What I'm Into | mid-summer
A few years back, I did this kind of post monthly, and I thought it would be fun to dust off this blog post genre.
Since I'm The Frugal Girl, most things on this list are cheap or free!
What I'm Reading
Trauma Room Two
Because I can't stop reading medical memoir-type books...I read Trauma Room Two. Written by an ER doctor, it's a collection of fictional medical stories that are based on his actual real-life experiences as a doctor.
My favorite story was the one at the end, told from the perspective of a woman at the end of her life; it is a lovely story about dying beautifully, after a lifetime of memories.
This is a book that one of you recommended to me; the library didn't have it, so I got a copy on eBay. And now that I'm done with it, it's listed back on there for sale! 🙂
Frugal Hedonism
Sonia heard about this book and suggested it to me. I really enjoyed it, although I wouldn't say I exactly learned anything new! This was a case of the authors preaching to the choir. Ha.
One of the concepts in this book is that you can get a whole lot of enjoyment out of your life simply by learning to appreciate what is around you. I think this is so important; it costs nothing to open your eyes to see what is wonderful.
For example, it costs nothing to savor and appreciate:
- the lovely feeling of sliding into fresh sheets
- the beauty in a blue sky
- crusty fresh-baked bread
- the gorgeousness of fog, or hazy morning light, or the golden sunlight at the end of the day
Those are all free or nearly-free things, but the authors also point out that it's also important to really savor the things we do buy. We get the most bang for our buck when we buy things mindfully and then enjoy the heck out of them!
I did actually buy this one new on Amazon because it wasn't at my library and the eBay copies weren't cheaper than Amazon.
You Could Make This Place Beautiful
A friend, one who has also been through the marital wringer, recommended this book to me.
I read almost all of it in a single day; I had no other responsibilities, so I just sat on my living room floor, on a rainy day, and I read and I cried.
I did not expect to cry; the story of the author's marriage dissolving is, on the surface, different from mine.
But the further I got into her story, the more things matched up with my lived experience, and I burst into tears so many times.
I would say that this was a hard read, but also a good one. I felt so understood; to see that someone else has had the exact same thoughts and feelings as me was validating.
And the resultant crying was cathartic.
This is a new release, so it took a while but it did eventually come through on my library holds list! And now I have another of her books (Keep Moving) on my hold list.
What I'm Watching
I usually have very little to share for this section. But when Sonia and I were at the beach, we did watch some TV!
Shiny Happy People
This is the documentary about the Duggars and also Bill Gothard's organization, which was really more of a cult than an organization.
I was homeschooled during the time when Gothard was very popular, but mercifully, my parents never got into his stuff, and I can remember us rolling our eyes at his legalistic rules back then.
Still, this was a little bit hard for me to watch because some of these concepts and beliefs really were pervasive in evangelical homeschool circles, even for those of us not under Gothard's umbrella.
And while I have not suffered from these beliefs nearly as much as some of the people interviewed for this documentary, those ideas did still cause problems and hurt for me.
I never watched the Duggar reality show, but my goodness, I had always assumed that the kids had gotten some sort of monetary compensation for their participation as adults, and I was pretty dang horrified to see that that was not the case.
Mad Men
I know I'm a little late to the game...but Sonia thought I'd enjoy this show, so we watched several episodes together.
My main two thoughts:
1. WHOA, THERE'S SO MUCH SMOKING.
I dunno how anyone in that era escaped from having lung cancer. It made me thankful that indoor smoking is almost never allowed here anymore.
2. My goodness, the sexism and misogyny is terrible.
If the show is accurate (and it probably is), it made me feel very thankful that I live now and not in the 1960s. I know things are still not as they should be in terms of sexism, but I do think we have made a lot of progress since the 1960s!
What I'm Listening To
Well, of course, I am listening to all my usual podcasts.
I made a partial list of those podcasts here (I didn't share them all because some of them are related to the problems in my marriage.)
And I have a list of liked songs on Spotify that I cycle through at random. I can't really share them all because, see above, and also there are too many.
But a few:
Human, by Christina Perri - This one makes me cry.
You Can't Stop the Girl, by Bebe Rhexa -I like the slightly defiant energy of this one. 🙂
Final Breath, by Meghan Trainor - I used to not be able to listen to love songs at all, but I am at a point where I can listen to this and hope that one day, it will describe my life.
If I Dare, by Sara Bareilles - I like this one mainly because of a lovely little cello part in the middle!
Happy or Whatever - a song by a Christian artist, Taylor Leonhardt. I wrote a whole post inspired by this song, and I still listen to it when I am tempted to throw a pity party for myself.
________________
Kristen, if you’ve not heard the piano version of Evanescence’s “Lost in Paradise,” you simply must. Admittedly, I find Amy Lee’s voice good for what ails one at most times. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUzMY2z284&pp=ygUcZXZhbmVzY2VuY2UgbG9zdCBpbiBwYXJhZGlzZQ%3D%3D
Listening-wise, I’ve been another Lux Radio Theatre streak. The 1943 “Jane Eyre” episode with Orson Welles as Rochester has been heard three times in as many days—such a voice. “Eyre” still has a long way to go before catching up with “The Prisoner of Zenda” episode, which is my favorite thanks to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (Yes, we own the movie version. :P)
“Mad Men” is a great series and very, very accurate according to an older friend of mine who worked in ad agency in the 60s. When I asked him if he’d seen the show, he replied, “I had to stop a few episodes in. Living it once was enough!”
@N, Bonus Track: Amy Lee’s “Speak to Me,” which is now stuck in my head from recommending the previous song. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lB8ZsjMhy5M&pp=ygULc3BlYWsgdG8gbWU%3D
@N, Old Time Radio is amazing stuff! There's so much great content out there and so much of it is free on places like YouTube or Archive.org.
@N, my neighbours put in a very specific request that I stop watching Mad Men because the sound of my arguing with the tv was too disruptive…so I saw a handful of episodes when it first came out and haven’t watched any since. I’m also finding myself not motivated to watch it now because I see enough negging of women in my day job…
@Battra92, Indeed, YouTube is where I've found most of what I listen to, as well as several old movies for free (good quality vs. bad bootlegs). "Dragonwyck" and "Leave Her to Heaven" were both marvelous.
Given a host of ongoing medical issues, I've been looking for "lighter" (relatively) streaming options. My favorites remain Brit series such as Grantchester, Death in Paradise, Beyond Paradise, Midsomer Murders (I've rewatched so many of these but still enjoy them so much), Vera, Shetland (heavier but not heartbreakingly so), Agatha Christie mysteries featuring Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Father Brown, Sister Boniface, Jonathan Creek, New Tricks, Chef, As Time Goes By, To The Manor Born, Rosemary and Thyme. Lots of new and oldie classics. Best options are on Brit Box and Acorn. Acorn also has updates of some classics including the "make you feel great about life" Meet the Larkins; Agatha Raisin; The Madam Blanc Mysteries; The Brokenwood Mysteries; Candice Renoir mysteries. There are comedies, drama, mysteries, documentaries from the US, Britain, Australia, France, Italy and more. Good quality and relaxing but not stupid or stultifying.
