#IMWAYR: This, that, and what have you!

(This post title is in honor of my best friend—she'll know what I mean!)

It's been capital-B Busy this last week. Work meetings, org fairs, officer meetings, therapy, night classes, visits with friends (yay!), yoga classes (see below), and networking dinners. I've driven so much to get to everything—I've been north and south and north again, sometimes both in the same day. It's been hectic, but honestly, it hasn't been bad! There's been a nice balance of work and fun, and I've felt like I have a (relative) sense of purpose.

Some random things: My best friend got me into yoga classes, and now I'm hooked! I've been taking some that are full-on exercise classes, and I hate exercise. But the thing is, we do deep breathing while doing the poses/exercise, and the deep breathing gives me something to focus on besides my body's angst, plus it sometimes gets my body to calm down with it, which makes the exercise easier. I think this is the only form of exercise I'll ever be able to tolerate, so I need to capitalize on it! Because I haven't minded feeling a teeny bit stronger and less tense, to be frank.

Also, I mentioned a few weeks ago how excited I am for the video game Monument Valley 3, which comes out in December, and I set a mission before it comes out of trying the other games by Ustwo Games (the developer) that I haven't tried or finished! So I'm playing one now called Desta: The Memories Between, and it's so good. It's just challenging enough to be engaging, and just chill enough not to send me running for the hills. And the story is so beautiful—a nonbinary young adult named Desta is dreaming and trying to figure out how to reconcile with the folks in their life who they left behind, or came into conflict with, or never figured out how to relate to. Ustwo Games kills it every time, I tell you what.

Also-also, I listened to the debut album by a musician I love, Genevieve Stokes. It's called With a Lightning Strike, and I'm loving it so far! I need to give the other tracks a few more listens so I can get a feel for them.

Also-also-also, I've given myself some grace to pause reading for now. I think it's honestly been healthy to give some of my other interests some time to shine, and reading will always be there when I get back. But! I do have some book-related content to share on the blog this week, and that is...

Neighbor Books

McKinney, TX

neighborbookstx.com

I have another bookstore tour for y'all! This is a small bookstore that just opened in a historic building—the website says the building is from 1888, which is wild. The size is similar to some of the other bookstores I've shared, like Interabang Books. The front window display is adorable:

As is the display when you walk in the door:

The fiction section is curated but not minuscule:

As is the children's section:

Look at the tiny couch for the kiddos (look at it):

Neighbor Books has a really cute space—there's this little second floor that serves as a seating area, and even though the store is mainly one room, it's divided up into niches that make you feel like you're exploring a little bit. I feel like the shelves could use some staff picks to call out things worth reading, but because the selection isn't huge as is, you can also just browse yourself based on which covers call to you. And it looks like they host some community events, like kids' story times, which is always lovely to see!

Indie bookstores are a fragile thing, and I'm very glad to see another one popping up—if you're ever in the vicinity, Neighbor Books is worth checking out!

The Kidlit Lovers' Meetup!

I figure by now, many of you know the drill about the Kidlit Lovers' Meetups—but if you don't, never fear, get the details here!

Right now, the key thing is to fill out the scheduling survey for October by Thursday night if you're interested in coming! That way, I can schedule the meetup so as many people can attend as possible.

I appreciate y'all's responses, and I hope to see you at our fifth (!!!!!) meetup!

That's all for now—have a delightful week! ✨✨