flight paths discussion

I believe that optimism is necessary for mental health.
It's so easy to get bogged down.
Reading sure helps.
So does a small group of dedicated friends.
What are some uplifting books that you can recommend?

Happy October, it's been snowing in Alberta (luckily not where I am!), but it's a reminder that winter is well on its way.

This year I'm going to really try and embrace the Hygge winter lifestyle. Instead of being gloomy about the weather, embrace being cozy. Although maybe check on me in a few months to see how I'm getting along.
(https://www.countryliving.com/life/a4...

I just finished reading Love and Ruin, which I really enjoyed.

Uplifting books...honestly, I read a lot of Canadian fiction, and as my sister and I like to joke, it's all dark and depressing, what Canadian fiction is meant to be. That being said, I'll dig through my read book list and see what I can find, surely I've read some happy books that I enjoyed.....

Happy October!
What kind of uplifting? Spiritually? Funny/Laughable?
I have a Just Fun shelf if you want to check it out, Magdelanye. They are books that were just fun to read for their zany, whacky situations and/or characters.

Here are a few pictures of my first few carving projects:
Snowmen: the tallest is 4 inches tall; the other 2 are 2 inches tall

The little guy with the baseball hat is my first carving project ever.

Pumpkins and a Comfort Bird:

The story of the comfort bird is:
Someone with Alzheimer's was an agitated patient. Nursing staff had difficulty calming her. Her son carved this simple bird and gave it to her to hold. The nurses noticed that holding the bird calmed her and she was happy. The staff asked the son if he could carve more birds so that they could run an experiment to see if holding birds is calming to other agitated patients. It was. Since then, the news has spread to other carving groups who have approached Elderly Homes and offered to carve the birds to bring comfort to patients. Hence the name Comfort Birds.

A bear:

I'm currently carving another to try to improve him a bit.

I'm currently reading a true crime story, Little Shoes: The Sensational Depression-Era Murders That Became My Family's Secret, which is interesting.
The next book will be one for spooky October, The Beetle. I've heard it's scary. We'll see. LOL!

I love your carvings! So sweet. And what a touching story about the son and his mother. The healing power of art.

I'm still reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing which is interesting for its picture of Maoist China. Also the characters. It's a little slow but, I think, worth it.

And, just for fun, I read Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era. I'm a Friends' freak so, while totally fluff reading, it was great for me (I'm going to a pop-up on Sunday--very hard to get tickets for but my son's girlfriend did it for me. Yay her!

I'm also trying to read The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. It's fascinating and frightening but (probably--it's too soon to tell) important. I don't know if I'll be able to finish it. It's huge and from the library. Too big to take on the subway which is where I do a lot of my reading. Too expensive to buy. So we'll see.

I have to add Petra that your bear looks as if its contemplating the new bear proof lids on the garbage cans! I love it!
And the comfort bird!
And! how did you get the pictures on here??

Talk about big books...Last night i sat with Lucy Ellmans brick on my lap and although i actually am excited by it, after 3 pages and reading some great reviews I decided to postpone it for a while so I can clear the decks so to speak that i can gove it the attention it requires, insted of racing through it to meet library deadline.

Am i the only one in the world who has never seen Friends ?
Ellie I regarded the slow middle section as languid and was able to relax into it. After all the tension i appreciated the leisurely pace which will pick up again if i remember right. I just love her lush parsimony.

btw for me inspiring does not mean funny.

love and ruin on my tbr

Magdelanye, just to let you know, I'm trying to think of inspiring books. Do you want fiction or non-fiction or does it not matter?

fiction or non fiction
i seem to be reading a lot of autobiographical fiction recently.
recently finished
So LuckyNicola Griffith.
In some ways it was inspiring but ultimately not. I return quickly to my default position which is despairing.

I find R Solnit inspiring and I am looking for more of her.
I hadn't heard about The first Love Story but I am poised to read In the Footsteps of Eve: The Mystery of Human Origins by Lee Berger.

This morning finished Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other by Sherry Turkle. Now she is inspiring, dedicated, persevering, and nonjudgmental and what she reveals is rather terrifying.