Book wise: A number of mystery series (pattern here, eh) but light. Two series using older folks (can relate!) as the main characters. The Thursday Murder club series and the seven book (currently) series set in a senior housing unit ( anything but dull or morbid) called The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club. It is a rollicking good time with some really energetic, smart and fun group of folks.
Any recommendations for engrossing but not long fiction? No romance. No historical tomes. Current and intriguing?
Music wise? Hmm. Not as much lately though I got a free six month trial of Sirius so I am exploring various music genres and podcasts.
I stream a lot on Pluto and Freev. Some good selections.
Admittedly, I often fall asleep while streaming. Sometimes I stream simply to put myself to sleep.
I'm always listening to baroque and early music. Anything with Jordi Savall tops my list. And for contemporary cello, YouTube has the extraordinary Brooklyn duo with a husband on cello and wife Marni on piano. Their take on contemporary and classic songs is fantastic. And the selections are diverse. You've got Miley Cyrus (Flowers), Beyonce (Halo) and a bunch of classics like The Swan. The playing is superb and the production values are fantastic as is the sound.
I follow several couples from Italy and Portugal in weekly vlogs on YouTube:
>The Positano Diaries
>Leave Everything and Wander (fabulous Italian couple and their baby daughter, Luce)
>Mr and Mrs Adventure (Young american couple transforming land/mill into their dream house in portugal.)
ONe English couple: Jamie and Megan Colvin (If you've never seen it, they are the couple who wrote a bunch of songs for their wedding in 2019 and have had millions and millions of viewers. They are a young couple with a toddler, second baby on the way. Their specialty is Megan singing and the accompaniment of her husband Jamie. They also write songs just for weddings and other events and have done musical parodies. Very very talented and sweet. She is very very talented and could easily be a performer in any of the many musicals they love from London and Broadway.
I've spent a lot of time on YouTube watching health/medical
videos from accredited sources. Learned a lot, more than your doctor ever tells you, that's for sure. Many if not all include citations for information, data. Not just any old person saying whatever. Major healthcare players such as Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic have produced relevant videos
@Irena, I love the Thursday Murder Club! The characters are wonderful!
@Irena, I really enjoyed Broadchurch and Happy Valley on Acorn. Very good suspense and kept me on the seat of my chair.
@Irena, I like some that you mentioned and I'm going to try others. . Robert thorogood has Marlowe mystery club you might like. Deanna Rayburn has a series as well. Alan Bradley's Flavia series, and some recommended lyndsay Faye to me too.
Reading: The Girl's Own Paper from the 1880s.
Watching: Rewatching Prime Suspect with my son--he's never seen it.
Listening to: LCD Soundsystem
Podcasts: none, I dislike them
The "We Can Do Hard Things" podcast has a good interview with Maggie Smith! If you have room in your podcast lineup for another one, I highly recommend WCDHT.
Everyone should go see the movie “Sound of Freedom “. Well done and very informative.
Reading “How we Love” by Yerkovich. A wonderful book that helps you realize who you are in your marriage and who your husband is. Our Pastors wife recommended it for everyone, even if they are not married. I thought it was good to understand all areas of love; ie parents, sibling, children etc
@Mariane, I haven't seen it yet. I hear it''s a tear jerker. I love that it beat out Indiana Jones (and I'm a Harrison Ford fan).
I'm currently reading Killers of the Flower Moon about Osage murders in the 1920s. I try to intersperse non-fiction with my fiction (favorite is historical fiction). I'm embarrassed to say it, but I am currently watching Love Island. Yes, it's drivel, but easy watching while I do jigsaw puzzles. As for listening, nothing. If I'm not watching TV, I prefer quiet. My husband is a retired radio announcer and he cured me of the desire to constantly have music on. And I've never gotten into podcasts.
@Mary Ann, Don't feel bad. I watch a lot of drivel as well, such as Bachelorette, 90 Day Fiance, etc. It's relaxing, mindless TV and I can multi-task while watching.
@Beth B., oh yeah, watching Bachelorette also.
@Beth B., i used to watch married at first sight. i quit after ten seasons but the first few were really a train wreck and i was glued to them. but then it got too ridiculous.
I will have to check out some new books, because I am determined to stay off my phone as much. Since I'm surrounded by actual medical stories often, that stuff can get very heavy. I tend to go for easy books that are pure fiction or relationship-focused, or only slightly deeper like history and biographies. I was horrified to see that I had spent 6 plus hours on You Tube last week watching nothing but junk. So, I guess lately, I am into changing some bad habits! I am also into doing some updates in my home, and that includes the big (getting bathroom floors replaced) and the small (sprucing the back door and screen door). Just things that keep me busy until I figure out what I want to do with life. (:
@gina, I'm a few steps behind you in the "...until I figure out what I want to do with life" quest, but I think I'm walking your walk. I can also relate to the "I had spent 6+ hours on YouTube last week" comment, since I did pretty much the same with web-surfing in general and YouTube in particular. My real problem is that first with the pandemic, then with caregiving, and now with grief, I've got the attention span of a gnat these days. But, like you, I'm going to try to do better.
@A. Marie, don't forget to give yourself grace. 🙂 You've been through a lot.
@A. Marie, sometimes its nice just to let your brain rest and veg out. Its had a lot to deal with lately and those mindless things can be a bit of respite. We'll make a pact not to be too hard on ourselves. But yes, we both could spend that time reading. Books are such a great escape~!
Have you tried requesting the library buy a book you'd like to read? When we lived in Maryland, if the library didn't have the book, I requested they buy it! You can do it right through the website. I was never turned down for a request AND, when it arrives, you're the first one who gets to check it out! We live in SC now, and this isn't an option, which makes me very sad. Might be worth a try if you come across another book that's not in the library's current holdings. Happy Monday!
Good tip!
@Julia, I am even able to request digital media from our library. 🙂
I am currently finishing The Lord of the Rings on audiobook. I'm in The Return of the King right now. Andy Serkis (the actor that played Gollum in the movies) narrates it and it is BY FAR the best audiobook experience I have ever had! I totally recommend it to anyone who enjoys LOTR.
For reading physical books, I recently finished Jane Eyre and Bookshop by the Sea. I'm currently reading Angels of the Pacific - a WW2 historical fiction. Bookshop by the Sea was a good vacation read.
Two of my favorite podcasts right now are Dadville (we all need laughter in our lives and this definitely provides some) and Raising Boys and Girls. Sissy Goff is one of the hosts of RB&G and she's been super helpful as I enter the years of parenting a tween girl.
@Ruth T, we just finished the Hobbit narrated by him and it was one of the best audio books I have heard. We loved it! We got it through Hoopla with our library card.
@Faith, Awesome! I'm planning to do that one next. 🙂 I also got mine through Hoopla.
Oh, my. And what I'm most impressed with in this post? That you can sit on a floor for so long! 🙂
After quite a while of not reading much because of time and a tired face at the end of the day, I've been able to get back into the reading game lately. I've loved all I've read so far (and a couple have been re-reads).
