Armchair Travel!

Hello, everyone! Are we tired of the pandemic yet? How about those wildfires? Or those murder hornets? Hey, there's still another three and a half months left of 2020, so who knows if there'll be something new to spice up our lives!

If you're feeling a little stir crazy, like me, staying at home and not traveling because of current world circumstances, have I got the cure for you--armchair travel! Perhaps you heard of it? When you have to stay in one place, it's about taking a virtual vacation somewhere in the world through your mind. There are different modes of transportation:

• Books! (You knew I had to say it.)
• Movies.
• Watch travel shows. (Rick Steves, anyone?)
• Go on virtual tours of museums online.
• Cooking foods of various locales.
• Ordering takeout from a Thai, Ethiopian, German, etc. restaurant.
• Pull out old photos of places you've been.
• Plan future trips to take when all the craziness is over.
• Read travel blogs.
• Make a travel soundtrack of different songs and music.

Need some more ideas for armchair travel? Then check out these webpages on armchair travel:

• 31 of the Best Books About Travel, Chosen by Bloggers
• Armchair Travel: 45 Fun Ideas to "Travel" Without Leaving Home
• Armchair Travel: How to Master Travelling the World from Home
• Armchair Travel with Live Webcams Around the World
• A Complete Guide to Armchair Travel: How to See the World From Your Home
• How to Be an Armchair Traveler When You Have to Stay Home
• The Ultimate Guide to Armchair Travel

Just because we can't travel physically doesn't mean that we can't travel mentally. The possibilities of where we can go virtually are endless. Tatooine or Vulcan, anyone?

Wishing you wonderful armchair travels from the perch.

Good Things!

This post is filled with nothing but GOOD THINGS! Yes, you read that right! To lift up your spirits, I thought I'd make a list of 10 good things that have happened in the past 5 months. In no particular order, here they are:

• IKEA shared the recipe to their famous meatballs online.
• A squirrel mastered a Ninja Warrior obstacle course.
• Plants went to the opera in Spain.
• Drive-in movie theaters made a comeback.
• Taylor Swift came out with a new album.
• Hamilton the movie was released 15 months early.
• We now know what are bidets and their sales went up.
• Board games and puzzles became popular again.
• Bike trails around the U.S. stayed open.
• Working from home made pants optional.

Of course, there are a lot of other good things that happened in addition to the ones mentioned above. What are some good things that have happened to you in the past 5 months? Share with us!

Positively yours from the perch.

Appreciate the Little Things

Lately, I find myself thinking about World War II, the Great Depression, and the 1918 Flu Pandemic. I think about ordinary people trying to live their everyday lives during extraordinary times. I think about adults going to work and children going to school. I think about them going home at the end of the day, their conversations at the dinner table, and what they did afterward in the evening. How did they go through each day not knowing when the difficult times would end?

Like those before us, we're living with a lot of uncertainty right now. Life is not business as usual. There are a lot of things we can't do, things that we take for granted during normal times. It's not easy, but rather than dwell on the "can'ts," let's focus on the "cans."

Start with your home. You can make it into a comfy-cozy place you want to spend time in by keeping it clean and tidy. Light candles and read some books (no bias there). Watch movies and play retro board games. Why not even put on music and dance along? Music soothes the savage beast and exercise increases endorphins, the hormones that make you happy.

Speaking about exercise, get out of the house and take a walk or bike ride in your neighborhood. Really pay attention to the flowers in your neighbor's yard. If the flowers are near the sidewalk, stop and smell them. I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed my home or neighborhood as much as I have this year. Even just being outside, whether on your deck or in your backyard, will lift your spirits. 

To paraphrase the famous saying, appreciate all those little things because they really are the big things. Be grateful for the things you have. And like those other trying periods in history, this period will also end. We just don't know when. In the meantime, let's go forward one day at a time and know we're all in this together.

Gratefully yours from the perch.

Happy Reads

Lately, with all the doom and gloom brought about by the ongoing pandemic, I think it's more important than ever to do some serious self-care, not only physically but mentally and emotionally. Reading is a great way to relax our minds and focus on something else other than the news.

If you're looking for some books to put you in a good mood and lift your spirits, I highly recommend the following books that are sure to brighten your day:

• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (Overdrive) A grumpy, lonely old man finds friendship with caring neighbors.
• The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu (RBdigital) Two of the world's spiritual leaders share their experiences and insights on how to find joy in life.
• The Walk by Richard Paul Evans (Hoopla--Audiobook) A man who loses everything--his business, his home, and his wife--sets off on a walk across America to find himself.
• The Little French Bistro by Nina George (Overdrive, RBdigital) Stuck in an unhappy, loveless marriage of over 40 years, a woman leaves her husband to begin anew on the coast of Brittany.
• Anything by Debbie Macomber (Hoopla, Overdrive, RBdigital) These feel-good books follow a familiar formula--characters unhappy with their lives support each other through crises to find their happy endings.
• One Good Deed by Erin McHugh (Hoopla) A bookseller documents her year of trying to do one good deed, no matter how great or small, every day.
• The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (Hoopla--Audiobook) An elderly gentleman stumbles upon his late wife's charm bracelet, and while learning more about her, he learns to move on and live life fully.

