Rejuvenation

Well, the world didn’t right itself while I was on a break (hope springs eternal), but I do feel better equipped to persist. Spending two weeks filling the well brings an infusion of energy and a fresh perspective. It shows me what I can do without (detailed planning that leaves no room for serendipity, too many shoulds, and too much time on social media). It also shows me what I want more of in my life (spontaneity, outings and travel, creativity, physical activity). All of those will be informing the recalibration of my routine going forward. I may not have traveled far, but I feel fully renewed.

Ways I Found Joy

Doing an errand and grabbing lunch at a restaurant with my daughter, laughing almost continuously as we caught up

Reading in the shade on a Sunday morning after swimming laps

Inaugurating the reunion with my travel companion with a long lunch in the open air above the beach; picking up just where we left off

Having a close encounter with a pelican

Watching the sun set and the parade of humanity on Las Olas

Escaping the heat at a Sunday matinee

Greeting the a/c repairman after a three-day outage

Taking a road trip through Alligator Alley

Strolling an unfamiliar main drag at sunset, taking in the performances of street musicians and people watching

Seeing dolphins frolicking in Venetian Bay on the Gulf of Mexico

Discovering Van Leeuwen coffee affogato ice cream

Things I Learned

Via a current trial in New York, a bit about the existence of China’s alleged “service stations”, which are actually secret police stations

That suckerfish evade predators by diving into a manta ray’s rear end

That I love to travel and I love coming home (especially when my little menace is waiting impatiently for me)

Once again, that self-awareness is a lifelong project. Three useful tools I came across on my hiatus:

1)      To get to your truth, start statements, either written or oral, with “I feel” (vs. “I think”, which many of us default to). The difference is stunning.

2)      A journal prompt: “Here’s a lie I’ve told before”.

3)      From Yung Pueblo, the three pillars of self-love: radical honesty, unconditional self-acceptance, and positive habit building.

Quotes That Resonated

He squashed my smallest pleasures, and I helped him flatten them, sinking myself into the mean crevices of his will.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dream Count

Travel brings power and love back into your life.

Rumi

I want it all - and I would like it delivered.

Bette Midler

What I Watched

The Unchosen (Netflix). A cult in the English countryside is visited by a stranger and things begin to unravel. Found myself on the edge of my seat a number of times. Great examination of manipulation and control.

Euphoria (HBO Max).  I’m late to the party but finally got around to checking it out. Worthy of all the awards.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race – Season 18 (Prime). I’d forgotten how much I enjoy this competition show. The creativity, talent, and fortitude of most of the contestants is inspiring, and it’s just so much fun.

Sheep Detectives (theater). I loved this movie; it was the perfect Mother’s Day treat. It wasn’t just funny; it was also heartwarming and a solid mystery.

Challengers (Hulu). Zendaya is excellent as part of a steamy love triangle in the tennis world.

Lord of the Flies (Netflix). A stunning (visually and emotionally) adaptation of the classic. It left me shattered.

What I Read

The Names, by Florence Knapp. It’s clear why this novel was on almost every list of best books of 2025. “Stunning debut” doesn’t begin to cover it. These characters will stay with me for a long time. The story follows three separate threads, alternate lives resulting from the name that a woman registers for her newborn son (against or in accordance with the wishes of her abusive husband). It’s a mind-blower because, while it highlights that small actions can change the course of events, it also highlights the illusion that a victim of domestic violence has options.

Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right, by Arlie Russell Hochschild. The latest in my effort to try to understand. Thoroughly researched and coherently presented.

Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid. With her trademark capture of the zeitgeist of her chosen era and culture, the author once again stirred my interest in a subject (here, the space program) to which I hadn’t previously given much thought. She’s a master. Tearjerker alert.

Dream Count, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A beautiful examination of love, dreams, sisterhood, and more through the lives of a handful of Nigerian women making their way across the world.

Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing, by Abigail Thomas. The writer’s reflections, in essays and poems, on the vagaries of aging. She writes with curiosity and humor, especially about mortality.

Shark Heart: A Love Story, by Emily Habeck. Within months of marrying, a young couple learns that a rare mutation is transforming the husband into a great white shark. A wildly imaginative and beautifully written tale exploring the limits of love.

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Thanks for reading!