*_The Writing Life_ by Annie Dillard-- This book is so rich that I kept re-reading parts of it. I'd read in little chunks. Then I'd pick it up again and read about half of what I'd read before and go ahead a little. Then I'd read something to somebody in my family. And so on.
*Rosemary Sutcliff's Roman trilogy (_Eagle of the Ninth_, _The Silver Branch_, and _The Lantern Bearers_.) This is historical fiction for young folks (middle? high?), but I absolutely loved it.
*_Northanger Abbey_ by Jane Austen-- This was the first Austen novel I read back when I began my Austen binging, and I couldn't remember it very well. And I'm so glad I re-read it. Now it's getting more difficult for me to pick a favorite Austen book. So, so good.
*_The Death of Socrates_ by Plato-- I'm reading this one for school. While I'm looking forward to learning some things, I'm not thinking this will be one I have a difficult time putting down; it's just not that kind of book.
Watching? If I watch, I watch what others in the house are watching. The Book of Eli, Jeopardy, Duck Tales, Monty Python, and the Marty Stuart Show re-runs.
Listening? I am listening to a lot of kids practicing recorders and the piano-- mostly hymns from our hymnal. I like Colter Wall a lot. And we just got back from a (free!) Marty Stuart concert. The traditional country music buff daughter has such things playing daily. I won't complain.
@Jody S., Haha! I get this. I listen to children's songs and watch kid shows. I just did introduce my kids to The Pink Panther (the TV show from 1969) that's available on Prime. They thought it was great!
Haha, well, there IS a rug on the floor, so it's not like I was sitting on bare hardwood floors.
@Kristen, Nope. Still impressed.
@Jody S., I thought the same thing. I can sit on the floor for about 5 minutes.
@Ruth T, my kids love shari lewis.
I just finished Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I either love or hate her work as to me, she can come off as preachy. I loved this one. I've worked in acute care for many decades, so therefore, had lots of interaction with patients without housing and with alcoholism and drug abuse. This gave me so much more insight and compassion. It's a work I will think about for a long time.
@Lisa, I read Demon Copperhead recently and I loved it because while it is preachy, more importantly it gave me new perspectives about addiction.
Agree 100% that it's a work I will think about for a long time.
@Lisa, I generally prefer Kingsolver's nonfiction to her fiction. But so many commenters here have raved about Demon Copperhead that I may have to give it a try.
@Lisa, I tried Demon Copperhead and had to give it up. I was parallel reading it with a friend and she finished it, so I do know how it ended, but I found that it messed with my head in much the same way Education did (the memoir by Tara Westover). I just couldn't.
Reading: after a summer of mediocre mysteries and medical memoirs, I've resorted to rereading the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Wonderfully paced, great world creation, reflects on what is man/sentient without being preachy. I read very little sci-fi, but this series stands out.
Watching: I don't watch much TV or streams. I do sit with my kids at night as we watch BenTen or Phineas and Ferb,; it's fun to listen to their thoughts and commentaries.
Listening: I hardly turn on the radio if I'm by myself, but if I'm doing a puzzle or something around the house, I'll put on one of my YouTube Playlist of 90s - REM and Matchbox 20 for example-music or soft background. I've been surrounded by noise all day for many yea- I sort of prefer quiet .
Shiny happy people…that was a hard watch.
I’m reading the WingFeather Saga aloud to my kids this summer. We’re on book 2, North! Or Be Eaten and it’s a fun time.
By myself I’m reading LM Montgomery (Jane of Lantern Hill on a recommendation from someone in this group a few years back). I also picked up “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” by Kelly Barnhill because I had loved her story “The Ogress and the Orphans” so much (another great read aloud). Not sure I’ll like this one as much even though it won a Newbwery.
As far as music, I’ve been embracing handpan music after hearing a yoga teacher play one at the end of class. Audrey Assad’s Inheritance is on loop along with Austin French’s Born Again, and Jason Lavik’s Be Still and Know. I’ve also been listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. It hits a bit differently this year.
@Kaitlin, Both The Ogress and the Orphans & The Girl Who Drank the Moon sound fabulous!
Adding them to my reading list! Thanks for the recommendation!
@Kaitlin, What ages are your kids for the WingFeather Saga? I've been wondering if my kids are the right ages for it.
Also, I really like Jadon Lavik's music.
@Ruth T, 7,8,9. It’s got some pretty big themes (living in the brokenness of our world, betrayal, trust, perseverance), but does so in an almost silly way (fangs, quilldiggles, Gnag the Nameless, footnotes referencing [fictional] historical books of that world) so it doesn’t seem quite so terrifying. Book 1, On the Dark Sea of darkness is pretty safe. Book two has a Fork Factory that should be screened by adults before kids read that section, and book 3 deals a lot with the complexity of being a good person who does bad things. My kids are living through a lot right now and the novel is giving them a chance to think through some of their stuff but in the lives of Janner Tink and Leeli.
@Kaitlin, that's a really helpful review! Thank you!
A good cry is sometimes just what you need I think.
I recently listened to Fourth Wing on audio. It reminded me of a more racy Hunger Games. I read Play For Me by Libby Hubscher which was a cute closed door romance novel.
Watched Derry Girls with my daughter. That’s a fun show. Also saw the new Indians Jones with my husband and son which was also fun.
Listening to some Stevie Nix for an upcoming concert and a bunch of country music. I’m enjoying Tennessee Orange by Megan Maroney. I like a song with a little smile and a wink.
Otherwise I’ve been working on losing some weight so I’m reading a lot of noom articles and looking for new healthy recipes that my family will also enjoy.
@Susan, I love Derry Girls, too! It's funny and poignant at the same time.
I am old and I have a child almost in kindergarten so my listening and watching tend to be what he likes or what I can get away with before he wants to watch something he wants. I did put in my Pee Wee's Playhouse DVDs yesterday and got to watch an episode for old time's sake. I am still trying to catch up on Call the Midwife and may start rewatching Better Things. Such a great show.
Podcasts are the same variety of parenting and finance shows along with Sleep With Me when I can't get back to sleep in the middle of the night. It works like a charm most nights.
After graduating with a degree in English, I now mostly read for pleasure and those tend to be romance novels and mostly through the Libby app. Some of my recent reads have been terrible but hopefully some of my holds are available soon.
We are moving in a few weeks, but I'm hoping we can get one set of in-laws to babysit when they visit so I can go see the Barbie movie. It looks like it's going to be a delight.
Just realized I'm giving away my age without explicitly saying it. 🙂
I'm not really into medical stuff, but I love non-fiction. I highly recommend an old book by Mark Brown, an ER doctor, Emergency!: True Stories from the Nation's ERs. (1996.) If you can find it, the "fork" story is my favorite. How's that for a teaser?
Your review of Mad Men reflects mine. I never made it past the first few episodes and still don't understand the fascination with that era.
@Bobi, it's extremely well written with gripping storylines.
