flight paths discussion

the year turned so quietly
it slipped right by
lost in the pages of a book
outside of time

but each day now
is a little longer
on both ends
calling us to attention

Another beautiful poem, Magdelanye. You do have a gift for words. I really like the first verse. The pages of a book are truly outside of time.

I started the year strong by finishing The Gene: An Intimate History. I really like this author's writing. He's clear, entertaining, interesting and organized. He writes to the "everyday" man, not scholars. He makes the information understandable. I really enjoyed this book.

I'm now reading another delightful book, Fen, Bog and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis and am enjoying the descriptions of the landforms, the history, the biology.
Annie Proulx also wrote a novel I enjoyed a lot a couple of years back, Barkskins.

Thanks Petra
I've been watching a series of Dr Talks about things like brain health and the gut brain connection. Does the book include any of the recent research indicating that biology is not necessarily destiny?

I have loved Anne Proulx but Barkskins was too intimidating at the time and returned to library unread.

I have been neglecting all my other books this weekend to read Crossings
Truly grateful for sun the last few days.

It mentions that a lot. Having a gene for something does not mean one will get that something. It's still a crap shoot for many things.

Barkskins is long but reads easily. It's intimidating but manageable.

Life indeed seems to be a crapshoot. Essential for me to remember: behind this gloom the the sun is always shining.

ent)I like what you said about Barkskins Petra. I do plan to read it someday (see my earlier comment)

I reluctantly returned Crossings to the library. It's one of those books that you want to read again as soon as you finish. In this case there is even given an alternative pagination a là Cortazar which was my original inclination to follow, but it was much too fussy and I barreled through as it was laid out.
I would be really interested in others experience with this convoluted,fascinating book.

Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck could be described with those same words but an entirely different reading experience. There was a lot of room in Crossings, the reader is required to make some effort to follow the conceptual leaps and endure a fair bit of cognitive dissonance, but the reward is palpable, if indescribable. Kairos is shot with light but the tone is somber and the feeling I was left with was disquiet.

Now I'm struggling with Breasts and Eggs which I probably would have liked more about 50 years ago

We certainly do have to keep the sun in mind when thinking of Life, Magdelanye. It's a good World, despite the terrible things that happen. But it is a crapshoot.

I finished and thoroughtly enjoyed Fen, Bog and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis. I'll have to see what other books this author has put out. I enjoy her writing.

I have now started The House on Vesper Sands, which has started out very mysteriously ....and intrigingly.

That's pretty much part of my core philosophy Petra.
What nags at me is why do terrible things keep happening? And why can't people get along?

You know Fen Bog and Swamp sounds really interesting. I have a new friend who is taking an advanced course in soil management and I will pass this along.

It's hard to believe that in the year that just passed I have not made the time to watch the rest of Canada Reads 2023. This year's longlist didn't really excite me but I flipped when I found out that Heather O will be a defender. How I love her! Of course I immediately attempted to get the book, but the library only carries an earlier novel. I am curious and will be watching out for the promos. Today is a library day so I will make sure that they have it on order and get my name on the list. If Heather is defending it, it must be special.

Petra are you still active in the Canadian Content group? I check in from time to time. Notice many of the old regulars are not posting (Louise comes to mind and MJ [hi MJ!] but some who actually became friends are still active ( Emmkay and the Allison's, a few others) Susan really alienated many of us.

This morning we have no water but at least there is (artificial) light.

The book HON is defending is called the Future.I just looked itvup on CC and was happy to be reminded of Heather(Gibby) and Rainey.
Natasha if you see this, hey, time for you to check in. Wouldn't it be lovely if all the lurking members did that, say a yearly report.

This is the time of the year when I consider how we can expand the group a bit. I was sorry that the other Petra declined my invitation but she has too much on her agenda and has been quite ill. I was glad to hear from her the other day and hope she'll be back soon to posting her irreverent reviews.

Why do bad things keep happening?.....there are a ton of reasons, some (most) unexplained. The concept of "crapshoot" is prominent (things just happen), as is "choice" (manmade "bad things"). Then there is accident and bad luck. There's probably more reasons. Those are just off the top of my head. LOL....
We should be grateful for every good day.