I am not a natural born optimist. I need to be born again periodically. And for someone with SAD this is going in to a tough time of year. Megan I seem to remember you have SAD too. And you're winter is already sending out feelers!

The three R's:
Returned
Retuned
Refreshed
............ and a small increment in my Reading
After dropping off my suitcase of books at the library, picked
American Gods , not really worth the effort.
No meltdown moment, have come back to heavy showers, I guess I will just have to do my crying in the rain !

Yes that’s me who deals with SAD every winter. It was actually worse when I lived in Vancouver and it was cloudy all winter. But I still get it here, I’m doubling the dose of my vitamin D already!

I think you’ll enjoy love and ruin. She doesn’t put up with Ernest’s crap and has a brilliant career of her own. So I actually found it a pretty uplifting book about a woman with a great sense of adventure.

@ice I’m sorry you’re not enjoying American gods. I finally read it this year and loved it, I also watched season 1 of the tv show and enjoyed the adaptation.

I guess this is why where are so many book and so many book genres! 😊😊

Ice you are hard to please methinks
Im with Megan here, i adored American Gods. I would love to see the movie.
But I am glad Ice Bear that you returned retuned and refreshed and are reading. Have you been able to find either of the series I recommended some while ago now, the alternate London series and the berlin noir series ...cant look up the deets without losing this message as i didnt want to wait to reply on the computer so im on the fone while chicken soup is happening.
I am reading a book that perfectly fits my needs, not inspiring so much as diverting, The first fifteen Lives of Harry August. And Tim Lilburn is exciting.

Megan, remember to take Calcium with the Vitamin D or it'll take it from your bones for metabolization.

Ice, I'm glad you feel refreshed. Sadness continues but it will change to something more positive. Keep crying; it's healing, in it's way.

I enjoyed American Gods. Haven't seen the movie but would like to.

Step-dad has returned from England and spent the last few days with us. I'm always glad when he's with us. He's going home tomorrow and we'll miss him.

I've finished reading Little Shoes: The Sensational Depression-Era Murders That Became My Family's Secret, which is a sad story from many angles. No review yet. I'll try to write it tomorrow.

American Gods - after being heavily outvoted on this one an Anglo translation for 'not really worth the effort' - I enjoyed the thematic just did not like the writing style.
:-)

Ice you have a point there. The writing is not elegant. Sturdy though and appropriate to carry the weighty theme.

Petra and Megan...and you have to take magnesium to metabolize the calcium.
Thats why a whole foods approach is best. Its so hard to eat 3 good meals a day every day. I find im reverting to omfort food

Have not had time for GRth or reading even with scads of notes to take and library day tomorrow. Such amazing books Ive been reading ⁰
And Im meeting my son there possibly he'll come back up with me so Ive been frantically tidying up.

Right?! It's so hard to get all your nutrients in appropriate levels. I take a multivitamin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Magnesium and zinc as extras, but maybe I need to do calcium as well....

My drama is getting my son to take his iron supplements. His iron is so low, which is why his occupational therapist thinks he's having trouble staying asleep. I've resorted to using Flintstones vitamins with iron in them. UGH.

I think you'll all really enjoy the TV version of American Gods, the casting is pretty spot on, especially Shadow.

I'm currently reading The Chocolate Maker's Wife, It's pretty good for a run of the mill historical fiction novel.

My sister and I are doing a buddy read of If Women Rose Rooted: A Life-changing Journey to Authenticity and Belonging, so that's next on the list.

@Magdelanye, I hope you have a wonderful visit with your son.
@Petra I hope you had a lovely time with your step-father.

Hi all,

I enjoyed the series American Gods (all that I've seen so far: I get distracted and often don't stay with series after the first season or so).
Ice, I thought I was the only one who had trouble with the writing. Nice to not be alone.

Magdelanye, I'm sorry about your SAD. I struggle with depression and it's very difficult. Vitamins help.

Megan, good luck with your son. I tried very hard to get my son to take fish oil because it's supposed to help people on the spectrum but I finally gave up. Too soon, probably.

