It’s the weekend and I’m trying to step away from work on Saturdays and Sundays as much as I can, to recharge and relax. My husband has told me for years I need to practice a better work-life balance, so I’ve been working on it this year. In doing so, I’ve discovered some great books, music and movies! In this post, I will share my favorites this month.
I know, I know, I’m technically working in writing this post. I’ll do it quick, as I need to share these finds with you!
Books
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
If you liked the Joy Luck Club, you will love The Island of Sea Women. The Island of Sea Women tells the story of 80 years of female friendship. It is historical fiction, and wow, did I learn a lot about Jeju island in South Korea!
The book is inspired by strong women, the haenyeo, “sea women” in Korean, who have provided for their families by diving to catch seafood they can sell. Though diving up to 30 feet deep, they don’t use underwater breathing aids. They dig up sea creatures from the ocean floor by hand and bring them to the surface. This book will make you laugh, cry, and give you an appreciation of the power of life-long misunderstandings and secrets.
Cant Hurt Me by David Goggins
For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare – poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse filled his world. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. In Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. It is a book of inspiration and hope.
I have 2 chapters left before I’m finished. One thing about this book I’m pondering is the why David keeps chasing pain to reach his personal next level. He says, “if you’re not growing, you’re dying,” but he takes this meaning to the extreme. Regardless, I respect his story and find him fascinating.
Movies
Captain Fantastic
This movie, Captain Fantastic is 5 years old but somehow I missed it until now!
In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent. I was riveted through the whole movie! The acting, the character development, and the story line is a 10.
Philomena
Based on a true story, Philomena is a book based on a true story about a woman who became pregnant in 1951 and then sent by her father to Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea in Ireland. After giving birth, she was forced to work in the convent laundry for four years, with little contact with her son. The nuns gave her son up for adoption without giving Philomena a chance to say goodbye. She kept her lost son a secret from her family for nearly fifty years.
The movie portrays her search for her lost son, with the help of an out-of-work journalist. The acting by Judi Dench! Wow!
Bands
The Strokes
I have the song, Ode to the Mets by The Strokes on repeat! My son turned my husband and I on to this band. The Strokes are an American rock band from Manhattan, New York. Formed in 1998. I believe they had a few hits over the years, but in April 2020, the Strokes released their first studio album in seven years, The New Abnormal . The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2021!
Tennis
American Indie pop band Tennis is from Denver, Colorado, made up of husband-and-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. The duo formed in 2010, and released their debut album, Cape Dory, in 2011. The couple started the band after they returned from an eight-month sailing expedition down the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard after their graduation. Their new album, Swimmer is amazing!
Ok guys, I gotta run. I hope you’ll check these out! Let me know what you think and if these tips are helpful!
