Athena Arkansas

I've been building on my consistency and structure at the gym, so I'm chalking up the lack of consistency in reading to the balancing of the scales of my life - as only a true libra could. It can be hard to be a beast in the gym and a beast in bed (where I usually read before sleep). Shoutout to my community book club for being the only reason I did finish a book in February - Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng . Celeste Ng wrote Little Fires Everywhere. A tv show I very much enjoyed, but a book I never read. As such, my excitement for a dramatic read was pretty high. Immediately it became clear to me - this is not a book I would have chosen to read in the year 2025 with ding dong Donald as the President. I barely classify this as 'dystopian' - as the current climate in America as it relates to diversity is tenuous and becoming more dangerous for those being "othered" whether they be immigrants or non-white. This book did inspire me to find ways to create a ...

 Yes, only one book. HAHAH But by that one statistic from Washington Post I am already doing more than half the people will do the whole year. Also have you seen the  literary statistics  for '24? We must do better.  My reading goal this year: 12 non-fiction books. Last year I read 45 books and most of them I would never recommend to anyone. In order to try and avoid another year of unremarkable reads I chose enrichment.  I want to learn more about history, courage, feminism, science, paranormal activities, political power, while staying in my usual fiction worlds (looking at you Robin Hobb). I do already have a list of the 12 non-fiction books I want to read which I compiled by discussions with friends, my own interests, and what I've picked up from used bookstores. First on my list was  Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado .  I have seen the movie Alive and it was so inspiring to me that I NEEDED to read the book, plus I bought it for my coworker's...

 The past nine days of this new presidency has been very heavy for me and I imagine a high number of other people as well. Each day is a barrage of new information straight from the President in the form of executive orders that may or not take effect (or be lawful). Here are some of the things I am doing to manage stress during this unsettled time: 1. Limiting the amount of news coverage I am consuming. I set boundaries for myself on Tiktok (LMAO ok, yes this is one of my news sources) i.e. time limit and bedtime. One of my best friend's recommended Heather Cox Richardson's daily updates and I find this to be an easily consumable news source for me devoid of inciting language.  Daily Update from Heather 2. Working out daily. I just hit a new PR on my hip thrust 235lbs BABY! Finding ways to be embodied daily is really grounding for me and I highly recommend lifting heavy. Increase in confidence and overall badass vibes are practically guaranteed. Let me know if anyone is inter...