Also, Megan, I am intrigued by the title of If Women Rose Rooted. I look forward to reading what you have to say about it. If you like it, I'll probably try even though I'm working hard not to take on any new books until I finish all the ones I've started. Or at least all the library books. I get too distracted. But books are like--or better than--shiny new toys and I'm always chasing that amazing experience of a wonderful book.

I'm reading The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, a sixties book by Alan W. Watts. It's very 60s, but I'm still finding it both challenging and comforting. It's helping with my fear of death (which retirement seems to have triggered--the only drawback so far). Reminds me of Merton's street corner experience when all the boundaries between him and others seem to melt away and he had a felt experience of union with the world.

I'm also reading a book I won by Imani Perry who wrote a great biography of Lorraine Hansbury. This is a letter of her sons, both articulating the pain and fears of mothering her black sons in a racist country and celebrating their beauty and her love. As well as an interesting examination of her own life as a black woman in the U.S. It's called Breathe: A Letter to My Sons and it's beautiful.

I saw a play yesterday by Tawni O'Dell (who wrote a book that was on Oprah's book selection; I don't know which one). It's the painful but powerful story of her daughter's rape. I was very upset, scared, and moved. But I think it's important that the stigma be removed. Anyway, I think it was brave of her to write. She also acted the role of herself. She was excellent. It was in a small theater in the Village (NoHo actually) a fun area to visit. We had Moroccan food afterward.

I also wish Magdelanye a lovely visit with her son. And Petra with your step-father. Family is so important and can be such a gift. Enjoy!

thanks for the enthusiastic wishes.
visits with family are up and down, and my son and i are not having an easy time of reconciling our differences. I tend to be too emotional for his comfort, and i like to be silly occassionally which really annoys him.I find him too cold. Its hard to relax around him and he feels the same about me.
I will go on line tomorrow to respond to the many comments that call me to comment.
hope everybody is happy and braced for the winter with some books that will brighten the dark days

Magdelanye, I'm sorry your visit was difficult. Family can go that way, unfortunately. We can love each other but that doesn't necessarily mean that personalities mesh.

It's still like early fall here--no jackets yet--so it's hard to think of winter. I'm starting Ovid's Metamorphoses at the suggestion of my poetry teacher. It's huge so who knows how much I'll get through but I'm excited. I know pieces of it of course but it's been on my TBR forever.

I'm engrossed Do Not Say We Have Nothing. It's so sad and frightening. I remember how the left glamorized Mao (many years ago) and the reality is so terrifying. I finished Imani Perry's Breathe: A Letter to My Sons (she also wrote Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry, an excellent biography). It's powerful and beautifully written--a celebration and a gift as well as an expression of fear in the face of a society particularly hostile to men of color.

I also finished The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan W. Watts (also suggested by my poetry teacher). So 60s: I felt like I went back in time but also fascinating and still relevant.

I'm going away this weekend to a creative retreat. The weather should be good and the surroundings beautiful. I'll be able to meditate outdoors as well as write and4 3 2 1 take photographs. There will be time alone and time with a group. I'm very excited. It's not beautiful in the Bronx (except for the Botanical Gardens and a place called Wave Hill but they're hard for me to get to--it's actually easier to go up north!).

What's going on with every else (reading and otherwise)>

I think my winter read will be 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster which I have as well as Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami which I actually already started and liked but then got distracted. I'm looking to finish the books I own and try not to buy new ones for a while. Although lol on that one!

Three paragraphs in to my comment I shifted to youtube to stop the aggravating advert for grammerly and in the process accidentally lost my comments.

to summarize: flax seed oil far tastier than fish oil. It can blend in with salad dressings and there are many flavoured varieties. Fish is good too. and Kale dip is a good way to get people who refuse to eat it otherwise.

I wrote a bit about depression...Ill expand that under the wellness thread.

I originally came on to update my reading and perhaps get down a couple of reviews. Ive got my currently reading down to 50 but I'm just beginning a new reading cycle and just finished 3 books.

It was this one: The Natashas by Yelena Moskovich that disturbed me the most. I felt out of my depth, disorientated, and will have to force myself to go back to the ending which I really couldnt grasp///

I liked The Griffin Poetry Prize 2014 Anthology: A Selection of the Shortlist a lot but I was irritated by the authors biographical sketches which consisted of all their awards and nothing about their life.

