Birthdays & Books
‘With age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone.” (Oscar Wilde).
Happy Wednesday!
It was my birthday last week. The day itself was a quiet affair, but there were a couple of late nights over the course of the week, which is highly unusual for me as I do love an early bedtime. Rock and roll.
On Wednesday, I went to my first dinner and books evening organised by Gentle Books. I am not sure how I first came across the social enterprise, but it was probably while I was searching for something book-related online (which is a frequent occurrence). The organisation now hosts regular second-hand book sales as well as various social events, including ‘A Dinner with Books’.
Prior to the event, I was sent a form where I was asked to share some of my book preferences and dietary requirements. Fortunately, I don’t have many restrictions for either of these, and then, I received a message asking me to bring a book that could be entered into a game of White Elephant.
The venue where the evening was hosted was fantastic, as was the food (definitely want to go back). Plus, it was nice hanging out with some new people and let’s be honest, book people are generally good people.
Then on Friday, I organised dinner with some girlfriends. Much like with reading a good book, it’s amazing how quality time spent with friends nurtures the soul.
Speaking of birthdays, this newsletter also celebrates its 18-month birthday in April. (Sorry, have I already mentioned that it was my birthday last week? I am now 42). 18-months corresponds to 86 posts; a readership that spans 24 countries, probably including bots, and a few hundred thousand words and counting. But in recent weeks, I have realised that it has probably taken me that long—18 months and not 42 years—to get to grips with this platform.
What do I mean by this? Well, without flooding this piece with some of my neuroses, I do still have some questions about Substack and how it operates. Most notably, these questions are related to Notes, which I have already written about here, but lately, I have also noticed that I feel that I am increasingly ‘encouraged’ into using the app, which I find irritating.
Nevertheless, I enjoy being here and believe that this place provides a good service. But did I think that I would still be at this 18-months on from my first post back in November 2023? Knowing me, I wasn’t thinking that far ahead.
Anyway, thanks for being here and here’s to celebrating some more Substack (half) birthdays!
See you next time,
Sarah
Hi, I’m Sarah! The Best of Intentions is an independent publication about life in Hong Kong, travel, work, culture, health/fitness, along with a sprinkle of psychology. If you like this post, consider liking or sharing it. If you are a regular reader please consider subscribing to receive updates and support my writing.
Happy belated, Sarah! What a wonderful way to celebrate.
Happy Belated Birthday, Sarah! And happy substacking. 😉
P.S. I'd be curious how your reads turn out, too. I'm always on the hunt for a good book!