Just Another Monday

Like all the other Mondays lately.
(Actually . . . like ALL the other days lately.)

Before we get to "starting your engines," though, I just want to tell you that my blog platform (Typepad) has some . . . issues . . . now and again with commenting.  I have my account set up so that I receive an email notification whenever a blog comment comes in.  Every now and then, though . . . no notification!  That happened last week.  Y'all were commenting.  I just didn't hear about it!  I try to respond to most comments (although sometimes I don't manage that so well) (sorry), but when I don't get an email notification, it makes it really hard for me to write back to you.  So.  If you commented last week and I didn't respond, please know that I went back to my posts and read each one.  I'm sorry that I didn't reply personally.  I so appreciate all of your comments!  I love hearing your thoughts and suggestions or just sharing our friendship.  It means a lot to me when you take the time to let me know you're out there.  Thank you.  (And it looks like I'm getting notifications again, so let's keep our fingers crossed for this week.)

Now.

It's time to . . . 

As usual, on Mondays I share a bit of this and a little of that.  Things I discovered over the weekend.

(And I always start things off with my quote-of-the-week!)

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"You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming."
                --- Pablo Neruda

I cut this little bouquet of hellebores when I was out working in my garden yesterday afternoon.  So very many things in our lives have been canceled or restricted or have just plain vanished over these past two months.  Spending time in my garden reminds me that there are some things that can't be canceled:  spring, blooms, grass growing, buds bursting, birds nesting.  It's good to get out there and bask in what CAN'T be canceled.

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You know how it seems like time has sort of . . . folded . . . lately?  That we can't seem to keep track of the days?  And weeks feel like months while the days fly by?  Well.  It turns out there's something called 'The Oddball Effect' at play for all of us right now!  Usually, this time-folding thing happens most often for people on vacation.  (Or . . . staying at home in a global pandemic, apparently.)  Read all about this interesting phenomenon here.  (It's pretty fascinating.)

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I know many of you already listen to Brené Brown's new podcast Unlocking Us . . . but just in case you haven't given it a listen yet, let me push you in that direction.  Truly, this podcast is one of the bright spots in my weeks now.  It is the right listen at the right time -- every week.

New episodes drop each Tuesday.  (Extra bonus:  This helps me remember when it's Tuesday!)

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Vacation plans . . . have fallen like a house of cards. I try not to think too much about it, but it has been rather heartbreaking to see my travel plans for the year totally unravel.  California. Scotland. Italy. POOF! Gone. And I can't even console myself with a weekend in Chicago. It's rough. For all of us. No matter where we wanted to go.

Thankfully, we still have our computers. This year, we'll just have to do virtual vacations . . . Armchair Adventures!

Let's start off with a trip to Yellowstone. The National Park Service has put together a fabulous virtual tour of this terrific travel destination. The site includes maps, videos, photos, educational information, and lots more! You can even use it as a starting point to plan a REAL trip . . . y'know. For Someday. 

Have fun visiting Yellowstone from the comfort of your own armchair!

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I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time settling in with books lately. I feel kind of like . . . Goldilocks.  This book is too sad. This book is too predictable. This book is too . . . pre-pandemic.  I've been having a hard time getting comfortable, although it looks like mystery (but not too "cozy" a mystery) with a bit of crime drama thrown in might be the "just right" genre for me right now. Classics also seem to be working for me these days.

Maybe it's time I combine the two???? Here's a list of highly-regarded classic crime stories for you to check out if you, too, are having a hard time finding that "just right" read. 

(I've always found that when I lose my "reading mojo," a bit of Agatha Christie or Jane Austen will usually get me back on track.)

And . . . just in case you missed it, the Women's Prize short list was announced last week.  I've read 3 of the 6 so far.  Two of the books won't be published until late summer here in the US, so those will have to wait.  I have Hilary Mantel's The Mirror and the Light in my Audible library . . . but even though I was really looking forward to listening to it, I find I'm not in the mood for it right now.  (It's partly that Goldilocks thing, but also, well, everytime I look at it and see that it's over 38 hours I just . . . can't.)

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Lastly . . . I'm sure you've all already seen this.  But just in case you haven't (or if, like me, you can't quite see it often enough), I'll leave you with this.

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Be healthy, my friends.  And get out there and experience some can't-be-canceled Spring!

Comments

[Juliann]

I have a friend who is visiting virtual museums every weekend which is a fun idea. Thanks for the short list link. I haven’t ready any of them but my reading life is pretty wonky right now.

[Bonny]

Thanks for the Oddball Effect link; I'm glad to read a logical explanation. And I will never tire of watching Brad Pitt/Dr. Fauci!

[Carole]

Dale and I were lamenting last week that we were supposed to be in New Orleans with you and Tom! Maybe next year. I love your Monday posts, so much good stuff. XOXO

[Vera]

LOL - that SNL clip is too funny (also kind of sad). As always, thanks for the links. I finally found a book I can sink into and enjoy!! It's been a long time (my reading got wonky prior to pandemic times). If you have not read any of the Maigret books (George Simenon), you might enjoy them! Sounds like your Typepad platform was doing the same thing blogger was doing for me some time back. Frustrating for sure.

[Sarah]

I have not read any of the books on the short list, so that might be a good place for me to start looking for a new audiobook to listen to while running (though I think I'll hold off on the Hilary Mantel -- I know I don't have that kind of concentration right now!). I would have loved to have seen Dr. Fauci's reaction to watching Brad Pitt's impersonation of him!

[Vicki]

Oh, that photo of your hellebores... SPECTACULAR!!!

I have had similar issues with Typepad comments in the past. Most recently, the determination was that the word "HEY" in the title of a blog post was the reason. They said, "To prevent spam postings, we have blocked URLs with "hey" but the comment notifications seem to be included in this block. We are looking into this further."

[Kat]

Thank you for that Oddball Effect article! I was having it BAD last week, embarrassingly so! Sigh. AND!!! You are the second blog (Thanks Bridget!!) for putting Dorothy L. Sayers mysteries on my radar! I have them on my "want to read" list on Goodreads, but I am now heading to the library (online, of course) to see if I can check it out! XO

[Mary]

Happy Monday, Kym! I've read none of the short list, although I do have two of them on hold. My favorite part of that cold open was when he took off the wig and the glasses ... a real tribute to a seasoned professional in a terrible position (I'm sure Tom has Thoughts about that ... ugh). I have somehow managed to maintain a sense of the days - I didn't realize just how different that was from what others are experiencing. ...and not at all to say the hours within the days don't seem to be FLYing by!

[kathy b]

Hellebores are so lovely. I am going to check out armchair adventures now

[Pam]

The article about the oddball effect was really interesting - and made me realize that coming home from travel to quarantine was a double whammy, even if the first part was wonderful.

I remember when I had cancer, gritty mysteries were just the ticket - engrossing enough to pull me out of myself and my current life, but with a comforting all put back in order at the end. I am a long-time fan of the Peter Wimsey books, and have loved Albert Campion and Inspector Alleyn as well. I still remember my favorite English professor at SPU "giving" us Wimsey and Strong Poison (the first Vane story) as a Christmas gift (suggestion). Maybe a re-read is in the cards.

Your flowers are beautiful!

[margene]

The Neruda quote tickled me! That vase full hellebores is amazing! You must have a fair number in your garden. We have Kwanzan cherries in full bloom. I just love walking around our grounds and greeting each one. I have the same problem with books and just told a friend I needed a good mystery or two to distract me. I love all the armchair touring and traveling. SNL's home edition has been fun to watch. I get a kick out of each skit, more so than I have in the past. Thank you for the great info, Kym!