Welcome to another edition of Rising Tide, a digest of things worth sharing! Enjoy this month’s list of books, blog posts, quotes, music, and more!
To read
1. It seems quite appropriate to start of this month’s collection this quote, which is a nod to part of the reason why I do this whole blog thing in the first place:
We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.
– Anais Nin
So very beautiful, so very true. We live this life, embracing the tides, currents, and winds the best we can in order to understand the parent and child versions of ourselves, growing and changing in any and all directions.
2. Here are some books I have enjoyed over the last month:
- The Living Mountain by Nan Sheperd ★★★★★
- So much to say about this sweet little book! Beautiful walk through of each one of the five senses taking in nature. Dare I call this romantic? So lovely. This will definitely be a book I reread. Anyone who has read this will forever have a different perspective when spending time in the wilderness.
- The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now by Thich Nhat Hanh ★★★★
- A nice, digestible introduction to Buddhist spiritualism. Easy to read and applicable. Focuses on simple meditation and being present.
- Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde ★★★★
- This classic piece of queer literature had been on my To-Read list for a while. It is a “biomythography,” admittedly the first I’ve ever read. Great read providing an interesting perspective from a queer, person of color.
3. I am currently (finally) reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Wow, is it really hitting home right now! More on it next month when I finish. But for now, there is a reference to a poem early in the book that has I cannot help but reread and reread. This is Power by Adrienne Rich from her collection, The Dream of a Common Language.
Better yet, you can hear Strayed read the poem and provide some additional commentary in this Brain Pickings post about her homage to Rich:
4. Though I haven’t read this yet (and hate to advocate for Amazon), I came across Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s new essay, Black Cop’s Kid. It is free as a Kindle or Audible version. I just downloaded it and look forward to reading it.
Fun fact: I met Kareem Adbul-Jabaar as a kid and got his autograph! There is a photo in my parents’ basement somewhere…
To write
5. Here are a few recent pieces I have written and am proud to share:
6. Speaking of writing, I had this idea that I wanted to turn my handwriting into a font. A simple Google search, and, low and behold, there is website that does just that! It’s free! And so fun!
To ponder
6. Here are some thoughts on putting your ideas out in the universe as a kickstart to seeing them into fruition, moving in the direction of living the best life:
Just to start. You’re not going to know everything in the beginning. You just have to put your ideas out there and allow the universe to help you put it in place. If people don’t know you, you have to show people by just starting. Embrace the idea that it won’t be perfect. It’s better to fail fast, then fail slow.
– Whitney Alix (Put Your Ideas Out There, Allow the Universe to Put them in Motion, an interview with Whitney Alix |Designer, Visual Artist, Philanthropist)
I will to will thy will.
– Raido / Journey rune prayer for the soul
A ship at harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for. Look at yourself in the mirror and tell me you weren’t designed for an adventure. I know it’s scary, but think about your passions and your desires and your longings. Weren’t you made to just go a little further than your fear suggests? Living a good story isn’t safe, but it’s meaningful. Face your fear. Conquer it. And if it conquers you, show it how it doesn’t end you. Get up and live another great story.
– Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
…and some more Donald Miller quotes; there are never too many.
To visit
7. Earlier this month, I spent a week out in the Pacific Northwest. Here are some highlights of the trip and recommended places to hit up if you’re out that way:
- Marina Beach Park
- Perfect for sunsets in Edmonds!
- Walnut Street Coffee
- A quant little shop with the friendliest baristas, the best cappuccino, an amazing breakfast burrito, open air, and speedy wi-fi! I hung out there quite a bit working remote and bought whole bean coffee to bring home too.
- The Seattle Public Library – Central Library
- Not sure what to do at a library, especially one that isn’t your local one? That’s easy!
- Pikes St Press
- Cards, stickers, and great analog writing tools (pens, pencils, notebooks, — including Blackwing! — and more)
- Pikes Place Market
- The Athenian Inn is where Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner were eating during that scene in Sleepless in Seattle! Try the Seafood Sauté!
- Elliot Bay Book Store
- Fun spot with an eclectic group of patrons full of lots of great shelves of varying recommendations: local authors, signed editions, book club picks, discounts, etc. In non-COVID times, there appears to be a cool coffee shop right inside too.
- Mt Rainier National Park
- (See Thoughts From the Trail, as mentioned above.)
I’ll be back out in Seattle again for another week in October, so look forward to more travel recommendations to come!
To listen
8. And here are some tunes I’ve enjoyed this month:
To remember
9. Two years ago this week, Rising Tide 2019 Week 39 went live! You can go back and see what was worth sharing during the last week of September 2019.
That’s all I have for now! Until next time…