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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the story of her family through the other protagonist, El

The Sunday Salon: Magazine culling.. in progress

The Sunday 
Salon.com

Good morning fellow readers! The apple crumble is in the oven - always a finger-licking breakfast in this house - and I'm settling down this morning to do some blog writing, reading, and housekeeping.

For weeks, I have been thinking about doing some major decluttering in the house, specifically some magazine culling. I have a horrible habit when it comes to magazines. Personally, I don't really like them much. The idea of reading a magazine is something I like in theory but never really cared for in person. But every once in a while, the airlines that we have frequent flyer numbers with send us "Urgent" emails coaxing us to fly more with them or use our points because they will expire in the very immediate future.

Ugh, this is passive aggression.

So that takes me browsing through all the things I can buy with their points, and every damn thing worth their money obviously requires an embarrassingly huge number of points. Except for magazines. So that's how I end up with copies of Good Housekeeping, Money, Forbes, Health, and many others that I don't even care to read. But want to read one day. For many past weekends, I have been slowly (one magazine a day) getting through my stack.

You know how many of you probably have too many books in the house - some on the nightstand, some on the shelves, some probably in the bathroom, some on the floors. etc. Well, that's the problem I have with magazines. I can handle books all around the house. They almost look decorative, plus they are usually pretty small in size. But magazines can make your house look ugly in seconds.


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Last night, I went through a big stack of mags before I let myself read a book. The only mag I really enjoy reading from my entire stack is the EW. If only I would read them as frequently as they post new issues (weekly). The rest of the stack should go by quicker. I used to enjoy reading Health as well, but hey a pregnant woman doesn't need to read that junk, right?

Speaking of which, thank you to everyone who wished me on my last week's announcement. Even at 16 weeks, we are still getting used to it. I have only just started showing, but if you didn't know I was expecting, you would think I had one hell of a Christmas/New Year party that involved excess eating. I can't wait to look more pregnant and less pudgy.

Last week, I finished an audiobook (Lost in Shangri-La) and a print (The Strange Library). Currently, I am reading through two books, The White Tiger at the gym, and Never Let me Go. I have been restricting myself to one checkout from the library, and so far this is actually working, in that I am reading and finishing the book, rather than dipping in and out of all books and not getting anywhere. Hopefully, I can get more reading done today.

How is your Sunday going?

Comments

Magazines? Hmmm. I remember those. ;)


We still have them at the library where I work. In fact, I think it's required by our state library system. However, to be honest, I don't get it with so many magazines online now. Of course, I don't read them there either. I used to like magazines. I don't know what happened.


One checkout from the library? <-- Sorry, I have lots of questions today to what you posted. Again ;) Actually I try to do that, but not always to great success. However, I usually end up sending a lot book unread when I do take out several books at a time, I've noticed.


And if I missed saying it last week, congratulations to you and your husband on the big announcement.
Trish said…
So funny!! I have a subscription to EW and InStyle because of airline miles. I've realized that I don't really care about the InStyle like I did 10 years ago but I've been really enjoying the EW (to my surprise). I do love Real Simple magazine but I let a couple of months stack up before reading through them. My husband subscribes to SO many magazines and I HATE the clutter. When I mention it to him he gently reminds me that I have an entire room devoted to books. Sheesh.


Enjoy the apple crisp! Sounds delicious!!
biblioglobal said…
One book at a time from the library would be HARD! On the other hand, it would mean I would get to go to the library more often. That might almost be worth it.
I missed your announcement last week... congrats!!!! That is so very exciting.


I only have a subscription to Real Simple, which is a magazine I actually like reading. I sometimes want others, but know that I wouldn't really make it a priority to read them. I used to think I'd read The New Yorker, but that just piled up.
Vasilly said…
Oh my God! Congratulations!! I'm only a week ahead of you. How are you feeling?

