9 Things Making My Life Better So Far This Quarter (July-Sept. 2025)
Better late than never, right? It’s been a heck of a fall–well, it always is, if you work in education and also celebrate the High Holidays. Without going into detail, my Fall semester is always more packed than my Winter semester. It’s finally slowed down now, so I can noodle around on this blog entry.
I was also teaching pretty much through the summer this year, which is new for me. That, plus more writing (see below), plus a two-week annual daycare closure during the break between semesters, meant that I was juggling a lot. In no particular order, here are a few of the things that made that busy-but-fun time lean more fun:
On a whim, I bought a steel mesh watch strap, and it’s quickly become my favourite. It goes with everything, it isn’t vulnerable to rain or sweat, and I can adjust it more precisely than leather or canvas straps. Best of all, it’s one of the cheaper straps I’ve bought, at about $30 Canadian.
On Repentance and Repair by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (non-fiction book, 2023)
For me, repentance can be a squirmy topic: my tendency is to assume that I could’ve, should’ve done everything for everyone, despite my personal limitations and the surrounding circumstances. That unless I always do the perfect, selfless thing, I’ve failed. So this book did sometimes send me into self-doubt spirals, but, overall, I appreciated the Jewish perspective on how to address one’s moral mistakes and the opportunity to apply a more mature and progressive lens to practices that moved me at Hebrew school.
The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison (SFF novel, 3rd in The Chronicles of Osreth Series, 2025)
Another entry in the series set in the politically complex universe of The Goblin Emperor, this book follows Thara Celehar as he faces both the fallout from the trauma he experienced in the last book and the challenge of fighting historical and current injustices. I admit, this time, I felt like some of those challenges were overcome more easily than I expected. But the joy of this series is partly that Celehar and his allies are all lovely people to spend time with, and, in that, this entry doesn’t disappoint.
a phone with NFC
I didn’t realize my phone lacked NFC until I forgot my wallet when hanging out with a friend and had to figure out why I couldn’t tap to pay. I fretted over whether to upgrade for a while, but I’m glad I did. Being able to tap my phone to use my credit cards and transit account has been super convenient. I kinda wish I could use it for more things!
DK Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2 game, 2025)
I thought I wasn’t going to be able to play this 3D platformer, on account of it including a lot of button mashing as you make Donkey Kong punch his way through every fully-breakable level. I wasn’t wrong about the button-mashing, but, happily, I was wrong about how it would affect my tendonitis. The cartoonish whimsy and choose-your-own-challenge were a blast. Smashing everything in sight was a fun way to let off some steam, and, although I sometimes got lost, it was easy to literally punch my way back to familiar territory.
An Immense World by Ed Yong (nonfiction book, 2023)
I loved the way this book’s descriptions of animal senses re-framed the world in that rare way that highlights the contingencies of what we humans perceive as reality. It’s the kind of read that makes you want to “Did you know…?” everyone you talk to with whatever jumped out from the last chapter you read. Thoroughly researched, and thoroughly enjoyable.
This tiny miracle umbrella fits in my sling bag during the summer and weighs barely anything (according to the website: only 115g). I can bring it everywhere with me. It’s already come in handy so many times!
driving Offspring to and from daycare
I’m still struggling with anxiety about driving, but it turns out that taking care of Husband’s health and Offspring’s schedule is a good enough motivator to get me behind the wheel. Husband driving every morning and every evening wasn’t sustainable. I’m still tying myself in knots trying to figure out the exact time to leave that will result in the least traffic (note: this is impossible, and I know that, and I know that I can handle traffic, but that doesn’t stop my brain), but at least I’m packing the Tiny One in the car seat and shlepping us successfully to daycare and back.
Mary Robinette Kowal’s Short Story Cohort
Because my summer was already full of work commitments, I almost didn’t apply to this small-group writing mentorship focused on short stories, but I’m so glad I did. This program connected me with wonderful people, helpful resources, and my own inner reserves. Thanks to Mary Robinette and my Six of Prose fellows, I’m more thorough and more confident writer. If you’re on the fence, go for it!
Things I like include: not getting sunburnt ears/face; not looking like I’m about to go on a three-day hike (unless that’s what I’m actually doing); and not having my hat disintegrate if it starts to rain. This hat has all three of those qualities covered. It’s UPF 50, and the style is less off-to-garden-for-hours and more hanging-around-the-city-in-the-summer.
Honourable Mentions:
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks (YA mystery novel, 2023)
This fast-paced mystery would have made the list, except that I happened to read a lot of books this quarter that stayed with me. This one’s a fast-paced read about three boys, all POC, who need to prove their innocence when someone murders their high-school principal. The chapters switch between the various characters to keep the reader guessing whodunnit and how the innocent kids will prove it with each clue a new perspective reveals.
making rice in the morning before work
All my life, from elementary school to now, I’ve packed my entire lunch the night before. I marvelled at bento cookbooks that instructed me to make some components before leaving the house. Who’d want to spend time on that instead of sleeping?
Apparently, as the parent of a toddler, me. I’m up with plenty of time before my commute, and it’s way easier to have non-hard-and-stale rice if I make it in the morning and allow it to cool. Though, as the semester progresses, it does seem like cooking the rice the night before and reheating it before packing works just as well… hmmm…