Food for Thought

Some people sail through life, confident and assured that they're a-okay and if somebody has a beef with them, well, too bad for that person. I'm definitely not in that camp. And, as it turns out, lots of us aren't. Brene turns her wisdom to the topic of shame, perfectionism, judgment and self-criticism and does her thing that she does. Like an old carpet that we walk on in the same patterns, over and over, eventually wearing ruts into the weave and forcing ourselves to continue on those self-imposed paths, we can unintentionally steer our thoughts to the same unhealthy conclusions every time we have a hiccup in our behavior, conversations or relationships. Brene pulls out that old carpet and suggests maybe just walking on the floor underneath. Is it perfect? Nope. But you can go anywhere you want. You just have to know that you can. I read it in small chunks that I could ponder, little by little. Or, you can do it however YOU want to do it. No judgment, no shame.

Bone-Chilling Tale

I've always been captivated by stories of seafaring. Brave souls paddling a dugout by the stars, a clipper ship bouncing along, or more recent stories of sailors or merchants braving what that world has to offer--all seem terrifying and thrilling. There's no 911 out there, and things can get dicey. This narrative of the "perfect" storm of October, 1991 follows the crew and initial voyage of the Andrea Gail, sailing into this monster. Through comparisons with sister ships traveling just enough ahead or behind her, the author has pieced together what probably happened during this storm of deathly proportions. Beyond that, the unimaginable bravery of the Air National Guard is detailed in their multiple rescues during this same hellish soup. Truly nightmarish, I found myself stopping and looking up, outside, to estimate just how tall those waves were. Honestly, though, it's hard to comprehend. Riveting and brilliantly paced. I read the book years ago, when it was new, but it was just as captivating the second time around.

Part Goofball, Part Poetry

If you like John Irving, you just might like this quirky book. The protagonist, Eduardo, has committed some infraction and through connections has gotten a cushy sentence of community service--reading to people in their homes. His clients are unique and there are, of course, back stories and tangled webs involving them and theirs. Although I don't find myself drawn to deep poetry, and this book centers around one particular poem, I found it an easy and painless, if not page-turning, read.