What I bought at the bookstore

I've been blocked with my writing. While I'm waiting for my words to come back, I'm enjoying what others have written. Here's what I bought at the bookstore yesterday:

How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships

Last year, I'd bought another of his books, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality. I confess I didn't finish it, but I liked what I read. I have long felt science and spirituality have so much in common. While this gave my brain some interesting ideas to chew on, I quickly discovered the Newtonian physics I'd studied in school were not enough to pull me through the discussions of quantum physics in this book. I may revisit it one day and try again.

While I may not have been equipped for the physics discussions, I'm confident my background will enable me to handle a book on love, relationships, and compassion. ; )

Which is why I also bought this one:

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

Long time readers know I've been with the same guy for more than three decades now. In that time, everything has changed--and nothing has changed. I was barely 20 when I married and was SURE I knew exactly what I was getting into.

I did--and I didn't.

The biggest surprise? That love doesn't "last" or necessarily "grow."  It evolves. Sometimes it ends. We have grown apart and come back together many times over the years. I think Elizabeth Gilbert is wise and funny and a brilliant writer. I can't wait to see what she has to say about the institution of marriage, because despite the "success" of my marriage, I consider myself a marriage skeptic too.

Finally, I picked up this:

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See Smell and Know

A recent article on how service dogs are being trained to help war veterans deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the entrance of Jacques into my life piqued my interest in the incredible bond dogs share with humans. I'm a science nerd and I love biology, so this hit me on that level too.

We're going to be hit by yet another snowstorm this weekend, so now I'm ready to be socked in. What are you reading/watching/listening to?

Comments

[simon]

Just finished Jon McGregor's So Many Ways To Begin, which was a very well-observed portrait of the evolution of a marriage, so that might interest you.
Watching and loving Nurse Jackie.
Listening to Arcade fire and Moon Wiring Club.

[J]

My husband has been talking about that dog book, I think. Sounds interesting.

[Slow Panic]

I'm headed over to the library this morning to find something new. Looking for a nice long novel to snuggle with

[furiousball]

The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-lagunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

[Kim Nelson]

I,too, have read a lot of the Dalai Llama's work and find solace in many of his writings. This weekend in Mesa, a couple of hours drive for me, Elizabeth Gilbert is speaking at Changing Hands Bookstore. I hope to be there, too.

[V-Grrrl]

furiousball,

That's MR. Lama. Dang, do I have to tell ya everything?!

P.S. No smoking on my blog. Ahem. ; )

[mamatulip]

I am reading Paper Shadows by Wayson Choy, who was a professor of mine in college. It's really good so far. My father wants What the Dog Saw for his birthday and I think I might have to buy it for him and check it out first.

[Tonya]

Let me know what you think of Committed. I thought Eat, Pray, Love was one of the goobiest, dorkiest books I've ever read.

[Susan Raihala]

I just finished the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (fun read, not the Harry Potter rip-off I expected). I'm also reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (on food); The Way I See It by Temple Grandin (on autism); and a 1950 children's encyclopedia. As we're snowed in, too, I think I'll organize my books and pull all the ones I haven't read yet. If they are all stacked in a corner of the library, perhaps I'll start reading them!

I like your list, too. Let us know what you think when you're finished, please!

[Chris]

Please let us know your thoughts on "Committed". "...despite the "success" of my marriage, I consider myself a marriage skeptic too." I was just speaking with my mother about this yesterday. I've been married 20 years, and my mother has been married 47 years. I wonder how many of us truly have a "love of our life", and if we do, how many of us aren't with the love of our life, but instead, are making a life with someone we love...

I love talking with my mom about this because she and her friends share openly about their 50+ year marriages, or their late in life divorces. It's interesting to me... who's happy... who's not.

[V-Grrrl]

Chris,

One scientific study showed only 10 percent of long-married couples showed neural activity (via brain imaging and other sensory reaction technology) that reflected a state of "being in love." Clearly the "in love" group is the exception, not the rule. The other state is the norm and maybe is what we should expect.

Your phrase "Many of us aren't with the love of our life but instead are making a life with someone we love" is brilliant.

I'll write more on this in later posts when I finish the book. It's a favorite topic of mine!

[Diane]

I am interested in your view of the book, Committed. I am thinking of picking it up sometime soon. While I enjoyed parts of Eat, Pray,Love, I didn't think it was the be all and end all like some people. There were parts of it I did really enjoy however.

Looking forward to your opinion!

[Juli Ryan]

I like to read when my words go away too. Also, I like what you wrote about love "evolving". Very wise!