With magazines, I don't have the same problem. Well, not exactly. My mom and daughter love keeping their magazines like House Beautiful and HGTV. Why don't you just use Zinio whenever you want to read a magazine? That way your magazines are on your ereader or tablet and not in the house.
JoAnn @ Lakeside Musing said…
I've let most of my magazine subscriptions go... they just piled up (especially The New Yorker) and stressed me out. Now I read magazines on my iPad from the library with Zinio. The perfect solution for me. Good luck!
Sam_TinyLibrary said…
I had a massive declutter before Christmas and it felt so good. At least until Christmas came around and Giles got masses of gifts and now we need to sort things out again :P
Aw, EW. I miss getting Entertainment Weekly, but I can't justify the expense when I'm not getting it for free along with some other purchase. It's such a silly and fun magazine though! I miss it! (And it always sends me tempting emails to say, We miss you, Jenny!)
christa @ mental foodie said…
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry I missed the last announcement! So excited for you :) How did you like Lost in Shangri-la? I enjoyed it - I read that one out loud to my husband. With magazines, I usually just tear our the stuff I want to keep then either donate them, leave them in the breakroom, or recycle them...
Ti Reed said…
I've never been into magazines but once in a blue moon I end up subscribing to something because one of the kids has a fundraiser for them. I always end up cancelling them though. I used to have a terrible cataglo habit. Pottery Barn, those types of places. I've since removed my name from their lists as well. One, they stack and end up not getting read OR I read them, and find myself in a constant state of WANT and feel like a loser since I cannot justify a $2800 leather club chair.
literaryfeline said…
I used to go through magazine phases when I would subscribe to everything under a subject of interest--like cats and dogs or entertainment or all about books or parenting--and soon realized it was pointless because I rarely read them. I still subscribe to two--Entertainment Weekly and Bookmarks, both I read from cover to cover just about every time they arrive (not including the two my mom got me gift subscriptions to--which I never read). My favorite magazine though is the New Yorker and that really really good deal on such an expensive magazine is sitting on my counter begging me to take advantage of it. The New Yorker is a weekly though and it's a thick magazine with articles you really need to take time to read. Time I don't have because I'd rather be reading that novel when I get the chance to read at all . . .


I was just eyeing Never Let Me Go on my TBR shelf the other day. I hope you are enjoying it. What did you think of Lost in Shangri-La?


I hope you have a wonderful week, Athira. It has been a very busy Monday. I'm already counting down until Friday. :-)
Gwen said…
I am so with you on the magazines...get them with points or rock-bottom prices without really thinking it through and then they sit here until the pile is so big that it topples. I thought that digital editions would help, but I like reading those even less. I rather read a book, heck with the minuscule amount that I actually learn from most magazines, I rather read the cereal box.


Right now I save all Organic Gardening, am about 6 months behind on the New Yorker and the other mags go directly to the library donation pile. At least I get the exercise walking them over there. lol
Athira / Aths said…
I tried the one checkout at a time only so that I don't send back all the library books back unread. I haven't been too disciplined about it but it works mostly and I've been completing most of my checkouts. :-)
Athira / Aths said…
That is so funny about what your husband says about your books.


It is so hard to keep up with all these mags. I do like the idea of digital magazines, but I know I won't ever read them. I really hate reading magazines on an iDevice.
Athira / Aths said…
Haha! I have been going to the library every week. And try to leave with just one or two books, one of them being a graphic novel. I have been managing to finish the books i checkout so that's good.
Athira / Aths said…
Thank you! :-)


Yeah I had the New Yorker subscription for a year because I liked the idea of reading it. I never got to it either.
Athira / Aths said…
Thank you! The second trimester is a great period!


I only recently learned about Zinio and have been eager to try it out. I haven't had a chance yet but that will be a much better option. I don't need to accrue editions and it's all in the cloud somewhere.
Athira / Aths said…
Yeah, I have decided no more magazines. I like the Zinio option - I only just learned about it so I am looking forward to checking it out.
Athira / Aths said…
Funny how fast things pile up, right? I feel like every month I am decluttering the same spaces.
Athira / Aths said…
Yeah, I guess that's what I like about EW. It's so silly and fun and makes you feel like you know more about the entertainment world.
Athira / Aths said…
Thank you! :-)


I liked Lost in Shangri-La but didn't love it. Problem was my misplaced expectations. I thought the book was about something different from what it really was.
Athira / Aths said…
I wish I didn't care about magazines either. Actually, I don't, much. But then a flyer comes along with all these great magazines for virtually free and before I know it, I have a new subscription.
Athira / Aths said…
I did have a subscription for New Yorker for a year and didn't read any issues. I really loved the idea of reading it. I just could not bring myself to actually open the magazine and read it. I still have those issues waiting to be read.
Athira / Aths said…
I am with you - I much prefer reading a physical magazine so I don't know how I would fare with the digital ones. Still, no clutter should be a good thing, right?