The Weekly Wrap: May 4, 2025

I've been waiting for two books to come in from my local public library. They're both romantasy and I can't wait to get my hands on them. Unfortunately, the library only has a few copies of these titles so I've been waiting for over two months.

In the meantime, I've decided to just read random books I already own that I can stop at any time. The only problem with this is that I'm not in the mood to read these titles. I'm not eager to open the covers and dive into these pages. I find myself either falling asleep immediately or just staring at the pages - bored. 

I want to enjoy my reading. I want to be excited to see what happens next or to learn something new. Instead, I'm merely tolerating things. 

I know this is just a little bit of a rut, but I don't like it.

How do you handle waiting for a book you want to read?

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• I wonder how many of these students will become librarians or social workers. [Oxford American]
• The human connection in hitchhiking. [The Atlantic - gift link]
• "And once facts are discarded, anything can come in their place." [The Atlantic - gift link]

• Spies in the doll shop. [Very Special Episodes]
• Nothing happens here. [Atlas Obscura]
• These DOGE cuts will make us sicker. [Short Wave]
• How to have better conversations. [Try This]
• Coyotes are okay at a lot of things. [Atlas Obscura]

• Tiny science art is riveting. [@artistsuniversum]
• The husband had started watching Clarkson's Farm as his solo late night show. Then he made the mistake of putting it on during a weekend afternoon. I was hooked! As much as Jeremy Clarkson can be an absolutely oaf, this is a charming and heartwarming show. I'm learning a TON about farming and local government. This is absolutely a cheerleading show to support farmers. [Amazon Prime]

• For my lunch meal prep, I went back to an old favorite - curried chickpeas and spinach. This is a one pan dish with a lot of punch. I like that you can adjust the spice level to your taste. I always add a bit of extra ginger. I like to eat this one with some store bought naan. It also reheats well in the microwave. It's also good with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt on top. [Budget Bytes]
• Spicy shrimp egg roll in a bowl is something I've made before. It's not complicated and the spicy mayo punches above it's weight. This time around, I opted to add a handful of fried wonton strips on top. First, that really brings in the egg roll flavor. Second, the texture contrast was an excellent addition. [Paleo Running Momma]
• The husband picked sheet pan BBQ meatballs and making this dinner turned into a team effort. He made the meatballs while the kiddo and I were out. I finished the rest of the meal in the evening. This one is easier than it looks - particularly if you have a cookie scoop to make the meatballs. I like to take a bite of meatball and a bit of pineapple and eat them together. [Budget Bytes]