June Newsletter

What I've been...

...doing

...eating

...reading

...listening to

...writing

Spring is here in full force and I’m enjoying watching my garden come to life. I have vegetables that I hope will bear some fruit. I’m a novice gardener and only have a balcony so it’s been a lot of experimentation with layout and planters. Lettuce and beans are growing, and tomatoes are springing up.

Spring also signals the return of beach bars and beer festivals. We skipped the biggest beer festival this year but the smaller ones we've made priorities on our weekend schedules.

Homemade bread. I’ve pretty much perfected Ken Forkish’s plain white loaf and now I’m working on whole wheat breads. My 40% wholewheat is doing pretty well but the 70% whole wheat is where I need to figure out where I’m going wrong. I don’t bake much in the warmer months so I’m trying to get as much practice in as possible.

Becoming by Michelle Obama. Reading this book is like having a conversation with her. I admire her honesty, especially where her marriage is concerned, and trying to find her bliss career-wise. And as a fan of the Obamas and fascinated by the presidency, it was an eye-opening peek behind the scenes of the White House.

Mallwalkin’, hosted by Matt Gourley (of Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan fame) and Mark McConville. The pair walk around Los Angeles-area malls, wondering at the idiosyncrasies of these once teeming temples to American consumerism. Instead of Bath & Body Works or Victoria’s Secret are popcorn shops and air rifle ranges.

What a concept, right? For me, it’s a trip down memory lane. I have fond memories of afternoons spent at the local mall with my cousins and grandma. The first episode made me quite emotional as those memories flooded back. I don’t know how they got the idea, but if they have the time and the equipment, by all means, keep going. I love it.

I restarted my 750words.com habit. I’ve been a sporadically active member since 2010 and they got a new site up and running. I like the idea of daily pages. For me it helps clear my brain and get ready to be creative. There are some days where it’s a slog and I find myself writing quite literally whatever comes at me, very much stream of consciousness. It’s just a matter of getting the habit to stick.