#JusJoJan ~ 1/27/19 – Cathartic and J-Dub’s Review of “Nine Perfect Strangers” by Liane Moriarty

T’is Sunday 1/27/19 in the year of our Lord.  Oh that was so yesterday’s news.

Today we jot!  Enthralling Journey prompted us with “cathartic”! Click here to find her last post .  Why hello there!  You’ve picked a good one. I am going to link this baby up.

I have been reading y’all.  Just for fun!  And for me that is cathartic!  Now I know you might not believe I am using the word correctly but I am!  Swear. Here’s the proper definition:

ca·thar·tic

Dictionary result for cathartic

/kəˈTHärdik/

adjective

1. providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis.

For me, reading is physical too.  I inhale words.  I spontaneously yell out during the good parts or the not so good parts and the oh my land sake’s alive parts!!  Reading takes me to another place. That’s the psychological part.  My mind is set free!

Mr. Google went on to add:

MEDICINE

(chiefly of a drug) purgative.

In my case, I reach catharsis via reading … totally drug free. Not like those on retreat in the book “Nine Perfect Strangers” by Liane Moriarty.  I stayed up to 1 AM to finish.  I just could not stop until the last word!! I promised a review and here it comes y’all.  Sans spoilers.

Check here and here for preliminary teasers.

A group of nine strangers meet at a retreat.  All are partaking in this quest for spiritual enlightenment for varying reasons.  The story is told in alternating chapters titled with the name of the guest or the owner or her staff in which they give perspective and let us into their lives.  The characters are well developed and their sub-plots are very interesting.  The story moves quickly and never loses pace.

In the aftermath, the titles change to non specific dates … one week after … etc.  Finally the titles end but we do not need titles.  Those final moments for me were a mind bend.  Very clever in my humble opinion.  I think I understood what I was reading but not 100% sure.  I’d love to discuss at  my “real” book club.

Score one for the creative types.  Thank you Liane!  Look at me … acting like I know her.  Like she’d even see this post.  But heeeyyyy girl, if you do stumble across me in bloglandia (stranger things have happened) just know this fan girl would love to meet ya.

As always, more to come.

Thanks to Linda for hosting #JusJoJan.  Now to see what the others have jotted or to jot something yourself, take a gander at this!!

Advertisements

Pocket change

I’m here at half price books selling five DVDs. I know I’ll get pennies on the dollar but that’s worth more than the zero they’re worth as they sit and collect dust never to be watched again.

I am listening to tunes as I wait and having the time of my life.

I thought I’d add a little note about books because I’m in a bookstore. I too want to be microdosed at a retreat and lead through a guided journey of self enlightenment. The book “Nine perfect strangers” by Liane Moriarty is fan freaking tastic.

Review to follow eventually. I hope I’m not spoiling anything with my little teasers. What a wild ride!

As always more to come.

So, … Funny Math the Obesity Crisis Edition

I treated myself to a happy hour Coke with lime from Sonic. I’m really off the sauce I promise. This treat is a once in a very long time occurrence. Upon purchase, I observed funny math and I feel like whining.

My drink cost $1.99 + .30 cents for 1/4 of a lime minus $1.00 for happy hour. When it was all said and done, I paid .99 cents + .30 cents = $1.29 + .11  for tax = $1.40 total per 20 ounces. Hey! Why wasn’t my lime .15 cents?!?!?

Anyhow, memba the $1.40. “Real” as opposed to happy hour price is $1 more with a skootch more tax. 😂. A regular 20 oz. bottle of Coke without lime (princess don’t do diet) from the ice house or grocery store is $1.89 plus tax. Immediately consumable gets taxed in Tejas; I checked. A two liter is 99 cents plus tax.

Do ya see where I am going here? Bigger is cheaper. BUT WHY?!?!?!?!?!

Now I get why the happy hour 20 ounce is more … well because half of a half of a lime is a delicacy apparently.  Uh duh.  And car hop service is special (no sarcasm because I couldn’t make and car hop those drinks). The regular price should be more than the bottle IMO.  I am paying for service.  My only regret is that I parked in stall #13 cuz ya know, 13 is unlucky.

Still I had to exclaim:  Sacribleu!!!

