On taking breaks and avoiding burnout

The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve realized how badly I need to allow myself to take breaks. Not just periods of not working—though that’s important too. But I need a very specific type of quiet and alone time to recharge. What I do during that time can vary—sometimes it’s knitting and watching TV, sometimes it’s video games, sometimes it’s reading. But I desperately need downtime, especially when juggling work, family, parenting, and more.

I’ve become proactive about scheduling that time, even when my schedule is packed. It’s part of why it’s been a couple of weeks since I sent my last newsletter. The bottom line is that life got too busy for me to have the downtime I regularly schedule in, thanks to life stuff and work being busy (which is a good thing). But I decided to stop producing videos for a couple of weeks because I needed the downtime more than I needed to create more content.

I do love making videos; I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t. But part of what I’ve learned about myself is that I need to be proactive about avoiding burnout. I can’t wait until after the fact because then it’s too late. I let myself off the hook in making videos, in sending this newsletter, and you know what? It was absolutely worth it.

Now let’s get down to it! If you’re here for the book reviews, you’ll find them at the bottom of this newsletter.

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Pieces of an ancient protoplanet may be buried in the Earth’s mantle

Yes, really. This one kind of blew my mind. I also wrote about it over at Fast Company.

Learn more about the Crab Nebula thanks to this stunning JWST photo

One of my favorite things to do is take a space photo and break down what you’re seeing!!

Listen to me on Science Friday!

I guest hosted an episode of Science Friday and spoke with Dr. Aomawa Shields, an astrobiologist, about her memoir (which focuses on her returning to school to get her PhD after being a professional actor) and Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton about the Psyche mission to a metal asteroid.

Book reviews for October

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I admittedly didn’t have super high expectations for this one because I didn’t even finish MALIBU RISING, but this book hooked me immediately. I’m not sure if it was the idea of a former tennis star coming back to the court when she’s considered “too old” to play, or that it was about tennis, a sport I loved and followed as a kid, orr if it’s Jenkins Reid’s amazing ability to write character. But I loved this book, and I think I enjoyed it even more on audio than I would have in print. (Narrated by Stacy Gonzalez)

The Hunter by Tana French* 

I absolutely screamed when I realized that Tana French has a new book coming out next year. This is out in March, and I don’t want to say too much about it since we’ve got awhile before the release date. What I will say is that it’s the second Cal Hooper mystery, the sequel to The Searcher. It’s slower paced and very atmospheric, but I was definitely hooked. I don’t think Tana French has ever disappointed me with one of her books!

Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Imposter Syndrome by Aparna Nancherla

I honestly had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up (in fact I pre-ordered the audio from my library). All I knew was that Aparna Nancherla, a comedian I liked, wrote it. It turns out that this book is a series of essays connected loosely by the theme of imposter syndrome. Like any essay collection, I found some essays better than others (the first essay was the one that stood out to me the most), but I really liked how honest Nancherla was about this. (Narrated by Aparna Nancherla)

The Stories We Tell by Joanna Gaines

This one felt a little cheesy to me because while I read plenty of self-development books, I don’t usually read them by celebrities. But I like Joanna Gaines a lot for many reasons, so I decided to give this book a try and am glad I did. I watched a lot of Fixer Upper when I was in the depths of IVF trying (and failing) to have a second kid, and I thought this book would be difficult as a result. Instead, I found it deeply comforting and helpful. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves about our lives, and how to confront them and change the narrative. I listened to this one an audio, and it’s short (around 6 hours) and perfect in that format. (Narrated by Joanna Gaines)

Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe by Aomawa Shields*

I interviewed Dr. Shields on Science Friday, but I wanted to make sure to highlight her book in my newsletter. Dr. Shields started out as an astrophysics student in college, then became a professional actor, then years later went back to get her PhD in astronomy. She’s now an astrobiologist. Dr. Shields writes beautifully about being the oldest in her program, the only Black woman in her program, and also about the universe around us and how it can be so personal. I read this in print but I think it’d be great in audio.

With or Without You - Eric Smith*

Full disclosure: Eric’s one of my best friends, but seriously, even if he wasn’t I’d have great things to say about this YA romcom. It features two rival food trucks in Philly that are run by Jordan and Cindy, and they make news with their antics — and it drives people to their trucks. But the secret is that the two are actually dating, and the rivalry is just a fiction. It’s sweet and lovely, and the characters are great. I also love how Eric makes Philly come to life in each of his books. This is out November 7, so you still have time to pre-order (and get these adorable stickers!)

Starling House - Alix Harrow

I knew I loved Alix Harrow but godDAMN Starling House was good. It’s an atmospheric gothic mystery about a young woman who feels drawn to a ramshackle house, and it’s this strange mix of history, character, atmosphere, and fantasy, with some longing thrown in for good measure. I haven’t read a book in a single sitting in a long time, but I came close with this one. I didn’t want to put it down.

The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths and The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths

Now that Elly Griffiths has wrapped up the Ruth Galloway series (one of my favorites), I’m making it a point to get through these books. I can’t say I loved The Dark Angel, which I read last month, but solidly liked The Stone Circle and loved The Lantern Men. I’m not sure if Griffiths had decided she was ending the series when she wrote The Lantern Men, but the overall narrative tension is increasing and it really felt like the series is leading to a dramatic conclusion.

City Under One Roof - Iris Yamashita

I usually shy away from books that have dead young kids (as the parent of a young kid and a person with anxiety—really just no thanks) but it’s a testament to how good Yamashita’s writing is that I didn’t put this down when I realized that City Under One Roof featured one. It’s not the main story (instead it’s part of the main character’s past) but this story features a remote Alaska town where body parts was up. I was absolutely mesmerized by this novel (I love a cold remote setting) so I’ll keep going with this series despite the premise. The next book, Village in the Dark, is out in February.

Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir

WHEW, this book! I tried to read Gideon the Ninth multiple times when it came out, but I could never find the rhythm of the book. The writing style is very busy and pulpy, and instead of relaxing into it like I do with most books, it felt like a buzzing in my brain. I had the bright idea to try it on audio (I mean it’s a pulpy lesbian necromancer book, I want to read this!!), and it clicked!! I probably missed like half of what happened because the story is intricate and so, so busy, but I still followed it well and am glad to have read it because it’s very much worth it. As a sidenote, Moira Quirk’s narration is PHENOMENAL and if they don’t bring her back for the sequels I will riot. (Narrated by Moira Quirk)

Roman Stories - Jhumpa Lahiri*

I will read anything Jhumpa Lahiri writes, though I wasn’t overly excited about her latest endeavor. If you haven’t kept track, Lahiri moved to Italy and has been writing in Italian and translating her own work. This latest work is a set of short stories with Rome as the unifying theme, and I actually loved it a lot more than I expected. It has honestly been a long time since I’ve read literary fiction, but Lahiri hasn’t lost her sharp eye for character and her ability to craft an entire world in just a few sentences. This was a great listen on audio, with a great narrative cast, and I definitely recommend it if you’ve enjoyed Lahiri’s previous work.

*Starred books were received from the publisher

Buy my book, Stargazing!

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