The last of the quarantine reading: Jon and I pretty much have a mini book club now

Because of coronavirus, Jon and I have ended up reading more of the same books than ever. These are two books I normally would not grab. I tend to prefer memoirs and true stories. And of course I am into reading all the popular books that make it into Oprah's and Reese's book clubs. Some friends dropped off a box of books for us a couple weeks ago, and we dove right in:

Breath by Tim Winton: 

I need to start by saying how much Jon and I both were not into the cover art. Very unappealing cover. Anyway, Jon and I both really really loved this book. It is completely about surfing. The sentences felt very calming and meditative somehow, and I was so hooked. Jon felt the same way. Can't wait to read more from this author. 

The Ravine by Paul Quarrington:

I was pretty skeptical about this one due to just reading Life of Hope and not being that into it. The Ravine was so much better for me. The book explores how traumas in childhood can have lasting effects throughout adulthood. So into that. 

Why I am still doing this whole blog thing

1. I just can't write a lot with a pen and paper anymore. I used to keep journals, and I have boxes and boxes of them now. But I don't really write anymore, so my fingers are just more used to typing. I still do keep a journal (well, multiple journals really), but when I want to write a lot, I turn to the laptop

2. I suck at backing things up. It's a little different now that we have the cloud, but I have lost so many pictures and so much writing to crashing computers. I think my age (36) makes me just on the cusp of being someone who completely trusts computers. I definitely don't fully trust. For a few years of my life, all I have of my personal writing and pictures is what is on this blog. And I love looking back at it. I fully write this blog just for me.

3. I never regret it. Sometimes I feel that teeny sense of shame if I am revealing something about myself that is really personal, but then after I feel liberated and as though maybe I will help someone else who is going through what I went through. I am for sure an oversharer in real life, and I just feel compelled to write all this stuff down. And I try to always do what I am compelled to do. A sense of longing to do something feels as important as any motivation to me.

4. I still LOVE following blogs. It's still my absolute favourite form of social media. My true favourite forever and ever is cup of jo. And I also love design mom. And door sixteen. And heart of light. Normally I am so over a blog when the original blogger hires other writers to also write posts. But for some reason cup of jo still works. I just think blogs are a really fun medium.

5. Blogging is so different from what I get paid to do at my job. So I think writing stuff down about my life balances my more serious healthcare job where I maybe don’t get to share my inner self as much. 

6. Blogging feels so minimal. It's a hobby that I don't need anything for. I am not really into accumulating things, so I am less interested in painting or knitting or I dunno, making cakes with fondant icing. I just write on our family laptop and that's it. No clutter. 

 

I am not really good about posting regularly, but I still love writing on this blog.  This is why: