What keeps me somewhat sane in a world gone bonkers, in no particular order:

Nature & all its endless wonders.
My kindreds & our mutually supportive relationships.
Art - both creating my own & appreciating others' artwork. I include music in my art coping.
My rad cat.
Unplugged personal time.
Gardening - indoors & outdoors.
Cooking for loved ones & cooking to feed hungry strangers.
Contributing to my community by volunteering to help out where I can.

What does your coping with a mad world list look like?

@PhoenixSerenity

Turning off the TV.
Discovering new to me authors and artists.
Reading good books.
Exchanging graphic novel rec's with my favorite reference librarian.
Listening to high energy music.
Cooking or baking something new that turns out better than I expected.
Trying new things. (Like Pho!)

@kimlockhartga What are some new books that you've recently enjoyed reading?

@PhoenixSerenity in novels, mostly China Miéville: Embassytown, and The City and The City.

In Graphic Novels:

Boxers & Saints duology (about the boxer rebellion), Gene Luen Yang, Lark Pien I

Simon Stålenhag's The Tales From the Loop trilogy:

Tales From the Loop
Things From the Flood
The Electric State

Informative nonfiction: Big Ideas, Little Pictures, Jono Hey

Are you reading anything exciting?

@kimlockhartga All books that are new to me. I'll be looking them all up.

I'll update with photo of what I've been enjoying recently later today 😊 I'm not at home ATM.

@PhoenixSerenity I am looking forward to seeing your book stack. And yes, I'm almost never reading the popular fare for book clubs and such. I like the off the beaten path kinda stuff.

Say Hello to your mom for me. I told my mom about both of you and she wishes she could meet you. 😃

@kimlockhartga Here's 4 completely different books that I've recently read & will be putting into my little free community library outside our home to share with fellow book lovers.

Hummingbird by Tristan Hughes.

METAtropolis - collection short stories from multiple science fiction authors. I love short story collections.

The Beast of the Haitian Hills by Philippe Thoby-Marcelin & Pierre Marcelin.

The Racial Mundane by Ju Yon Kim.

I really enjoy a variety of graphic novels too but can't afford to buy too many new ones - they're pretty expensive. I look for used book deals on graphic novels, online & offline. I swap with local reader friends too.

I tend to read a blend of fiction & non-fiction books. My interests are vast & the books I choose to read tend to be pretty diverse. I almost always put books I've read into my LFL to share with avid readers in the community & stock other people's LFLs around town too. Sharing books is wonderful & it helps with ongoing community building efforts 📚💗

#bookstodon #BooksIveRead #BookLovers #Literature #paperbacks

@PhoenixSerenity I am loving all of these! And like you, I adore short story collections.
@kimlockhartga I think you'd enjoy these books!