Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

Anyone else read this? I read it last night, really thoroughly enjoyed it.

5 comments posted: Wednesday, October 26th, 2016

"Deep Winter" Midwest G2G

Date: Saturday, January 23rd, 2016. 4:00 PM.

I'm looking to have some people over to our place in northern Illinois for some conversation, drinks, and dinner. Nothing fancy, guys, I ain't that great of a cook.

I'll happily provide food, drinks, and a warm place to kick it. My place isn't huge, but I can reasonably accommodate as many people as are likely to come to this shindig.

I'm only planning this to be a one-night-deal, but if anyone is driving from a decent distance and doesn't want to drive back the same day, I can recommend a few hotels in the general area. We're very conveniently located between Chicago and Milwaukee, so again, if anyone is driving a decent distance and wants to make the most of their trip I am open to Sunday ideas as well.

Definites:

ascendant

sisoon & plainsong

Gonnabe2016

sorrowfulmate & questioningall

wifehad5 & BrokenRoad

tbkjcn

Betterfuture13 & Onlytime

Maybes:

DrJekyll

rosie437

Solus sto

[This message edited by Ascendant at 8:11 PM, January 15th (Friday)]

59 comments posted: Thursday, October 22nd, 2015

Any interest in a 'Deep Winter' smallish midwest G2G?

Looking to gauge interest in a G2G in the Chicago burbs in mid-to-late January or February....this would be a smaller (probably), one-night-dinner-and-conversation kind of deal, not the three day variety that happen from time-to-time.

Thoughts?

13 comments posted: Monday, October 5th, 2015

The Girl on the Train

http://www.amazon.com/The-Girl-Train-A-Novel/dp/1594633665

It's really, really good, in my opinion. It's like Gone Girl, but with a (somewhat) sympathetic protagonist.

Warning: Ultra-triggery. I mean it. Infidelity is practically oozing out of every page....not in a way that glorifies it, but it is there.

23 comments posted: Sunday, February 8th, 2015

Cards Against Humanity

Oh my FSM....I played this on Thanksgiving with my mom, dad, two brothers, sister, and brother-in-law.

It was the most fun I've had as a family in forever.

22 comments posted: Monday, December 1st, 2014

"A New Guide to Rational Living" by Ellis/Harper

Has anyone else read this?

It's an oldie, with an original publish date of '61, but damn, is it blowing my mind.

It's like someone took all of my swirling thoughts regarding feelings, emotions, and interpersonal relationships...then clarified them, wrote them in a swingin' 60s', somewhat-sassy vibe and put pen to paper.

It's less a feel-good self-help book and more of a "stop feeling bad for yourself"-type self-help book. It *kind of* reminds me of "Things Fall Apart" a little bit (a VERY little bit, because the tone is so very different) in that it stresses the fact that we drive ourselves neurotic in our worry over other's behaviors and associated outcomes.

If you can get over the outdated idiomatic expressions, there's some really good stuff in here.

5 comments posted: Friday, September 5th, 2014