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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· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · Silent Book Club ~ Ottawa Chapter If you received this email from a friend and would like to subscribe, please click here. |
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.
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...
February 2026 Carlingwood Branch - Ottawa Public Library (ph.cr.) Hello Reader, February is coming in... what do they say? In like a lion... hm. Well I think, if the weather remains lion-ish 🦁 for a few more days, moving into March in several weeks should be smooth and lamb-ish 🐑 don't you? I hear cheering for all the snow we are getting however, from the hardy folks who skate, ski and phat bike (mostly from my dear darling husband who lovessss this snowy weather). But the cold temperatures...
January 2026 photo cr.: Liana S Welcome, Reader, to the turning of 2025 to 2026 and to all of you who are newly joining, welcome to our little corner of the Internet. And to everyone... we are truly grateful that you are here. Happy New Year! As part of my own journey into the new year this week, I am participating in a writing workshop and one of the first questions was, "When you hear the word 'Winter', what comes to mind?" I paused a moment and wrote... Cold. When I think of Winter,...