Reading Recap - From Chaos to Cosmos

June was wild and weedy - in the best way (though weeding is proving to be difficult in the summer heat). My reading list reflected the chaos in motion. From soft heartbreak poetry to cosmic absurdity to life advice with a bite. Here's what I read this month:

COLLIDE by Bal Khabra

College ice rink romance filled with just enough spice to make you want to lower your audiobook volume on your commute. It reads like conversation and plays out like a movie in a way that keeps your reading until the end.

THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK by Mark Manson

This was my "finally read it" book of the month. More memoir-meets-manifesto than true self help, this book challenged me to think. About my values. My energy. And what I should and should give a f*ck about. It definitely wasn't poetic, but it fueled my grounding practices as I chose to be more selective about my battles.

• Takeaway: Don't aim for constant positivity. Aim for grounded, chosen meaning.

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Douglas Adams

A true blast (from the past). I've long since loved the movie and reference it in my farewell emails I've had to write in past jobs. It made me laugh and reminded that chaos isn't always tragic (even if it sometimes feels like it in the moment). Sometimes chaos is just absolutely absurd.

• Vibe: imagine dropping acid and trying to map the universe with tea and sarcasm. oh and a sad Alan Rickman voiced robot (for those of you interested in the movie).

• Favorite Line: "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

VIENTE POEMS DE AMOR Y UNA CANCION DESESPERADA by Pablo Neruda

Reread Alert! I come back to this collection every few years. Not only was this one of the first books of poetry I shared with my grandmother, this is a book that just leaves me aching for more. These poems are timeless, moody, sensual, and can only be described as a work that will stretch your heart to its limits in its understanding of love and desperation. I've reread it many times, but finally listened to the audiobook this go-around. Listening to the book felt like sipping on a glass of wine while sitting on your porch listening to the sea. A calming sense of belonging etched into yourself.

• Favorite Poem: Poema XX - "Puedo escribir los versos mas tristes esta noche.."