752nd Friday Blog Roundup
For 11 years, I have diligently avoided reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. (1) I don’t like epistolary novels. (2) The title annoyed me. (3) The fact that everyone gushed about it made me feel like there was a veeeeeeery good chance that I wouldn’t enjoy it. (4) It contains 0% magic or monsters.
But… The ChickieNob and I were looking for something to watch, and I told her that we should try the first ten minutes of the Netflix movie to see the scenery in Guernsey. We were about to give up because it was taking so long to get to Guernsey (at that point, I didn’t know the movie was shot in North Devon, so we were not going to see Guernsey… ever) when she received that first letter from Dawsey.
And then. Oh my G-d. I loved the story so much. I would say, “Why didn’t you all tell me how much I would love The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society?” Because everyone said it. And I didn’t believe it. And now I’m going backwards to read the book because it is such a great story.
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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:
- “Being a Mom Is Kind of Awkward After Infertility” (RisaKerslake)
- “It’s All About Perspective” (Fighting Infertility)
Okay, now my choices this week.
I learned a new term from My Path to Mommyhood: Toxic positivity. She explains: “Nothing makes you feel lonelier than when you are honestly wondering what you did to warrant such utter horrible luck in every aspect of family building, if you can keep going, if people will understand if you CAN’T keep going… and you are faced with the following…” You’ll have to click over to read the list and understand, and I promise, it’s worth it so you don’t accidentally utter any of these in the name of positivity.
Raising the A Team has a post about setting a date (the next embryo freezing bill) for deciding on whether to try for a third child. She writes, “As a kid, I always expected to have two kids and it wasn’t until I met Laurie and we started planning our dream family that having 3 even occurred to me. But once I had it in my mind, it stuck there and now it’s grown into my plan.” Those thoughts are hard to shake out of your head, even when facing other facts. It’s an interesting take on the question.
By the Brooke explains the thoughts that went through her head after losing her baby: “In my weird grief mindset, having a baby shower was basically calling attention to your pregnancy and asking the universe to take it away.” Which takes her into the meat of the post. First of all, I love the title: “All the Luck in the Universe,” which she explains through a story that is just as good as The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society! A tale of two friends, two babies, and enormous love flowing between the families.
The roundup to the Roundup: Realizing that I love The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society after all. 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 July 19th and 26th) 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.
5 comments
Thanks for including me! It was a new term to me, too, but I was glad to see that it was a recognized phenomenon.
I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society a while ago at the recommendation of a friend’s, and I loved it but don’t remember a lot. I’ll have to reread and then watch the movie, or do it in your order!
I loved your post Giving Comfort, because it really opened up a fascinating discussion on how we handle others’ grief and how we want our own grief handled.
https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2019/07/giving-comfort/
I also loved Mali’s Inheritances post for the thoughts on who we give our things to after we’re gone when there are no children.
https://nokiddinginnz.blogspot.com/2019/07/inheritances.html?m=1
And lastly, Tiny Glass Bowl of Bread hit my heartstrings:
https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2019/07/tiny-glass-bowl-of-bread/
I did say it. 😉 I read “Guernsey Literary etc.” years ago, when it first came out, & then re-read it last year before watching the movie on Netflix. The book is, of course, better than the movie 😉 but I enjoyed the movie too. And of course I reviewed both on my blog. 😉
My book review: https://theroadlesstravelledlb.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-guernsey-literary-and-potato-peel.html
Movie review included in this post: https://theroadlesstravelledlb.blogspot.com/2018/11/microblogmondays-odds-ends.html
Behind on my blog reading & commenting while I’m at my parents’ house, but hoping to have some recommendations for second helpings soon! 🙂
I’m glad you included Jess’s Toxic Positivity post – I love that term, and of course loved her post.
I’m laughing at your reaction to the story. I remember years ago resisting reading a book that others had enjoyed at my book club. (We all read the books at different times.) Then, when I finally read it, like you I loved it. It’s now one of my favourites – Stones from the River. You might like it – though it doesn’t have Guernsey OR magic or monsters in it.
I loved that book. Haven’t seen the movie, though.
I loved “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” book! I forgot that there’s been a movie made about it actually. Going to see if netflix Germany has it.