Status Updates From En sommar i Brighton

p.454 ~
"Live for today!
Look after yourself, for tomorrow!
...the thing about nearly dying s it totally makes you want to live."

p.460 ~ "Other people's love could be over-rated,"

p.467 ~ "...making one's luck...with a pinch of bravery and a large chunk of determination thrown in for good measure."

p.470 ~ "...sometimes you have to go out and try again, even if it is a risk of making a d* of yourself twice over."

p.442 ~ "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing properly."

p.443 ~ ...put it out there, her heart and her hopes, in one big act of love...hell if he ignored that too, then so be it. At least she would have tried.

p.447 ~ "Big enough for all your books". -> To fill it with all things you who I love, love.

p.449 ~ ...how a relationship was supposed to be, both of them trying to put things right simultaneously...

"...even in death, [she] was opening new doors and pushing her through them."

There are times in our mortal lives and finite time that we are fortunate enough to catch fate with someone who would be a great as influence on us even after we have parted. Some relationships transcend beyond time and space, and those who have that luck are the most fortunate to find it.

p.358 ~ It's much harder to forgive someone and be gracious about their screw-ups when you're feeling crap about your own life.

p.361 ~ It would be so easy to pack up and go, admit defeat and retreat home, pretend it was all a fever dream.

-> The choice to respond in practical, sensible ways may be greatly challenged by stubbornness to seek the adventure, the brazen challenge of the unknown. The choice is yours.

p.352 ~ The House of Women shall not fall. A not-so politically neutral stance of the newbie journalist that was not deterred by her boyfriend's definite rocky battle with the very refuge she advocated for. The narrative changed, she felt at home and devoted to a point to the new home she rushed into no more than a month ago. Then, making decisions in solely for her beau, now the water tides her to choose herself.

p.342

The coupling of Charlotte and Ned with the beautiful two daughters is reminiscent of the movie The Holiday with Jude Law and Cameron Diaz. The unexpected babysitting mishap turned homey date joined by little humans that lead to a wonderful home date that redefines relationship woes and wants.

p.326 ~ even the most outwardly seeming sensible person could act irrationally when they'd been badly hurt. -> people all have limits to what they can and will take.

p.329 ~ men try to live up to stereotypes every bit as much as women did. perfect people, did anyone really achieve that? or just give up at a certain point of the day. didn't every human being feel the same way, now and then? -> public you =/= real you

p.320 ~ perfect nuclear family, all enthusiastic pack of lies and hollow center, one knock and it all falls down. -> you can only feel sorry for the enthusiastic trusting person victimized by the cheater, the manipulator.

p.324 ~ People were so fragile at the end of the day. Everyone covered up, constructing public faces for themselves. -> you can never truly know the life of others, given all the lies to mask.

p.282 ~ Life just chucks shitty things at you now and then, and all you can do is try your hardest to be an unshitty person in response. -> You always have a choice in how you react to the world's shit.

p.287 ~ finally the trio meets as a trio. half way through the book, but ok, a lot of story building took place.

p.277 ~ I should be braver about things. Stop caring so much. I'll be out and about all the time from now one, brazenly not giving a damn, I'll become part of the local scenery.

p.282 ~ Waves rolling, there was reassurance in the timelessness of the repeated motion, being part of an endless loop, for as long as the earth was turning. When life knocked you off your feet, knowing you could rely on other things helps.

p.269 -> feels like an alternate of Lucy Diamond: The Beach Café universe that started on a beach, built a couple and later a family. Though I haven't read its full series due to unavailability, I can't confirm.

p.274 ~ She'd never seen herself as the sort of person that others, esp men, thought twice about. Blend into the wallpaper, quiet, plain and ordinary, just going on with her life as best she could, was her.

p.259 ~ Any woman, whatever her circumstances, if we have the space, she's welcome...Maybe they'd fallen once upon a time, - hadn't everyone, - but these women had helped each other back up again, given one another their dignity back. -> If you cannot help yourself, surround yourself with people who can, people who will.

p.259 ~ Any woman, whatever her circumstances, if we have the space, she's welcome...Maybe they'd fallen once upon a time, - hadn't everyone, - but these women had helped each other back up again, given one another their dignity back. -> If you cannot help yourself, surround yourself with people who can, people who will.

p.253 ~ Back when women were no longer expected to feel shame for circumstances out of their control, and when better resources became available... Things had been so cosy up in safe happy [home], her social conscience had become rather dusty through its lack of use. -> Things that mean an awful lot in a deep way for some, never cease its value, even if some may lose sense of its worth overtime of un-use.

p. 247 ~ It's tough, life is with families, and loving people. -> Loving hard in turn makes loving with a risk worth every effort, every try, every day. But just as well, it can hurt as much as hell too.

p.250 ~ Being receptive to joy, sometimes you had to try and share it around with others too. -> What is joy and happiness if you have no one to share it with?

Here's to the return of book annotation.

p.229 ~ You always say you'll spend money wisely, but sometimes it is nice to be unwise, to be reckless, and extravagant. Maybe you'll meet some good company that way.

p.242 ~A broken heart can do brutal things, making you feel sad even after getting over your love for him. In truth, Feeling as if you are over an ex, didn't prevent you from being emotional about them.

Here's to the return of book annotation.

p.229 ~ You always say you'll spend money wisely, but sometimes it is nice to be unwise, to be reckless, and extravagant. Maybe you'll meet some good company that way.

p.242 ~A broken heart can do brutal things, making you feel sad even after getting over your love for him. In truth, Feeling as if you are over an ex, didn't prevent you from being emotional about them.

Here's to the return of book annotation.

p.229 ~ You always say you'll spend money wisely, but sometimes it is nice to be unwise, to be reckless, and extravagant. Maybe you'll meet some good company that way.

p.242 ~A broken heart can do brutal things, making you feel sad even after getting over your love for him. In truth, Feeling as if you are over an ex, didn't prevent you from being emotional about them.

Be receptive of love, of joy, of life. Be open to the beauty of bright-eyed view of the world and enjoy the small joys, victories and moments to make life full.

Sometimes healing may find you displaced and solitary for a time to re-evaluate your life newly enlightened to the broader potential of it. The pitfalls may be obstacles at best and not the end of the road for you yet, so be ready, be hopeful, keep living.

Journal Book Reading Entry ... I cannot believe that yet another book where the focal character is one who is in grief and post-lost-a-dear-loved-one is one I picked out semi-randomly (no more than the synopsis knowledge of the plot). May this new house journey be worth the read.