I‘ve been thinking about which social media platforms are best for my mental health post-election. Litsy is one of the best ones. Connecting with others through our love of books is wonderful. Thank you all for being awesome .

Happy Thursday from Lorelei. She looks grumpy because she just woke up.

#CatsOfLitsy

Current audiobook. I've listened to it twice this year.

Really enjoying this follow up to Forbidden. I‘m looking forward to learning more about Portia‘s story.

“When my grief was the hardest to face, I got busy again. I looked for ways to help others, and I did what I could.”

I voted early & then vacationed in Belize. I fly home today & my heart is grieving for my country. What keeps me going is thinking of small ways to help others who grieve, too. I hope this picture of a Caribbean sunset brings a small moment of joy.

I‘m heartbroken today. Hugs to anyone who feels the same. What a sad moment in history.

Haven‘t done a #TuesdayTunes post in a while. Just discovered this great singer from Belize. Melonie Gillett reminds me of Christina Aguilera.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1s7WrVhAoIrvjacweOJPsE?si=2ahYgxUkRhaCP6gLG5JT1A

I bought this book in 2020. It has light moisture damage thanks to being in my basement office. Rather than throw it out I have designated it as my go-to beach re-read. I‘m currently vacationing in Central America & re-read half of it at the airport. I‘m planning to read the rest by the pool & at the beach.

This historical romance includes a male protagonist who is on the city council in Virginia City, Nevada, USA. There‘s also discussion about the U.S. Presidential election of 1868.

#SundayFunday

“If you have a chance to be kind today, take it.”

A disappointing read. Most of the book is Bible quotes. It is a from Christian publisher so the religious angle was expected. I liked the 2-3 pages of tips to plan a pet memorial service/funeral. And I liked that it validated the pain of losing a pet. Otherwise, this book wasn‘t for me.

I could not get into this book. It's a shame because I love the Bee Gees. The way it was written didn't work for me. It felt very impersonal and dry. If you want to read a good book about the Gibb family I recommend Arrow Through the Heart: The Biography of Andy Gibb by Matthew Hild. That was much better.

#AllHailTheBail #HailTheBail

I‘ve slowly worked through this book. It pairs well with #TuesdayTunes. Many musicians are mentioned, including Ethel Merman. I‘m not a fan of her music. However, I learned she had a disco album & had to check it out. I‘m listening now & not sure what I think. Fans of disco & show tunes may like it.

https://open.spotify.com/track/4yWXewTlItowO15dgHZdxZ?si=VZjwOdJRT7GEhP5nU5zM2g&...

"Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel featuring Kate Bush was one of Matthew Perry's favorite songs. The video for the song is beautiful. I also love the live version with Paula Cole.

Kate Bush version: https://youtu.be/VjEq-r2agqc?si=rocN1MAflnXSqY00

Paula Cole live version: https://youtu.be/98lNKjwYtaU?si=QY0qUV2KCLcb13VE

Image from IMDB

#TuesdayTunes

“While it would be wonderful if all of us had a hero come along who would take an interest in us, sometimes we have to be our own hero.”

“It‘s critical to have people in your life who get you and let you be yourself.”

“If you keep your eyes and ears open, there are lots of other ways people say, ‘I love you,‘ without saying the words.”

I'm only two chapters into Matthew Perry's memoir and my heart is already breaking for him. I had no idea his childhood was so rough. It's hard to be a child who feels responsible for making adults happy.

A criticism I've read is that the book jumps back & forth between time periods. This doesn't bother me because that's how my ADHD brain works. It's always jumping back & forth between thoughts. I like books written this way.

I love Fleetwood Mac so much. I‘m blown away by their harmonies every time I listen to their Rumours album. “Go Your Own Way” is one of my favorite tracks.

#TuesdayTunes

https://youtu.be/oiosqtFLBBA?si=dNwIS6-c7tIFpYgY

Image by Alina Vilchenko on Pexels

My hold finally came in, just in time for #TuesdayTunes! Love the Bee Gees!

https://youtu.be/i6iBAuwBODA?si=Fgf7g1hrkmo81_3u

I don‘t like to listen to music when I read. I find it distracting. I haven‘t found music to fit this current book, however, the book introduced me to pianist Ruth Slenczynska. I enjoy sharing new artists & discoveries. I also enjoy pairing books with music for #TuesdayTunes. I like finding relevant titles to pair with the music.

"Thriving, a Manifesto: I will grow, flourish, prosper, and realize a goal despite—and because of—my circumstances."

Any Billy Joel fans here?

Just introduced this song to a coworker. It‘s an underrated gem.

https://youtu.be/LVlDSzbrH5M?si=Wa3hZeI_xDmHOtDa

#TuesdayTunes

I read through chapter 15 and decided to stop. The discussions of family trauma were too intense for me. I may finish the book someday. But not today.

