Latest reading one of several books going at any one time, a first person narrative where the narrator is a death doula, and what she learns as she goes along.
It's an easy read, a bit of a romcom type of story, but I did finish it. Very New York is the center of the world, and leaving it means going to Nepal kind of vibe.
The writer seems prejudiced against people who don't like crowds and parties, characterizing them as inevitably lonely and longing.
When the main character starts to run about traveling and joining groups, dumping her doula work, it's presented as personal improvement and progress into an adult life. I'm not too comfortable with the underlying agenda. Not very respectful of end of life work. If you read it please let me know if it struck you differently. I'm open to revisiting.
I was up at 4am on the solstice, woke ready to get up and drink coffee. I like waking in the dark and watching the dawn gradually appear. Now that I can nap after breakfast it's a luxury. There's not the pressure there used to be when I was caregiving, on my feet 7 am to 11pm, and needing to stay in bed as long as I could.
Saturday is for visible darning and other pursuits.
This is under the heel, as usual. I walk through my socks. I used a soft yarn for the darn and it feels soft underfoot.
Happy day everyone, repairs are as interesting as creating if you make them fun.
And I spent Saturday evening online with a phone tech who diagnosed the issue with the lack of mobile data on my phone. It was the plan not the phone blocking it. So now I have a new plan with mobile data enabled, and I don't need a new phone after all. That was my main need. Yay me
Nicely darned. I don't think I'll read that book, I'm one of the many who don't enjoy crowds but I am certainly not lonely and longing.
ReplyDeleteIt was odd. The best part of her life, self sufficient and doing valuable work, was held up as sad and inadequate. Hm.
DeleteI was looking at the sock you darned for inspiration as I have worn almost through the heels of a favourite pair of bamboo socks. A project for the new year.
ReplyDeleteDarning is more fun when you make it visible and interesting instead of struggling to make it look like new again. Aside from the fact that I don't have matching yarn.
DeleteI've read a couple of books recently in which the authors' views were obvious and very judgemental. They were male and female novelists and I found their bias irritating.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's my own experience of seeing a partner through hospice and death that made it insulting to imply it was an escape from living my own life. It's part of life.
DeleteGood news about your phone! Yeah, sounds like the death doula didn't understand the nature of introversion and extroversion.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled to have got the phone issues sorted. It never occurred to me that it was a billing issue, not a tech one! Who knew? I think the doula book was seizing on a fashionable issue to make a rather clumsy point.
DeleteI don't like crowds or parties (never did) and I don't consider myself lonely. Interesting that the author should make that point.
ReplyDeletePhone issue figured out - yay Boud!!!
I suspect the writer is one of those people who can't figure out what people do when they live alone and assume they must be spying on their neighbors lives. Which is what her main character does!
DeleteI may have read that book but if so, can't remember a thing about it. Or perhaps it was another book about a death doula.
ReplyDeleteYou are an excellent darner! I wish I was better at it. Hurray for getting the phone you want by enhancing the phone you have.
I'm very pleased about the phone. It's still only costing less than $15 per month. Good old TracFone.
DeleteI'll skip that book, thanks for letting me know about it anyway! I'm tackling a non-fiction that was recommended by someone on the net, about the end-times. Will see how far I can listen to it. Love your darning. Happy Solstice. Yes, isn't a sleep pattern of choice wonderful for our retirement?
ReplyDeleteI think we're living in the end times! What's the title?
DeleteI would find that kind of a life view very annoying to read, too. Very insulting to the wonderful people who do that precious work and to the many people who live alone and are anything but lonely and longing. I'm surprised you could finish it-lol!
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed by your colorful mending...and congrats on solving the phone issue without having to buy a new one! Sweet!
It was an engaging read, and I did want to see how she resolved it. Oh well. I really don't like glorification of what people call travel but is really tourism. Maybe that's part of my reservation here.
DeleteI'm thrilled at thinking to check with a tech before I invested in a new phone.
I do not like crowds and parties; I am not lonely and longing.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Yes, it's not an either or.
DeleteI don't think I'd like to read a story about a death doula. Life with T**** is too depressing as it is.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. I got the recommendation from a friend who'd heard I'd been consulted by a death doula in training about natural dyeing for shrouds. One thing led to another!
ReplyDeleteOne of the women who just joined our pottery class in September is a death doula. I find her hard to read, she seems warm but not entirely. Her sister is very open and easy to read. I think I'll pass on the book.
ReplyDeleteI just started reading a book called "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith. I'd never heard of her but I heard an interview on CBC with her and she sounded interesting. She wrote "White Teeth" when she was 25 years old and I'm blown away by that knowledge. I just started it but I'm liking it, I hope it's as good as it seems. It's set in London in the mid '70s.
That's wonderful news that you don't need a new phone. And your darning, puts mine to shame.
I've been meaning to read
DeleteWhite Teeth ever since it came out. It was a sensation. Brick Lane, too. Maybe next year..
I'm thrilled at finding an answer for the phone issue.
4am is early, but I wish my schedule hadn't flipped so much. I am tending to be awake later and also sleeping later, sometime later than I like.
ReplyDeleteI think any sleeping us good, considering your lack of sleep.
DeleteWell, your darning is darn good! Well done you - getting your phone sorted out! That's terrific!
ReplyDeleteWell done Ryan the patient tech!
DeleteOh my gosh, how I HATE new technology. Glad you did not have to get a different phone! I puzzled how that mending would work. My feet have blistered from a wrinkle in my sock!
ReplyDeleteI use very soft yarn and pick up live stitches as I go, to keep it even, and the darns are comfortable.
DeleteHip hip hooray about your phone and the data service! Great resolution on that one. Nice darning work too!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great? TracFone still has helpful tech people. This one could easily have sold me a new phone, but was interested in the question and said usually it's not the phone it's the plan. Let's check. And he diagnosed it fast. Happy camper here, gave him a great evaluation.
DeleteI’m glad you received such good service! Sounds like that really was the simplest of possible solutions.
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