@Rose,
I agree. My mom worked full time when I was a kid (NOT in advertising or PR), and has recently shared some stories of the sexism and serial harassment she experienced (mostly in the late 1960s-1970s). Horrifying. And having worked in a hospital for the past 36 years, I can remember when patients and staff could smoke almost anywhere in the hospital. Yes, PATIENTS could smoke in their rooms, with some exceptions. It was disgusting, and I was thrilled when they instituted a "smoke free campus" policy.
Adding to my to read list: Trauma Room Two, You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir
A book I read recently that inspired me to try to eat 85% or more whole foods diet: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40725379-animal-vegetable-miracle
A great podcast episode I'm enjoying: Huberman Lab Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg: How to Improve Your Eye Health & Offset Vision Loss
https://hubermanlab.com/dr-jeffrey-goldberg-how-to-improve-your-eye-health-and-offset-vision-loss/
One of my favorite songs I've been listening to on repeat:
Marcin - Kashmir on One Guitar (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA3jFMDBiu4
Lovely post!
"We get the most bang for our buck when we buy things mindfully and then enjoy the heck out of them!"
I have been bad at this - yesterday I bought a super expensive smoothie and just drank it very quickly, barely enjoying it. What a waste of money?!
I am curious about your tv-non-habit. Are you not interested in TV or have you not grown up with watching TV or are there other reasons? It just seems very different from most people 🙂
@Maggie, Not Kristen, but the older I get the less TV I watch. Many weeks, I watch zero. I grew up glued to the TV in the best 1970s kid fashion. Now I find most TV shows (except for a few like Mad Men) really stupid and/or unfunny and/or poorly written and obvious, and I'd rather concentrate on my own writing or reading than consume the junk on TV.
I like movies if they're any good which they mostly aren't, but I am looking forward to the Barbie and Oppenheimer movies.
@Rose, Me, too. I think the biggest explanation for why I don't watch much tv is that there are other things I would rather do. Maybe I watched soooo much tv as a kid that I'm just done. Ditto for reading romance books.
@Rose, i was totally a tv kid. it was my babysitter. i was an only child and bothh parents work. now i watch netflix mostly on a borrowed account. we had it ten years but now i can't borrow it anymore. hoping to get netlfix for my biirthday in september. i have stock in netflix so i don't mind supporting them. need to finish sweet magnolia and virgin river.
i love you comments you are so witty. sorry your husband was suuch a jerk.
I recently read "Giants in the Earth" by Ole Rolvaag. It's an old novel about the original Norwegian immigrants to the Great Plains. It's translated from Norwegian, which makes for a slightly odd phrasing throughout, but I must admit I could relate to some of it. Not that I'm a pioneer, but I've gotten closer to it in my own life than I ever thought possible. Also, some of the translated phrases are hilariously descriptive. My favorites were the father declaring they would "punish" a lot of food when they got home from plowing, and the phrase, "Young bulls have weak sinews" when pondering his teenage son. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, Oh, and not recent, but one of the best books I've read in the past year or so was "Hester," by Laurie Albanese. Very readable but interesting. Fan of "The Scarlett Letter" would get most out of it, but I still really enjoyed it despite not remembering anything about Nathanial Hawthorne.
@kristin @ going country, Ugh. Typos everywhere.
@kristin @ going country, Are there any fans of "The Scarlet Letter"? Heh. I thought it was just something high school English teachers forced down kids' throats, along with "Our Town" (barf) and "The Red Badge of Courage."
@Rose, Perhaps not. 🙂 I do think knowledge of the story and of the author probably would contribute to the enjoyment of "Hester," since the whole premise of the novel is a woman Nathaniel Hawthorne was involved with who inspired the character of Hester.
@kristin @ going country, Very interesting! I did not know that.
@kristin @ going country, I loved reading Giants in the Earth! I found copies of Rolvaag's other books but none of them held a candle to this one, his masterpiece.
@Kristina,
I was forced to read it in, I think, middle school?
So I probably need to re-read it, because I know I didn't enjoy it the first time.
I enjoyed Shiny Happy People for the reckoning that it was. I remember watching the Duggars on television and feeling like they must have something figured out the regular families miss out on. It is with sadness and some relief to see what a lie it all was - a bit like seeing the darkness behind social media. I find it so sad to know how many suffered and the long-lasting effects of their upbringing.
Sliding into clean sheets is a weekly joy for me. It has become a task that I welcome and I love using Downy scent beads and then spritzing my sheets with a fabric refresher, lighting a candle before I turn in for the night. It is the best night of sleep all week long.
I have not been reading much lately as I have been devoting any time I carve out for myself towards my wellness journey. Bootcamp workouts several times a week, walks, gardening, and any other active tasks I can do. Lots of time is being spent counting macros, meal planning and enjoying the fruits of this labor and the results that I am seeing. I am 45 so this is slow-going but I am confident that the outcome is worth the wait and I have never felt better.
We pulled the plug and are painting our home. There was a cost associated with this of course but the change that it has made in our home is HUGE. I am calling this a frugal task over the years as I think that it is important to enjoy the space that you live in. This encourages me to stay home more often and that leads to other cost saving activities like at-home date nights, more cooking & baking, and just general enjoyment of our home. We shopped around for the best price that we could get and are enjoying the quality results immensely.
I grew up in the 60s, and absolutely every adult I knew smoked. My high school had a
"smoking patio" so kids could go outside after lunch and smoke ! People smoked on buses and in restaurants and every place else. And yes, women were treated like second-class citizens with little intelligence. Classified employment ads were divided into jobs for men and jobs for women -- and needless to say, the jobs for women weren't too exciting and didn't pay well ! Things are SO much better now.
@Melissa, and I can't even begin to cover what many men felt free to do or say to women in the workplace. And there were zero consequences.
I cannot even imagine how awful that must have been!
Wow, that's so wild to imagine a school with a smoking patio!
@Melissa, I'm also surprised in a lot of films how much hard alcohol is used. No wonder alcoholism is still with us!
Reading: Catching up on some manga I got mostly (real heavy stuff, I know - lol) but I'm getting ready to start a couple Civil War history books I picked up on my most recent vacation.
I also picked up a copy of A Thurber Carnival which should be interesting to read. Thurber was quite the character and My Life and Hard Times is one of the funniest books I've ever read.
Listening:
Picked up an Emmylou Harris CD at the thrift store on vacation so that's been in heavy rotation along with some soundtracks to some early Godzilla movies. Yeah, I'm nothing if not varied at times.
Watching:
Per Mad Men: At the risk of sounding like a crotchety old man who is younger than you, it's really difficult to put a lot of stock into how Hollywood portrays the past. There's an obvious agenda in Tinsel Town and they love to portray the past as a clearly evil place filled with evil people because that makes for good television. I don't feel we are living in some sort of enlightened age at all vs the mid-20th century.
Per smoking rates, in the 1960s around 40% of the American public were smokers. The current rate is 11.5%
As L.P. Hartley said in "The Go-Between," "The Past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."