I mean really?!?!?!  Don’t “they” … those greedy money makers know that soda is the new smoking in the way standing is the new sitting or sitting is the new smoking or whatever. 😆 And now I feel fluffy … and nauseous. Drinking my H2O in the hopes of flushing out those toxins.

I really need a 10 day cleanse retreat like in the book “Nine Perfect Strangers” by Lianne Moriarty.  And no I am not a paid reviewer.  I just really enjoy this book.  I think I could give up electronics for 10 days.  I know I could dig on someone else meal planning for me.  And I am sort of certain I could take a vow of silence for the first five days.

Okay now.  You can quit laughing.  I hear you.  But tis true, I know how to shush when called upon.

As always more to come.

Reality TV, Made For TV Movie, and Book Turned Into Netflix Movie

I was thinking of the zombie apocalypse.  Really I was.  I mean c’mon.  Isn’t New Years Day a time to reflect?  What crazy might 2019 bring?  Zombies?

But I jest.  I was mixing my memories.  Googling  “Where have all the people gone?”  I expected to see the following:

This is “Where Have All The Children Gone?”  Not People.  I used to watch this dribble.  Don’t ask me why because I’ve no idea. If you still like shows like Dance Moms, more power to you.

Instead what popped up is this:

I remember this 1970 something made for TV movie.  And I thought hey I just read a book like this … but nope instead, I just watched another made for TV movie of a similar ilk … Bird Box.  Have you seen it?  Well I did and well I expected better from the hype.

There was supposed to be tons of symbolism but that went right over this simpleton’s head.  What the what Captain Obvious?  I still don’t understand.  Plus the ending sucked.  All IMO.  What’s yours … if you’ve seen any of the above that is?

As always more to come.

J-Dubs Review of “The Death 💀of Mrs. Westaway” by Ruth Ware

I’m on a roll.  I stayed up past midnight last night to finish my current book “The Death of Mrs. Westaway” by Ruth Ware.  Ringing in the New Year was secondary.  Though I will say in a brief rat hole diversion that we had more fireworks in da hood last night than the prior five years combined.  Not sure if it was the 300 for good ole SAT or just normal fluctuations in mores.  Look at me using BIG little words.

Anyhow, this book was our January book club pick which I got back on 12/17/18 since we had our December meeting early.  I couldn’t wait until January so that should tell you something … the book was good.  Solid story-telling.  No gimmicks – Chapters # 1 to 50. Chronological order with only a splash of flashback in some diary entries.

There is one major flaw in my humble opinion that had to do with timing.  Why would the “mom” wait to ask for support until Hal was 18?  Don’t know what I mean?  Read the book and then let’s chat.

Otherwise grade a mystery, “Flowers in the Attic” like in setting and temperament. I even got some quotes for my common place book.  This one … my oh my … it’s long but sooooo connected with me:

I wanted to write in my diary – to do as I always did when things get too much – let it out onto the page, like kind of bloodletting letting the ink and paper soak up all the grief and anger and fear until I can cope again.  ~ Maggie from “The Death of Mrs. Westaway” by Ruth Ware.

I call it “releasing the hounds”.

And only one problem with finishing early, the library is closed today.  Guess I’ll have to break out my Kindle.  Bleh.

A recommended read.   3.678 out of 5 stars.  My rating system is sooooo lame.

As always, more to come.

 

J-Dub’s Review of “Where the Crawdads Sing” By Delia Owens

Keeping the review short and sweet without spoilers.

Abandonment and perseverance despite the odds. Marsh Girl aka Kya Clark is left to fend for herself among the wilds of Barkley Cove NC.  This is her story.  A murder mystery and trial are thrown in for good measure.  Poses questions about life in general, defying stereotypes.  Who we call family and who we can count on in times of trouble.  And an inner strength we possess in absence of that.

I really enjoy when fiction takes me away but also makes me think.  A quick read in two parts.  Aptly titled chapters.  Poems sprinkled within.  I ended up with three pages front and back for my common place book.  I highly recommend.  Time well spent.

As always, more to come.

Split Second Decision

Today begins my PRE-new year’s resolution.  I think starting randomly may help me stick with it past say February.  I will walk 15 minutes minimum every day I am in the office.  Let’s just hope that I don’t use that as an excuse to work from home.

Any hoo, I walked to the library and back in that amount of time.  To be fair, I stopped to check out my book but it still counts as more exercise than I have done to date.  And I was up and standing versus in coach potato mode.

