It's early morning (well, early-ish--Nathan's already gone to work and I've already been up for two hours shoveling the driveway) and I'm sitting at my desk looking out on the snowy backyard and drinking a cup of tea (because I'm trying desperately hard to kick the pop habit). Shelby is all curled up in her favorite spot in the living room--the rug by the front door--tired after playing in the snow this morning. I have meetings in Omaha today but not until 11, so I'm grateful for some time to write and reflect. And I think this is my favorite part of my new adventure, two weeks in: Getting some time back, getting myself back. I didn't realize how unhappy I was professionally (not personally old coworkers--you know I love you dearly) and how much that affected my real life until now. And so I'm enjoying my time, and even more glad that the opportunity was there--I realize that it really wouldn't be possible in many other circumstances, and that I'm truly lucky to be able to take this chance.
So, that was my way of briefly updating you on my new life, but also segueing into a book review. You must think I haven't been reading, since it's been so long since we've had a review, but truth be told, I've been rereading a lot of books I found in my boxes: the Shopahloic series, to be exact. Love them, and would review them, but they're definitely too fun to do that. Instead, I give you "Time Of My Life," by Allison Winn Scotch. Here's the synopsis from Publisher's Weekly, as taken from Barnes & Noble's Web site:
In her latest novel, Scotch tackles an oft-asked question-what if I had held on to the one that got away?-with an engaging, fast-moving, high-concept drama. Endearing Jillian Westfield seems to have it all: a loving lawyer husband, a healthy infant daughter, and a lovely home in Westchester County, N.Y. But cleaning spit-up and dealing with her husband's long office hours have begun to wear on Jill, and it hardly helps that she's just learned that her post-college boyfriend, Jackson, is getting married. The day after a deep, chi-clearing massage, Jill wakes up and finds herself seven years in the past, giving her the chance to revisit her life with Jack in Manhattan, when she worked as an advertising executive. Hindsight, of course, is anything but 20/20, and Jill's new choices hold unforeseen consequences for herself and those she loves. As Jill, through trial and error, rethinks her biggest decisions-such as her choice not to reconcile with her estranged mother-Scotch keeps one dexterous step ahead of page-flipping readers eager to guess the outcome.
I am definitely "what-if guy" (anyone watch "Cougar Town" last night?), and I think it's healthy to sometimes think about what could have been, in terms of different jobs, different arguments, different paths overall. I think it gives me perspective. On the one hand, it's easy to think that whatever path I didn't choose would be better, but on the other, it helps me appreciate what I have, both of which happen to Jill. She is able to see what would have happened, had she made one different decision, and while she thinks it will be better than the life she has, she realizes what she had, and what other decisions she made affected her current life. And while I don't necessarily have the desire to go back and time and see where I end up, I think Scotch makes an important point in that it's our choices who make us who we are and affect the paths of our lives, and it's up to us to make the most of what we choose. The book is also very much about the relationship between mothers and daughters, so definitely check it out if you have (or will have!) babies.
So, that was my way of briefly updating you on my new life, but also segueing into a book review. You must think I haven't been reading, since it's been so long since we've had a review, but truth be told, I've been rereading a lot of books I found in my boxes: the Shopahloic series, to be exact. Love them, and would review them, but they're definitely too fun to do that. Instead, I give you "Time Of My Life," by Allison Winn Scotch. Here's the synopsis from Publisher's Weekly, as taken from Barnes & Noble's Web site:
In her latest novel, Scotch tackles an oft-asked question-what if I had held on to the one that got away?-with an engaging, fast-moving, high-concept drama. Endearing Jillian Westfield seems to have it all: a loving lawyer husband, a healthy infant daughter, and a lovely home in Westchester County, N.Y. But cleaning spit-up and dealing with her husband's long office hours have begun to wear on Jill, and it hardly helps that she's just learned that her post-college boyfriend, Jackson, is getting married. The day after a deep, chi-clearing massage, Jill wakes up and finds herself seven years in the past, giving her the chance to revisit her life with Jack in Manhattan, when she worked as an advertising executive. Hindsight, of course, is anything but 20/20, and Jill's new choices hold unforeseen consequences for herself and those she loves. As Jill, through trial and error, rethinks her biggest decisions-such as her choice not to reconcile with her estranged mother-Scotch keeps one dexterous step ahead of page-flipping readers eager to guess the outcome.
I am definitely "what-if guy" (anyone watch "Cougar Town" last night?), and I think it's healthy to sometimes think about what could have been, in terms of different jobs, different arguments, different paths overall. I think it gives me perspective. On the one hand, it's easy to think that whatever path I didn't choose would be better, but on the other, it helps me appreciate what I have, both of which happen to Jill. She is able to see what would have happened, had she made one different decision, and while she thinks it will be better than the life she has, she realizes what she had, and what other decisions she made affected her current life. And while I don't necessarily have the desire to go back and time and see where I end up, I think Scotch makes an important point in that it's our choices who make us who we are and affect the paths of our lives, and it's up to us to make the most of what we choose. The book is also very much about the relationship between mothers and daughters, so definitely check it out if you have (or will have!) babies.
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