That said, I've been catching up on watching old sitcoms on Tubi and Pluto like Gilligan's Island , The Dick Van Dyke Show etc. I like to keep current, I guess. 😛
@Battra92, but then you weren't a female who lived through the mid-20th century, were you? Hollywood does take poetic license, but, sadly, the sexism and misogyny Kristen was referencing was all too real even in small town America at that time.
@Bobi, Yes and my mother worked on Wall Street in the early 60s. She confirms that Mad Men was completely accurate. (Then she got fired for being pregnant. Illegal today of course.) I did catch a few errors in Mad Men, like when Betty calls Sally "a little dyke," which a housewife would never have said in 1960, but very few.
I'm kind of astonished that people are astonished by Mad Men. You folks need to read some feminist lit, starting with The Feminine Mystique.
@Battra92, Just read an article about the U.S. states with mortality rates almost three years less than the rest of the country. In these twelve places, smoking rates are higher than elsewhere. Higher cigarette taxes and educational campaigns were credited with lowering smoking rates.
Included the helpful statistics that since 2000, high school student smoking rates dropped from almost 30% to 2%, though that was traditional cigarettes, not including vaping.
The article didn't mention making smoking illegal in public places, but that must have made a difference as well.
@Heidi Louise, I read that article too and I think the taxes on cigarettes may be the biggest factor. I sort of laughed that people in those highest smoking states smoke about 53 packs per year, so like one per week. By comparison, my grandmother smoked 3 packs of cigarettes per day! And she was not an anomaly for that time period (pre 1980s) but then she paid less for a carton than people pay for one pack nowadays.
@Bobi, I try not to be judgmental about smoking, because I am sure if I had started, I would never have been able to quit. Fortunately, my parents didn't smoke and no one ever tried to introduce me to cigarettes. And no one told me to smoke to lose weight or improve my lungs.
In the 2001 book "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich, the author works a variety of minimum wage service jobs and describes her experiences. One was that her co-workers who wanted to treat themselves would go have a cigarette; it was a luxury purely for themselves.
@Heidi Louise, I've never been a smoker but people say it relaxes them, so I can see the appeal for minimum wage service jobs.
And I graduated high school in 1983 and our school had a smokers' area outside too. And at college, many of the dorms had "back smokers" although you weren't allowed to smoke inside, not because of health, but because the dorms were mostly insulated with hundred year old newspapers. Though I remember a friend of mine, a senior, smoking in the back smoker and a freshman came by and sputtered, "You're not allowed to smoke in here!" My friend just looked at her and blew a few smoke rings at her until she stomped off. Man, she was awesome.
My dad chain smoked. If he got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, he lit a cigarette. He didn't die of a smoking related disease nor did he ever have any, go figure.
@Rose, Same with my grandmother. She smoked 3 packs a day of unfiltered Camels for 43 years and lived to be 91! Definitely, go figure! 😉
@Bobi, That was my grandma's brand, too. But she did have smoking related problems.
@Heidi Louise, I had a lot of problems with that book since I'm someone who grew up in a poor town and saw people get trapped by the serfdom of their own makings. Vices like tobacco are a big one but alcohol and pot are far worse these days.
Anything that makes these three substances harder to obtain the better IMO.
I too am amazed that you can read an entire book sitting on the floor, Kristen. Also, admire the reading of medical memoirs. I seem to get more and more squeamish with each passing year.
My husband and I are challenged to find things to watch that both of us like. I love Jane Austen, he loves blowing up buildings and speeding cars. We just finished Band of Brothers which was hard to watch at times because it shows very realistic WWII battlefield scenes but the history and stories of the soldiers were captivating. It was good that I was not able to gloss over the horror of war as my Austen heart loves to do. My dad and uncles were WWII veterans so it is interesting for me to learn more about the war because they didn't talk much about it much (or I wasn't listening). Now we are interspersing MASH episodes with old detective stories. I kind of have a crush on Tom Selleck so it's Magnum PI for now.
I just finished reading Finlay Donovan is Killing It for my book club. I usually have several books going at once, so now it's Citizen Soldiers (goes with Band of Brothers very well); Aging with Grace, Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture; and Dynamics of Spiritual Life, which is a seminary textbook but I'm reading it for the history.
My favorite podcasts are Smart Money Happy Hour and The World and Everything In It.
@Elaine N, you've given me my best laugh of the day with "I love Jane Austen, he loves blowing up buildings and speeding cars." That captures the difference between my and DH's viewing tastes in a nutshell.
And DH also loved war movies, the longer the better. My favorite story about this is the time he rented the director's cut of Das Boot. The movie was long enough to begin with; the director's cut, of course, was even longer; and DH kept rewinding and replaying his favorite bits. After about 4 hours of this, I stomped downstairs (I'd retreated to the master bedroom) and yelled, "Haven't you finished with that @#$%!! movie YET??"
@A. Marie, Memories for me. My mother put it on to watch the first holiday BFF came to stay with my family. After a while I was SO bored and went to bed and BFF and my mother watched it and discussed it. The next day my mother said BFF could join the family any time.
I like Jane Austen, but I also like movies where stuff blows up. And horror movies if they're any good which they mostly aren't. The trouble with chick-lit movies is that they're mostly terrible compared to the books so I get impatient with them.
@Elaine N, I have the same issue with regards to my spouse. She humors me some times and I've watched my share of her shoes but there's so little media that we both enjoy together. What's even more difficult is that I don't have any people in my circle to talk to about the things I enjoy.
@A. Marie, thanks so much for another dh story. love, love,love them. keep them coming. take good care of yourself. wishing you well.
@Battra92, i have the only hubby on the planet who likes chick flicks as much as i do. he is one of the best movie pickers i know.
I watched Shiny Happy People and was appalled at the way the women in the cult were treated. Not shocking but still very sad. Also blew my mind that even the adult kids didn't receive money and the parent signed contracts for them, which should be illegal.
We just finished watching Pie in the Sky on PBS Masterpiece before our subscription ended.
I am currently reading the Blood Fire Saga series. When I finish that, I'll move on to the latest Brandon Sanderson book that was released as part of his kickstarter. Sanderson is my all time favorite author.
My husband and I love to watch a show at the end of the day. Apple TV and Disney+ are by far our favorite streaming services. Apple has the best adult shows. Disney is great for family stuff. Some current series we’ve enjoyed …
Apple TV
1) Ted Lasso - We finished the last season and it was as good as ever. Love this series and it’s characters so much.
2) Silo - I wasn’t expecting to enjoy a show revolving around people living inside a silo, but this one sucked me in. The main character, a smart and determined woman, is trying to follow the clues to figure out the mystery of the silo and the outside world. It’s a favorite combo for me. I’m very happy they decided to make a season two.
3) Crowded Room - We’re still in the process of watching this one. It’s heavy subject matter, but I’ve been intrigued by the story.
4) Hijack - We just started watching this one. So far, I’m very interested to figure out the characters’ stories/involvement in the plot.
Disney+
5) Secret Invasion- I’m not sure yet about this one. My son has us all hooked on Marvel, so we, of course, have to watch a Nick Fury spin off series. Fingers crossed it will be a good one. Even if it’s not, spending time watching and talking about the show with my son makes it worthwhile.
