9 Things That Made My Life Better Last Quarter (April-June 2025)
Better late than never! This quarter has been a unique whirlwind, as I’ve been teaching summer-semester classes for the first time as well as working within structured writing development program. It’s been very productive and also new to me. Here are some smaller things that helped me stay happier day-to-day:
What I was looking for: a plain zip hoodie from a Canadian company that would fit me and also go in the dryer without shrinking. What I found: exactly that, in a cut that works well for me. After checking some reviews online, I signed up for their emails and waited for sales; I tried to buy only their made-in-Canada pieces, which people say are their best quality. And, darnit, I like their designs so much that I’ve since unsubscribed from the emails for the sake of my wallet and closet space.
Lululemon Steady State joggers
I didn’t seek out Lululemon as a Canadian company; I just got frustrated with all the men’s joggers that turned into “cropped fit” on me and searched for “joggers + [my inseam measurement]”. Lululemon was what came up. Their official corporate vibe rubs me the wrong way, but I do love that their workout and loungewear pants actually fit me. And I gotta admit that their drawstrings that can tie up outside or inside the waistband are a pretty neat design feature.
Chants of Sennaar by RUNDISC (multi-platform video game by RUNDISC, 2024)
In this puzzle game, you’re a mysterious pilgrim travelling up various floors of a tower, translating the locals’ glyph-language in order to reach the next stage. I enjoyed the puzzles of this game and the ways it kept every new translation feeling fresh. I especially loved playing it “with” (aka, as the backseat gamer to) Husband–he didn’t mind the stealth areas that would have made me give up on the game, and it was really fun to talk with him about our puzzle theories.
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan (picture book, 2025)
To try something new, I took some picture-book writing classes with SCBWI University. Although I can’t quite recommend the courses (at least, not in that format for that price), I did love this recommendation from one of the instructors: the story of a little girl who has a special Monday routine. It’s funny and charming, with beautiful illustrations and text that’s fun to read either aloud or to yourself.
Puzzle Me Twice: 70 Simple Puzzles (Almost) Everyone Gets Wrong by Alex Bellos (puzzle book, 2025)
I read a review of this book of puzzles with “twists” and knew I wanted a copy. Each puzzle in this book, some classic, some new (to me, anyway), is designed so that the intuitive answer is incorrect. Although some puzzles in this genre can be deliberately misleading and therefore obnoxious (“Neither! YoU dOn’T bUrY sUrViVoRs!!!”), the author instead curates an interesting variety and explores various gaps between what feels obvious and what is logical.
Adulthood Is a Gift! A Celebration of Sarah’s Scribbles by Sarah Andersen (book of comics, 2024)
What can I say? I like seeing my experiences mirrored back at me in a clever, funny, whimsical way with simple but evocative art, and Andersen’s comics tick all those boxes. I, too, have passed through the stages in her first collections and found myself reflecting on them the way she does in this one.
Liar’s Beach and Hemlock House by Katie Cotguno (YA mystery novels, 2023 and 2024)
Ignore the “re-telling of Poirot” bit. It’s there in some of the names and a few of the plot beats, but you’ll be much happier if you just take these books on their own terms. If you do, they’re fun, fast-paced mysteries that meld some of what makes Agatha Christie’s books intriguing (upper-class settings, rich people do crime for personal reasons, every character is a legit suspect) with contemporary tastes (the narrator is sometimes a jerk and gets called out for it, the story doesn’t gloss over social issues).
linen
Especially washable linen (and linen blends). Mine are mostly from Abercrombie and Uniqlo and have lasted at least a few summers so far. Heat waves are awful, and linen is breathable. Enough said.
auto accelerate in MarioKart World by Nintendo (Switch 2 game, 2025)
Because of nerve and tendon injuries in my hands, playing videogames can sometimes cause me lasting pain. This is especially the case if I have to hold down a button for a long time… as you do with the accelerator when playing MarioKart. I was relieved that I could set the game to “autohold” the button without me physically pressing it (except at the starting signal, if I want that sweet, sweet boost).