1. I finished Gone Girl yesterday. It was incredibly captivating and I read the entire thing much more quickly than I have read anything in ages. I really liked it – twists, ending, everything. It was fantastic. (A bit dark and depressing, but not too heavy for me.) Highly recommend. You should read it. And if you’ve already read it, we should talk about it.
2. We are staying at my parents house. They only live 25 minutes away, so we usually just come and hang out, then go home and sleep in our own beds. But we’re staying here and maximizing family time. It’s great. And I’ve been wearing the same clothes for two days because we didn’t expect to stay here.
3. I know the early darkness in the evenings makes the days seem shorter, but it also makes our evenings seem to last forever. I really like that part. “It must be 10pm….oh! It’s only 5:45! Paaaarty! Or at least three more episodes of this TV show.”
4. I love doing puzzles. Apparently not every 20-something likes doing puzzles. My sister told me her friends told her only old ladies like puzzles. But you don’t know what you’re missing. Puzzles are highly satisfying. So are early bed times, though, so I might just be an old lady.
5. My little brother’s girlfriend (!!) told me that he brags about Gabe all the time. “He tells me he’s the smartest, cutest, best child ever.” My brother is 18 and is renowned for not liking children, so this is so incredibly adorable I can’t even handle it.
6. I’ve been watching Parenthood on and off for the first time. Mike watched with me one night and we decided that this whole parenting thing looks really freaking hard and we’d rather not. (Teenagers, anyway.) Then I realized we’d already dug that grave for ourselves. Oops.
7. My family likes each other a lot. We can spend three straight days together and not go crazy. My family still feels so incredibly comfortable to me. I’m really, really thankful for that. I think part of it is being super close from moving around a lot. So, you know, there are good reasons to move.
In my family, it’s a tradition to put together a puzzle during the holidays. Sometimes we do one for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas. I’m not sure when it started because I can only remember doing it as a teenager, but I’ve carried on the tradition despite my friends also telling me that it’s what old ladies do. Whatever. It’s addictive, fun, and a nice way to spend a cold evening indoors.
If loving puzzles make you an old lady then I’ll gladly be an old lady! It is so satisfying to finish one and, in my opinion, the process is fun. I love finding that one piece you’ve been searching for.
Gillian Flynns other books are amazing as well. Sharp Objects and Dark Places. Wish shed come out with another book!
1. I seriously LOVED Gone Girl! So crazy and so good. I kept telling Jeff “guess what this crazy, nuts girl is doing now!!!” but I don’t think he appreciated it as much as I did.
2. Puzzles are so not for old ladies. In fact, I just bought my mom this awesome puzzle mat thing that you can roll up and everything stays in place (put together parts, separated pieces, etc) so you can clear off the table! What a genius idea, huh? Maybe I’ll have to try it out myself before gifting it ;-)
You are so fortunate to have a family you enjoy spending time with. I love mine, but I don’t always like them. I try to make the best of our time together & suck up all the bad parts & focus on the good ones, but it can be exhausting!
Also: “It must be 10pm….oh! It’s only 5:45! Paaaarty! Or at least three more episodes of this TV show.” YES, THIS.
First off, puzzles are THE BEST ever. And I go to bed early too but that doesn’t make us old ladies- it makes us very evolved ladies who know what they like & know sleep is far more important than being out at a bar for all hours. I just started watching Parenthood too– definitely fell down the rabbit hole with it- so good!
I watch Parenthood for the catharsis- there’s always a part that can make me cry about 8 minutes before the show ends. I don’t really cry based on real life things, so it’s a nice feeling. This whole taking care of a really demanding kid while your spouse goes through chemo…. not OK. I kept thinking I would just send the kid off to my parent’s house and hug my spouse nonstop. Is that bad parenting? Oh well. Hopefully our life never resembles a dramatic TV show.
I haven’t read Gone Girl, but I’ve heard a lot about it. I’m currently reading The Age of Miracles and it is also very captivating. The earth’s rotation slows. It’s freaky, but mostly a coming of age story about a young girl serving as the narrator.
The idea of moving back to Ohio is starting to scare me. Is it nice there? Are you guys going to stay? Is heat really expensive? Will I be able to escape OSU fan grossness? How bad is 30 degrees? Eek!
1. Ooo, I’m super bummed because I couldn’t get through Gone Girl, but everyone’s talking about it! Maybe I should try again?
6. I am all about intense, emotional dramas (The West Wing, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, etc.), but I tried watching Parenthood on Netflix IMMEDIATELY after zooming through the entire Brothers & Sisters series and I had to stop. Maybe it was too much after B&S? Another thing I need to try again (esp. given my love of Lorelai Gilmore/Lauren Graham ;) ).
Yes to Gone Girl. I actually thought the ending fit perfectly with the screwed-up-ness of the novel itself. It was such an emotional ride for me, though! I can’t wait for the movie!!
I feel the saaaaame way about DST. I feel like my nights are so much longer now! So I’ll take it. Sucks that it gets darker earlier, but feeling like my nights go on and on? Works for me!
I bought Gone Girl to read for a book club, but haven’t found time to read it yet. Since everyone’s raving about it, I guess I’ll have to go ahead and read it!
I *LOVE* puzzles. Putting everything together gives me so much satisfaction, probably because I’m a perfectionist. (It’s also why I love math – everything is already meant to fit/work together a certain way.)
4. Now that I’m 30 I feel like I can come out in HUGE favor of puzzles without ridicule, so hang in there!
7. YES! My family criss-crossed the country (no, not the same as international living!) so I’ve always felt super close to them and now that my parents and sister are moving again over 1,000 miles away I feel so lost! As in, I may just have to drag my husband from New York to Wisconsin…
Um, I LOVE PUZZLES! Seriously. One of my favorite things ever.
I loved Gone Girl!!! I think I ignored my entire family for 48 hours while I sped read that book! It is just so good!
Oh, Ashley. I want you to be my neighbor. I think we’d be good friends in no time.
First: YES. Let’s discuss the book, shall we?
NO ONE ever understands why I like it to get dark early. YES to number 3!
I, no joke, organize puzzle nights. Some variation of me, my husband, my sister, and/or my cousin and a nice big puzzle. The best.
My sister is 21 and is the best Aunt in the world. I LOVE watching her adore my children. She never wants to have kids of her own, and generally doesn’t like babies, but she is SMITTEN with my kids.