6) The Muppets Mayhem - We loved watching this as a whole family. I have an 8yo girl and 14yo boy, so it’s hard to span those differences, show wise. My husband and I loved the nostalgia of the Muppets and we all laughed so much. Warning: You will be saying “fer sure” in your head for weeks following this show. 🙂
When I was in fourth grade, back in ye olden times, I found out that I was the ONLY kid in my fourth grade classroom who didn't have at least one parent who smoked. I also remember my dad coming home from work meetings with red eyes, streaming sinuses and a roaring headache - they smoked in his place of business and meetings kept them enclosed in one shut up room for a couple of hours. It's crazy that we had to outlaw smoking in so many places to make people stop smoking anywhere they pleased.
The most recent book I read was "Death Comes for the Archbishop" by Willa Cather but before that I read "The Feast of the Goat" by Mario Vargas Llosa, which was recommended to me, and oh, my. The language, the situations, the violence! But the recommendation was right in that it was a gripping look at life in a dictatorship.
I'm also reviewing kids' books by skimming or reading them to see if they would make good gifts for the 7 and 9 year old readers in the family.
I don't watch much television. If I have time - usually on a Saturday or Sunday evening when my chores and project work is done, I'll look for movies I didn't see in theaters, which is basically all of them in the last few years. Recently I watched "Sully" and "Crazy Rich Asians." I plan to see "The Sound of Freedom" in a theater though. It goes right along with my church's anti-trafficking outreach.
I will ALWAYS recommend reading the non-fiction "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande. It's sort of medical, sort of not, but it's definitely important, and interesting to boot.
Yes, I read Being Mortal and thought it was such an important read for anyone!
@JD, I'm a little younger than Kristen but I had no relatives who smoked (my dad quit before I was born) and no relatives who drank alcohol. Neither were around at our gatherings so growing up and being around people who did those always made me feel like I'd gone to a foreign country.
I didn't grow up around drinking or smoking, but I was born in the late 70s, to an immediate and extended family who were all Christians. So, it just wasn't part of my culture growing up. That said, I realize my experience is not indicative of what the larger culture was like!
My husband and I have been thoroughly enjoying watching “Portrait Artist of the Year.” There are several years of the series.
We’ve also been enjoying “Murder in Paradise.”
A very entertaining film we’ve watched a few times in the past few years is “The Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Every time we watch it we see some new details we missed during previous viewings. And we usually watch it with someone who hasn’t seen it before.
Last night we watched,”A Man Called Otto.” The story is beautiful.
I’ve been reading through the Louise Penny series with Inspector Gamache ; The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk; and a short story collection by Dostoyevsky.
We started a habit during the pandemic of watching something as a family every night. Yes, often during dinner. No shame in our game. First we worked our way through Stargate: SG-1, then Stargate: Atlantis. Also lots of Star Trek. First the Original series, then Next Generation, then Deep Space Nine. Nobody wanted to watch Voyager much, ha!
Lately we've been really enjoying showing the kids shows we liked a lot, such as The Greatest American Hero (free with ads on FreeVee through Amazon--the ads are not that bad, and we just mute those anyway) and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman are two that everyone is really liking a lot. Lois and Clark came with a HBO Max subscription, which we will cancel when we're done watching the show. It's so good and pretty darn wholesome compared to shows made nowadays.
We also caved and watched Shazam! which was actually a lot better, and funnier, than I thought it would be. The second one wasn't as great.
Reading: I discovered Joe Landsale's books after reading Moon Lake. I just couldn't put it down. Kind of hardboiled, funny, and mysterious. Also his book the Donut Legion.
I have to say this. I'm 74 and if anyone from a younger generation asks me about life and work when I was young, I can sum it all up. "Watch Mad Men." That's exactly how it was.
@Anne, At the time the show was out, I glanced through an article about the costumes for the show, specifically focusing on women's undergarments. Oh, no.
@Heidi Louise, I remember that Ann Landers said something to the effect that all decent women wore girdles so that they didn't jiggle. This was around 1960 and I was in junior high.
@Anne, Yup. When I went to college in 1966 my mother insisted I needed a girdle since most clothes were too revealing with one! I think she meant "too jiggly," but it was confusing. And uncomfortable. Later I learned that the skirt of a skirted suit is designed to be worn over a girdle--it looks wrong without it. I am so glad to have not one single girdle in my life now!
Favourite reads this year include - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkinson, Aue by Becky Manuwatu and The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith.
Watched Silo, Ted Lasso and Friday Nights.
@Chris in NZ, Alright... this is the second time that a number of people here have recommended Demon Copperhead. I just put it on reserve at the library!
@Ruth T, it is a look at a harsh sort of life, but so beautifully written, so very real. Barbara Kingsolver is a genius at putting her readers directly into her stories.
The only TV we're watching right is StarTrek: Strange New Worlds, which is totally awesome.
I have guilty pleasure obsession with an older British series, now on Tubi, if I remember correctly, called Body Fixers, just because the gang of young hair dressers, stylists, make-up artists and their doctor colleague are such nice, funny people and make people feel better about themselves.
For books, I just read and enjoyed "Mozart in the Jungle," a memoir of a young woman making it as a professional oboist in New York City. Had tried watching the series made from it and the characters were loathesome. The book is far better. Also really enjoyed an Australian mystery titled "The Dry" by Jane Harper, which was so very well plotted that I could not guess the killer.
For old time radio, RadioEchoes .com has a huge free library. I've listened to some of the original "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"; my husband likes old quiz shows. Great index of comedy, music, westerns, sci fi, WWII, etc.
What I’m Reading: I’m going through my to-read pile at a pace I haven’t for years and it feels amazing! In June I read Not a Happy Family, The Turn of the Key, and Life and Other Complications. I am currently reading When I was You. I am waiting on my friend to read The Sentence so we can go visit the bookshop where the book takes place.
What I’m Watching: My husband and I are planning on cancelling HBO at the end of the month so we are binging Succession and The Righteous Gemstones. For more uplifting shows I’m also enjoying Master Chef, Gordon Ramsey’s Food Stars, AGT, and Crime Scene Kitchen.
What I’m Listening To: For audio books during my daily walks I’ve listened to The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo, Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything, American Dirt and The Wife Upstairs. I also like to catch up on my favorite podcasts while cleaning: Crime Junkie, Saw Bones, Brain & Life, Cautionary Tales, Lore, Noble Blood, This American Life.
@Geneva, Succession was great.
Reading: Ultra-Processed People - Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn't Food ... and Why Can't We Stop? by Chris van Tulleken. Recommended to everyone who has tried to change their diet and felt guilt and shame for not succeeding. And everyone else.
With This Pledge by Tamera Alexander. Read it in one sitting and will enjoy reading it again, even though I cried through a lot of it. A love story in the midst of The American Civil War, recommend to read the reviews on Goodreads.
Watching: From and The English. They are both soo good!
