamed State is high on my list to read, but I know it will be heartbreaking. I have another tough audiobook coming up – I just bought “The Divide” – about income inequality in the US. It’s going to be anger-inducing! But these are all important reads – I guess it’s the bookish equivalent of eating our vegetables! :)