I have to admit that ploughing through The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, which I’m listening to on Audibles, has taken up a large proportion of my reading/listening time this week. I can not put it down! It was over 24 hours listening time in length. Because it has multiple narrators, I have to give it all my attention otherwise I lose the plot somewhat. I love the multiple narrator set up though. I think it needs it due to its length – it definitely keeps interest high throughout due to the varying perspectives.
Anyway, this has meant that I don’t have a huge number of things to share with you for the coming weekend. It’s more bitty stuff, short news reports and short videos. Maybe it will be of interest to those of you who have less time on your hands over the next couple of days…
Reading
The looming crisis at universities has been of interest to me for many years. Changes in funding over the past twenty years have grossly inflated the amount of debt a graduate has on leaving. In real terms, are they as valuable to the individual anymore? The article talks about graduates career earning to be £130000 greater than non-graduates, which (unless my maths is very wrong) amounts to an annual extra of £3250 on average over the 40 year span… Of course, that’s the average. Some will make much more. But also, some will make much less. Food for thought.
You may or may not know that I am half Welsh. My father was Welsh and my Mother is English. So when I came across this article, it made me smile. There is so much horror and insensibilities flooding our news today. It’s nice to know that somewhere off the coast of Pembrokeshire is a small island on which nature, oblivious to the war torn, debt torn world around them, does what nature does best (particularly without the interference of man)…it thrives.
It is a scary world we live in right now. As my wise mother said just yesterday – you have to focus your attentions on living the best life you can, giving what you can to those around you…I think her message was to keep your life small and focus on the areas you have some control over. In this day of tv and internet, we are beaten down with images displaying the suffering of our fellow man. It is hard not to feel utterly helpless in the midst of so much brokenness and heartache. It’s no wonder anxiety levels are at an all time high. I think mum’s onto something. I know I feel less anxious the more occupied I am in useful tasks. Maybe earnestly living the best lives we can, where we live, making the best of what we have and helping those around us…maybe this is the key to grounding ourselves and decreasing that ever lingering anxiety that we are not doing, being or having enough.
Watching
Apart from the Great British Bake Off, which is my summer go to for down time and relaxation from a busy homeschool year, The Chosen has captured my attention. Ads and Charlotte recommended this series about the apostles of Christ, after waxing lyrical about it for about twenty minutes!
I’ve been following Fructus Illustrations on YouTube for some time now. The lady behind Fructus Illustrations is a self taught artists who is working from home trying to make a full time living from her art. I think she appeals because she is obviously very well organised and thinks things through and yet is carving out a career in something she is self taught at. I LOVE that and find her really inspiring!
And lastly, I know I’ve mentioned the Cottage Fairy before but she posted a video this week which goes nicely with what I was saying above about anxiety. Actually her video isn’t about anxiety per se but about grounding yourself in mono tasking – doing one task with your whole concentration. Another way to perhaps counteract anxiety or worry about everyday life?
Listening
As I’ve already mentioned, every listening moment has been focused on getting The Woman in White finished. It is a tremendously good read and I am so close to the end I can taste it! And yet I have absolutely no clue how it will end. It has reeled me in hook, line and sinker! I have just seen there is a film about it and a series on it. That might make an appearance on one of my reading, watching and listening for the weekend posts in the future!
What are you reading, watching and listening to at the moment?
Love Wilkie Collins! I read The Woman in White years ago and really enjoyed it. It lead me to reading other books of his and they were just as good. I just finished Night Road by Kristin Hannah. I really like her writing style. It keeps me interested from beginning until the end. Between books I’ve been fixated on HGTV home renovation programs. We finally have a reliable internet that gives us the ability to stream shows so we’ve spent way too many evenings staring at the TV. Once the novelty of it wears off I’ll get back to normal stuff like reading and cross-stitch in the evenings.
Thank you for the recommendation! I’ve never heard of Kristin Hannah, so I shall be checking her out!