4 things I’ve been reading/listening/watching:
1) All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks. My friend recommended this book to me and it arrived just in time for quarantine. Hooks offers a comprehensive look at something our society holds in the highest regard and simultaneously shrouds in mystery. She defines love in the first chapter (using M. Scott Peck’s words) as “‘the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.’” With chapters like “Justice: Childhood Love Lessons” and “Values: Living by a Love Ethic”, you’ll find yourself thinking about love, self-love and positive thinking in completely refreshing and challenging ways. What better moment to take a real look at love? As Cuomo reminded us last week: “And at the end of the day, my friends, even if it is a long day, and this is a long day, love wins. Always. And it will win again through this virus.” 2) Another concise (albeit dense) and philosophical book making my way through right now is Martin Hagglund’s This Life. Hagglund devotes a lot of his argument to the value of time and the power we have in what we chose to do with it. He argues that the finite amount of time we have in this life is what makes it have purpose. In a moment when many of us have more time on our hands and less things that make us distracted, this is a nice text to offer perspective and purpose.
3) Music! This morning I remembered a band I loved in high school: Electrelane. I’ve been jamming to them all day. My favorite tracks are Saturday, Birds and The Greater Times. Electrelane makes me feel like getting up and dusting myself off but in a gentle, grounded way.
4) Pen15. I watched the entire series when it first came out but I’ve found it really nice to revisit these past 2 weeks. It’s hysterically funny and serves as a reminder of how small our worlds are when we are in tweens but how real and dramatic the emotions and experiences are at that age. Felt like you were in hell in middle school? You got through that and can even laugh about it now!