Sunday’s Sundries: Making Connections

Sundries - Dominic Hartnett
Image: Dominic Hartnett

 

I’m writing this on Thursday night.  I don’t have class on Fridays, so, for me, Spring Break began when I got out of class on Thursday afternoon.  This semester has been nuts.  As soon as I got home, I laid down for some quiet time with Dresden the cat, and my favorite stuffed toy, Bobo the monkey.  The Boyfriend joined me when he got home from work.  This normally would be Date Night for the Boyfriend and me, but something came up with his gaming buddies and their usual gaming night got cancelled, so he’s off with them, and I’m at home doing whatever I want while listening to a playlist full of every Feminist singer and band I have in my collection.  The playlist is over 90 hours long.  I’m also drinking wine, so this post is getting saved until I can look at it with a sober eye.

So, what does any of that have to do with this post’s title?  Well, as many of you might know, at least those of you that have looked at my Goodreads recently, I started reading Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking on Monday.  I’ve been listening to the audiobook during my commute to school.  Normally that would mean I listen to about 2 hours each day.  The book is just under 12 hours long.  So, I should have had about 3 and half hours left by time I got home on Thursday.  I only have about 30 minutes left.  I’ve been listening to it whenever I have extra time, to the exclusion of every other book I’ve been reading lately.  There’s a theme that runs alongside the main one of getting comfortable with asking.  That secondary theme is all about connections.  Whether it’s making a connection in art, whatever the form, or with the world in general, or with strangers, fans, and loved ones, those connections, every single one of them, are important.

This isn’t my review of The Art of Asking.  I’ll be posting that later this month.  However, the book has made me do quite a bit of thinking.  The Boyfriend calls it “thunking”.  Up until now, I’ve stayed fairly anonymous and kept my life private.  I might comment about something vaguely personal on someone’s blog every once in a while, or mention something going on with school or the meditation retreat I’m on as this post gets published, but that’s been it, so far.  If it didn’t relate to books in some way, I shied away from sharing.  That needs to change.

I’m not saying I’m going to transition my blog into a tell-all so that everyone can read me like the proverbial book.  There are some things that are just no one’s business but my own.  However, when I have something to say, and the time to say it, I’m going to make that connection, or at least attempt to do so.  That’s also not to say that I haven’t already made a connection with some of you.  You’re following and reading my blog for a reason, whatever that might be.  Some of you frequently comment on what I write, and I’m grateful for those connections.  I’d like to make more connections, though.  I think I’m ready to let all of you know who I am…in small doses, of course.  I look forward to the possibilities.  I look forward to getting to know all of you as well.  So, whatever you want to share, whether it has anything to do with books or not, feel free to connect with me through my contact form or in the comments.

0 thoughts on “Sunday’s Sundries: Making Connections

  1. This is a great idea, Rachelle! I think it can be tough to balance keeping a blog mostly about books while also inserting a little bit of your own life into the mix, but you definitely shouldn’t feel afraid to share if you have something to say! I find that my personal details sometimes bleed into my reviews, just because the books I read often make me think about things going on in my own life.

    All this is to say that I would love to hear more about Rachelle, the person, instead of just Rachelle, the reader! I’m looking forward to it. 🙂

    I hope you had a lovely retreat this weekend!

    1. P.S. I, too, struggle with asking people for help. I always end up worrying that they’ll think I’m too needy or demanding. I’m beginning to realize, though, that asking for support when you need it or sharing when you need to is one of the best ways to forge strong bonds with others. I’m trying to get better at it!

Leave a Reply to ShainaCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.