I finally finished Jesus for the Non-Religious by John Shelby Spong which was interesting but not so compelling as to convince me

Beginning: Emptiness Dancing by Adyashanti
Honor by Elif Shafak
and Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins

Still working on In the Footsteps of Eve: The Mystery of Human Origins by Lee Berger. It is published by national geographic and nice paper but not many illustrations....unless they've been cut out. But the worst part of reading this fascinating book is that there is the worst mix up of pages for chapter 7, so that page 85 is followed by p118 which carries on until p86 for a few pages and then well you get the picture. It made for choppy reading and I hope the rest will follow the conventional order.

Cheers across the land/
.

Family dynamics are so hard! I'm always exhausted after I hang out with extended family.

@Ellie, I'm about halfway through If Women Rose Rooted: The Power of the Celtic Woman and I'm not sure about it. She has some very interesting observations, but honestly the book is so weighed down with unnecessary words/stories, it needs a heavy edit.

Today is a big day in Edmonton, there's the climate change march with Greta and a oil truck convey counter-protest. I work downtown, so I'll try and scope out the situation on my break in an hour and report back.

Yay for Greta! Waiting for your update Megan. I have a message for her!

Ellie I was slightly intimidated when I first got my hands on Killing Commandatore. I hated the title but I trust Murakami and lo! I leapt through it and rather suppose you will too.
The Paul A is something I'm working my way towards, and there's another Bolano in that formidable category.

I am enjoying Billy Collins Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems much more than the collection I read first. There is a poem called Books that sums it up so perfectly.

So pleased to have written reviews for the 3 just read books and the Tim Lilburn. Next I really must find the notebook with reviews for a number of books. I remember posting some of them but could it be that sometimes they disappear?

Spent most of the day not reading or writing but watching an online webinar called Being and Doing with some really interesting speakers on awakening in the world. It's progress.

Greta is remarkable. I hope the rally went well. Yay, Greta!

Magdelanye, I'm sorry to hear that tensions are sometimes high between you & your son. I think it's a very good sign that you both continue to find a relationship that will work for you both. It takes time and openness. I have faith in both of you that a way will be found.

Ellie, you are reading a wide variety of books. Have a wonderful time at the retreat.
4 3 2 1 is on my TBR list, too. I've read one other book by Paul Auster, Timbuktu, and really enjoyed it. I have fairly high hopes for his other books.

Magdelanye, you've been reading a number of interesting books, too.
Theology books are interesting. I like hearing all the different views. I don't have to believe what's said; it helps me understand all forms of faith & belief, which I think is important.
I particularly like the historical theological books that tell of the times and what the historical records say about the biblical stories.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. I haven't finished any book that I've started, abandoning it after only a few pages. It's me; not the books and I haven't abandoned them. I'll try them again sometime.

I did, though, just start on Omens. It's quite light and has an interesting storyline. It seems to have pulled me in …… at least, I haven't abandoned it yet (that's a good sign). Perhaps my reading slump is coming to an end?

Other than that, things are going as usual. I'm still running, tutoring & learning Tai-Chi and carving. I have gotten some yarn to start knitting an afghan soon.

Nice to hear from you Petra!
May I recommend The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. That will elevate your reading slump methinks. What colours have you chosen for your knitting project?

Ellie have a wonderful time on your retreat. Maybe I'm just a bit jealous, it sounds so wonderful, but I feel obliged to caution you to relax and be nourished and inspired rather than determined to write the final draft of your novel, a song for your guitar, and a canto of poetry that will win you a trip to Sante Fe. Dance as much as you need to and blow us a kiss on Saturday night.

Megan I have been checking in for your update.
I hope its not to miserable outside.

Natasha I am not sure that you would like The Natashas by Yelena Moskovich
It is quite disturbing.

MaryAnne I called you when I was in Van and left a message but not sure if I left my name. Hope you are well wherever you are.

Ice I trust that you are not too disturbed by the the ugly acronym for the American vigilante group. I am reluctant to recommend anything to you given our different delights but I think you would like the Harry August I recommended to Petra.

