10 things I liked in May

soft recommendations and other things that made me happy like only spring can

never not admiring the flowers

All throughout May, I’ve been doing morning pages and a daily gratitude list as soon as I wake up. The morning pages, a la The Artist’s Way (a book I haven’t read), let you get all the muck out of your head so you can start the day fresh. The gratitude list reminds me that I have a good life and there are a ton of reasons to be happy. At least 10 reasons, to be specific.

Sometimes mundane things dominate the list, like my heated blanket or a good book. But some mornings, I wake up feeling particularly grateful for my good relationship with my parents or the soul-level peace I feel after a day spent with my friends. Everything gets noted down! And I have to say, I’m definitely feeling more #thankful

So, in honor of my newfound gratitude and newfound commitment to writing here, here are 10 things I liked in May (aka some memories and soft recommendations)

1. The Met Cloisters are the kind of place you think you should visit more often, but never end up going because they’re so far away. Despite being almost 1.5 hours away (and somehow still in Manhattan??), it was well worth the trek for Monica’s birthday. 

   

   thrilled to be among the flowers (included the ones in my hair)

2. Trader Joe’s Grecian-style eggplant with tomatoes and onions has changed things… I love eggplant so much, and this takes the waiting-for-the-eggplant-to-roast-while-your-apartment-overheats out of the mix

3. “Alone With You in the Ether” is easily one of my favorite books of the year. It’s an unlikely love story of two deeply troubled people who meet in a museum, then agree to have just six conversations. Aldo is a PhD at UChicago who fits the troubled genius stereotype pretty well. A theoretical mathematician, he’s always lost in his own head working out problems that are impossible to solve. His new problem to figure out is Regan, a docent at the Art Institute, who’s used to molding herself to fit the people around her. But she can’t quite figure Aldo out. Over the course of their six conversations, they try to figure out the idiosyncrasies about the other.
   
   Books like this are so beautiful. The writing style leans towards literary fiction, but there’s some subtle romance sprinkled in there, too. The whole book is a beautiful exploration of what it means to feel broken or be unwell - and how to find acceptance and love in the midst of mental chaos. It’s more than a love story; it’s a novel about connection, our brains, and the way love of any kind is about making other people feel seen.
   
   Bonus points for being set in Chicago!

4. There’s nothing like toiling away at a puzzle. My mom gave me this one for Christmas a few years ago. Not very springy, but so cute

   

   love dogs, love the new yorker

5. Meal preppers are living in another universe, and I’ve joined them there. Having a fridge full of meals (instead of just ingredients) feels kind of like having a private chef (spoiler: the private chef is you)

6. My hyperfixation song of the month, i like the way you kiss me, is perfect for any and all occasions, though my personal fav is as a hype song before work

7. Josh and I watched “Solo Leveling” in the course of a few days. Anime hasn’t been that interesting to me lately, but Josh recommended this and I’m so glad he did!!
   
   In the world, people are born with special skills used to fight monsters that appear in randomly occurring portals. Your skills are predetermined, and you can’t improve them through training; you’re stuck with the luck of the draw. The story follows one boy who’s known as the weakest fighter around. He always gets hurt, often to the point of hospitalization. One day, something happens in a portal that changes things for him, and he embarks on a quest to improve his life (I can’t say too much without spoiling).
   
   I always love an underdog story. This reminded me of “The Rising of the Shield Hero,” though it’s a bit more morally gray. Highly recommend!

8. Seeing my friends do incredible things makes me feel like a proud mom. Daphne and Chase ran the half marathon in May! I’ve never seen anyone so energetic after running 13 miles.

   

   a runner stopped and said, “I’m not running for that”

9. I loved this article from The New Yorker about how we become ourselves. Now that I’m in the second half of my 20s, things seem to be quieting down. My life feels more stable; I’m not an established adult by any means, but the choices I make feel more aligned to who I’m becoming, rather than deciding things ad hoc (as I’ve always done)
   
   The article questions the process of becoming ourselves. Some people are the same as they’ve always been, and others change continuously and drastically. No matter the approach, the way we live our lives shapes who we are and who we become - a constant process that, beautifully, never ends. 

10. And finally, a genius mode move: putting everything but the bagel seasoning on tofu before roasting it. By now, the internet has figured out the best ways to make tofu delicious. But when I forget to do them (freezing and defrosting is evidently too much of a burden on me), this is the next best thing.

C’est fin! See you next month for another list 

XOXO,

Madeleine

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