It’s been awhile since I’ve done a “What’s Making Me Happy” post, but doing this blog series prompted me to write one for April. Coincidentally, my friend Sara Letourneau just posted her version last week, so I can link to it, just as we used to do every month!

Before I dive in, did you know that the newest issue of The Perspective Post newsletter comes out tomorrow (Tuesday)? Here’s a secret: I always choose a one-word theme before I write each letter. I won’t give away the story, but the April theme is JOY. If you’d like to read all about it, subscribe now!

I’m watching… The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

It has been a long time since I found a TV show that I’ve loved as much as this one. It has everything I want: deep characters, a compelling storyline, a unique situation, and the perfect combination of drama and humor. I wasn’t surprised when I saw that it was created by Amy Palladino, the brains behind Gilmore Girls. Have you checked out this Amazon series yet? It’s free for Prime members.

(Confession: I haven’t actually watched more than a couple of episodes because I only watch it on my iPad when I’m on the elliptical. But I already love it.)

I’m using… my new standing desk

I have a desk in our dining room, but when things get too crazy in the main part of the house, I escape to work in my bedroom. There isn’t room for a real desk, but I got a very sturdy folding standing desk from Amazon that I can prop on my dresser. It’s the perfect height, and it’s pretty enough that it looks unobtrusive if I leave it set up. This is the one I ordered.

I’m listening to… the Audible app

Listening to audiobooks via Audible isn’t new for me. What is new? Listening to them at higher speed. The one thing I’ve always disliked about the audio medium is that you can’t skim over parts you don’t like. But if I put the book on 1.25x or even 1.5x, I can get through it faster, and the voice pitch doesn’t change. I’m listening to a book right now that I’m not crazy about but I still want to finish. Changing the speed is how I’m getting through it. I don’t plan to use this function with most books, however.

I’m excited about… my daughter’s new words

At 17 months, my daughter is talking like crazy! We’re keeping track of her regular words on the blackboard in our kitchen, but besides these, she’s also parroting much of what we say. It’s so amazing to see her putting words in context. It’s the first glimpse into how her mind works, and I’m hungry for more!

I’m writing in…. Rhodia notebooks

I’m obsessed with Rhodia. The quality of the paper is so thick and silky! I now have several versions: the classic orange steno pad; a smaller spiral version; the extra large dot notebook; and my favorite, the Rhodiarama dot notebook, bound in beautifully colored leather. I have it in three colors. They’re so pretty. And expensive… but if you’re a writer, you need good-quality writing tools.

I’m also really loving my reading life lately– so many great books! If you want to keep track of my journey to 100 books in 2018 (after a successful 109 in 2017) follow the Words From The Sowul Facebook page for weekly updates.

What’s making you happy in April?