Hillbilly Elegy

Somehow... I can relate.  It is unfathomable really, in this deeply personal book looking at white Appalachian population living at and below the poverty line, since I am none of those things.  It resonates if only in the absolute contrast of our cultural differences.  In other words, this book describes an attitude of living that is the polar opposite to my own, and because of that, I have somehow derive deep revelations about my own upbringing.

"It's not like parents and teachers never mention hard work.  Now do they walk around loudly proclaiming that they expect their children to turn out poorly.  These attitudes lurk below the surface, less in what people say than in how they act".

I am an expert on expectations that lurk below the surface.  Some directly communicated, some through action.  How could I not bring home straight A's when my dad, working a full time job, somehow manages to take (and pass) his medical boards?  Somethings are understood.  Like I should curtail my TV watching when he is studying next room.

I seem to be going through a memoire phase.  I love reading them so.  They bring a level of immediate self awareness.  It's like connecting with someone at a very close and personal level, while learning something bigger about the whole of humanity.

Love Warrior

I can't stop reading memoirs...

Finished this book awhile ago and all the while thinking - where was this book when I was in high school??  There are some amazing revelations about those tumultuous year (say... age 13 to 30).  Would this book have spoken as deeply to a younger unchallenged version of myself?  It's hard to say.  It wouldn't have hurt to try.

Olivia Lately...

Things that put fear in the pit of my stomach #21 - getting a phone call from Olivia's school.  I always pick it up holding my breath.  Sure enough, some kid attacked Olivia and scratched her beneath her eye.  The incident involved some water cup that kinda sorta makes sense.  This is not her first rodeo, so to speak, and I didn't burst into tears at the sight of my injured baby.  It is school policy that they cannot tell me who the offender is, but I knew.  He is a cute kid that I have known since the infant class days.  I decided not to beat him up.  

It never even occurred to me to ask Olivia what happened.  I mean, she is two years and two months old.  She has opinions, sure, but I didn't think she can retell events.  Fast forward 48 hours, bath time.  We were playing a "who is your friend in school" game where I randomly name little kids in her class and ask her whether they are friends.  When I said the name of the attacker, her little face tensed up, she immediately pointed to her injured eye, and said in no uncertain terms "[insert name] no nice. [insert name] hurt my eye".  It was heartbreaking!  Her little face scrunched up and she was so sad!  I had to hug her and reassure her it was an accident!  Moral of the story - little kids know!  

Olivia before the injury, sporting gold shoes! 

We are both getting over second bout of viral illness in 2017.  We both have some minor snotty noses left but nothing to keep us up at night.  Her daddy escaped unscathed... again.  I'm actually grateful, nothing worse than a man cold. 

Getting ready to make major life changes.  I wonder if Olivia will notice as boxes pile up and her toys get put away.  Must not underestimate the baby!

When Breath Becomes Air

I finished this book in two days.  I would have finished it sooner, except for the amount of tears pouring down my face.  It was hard to see through, and I had to take breathing breaks.  I highlighted many a passage, but have not read them again yet.  My heart, and my eyeballs, need a break.  I usually avoid leisurely reading that has anything to do with medicine.  This one though, was neither leisurely nor limited to medicine.  It is so.much.more.