August Commonplace
Commonplace
“Keep a notebook. Travel with it, eat with it, sleep with it. Slap into it every stray thought that flutters up in your brain. Cheap paper is less perishable than gray matter, and lead pencil markings endure longer than memory.” — Jack London
"Being curious and excited can take you far, especially over the long arc of a life. The person who is a voracious lifelong learner will figure it out eventually. A strong reader with a healthy dose of curiosity and a willingness to try things is hard to stop." — James Clear
"Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant — there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing." — Georgia O'Keeffe, Modernist Painting
"If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say: follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be." — Joseph Campbell, Professor and Writer
"The measure of a life is not what you consume, but what you contribute. Spend less time owning, consuming, taking. Spend more time giving, creating, making." — James Clear
"Everyone wants to be happy now, but it might be better to optimize for being satisfied later. Perhaps the key to happiness is to not worry about being happy today, but rather to make choices that will leave your future self feeling satisfied with how you chose to live. Do you feel a sense of satisfaction with the choices you made? With the way you lived today? With the things you chose to focus on over the last year? Are you "happy" with the impact you are making? Momentary happiness is hard to predict, but deep satisfaction is easier to control. It is on the other side of good choices, good habits, and meaningful impact." — James Clear
"Your life is simply your days, accumulated. Did today's habits contribute to the life you want to build?" — James Clear
"Much of life is in learning to always remain part of the solution rather than allowing ourselves to become part of the problem." — Jim Rohn
“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.” — James 3: 17-18
"Long-term thinking changes short-term actions. Spend a little time today doing things that will benefit you in ten years." — James Clear
"One sign of mental toughness is being larger than the situation. Do the circumstances dictate your mood and emotions? Or do you choose your mood and emotions, and the situation is simply something you respond to? The less your mood depends on your circumstances, the more mentally tough you are." — James Clear
Book Reports
BOOK: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion - Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
I’ve seen many posts for this series on social media. People seem to be obsessed and tear through the entire series because they can’t get enough of the story. Since the Kindle version is included in Kindle Unlimited, I decided to give it a try, and I have to say, I don’t know what all the fuss is about.
The first book is an introduction only, and I assume it sets up the rest of the series. But I thought there should be at least one complete story in the volume. I thought it was boring, and I probably won’t waste any time on the rest.
BOOK/PODCAST: The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence (Ascension Press)
A reporter recently asked Pope Leo for a book recommendation. The Pope suggested a simple little book, written in the 17th century, containing notes and letters from a conversation with a Carmelite, Brother Lawrence. In the book, Brother Lawrence describes how God is always with us and that we can become better at recognizing that presence through practice. It really is that simple. I read the book along with a podcast that explains practical application.
AUDIOBOOK: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
This book lived up to the hype. It’s been a bestseller for a long time, and I believe movie rights have already been purchased. I loved it. It is told in a series of letters (and emails) and I was afraid I would get lost in the audio version, but the different voices made it easy to follow. The book even made me squeal with delight twice when two of my favorite things were mentioned. This is our Book Club selection for September, and I am really looking forward to hearing what others think.
BOOK: The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
For me, 2026 has been a prolific year for fiction with so many interesting new releases. I’m having a tough time deciding which ones to assign for Book Club. I couldn’t wait to read this one about a 1950s housewife and her struggle with “hysteria.” Even though I thought I knew where it was going, there was a surprise twist that made it unforgettable. I will list this one as a “Bonus Read” for the Book Club girls.
