My Week in Books

As of the middle of last week, I was down to just two books I had checked out from the Dallas library, that are due and obviously need to be turned in before we leave for Colorado.  As I am with everything these days, I'm very aware that THESE will be my last books to check out from the Dallas library! 

Whoa.  This moving thing is getting real.

A couple of days ago, I finished Turtles All the Way Down by John Green.

It seemed a very appropriate read.  The main character of the story has OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). I could so relate to these compulsive behaviors.  My mind is currently like a little hamster wheel, thinking and thinking and thinking more about little things I need to do, or that I'm worried about- when it comes to this move.

For example:  I have spent WAY more time worrying about WTF to do with our mail than could possibly be necessary.  Forward it?.. but to where?  Our VRBO property we'll be staying in for a few months?  I don't trust USPS to stop sending it to that address when I need to move on to wherever the next place will be.  I considered a PO box, but you have to have a local address in order to get one.  I could have a neighbor collect my mail and send the important stuff on to me, but ugh, I hate to put that burden on someone for an indefinite period of time.  My thoughts about just the stupid mail go on and on and on like that.

Another compulsion:  Which guitar (or guitars) am I taking with me?  I went back and forth about 100 times.  I worried so much about the guitars I wouldn't be taking with me for now (what if someone broke in to the house and stole them?!?!) that I've now found them a babysitter.  My friend Darren will be the keeper of my guitars until we have an official home (rather than our rental) to move them to.

And yet another thing I've spent countless hours ruminating about- Should Lucy and Ricky both ride in Fermin's car as we caravan up to CO, or should I take one of them in my car, and he take the other in his car? Which one of us should Ricky ride with? And who would Lucy feel more at east with- since she's such a Nervous Ninny traveler?  Should they ride in the back seat? Or the front seat? Should I have them wear seat belts?

So many little things that all lead to so many thoughts and decisions to make.  My mind is busy 24/7.

Back to the book, Turtles All the Way Down- I liked it.  But didn't love it.  I was mainly interested in how similar my thoughts have been lately to the OCD character.  Beyond that, I had trouble focusing and paying attention, so I wasn't that in to the story itself.

After I finished it I thought maybe I wouldn't read the other book, The First Time She Drowned.  I've been so distracted with my hamster wheel thoughts that reading has been a not-so-fun challenge each night.  Besides that, did I really have time to finish it before we leave anyway?  I mean, we're busting out of Dallas on Monday, which only gives me about 5 days to read it.  (Another thing my monkey mind went a little crazy with for at least 10 minutes)

I decided to read a few pages of the book this morning, before I started my busy day getting ready for the house to be photographed.  (That will be my next blog post)  I'm now about 60 pages in and GOD! this book is so good!  So good that I actually didn't worry about all the stupid shit I typically let occupy my mind lately.  I LOVE the voice of the narrator, and I love the premise, and the bit of mystery to it.

The First Time She Drowned is about a girl who was put in a mental institution by her mother when she was 15.  She's just turned 18, and since she is now the age considered an adult, she can leave the institution on her own free will.  We aren't sure why her mom put her in there, but we know it wasn't fair, according to our narrator.  How did the mother convince the rest of the family this was the right and fair thing to do?  Will she have any relationship with her mom now?

This girl's problems are way bigger than mine about which guitars to take on this first drive out to Colorado. And most of the other thoughts I let consume me. So maybe it's good to focus on her a good half hour or so each day.  So yes!  I'll be reading this book, and it will be
the.
last.
book.
I.
read.
from.
the.
Dallas.
Public.
Library!