Lisa notes

7 Books I Recommend – April 2025

By LisaNotes April 1, 2025 Books I Recommend 6 Comments

“Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.”
– C. S. Lewis

Here are 7 nonfiction books I recommend from my recent reads. 

[See previously recommended books here]

NONFICTION

1. Fluke
Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
by Brian Klaas

Fluke

This fascinating book is so perfect with my word of the year, Ripple. Brian Klaas explores how small moments really can alter history—think “butterfly effect.” I highly recommend this one.

2. Returning Home to Our Bodies
Reimagining the Relationship Between Our Bodies and the World—Practices for connecting somatics, nature, and social change
by Abigail Rose Clarke

Returning Home to Our Bodies

I participated in an online book club with this one, and it was so helpful to hear how others are processing these exercises. Clarke presents so many unique insights about how to connect with our bodies. I’m still thinking about how fluid our bodies really are on the inside.

3. Revenge of the Tipping Point
Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering
by Malcolm Gladwell

Revenge of the Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell is one of those authors that I’ll read whatever he writes. Twenty-five years ago he wrote The Tipping Point (which I read), and this book is the update. So of course I had to read it. In this revision he tells new stories and uses social science to examine modern crises, like the opioid epidemic and social engineering. (Listen to the audiobook if you can! He often has the actual speakers read their own quotes in the book.)

4. Nexus
A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
by Yuval Noah Harari

Nexus

This is a long book (over 500 pages) but the material requires it. Harari writes how information networks have shaped human history, from ancient myths to modern AI, and how they can be both helpful and harmful. Thus, it’s both frightening in places and encouraging in others. We’ve got to be responsible in these early days of AI before it gets away from us. I’ll do a more full review soon. 

5. Secrets of Adulthood
Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives
by Gretchen Rubin

Secrets of Adulthood

Gretchen Rubin is another author I always read. This book is her collection of original aphorisms or pearls of wisdom. Drawing from her own experiences and research, she shares insights and truths to navigate life’s challenges in easy-to-read nuggets. I’ll do a more full review on Friday. 

6. Democracy in Retrograde
How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives
by Sami Sage and Emily Amick

Democracy in Retrograde

Do you want to get more involved in civic life—either locally or nationally—but aren’t sure where to begin? This book is an easy and excellent place to start. It’s a practical guide to meaningful actions that we all can take, regardless of how much or how little time and energy is available to us. If we all can do our one small thing, hopefully we can keep democracy alive in the United States. This is a great book club book. I spent Sunday afternoon talking about it with a few friends. 

7. Beyond Anxiety
Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose
by Martha Beck 

Beyond Anxiety

This book isn’t quite as great as I wanted it to be, but it’s still worth reading. Basically, Martha Beck suggests you can manage anxiety by tapping into creativity, switching from an “anxiety spiral” to a “creativity spiral.” But whether or not it reduces anxiety, embracing more of our creative side is usually a beneficial thing anyway, so let’s do it.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

  • Parable of the Sower
    by Octavia E. Butler
  • The Glass Castle
    by Jeannette Walls
  • How to End Christian Nationalism
    by Amanda Tyler
  • You Don’t Need to Forgive
    Trauma Recovery on Your Own Terms
    by Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC

What good book have you read lately? Please share in the comments.

sharing at these linkups


Share 4 Somethings – March 2025

By LisaNotes March 28, 2025 Daybook 20 Comments

Each month I share 4 somethings that I have:

  1. Loved
  2. Learned
  3. Went well
  4. Let go of

And then I link up with Jenn.

I’m also sharing my previous month’s One Second Everyday video . . .

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something I loved

  • CAMARADERIE IN SELMA 

It’s hard to believe it’s been 60 years since Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama.

(Read this great article here by Pulitzer Prize winner John Archibald about Spider Martin, the amazing photographer who stayed to take photos March 7, 1965, because he knew what was happening was wrong.)

Jeff and I went to cross the bridge again in Selma for the 60th anniversary on March 9 of this year.

