All About Books discussion

Hi all

We have archived and closed the previous general chat which was a really rather huge thread. It can still be found here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Please continue conversations here!

P.S If you really hate this and it doesn't work let the mods know because I can change things back

Good idea and thanks for providing the link to the old thread Heather!

Haha, part 2! We do all like to talk!

Pink wrote: "Haha, part 2! We do all like to talk!"

Indeed! :)

Thanks Heather for setting it up. Hope this helps people who were missing notifications.

Chrissie, the health alarm sounds like a good solution.

Thanks Chrissie for suggesting this, and thank you Heather, Greg for setting it up.

Ohh! More space to chat ! *stretches out in the new space*
Thanks Heather!

Joan wrote: "Thanks Chrissie for suggesting this, and thank you Heather, Greg for setting it up."

Now let's see if it helps!

B the BookAddict wrote: "Chrissie, the health alarm sounds like a good solution."

Bureaucratic rules are giving me trouble.

Life is quite overwhelming for me at the moment. I'm still reading quite a lot, though not so much as usual. I have a hard time concentrating. I'm not reviewing anymore, or very rarely, not even for my blog, which I normally love doing. Participating in some groups can be quite difficult, although I still like writing here on AAB because I see most of you as friends :) I'm just doing what I can, without obsessing too much on reading, reviewing, challenges, etc. I'm still doing all of this, but at my own pace.

Oh, Marina, I do hope life clams down for you!!!!!! I like that kind of life too - boring and calm is good.

Heather, you wanted feedback about if the shorter thread would work better for email notifications. I DID get a notification for this!!!!!!!!! Let's hope this continues.

Chrissie wrote: "Heather, you wanted feedback about if the shorter thread would work better for email notifications. I DID get a notification for this!!!!!!!!! Let's hope this continues."

So glad Chrissie!! :)

I did too, and like Chrissie often wasn't receiving notifications.

Marina, sending you many hugs and positive thoughts.

Marina wrote: "Life is quite overwhelming for me at the moment. I'm still reading quite a lot, though not so much as usual. I have a hard time concentrating. I'm not reviewing anymore, or very rarely, not even fo..."

I definitely see many on AAB as friends too Marina! I think doing what you can at your own pace is good. :) Take care of yourself, and hopefully over time your concentration will come back so that you can do all the reviewing for your blog that you enjoy!

Take care of yourself Marina. Sending "hugs":to you.

I have had similar, Marina. In fact I think I was off reading for about 2 years and I've only just got my reading mojo back! I hope you feel better soon and do keep posting on the chat threads even if you can't concentrate on the books

Marina, thinking of you . Take care of yourself.

Marina - thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. I count your on-line friendship as an honor - and I hope your pep comes back soon.

Ah Marina, I'm sorry to hear that life is overwhelming at the moment. We're all here, for book chat, or whatever you need.

Greg wrote: "Marina wrote: "Life is quite overwhelming for me at the moment. I'm still reading quite a lot, though not so much as usual. I have a hard time concentrating. I'm not reviewing anymore, or very rare..."

I can't add anything else to what Greg and others have already said. Take care of yourself and feel free to comment as much or as little as you feel up to.

I pulled back from much of my online involvement when my dad got sick and am still finding my way back to the enjoyment I once had in it - so don't worry if it takes you a while.

Take care of yourself, Marina. This is much more important than everything else. Blog, GR and reviews can wait.

Take care of yourself, Marina. It's only natural to let our own circumstances set the pace of reading and reviewing for us.

Marina, I have a lot on my mind at the moment and have not read or reviewed a book in ages. But I still come here every morning to hang out with my AAB friends. You don't have to read/review - sometimes I just do the Lit Hist thread entry and then lurk around in all the others.

When life overwhelms sometimes, it's good just to be in the company of friends.

Thank you all, you're such great people and friends ♥♥♥

I'm taking it easy right now. For instance, yesterday I had to stay in bed all day because my sleep is very troubled and I was so tired when I got up that I had to go back to bed after a few hours. Luckily I haven't had any work requests for the last two days, but I know this is going to change soon and I want to relax till I can.

I love you all.

Marina, sleep as much as you can, while you can. Sleep repairs.

I am sending you best wishes and hugs.

Feel free to talk to us if this lightens your burden. It helps to get problems off your chest. I am always wondering how much to ask. On the other side one doesn't want to intrude. YOU know what you want to say best.

Thanks Chrissie, that's very kind of you. While I don't feel confident enough to talk about the core of my issues, talking with you all is always very comforting because you're all so supportive. That's what really matters to me. I can feel that you really do care.

Marina wrote: "I can feel that you really do care. ."

I know at least I do. We all dare to say to each other what we don't say to others. In my view, you don't need to s-e-e a person if you share ideas and thoughts with them. I tend to assume people are not lying, but maybe I am gullible.

We are really chatterboxes!!!!

