Sunday, March 7, 2021

The Sunday Post #265

 

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The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. It’s hosted by The Caffeinated Book ReviewerReaderbuzz, and Book Date.


 

 

The Sunday Post #265

 

 

 

 

On The Blog Last Week

 

 

 

 

 

On The Blog This Week

 

  • I don’t know! Last week I had eyestrain and didn’t get any posts scheduled. This week I have a job meeting/interview/thing that I’ll spend all my free time needlessly stressing about. If there’s a blog post this week, it’ll be a surprise to all of us.

 

 

 

 

In My Reading Life

 

I barely got any reading done last week because my eyes hurt and my vision was blurry, but I did finish The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I was surprised by how funny it is. I may have snort-laughed while listening to the audiobook on a run. That’s awkward. Good thing I run through icy fields in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, The Help is about upper-class southern white women and their black maids. One of the white women is writing a book about the experiences of the maids. The city is thrown into chaos when the maids start talking to the author and airing everybody’s dirty laundry. Kathryn Stockett is a very talented writer. I love that her characters have distinct voices and huge personalities. I could set the book down in the middle of a chapter, pick it up hours later, and instantly know whose point-of-view I was reading. That’s not the case with most books. The 1960s Mississippi setting is well-developed. The book has a lot of humor, but it doesn’t gloss over the turbulent relationships between the maids and their employers. Even when you’re laughing, you’re aware of the tension crackling beneath the surface. You know something could go wrong for the characters at any second.

I think the author is sometimes heavy handed about the lessons she wants the reader to take from the book. Even when I agree with the morals of a book, I get pulled out of the story when I feel like the author is preaching at me. While reading The Help, I was very aware that I was reading a white author’s musings on racial issues in the 1960s. The book has a white savior plotline. I kept wondering how different the book would have been if a black woman had written the black characters. Maybe the author got everything right, and the book would be exactly the same. I have no idea. I just know I got pulled out of the story a few times because I was thinking about morals and the authenticity of the characters who were preaching at me.




Right now, I’m reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. It’s historical fantasy about a couple in 1920s Alaska who can’t have children. They build a child out of snow, and she comes to life. Possibly. So far, it’s slow-paced and sweet. I’m enjoying it. I’m also reading Gerald’s Game by Stephen King. So far, I’m not enjoying it. It’s about a husband and wife whose bondage sex game ends badly. The first 150 pages are mostly just scenes of the wife being sexually abused in graphic, gratuitous ways. It’s a horror story for sure, but I don’t think it’s my kind of horror story. I completely understand why it’s on Goodreads’ “Most Disturbing Books Ever Written” list. I am disturbed!





 

 

 

In The Rest Of My Life

 

Five things that made me happy last week:

 

  1. Buying books on sale. I found a sequel I really wanted, and then I had to add other books to my cart to get free shipping.
  2. My parents said they'll get me new running shoes as a birthday present. You should see my current running shoes. I literally ran holes in them. My feet were falling out. Why are shoes so expensive? They either need to be cheaper or last longer. That’s my shoe opinion.
  3. I finally watched My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. I know what everybody is talking about now! It’s pretentious. I feel like the dude tried too hard to make his story profound and meaningful when deep down he just wanted to pet an octopus, but he does make some awesome nature videos.
  4. I have now done yoga every day for 13 months.
  5. Experimenting with Pinterest Stories. I got early access to them. I’m having fun learning to use them, but I secretly hope they’re a massive failure and Pinterest makes them go away. I hate that every social media site has Stories. I want every site to be different. That’s what makes them interesting!

 

 

 

 

See What Nonsense I’m Getting Into

 

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Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other. See you around the blogosphere!





32 comments:

  1. I loved The Snow Child! It's one of my alltime favourite books, so I hope you enjoy it. And I also thoroughly enjoyed The Help - you're right... It's funny, yet also really hard-hitting without being preachy. I hope the coming week is a great one, A.J.:))

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  2. You see, I don't run like you do, so my sneakers last plenty long. You should be impressed that your dedication broke them. But, yeah, good shoes are expensive. When authors get heavy handed, I worry that my eyes will get stuck from me rolling them so hard. One of the reasons I don't get too into YA issues books is because YA authors tend to be heavy handed and preachy. I can read issues books by middle grades authors and almost never feel that way. Good luck with the job thing, and I hope your eyes are better this week.

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  3. Lol, my sneakers are yearssss old
    I enjoyed The Help too, and I agree The Octopus Teacher to be pretentious.

    Wishing you a great reading week

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  4. My walking shoes have no traction, but I am afraid to order new ones through the mail. Also, I love them, and I'm afraid they don't make them any more.

    Preachy books...don't like them. I run across them all the time in picture books. The author is trying to make a point, but it isn't why I read. Jodi Picoult is the number one adult author I avoid because of that.

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  5. Doing yoga sounds good. I do a few stretches every morning, which helps!

    I loved The Help, which I read many years ago...but I have watched the movie several times. Loved it!