But we weren’t met with tear gas, billy clubs, or cattle prods when we crossed the windy Edmund Pettus Bridge. No blood was shed like it was 60 years ago when peaceful marchers seeking voting rights for Black Alabamians didn’t make it across on Bloody Sunday.

We must keep crossing the bridge. The struggles are still real down here. Know your history. Make change for the better.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something I learned

  • SKY VIEWING APP

What if you could point your phone at a star (or any object in the sky), and the app shows you its name, constellation, and more, as if it’s written in the sky itself? You can. Technology is a crazy thing. I finally put this free app on my phone: SkyView Lite.

I’ve tried learning the names and locations of stars, planets, and constellations again and again, but it never seems to stick. Now I can just use the app.

I used it to find the International Space Station when it was flying over our house a week or so ago.

(Image: Future)

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something that went well

  • EMPTY CHAIR TOWN HALL

Our congressional district in Alabama has been asking for a bipartisan town hall meeting with Dale Strong, our representative in Congress. We have questions about new problems that have arisen here in the past two months that are greatly affecting people’s income, health, education, and livelihood.

I attended the meeting held last weekend, knowing that Representative Strong had been invited, and hoping he would show up. Alas, he never arrived. Over 300 citizens did though: all ages and skin tones and politicals parties were represented.

So the meeting went on anyway.

Two agendas had been prepared: show and no-show.

The stage held Rep. Strong’s empty chair, and people stood up, one after the other, to ask their questions and state their opinions anyway. I was encouraged to hear how respectful, engaged, and caring our neighbors are for each other.

The meeting was recorded to send to Rep. Strong. In the best case scenario, he’ll watch it and get back in touch with his constituents. It might even make him regret not coming out and receiving encouragement himself among fellow Alabamians who want the best for each other.

We really can work together, even with our differences, if we’ll communicate.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something I let go of

  • OUR NEW REFRIGERATOR

Well, I actually thought I let go of our new refrigerator a couple of months ago when Whirlpool couldn’t fix it. However, they refuse to give up, even though the temperature in the refrigerator can range anywhere from 25-35 degrees on any given day or hour, regardless of its setting.

Thankfully we’ve not had to pay for any of the many service calls or replacement parts. But it’s long past time to call this unrepairable and get a refund. But Whirlpool won’t relent.

So I’m really, really giving up this time.

Last night we looked at new refrigerators again (anything but Whirlpool because they’ve been so frustrating!). The manager at the big box store said a possibility still exists that they could take our old refrigerator back and give us store credit toward a new one, which would be amazing. But I won’t count on it.

Bottom line—life isn’t always fair. And in the grand scheme of things, middle-class-me in America having to buy a new refrigerator is very, very insignificant compared to serious, life-threatening injustices that many people around the world confront on a daily basis. I’m working to keep a proper perspective.

What is something you are loving, learning, has gone well, or had to let go of this month?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

I’m linking at these blog parties

Define and Find 3 Words Similar to and Opposite of Your One Word for 2025
{One Word 2025 March Linkup}

By LisaNotes March 25, 2025 One Word Community, Ripple: One Word 2025 18 Comments

Our March linkup is here for your One Word posts! Scroll down to link blog posts about your word or to share a comment about it.

Your One Word has more depth than you might think—let’s approach it from 3 different angles this month! This simple yet powerful exercise can give you fresh insight into your word so it can continue shaping your year.  

Step 1: DEFINE IT  

Look up your word in the dictionary. Does it have multiple meanings? Which one resonates most for your use this year? Are there meanings you hadn’t considered before?  

The definition that most resonates with me of my word Ripple is: “a particular feeling or effect that spreads through someone or something.”

Step 2: SAME AS  

Find some synonyms for your word. If you had to pick a backup word from this list, which would you choose? Why?  

My alternate choice would likely be Flow. Other synonyms that resonate with me are: Wave, Vibrate, and Motion. 

Step 3: OPPOSITE OF  

Now, look up antonyms. Sometimes understanding what your word is not can help you understand what it is. What opposite stands out to you about your word? Why?