Greed, power, ego would be top reasons for why we can't get along. Sigh...... these things aren't likely to go away.

I'm not active in the Canadian Content group, at least very seldom. There's no contributions to the threads and no interaction if anything is posted. It's sad, really. The group may bounce back one day. I'm still a member.

OK so no book tokens for Christmas, but my dad did lend me an autobiography .....................................

Grateful for every day, even if it might not seem all that good: that's my amendment. Sometimes it's all I can do to be grateful that I've survived a bummer day, but I'm coasting right now, letting most things bounce off of me rather than getting flattened by discouragement and doubt.

Connecting these ruminations to what I am reading, in the splendid Pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome by Timothy Egan.
> The philosophy of shit happens cannot...hold God blameless if He sees it all unspooling in advance. God allows evil to exist because good comes from it.' This according to St. Augustine, but TE finds this argument, as I do, 'unsettling and not very convincing'
Greed, power and ego> fear, control, insecurity.
How can people relish the suffering of others.

Ice you are a tease. Of all the autobiographies, which one....?

Magdelanye, the way I see it is:
God gave Man choice. Once choice is given to another, one loses control over those choices, do they not? Therefore, if Man makes a bad choice, God cannot intervene. He must let Man see the bad choice and make the changes required. If Man does not make the changes, the bad choice(s) continue. And God cannot intervene as he gave Man the right of choice.
I suppose that if there's a God and if he could go back to that moment, He wouldn't give Man the gift of choice. We're just not good at making the right ones.
God doesn't allow evil to exist, Man chooses it.

People relish the suffering of others because it either gives them something (power, wealth, control) or it makes them feel better about themselves for some reason.

There are many good people in the world making good choices. But they are mostly the ones not in power and without the resources to make big changes that can be noticed by the World. Their changes can only be noticed by themselves or, at most, a tiny circle of people.

Because, as you say, there are many good people in the world making good choices, perhaps we could choose to cooperate in reorganizing things free of the systemic biases and compulsions. A system based on a platform of peace to replace the tired old antagonisms.

That would be nice. That requires the people-making-good-choices to move into power....which usually also means a source of wealth. Would obtaining this wealth and power, in order to make the good choices for the World, cause a person to veer away from making the good choices? Would the move into wealth and power require a lot of promises and compromises along the way that a good person would honor, and that would degrade the good that can be done?
It's a really complicated system we've set up. The solutions may be simple in theory but this World we've put together doesn't work well with simple.

Plus, what about those who don't want the peace because it degrades their power and wealth? They have the might to fight and to fight hard & long. They won't go down easily.

I was just thinking that it's a little bit like the Harry Potter story. The good guy struggles each day with choices, uncertainties and such. But with focus, luck and good allies, it can be done.
LOL.....

Couldn't the choice be to share the wealth and power ? It does come down to ethics and values.
Alas, those who don't want peace seem to spoil things for those who do. Perhaps they could live in reserves.

But those who have the wealth and power are choosing not to share it. If one has the choice, there's no obligation to share......and they aren't doing it, which means that they continue to have the power and wealth.
That means that those who want peace and work towards it, can't get a toe hold to move that momentum forward. Perhaps they will in time, with baby steps, but I think history may have proven that there isn't enough time to bring the matter to a point where wealth and power can be toppled.

I hope and try to work towards a better world but any efforts I make won't make a difference in the World; just my tiny corner of the neighbourhood....maybe; if I'm lucky and "successful".
(quotes because success would depend on one's definition of how wide the influence has to spread for the endeavour to be successful)

getting a toe hold to move forward, as you say, is definitely a challenge. I do notice that people are more receptive these days to the idea of world peace, which we've been conditioned to think is impossible. Thats the first baby step I think, getting to the place where it can be considered as a viable option.

I also think we need new definitions. Power in itself is not bad, but how we use it needs to be considered. If it's coercive thats abuse of power.

I bet your neighbourhood is enhanced and lucky for your efforts, and your community centre too!

What if over half the people in the world declared world peace?
Thats what I am working for.