Marina and Chrissie, I think we all have a very special sort of friendship here. Despite not seeing each other in real life, we often talk and share our lives more often with one another. I genuinely care for all my AAB friends and have found plenty of support myself over the past few years.

I just received a weird scam message on Goodreads from someone asking me to reply to get millions of dollars to give to widows who need it . Just wanted to give you guys the heads up in case you received it too.
I blocked the user and flagged it to Goodreads.

Pink wrote: "Marina and Chrissie, I think we all have a very special sort of friendship here. Despite not seeing each other in real life, we often talk and share our lives more often with one another. I genuine..."

Yes, me too.

Pink wrote: "Marina and Chrissie, I think we all have a very special sort of friendship here. Despite not seeing each other in real life, we often talk and share our lives more often with one another. I genuine..."

Ditto for everything you have said.
In "real life" I also don't talk so much about myself and I am a pretty reserved person. I don't think I'm an introvert, but I never talk about myself and my life with anyone.

B the BookAddict wrote: "Marina, I have a lot on my mind at the moment and have not read or reviewed a book in ages. But I still come here every morning to hang out with my AAB friends. You don't have to read/review - some..."

Thinking of you, Bette! I hope you come out of your reading slump soon. But take all the time you need :)

Pink wrote: "Marina and Chrissie, I think we all have a very special sort of friendship here. Despite not seeing each other in real life, we often talk and share our lives more often with one another. I genuine..."

I agree, Pink. Although I don't comment and share as often as others, just being a part of this group has been a great comfort to me.

To me too! I remember how much love and support I got when my mother passed away from this group of caring friends!

Bette, my thoughts are also with you. :)

Marina, hope you're taking good care and that things are improving.

Let me echo how great this group is at emotional support. When my son died, AAB was a crucial part of helping me recover. I cherish my friendships here, and even when I'm not posting much, I know I can always come back here and be welcome.

On a lighter note, check out this link about organizing your books:

http://lithub.com/the-definitive-way-...

Thanks for posting that link Terri, it made me chuckle!

Love that , Terri ! Thanks.

Love that link, Terri.

I must say I recently had my largest bookcase organised in the perfect (for me) way. Then I've had to pack it all in boxes for the move. But before packing, I very smartly photographed each shelf. Now when I unpack it, I can put it back just how I liked it!

B the BookAddict wrote: "Love that link, Terri.

I must say I recently had my largest bookcase organised in the perfect (for me) way. Then I've had to pack it all in boxes for the move. But before packing, I very smartly p..."

This is so clever! Which is the perfect way for you to organise the bookshelves? I want to change the way mine is organised, but it's too much thinking so I always postpone it.

B what a great idea!

Terri - thanks for making me smile

I still haven't set up any bookshelves in the new house. Once things are under control, I hope to set up floor to ceilimg shelves in one of the rooms. But there's so much else to do in the house - it could be quite a while!

Hmm, I wonder what it’s like to have things under control.

Joan wrote: "Hmm, I wonder what it’s like to have things under control."

:)

B the BookAddict wrote: "Marina, I have a lot on my mind at the moment and have not read or reviewed a book in ages. But I still come here every morning to hang out with my AAB friends. You don't have to read/review - some..."

Bette, I sure hope things improve for you to!

I seem to be a bit different than others of you.

When I have problems I read more and more and more. I escape through books. My "solution", which is really NO solution, is to stick my head in a book (or I should say plug my ears into an audiobook) AND get myself outside. Physical exercise and fresh air do wonders; I advocate walks in the country, digging up weeds, moving stones, raking, lugging out pine needles and pine cones into the woods. I swear by physical exercise; you get tired and you see how pretty you have made the patch of earth you have been working on. Then you can go in and read a book and you have appetite at your next meal and you sleep better at night. In this way I ignore what is upsetting me, although it is always there in the back of my mind. The problem is put in a better proportion to other things in your life; it doesn't drown you..

Chrissie your approach works for me too. For the past month I had been really messed up with a pinched nerve affecting my hip and leg - but the dog still needed to be walked and I always felt better when walking. I call her my personal trainer because she keeps me moving.

Joan, so sorry to hear you have ben having trouble with a pinched nerve. Ouch! You seem stubborn like me. If something hurts or is difficul,t do it anyhow. When I got that hole in my cheek, I took my morning walk anyhow. I just stuck a bandage on top. I do tend to carry things too far.

Clearly, we both believe in exercise out in the fresh air, I am not talking about putting yourself in a gym-hall or a motion-bike. Space around you, fresh air and pretty views and a dog beside you gives you perspective. Dogs are invaluable.

Sure dogs get you mad sometimes too. Yesterday there was a large stick sitting outside the wire fence surrounding out property. Oscar wanted to have that piece of wood. So while I was raking he manged to drag it through the wire netting, ripping the netting from the pole it was attached to. My dear husband has been grumpy ever since. This is not so strange since he has to fix it. I could not possibly fix it! Dogs are great but also a pain in the butt too. I couldn't live without a dog.