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stubbytoe
joined 8 months ago
I have a very all-or-nothing mentality, so I go through stages of reading all the time to barely touching a book for a while. Books that have got me out of a reading slump are The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger and Coming Up for Air by Orwell. I suspect you'll definitely enjoy both. To me, both of these books capture the essence of life itself. There is something strangely familiar and nostalgic about them.
If you get hooked, Nine Stories by Salinger, as well as any of Orwell's essays are worth a read. Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums is another short story that comes to mind.
I keep vermiculite for more moisture-loving plants, as it releases water for a bit longer than perlite while still providing drainage. My African violet loves it.
Sand is amazing for just drainage and I always add it to cactus and succulent mixes.
Small pebbles (I like lava rocks) have been a must-have for me for a long time. I add them as a top layer for everything. Combined with bottom watering, fungus gnats don't stand a chance. They're also good for cacti and succulents that don't like to sit on top of wet soil for too long. I find them versatile because they can be used as a medium too, for example for succulents. A bonus is that they look real cute and you don't tend to see the mineral deposits from water (water where I live is rich in minerals).
Hope this helps!