I also see small signs in the younger generation of wanting to change the status quo, too. I hope they do it. We failed with our attempts in the 60s. I was too young to catch the reasons for the movement or why it failed. I just caught the energy and the feeling of wanting peace over war.

I look at the political landscape today and don't see anyone coming up the ranks, in any party; at least not here in Canada or the US. That means, perhaps, that pretty soon, the system will change by necessity. The old folks now in power will one day be no more. If there are no younger people interested in the old parties, there will have to be new parties or movements or ways forward.

Your idea is an interesting one, Magdelanye.
I wonder what would happen if over half the people declared world peace. I guess it would depend on which people, which countries and the people's status quo.
If the poor people of the world declared world peace, for example, would that change anything at all? The poor have never had any control, despite usually being the larger number.

the hope is that everywhere there are people of all ages and stripes going beyond traditional alignments to come to some agreements around the issues of most concern.

We failed in the 60s because of the concerted effort to shut us up. No one wanted to heed those early warnings. Peace Love and Good Vibes was the underlying message and the need to attend to the environmental and social impact of our actions and policies. Ridicule and sensationalism and targeting of key individuals worked to undermine our credibility

The old parties are kaput. Not credible nor trustworthy
World peace is the way forward

It's not what you have, it's how you choose to use it. Says a person who probably lives in the 0.5% highest wealth bracket. I have met a lot of people from Africa in the last 12 months, our concept of poverty in the western world does not compare.

as a person living on a fixed income, I agree with you Ice. I have also discovered that most poor people posses more generosity, creativity and joy in relationships than those classified as rich.

It doesnt happen very often, but around the middle of this book I realized that this is a masterpiece and Aleksandar Hemon is related to God.
The book is The World and All That It Holds
and today, snowbound in the woods, is the perfect day to finish it.

Also about to finish the rather arduous but engrossing Unmuted: Conversations on Prejudice, Oppression, and Social Justiceedited by the brilliant Myisha Cherry

A bit off route but pertinent, Ive just started Where the Falcon Flies: A 3,400 Kilometre Odyssey From My Doorstep to the Arctic by the intrepid Adam Shoalts I notice there is another book with the same title, also by a man with the same initials.

And very excited to begin a book of essays by Natalia Ginzburg

So much for me this morning; how is everyone else?
Petra, how did things go with your step-dad over the holidays?
Ellie, we havent heard from you all year, what are you up to?
Ice why dont you answer questions?

May all be well

Ice wrote: "It's not what you have, it's how you choose to use it. ..."

Agreed. It is all about how you use it. I hope those 10% who have 90% of the World's wealth will one day choose to use it in a way that benefits the World and not themselves.
It's the statistics of so few people having so much of the entirety that concerns me. That's a lot of the whole to have in one's pockets. If these people decide not to use it well, what can the majority do about it?

As Magdelanye says, I find that most of us contribute what we can. However, we're in the catagory where "what we can" isn't really enough to make a big difference. We can only hope that we make a small difference and help someone along the way.

Magdelanye, I don't know any of the books you are reading. Your library has the most wonderful selection. I'm glad you are enjoying them so much.

I haven't been reading much at all these days. I haven't been going out for jogs, so my progress on The House on Vesper Sands (audio) is stalled.
I am reading a few pages of Reading Claudius: A Memoir in Two Parts each day.

Things with step-dad went well. We still don't believe that he should be living on his own but he wants to stay where he is, so we'll give him the support to do that. He's not happy but he says he's as happy as he can be.
He did well while he was here. He ate well, slept better and seemed to rest.
For his age, he's doing really well. I try to focus on that.

heading to sacrifice to the bookshelf of pointless: The House of Sacrifice byAnna Smith Spark

Reading Claudius sounds fascinating Petra, how are you finding it?

Ice, what is your position on the 4 London series which I so love?

Ellie I seem to remremember that you than 50 liked Birnam Wood. I have less than 50 pages left and I can't bear it, that feeling I get when nearing the end of a book in which I have become totally engrossed

Remind me, 4 London series, busy life at present !!

Recommendation with link on its way to Ice Bear for VE Schwab's magnificent series which carries on

I think I probably answered your question in my question !

then you have an amazing treat ahead Ice if you so choose