Listening: Only Norwegian podcasts now. Enjoying the Femme Studio by Laurie Darmon, especially Laisse-moi t'aimer as a pick me up song. But as I don’t speak French I have no idea if the lyrics is actually something that would qualify as a “happy song” 😉 Listening to Katarina Barruk and looking forward to going to the Sami festival Eddemannak in august and seeing her live again.
I'm adding to my wish list at Paperbackswap!
On July 13th there is a chance to see the Northern Lights if you are in one of the 17 states that will have a view! This time of year I drag out my telescope and gander at the stars. My dog is my sidekick and she watches owls and bats. Perspective!
One of my favorite sites is https://www.ouramericanstories.com/
these are great human interest stories. On my weekly visits the local retirement village in the medical ward, I gather residents for stories and this is one of my greatest sources.
In the non medical ward I bring fresh veggies and fruit from the garden for the residents to nibble. It is a great way to reminisce and gets the "remember when" stories going.
I rarely watch series and I live too far out to stream (no broadband), we are watching Alone, heartland and old medical dramas that we never had time to watch when working 4 - 12 hr shifts (ER & ICU nurse), farming and raising a very active family.
It is county fair season and we are taking advantage of great entertainment (singers, comedy & misc). We have 9 counties in a 50 mi radius to enjoy.
Just read Keep Moving. Found it at Ollie’s for $3.99. During Ollie’s Days, so got 15% off.
I'm so happy to see Maggie Smith on this list. She's local to me and we also share alma mater, which makes me feel connected to her. She's a wonderful author. Her poems are beautiful and Keep Moving is also excellent. I also just recently finished You Could Make This Place Beautiful and loved it. I'm so glad you found solace in her, Kristen.
One of my favorite authors is David McCullough. He is a scholar and historian, and anything he writes is fantastic. You may be familiar with his very thick "John Adams" and (Harry S) "Truman" biographies, but I've also read his (normal length) book on the "Pioneers" and (normal length) biography of "The Wright Brothers", inventors of the airplane, and their sister, who was their biggest supporter. All his books read like very good novels. But they are all true to life; he includes footnotes of all his sources, so you can look it up yourself and verify the facts. You can probably find "John Adams" and "Truman" at thrift stores; all his stuff will be in libraries; and I bought the Pioneer book from Ollie's Outlet for about $4, I think. Don't be put off by the length of his books because by the time you finish one, you'll be wishing he wrote another 500 or so pages.
I'm also starting another series, the Longmire Mysteries by Craig Johnson. As earlier reported, I got hooked on the Longmire TV show, which is broadcast over the air on The Circle network. I read "A Cold Dish," the first one in the series, a couple of weeks ago, and I've also finished reading some of the others. Those were from the library, so I don't have the titles with me. I traded for "Dish" at the used book store. I remember one title of a novella, "Spirit of Steamboat," which is about using a dilapidated old WW2 aircraft to fly an accident victim to Denver in a blizzard. It's more an aircraft/adventure tale, but still something I like since my dad was a pilot.
And for a good giggle, there's always the Stephanie Plum mystery series by Janet Evanovich. The world's worst bounty hunter, Stephanie gets herself and her colorful New Jersey pals into all sorts of trouble, all of it hilarious.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I found the Stephanie Plum books a bit too scary and graphic (I'm notably sensitive to that stuff, though), but I LOVED the movie based on the first book.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Cold Dish and Junkyard Dogs are my two favorites in the Longmire series. Some of the others require me to suspend my disbelief just a little too farm. But, if you ever have a chance to see Craig and Judy Johnson on tour, definitely do that. He is very interesting in person and they are a matched pair for sure. And one more thing, ha, if you like Craig Johnson, I recommend Tony Hillerman if you haven't read his already.
@Fru-gal Lisa, McCollough was great. Sadly we lost him not long ago.
I love this!!! I used to love the monthly favorite videos during the old school Youtube days and I am totally one of those people that if I love something, I have to share it with the world so they can love it too. I am really glad you are getting to the medical memoirs. I super recommend "Medical Apartheid" or "Black Man in a White Coat," as bias in medicine is something I am interested in actively try and work against. I also watched "Shiny, Happy People" and as someone who grew up a secular Jew, it is horrifying. It must be a mind trip for you as some who grew up adjacent to it.
My monthly favorites:
- Skinny Taste One and Done. I am trying to be better about what I put in my body and this is an easy resource for easy dinners
- The Princess Diaries. I was obsessed with these books in high school and decided to give my favorites a re-read and dang if they don't hold up.
- the re-release of "Speak Now." This album came out when I was in college and a lot of the songs bring me back to that time, which was for me, very special.
- freeze dried berries. I want fruit to put on my morning greek yogurt but I am a texture-adverse problem. Freeze dried berries keep the nutritional value and add a delightful crunch. And as a bulk buy on Amazon, they can't be beat.
- my local coffee shop. I know buying coffee everyday is very unfrugal, but as Kristen always says; you have to look for enjoyment. I am on disability until October (don't shred your achilles tendon folks), on crutches and non-weight bearing. Moving, leaving the house and basic activities are super hard. Going to my local independent coffeeshop run by the sweetest college kids (who know my order and save me a table at this point) to get a cold brew gives me a little glimpse of normalcy
Ohhh, so sorry to hear about your Achilles! I think a coffee a day is a very good coping mechanism during this time.
I adore this post and all its comments! I'm always looking for new stuff to read and listen to.
I'm reading (I almost put an exclamation point on that because I have been having a hard time with attention span, but have recently gotten it back): The Thursday Murder Club, Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories, and The Golden Spoon (a book pretty much based on the Great Brittish Baking show with a murder thrown in). I had a thrift store book buying spree right before my July money diet, so I'm reading those books. When I'm done, I'll exchange for some at a Free Library.
I'm listening to: The Impossible Impostor by Deanna Raybourn and Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander. Historical romance/mystery series that I can listen to while doing the dishes. Entertaining, without being too emotionally invested. For podcasts, Muskegon History and Beyond because I love learning about local history, The English Heritage Podcasts - history across the pond, and All About Agatha - a podcast about Agatha Christie's books.
I'm watching the Tour de France, the Indiana Jones movies (I never saw them when they came out and my boyfriend is insisting I need to see them before we go to the new one), and Antiques Roadshow (PBS version, but I do love the original too!).
I get a lot of my books and great grandchildrens books from here:
https://www.thriftbooks.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_search_brand&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=thriftbooks&utm_content=225285045970&gclid=CjwKCAjw2K6lBhBXEiwA5RjtCeYlHVTI9H7hilqWadwMAojRljrB4fv4XhltkoT-foC4TvdmwxeEFhoC_x8QAvD_BwE
Oh "like" YOURS
Book about a hospital in New Orleans hurricane
Kitchen Table Wisdom
Oh music, Imany radio Spotify, Shabnam Majid DJ Chino radio( not for everyone), middle eastern, album titles with Istanbul, and mix of traditional with new
Our local hospice has it own thrift shop for long time, found Chiapis dolls, cheap, anywhere else most things are triple. Just depends when what day you enter. Do know of one person loads up on books over the years and sells online ii guess.