Current audiobook.

I don't discuss politics much here, but this childless cat lady is not impressed with JD Vance. I'm debating whether I should read his book, however, because I want to be more informed about him & his views. I will borrow it from the library if I do. I'm not giving him my money.

Anyhoo, these are my cats. Lorelei (left) and Boots (right.) Love my girls. ❤️

#ChildlessCatLady

More French singers for #TuesdayTunes! Love this duet by Zaho & Indila. Zaho is Canadian-Algerian and Indila is from France.

https://youtu.be/PXXiMhJrPOk?si=JOVZq3YTYamaIaVw

I love Whitney Houston‘s & Kygo‘s version of Steve Winwood‘s “Higher Love.”

https://youtu.be/dTYOkcRH220?si=peCPj4EjQL0KDkTV

#TuesdayTunes

I love, love, love that Estelle Getty is mentioned in this book!

I love Peter Gabriel. The song "Solsbury Hill" is a classic. https://youtu.be/_OO2PuGz-H8?si=Q2EInW0SN00ocP3A

#TuesdayTunes

“Self care starts with the belief that you are valuable.” I love this. Many people with ADHD grow up thinking they are not valuable. This happens after years of being told we‘re not good enough. I‘ve spend my adult years, especially after my diagnosis, rebuilding my self-worth. Self-care is one way I have rebuilt it.

This F/F medical romance features a doctor who was a drummer in a rock band. A great read for anyone who likes music & romance.

Song choice for this #TuesdayTunes is "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" by Robert Palmer.

https://youtu.be/Gq3MJoCUrYg?si=NsxL1Jmm0ln_RGKj

“Ain‘t no man in the world who is impossible to recover from. You only need the right support to do it.”

Wish I‘d heard this when I was younger. 😂

I took this picture of Lorelei when she was giving herself a bath. She stopped and gave me this look 😂 #CatsOfLitsy

I'm enjoying this audiobook so far!

It‘s a sleepy Saturday morning with Lorelei & an audiobook.

#CatsOfLitsy

Binge listening to this audiobook as I do housework. I love Sonali Dev's stories and characters.

My financial coach recommended this book to help with career advancement. I was skeptical about the book but willing to try it. I'm pleasantly surprised. There's a chapter about perfectionism, something I struggle with, that I've found quite helpful. Will see how the rest of the book is! #SelfHelp #Careers

Too often neurodivergent people are told (directly or indirectly) that we need to fix ourselves. It's promising to see a book written to help us be ourselves. Hopefully the book will be as good as it sounds in this review!

https://medium.com/neurodivergent-life/the-new-book-helping-neurodivergent-peopl...

An overdue review!

This is a great book for people with autism or people who think they have autism. I love it for three main reasons:

1. It‘s written by a person who has autism. Everything they share is from personal experience.
2. The essays are short and easy to follow.
3. It includes Jackie‘s amazing art.

Won a free copy of this book on StoryGraph. I am looking forward to reading it!

"That's what picking favorite songs is, really. You offer up your heart so that the song can latch onto you."

A great quote for #TuesdayTunes!

I loved this LGBTQIA+ YA romance. The title is based on the song "Friday I'm in Love" by The Cure. The book discusses sexual orientation, race, class, and music. An excellent read for music lovers during Pride Month!

https://youtu.be/lLikCHwbEzU?si=w5R6YRkznKtc0WUa

Friday #audiobook on an #AudioWalk.

#PrideMonth

Dolly Parton performed this live version of "Jolene" in 2002. She dedicated it to the drag queens in the audience.

https://youtu.be/rNhIZIyLvuA?si=YA_WJKLGYhVsFq_V

#TuesdayTunes #PrideMonth #DollyParton

Rainbow over my backyard this weekend. Happy Pride, all! #PrideMonth #LoveIsLove

I love a good fairytale retelling.

#Cinderella

Current audiobook.

Finally got around to reading this delightful book. I highly recommend it if you're a fan of cats and Star Trek: The Original Series

#TrekTuesday

Happy Pride Month! 🌈

It's hard to pick a favorite comedic song for #TuesdayTunes. I'm going with any song from the Galavant soundtrack. So funny!

Link: https://youtu.be/4iCzOllSjLU?si=VEmiywlsA5LG46NB

My favorite radio station is Stephen King's Rock N' Roll Station WKIT 100.3 FM. I grew up in Bangor, Maine, USA & still have family there. I often listen to WKIT when I'm driving to visit them.

#TuesdayTunes

“The first job of a writer is to write. The second job is to persevere.”