Welcome to the October 2024 version of RPL at Dwelling, the place I share what I’m as much as once I’m not within the kitchen or in entrance of the digicam. 

Every month (or so), I offer you a glimpse into what I’m engaged on, habits I’m cultivating, issues bringing me pleasure, books/TV reveals/podcasts I’m having fun with, and extra. Consider it as stream-of-consciousness blabbering meets a semi-curated record of suggestions meets life replace. 

📖 A recap of the previous couple of months 

My final RPL at Dwelling publish was again in June, and rather a lot has occurred since then! 

After a few years, my second cookbook Massive Vegan Taste was lastly launched final month! And to say that the cookbook launch was wonderful could be an understatement. 

The assist y’all have proven me up to now month on the cookbook has been thoughts blowing, and I’m nonetheless processing it. 

Seeing your excited emails and messages and glowing opinions has been so particular. And, after all, assembly a few of you in particular person at e-book signings has been so rewarding (thanks for taking the outing of your busy lives to attend!). 

Due to your assist, the e-book has been doing so properly!

Earlier than the e-book was formally revealed, Massive Vegan Taste hit #1 on all cookbooks on Amazon, and my writer already ordered a 3rd (!) printing of the e-book. 

And the week after publication, Massive Vegan Taste was:  

• #3 on the New York Instances bestseller record (recommendation, how-to, misc. class);
• #4 on Publishers Weekly hardcover nonfiction bestseller record;
• the highest cookbook on the Indie Bestseller’s Listing;
• the one cookbook featured within the USA At the moment bestseller record. 

To be sincere, I by no means got down to make bestseller lists. As a result of, over the previous couple of years, I’ve discovered that one of the simplest ways to remain in love with my work with out burning out or falling into the comparability entice is to give attention to the course of of making and the satisfaction it brings me with out attaching myself to particular outcomes. 

So making all these bestseller lists was a beautiful cherry on high of an already wonderful sundae. 

I’ll admit it’s good to obtain exterior recognition, however seeing YOU excited in regards to the e-book, cooking from the e-book, and leveling up your cooking abilities is what brings me probably the most pleasure.

So THANK YOU for your entire assist on this e-book over the past a number of months. 

🦥 What I’m engaged on in life 

After a really busy few months (and actually, years) targeted on the e-book, I’ve entered my sloth period. 

I had already deliberate to decelerate after publishing the e-book, however I had no thought simply how prepared my mind was to decelerate. As quickly as launch week was over, it was as if my mind turned on out-of-office mode with out consulting me. 

I tried to get work carried out, however I discovered myself staring idly at my laptop, eyes glazing over no matter drivel was on the display screen. 

Finally, I spotted I had no say within the matter, so I left my workplace and parked myself on the sofa for hours at a time, devouring novels whereas sipping on kombucha, glowing water, natural tea, or a mocktail (glamorous way of life, I do know!). 

Whereas the height of my sloth period has now ended (there are fairly exhausting deadlines in our Meal Plans by Rainbow Plant Life subscription that I merely can’t ignore), I really feel like I’m coming into a brand new, slower chapter. 

I’m not fully certain what the contours of this new period will likely be—what number of hours I’ll work per week, what number of weekends I’ll take off, how I’ll prioritize work vs. resting and spending time with family members—however I’m wanting ahead to determine it out as I’m going.

What I’m watching, listening to, and studying

📺 Watching

Sluggish Horses, Season 4. My shut pals will let you know that if I might choose a brand new profession, except for animal caretaker, it will be a spy. I’ve no {qualifications}, I’ve no poker face, and I plug my ears and shut my eyes throughout solely mildly suspenseful motion pictures. 

So I might be horrible on the job, however that doesn’t cease a lady from dreaming. And within the interim, I like to look at spy TV reveals as an alternative. 

Sluggish Horses is without doubt one of the better of them, and we’re at the moment sitting on the sting of our seats watching season 4 unfold. 

📚 Studying

My sloth period has additionally coincided with my Barbara Kingsolver period. When you’re an avid reader of novels, you’ve probably heard of her most up-to-date one, Demon Copperhead (affiliate hyperlink), which gained a Pulitzer Prize.

It tells the story of a younger boy born within the Appalachian mountains from his delivery till his early 20s as he navigates household upheaval and loss, foster care, youngster labor, habit, marriage, and extra. 

Kingsolver’s narration, character growth, capability to embed you in a selected place, and integration of actual life social points into narrative type are unmatched. It’s a giant e-book, however I devoured it in a number of days and it has earned its place as one among my favorite-ever novels. 

