Calm Things: Essays

so-so

Every time I read Shawna LeMay, I think “give me less.” I tried her novel & thought, “Maybe I‘ll like her book of essays better.” I tried her book of essays. Now I‘m thinking, “Maybe I‘ll like her poetry better.” At no point have I said to myself, “Perhaps less means none. Stop reading Shawna LeMay!” 😅 There was enough in that first novel that caught me, that still catches me when I look back, that I want the “enough” she gave me distilled. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: I didn‘t realize Calm Things was about living with the *literal* “still life” paintings that her husband makes. Unfortunately, it‘s a topic I‘m far less interested in than just the quiet & mundane. The biggest problem, I think, is that LeMay seems to take herself *very* seriously as an artist. When given space to wax on about her particular sensibilities, this weighty stargazing grates. She comes off as pretentious and self-aggrandizing. (edited) 5mo

monalyisha 2/2: But I think she‘s interested in interesting topics! I think she can think, and I think she can write. And, ironically, as an object, this book is a beautiful piece of art: the texture of the paper, the nautilus painted by her husband which graces its front & back covers. Unfortunately, I wanted to read about the shell without taking in the whole salty sea (of art history). The focus was too wide & too narrow for me, in all the wrong ways. 5mo

Amiable Great review! 5mo

54 likes3 comments

monalyisha

Calm Things: Essays | Shawna Lemay

“Why this past year will go down in my books as a difficult one I can hardly say. Just the sheer exhaustion of being pulled constantly out of myself.”

I sent this selfie to a friend recently after they expressed how tired they were. It was my way of saying, “Same, friend.” I‘d literally been walking around my home with a blanket on my head.

There are clear reasons this year has been challenging…but much can be attributed to the sentiment above.

Chelsea.Poole ♥️ 5mo

Bookwomble ❤️‍🩹 5mo

TheKidUpstairs 💕💕💕 5mo

See All 23 Comments

TheKidUpstairs 💕💕💕 5mo

monalyisha This post isn‘t meant to be especially melancholic! It‘s more of a scientific probing. Do other people feel like this? It‘s honestly been ever-present for me, post-Covid & social distancing. I think I just got so used to keeping my own company. The transition, which was, in fact, quite quick (the library [my workplace] was closed for such a brief time) has felt, emotionally, very long and laborious. 5mo

BarbaraJean Same. As an introvert, my people capacity has greatly (possibly permanently?) diminished since Covid. I do attribute part of it to age—my motivation and patience for large gatherings and small talk was already diminishing pre-Covid—but it‘s not just that. I think Covid fundamentally shifted both personal and societal boundaries for a lot of people. 5mo

lil1inblue I feel like I'm always hanging on by a thread. And this month has been particularly exhausting. My social battery is quite limited. Since the pandemic, I've really embraced “JOMO“ (joy of missing out), and I used to have crazy fomo. 5mo

BarbaraBB ❤️ 5mo

monalyisha @BarbaraJean It‘s comforting to know I‘m not alone, at least. Which is ironic. 😆 But really — how are introverts expected to recover after being given that kind of freedom (namely, the freedom to indulge in a daily practice of quiet & solitude)? 5mo

monalyisha @lil1inblue Yes! Just going to work every day — the social interactions with my coworkers, the need to be “on” when interacting with the public (especially kids & families) — leaves very little energy to dedicate to other relationships & pursuits. I find myself feeling resentful when anybody needs anything from me. And my friends & family all seem to be going through major life upheavals, so they want so much more from me than I feel capable of. 5mo

monalyisha Not to mention the added onus and time commitment of commuting! I would take a pay cut and a demotion in status just to work closer to home. But full-time library jobs in Youth Services, especially in Rhode Island, without a Master‘s degree, are nearly impossible to come by. And the degree is prohibitively expensive. I‘m really caught between a rock and a hard place and struggling to figure out what my options are. 😮‍💨 5mo

vlwelser You are absolutely not alone in this. I was fine during the pandemic despite living alone. I started a new job during the pandemic and wfh for 7 months. Now we're back in the office 4 days a week. My commute is terrible. My (very young) coworkers are needy. And it's exhausting. But they pay me a lot and I'm not finding anything better. 5mo

monalyisha @vlwelser Exactly. The only positions in my field that are being posted anywhere near me are part-time. And I‘ve been consistently looking! Making *significantly* less just isn‘t an option with the high cost of living. My husband (who works mostly from home) brings in the same amount that I do. As it is, we‘re still renting (with no prospective of home ownership in sight). I‘m not sure how to break free of the (very exhausting) pattern. 5mo

kspenmoll The transition is difficult- I am a teacher so in fall 2020- 2021 kids came back in different “ cohorts” 2 days per week while we were home on Wednesday with office hours. It was challenging to be back full time the next year. I quit my summer job because of being so tired- I need the summer to recover & refresh myself. I love my job, staff, students do that helps. But this year our budget got cut to bare bones - hoping my body/mind can cope. 5mo

monalyisha @kspenmoll I‘m grateful that my time with kids is spent so joyfully & that I don‘t face many of the challenges that teachers do. But I do envy the summers off (for those who can swing it). I love my job, as well. And I‘m not sure if I‘d be thinking about leaving it if we were closer. But we love where we live, too! It feels like something‘s gotta give. It‘s hard to imagine what that might be. Crossing my fingers for you in the coming school year! 5mo

dabbe @monalyisha @kspenmoll @vlwelser @lil1inblue @BarbaraJean Sending hugs to all of you. 🩵💙🩵 5mo

marleed @monalyisha @kspenmoll @vlwelser @lil1inblue @BarbaraJean I‘m just going to double what @dabbe said. I really hope for hope if that makes sense. 5mo

5feet.of.fury I feel this. I used to always be out, I used to do things spur of the moment. I went remote at Covid, still 80% remote now, I moved to Webster in 2021 and everyone acts like I live on the moon, plus I‘ve always been a weird only child so I got very used to minding my own business. But lately every day has been ✨something✨and I‘m not a fan. 5mo

dabbe @marleed 🩵💙🩵 5mo

AnnCrystal 💕🫂💝. 5mo

lil1inblue @monalyisha @kspenmoll @vlwelser @barbarajean @5feet.of.fury It helps to know I'm not alone, and that I'm not crazy. Sending big love to you all. @dabbe @marleed Thank you! 💗 5mo

monalyisha @5feet.of.fury It *does* feel like it‘s always something, doesn‘t it?! I‘m so tired. And I also feel so guilty for not being more attentive to my loved ones as they face their challenges. It‘s hard to know when setting a boundary is healthy and when it‘s selfish. 5mo

monalyisha @5feet.of.fury Congratulations, by the way — on your move (belatedly!) and offer big life changes! 🥳 I feel lucky to have spent some of your only childhood with you, painting sticks and rocks, picking flowers, and making potions. 💚 5mo

56 likes23 comments

Welcome to Litsy!

Trending Hashtags

Trending Books