Do you have an upbeat book you'd recommend? Share it with us!

Happy readings from the perch.

Forest Bathing (Swimming Suit Not Required)

I probably don't have to tell you that the COVID-19 pandemic is a stressful time. We're all worried about a number of things--staying healthy, going to work, schooling children, and safely grocery shopping, among others. No matter our age, so many aspects of our lives are being affected right now, and it feels like there's no escape...or is there?

"Forest bathing" or shinrin-yoku is a concept the Japanese created in the early 1990s. Contrary to the term, it has nothing to do with taking a bath in the forest, but has everything to do with immersing yourself in nature. Some would call it nature therapy. It's all about going into a forest, looking at the trees and flora, smelling the fresh air, feeling the breeze on your skin, and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Doctors and scientists have known for a long time that being outdoors, even in your backyard or on your deck, can do wonders for your mental health, decreasing stress and improving your mood. Going outdoors can help your physical health as well, whether you're simply walking or doing some other kind of activity, like biking.

Luckily for us in the Inland Northwest, we're surrounded by nature. We have forests, parks, fields, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and mountains. There are nature trails to walk and bike paths to ride. We can do things by ourselves or together with members of our household. And since the outdoors are full of space, practicing social distancing from others is a cinch.

So, go out and get a good dose of Vitamin N! Nature is the one thing that's always open. Leave your cell phones and the world behind for a little while. Focus on all the sights, sounds, scents, and sensations around you. And if you need help with where to immerse yourself in the local nature, your friendly, neighborhood perch librarian is here to help.

Wishing you calming, peaceful vibes from the perch.

The Joys of E-Reading

I have a confession to make to you, my dear followers--I have only recently discovered the joys of e-reading. I'm admitting it. I know how that must sound coming from a librarian, especially one who uses all sorts of technology on a daily basis. I'm well familiar with the various databases for e-books and other e-reading our library offers, but I can't say that I myself have ever read a book entirely online until now. Blame it on the pandemic.

I grew up with books. I love the feel of them in my hands, the smell of their ink and paper, and the fact that they're unplugged. Since I spend most of my days on a computer screen, I didn't want to spend even more time on a screen simply to read a book. I was afraid of straining my eyes further and not having that same experience I get from reading a paper book.

When the stay-at-home order was issued and libraries, including my own, were closed down, like many other readers, I acutely felt the disconnect between myself and the print collection. I was in the mood for reading a certain title, but now I had no access to it...except for its digital version. So I hijacked my husband's tablet, installed the database app, and checked out the virtual book.

I'll be honest. It was strange at first to read the book on a tablet, tapping the screen to go to the next page or to bookmark my spot. After a while, however, I became more comfortable with this new reading experience. I was able to adjust the brightness of the screen according to the light in the room (it was actually great for reading in bed--no need for a reading light!). I was also able to adjust the size of the text (no need for large print books) and look up the definition of any word by tapping on it. Not to mention, I now had access to thousands of books at my fingertips!

Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not giving up paper books. I still love their old school experience. I've just learned to enjoy and appreciate a new reading experience as well. So this Christmas, if Santa offers me an e-reader, I won't turn him down this time.

Happy readings (print and virtual) from the perch.

Summer Reading--It's Good for You!

Our Summer Reading Program has started and is well underway--YAY!!! In the last post, I wrote about how the library is doing the program this year during the pandemic. I also mentioned some benefits of reading for both kids and adults, but just in case you need some more reasons:

• Improves reading skills.  The more you do something, the better you get. Reading is something to practice just like any other activity.
• Improves writing skills.  A good writer is also a good reader. Books demonstrate how language is used.
• Increases the desire to read.  When you eat a potato chip, you know you can't eat just one. The same goes for books.
• Improves self-esteem.  Reading builds vocabulary and knowledge. It's a good feeling when you're able to express yourself well and talk about things you know.
• Improves memory.  When you read a book, one event in a story often leads to the next. Reading exercises your mind and helps you remember earlier things.
• Improves concentration.  You just have to know what happens next in the story, don't you? Reading will help you focus and concentrate better.
• Reduces stress.  Need to relax? Reading allows you to forget your troubles and focus on something else for a while.
• Promotes curiosity and learning.  Reading exposes you to different things that will make you want to learn and understand more.
• Improves empathy.  Connecting with fictional characters helps us connect with real people in our lives.
• Provides entertainment.  Books and the stories they tell are fun! They take us to different places when we have nowhere to go.
• Creates a lifelong interest in reading.  When you start reading and make it an enjoyable activity, it becomes a good habit.

So, crack open those books, charge up those e-readers, and get reading! Read whatever you like. Read alone. Read together. The Summer Reading Program may run for 3 months, but the benefits, fun, and memories will last a lifetime.

Happy summer reading from the perch.