Naturally, I instantly began on one other Kingsolver novel, The Poisonwood Bible (affiliate hyperlink). 

This one begins in 1959 in what’s now the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the eve of its independence from Belgian colonial rule. It follows the Value household, a Southern Baptist missionary household who briefly strikes to the Congo to unfold the phrase of Christ.

Every chapter is narrated within the distinctive voice of one of many 4 daughters or the mom (although the daddy, the minister, all the time looms giant). 

Like Demon Copperhead, the narration and character arcs are unbelievable, and the storytelling is a novel mix of heartwrenching, thought scary, and surprisingly humorous. 

12/10 suggest for each! 

PS: When you’re the form of one who likes to learn at night time and/or in mattress, I can’t suggest this e-book lamp sufficient (affiliate hyperlink). It attaches to your e-book and casts a heat orange glow in your e-book—shiny sufficient to help you learn however not so shiny that it’s going to disturb your bedmate or maintain you up at night time. 

🎧 Listening

One of many podcasts I’ve listened to probably the most constantly over time is Ear Hustle, the primary podcast to be created fully inside a jail (it’s a nonfiction, interview-based podcast about life in jail and life after incarceration).

I just lately listened to episode 1 of season 14, and it was so thought-provoking that I instantly texted my good friend, subtly demanded that she and her husband hearken to it, and scheduled a future double date so we might talk about the episode at our subsequent dinner. 

The episode options interviews with males (and some girls) incarcerated in California prisons about whether or not they’re “comfy” inside jail and whether or not life in jail could be simpler than life exterior.

As a layperson who has by no means had a member of the family or good friend incarcerated, my very preliminary thought was “how might anybody want being in jail to the skin world?” 

However inside a couple of minutes, I shortly realized how nuanced and sophisticated this dialog is, particularly for individuals whose lives within the exterior world had been, to place it very mildly, no stroll within the park. The conversations had been so eye-opening and considerate that even weeks later, I can’t cease eager about it. 

When you’re searching for a brand new podcast that will provide you with perspective, offer you a window into an in any other case closed-off world, and enable you develop extra empathy, I can not suggest Ear Hustle sufficient! 

✈️ Enjoyable Issues

We’ve carried out a good quantity of touring over the previous couple of months, and although it’s added to the busyness of my schedule, it has been genuinely very enjoyable. 

In July, we did a fast Europe journey to see household and pals. I had the pleasure of experiencing 10 p.m. summer time sunsets and bicycle tradition in Amsterdam (the previous was magical; the latter a bit terrifying as a vacationer on foot).

And we additionally acquired to spend high quality time with my pricey good friend Sadia, the creator behind Decide Up Limes!

Sadia and I’ve been on-line pals since we each first began our content material creator journeys in 2017, and hanging out IRL was like catching up with an previous good friend.

She and her husband Robin graciously invited us into their lovely house and studio, and we had a lot enjoyable filming movies collectively (examine them out right here and right here) in addition to simply chatting about life, discovering which means in work, and constructing a enterprise. 

Extra just lately, we’ve traveled fairly a bit in California. Throughout cookbook launch week, we went to Los Angeles to signal 400+ cookbooks at Now Serving LA (the good cookbook store in LA), after which to do a e-book chat with the beautiful Joanne of The Korean Vegan. 

Then one other e-book chat + signing near house at my native bookstore, The Ebook Catapult, with my pretty good friend and artist Sarah Stieber.

Adopted by a weekend staycation to rejoice my mother’s 69th birthday, which was spent enjoying video games, extra studying, lounging by the pool, and consuming cake (the most effective vegan cake in San Diego is from Hazel & Jade!). 

Subsequent up, we flew as much as San Francisco for a e-book signing on the Ebook Passage retailer. Being again within the Bay Space (the place I went to school) all the time makes me really feel nostalgic, and this journey jogged my memory of how lovely the structure is in San Francisco. 

We had some tasty eats at Burma Celebrity (the fermented tea leaf salad is a should!), Wildseed (the corn fritters and seasonal squash pizza had been my faves), and Shizen (the pumpkin tempura specialty roll and inexperienced mango nigiri had been improbable). 

And at last, I’m penning this within the air on my means again house from Dallas for a bloggers’ convention.

The meals was positively not so good as in SF (no shock lol), but it surely was very nice to attach with different meals bloggers about what we’re engaged on, how we method content material creation, and navigating the challenges (and perks) of operating a small enterprise.

Okay, that’s it for this month! Drop me a line under and let me know what you’d prefer to see within the subsequent version 🙂