Words by Allyson

In Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, a man who has been in prison for a very long time is unexpectedly freed. When the solicitor comes to retrieve the inmate, he says to the newly freed man: "I hope you care to be recalled to life."I have had this line running through my head repeatedly over the last several weeks as the winter chill has...

Clearly I did not feel like writing blog posts in February. But! I did read a few books:1. A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir - This is the final book in a fantasy series that I have had unfinished for far too long. To be honest, I have a lot of problems with this ending. The series started so great, but I feel like this was the weakest...

I have tracked my reading on Goodreads for the past several years, but I'm not great at writing reviews or putting down my thoughts. I used to keep a reading journal but have since fallen off that, so this is my attempt. We'll see how many months I keep up with this, but I'm choosing to be optimistic. With that...1. Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig...

I am obsessed with the Dish podcast. I've listened to or watched dozens of episodes over the past few weeks, and I can't get enough. The hosts are perfection and I'm fascinated by the recipes.My current favorite snack is cucumbers dipped in cottage cheese with ranch seasoning.One of my best and oldest friends is getting married this weekend and I could...

When I was in the seventh grade, I read Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons. The novel begins, "When I was little I would think of ways to kill my daddy. I would figure it out this or that way and run it down through my head until it got easy."A brilliant opener that sent a pang through me the first time I read it. That's a feeling I've been chasing...

Cari Cakes - I'm obsessed with her vlogs, and her book content.Needlepoint. It's my favorite way to wind down before bed right now.Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Rooting for her to win gold tomorrow!The pool. I feel so lucky to have a neighborhood pool.I loved this post and I've read every single comment on it.I made the best sandwich today for lunch...

At some point in the last two weeks, I've put the following things in my cart:This bag is so good.Very into this ginger spice color for sneakers.My aunt gifted me one of these totes and I like it so much I'm seriously considering getting another.I'm out of this perfume - time to save up for my next bottle. It's been my most consistent fragrance for...

Five years ago, I went to my hometown to say goodbye.My parents were selling the home I grew up in that summer, and I didn't know when I would ever be back in that town. While I had (and still have) no interest in living in Tallahassee again, I felt a strange paralysis. Like if my parents left, somehow Tally wasn't mine anymore. I wasn't allowed to...

There are beautiful pink flowering trees outside my house and I almost can't handle it. They're starting to fall which makes me so sad, but for days everytime I get home or leave, I stop and stare. Spring is just magical.I've started watching White Collar for the first time since it aired. I had forgotten how much fun this show is and I'm eating it...

Last week, I went to see Penelope at the Signature Theatre in Shirlington. The show is an imagining of Penelope, Odysseus's wife, as she waits for her husband's return after 20 years at war. It was largely a one-woman show and a small band in a theatre with less than 100 seats. I loved every minute, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.Penelope...