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What are you doing right now? Part 2
Patrick wrote: "The context of the quotation is that Tony (Antoinette, a young woman) is newly divorced in an unforgiving mid-19th Century German culture. But she is unflappable. She embraces her new status and fi..."Not always we are able to see what really is/are the right possibility/ies. The present is made of the past and the future of past + present
Well, I was trying to provide a little uplift there, but if it satisfies you to be a downer about it all, I certainly can’t stop you.
Patrick wrote: "Well, I was trying to provide a little uplift there, but if it satisfies you to be a downer about it all, I certainly can’t stop you."Let me thank you for your uplift. I'm not a downer, I tend to be concrete in a life full of misteries. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Well, one thing I know now is that is the past I thought I saw/chose the wrong possibilities but those choices put me on a path to here & now which is ripe with new possibilities. So what was wrong was right.
But, of course, if I could go back in time I would do some things differently.
Let me thank you for your uplift. I'm not a d..."No worries. I can’t disagree that there are a lot of miseries in life!
Joan wrote: "Well, one thing I know now is that is the past I thought I saw/chose the wrong possibilities but those choices put me on a path to here & now which is ripe with new possibilities. So what was wro..."
I'm with you. I think I made a lot of wrong choices in the past, but they brought me here where I am now, so I'm fine with that. I try never to look to the past in a regretful or remorseful way, but just to the here & now and to the future. So I guess yeah, I try to look to the new possibilities.
Thank you Patrick, you gave me food for thought.
You are most welcome!I thought that line in Buddenbrooks was like a ray of sunshine on the page.
I thank you also Patrick for sharing that line from Buddenbrooks. I read the book earlier in the year and found Antonia to be a remarkable character. The idea of being where you are now (and not regretting your past) because of all of your past decisions (or experiences) is also a theme/reflection in Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline.
Wonderful character, so modern, forward-looking, dynamic, completely self-possessed. In a 1901 novel! Literature is full of surprises.
Patrick wrote: "While reading Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family this morning, I came across this observation:“But Tony had the lovely knack of being able to adapt readily to any si..."
Patrick, I loved Buddenbroooks too. I read it about a year ago and gave it five stars. Excellen prose. Characters that are fully developed and totally real. Also humor. A book with serious topics to consider. I loved reading a book set in Germany BEFORE either of the world wars!
I have been travelling for three days in the car from Brittany, France to Stockholm, Sweden. Now we are home for Xmas and kids and grandchildren will be coming in a day or two. The roads in France were pure ice, and the car was covered too. Here everything is white and snowy. So much to do!!!!!!
Chrissie, that's a long drive for sure. Wasn't it exhausting, even as a passenger? We will be deciding today where we are going for Christmas.
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That's really long!
The longest I've stayed in a car - sharing the driving with my husband - was from Caernarfon, Wales, to home, Perugia, Italy. Two days, channel included!!!
Wow, Laura, that must have been enormously exhausting! I don't drive and I don't really like cars, although obviously I use them as a passenger because you can't do without nowadays. That journey would be a nightmare to me...
For Christmas we are staying with my boyfriend's family, then going to visit my family a few days afterwards, and spending New Year's Eve with a few good friends.
Marina (Sonnenbarke) wrote: "For Christmas we are staying with my boyfriend's family, then going to visit my family a few days afterwards, and spending New Year's Eve with a few good friends."Have fun, Marina.
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It was a bit tiresome, mainly because we could'nt stop at leasure,as we had done going there: my husband's father had been hospitalized and we had to come back quickly. Otherwise I quite like driving, if I don't have to rush
Chrissie wrote: "I have been travelling for three days in the car from Brittany, France to Stockholm, Sweden. Now we are home for Xmas and kids and grandchildren will be coming in a day or two. The roads in France ..."We used to go on holidays once a year and travel from Melbourne to just below the Queensland border, a distance of 1530kms. Once we did, Melbourne to Cape York (top point of Australia), a whopping 3900km and once was enough for me. They don't call us a country of far horizons for nothing.
