This Is Beautiful: Good Food

You ever just buy yourself a nice meal and sit there appreciating it like "dang that's a nice looking burger I'm about to put into my mouth"? I feel like we need to do this more often, so much of the work week I'm just stuffing a sandwich into my face between tasks. Need to slow down and appreciate the food I'm eating, as well as just eating nice food instead of the mediocre pb&j I made 10 minutes before leaving.

Food is nourishment, and we should treat it as an important part of our day. Good food is important, and I'm going to try and recognize its beauty more often.

"Leave a Cheater, Gain a Life" by Tracy Schorn

Speaking as a recent chump (aka someone who has been cheated on) I thought this book was exactly what I needed. Every chapter is like a mini pep talk or slap of sense in the face. I wish that I found it sooner.

Schorn divorced a serial cheater years ago, and since then has realized that most sources about infidelity focus on the cheater's needs or have a huge emphasis on reconciliation. Nothing mirrored her history where leaving a cheater was the best choice she's ever made. So she created her blog (chumplady.com) and ended up writing this book as a resource for chumps.

It's one heck of a resource, the chapters cover everything from the initial reaction to stupid things cheaters say to stupid things friends can say. The tone is light, as though a knowledgable friend were talking to you, and quirky cartoons adorn several of the pages. It really lifts your spirits, and adds some humor to an otherwise depressing situation.

Honestly can't recommend it enough, I'm so glad that I only picked one self-help book and that it was this one. World needs more people like Shorn who are trying to get others through challenges that they have already overcome.

This Is Beautiful: Tattoos

I got my first tattoo this past weekend. It was totally unlike any experience that I've had before. I always thought the idea of tattoos were really cool. Here's this body that I didn't exactly sign up for, now I'm going to turn it into a piece of art. So tattoos themselves I think are gorgeous.

But also the experience of getting one has been beautiful. My tattoo artist was saying how when you get a tattoo you are in an inherently vulnerable position, laying there while someone sticks something that means a lot to you into your skin. And the pain is very different from anything else as well. It didn't actually hurt as much as I thought it would. And since mine is on my left ribs, feeling when he was going over a bone or not was a really cool experience.

I'm thrilled that I got a tattoo, between the art now on my body and just the whole experience in general, I'm very happy with it. Definitely something to try if you have been thinking about it or just want to do it!

"Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha" by Tara Brach

The woman I go to for counseling gave me this book, she thought it would help me with my life falling to pieces. She was right, this book is an incredible resource. There were numerous times where I picked it up with a problem or something worrying me and I found great advice and suggestions within pages of reading it.

Brach goes through several aspects of radical acceptance, which here means accepting your life in all of its messy glory. And being ok with yourself and your flaws. Everything is illustrated with examples from her life or from people she has worked with, and each chapter ends with a couple of simple meditation exercises to perform to help with what she discusses in the chapter.

I found this book to be wonderfully helpful, Brach's writing style is very clear and easily understandable so even her more difficult concepts come through. And her suggestions are very practical and aim to help anyone regardless of their background in Buddhism or mindfulness. As a result it is tremendously helpful for anyone who is interested in learning more about mindfulness, or those who have been meditating for years.

I hope that you pick up this book and that it helps you.

This Is Beautiful: Friends you can be physically intimate with

Yeah idk about the title either, my main point is that it's important to be physically close to people even if they are not your partner. Hug your friends, hold their hands, tell them how much you love them. Because platonic love is just as important as any other kind of love, and your friends love and support you no matter what. Don't be a square, show your affection in many different ways, but don't forget that physical intimacy is just as important as any other kind.

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh

Borrowed this from a mentor of mine, it's a really nice little read. Most of the book is shorter sections highlighting a teaching or an aspect of mindfulness. After that it describes some easy meditation practices, and even has a couple translations of sutras it mentions.

A very well-rounded introduction or continuation through Buddhism. Hanh is a great teacher, and this edition hits all of his highlights. I would highly recommend it, or any of his other works to be honest.