Opposites for Ripple include: Flatten, Withdraw, and Straighten. These words show me that Ripple involves action and motion.   

Here is the One Word sheet I filled out for Ripple.

You can download your own two-page “My One Word” here.

Today’s March linkup will remain open for two weeks from Tuesday, March 25, through Tuesday, April 8.

Our April linkup begins on Friday, April 25. We’ll have new challenges and a linkup on the 25th of each month throughout 2025—mark your calendars.  

What are some definitions, synonyms, or antonyms of your One Word? How are you staying connected with your One Word for 2025? Please leave a comment here.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas, join here any time of the year.

Link Up About Your One Word!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The Plumber, the Stitches, and My Concern

By LisaNotes March 21, 2025 Encouragement 12 Comments

THE SOUND OF FRUSTRATION

From my recliner in the living room, I could hear the older plumber sighing in our kitchen. He and his partner were here installing a new faucet, and his mumbling under the sink was a little disturbing.

When he came up for air, I decided to do the neighborly thing and check in on him.

And for good reason. Earlier that morning, Jeff mentioned he’d heard that one of the plumbers—an older guy—had smacked his head so hard on a cabinet at an earlier job that he had to be taken to Urgent Care for stitches.

So, naturally, when I saw the two plumbers who came to our house—a younger man and an older one—I was smart enough to connect the dots.

The older man looked weary from the first moment he walked into our house. I was concerned that he had returned to work too quickly after his injury.

He’d been through a lot!

FROM CONCERN TO CONFUSION

So I asked him, “Are you feeling okay?”

He said, “Yes, I’m fine.”

I then asked, “Do you need anything to drink? I’d be glad to get something for you.”

He seemed a bit surprised by my offer, but he politely declined and said again that he was fine.

THE PLOT TWIST

Even though I was refused, I still felt good about my small act of compassion. I later told Jeff that I had checked in on the plumber, making sure he was okay after his rough morning.

Jeff looked at me, amused. “That’s nice,” he said, “but that’s not the guy. The one who cut his head didn’t come here.”

Oh!

That’s when I realized I’d been fussing over the wrong man, someone who had no idea why I was acting so concerned about his well-being. He didn’t know I thought he was the injured plumber.

GET THE STORY RIGHT

In my defense, I wasn’t wrong to be concerned. I was just working from incorrect assumptions.

Isn’t that how it goes sometimes? News is passed along to one person, then another, and somewhere along the way, the facts shift either through miscommunication, misinterpretation, or faulty conclusions.

By the time the last person hears it, the story might be barely recognizable.

I learned a lesson that day: double-check the facts before jumping to conclusions. Ask more questions.

And maybe let the plumbers work in peace.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Surrender to the Moment: 5 Little Things to Give Up

By LisaNotes March 18, 2025 Encouragement, Now 9 Comments

Are You Ready to Surrender?

We imagine that in a moment of dramatic testing, we’d be the one to take the bullet. To make the sacrifice. To surrender ourselves to save a loved one.

Yet we get angry if someone squeezes in front of us in traffic?

Sometimes the small tugs of war are the important ones. It’s the little things that more often test our resolve to go higher.

So how can we be more loving in our ordinary, daily moments of life? One way is to surrender to the moment.

By taking one moment at a time, we can learn the art of surrender.

Our grand moment of surrender is always this one.

surrender-to-the-moment-5-little-things-to-give-up

5 Little Things to Give Up in the Moment

Here are 5 little things we can practice giving up, anytime, anywhere, to gain the gifts of surrendering to the moment.

1. GIVE UP THE LAST WORD

In that discussion with your partner, eliminate a few of your own words and listen to more of theirs. Surrendering the desire to be understood and to get in the last word can make a joyful difference in the climate of your home. Marvel at the self-control you can exercise when you know it’s best to keep quiet.

