Hi Reader!

Summer has a rhythm and cadence that is all its own. People are navigating kid schedules, vacations, and the straight-up seasonality of “maybe it is okay to slow down a little.” Anyway, we are trying to lean into it over here and allow for a little less structure and a little more weirdness. Take the trip. Try the thing.

In Elise & Anna - land, that means lake time with kids, porch sitting with dogs, rowing on the river, and revisiting a past career (ballroom dancing) that was long ago packed away. It turns out that sunburn is real, learning new things is hard, and some, but not all, bits of muscle memory can survive over a decade of neglect.
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Also, of course, I’ve been reading. Here are a few from the past couple of months that were at the top of my list. I picked two “non-work” books and two “work books.” Trying to live a balanced life over here. 🙂

Here is the TLDR summary: humans are strange, friendship might save us, and nobody thinks they’re the problem.

Surprising no one, these aren’t traditional fluffy beach reads, because I am committed to balance and apparently believe reading about trauma responses counts as leisure.

Inside: one achingly beautiful novel, one delightfully cranky essay collection, and two fascinating books about the deeply suspicious things our brains do to keep us feeling safe, helpful, and correct.

Xo,
Anna

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💡 How about some Deeper Insights:

Pick one. Or read all three and become insufferably self-aware (my favorite genre of human 😈).

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