February Edit: Recipes, Books, Lots of Octopus
Before I get into the first roundup-style post on the new Shannon Sometimes, I want to thank you for being here. One thing that has surprised me big-time is how many people tell me they resonate with what I share—especially last week’s post. I’ve even heard from people I haven’t talked to in years.
I’ve struggled with vulnerability in the past, but if writing on the internet for twenty years has taught me anything, it’s that our vulnerability opens the door for others to be vulnerable, too.
Now, let me explain what the “February Edit” is.
I plan to curate and publish these once a month. Long-time readers might remember when I had a similar series called the “Weekly Sparkle” on my old site. These posts are simply a collection of the best things about the previous month: the best articles I read, the best recipes I cooked, the best dishes I ate, etc.
Hopefully, you’ll read something helpful here or find a new favorite thing! Without further ado…
I got tired of straining my poor 32-year-old neck when reading in bed every night, so I got a reading pillow. It’s amazing and my reading game has leveled up.
Another thing that has leveled up my reading game is my e-reader tablet, which I’ve had since October. I got a new stylus for it in February after I lost the one it came with at the airport. 78% of the books I’ve read so far this year have been digital—which I know because of my StoryGraph stats!
My husband Larry and I are big tea drinkers, and so are a bunch of our friends. We got a big ole glass teapot that makes serving tea for a crowd (or just us two) much easier.
February was the month I finally realized that plastic hair clips are doomed to an early death with me and my thick hair. I got a gold metal clip from & Other Stories in Amsterdam last year because I think $20 is reasonable for a hair clip when I'm on vacation. I ordered three cheaper versions in February.
I've started doing my nails at home because I got tired of having so many appointments all the time. Young Nails’ protein bond has been a game changer. Before I started using it, my at-home gel manis would start peeling off within two days. Now, they'd probably last two weeks if I didn't get tired of the color after one.
*I’m not cool enough for any of these to be affiliate links, but since you’re supporting my writing, you’d support me even if they were, right? :)
The things I tasted most in February were dinners out or frozen stuff we made at home, thanks to being a perpetually tired Sad Girl™ and traveling three out of the four weeks.
So. Much. Octopus. I ate delicious octopus dishes in Atlanta at Alma Cocina and Seven Lamps (shoutout to their bread pudding, too!) and Les Antiquaires in Paris.
I finally tasted butterbeer at Universal in Orlando! The hype is justified.
I did cook a little in February, and the most stand-out dish was Thai-style coconut curry chicken tacos.
Since I never got around to doing a January Edit post, I wanted to share my entire menu for our New Year’s Eve party: Charred Scallion Dip with Lemon and Herbs, Stuffed Mushrooms, Beef Tenderloin Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Pesto, Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, Crockpot Beer Cheese Dip, Champagne Punch, Cocktail Meatballs, and Garlic Parmesan Wings.
My favorite book I read in February was Sarah Bessey’s new one, Field Notes for the Wilderness. She began with a prayer by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin that had me tearing up before Chapter 1. (My favorite book of January was How to Say Babylon, by the way.)
I started Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin on the last day of the month. I’ve read a lot of his nonfiction, but this is my first fiction book by him. The New York Times published a great overview of his work by Robert Jones Jr.
I guess I’m about to know everything there is to know about Malcolm X. For Black History Month, I started listening to The Dead Are Arising on audio. It’s 18 hours long, and I still haven’t finished it.
*The book links are affiliate links. I hope you’ll consider getting any books you’re interested in from Bookshop.org, your local independent bookstore, or your library! I know I bought too many things on Amazon in February when I was trying to cut back, but none of them were books and that’s intentional.
I'm still terrible about watching TV or movies, but I rediscovered The First 48 and I’ve been watching it on YouTube. A lot.
I wish I had the money to broadcast this video on every billboard in the South.
I followed Beverly Mahone on Instagram and her vocabulary lesson videos are so wholesome and helpful.
I have a new Indie girlie on repeat: Hannah Jadagu.
I started a “peak sad girl” playlist in February that I'm a little too proud of.
I listened to many episodes of the Friend Forward podcast—it's been a huge help in maintaining friendships as an adult.
Arlo Parks, in preparation for her concert in Atlanta in a few weeks (!!!!).
My husband introduced me to Cafuné. They’re fun!
I can’t listen to music with lyrics while I’m working very often because I write for a living, but I played this French Lofi playlist a lot. I like to listen to instrumental music that feels relevant to my life or the season, and finding this playlist was inspired by Valentine’s Day and our trip to France in February.
To know me is to know I’m one of the most “I read an article about that” people you’ll ever meet. If you run into a paywall, there are ways around that if you need them for financial reasons, but you didn’t hear it from me.
They Promoted Body Positivity. Then They Lost Weight: I’ve read a lot about the body positive, Health at Every Size, fat liberation, etc. movements and kept up with the dominant narratives on YouTube and TikTok. It interests me for some reason. Some influencers who built their platforms off of the aforementioned movements are starting to lose weight, and it’s causing a stir. But I support the nuance it’s introducing.
Nothing Drains You Like Mixed Emotions: As someone with mixed feelings about many things in my life right now, this read was super validating.
Work Less, Live More: Confessions From the New and Intentionally Underemployed Labour Force: I loved reading these stories from people who decided to do less for their careers and more for their personal lives, mental health, and relationships.
The Case Against Travel: I travel as often as I can get away with, so I couldn’t wait to read what this person had to say. I don’t identify or agree with most of the article, but I think some of the takes are worth considering. Most of the author’s “case against travel” can be remedied pretty easily or only matters if you’re trying to be a contrarian.
In Georgia, a Bill to Cut All Ties With the American Library Association Is Advancing: Larry sent me this article and it immediately got me fired up. I’m beyond exhausted with the book banning and bigotry. This article made us think about how we can start to get behind our local libraries through advocacy and financial support.
The complexities and conviction behind Aaron Bushnell’s extreme form of protest. This Olivia Rodrigo song. One of my five-week-old twin nephews rolling over on his own. How good ALDI’s frozen orange chicken is. This overpriced t-shirt. Two dishes made with hazelnuts—one dessert in Italy and one soup in France—and how in the world they tasted so good. This poem by Maggie Smith. The baby decision.
Thank you for reading!
