Stack O' Books

If you start a book...do you have to finish it before moving onto the next?

If your answer is YES. I get you. I used to be like that too. Then I figured out that if I just gave myself permission to put it down if I wasn’t feeling it, it really was no big deal.

What was the shift? Just the decision. “Ok book! I’m done with you now! Have a good life and maybe I’ll see ya later!”

This is me doing that right now. I started Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes forever ago. I’d heard great things about it and when it was on a “take and replace” shelf at Acupuncture Newton, Inc, I took it. I decided it was going to be my fun book. That means I wasn’t going to take a highlighter to the text and a pencil to the margins. I was just going to read it.

Here’s what I liked about it.

I liked that she just gave herself the freedom to write. Her words came straight from her brain, practically unedited. Some pages just seemed like word vomit. So basically… it was kind of my style. I thought “If Shonda Rhimes can write that way, so can I! And it’s OK!”

I loved all of the references to Grey’s Anatomy & Scandal.

I loved her weirdness!

With my bookmark on page 226 of 299, I’m putting it down. As I type that out, I didn’t realize I was so close to the end and part of me wants to pick it back up. But NOPE. This is me deciding. Now.. do I mail it back to Newton Acupuncture? Or does this book want to take a trip to another “take and replace” bookshelf? I’ll flip a coin.

The next three books sitting on my table are the only three fiction books in my personal library. In my frenzy of I have to get rid of everything in my house, I decided I would probably never reread these books and they were just taking up space in my house.

If I read fiction, it’s John Grisham. It’s safe. I know that whichever John Grisham book I pick up, I’m going to like it. It gives me anxiety to think about finding another fiction book that I would enjoy as much.

Most recently I read The Rooster Bar. Grisham was inspired to create the story after reading an article titled "The Law-School Scam" that appeared in The Atlantic magazine in 2014.

The characters in it basically bullshitted their way to earning a whole lot of money as lawyers without a law degree.

It’s funny - but I gained a strange sense of confidence from this book. Why? Because I just kept thinking about how sometimes we all just have to bullshit our way into things!! Stop letting the imposter syndrome step in and tell ourselves we’re not good enough.

The fact is - someone, somewhere is doing exactly what you want to do with less education, less money, and fewer resources. They are probably not as smart or as attractive as you either.

So what’s holding you back? Your lack of bullshitting skills? Perhaps! Your own fear? Maybe!

Ok - I’m off that now. In short, I was captured by this book and even stayed up late reading it several times. When usually reading puts me right to sleep, I had to force myself to take my headlight off!

Moving on. Ford County Stories are stories in the same setting as A Time To Kill. Maybe you haven't read that book, but have you seen the young Matthew McConaughey in the movie?

I read A Painted House so long ago that I have no idea what it was about. No doubt it’s good too.

Last little random fact. It’s very rare that I remember character names in books that I read or shows that I watch. I know who they are. I know what they’re doing. But I can’t EVER remember their names. I wonder if this has something to do with the same reason I have a hard time recognizing Facebook friends' person.