Helping artists through coaching and big picture planning, to get clarity on the next best steps, so they can be confident, breathe easy and build a sustainable, successful career.
[Silent Book Club ~ Ottawa Chapter] The privilege of cozy reading when it's chilly outside.
Hello, Reader, and happy November! In Ottawa, November is arriving wet and chilly. And you know what that means... Well, for me, it means cozy reading by the fire. Or cozy reading at a coffee shop. Or cozy reading on top of my bedcover, cuddling my pups. Or... well, I'm sure you can see the theme, here. I realise that in the privilege I own, cozy reading is nearly always an option. It helps to centre me when I need centering; it helps to take me away when escape is what I need; it serves to make me feel present when I choose something that gives me cause to pause and think; and, it feeds my need for the story of something outside of myself, maybe greater than myself, to take over. I was recently made aware (how, is not important right now) of just how privileged I am... and this, no thanks to my own efforts. Cozy reading is a big part of that privilege, Reader, and there are many for whom finding time for cozy reading is simply not an option. Despite the crowds that shout, "no woke!", I know that I can only move forward when choosing to also be awake to my own good fortune. While I was traveling recently, I became aware again, that my travels, my privilege, my cozy reading... all of these depend on many people whose lives likely don't include those things at all. From those who diligently clean my travel accommodations to those who dependably signal my trusty, speedy airplane back to safety on the runway; from those who keep streets clean as I wander from shop to shop & cafe to cafe, to those who skillfully maintain the safety of the buses, trains and trams that I hop on and off of, as I take in the touristy sights ~ each of those people likely struggle to make "cozy reading" part of their day to day the way I am able to do. So as the days grow colder and as I curl up by the crackling fire with my pups, reading yet another cozy mystery, I am grateful. And, I am aware that people whose lives don't reflect the kind of privilege I have can perhaps depend on me: when I read a book by an author of colour or an indigenous author; when I purchase from a small bookshop rather than a big online company website; when I pause to recognize opportunities to leverage my privilege and take them, I am better for it. Warmly as always, and bookishly, too, · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · NOVEMBER 2025 EVENTS 📆 Rather than a list of meetups, perhaps you'd prefer a calendar page. 📝 All meetups are available for signup here. ⭐ = New! (Click here to email me, if you're looking to host a meetup in your area!)
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · How does a reading meetup work?
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little acorn creative coaching
Helping artists through coaching and big picture planning, to get clarity on the next best steps, so they can be confident, breathe easy and build a sustainable, successful career.
May 2026 ph. cr.: Alexandr Popadin (UnSplash) Hi there, Reader, So happy you're here with us. You're one in a million. No... really. There's no denying that truth. That's the thing about numbers... they can support just about any assertion, and help it make sense. Some of the numbers that are part of the reading world include page- and chapter-numbers, book sales' numbers and rating numbers on best selling lists. They also include the numbers involved in reading challenges, whether they're...
April 2026 ph. cr.: Alicia Christin Gerald (UnSplash) In Canada, statistics tell us that nearly half the adult population reads at a lower than high school level. The reason for this is often linked to economic and employment well-being. And while correlation does not imply causation (low literacy does not cause poverty or lack of well-being), the links are undeniable. I don't need to tell you about the importance of literacy, Reader, but reading and literacy have farther reaching positive...
March 2026 cr: Pavel Abramiankou The winds of change are forever blowing. And, Reader, I don't do well with change. The expression, "plus ça change..." has often been an underlying thought in my mind when things change and I am not ready for it. Though I've learned that this idiom is considered pessimistic, I used to think that it simply meant what a famous Greek philosopher said: “the only constant in life is change.”* I would murmur that French phrase quietly to remind myself that clinging...