The translators note was SO fascinating

Yes! You're back to rereading the great Sir Terry , and sharing your love for this series.

Incredible Book and as a matter of fact the motion picture was equally as good. Rod steiger I mean come on he is incredible

Amazing the amount of reading. Inspiring . a book a month here. Looking to read more. Always a question of what to read.

Read a couple times. admire Huxley. And early work is interesting. Thinking about him and JFK and CS Lewis today

The white woman could be free if she wanted to. But she loved the high life brought to her on the backs of her slave. Just like today. Whte women claim they are victims but enjoy black women's oppression.

White women do that. They play the victim but they tend to be the ultimate oppressor.

I'll be 59 next month, I'm divorced, have a companion, 2 children (students), am a librarian (a job that I love) but somehow, I'm not feeling complete. I love my job, love my family, but have a lot of commute, spend my week-ends reading, but I'd love to do more. What more ? Don't know. Sports ? Not easy at the moment. Walking ? It's hunting season and I live in the country, so that's a big no. Do what ? house cleaning 😑 ? Taking care of my family ? Been doing this all my life. Drawing ? I'd love to but I can't get to do it. Reading ? I love that, but it's escapism. I've been wondering a lot. Next year, I'll be 60. A few years ago, I would have been retired but no, I have (for the moment) 4 more years to go on. Sports ? (when ? where ? It's not easy when you don't live alone and have a long commute to work). I'll have to think, work on it, see what I can do. But it's a lot of work, not proper work, but inside work if I may say. So I'll have to think about it and find something that I would love to do. That doesn't require a lot of money (like buying books !). I'm still working on it. Take care 💜 I'm lost too, but we'll find our way. I'm just like you, memory wise, intentions wise, but when it comes to make it into realiity... Oh well ! Thanks for sharing !

oo a new Juan Pablo Villalobos?? I will need to get my hands on this one

"this is not the life you should have" Yeah, I'm feeling that one.. About to turn 35 and can't say I'm feeling to great about that. Though admittedly the time of year (seasonally I mean) isn't helping so I'm not even sure if it's my actually birthday or just the SAD

The thing you’re missing: …..ready? SERVICE. SERVICE TO OTHERS. There’s no substitute for this. It’s not all about you and your feels --it’s about others. And the funny thing is, the more you give of yourself and you time and talent, for the direct benefit of others? The better and more fulfilled you will feel. This is an infallible truth. You can thank me later. ❤

Quick note-the word you’re looking for is not ‘content’, but ‘contentment’. The latter word has the accent on the second syllable rather than the first.

I needed to hear someone else say what I'm feeling but my circumstances are a little different. I am about to turn 53, still with my husband of 30 years who retired due to a disability at age 41, 2 boys in their early 20's who have left nest for final time and some part-time WFH because I don't want to leave my husband alone. I am in transition. Still a carer for my husband but no longer raising kids. Not enough consistent part-time WFH, a lot of responsibility for running house, yard, car, life admin. But still too much 'free time'. I found that I only enjoy reading, watching tv/movies, sudoku puzzles or going for walks if I feel like I deserve it. Hence motivation and anhedonia are my issues. Ultimately, what is my purpose other than caring for my husband and household? If I was super busy I wouldn't have all this time to think which gives me anxiety.

I’m more than a decade older than you but my kids are on their own and I only see them a few times a year. Divorced and independent, still working. So we have similar situation. Based on what you shared, you may have a little ADHD, as I do. mine gets worse in the fall/winter.

Have you read the book Four Thousand Weeks? It has helped me quite a bit with these struggles. I just joined a gym a couple of weeks ago! I appreciate you voicing what I struggle with too. We are in the same headspace. Does one of your videos tell us more about you?

The gym sounds like a good start. I know how it feels to have that lingering sense of discontent. I guess most people do from time to time. You are taking positive action, which is good. I noticed you mention meaning quite often. So perhaps subconsciously you are looking for something with greater meaning in your life. Since your hobbies are meaningful, and I agree, maybe it's a case of additional meaning. I agree, it can be hard to put a vague feeling of discontent into words, but I think you are on the right track. Good luck!

The natural changes in sunlight over the year has an effect on me.

Thanks for sharing your recent thoughts. I can relate to them quite a bit - even though I‘m still in my 20s. Hope you can think more positively about your job again soon. I struggle with that a lot, too.

An idea: get a dog! If you can take care of one. Soneone you can run with and walk with, who has to get out to go potty, and will drag you out of the house even when you don't want to go. And then you meet other people with dogs. My dog walking group, 5 of us, we would meet every evening and walk for a couple of hours chatting about nothing and everything with our dos playing and running around.

Start knitting :) you can do that while watching content (mostly)

The knowledge of knowing „we‘re all not special“ makes us special ❤

Wiebke, I *completely* agree with your gym membership. Active lifestyle shared with other active people...winning! I am in two local running clubs and have met several guys and gals that I can now text and say "let's run" and it's so fun. I have also met three runners specifically off #Strava which now has internal messaging and we met for a run and boom, friends! It'll work out for you that way, I'm sure. 🤗 I wish we lived closer, I'd love running with you.

Thank you for checking in--I'm always interested in how you're doing, and I have no answers. I'm in a different situation, but feel many of the same feelings. I hope the gym works out for you--I've thought of joining one myself, but I'm not sure if it would give me what I need--let us know how it goes!