This Is Beautiful: Online Counseling

ERASE THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, GO GET SOME THERAPY ONLINE.

I personally have been using Pride Counseling, an online LGBT+ specific counseling site, but there are many more out there. I personally think that just about everyone could use some therapy, and let's be honest, it can't hurt you. So go get counseled! Having online resources makes it much more accessible and flexible than in person, but do the in person thing as well.

Let's all get better people!

"The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present" by Eric R. Kandel

This is a fascinating, huge scale of a work. Kandel devotes chapters to several topics, including the art happening in Vienna around the year 1900, all the way up to neuroscience and psychology of art until the present day. Complete with images of all the works of art and diagrams of several concepts, it clearly is a labor of love and research.

As someone interested in both science and art, I found this to be a fascinating, stimulating read. I was not super familiar with the art happening in Vienna at the turn of the century, so going on a deep dive into that was enlightening. Kandel focuses in on three painters: Klimt, Kokoschka, and Schiele and how they influenced and differed from each other in their portrayal of the human psyche.

From there Kandel goes into the science behind it, discussing what researchers have discovered about our response to art and how this is highlighted in these paintings. He also goes into what was known about human psychology at the time in Vienna, and how that affected art of the time.

The conclusion reminds us that art and science are two sides of the same coin, two languages that discuss the same things. We need both to work together in order to understand the world around us, a statement I highly endorse as well!

This Is Beautiful: Birds Singing

Given my recent bouts of insomnia, I've spent a lot of time laying awake hearing birds and trying to figure out what time it is. And they all sound very pretty to be honest, all sorts of different songs can be heard in Maryland.

Probably my favorite encounter with birds recently has been when I went outside and started playing music. A group of crows above me (I refuse to call it a "murder") started squawking with the music! It was incredible, if distracting.

Go take a walk, listen to some birds, slow down and realize what's around you!

Variations on a Theme: Summer Songs

Yeah I know we're not quiiiite at summer yet but let's do this to get hype for it anyways.

1. “Summertime” by George and Ira Gershwin

Jazz standard from the opera “Porgy and Bess” as well as an excellent tune. I find it sums up summer rather well, the heat and the laziness especially. Ugh, humidity.

2. “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper

And now for something completely different! A standard from the like elementary/middle school days where you just wanted to feel edgy about leaving school and going to summer camp or whatever it is the kids are doing now.

3. “The English Summer” by The Wombats

Not totally sure if the English summer is referring to something specific on the other side of the pond, but this song definitely gets the stir-crazy stuff I feel when I spend too long at home.

4. “In the Summertime” by Mungo Jerry

Similar to “Summertime” this song brings to mind lazing around. Doesn’t help that it’s so catchy and has a great beat.

5. “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow

An oldie but goodie, this can only be played at the beach.

6. “When the Day Met the Night” by Panic! At the Disco

Man this song is catchy! And it’s so fun to listen to, nothing more summer than a little fun.

7. “Summertime Blues” by Eddie Cochran

Time to bring the mood down a little with some blues. Summer can bring up sad memories as well. It must be how when we’re young and in school it’s a completely different season to be in. No school and things. Anyways, this is a good sad song about summer.

8. “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Ray

Another sad song. Maybe I should have put my ramble here. Anyways, yup summer can be sad. I think this song really accurately captures it. Also Lana Del Ray is an incredible person.

9. “Summer Breeze” by the Isley Brothers

A great, catchy song here. It always seems to me like it’s a little sad as well. Let’s use it as a pick-me-up here.

10. “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago

Have to end with this, it doesn’t mention summer, but spending a Saturday in a park is a pretty summertime thing to do. Also it’s an incredible song. Love those horns.

Next playlist is going to be my last one as I’m going to grad school and that’s going to take up my time. So get ready for a playlist to end all playlists: MY FAVORITE SONGS!