Bette, long distances! How many days did you spend on each trip? that is important too!The trips we take between Sweden and Brittany, France, are about 2.800 km. and we do it over three days. Solid driving. I know it is just sitting and we always have an audiobook to listen to, but it is totally wearing for both my husband and I and Oscar. Driving on highways at high speeds demands attention. All the trips we have taken.........well, lot's can go wrong! When we start another trip we ask ourselves what will happen this time?!
Chrissie, for the yearly trip, we'd spend probably 8-10 hours per day in the car. I'd have gone loony otherwise. I can't remember how long for the Cape York trip but I do know it seemed to take forever to get there. Never again.
Chrissie, we drive to Florida , about 1400 miles and we take 2 1/2 days , driving in the daytime- 8 and 8 and then 4 or 5 hours. I don’t drive on these big multi lane highways so my husband drives. I don’t have a problem reading in the car, but I won’t if there is a lot of traffic . I think it takes two sets of eyes . I’m going to try audio books for our next trip in February.
B the BookAddict wrote: "Chrissie, for the yearly trip, we'd spend probably 8-10 hours per day in the car. I'd have gone loony otherwise. I can't remember how long for the Cape York trip but I do know it seemed to take for..."We are definitely both on the same wave length! For us it is that we know good things await when we get there, BUT coming back to Sweden with cold and ice and snow and thus easy slipping, and where I have to keep Oscar on a leash is certainly becoming less enticing. I used to love snow, but now I worry about falling.
I suppose it is may be easier traveling long trips slowly visiting places along the way, but if you are trying to get from one place to another you just want to get it done as soon as possible.
Did you vacation in Cape York, after you had finally gotten there, turn out fun?
Angela M wrote: "Chrissie, we drive to Florida , about 1400 miles and we take 2 1/2 days , driving in the daytime- 8 and 8 and then 4 or 5 hours. I don’t drive on these big multi lane highways so my husband drives...."You know how these long trips are too! I made a calculation and 1400 miles is is 2253 km, so just a bit less than our trip. How often do you travel there? Don't you also feel like -- boy, I just want to get this over with! We pack lunches.
Good that you do not get sick reading in the car. I could never do that!
The one thing is that the person who drives has to be able to cope with both the mental attention necessary for the driving and paying attention to the book. I cannot do two things at once. My husband is better at this than I am, but even he will tell me to turn it off sometimes. Tests do show that people doing two things at once cannot pay full attention to their primary task.
On this last trip we listened to Angle of Repose, and we both found it excellent. Also started Burger's Daughter, but neither of us liked it as much; the beginning goes around in circles.
On this trip our car refrigerator box stopped working so the insulin in it was destroyed!
Chrissie, we take that trip once a year and stay anywhere from 4 - 6 weeks to get away from part of the winter weather . My husband always wants the radio on - either news or music. I’ll try an audio book on my phone this time. We pack a lunch for the first day , then eat on the road the other times . We’ve been taking this trip for 10 years now, so we stop overnight in pretty much the same places.
I always feel like I can’t wait to get out of the car. I feel for my husband who does the driving.
By the way , I loved Angle of Repose . I read read it quite a number of years ago.
Angela, I really like knowing that you do this kind of long trip too. sitting for so long is terribly confining. What I have begun doing is taking a walk with Oscar early in the morning while my husband eats breakfast. I eat what I have packed with me. Peanut butter is a godsend b/c it doesn't have to be refrigerated.My paternal grandmother, who came from Russia, lived in Hollywood, Florida, so we used to visit her there when she was still alive. Are you anywhere nearby?
We both know how nice it is to change scenery!
So you loved Angle of Repose too! Nice.
Happy holidays.
Tomorrow everyone starts arriving here and bedlam will soon break loose. I still have tons to do before they all arrive.
Chrissie, enjoy your time with your loved ones!
Marina, I will. Leah, my youngest granddaughter, just said that the first thing to wanted to do is to go and give a big hug to Nana, which is me, and this does make me feel good.
Chrissie, we bring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too.
Angela, have you ever taken Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park or Blue Ridge Parkway through the Smokies. It’s a beautiful route - our favorite way to go from New York to Florida - though slow andout of the way for us because we head to the eastern coast of Florida, Melbourne Beach.Chrissie- when I was a kid we had a vacation house outside Hollywood in Dania Fl.
