December 9, 2018 IT AIN'T MY FAULT

Blamers. I can't stand people who BLAME EVERYONE ELSE whenever life doesn't go their way.  It's NEVER THEIR FAULT. They keep making the SAME mistakes OVER and OVER--AND STILL DON'T GET IT. Are they Dumb--Knee deep in denial-- Narcissistic--HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND--PLEASE. On to the Whiners. OMG--I'm pretty sure I have even less tolerance for WHINERS. The people who live to complain. For some CRAZY reason--they harbor great enjoyment from this activity--it feeds their soul. We all have a list of "those people." Yup--they are the people we RUN from--LITERALLY. AND if they're not WHINING--a shock in and of itself--they are TALKING ABOUT THEMSELVES--because it REALLY is ALL ABOUT THEM. How about THE ONE UPPERS? These are the NAME DROPPERS--MATERIALIST DESIGN CONSCIENCE--folks who have to tell you they're friends with "So and So"  even though you don't know "So and So". And they always have a nicer CAR-HOUSE-KIDS-VACATION--EVERYTHING. That is their goal in life so that they can feel better about themselves. Do you see why I only have two friends? Enough said. 

 David Hedge, the main character of Stephen McCauley's new book My Ex-Life, realizes how few friends he has after his much younger lover walks out on him and he finds himself alone again. 

David is a college planner who lives in San Francisco in a rented carriage house. He's not only disgusted with his life and career, he's just found out that his beloved home is being sold to his ex. When he thinks life can't get any weirder--he gets a phone call from Julie Fiske--his ex-wife and ex-best friend--with whom he hasn't spoken in 30 years. Julie Fiske lives on the east coast outside of Boston on the shore. Life hasn't been kind to her either. Her husband of 20 years has recently left her for a much younger woman and they are going through a messy divorce. Although she has her daughter Mandy, she still feels very much alone. Her husband is trying to sell their home in an effort to save his dying restaurant, while Julie longs to hold on to the property even though she can't afford it. After speaking on the phone, David agrees to fly east to help Mandy with the college process and help Julie save her home. This NPR best book of 2018 is funny and sad, with a cast of characters you will really enjoy. It's about 380 pages --4 miles run--well worth the read. Enjoy.