Monday Miscellany: The straight line was a circle
Notes from June 15 - 21
Hello friends! It’s that time of year again—I’m writing today from one of my very favorite places on earth.
Normally I stay until Wednesday, reading books next to the waterfall or lurking by the auditorium to hear the choir practice or taking little hikes while my mom attends her conference classes here. But this summer’s visit is a bit shorter, and for an exciting reason: I’m going to my friend Elisa’s book launch event at Flyleaf tomorrow evening! Which reminds me, there’s still time for you to preorder Skin Contact, or place a library hold or purchase request for it! If you need further convincing, here’s the post where I reviewed it last fall.
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The week in books
Y’all, my current read is longer than I realized when I checked it out on Libby and I’m making my way through it at a slower pace than usual, so I haven’t finished anything this week to tell you about! But I’m planning to wrap this one up today or tomorrow and be back next time with some thoughts.
Right now and upcoming
It is Pride month and I feel like I haven’t read nearly enough queer books (or books in general, for that matter—I’m at almost four for June, which is low for me)! Whatever I pick up next, whether a re-read of aforementioned friend’s new novel, a gift I received for my birthday earlier this year, or a classic that’s been on my shelf for ages…
(Justin Timberlake voice)
It’s gonna be gay.
Tell me: what are you reading now, or looking forward to starting soon?
If you purchase a book through the bookshop.org affiliate links in this post, I earn a small percentage commission. This is an easy way to support my work at no additional cost, and I appreciate it very much. ♥︎
Seen and heard this week
Imagine if Airplane! (1980) was set on a train, a very queer, very fabulous train full of drag queens. What a dream, right? Well guess what, it exists. I witnessed it and lived to tell the tale. Stop! That! Train! (2026) is about two besties who become stewardesses on the super chic Glamazonian Express after losing their jobs at budget alternative Stank Rail when it goes under. Their first day at Glamazonian, however, they are faced with an emergency: the brakes have failed and the train is headed full speed toward a terrible hybrid super-Stormaganza! They must join forces with the conductors (Chris Parnell and Brian Jordan Alvarez), other stewardesses, and even the President of the United States (RuPaul) to avert disaster!! The humor here is punny and literal, with tons of visual gags and nods to drag culture. It’s not capital-c Cinema by any means, but it’s a whole lot of fun.
Jordan and I took a little field trip to Charlotte on Tuesday to see The Beths, and their newest album Straight Line Was a Lie (2025) has been on heavy rotation ever since. It’s New Zealand power pop that deals with some serious topics but sounds like summer; talk about right up my alley. The title track is one of my favorites, and man, if you’ve ever dealt with grief, or mental health issues, or growth of any kind, I bet you can relate:
I thought I was getting better but I’m back to where I started And the straight line was a circle yeah, the straight line was a lie
I’ve also been looping the hell out of “Til My Heart Stops,” which lead singer Liz Stokes calls “a longing song,” all about “wanting to be in the world, wanting to feel like a part of it, when I feel like so often I've walled myself off from the people that I love, or from experiences that I wanna have.” I just watched the music video for the first time and let me tell you, absolutely no one here is crying.
The Beths is the kind of band that just makes you feel good, even when they’re singing about hard things. They are humans who clearly like each other and work well together and like what they do, and witnessing that (not to mention listening to their charming accents when they banter) is pure joy.
Haiku round-up
This poetic form, containing seventeen syllables in a five-seven-five pattern, originated in Japan. I’ve been writing one each day since the beginning of 2024 as an exercise in structured creativity. Here are this week’s poems:
Monday, June 15
Chilly morning air without a hint of moisture A fine thing indeed
Tuesday, June 16
All is still in this quiet copse, like a secret I keep with the birds
Wednesday, June 17
Bless all the carers, their gentle instructions and reassuring hands
Thursday, June 18
Tiny rasping cry of disbelief, or pleading See me, world! I’m here!
Friday, June 19
Launching forward with a sense of purpose, a goal That new project boost
Saturday, June 20
The thought of distance still sparks a melancholy Listen: I like you
Sunday, June 21
Roaring waterfall is nature’s white noise machine Heal me, sweet static
And another thing
Lambda Literary announced their 2026 award winners and my to-read list immediately expanded!
After you listen to that Beths album I mentioned, you can read about how those songs came to be.
I’ve recently been on a quest to find a pocket notebook and teeny pen, because I’m sick of taking out my phone to jot a reminder only to get sucked into Mark Zuckerberg’s hellscape of notifications and distractions. I’ll report back after using them more, but so far I’m happy with this little A7 dot grid guy and clear protective cover, and this impossibly small ballpoint that I customized with a gel ink refill.
Speaking of school supplies, if you’re a stationery girlie like me and you find yourself in the vicinity of Charlotte, North Carolina, you simply must check out Good Postage. I visited for the first time this week and I WILL BE BACK.
Until next time
Before The Beths show on Tuesday, I got to spend some time wandering around Carolina Raptor Center1 and the nature preserve where it’s located. There were lots of overlapping walking trails, a lake, plenty of benches, and abundant quiet. The morning was very good for my soul. Sending some of those restful and restorative vibes your way this week.
See you next Monday, and until then you can find me locked in on this yo-yo man.
♥︎ Emily
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Not to brag but I got a personal tour from a really cute avian keeper intern!!