In fact I recommend it to everybody, including our dear lurkers.

Oh goodness sorry for the late reply.
A few of us went on our lunch break. There were about 4,000 people marching. We got pretty close to the stage! Too bad we had to go back to work before Greta came on the stage.
There was a. Oh emphasis on the indigenous peoples and their fight for the environment.
The oil convoy was 2 blocks over and were constantly blowing heir horns and rebel media had a truck going around with a video screen spewing lies.
Overall everyone was very well behaved in both sides and the crowd was very diverse which was so great to see.
There were a bunch of us there in our lunch hour so business people were well represented.
All of this makes me hopeful for the future of Alberta.

Magdelanye, I have The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August on my TBR list already. I will make an effort to read it soon. I always enjoy your recommendations.

I bought a deep red for the afghan, which will have a Tree of Life pattern and some cream and brown yarns for a cat-shaped pillow. If that one turns out it will be a Christmas gift for a friend who really likes cats and just got a new kitten.

When were you in Vancouver?! I wish I'd known. I'm free almost any day except Tuesdays.

Ellie, I hope your retreat is everything you hoped it would be. Looking forward to hearing all about it.

Meghan, the rally sounds wonderful. Too bad you didn't see Greta. She's an amazing youngster. Gives me great hope for the future of our World if there are more like her. She's got grit.

wondering if the phone will work when laptop is not connecting. I got one review written but then things crashed. Its got a lot to do with location and seems to happen more lately.
Megan thanks for giving us a little taste of what sounds like a historical occassion.
Petra, I was in Van last weekend but very entangled with my son who is going back to London today. How is the tree of life motif incorporated? sounds challenging
oops i am not sure how it happened but i thnk i have copied the giller shortlist for fiction here
Eye by Marianne Micros

Five Wives by Joan Thomas

Late Breaking by K.D. Miller

The Innocents by Michael Crummey

The Student by Cary Fagan


is anyone planning to follow?
I am just wrapping up last years longlist!

just started The Land of Green Plums.
hard to let go of the Elif Shafek it was so gripping.

Ellie hope you had a wonderful time on your retreat. The weekend raced by here, hope you were able to slow it down.

Magdelanye, the weekend was beautiful. We went to gardens named Innisfree and they were as peaceful as the poem. The weather Saturday was perfect and the trees are beginning to turn.

I haven't heard of any of the books on your list. I'll have to explore. I'm really trying right now to read more of the books I already own.

Petra, your afghan sounds lovely and what a wonderful gift for a cat lover. Just the making of it seems so peaceful.

Ellie your retreat sounds blissfull

i vagually remember the innisfree poem: isnt that tennyson? Shall i admit i thought innisfree was in the lake district in England?
Right now I am rather bowled over by the poetry i am reading. I am loving Sailing Alone Around the Room by Dennis Lee and poking ahead a a bit I have at last Ocean Vuong s book for a few weeks and Tim Lilburns Moosewood Sandhills.

Amazing about the booker joint win.

Well Vancouver had its own big rally today. Now if only all that energy could be harnessed for peace!

@Magdelanye: the poem is by Yeats. Innisfree is in Ireland. It’s one of my favorite poems.

We need more demonstrations where I am. I’m sad at how we’re all basically accepting what’s happening. Maybe the next election will go well.

I loved Ocean Vuong book. I’m starting Ovid’s Metorphosis but also intimidated by its length. I’ll also continuing with Murakami’s most recent, Killing Commendatore. I’m liking it so far but it’s also very long.

The retreat was beautiful. The colors are beginning to come out and I did some hiking around a lake. The people there were also lovely. Altogether a wonderful weekend.

Greta is an amazing girl. I keep thinking how much she's done at such a young age. It's amazing that she took a year off of school to do this and she's actually doing it. It's going to be interesting to see where her life takes her.

Today was such a beautiful day. I went for a run in the morning, along the river. The sun was brilliant, the temperature was perfect and there were so many friendly people outdoors. It was a good outing.
This afternoon I carved on a cottonwood bark piece. I've just about got all the elements in place and will start the details next week.
I've been checking out some Santa designs and may start one soon.