Joan , we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway one year when we stopped to visit a friend who lived in Asheville,NC . It was out of the but we visited for a couple of days and then traveled on . We stay in southeast Fl . My sister lives in Boca Raton so we try to rent near there . This year as in last year we will be staying in Pompano Beach.
Chrissie, it was not bad but the weather did not suit me and there were too many bugs for my liking. Also I didn't like the isolation.
Chrissie , we stay very close to Hollywood, Fl, in Pompano Beach or Deerfield Beach . This year in Pompano.
Joan wrote: "Angela, have you ever taken Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park or Blue Ridge Parkway through the Smokies. It’s a beautiful route - our favorite way to go from New York to Florida - thou..."Hmmm, I don't recognize the name Dania......,.
Angela, both Hollywood and Pompano Beach are in SE Florida. I hope you have a nice holiday this year.
Chrissie- Dania is between Hollywood and Ft. Lauderdale. I never enjoyed it much because I prefer the cold and woods. When I was older we vacationed around Bangor in Maine - much more to my liking.
Well, I personally don't have the best memories of Florida. My memories are filled with eye laser treatments. Treatment by laser was then new, and although I later did later receive it extensively I should have received it earlier. It was all that was available as other better treatments had not yet been discovered. My daughter remembers her first Cabbage Patch and sleepy dolls. Remember them? Disney land was what my kids remember too, but it was exceedingly cold that year and the orange crops were destroyed resulting in high consumer prices and media uproar. Memories...... I remember my grandmother's homemade gefilte fish and Jewish almonds in string beans and trips to the Jewish delicatessens.It is the variety and seeing different places that I appreciate the most.
Today is our "Christmas on the Green" which is a festive gathering of the people on our little road at the grass/lawn opposite our houses which borders the forest. People from the two small surrounding streets also attend and it's a fun mix of people, dogs and kids.One of our neighbours has dressed some of the large gums with huge bows in red and green so even the trees are 'in the mood'.
B the BookAddict wrote: "Today is our "Christmas on the Green" which is a festive gathering of the people on our little road at the grass/lawn opposite our houses which borders the forest. People from the two small surroun..."What a great community you have! I hope your holidays are enjoyable, Bette.
I’m patiently waiting for the 2018 Albuquerque Blizzard! Supposed to start within the hour. They are calling for 4-8 inches, which is a lot for us here in the southwest! Winter is officially here. ❄️❄️❄️ I’m doing readathons in 2 different groups so this is the perfect weekend for snow! I hate driving in it but LOVE walking in it! So beautiful. I usually get to wear my winter boots 1-2 times a year.
Pam wrote: "I’m patiently waiting for the 2018 Albuquerque Blizzard! Supposed to start within the hour. They are calling for 4-8 inches, which is a lot for us here in the southwest! Winter is officially here. ..."Good luck, Pam.
I just caught up on reviews for most of this month. None are great reviews because I was just churning them out.
Our blizzard was a bust for much of Albuquerque. It is really cold, though! We have a few more chances later this week for snow.
Karin, congratulations on clearing all those reviews- you are an inspiration.
Joan wrote: "Karin, congratulations on clearing all those reviews- you are an inspiration."My oldest online reading group is one where we get points for posting reviews, so that was my incentive. Then we can use those points for extra votes sometimes, and I often like to use those.
Karin wrote: "I just caught up on reviews for most of this month. None are great reviews because I was just churning them out."I find it hard to write worthy reviews if I put them off long after reading the book.....and so I don't.
Chrissie wrote: "I find it hard to write worthy reviews if I put them off long after reading the book.....and so I don't...."Same here! Also, even right after reading a book, the quality of my reviews varies a great deal, but as long as I get points, I am not that concerned about it.
Karin wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I find it hard to write worthy reviews if I put them off long after reading the book.....and so I don't...."Same here! Also, even right after reading a book, the quality of my re..."
OK, your motivation is different.
Happy New Year everyone. Hope everybody had a wonderful holiday
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The emphasis is on the word “new”. Every altered situation in life affords new possibilities, if we will only see them. “One door closes, another opens.”
I have never felt homesick abroad because I try to focus on what IS in front of me, not what isn’t. I think that is what Mann is getting at.