I picked up the book in the feature image.  I was in queue as number 80 something to be next to have the reading pleasure.  Not sure how I was able to luck out and find it on the shelf and not in the holds section.  Someone must have messed up in my favor.

Anyhoo, I had to decide quickly because there was also a true story bundle I was eyeing.  I cannot read four books in three weeks anymore because ya know, the day job.  I passed on the bundle until next time. One book in three weeks.  Let’s do this!!!

As always, more to come.

Courtesy Notice & Book Review

Ah man!  I got the dreaded courtesy notice email. Your book needs to be returned by such and such date.

Guess I won’t finish “The greatest thing since sliced bread : a novel” by Don Robertson.  Unless I quit writing dribble and start reading.  I HATE not finishing a book, even the crappy ones but this one is not in the crappy category.  Actually it is pretty good even though Morris Bird III is repeated about a bazillion times.

Morris Bird III

Morris Bird III

Morris Bird III

You see he is the main character and character is he!!

I laughed my ass off at one part about the babysitter getting caught red-handed with “company”.  G’ma tried to explain without really explaining.  Made me think of Sheldon and Memaw on “Young Sheldon”.

I tried to explain that section to B but I couldn’t stop laughing long enough. Of course he is used to me zoning out with book in hand. And while I zone out, I’m not a quiet reader. I gasp, I cry, I laugh. I equate my reading behavior to my singing and chair dancing when the situation calls for it.

Okay so I have talked myself into finishing the book. Three days is enough time.

Now here is my very high level review. Set in 1944 over a short span of time, this historical fiction is set against one of the worst industrial disasters occurring in Cleveland Ohio.

Tis all she wrote, you must read it for yourself to find out the rest.

See you on the flip side. 10/4 good buddy braker braker 1-9.

J-Dub’s Re-Review of “the year of less” by Cait Flanders

I wrote all lower case since that is what the book shows.  The rest of the title is

how I stopped shopping, gave away my belongings, and discovered life is worth more than anything you can buy in a store

Roger that!!  I re-read the book because the first time I inhaled it in two days and may have missed some stuff in my sprint.  Plus we have book club tonight and I am getting forgetful.  I wanted to refresh my memory.  Here is all I wrote the first time … Today is the Day! Spurred on by Book Club – Part 2.

Not much content but then again especially for memoirs, I do not judge.  Too personal and too brave to bare one’s soul like that.

I will never be able to downsize to only 29 articles of clothing or make my own shampoo but I can budget and follow the handy dandy flow chart.  Do I want or need it?  If want, then no.  If need, then proceed but be strategic in your purchase and see if there are other options like to repair first.  Then I can stop and smell the roses or otherwise divert my attention to what is special.

A paraphrased note for my common place book which is almost at capacity:

Two types of friends – bad influence or supporter.  In recovery, we need support.  Examples given:

• Someone who stops you from going home with a rando from the bar and someone who calls you in the morning to see how it went.
• Someone who stops you from buying the designer handbag that you can’t afford and do not NEED and someone who drives you to the store to buy it.
• Someone who will work out with you and someone who will congratulate you on eating two burgers in one sitting.

I have the most supportive friends and mainly I hide all the bad stuff from them anyway.  I don’t want anyone to watch me go down in flames.  “Oh the places you will go” and not in a good Dr. Seuss way either.  But I keep trying.  Work in Progress.  One Day At A Time.

Read the book, you’ll be glad you did.  There is a reason it is getting all those accolades.

As always, more to come.

 

J-Dub’s Review of “Mrs. Fletcher” by Tom Perrotta

Entertaining in the mundane. A snapshot of a point in time of the life of Eve. Divorcée with a stereotypical frat boy son. Remarried ex with struggles of his own.

Eve is finding her footing while adjusting to an empty nest. Hmm I resemble that remark though I was not alone. #gratitude!

The story is really about relationships. Who we choose to be in our tribe. How we get by day-to-day. Self acceptance despite public opinion.

While the story has a beginning, middle, and end, there’s a perpetual feeling almost like the characters could go on forever. The end was of an episode. The book is ripe for a spinoff or sequel.

I’m glad I chose this book. I needed the escape. A recommended read. Rating 4.37 of 5 ✨