- I paid off one of my two (consolidated) student loans two weeks ago! I called to get the pay off amount and it was half of what I thought it would be because of origination fees being taken out. Okay, cool!
- The Rolling Stones Tour will now start in Chicago (instead of wherever it was supposed to), with the original concert dates for Chicago! All that worrying for nothing! I’m glad Diane tagged me in a post about it last Thursday because I was traveling and would have missed it. I immediately had to check to make sure I hadn’t planned anything else that weekend. (I hadn’t, phew!)
- I am very close to finishing The Goldfinch – I’m on page 839 of 962. Two thoughts: 1. I feel bad at how beaten up this paperback has become while in my care, and 2. GAH THIS BOOK IS DEPRESSING!!! I need to read something light-hearted after this. What should I start with from the stack below? I’m thinking the one on top because it’s the smallest.
- Thanks for the spoiler, Fandago! I saw the post below on Monday night, before we saw John Wick 3 on Tuesday. So I knew he wasn’t going to die because they’re making a fourth one! Can John Wick die, anyway? No. During the movie, Halle Berry’s character says to him “you’re gonna die someday, Jon” and someone in the audience shouted “NO HE ISN’T!”!!! Ha ha ha ha ha.
- I forgot how busy I am this week – we had the movie Tuesday night, I was downtown Wednesday in meetings ALL DAY, have CPR training and nail appointment today, and a comedy show tomorrow night. A lot of fun stuff but I want to sit on our couch. Or lie in our bed. I’m teaching a class on Saturday then MAYBE I can take a nap.
- I enjoyed talking to strangers so much in Saskatoon, that when a guy at the train station starting talking to me yesterday am, I had a conversation back (not that I’d ignore him before, but that I’d normally respond and keep walking). I ended up learning about his genealogy. Amy shared this great recap of an article about the boost you get from talking to strangers. Notice how the basic human needs it fulfills are the same ones I talked about here?!
- Several people texted me that they liked my Saskatoon posts, which made me feel nice! This did kind of start as a travel blog (I started it to keep in touch with family while living in Rome in 2006) and I enjoy writing about the things we do when we travel!
Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 229
I kept meaning to comment that I was enjoying the posts from your trip. We don’t get to travel much right now, so I like to live vicariously through other people. Plus I didn’t know anything about Saskatoon (I honestly didn’t even know it existed!) And probably won’t ever go there myself.
Thanks! We don’t travel much either, so it’s nice when people post about their travels! I have two blogger friends who just got back from trips to Europe, and I’ve been enjoying reading those posts!
I listened to the Trevor Noah book as an audio book and really enjoyed it. It does have some heavy moments (and some moments I couldn’t stop myself from laughing out loud) so maybe something else as a palate cleanser first 🙂 I’m not a talk to strangers person and I don’t really live in a talk to strangers area. But maybe it’s something I should try more often… I pretty much only do it when I’m on vacation somewhere else.
Ahh, thanks for that insight! I won’t start with that one! 🙂
I think it’s more likely to happen on vacation because we aren’t so exhausted from talking to people at work! And exhausted from work in general 😉 And we like to learn about the area. But I am going to try more here, too!
Paying off a student loan early is such a good feeling – congrats on being released from the shackles of one of the loans!
I loved all of your Saskatoooooon posts! You guys did so many interesting things, and ate some yummy-looking food, and basically made it look like somewhere I’d like to visit. Also, I am very impressed at how adventurous you were with your solo runs! No way would I have had the courage.
Thank you!!!! Steven immediately had me check how much I owe on the other one… I was like “can we enjoy this ‘freedom’ for a minute?!” Ha ha.
Thank you! I’m glad we shared things you’d find interesting too.
Aww, thanks re: my runs. I am so used to solo running now that the most I think about is route planning and safety, then I just go!
Keep powering through The Goldfinch! You can do it! I feel like the ending isn’t too depressing? Though to be honest, I can’t remember exactly how it ended. I remember the events that happened towards the end of the book, but I don’t think I remember the specifics of the actual conclusion. Oops.
Ha! I will remind you when I get to it! I’m so close now! 100 pages left! What are you reading?
Hmmm…I think I will take a pass on The Goldfinch – I don’t need a depressing read right now – although we are going to do a two day trip the The Hague this summer and will be in the museum where the painting is on exhibit, so it’s still kind of tempting…
About talking to strangers – funny how it seems way easier to do so when you are on a trip and out of your normal routine! Is it because you know you will never see people again (probably) so you don’t feel as inhibited? Nice that you didn’t let that stop you talking to the guy at the train station, though – you are becoming a conversations with strangers master!
It would be awesome to read before you go, but yeah, choose the right time to read it! It’s a great book but I am just like “geebus, can this character catch a break?!”
I think it’s actually that here I am so exhausted from work and communicating with people about work all day that I don’t want to talk to random people as much when I’m off, on work days! (if that makes sense) If I do make small talk (which I do, a lot), it’s much shorter conversations. But when I’m on vacation, I am not all worn out from that, so I like talking more! (So what I am trying to say is, often, work is so frustrating I need quiet time before and after.)
Ah, ok, so it’s more to do with being drained and exhausted from work – I hear you! I have that sometimes after a particularly busy volunteer shift. I just don’t have the bandwidth to engage in light conversation for a while.
Yes, it’s exactly like that!
And PS: hooray for paying off your student loan!
Thanks!
I kind of had the same problem when I read the Joe Biden book “Promise me, Dad”, so I followed it up with the much more lighthearted “Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery”, which was also written as if Joe Biden were telling the story. It was kind of perfect.
I really loved “Born a Crime”, but it’s not really all sunshine and kittens.
That IS a perfect combo!!!! I am definitely going to go light-hearted. I think the top book in the pic is kind of fluffy so that should be perfect 🙂 Maybe Born a Crime after 😉
Congrats on paying off one of your school loans! That’s such a great feeling.
I would definitely stay away from The Nightingale if you’re looking for light-hearted! Heavy, heavy read but sooo good. I loved Born a Crime!
I hope you get some downtime this weekend!
Thanks!
Good to know. I read Vacuuming in the Dark, and realized it was a sequel. Oops. I enjoyed it though!
I have! Hope you have too!
Congratulations on paying off a student loan! That always feels like such a great accomplishment (and it is)!
I was thinking of reading “The Goldfinch,” but your slog (and thoughts about it) make me think that maybe…I’ll just wait for the movie.
Thanks!!!!! It feels good! One more left!
Yeah, maybe wait and see if you want to read it after that. 😉