At least I brought snacks?

and dogs and some books

Hello readers. It’s been a tough week. What I can do right now is show up, so here I am ♡

I don’t have adequate words for how I am feeling right now, and I know my own feelings can’t represent yours. When I thought on Wednesday that I wanted someone to tell me it would be okay, I was shocked at my fleeting flash of fury when someone actually did tell me it would be okay. My own damn feelings are shifting by the minute. I didn’t have the words to explain this election to my own teenagers, wasn’t allowed to talk about it or process it authentically at work, and have been just sitting and pondering and wondering. In 2016, my texts were full of people ranting and trying to process, and this time, almost all of my texts were one word, starting with the letter f. And then none of us had much else to say.

What I do in these situations with friends and family when things really just suck and I don’t know what to say is …….. offer snacks. So that’s what I have for you today.

Some chips and seasonally-appropriate beverages.

If we were sitting together at your table ranting and pounding our fists, I probably would have brought some or all of these chips. Made you a latte with this just-the-right-amount-of-sweetness eggnog oat milk. Made you laugh with my violent profanity ~ always a treat from the school librarian. In all honesty, I probably wouldn’t have brought the kombucha, because who brings kombucha as consolation, but I definitely would have sipped it on the way over.

If we were gathered at my house instead of yours, I would have been able to comfort you with three very good, although unruly, boys.

Along with your snacks and dogs today, I also offer this perennial favorite quote from a perennial favorite book from a perennial favorite author / human . It’s the book I return to whenever things are scary and uncertain. I listened to it on Wednesday and Thursday on my commute and while it certainly fixed nothing, it did give me a dose of perspective and reminded me where my energy should be focused.

Every day we’re in the grip of the impossible conundrum: the truth that it’s over in a blink, and we may be near the end, and that we have to live as if it’s going to be okay, no matter what.

~ Anne Lamott “Almost Everything: Notes on Hope”

And if you need one action item to propel you forward: above all else, show up for those in your immediate community. I ordered this pin from Etsy last week and it showed up on Wednesday afternoon. It was the one bright spot in my day. It now has a prominent place on my work lanyard, and I implore you to do whatever you can to show those even more vulnerable than ever that they are safe with you.

Don’t wear a lanyard? Consider buying some signs or a flag from a phenomenal Wisconsin artist. Or perhaps a sticker to casually offer abortion resources to anyone who happens to see it.

Would you like even more chatty musings on midlife, even more book recommendations, and exclusive downloads and book collections delivered right to your inbox each week? These are all benefits of a paid subscription to this newsletter ~ please do consider becoming a supporter!

Oh, and I brought books too, don’t you worry. Here’s what captivated me over the past week and allowed me to be swept away into other worlds, both comfy and ….. not.

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter ~ I haven’t been sharing much of the YA I have been reading in the main newsletter, but this one was totally addictive. The illegitimate 18-year-old fiery and feisty American daughter of the British monarch who is NOT down to curtsy, being forced to live with the royal family for the first time ever? YES PLEASE. Throw in a murder to solve and a little romance and I was all in. I’m reading the sequel right now already!

Friends Don’t Fall in Love by Erin Hahn ~ Of the three books in this series (which I read out of order!), this one is officially my favorite! I absolutely adored this country music romance, and it's a perfect read for anyone who loved Colton Gentry's Third Act. The fact that the MC is a singer-turned-teacher-turned-singer who is PISSED OFF and willing to risk her entire career to sound off about mass shootings is a major win for me. So good on audio.

Burning Bright by Nick Petrie ~ I thought what I would need for election day and the aftermath was sweet and cozy, but what ACTUALLY hit the spot was a gritty, action-packed suspense story featuring a PTSD-stricken veteran and an intrepid technology reporter racing through the wilderness of the west coast of the United States leaving well-intentioned and self-defense-fueled massive death and destruction in their wake. I initially started this series because the first book is set in Milwaukee and the main character is from Northern Wisconsin, but now I'm HOOKED no matter where Peter Ash goes. I guess reading about vigilante justice and the good guys winning in a pretty brutal way is part of my healing process???

That’s all for this week ~ thanks for reading!

I love to hear from readers, so please do reach out to me with questions or feedback at mindfullibrarian@substack.com . If we aren’t already connected on Goodreads, I would love to see you there as well!