Hello, I'm new(ish) here

I would suggest The Sideways Life of Denny Voss which I thoroughly enjoyed, both a whodunit and very heartfelt. Gifted it to a friend, because it being impressive. Or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, something completely different, but also heartfelt @Mary_Scope

What are you currently reading @MissMarple ?

Right now I am reading Stature of No Limitations, a cozy sort of setting of three female, feisty characters trying to dissolve stereotypes. Not just sexism, but also bodyism, looking past appearances... I haven't finished it yet, but already feel like smacking some people on the head with it (proverbially, obv). Link: https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/book/800209

Oooh, let me know what you make of the book by Bella Osborne. I've read The Library written by her, see if you can find it at your library next time… You just made me wonder to re-read it if I can still do that with a book I got through Netgalley years ago. Hmmm, not sure.

I'm thinking of reading Viveca Sten's third book (Are murders?) which would be my first book by her.

How are you doing, apart from what you're reading?

I am glad you are here today @MissMarple while you are feeling low. It is always ups and downs, isn't it?

Not sure if you are into mindfulness and meditation, but you mentioned Tara Brach in the past so I want to bring this up… In an hour and a half there is a free session with the theme that it is okay not to be okay - not Tara Brach by the way…
I am hoping to be there for the first 30 min which is normally the part with the guided meditation. Be sure, I'll be thinking of you tonight, whether or not I'm gonna make it to the session.

About the books, I only recently started to reread books. To be on the safe side instead of risking a disappointment.

And I am doing okay today, thankfully. A friend called to say she is going to be a grandmother again, she sounded so upbeat! And early January I started knitting a sweater, but had to put it aside for two weeks. Yesterday I overcame what looks like the biggest hurdle, so I am back on track.
My therapist is helping me to emphasize these positive things without repressing the sad things that take up so much space as well. Only now (but of course not every day, if only) I feel like I get to be a bit more on top of my inner critic. Small mercies, right? Hang in there, dear!

Reluctantly I started meditation and later on practice mindfulness and I am glad I did, because it taught me so much about impermanence, interconnection, and mostly that there is nu such thing as mind over matter. That I cannot force myself to be healthy or happy. Nor force my mind to be quiet.

But yeah, it isn’t easy and it isn’t for everyone. Even Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron has a hard time meditating, I think she mentioned this in a podcast by Oprah?
A year ago I read Forest Euphoria, that is not about mindfulness or meditation, but author Patricia Ononiwu does explain how she feels when immersed in her green surroundings. And that even a garden is nature, as opposed to what we normally think. This really helped me accept to sit outside and feel the cold or hear the birds, despite longing for the woods. It soothed me regarding feelings of loneliness.

So I hope you’ll find your own way of noticing things and being kind to yourself – this is perhaps the hardest part? I know it is for me...

Indeed, I was there for the guided meditation that was very simple. And she mentioned our thoughts taking over, that is what minds do :) My partner told me later on that with the Q and A there was someone asking about panic attacks and someone else bringing up the theme of unworthiness or something similar. So I might go back to the recording in a few days, we’ll see.

Helloooo @Mary_Scope and @MissMarple always nice to chat about books :)

Is Gone Girl the one with suspicion on abuse or murder? Something to do with storing vomit in the fridge? If so, it was way too evil for me.

I am currently reading Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material and I keep laughing out loud which is good, because it is about undermining yourself or being seen as less by others.

But you Miss are very brave for reading this book. Very timely topic, we need books like these. But I need my distance from this from time to time for my mental health. Thanks for sharing, if I change my mind I’ll know where to find it.

Have you heard of the Melt the ICE knitting pattern for hats? A woman from Minneapolis has a local yarn shop and designed this as a visible protest of ICE actions in the United States and raising funds for immigrant aid agencies. Over 11 thousand has been knitted already! Yay!
I am just very thankful for every single human wanting to discuss this or knit a hat to say they’ve had enough. We are way past a grey area, I am finding it hard to find the right words for this.