Happy Wednesday!
Today’s post isn’t entirely bookish. I will talk about a few of my favorite books that I read this summer, but mostly this post is to share a list of the things that made this summer good. It can be easy to get caught up in the hard or disheartening things, and I want to remember the good. And, technically, there are still a few more weeks of summer left. Maybe you’ll be inspired to try one or two of these things yourself!
My Favorite Things of Summer 2021
Dunkin’ Coconut Refreshers
I’m not sure if these drinks were just a summer treat or if they will be a permanent addition to the menu. It looks like they’re adding an apple spice flavor for fall, so we’ll have to see if they stick around for good! Even though these are not sugar free, they are something that I loved every once in a while – especially when the A/C was acting up at work. I don’t think I can even pick a favorite; I think I tried to order the Pink Strawberry most often, but at least half the time they were out of that flavor, and neither the pomegranate nor the peach were a disappointment.
The sun staying up later
I don’t like driving after dark, and it has been so thoroughly pleasant to be able to drive home as the sun sets this season. There’s just something peaceful and fun about seeing all of the colors in the sky as the sun sets (or rises, but I don’t usually see that).
Eating lunch in my car without freezing
For a while when COVID was at its height, we weren’t allowed to eat in the break room at work because there isn’t enough room for more than maybe three people to be appropriately distanced. Because of this, I got used to eating lunch in my car. In the winter, however, it wasn’t always totally pleasant! I was really looking forward to being able to eat lunch without running my car’s heater. It would have been nice to have a few more days where I could eat with the windows down and no A/C running either, but at least it stopped being cold! I’m extra thankful for this as our building’s A/C has been acting up recently as well, making it freezing (lower 60s to be accurate) in the morning and near-80 by the time we close. You might not think that 20 degrees would make a big difference, but it does.
Taking a cataloging class
The content of this class ended up being extremely interesting! The class itself could’ve gone more smoothly, but I really enjoyed learning about cataloging. I feel like I gained more practical knowledge and applicable skills from this class than from any of the other classes I have taken toward my MLIS so far.
Calming homework music & easy crafts
These two go together because they are both things that helped me not get too stressed about school this semester. I revived my interest in bracelet weaving (you can see pictures of a few things I made here) and started learning macramé while listening to recorded lectures and watching videos for class. Then, a rabbit hole of playlists brought me to instrumental versions of the albums Folklore and Evermore. While I’m not the biggest fan of either album, somehow the instrumental versions were perfect for listening to while reading and doing homework. A few of the songs have even snuck into my own instrumental music playlists! There’s a neater playlist I like to listen to on Spotify, but here’s one I found on YouTube:
Top 3 Books
Discernment by Lauren Salisbury
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Science Fiction inspired by Biblical events.
Read my review here.
I hope you don’t mind the length of this post or the fact that it wasn’t as bookish as usual. What was the highlight of your summer, Reader?
Until the next chapter,
Jana
Reviews From the Stacks 
I love this. ❤️ My favorite things about this summer have been all the events to bake for and wedding planning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds sweet on multiple levels!
LikeLiked by 1 person