I have a rule for myself I will share with you. Feeling bad about feeling bad will not help me feel good. ❤

I always love listening to your rambles because it reminds me that we're all really having similar experiences, no matter where we are in life or in the world! I definitely recognize what you're saying and have also been trying to find balance between being alone (which I looooove) and being in enough community that I'm truly happy, not just content. I don't have it figured out yet, but sounds like something we'll both be working on in the new year 😊

I tell you Wiebke, it sounds to me like you're going through a period that we all tend to go through from time to time. Call it biorhythms, mood swings, the weather, whatever.... I think it happens to all of us. It's just the ups & downs of life, and it's hard to put your finger on it's cause, much less it's solution.🤔 On top of that, you are a really organized person, you notice these swings more, you try to understand them, and it's just not always possible to do. But, I'm confident that this will pass. Now, get yourself some chocolate, wrap yourself up in a good book, and escape into another world. If only temporarily.😉

Thank you for sharing

Wiebke, this spoke to me very strongly-it sounds like we have similar issues. I too am approaching a milestone birthday (35) and I keep wondering “Is this it?” Like you I have no partner/kids and I don’t really want either. My mother is always suggesting online dating but that just seems tedious. I guess I assumed I would meet someone in university or at work or church and it never happened. But I’m perfectly fine being on my own. My issue (similar to you) is I feel like I don’t have many friends. I predominantly hang out with/travel with my family, which is fine as well. But my parents are getting older and what happens when they pass if I have no other social structure in place? I too have thought about joining a gym both for health and social interaction, but I never have found one that I feel works with my schedule reliably. I love to walk and I try to get 10k steps every day so a walking club would be nice, but again haven’t really found the right thing. I also enjoy vegging out after work by reading and watching KZbin and this doesn’t bother me usually. But again, I keep thinking “is this it? Am I going to spend the 50 years I hopefully have left on this earth doing this?” I don’t have any answers-I just relate. ❤️

i really enjoy your thoughts & insight ! yes this time of year always makes me do a 180 in my mood. im hopeful for ur 2025, thx for the gr8 vid

Listening to you is never a waste of time.

Experimental books: books you can't read, because you can't read them.

I hope the gym is fun! I hope you find sunshine during the winter. The leaves did not turn much here. So it is not the prettiest fall for me.

Dang I was hoping to understand it more after listening to you. But after listening, i understand more why that isn't so. Looks like I'll have to read it to fully understand it.👍

My October reading was slow-only 3 books read. I am on track to finish an audiobook today though so that’s something. We’ll see how November does, but I’m not holding my breath!

I enjoy your wrap ups because your descriptions are so clear and succinct and you always talk about books that are new to me.

It looks lovely there. I have been thinking of joining a gym again for much the same reason.

❤❤❤

Jacket over pajamas is definitely October 😂 although here in Texas we are cooling down to our second summer. It's a beautiful 80 to 90 degrees daily. I love it. ❤❤

Yes Wiebke, unfortunately Summer is on it's way out, even here in the American Midwest. The cooler wind is blowing, and I noticed yesterday that when it's warm out, the wind pretty much goes unnoticed, but as soon as the temperature begins to drops, then you feel it's bite.🙄 So wrap up, stay warm, and I hope that your Gym Experience goes well.👍🏼 Ok, I will go now😊

Constant cycles of laundry is the epitome of adult life haha. Every time I clear the basket, it fills right back up again haha

I thought it was a hugely enjoyable book, because it was scrupulously honest about emotions and actions. No, the characters are not sympathetic people - they are selfish and self-centred. But the novel felt real - we are all solipsistic and see things from our own perspective and imagine that things are the way we would want them to be. And we are, if sensitive, constantly haunted and damaged by our poor choices and past indiscretions and passions. It also tackled the subject of Alzheimer's really honestly too. The daughter cannoning back and forth in her feelings, between a strange connection and outright hatred, towards her mother and her perceived obligations. Also how her life and relationship with her mother was about to affect the next generation onward. The feeding of sugar biscuits to her mother, in order to counteract the beneficial effects that the controlled diet had caused in her mother, which led to her finding the photograph of Reza, was a terrifying act, that mirrored the conflagration of Antara's artwork that the mother had, much earlier in the book, committed. I found the novel highly impactful, beautifully poetic and brutally honest about human nature and damaged relationships. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. Happy reading to you!

I’m behind on my reading goals this year-both in number of books and pages. I could probably catch up, but it’s whether I want to dedicate the time to do so. Q4 is the busiest part of the year in my view so we’ll see. I’m considering not doing any reading goals next year just because I keep reducing my goals and yet I am barely meeting them the last few years. It’d be nice to set a baseline of “this is how much I read when I have no goals” but I’m also worried that I might turn into a complete slug if I have no reading goals. I don’t have any life goals right now, though maybe I should. I feel pretty content right now though sometimes life feels monotonous. But I’m not complaining-better monotonous than insanely busy or filled with tragedy or anything like that.

I live in Texas in the states-it is hot here most of the time. In January/February it’s cold and in those months I do nothing except work. I hate driving in snow and just being out in the cold in general. I don’t know how people in cold climates deal-maybe you get used to it. But yes, definitely agree that when it’s cold hibernation is the way to go.

your comments at the end of the video is why I searched specifically for a review explained by a woman

I've given up on goals these days. This rainy and grey year hasn't helped much. But I'm currently reading a lot, so it's not all bad. Best of luck 💜

If you have the time and want to watch a good movie, look for the series “Firefly”. It has only a season but it’s worth watching!

Correction! It is not a NOVEL. Classifying that way implies it is *fiction*, which it most certainly is NOT. It is epistolary, yes, but perhaps better classified as memoir -- or simply epistolary non-fiction. REAL LIFE. Thank you.

❤❤❤

No motivation here either, fortunately, for once, today is a beautiful sunny day - it helps. I too just want to cuddle up and eat and consume content. I read The city of glass and loved it, though, but I agree it's very dark !

I’ve been struggling to find motivation this month as well. I have more time than last month but somehow don’t have the energy.