2. GIVE UP YOUR PLACE IN LINE

That harried mom with the whiny toddler? Let her cut in line at the grocery store. Or make room for that speeding maniac to merge in front of you in traffic. By surrendering your place in line—literally and figuratively—you practice showing kindness to others. Releasing the need to be first is an act of freedom.

3. GIVE UP THE CLEAR ANSWER

Sometimes we hesitate and wait for overwhelming confirmation before we’ll take a risk. But rarely will we have total clarity in the moment. Surrender your desire for perfect vision and look instead for beauty in the uncertainty.

4. GIVE UP DOING IT ALONE

Winning the prize for “Most Independent” isn’t necessarily a trophy you want. Being a loner isn’t the happiest way to live. Practice humility by accepting help from others, and exercise empathy by giving help to others. Moments with others are a valuable source of joy.

5. GIVE UP A SPECIFIC OUTCOME

It’s easier to surrender to the moment if you can let go of the future. Instead of insisting on a specific result, be open to a variety of outcomes. You can’t control the future anyway. This moment is the only time we ever have.

Little Moments Are Big Moments

Surrendering to the moment, even if it’s a moment of creating change for the future, is a pathway to gaining peace. That’s huge.

Maybe these little moments, even this very moment, really are the biggest moments of all.

What little things are hard for you to surrender on a daily basis? What helps you give them up?

Share in the comments.

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revised from the archives

What If Your Body Has Been Doing Her Best All Along?

By LisaNotes March 14, 2025 Encouragement, Ripple: One Word 2025 11 Comments

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
– Jim Rohn

A SURPRISING CONVERSATION WITH MY BODY

The assignment on our Zoom call two weeks ago seemed simple enough: draw an outline of a body, then reflect on where we feel grief or what part of our body we grieve. The next step? Write an apology to that part.

We had already spent an hour talking about hangups we have with our bodies and how to make peace with them, to go along with our theme for March, “My Body.” (This month we’re also reading Returning Home to Our Bodies for a book club; it’s excellent so far!)

I sketched a rough figure and drew arrows pointing to my stomach. It has always been a source of frustration for me—even in my youth, when it really wasn’t a problem, but I still believed it was.

But before I could apologize to my stomach, my stomach threw an accusation back at me:

“You realize this is the best I can do with what you give me.”

Okay, fair point. While I try to eat fairly healthy, I do still feed junk to my stomach more often than I’d like to admit.

THIS WORD FEELS WRONG

The next step of the body exercise was to reduce our previous statement down to three words. I knocked off all the words except:

“This is best”

even though nothing felt best about this exercise so far.

Then, from those three words, we had to choose just one word.

I circled:

“Best”

But really? Best? It felt disingenuous. It’s a word I never use in talking about my body.

As the days passed, however, I continued thinking about it. And started seeing some truth in it. My body has always done its best for me—protecting me, caring for me, moving me through the world wherever I’ve wanted to go.

No matter how I’ve treated her, she has always shown up for me and stayed with me, even through injuries and pain.

A TOUCHSTONE FOR GRATITUDE

To complete the homework assignment after the call, we were asked to create a Body Touchstone—something meaningful to hold onto, marked with the word we chose.

This part was easy. I picked a small seashell from a past beach trip. It serves a dual purpose: it reminds me of my One Word for the year, Ripple, since it’s from the water and has ripples on it, and it once housed another living creature—just as my body is home to me.

I wrote Best on the inside of the shell.

I know my body and I will continue our ongoing discussions and arguments (and sometimes shaming battles) about her flaws. We’ve done it for years. I hope one day we’ll stop—and we do better now than we have in the past—but I’m also realistic that an aging body can be even harder to accept.

Yet I’m still grateful for my body’s persistence and resilience to stay with me until the day I take my final breath. She and I are together in a tight relationship of ripples. Some things I do will affect her more than other things, and vice versa. But either way, we’re inseparable.

I put the shell my pocket each morning. Several times a day I reach down and touch it, each time reminding me to speak to my body with gratitude instead of criticism.

She’s not perfect. But my body is the place I began, and the place I start anew each morning. She is the best place for me to be.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

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