i know it’s the shortest month, but february still went by in a flash. it ended on a potentially good note that i am hoping to carry through the spring.

february highlights.

a fabulous 2.5 days in cancún with lauren and jen / the play that goes wrong / face time with maggie and katie / party at jen’s house / alvin ailey performance / long overdue dinner with will / catchup with amy / dinner and basketball with nate and shelby / charcuterie experiments with dillard / movie night with katie milligan / aladdin / sarah came to visit!

february books.

the thirteenth tale by diane setterfield. this was one of my favorite reads back in 2006, but i realized late last year that i had forgotten big chunks of the story and decided it would be a good re-read for 2020. and i was right on the money. i had completely forgotten the big twist and it was so fun to experience it again. i love a good mystery that simultaneously builds slowly and moves quickly, and the thirteenth tale does that beauifully. i’m so glad i decided to include this in my reading list for this year.

to build a better world we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages that today determine success — the fortunate birth dates and the happy accidents of history — with a society that provides opportunities for all.

outliers: the story of success by malcolm gladwell. there are just so many good things to say about this book that i don’t even know where to start. i jumped on the gladwell bandwagon late, reading the tipping point in 2016 and just now getting around to outliers, but better late than never i guess. i learned so much from this book and am still digesting a lot of it, but what i keep thinking about is gladwell’s point summarized above. imagine what the world could be like if everyone had the advantages and opportunities of our most successful people.

an american marriage by tayari jones. i read jones’ silver sparrow in 2018 and decided this month to tuck into her most recent bestseller, and it was so good. at turns funny, painful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, jones’ depiction of the stories of roy, celestial, and andre is masterful. she is such a talented writer and tackles difficult subjects with bravery, curiosity, and tenderness. parts of this are tough to read, but it is so worth it.

it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.

harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone by j.k. rowling. i have been excited about this year’s harry potter re-read and decided it was time to crack into the first one. it was such fun to return to hogwarts and to become reacquainted with so many of my favorite characters. i love this series for so many reasons, and i will never tire of these adventures.

currently reading: patti smith’s just kids because it’s been on my shelf for a while and because i’m on my way to new york right now so it seemed only fitting.

the best things i watched.

season 6 of grace and frankie was just as delightful as the five that have come before it. i am sad that there is only one more season but also grateful for all that i have learned from it.

season 2 of sex education was totally and absolutely worth the wait. this show is so smart and funny and fills my soul in so many ways. i know realistically it cannot last forever, but i will faithfully watch it for as long as it is around.

hair love, the film that just won the oscar for best animated short, is so good and is absolutely worth 7 minutes of your time.

katie and i watched to all the boys i’ve loved before: p.s. i still love you and it was good. it hit almost all the high notes of the first one and was such fun to watch with one of my best friends.

the best things on the internet.

different types of morning people. i am the bookworm, every single weekday.

the bbc is making a 12-part adaptation of normal people and i am so here for it.

staying in touch with long distance best friends.

i love this birthday experiment. it reminded me a little of the time i asked a bunch of friends to name one word or phrase they would use to describe me. i love revisiting that post each year.

the 2020 annual letter from bill and melinda gates.

there’s going to be a museum dedicated to words and language and i am so stoked.

this article about all the guys you meet on dating apps is 100 percent accurate.

do you take yourself on dates? i love doing all of these things; solo dates turn into some of my most memorable experiences.

refugees and immigrants become docents at philadelphia’s penn museum.

jared boyd profiled shamichael for the daily memphian. i always love it when my memphis worlds collide.

when your ex-boyfriend starts dating lady gaga.

this was very interesting to read as i am contemplating moving from a small city [that often feels like a big town] to a larger one.

crosstown concourse getting some love over on forbes.

happy march, friends! here’s hoping for only good things.

xx