    Enjoy your week, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES

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  6. Haha, I totally relate to adding more to my cart just to get free shipping!

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  7. I really enjoyed the Octopus movie and watched it more for the photography rather than his (too deep) take on what he was doing. :-)

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  8. Maybe you're running too fast and that is burning holes in your shoes :-) I have been going through 2 pairs of running shoes a year, but I need to replace them in 5 months instead of 6 because the last month I'm just causing injury to myself with my bad shoes. What shoes do you usually wear? I'm dedicated to Asics and my newest pair is the Gel Nimbus 22. (was on sale 30% off) Have a great week! Hope you get your new shoes asap!

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  9. Congrats on your yoga, nice! I agree The Help was heavy-handed and The Snow Child is a good read. I enjoyed it. Have a great week.

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  10. I've had The Snow Child on my kindle for what seem like forever! Not sure why it's taking so long to read it...

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  11. Praying that your job interview goes well for you! And yay for new shoes---you definitely don't want holes in your running shoes! I had forgotten about My Octopus Teacher. My friend Megan told me I should watch it!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  12. Well I hope your vision is much better this week and you can distract yourself from the worrying. We find that a good tactic in our household. Good luck!

    Anne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post

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  13. I laughed my way through a root canal listening to The Help. The Dentist said he'd never seen that beore.

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  14. I hope your eyes feel better soon! Eyestrain is no fun. Also hope you get your new running shoes. I agree with Samantha, above: your shoes are getting holes because you use them so much, and that's a positive thing! I could stand to wear my shoes out a little faster lol.

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  15. Good luck this week! I had an interview last week and yes they take an inordinate amount of mental energy and stress!!! I haven't read the Help but I did see the movie.

    I love book sales!!!

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  16. Oh good luck with the interview!!! Try not to stress.. though I'm sure that's much easier said than done lol! Now that you've finished the book, you should watch the movie for The Help if you haven't already! I actually liked both the book and the movie which is not usually the case for me lol! Hope you have a great week!

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  17. Good luck with the job/interview! That's kind of weird Pinterest as Stories. I mean, I GET IT, I guess, but I tend to ignore most Stories elsewhere so I doubt I'm going to start watching a bunch now. hah

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  18. I'm hoping that the eye issues go away. The Help sounds interesting. I've seen it around but not really been tempted to read it. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  19. Buying books on sale always cheers me up! And I agree about shoes, I keep mine forever because I never want to spend money on new ones. I've been wanting to read The Snow Child for ages. Good luck on the interview/meeting! :)

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  20. Oh no, that meme! XD I'm sorry you weren't feeling great last week. :/ Hurray for shoes and books on sale though!

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  21. At one time I was interested in reading The Help but lost interest in somewhere in there. I do want to read The Snow Child though. I am glad you are enjoying it. I hope you have a great week, AJ!

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  22. Eek on the blurry vision. Hope that has cleared up and you can get back to reading as normal this week. Running shoes - or any kind of athletic sneakers - are crazy expensive! I don't get it.

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  23. I'm so sorry about your vision! I hope it's something temporary and you're feeling better this week.

    Ah, the Help. I felt the same way.

    I hope you enjoy the Snow Child. I just finished it and thought it was a good winter read.

    Gerald's Game...I don't read a lot of Stephen King but I do seem to watch a lot of his tv and movie adaptations! The movie on Netflix Gerald's Game was excellent so I highly recommend that one.

    Glad you were able to get new running shoes. Having great shoes for whatever exercise is a must.

    I hope you have a lovely week!

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  24. Congrats on your yoga long haul. That's really great! So nice to have a habit in place for physical fitness and wellness like that.

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  25. I'm so sorry about your eyestrain. I have allergy issues that affect my eyes and it's so frustrating. I imagine eye strain is even worse. That's great on the yoga! I was doing Yoga with Adriene's March calendar but had to switch to some easier stuff for a few days but my goal is still to do yoga every day in March - and hopefully keep that going! Have a great week!

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  26. Loved The Help. Loved the Octopus documentary. Hated Snow Child.

    Good luck on the job interview!!!

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  27. Good luck for the job interview!

    Bernie makes my heart so so happy, and so does that meme. Cold Bernie and his happy mittens are one of my favorite things ever.

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  28. I liked the idea of Gerald's Game-what a situation to be stuck in. But I didn't actually like the book much and found it a bit dull.

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  29. Congrats on 13 months of daily yoga! I've only gotten to the wishing I did more yoga on a daily basis part so far *oops*
    Also, I will never stop being amused by Bernie memes :)

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  30. Congratulations on your year plus of yoga. That's dedication. 👏👏👏

    I loved The Help. I think I might re-read it next year. 📚

    You are right. Shoes are WAY too expensive. 😑

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  31. Sending all the hugs your way for eye strain, ugh, hugs! And 13 months?! You're killing it, congratulations! That must be the best feeling ever knowing you've accomplished that!
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

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