Bookish Jen

I returned "Women's Hotel" to the library last Saturday. My time is just too precious to read such dreck. I don't blame you for not going further into the book. It's truly awful. I'm currently reading "Self-Care" by Leigh Stein. It's a satirical novel on the world of start-ups, social media, white women feminism, boss babes, the wellness industry, and hyper-consumerism. I'm liking it so far.

I usually watch the State of the Union address, no matter who's the President. But But with Trump in the White House, I will boycott the address. I'm so sick of seeing and hearing him. I'm so fed up!

Yep, same person. Try as I might, I don't think I'm going to finish it. Back to the library I go!

This is a wonderful idea. There were a lot of older, non-traditional students at my school working full-time at my alma mater (I was one of them) and a lot of them were parents. A food pantry would have been an excellent addition to the campus. However, I do recall food drives. Most students, both traditional and non-traditional, work while attending college. There was a time I was going to school full-time, working full-time, and working part-time as a tutor. Later, I became editor-in-chief of my college newspaper and was on the board of a prominent school organization while keeping up excellent grades and working. So, yes, there were times I was too busy and too damn tired to make a decent meal. But I dare anybody to call me lazy. The lack of compassion towards people who are struggling makes me sick. During the first Trump administration, I was laid off of a job, and I had so much difficulty finding a new job. I could barely get an interview. Plus, I was dealing with undiagnosed health issues. I was relaying my struggles on another message board and was accused by some other posters of being a high school dropout and having a bunch of out-of-wedlock kids. The hell? I'm doing much better today. I have a good job. But I still have PTSD from that bout of unemployment. And having Trump back in the White House doesn't help things. Anyway, there are things we can do in these trying times. Practical Advice to Survive Trump's Second Term.

I'm currently reading the novel "Women's Hotel" by Daniel M. Lavery. It's about women living in a women's only residency in NYC back in the 1960s. This should be right up my alley considering how much I loved "Mad Men" and last year I read a non-fiction book about the iconic Barbizon Hotel and really liked it. So far, I'm only a couple chapters in "Women's Hotel" and I can just tell it's going to be a slog. The characters are barely sketched out to be three-dimensional and interesting, and the plot is wafer thin. Plus, the writing is pretentious. Thank goodness, it's a short book. Perhaps, it will pick up.

I went to a very progressive all-women's Catholic college. Feminism was greatly appreciated, and we were encouraged to value our education and use it in our daily lives, including the workplace, our homes, and our communities.

Yep. That's pretty much it. And despite the fancy private schools she went to and her Ivy League education, Peachy doesn't exactly come across like a very deep thinker in her book.

I was raised Catholic. And thought I don't want to brush people with a wide brush, I have often found people who convert as adults to be quite performative. Their faith is not rooted in empathy and kindness towards others. They are quite arrogant and full of themselves, maybe because they weren't raised with a sense of guilt and shame that cradle Catholics are.

I actually read her book, trying to get into the mind of MAGA. Her book is just one grievance after another. She thinks everyone not just like her is out to get her. She has nothing but hate for "ugly, undateable feminists", the LGTBQ+ community, childless cat ladies, "pant-suited girl bosses." She thinks everybody is out to get her because she's a SAHM of five children who goes to mass on a weekly basis (she converted to Catholicism as an adult). I can safely say, most of us don't have problems with with SAHMs of large families who go to church. The reason why people probably aren't fond of her is because she's got a sour attitude and is a rude, spoiled, privileged bully. Anyway, I'll probably write a scathing review of her book sometime in April for my blog.

This is not normal. And thousands of friends? More like thousands of cult members.

I'm being silly.

Where was Kamala? You just know she had something to do with it.

I am absolutely horrified. The arts and libraries are sacred to me. And in more horrifying news: Indiana Republicans Propose Cuts to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

When it comes to RFK, Jr.'s confirmation maybe we could use a little laugh.

So what Trump does only matters when you get fucked over. Hmm, interesting.