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622nd Friday Blog Roundup

I just had the most relaxing, non-brain-taxing, fun read in a long time.  If you are also stressed beyond the point of being able to function and feeling increasing despair when you go online because you confront the news (or people discussing the news), I’m going to recommend The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan.

The ChickieNob informed me that I took this book out of the library twice.  The first time, I returned it after reading a few pages.  I guess I thought I wasn’t going to like it.

The second time, I grabbed it in a panic when I had exactly three minutes and six seconds in the library to make a selection and pick up the kids from school.  When the ChickieNob saw it, she told me that I had checked it out weeks earlier and returned it weeks earlier.

Really?

Because while it may not have appealed to me pre-election, this book definitely was the greatest escape post-election.  It’s a reimagining of the British royal family with a Will and Kate-type relationship story.  It is (1) so much fun, (2) has really likeable characters, (3) made me feel like I actually knew what Buckingham Palace looked like beyond the public rooms, (4) did I mention fun?  It was really fun, unless you’re actually in the royal family, and then it probably would not be fun.

But none of you are in the royal family, right?

Juxtapose that with watching The Crown at the same time, and it was perfect escapism.

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Stop procrastinating.  Go make your backups.  Don’t have regrets.

Seriously.  Stop what you’re doing for a moment.  It will take you fifteen minutes, tops.  But you will have peace of mind for days and days.  It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

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And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

Okay, now my choices this week.

Searching for Our Silver Linings had a post that I needed to read this week about still seeing the good.  I’ll admit that my attention has been much more focused on the loud moments of hatred bubbling up around me, but her post is a rallying cry to give just as much weight to the quieter acts of kindness.

Hope Floats Among the Cherry Blossoms has a very real and very raw post about thoughts she has had about trying to conceive.  I highlight it not only because it is well-written and an interesting read but because I suspect that she is not alone with these thoughts as she looks left and right to a future with or without children.  As she grapples with her fears and questions, I also don’t want to lose my favourite part of the post: “I loved my mom and felt so loved by her that I wanted to be a mommy and take care of a child so they could feel as loved as I felt as a little girl.”  Me, too.

Lastly, Project Progeny has a post about meeting up with another IF blogger.  I love this post because meeting people face-to-face after reading them online is one of my favourite things, and this is doubly so when we’ve understood each other through the lens of infertility.  Not only do I remember the blog exchanges she mentioned, I participated in some of those blog exchanges.  And I feel the same way as this: “We talked about making connections through blogging, and what that had meant for each of us during our years of actively working to build our families, through the pain and grief and fears of infertility. Neither of us is actively in that stage anymore – no more two-week waits – but there is something about feeling known and understood and accepted that we both miss about the ALI blogging community.”  Yes, I believe that she can slip back down into blogging as she states at the end of the post.  Go read the whole piece.

The roundup to the Roundup: A good escape novel, unless you are in the royal family.  Your weekly backup nudge.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between November 18th and 25th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.

7 comments

1 Lori Lavender Luz { 11.25.16 at 10:42 am }

Cristy’s was my pick, too.

Just checked out The Royal We from the library.

2 Jenny { 11.25.16 at 2:12 pm }

Heather and Jessica write one of my favourite blogs (GoFugYourself), but I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read one of their books yet. I think I’ll put The Royal We on my Christmas list now. 🙂

3 Turia { 11.26.16 at 10:47 am }

Thank you for the recommendation. I just put the book on hold at my library.

Your post made me wish (again!) that libraries would let you see your user history when you log in to your account. I think it would be great to be able to search backwards and see what you had out a year ago.

4 em { 11.26.16 at 11:07 am }

First question on the podcast is about someone who, I think, needs the community you have here. Thought I’d suggest it as a listen.http://www.wbur.org/dearsugar/2016/11/11/dear-sugar-episode-seventy-seven

5 Jess { 11.26.16 at 3:08 pm }

That book sounds amazing. It’s funny sometimes how a book can be right in the right time, and wrong in others. I will have to add it to my list! I am reading The Haunting of Sunshine Girl, because it’s freaky and a quick read and has nothing to do with anything in the news…

I loved your post with the sage advice on how to make it from Thanksgiving to Christmas when you’re not in the best space, for whatever reason. It’s just so helpful!
https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2016/11/how-to-get-from-thanksgiving-to-new-years-when-youre-not-in-the-mood-3/

6 em { 11.28.16 at 12:22 pm }

Although I found this post today, Monday, I’m not going to save it for next week. It’s too good. So here you go: http://www.catherynnemvalente.com/the-beasts-who-fought-for-fairyland/

7 Jamie { 12.02.16 at 12:44 am }

Thank you for highlighting my post this week. The part that you pulled from my post speaks loudest to me. And I likely have my answer. Sorry for the delay in my response. I’ve been sick after my family came for a visit.

On another note, I like the book that you suggested. I’ve been looking for a light read to add to my list!

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