Ellie, your retreat sounds wonderful. Very soul soothing and calming.

I look forward to your thoughts as you move through Ovid's work, Ellie. It's a book I'm interesting in but never seem to get to.

I just finished the first of the Cainsville series, Omens. I liked it. It's light, humorous and intriguing. I will keep an eye open for Book 2.

I've now started reading The Last Quarter of the Moon. I'm not far into it yet but like the first few pages.

I'm listening and enjoying The Moon is a Harsh Mistress on my jogs. It's very humorous. I'm quite enjoying it.

Yeats, okay. I trust that the Innisfree you went to is an homage of sorts and you stayed stateside. I must look up the poem and refresh my memory.

Petra you seem to emerging from your reading slump! I noticed that your secret sender has been astute and generous. I'm sure you have been too. Now aren't you carving a pumpkin?
We too had a gorgeous day here and I hope that applies across the board reaching all the way to Ice in the old country.
Not looking forward to fall back.

I got the brilliant idea (duh) to look up on you tube Tim Lilburn who I am really struggling with. All those old words! He really makes me work but he sure does reward the effort. And to think he teaches at U of Victoria, not so far away.
I would love to take his course. It was somewhat overwhelming to see and hear him on you tube; it does give yet another dimension to his work.

I've turned to science fiction for some much needed relief. But here its dark already and I haven't even picked it up yet today. Actually, the volume I have contains the first two books of a complicated series. Chaos Walking 2 In 1 Omnibus Patrick Ness I think there are 3 main books, but also listed are 3.5 and a few other related titles. I went to check some reviews to see how that played out, and reading the mostly raving comments I noticed one that was brutal... one star and a complete assassination attempt. I had to look the reviewer up for some context and was rather disgusted to find the person is not real. Who would do something like that?

Are the You Tube videos of Tim Lilburn reading his poetry? That truly would bring another dimension to the work. The artist would add a depth of feeling and emotion to their works.
I'm glad you're enjoying the poetry, Magdelanye.

I've moved away from pumpkins now. I'm carving fantasy houses on cottonwood. They are called "fantasy" because anything goes. The windows don't need to be straight, the walls can be curvy to follow the contours of the piece of wood.
Here are some examples. My attempts aren't as elegantly carved. LOL....
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...

@Petra, those carvings are wonderful. Please show us some of yours when they're finished. I can't wait.

I was frustrated that Tim Lilburn's poetry is not available through the library and expensive on Amazon. I will have to check out YouTube. The Last Quarter of the Moon is also unavailable at the library and expensive to buy. I'm always looking to discover new poets and Last Quarter sounded so interesting when I looked it up! Oh well, I guess I'll have to make do with reading your reviews.

Petra, I am very intimidated by the length of the Ovid but I plan to dive in today. We shall see. I haven't written for ages; I seem to have a real block. I may have to put aside my memoir piece for now and work on something else. It's even giving me nightmares!

I also hope to continue with Killing Commendatore. I don't know why my reading is so slow. I'm having a harder time managing my time in retirement. I'm good about my journal, meditating, and the gym but not so focused on my writing. Petra, you're an inspiration to me with your carving! So maybe today will be the day.

Those fantasy houses remind me of Bonsai. I find them enchanting.
Petra I also looked up Omens and it does look interesting. I'm finally into the Patrick Ness fantasy and still mixed feelings. It seems fiction is on my back burner. I spent most of this morning struggling with Tim Lilburn. You can at least find him on you tube. Yes Petra he does do a poetry reading there. He is absolutely formidable to me. I'd be interested in other impressions. I am enjoying his poetry but deep into the essays, which in fact are distilled in the poetry. Ellie, considering your interest in Ovid, you might actually appreciate his essays on the greek philosophical noesis. Have I mentioned how much I loathe having to run to the dictionary every few minutes....I certainly can't think of comfortably using these words (lol for my effort here) but this morning I began a longish poem on the subject, incorporating a plethora of them, epikstactically!

Ellie I note you are getting the key to a fulfilling retirement, time management. I rely on the sun mostly.