Thanks for sharing,
72 state sub rent, love working with wood, free time, best time while Homestead sitting, get to cut downed trees. Retired from large wood. Making postcards from my photos and no message 5X7 greeting cards, with my photos too. But skipping envelopes, expense
The Joke video with different people lip syncing? and after third time my tears stopped. Facebook a while ago
I have watched Mad Men and even though I understand that time, it was not really my experience growing up (in the 60's and 70's in South Africa). Both of my grandmothers started off as the main wage-earners (late 1930's), my grandfathers not so much, they had a harder time getting jobs in a new country. My paternal grandmother started making women's clothing at home and it eventually became a women's clothing manufacture factory, and my grandfather did the books. And then it went to my father who did the books, but it was my mother who ran the factory. My maternal grandmother also started a business from home (same time-span as above). Strong women in my family!
What I'm reading: very little, I have the mindspan of a knat at present. Two books that a Youtuber in England recommended, and I'm liking so far. 1) a cookbook called "Your Daily Veg" by Joe Woodhouse. "Modern, fuss-free vegetarian food". I wish to increase our veg intake, and want some new recipes. 2) a novel by Lauren Bravo, called "The Second Chance Store". In the U.K. this book is called "Pre-Loved". I also read a number of blogs.
What I'm listening to: even though I am 60 something, I love pop music, so I listen to old school radio and listen to a few (current) pop music stations in my area, plus I also like music from the 80's. I have also picked up various CD's from the thrift store, some examples are: Alanis Morissette, Rufus Wainwright, Sarah Brightman, and Pentatonix.
What I'm watching: we don't have cable and I don't steam. I do however have an antenna on my roof so I get a few local channels, from which I watch a few shows. I mostly watch a number of YouTubers whose content I like; lots of book channels, fashion and thrifty channels.
Could we see Shelly sometimes? Just so we know that she's still getting to see her friends? Chiquita is lovely, but... but...
I’m guessing you don’t pay for TV…. LOL. Maybe I missed it, but what streaming service do you find the most useful?
We use Amazon Prime and also Netflix. 🙂
I recently read Amy Bloom's "In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss". My brother passed away a year ago this month from complications of early onset dementia at age 63. I felt compelled to read the book and finished it in one day despite having other things to do. Ms. Bloom writes extremely well and the book is honest and raw and angry and sad. I very rarely watch TV but as a young woman growing up in the 1980s I knew I had to watch "Wham!" on Netflix - I highly recommend it. I really want to get into podcasts as I need to give my eyes a break from working at a computer all day.
@MEM, I too read the Amy Bloom book, and my reactions were complicated. On the one hand, if DH and I had known early enough in the process what was going on, **and** if we'd had $30K or so lying around (or a relative who could give it to us), we might have considered doing what she and her DH did. On the other hand, we didn't and we didn't.
@A. Marie,
I found it enlightening, per Ms. Bloom, that even though medically-aided dying is legal in 10 states and DC, meeting all the criteria is virtually impossible for most individuals. Thus, the need to go to Switzerland. But you know that part. I am so very sorry.
Favorite post type 🙂 though I'll read whatever you write!
Most recent memorable read — The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. I set out to find a mindless romance, and while this technically is a romance, it is really a domestic drama about grief. Would I have chosen it? Nopety nope. I have enough grief in my real life, thx. Did I like it so much I sent a fan facebook message to the author, the one and only time I've ever done that? Yeah. Pretty memorable.
Podcastery — I found Sold a Story (about teaching kids to read) completely addictive. I also listened to Founding Son (about John Quincy Adams) and it's terrific, even for me, a person who cannot really bear history (I suspect because of the tedious way it was taught to me as a kid).
TV — I stream random things very occasionally from HGTV Go, the free-content streaming app that's part of the Discovery+ umbrella. Right now it's something I can't remember the name of in which the people are renovating an old house to be a short-term rental in a higher end market. I like houses. I doubt I'll ever get a chance to do anything major to a house, so things like this (and, similarly, This Old House) are just vicarious participation.
Radio — The perennial shuffle of the genres has given us a new station that plays music from mostly the 1970s and 1980s so we've had that on a lot in the car. Fun. Even our 15-year-old has his radio tuned to it, which was unexpected.
Mad Men was very accurate in it's description of office culture in the 60's. Heck some of it was still hanging around in the 1980's when I worked in offices. I'm so surprised and grateful of how that culture got turned around for women. My husband had to be so careful but it probably became routine when he worked. He just retired. When he started with his company in 1986 he smoked and everyone in the office smoked, inside and at their desk and everywhere else.
Both my parents smoked, my oldest sister smoked and both my older sisters spray deoderant for hours at the foot of my bed so I got doused daily with that spray every day.
I’ve been reading articles and watching videos about these rich dudes who are trying to reverse their aging and be physically 18 again. They spend outrageous amounts on supplements and procedures but what they eat, besides being organic, is pretty ordinary. I think it’s kinda funny they spend millions to find out eating like a peasant is healthy. And they have exercise machines and experts to train them but anyone could do nearly the same with no equipment or trainer at all. It’s nice to know the whole multi billion dollar industry of physical improvement is just a scam.
a society drowning in our possessions…I read that somewhere. I’ve been going to the Goodwill outlet bins lately, a warehouse full of unwanted, discarded stuff on its last offering before a landfill or baling for who knows what or where. When you have access to articles of clothing and houseware that you use everyday for mere pennies I found a temptation to buy more than what I need. So I’ve been reading and watching video about capsule wardrobes and basic necessary kitchen and home items to try to keep myself in check.
I haven’t been listening to music, watching tv, or reading books. At some point I think I got tired of the endless supply that others produce for my consumption.
I haven't watched the docuseries but we homeschooled as you did when many other homeschoolers followed his leading. Those groups generally tolerated us my family and a few others who were heathens (Catholic).
Reading: I highly recommend both of the books that I last read. The Everlasting Cookbook by Tamar Adler (I'll comment more on that in a future Five Frugal Things) and Driftless by David Rhodes. Such a gifted writer. I enjoyed his book so much that I wanted to send him a note. Found out, sadly, that he died back in November.
Watching: I only turn on the TV to do YouTube exercise videos through Roku. When I donate platelets at the Red Cross every couple weeks, I watch documentaries on Netflix (it's a 3-hour appointment).
Listening: I've never listened to a podcast. The last audiobook I listened to was Because of Winn-Dixie - my very favorite so I check it out from the library every couple years. For music, I have been purchasing CDs at Goodwill - mostly classical, R&B, and rock.
I attended the Bill Gothard seminars back in the late 60’s-early 70’s. I learned so much that helped me in my Christian walk as well as my personal life. I wasn’t aware of all the controversy surrounding him. I was so surprised to read your post. I’m going to watch the video about the Duggars you referenced if I can find it. It seems like any more you can’t trust anybody.
oh this is such a great post. i read i, rhoda in one sitting. i think someone recommended it on this blog. am also reading the other end of the leash, i am trying to stop our 18 month old cockapoo from barking too much.
You might consider Christy Wright's podcast, Get Your Hopes Up.