Mundane Chapters

Women of Water, Amanda Battle | Book 100, July 2025 Ahhh, my 100th book of the year! If you had told me in January I’d have read 100 books cover to cover, I’d have said  no chance . Yet here we are! And what a book to mark the milestone— Women of Water  by Amanda Battle. This isn’t just a book; it’s a movement. A gentle force. A deep breath. It arrived in my hot lil hands just yesterday and already it has found a permanent spot on my shelf, front and centre, right next to my Cait Miers and Russell Ord photography books. This one belongs in that calibre: bold, breathtaking, and quietly soul-stirring. As I write this, I’ve just dropped my daughter to her dad. I’m parked at the beach, letting the wind settle into my skin, watching the ocean roll in and out like it’s speaking a language I almost remember. I’m also waiting for my love to meet me at Clancy’s for a snack. And in this moment, somewhere between the tide and the tuckshop, I’m taking time to recalibrate with this book on...

Profiles in Hope, John Brogden | Book 88, July 2025 Before I get into this, I want to acknowledge that this is a heavy post. I know we can’t always control what we see online, and reading about suicide can bring up strong feelings. Personally, I don’t believe a “trigger warning” fixes the impact — it can sometimes feel like a bandaid rather than real support. If you choose to keep reading, please take care of yourself in whatever way you need. ASIST Training It’s been a week since I stepped into the training room for ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). Last week,  Profiles in Hope  by John Brogden finally arrived at the library for me after weeks on the waitlist — a strange but fitting coincidence. ASIST was two intense days focused on one of the most important (and toughest) topics: suicide. In Australia in 2023, our population was 29,946,369. That same year, 3,214 people died by suicide (as determined by a coroner), and 1,347,318 people had thoughts of suic...