Bibliosphere

 I've tried quite a few new recipes this month. My favorite was probably a ginger tahini noodle dish, which was easy to put together, especially with premade stir-fry noodles. It was just a little heat, very savory, and tasted very rich. It was a little involved, but definitely worth it.     Some other delightful recipes included a chickpea couscous, a chicken sausage pasta dish, and sunchoke sautee. All delicious recipes, all worthy of making again. The biggest challenge of the month is that it's been quite hot to be using the oven and stove heavily, but I'm making it work.

 I have read so many books recently that, rather than make separate reviews, I thought I'd do one big post. Here's what I read since mid-June: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehesi Coates An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfeild Jamison Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by J. Mark G. Williams The Emotionary by Eden Sher Intuitive Eating for Life by Jenna Hollenstein Awkward: The Science of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome by Ty Tashiro Use Your Difference to Make a Difference: How to Connect and Communicate in a Cross-Cultural World by Tayo Rockson Exhale: 40 Breathwork Exercises to Help You Find Your Calm, Supercharge Your Health, and Perform at Your Best by Richie Bostock Different, Not Less: A Neurodivergent's Guide to Embracing Your True Self and Finding Your Happily Ever After by Chloé Hayden Whew, that's nine books! Plus a couple cookbooks on the side, not going to count those. Two were audiobooks, but the rest we...

 Did you know that for many people with blood cancers, a bone marrow transplant is one of the only routes to a cure? In 2012, shortly after I turned 18, I signed up to donate bone marrow, should I match with someone. The National Bone Marrow Registry, set up by the nonprofit Be the Match, takes saliva samples from people around the country, analyzes them, and stores that profile in a database that doctors can search through for bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation. Many diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma, diseases of the bone marrow, and certain immune and metabolic disorders ( x ). Blood stem cells from a healthy donor are needed to treat or cure these diseases. We often hear of family members donating, but up to 70% of patients don't have a family member who matches ( x ). Joining the registry is free and easy. This page walks you through how you can sign up to save a life.

 So it's about the middle of summer. It is hot here in Utah, hitting the 100s regularly. I'm trying to stay active, but of course going outside is difficult, even when the sun is down. I continue to cook new things, including trying couscous and sunchokes, numerous new recipes, and new ways to prepare old ones. I am busy at work. I had a little reprieve for a couple of weeks, but now I'm into one event a week until Labor Day, except next week because my event was cancelled. I'm waiting on a work call right now, and had a 7 pm meeting yesterday, but it's been less evenings than in June or May. Last week I was a career speaker at a local university, for sixth graders. I also made a nifty sparkler craft, have been to the library so many times, and read more books that I can count in my head.  I've done more this summer than any summer in years, in terms of outside of work and other activities. I'm keeping busy, but also trying to rest, as my job is also busy. W...

 So one of my recent reads was "Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity," by Paola Ramos. The closest word I have to describe it is a term from grad school, ethnography, which is basically the in depth and immersive study of a culture. The book is a series of interviews with Latinx people, asking them a bunch of different questions on identity, experiences, and background.  The writing was very well done, with diverse interviews mixed in with facts, demographics, history, and current events. It was a really good overview of the Latinx community and I'd recommend it to anyone looking to explore Latinx people in the US more.

May was Brain Tumor Awareness Month, and July 19 is Glioblastoma Awareness Day. Learn some glioblastoma fast facts: While glioblastoma is the most common adult primary brain tumor, glioblastomas only account for 3-15% of childhood nervous system tumors. Each year about 500 children in the US are diagnosed with glioblastoma. This is a small percent of the total 14,490 Americans diagnosed annually, but an important group. Glioblastomas are most common in children ages 8-18 years old, but have been reported as early as in utero. Pediatric glioblastoma has a 5-year survival rate of about 20%. Most glioblastoma cases have no known cause. This year marks the fifth annual Glioblastoma Awareness Day, according to the National Brain Tumor Society ( x ). You can read some of the stories of glioblastoma here . They do have a Pediatric tag within the stories, but as of writing this, there aren't any published. You can submit your own, to add a voice to pediatric glioblastoma warriors. Sources:...

 I am a hardcore lover of paper books. No preference between hard and soft cover (other than soft cover travels better), but a physical book is my favorite way to read. Recently I took a trip and I "read" two audiobooks. Now, I'm a firm believer that audiobooks count as reading. I totally respect that this is the best way for some people to read, including those who drive a lot, those with low vision or blindness, or those who just like it better. But for me, there's a little disconnect. Since I prefer reading physical books so much, audiobooks feel weird to me, like it's not real. Don't get me wrong, it's fabulous for my Storygraph stats, but somehow it feels off. Like it's not a real book. Reconciling this is something on my mind, as I've considered adding more audiobooks to my repertoire. It does come with the same questions as podcasts of, what do I do with my hands? Since I don't drive long distances regularly, I don't have the ability...

 I've been practicing mindfulness for years now, on and off. I usually just meditate silently, maybe a YouTube video here or there, but recently I've started using an app to lead meditations. It's called Smiling Minds, put together by an Australian nonprofit (so bonus all the narrations are with an Australian accent). It's completely free, although they do occasionally ask for donations. It has tons of meditation options, ranging from 2-3 minutes up to 30.  I've come to thoroughly enjoy my time with Smiling Minds. I look forward to trying a new meditation or listening to a familiar one guide me through breathing, reflection, and more. I generally meditate 1-2 times a day, but sometimes will do my own version throughout the day. I would offer it as a free alternative to other popular apps.

 July brings a new awareness month: Sarcoma and Bone Cancer. There's some overlap. A common bone cancer, osteosarcoma, is, as the name suggests, a sarcoma. First, let's talk about what a sarcoma is. A sarcoma is a cancerous tumor of the bone or soft tissues, which accounts for 1% of adult cancers, but 15% of childhood cancers ( x ). Soft tissues are found pretty much everywhere in the body, so sarcomas can occur pretty much anywhere in the body. Generally, they are divided into bone sarcomas and soft tissue sarcomas, with further divisions based on the specific cells. Common childhood sarcomas are rhabdomyosarcoma (what my brother had), osteosarcoma, and Ewing's sarcoma, but many types and variations exist and occur in children ( x , x ). According to the Sarcoma Alliance, children often respond to treatment for sarcomas better than adults. Past radiation treatment for cancer is a risk factor for sarcomas ( x ). Ewing's sarcoma and osteosarcoma are the two most common t...