A really bad read
Why did I finish a book I wasn't enjoying when I have an infinite amount of good reads to choose from?
Hello Friends,
This week I listened to a really bad book on Audible. There were too many characters, but none of them developed enough to make me care. I listened with the same interest I have listening to elevator music.
And yet, I finished it.
Maybe I was hoping it would all make sense in the end. It didn’t.
What does that say about me?
I believe in quitting. I’ve been sober long enough to know the value of letting go of things that no longer serve me. I’ve said goodbye to toxic relationships, bad habits, and character defects. Some never return some pop up in different forms like a game of Wack-A-Mole.
Perfectionism is one that likes to show its face from time to time. Sometimes it pops up around parenting, or in my marriage, or completing my never-ending todo list. I don’t need to be the best. I just need to be perfect, and my inner mean girl can be ruthless.
I think here my perfectionist self had a bit of a sense of humor, making me finish a book about a family falling a part where the parents contemplated divorce but ended up staying together; all three daughters did get divorced, one who was a kleptomaniac, had a benign brain tumor, and a cheating husband all at the same time. Also, climate change, gentrification, abusive relationships, immigration, and a teenage LGBTQ child.
Next time I’ll read the reviews first. Next time I’ll stop reading, laugh at myself, put the book aside, and pick up something else. There are too many good books out there to waste time on a bad one.
This is where I am today. Thank you for listening.
xoxo,
Emily
Read This Week
Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings: A Baking Book by Yossy Arefi
Who doesn't want a little cake for a snack? I heard about this book on the Pantsuit Politics Podcast, and I'm obsessed with the entire concept! (more)
Engrossing. That's the best word I have for this book. I listened on audio (fantastic narrator!), so it took me a minute to get the characters straight, but once I did, I was completely sucked in. The subject matter is tough, so sensitive readers should do some research. (more)
The bad book I won’t name, but maybe you’re curious
What are you reading?
Links to Ponder
September (The Daily Respite)
Cherry tomatoes and lost friendships (Human Parts)
How do you remove a racial slur from public lands? Answer: One at a time (Washington Post)
A powerful podcast about one of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools (Kuper Island)
Reflections on parenthood. Number 4 means your four-year-old is cutting her hair (Cup of Jo)
Great fiction is a lie that teaches us the truth. The joy of finding reader friends. (The New York Times)
Dinner with an egg on top (Cup of Jo)
A weekend trip to a tiny town north of Santa Barbara (Los Angeles Times)
Why do we like the music we like? (The Washington Post)
If you only have time for one thing… Should I bring anything to the dinner or just my crippling anxiety? This one had me in stitches. (McSweeny’s)
Your Journal Prompt for Today
Post your response in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @emilykathleenwrites