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The Librarian

by Janet
December 15th, 2018

librarian

I’ve had a library card for as long as I can remember.

A long time ago, I’d browse the shelves and select some books to take home and read over the next few weeks. I still do that occasionally, but I’m far more likely to look for a specific title in the library catalogue, request it, and pick it up when it comes in. But I don’t think I’ve ever asked a librarian to help me choose a book – if I have, it was decades ago.

I probably could have gone on that way quite happily. After all, I’m on track to read 50+ books this year, each selected for one of several reasons:

  • it was recommended by someone I know
  • it frequently showed up on book blogs or social media
  • I picked it up at a used book sale or the Little Free Library that recently opened in my neighbourhood (yay!)
  • I needed something to read and it happened to be available on Overdrive

I enjoyed Modern Mrs. Darcy’s 2015 Reading Challenge and decided I’d participate again this year.

Modern Mrs. Darcy 2018 Reading Challenge

To make it even more challenging, I planned to read the books in the order listed. I was doing great, and was even ahead of schedule (if you count on one book per month) until July when I got to “a book recommended by a librarian or indie bookseller.” Claiming it wasn’t convenient, I jumped ahead to the next one, then continued through the list.

With the end of the year – and the challenge – in sight, I had to admit that my reasons for not speaking to a librarian were just excuses for avoiding social interaction and that I needed to JUST DO IT. I’d have been really annoyed with myself if I didn’t complete the challenge, so I popped over to the library this morning before I could change my mind.

It was actually pretty exciting to have someone pick out five books for me after hearing just three titles I’d enjoyed this year! Definitely worth stepping outside my comfort zone.

I happened to have one of them at home already (borrowed from my sister, who recommended it) and briefly considered thanking her and going home to read the book I already had, but reminded myself that the point of doing the challenge was to expand my horizons, so I chose one of the others and I hope it will be an rewarding end to a great reading year.

Once I’ve read it, I’ll be revealing the titles of all 12 books I chose for the challenge on Away from my Desk. Why not subscribe so you can find out what they are?

Image courtesy of Iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Stay Home and Read Books

by Janet
January 6th, 2018

My friend went to New York City last year and brought back a bunch of postcards from Strand Book Store. When she told me to pick one for myself, I was immediately drawn to this one, for obvious reasons.

Stay Home and Read Books

Here’s the artist bio from the back of the postcard:

Olivia Mew @stayhomeclubofficial) was an illustrator until she started an apparel brand called Stay Home Club. She lives in Montreal and everything she owns is covered in cat hair.

Intrigued, I sought out the Stay Home Club website, where I learned this:

Stay Home Club is a range of lifestyle products for people with no life. We are a club that never meets, but a club nonetheless. Each order is shipped with a membership card. One of us. One of us.

Wow, a clothing line for introverts – whodathunkit?

Here in Ontario, we’ve been having record lows this winter (brrr) so staying home to read books is even more appealing than usual!

I decided I’d like to read more non-fiction this year, but it seems to be taking over my reading life. My plan was to read about one non-fiction book per month, or about one out of four, but I haven’t read a novel since I finished Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson on Christmas Eve. With nothing lined up, I opened the Overdrive app on my iPad to see what was available from my “To Read” list on Goodreads. I chose A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley because I’d really enjoyed the movie Lion which was based on it. Maybe my amazement at the unfolding of events was a big part of my enjoyment, because I didn’t enjoy the book quite as much, which is really unusual.

I’m currently reading You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero, because it was recommended by my husband as well as a few other people I know. It has some really good stuff in it, and I’ll probably read it again later, even though staying home and reading books isn’t one of her recommended success strategies.

Next up is Mom & Me & Mom, Maya Angelou’s autobiography #7, which we’ll be discussing at book club later this month. We read #1 in the series, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, last year and loved it, so it should be good.

I’m thinking it will be nearly a month between the time I finished my last novel and start the next one, so I’d better pick a good one!

What are you reading these days?

Related articles across the web

  • #WomanCrushWednesday – Olivia Mew
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Spring is in the Air

by Janet
May 1st, 2017

first signs of springThis is one of my favourite times of year. After months of short, cold, grey days, it’s so energizing to see the sun more and more and for longer stretches of time.

It’s so easy to go into hibernation during the winter months when you work from home, especially if you’re inclined to introversion as it is. But once the spring comes, who can resist setting work aside, even for half an hour, to get out and enjoy the fresh air?

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;

To-day the glint of green is there;

Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;

I know no thing so wondrous fair,

No miracle so strangely rare.

I wonder what will next be there!

 

L.H. Bailey, American horticulturist, botanist and cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science (1858-1954)

What’s your favourite season, and why?

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How to Cope with Christmas Chaos

by Janet
November 27th, 2013

Christmas Chaos

Image courtesy of Evan Courtney, used under a Creative Commons license

We are quickly approaching that time of year where social interaction is inevitable. Depending on your situation, you may be invited to one or more family gatherings, work parties, and other get-togethers, often grouped together in a very short time frame.

My life has settled down a lot in that area, now that my husband and I work at home in our own business and that the kids have grown up, but I remember years when we had social occasions on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, Christmas night, and then again on Boxing Day. I sure don’t miss that, but I know that many introverts struggle every year to decide which events they WANT to attend, which ones they feel they MUST attend, and how to keep everyone happy  – including themselves!

Since I’ve blogged about this before, I decided to find out how other introverts manage to get through – and even enjoy the holiday season. Here are a few articles which I hope will you to cope with Christmas chaos and have a wonderful time with your loved ones.


How many holiday gatherings will you be attending (or hosting) this year?

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Categories General
Tags : christmas, holidays, party
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Could a Book Club Enhance Your Life?

by Janet
May 29th, 2013

book groupA few years ago, I attended my high school reunion, where I reconnected with a number of long lost friends. It turned out that some of them had not only stayed in touch, but had formed a book club with some other friends they’d met after high school, which they invited me to join. I declined, partly because it didn’t fit into my life at the time, but mainly because it had no appeal to me. I’d never been to a book club, but I’d always imagined it to be something like English class, where they would take a perfectly good book and dissect it to death. One of my friends and I began meeting for lunch several times a year, and one topic that often popped up in conversation was the books we’d each been reading. Eventually I decided I’d like to go check out a book club meeting, and once I did, I quickly decided to join.

I’ve listed below the benefits I’ve received from my book club membership, and am guessing at least some of them will appeal to other introverts. Others are specific to my group and my life, but I’m sharing them too.

Intellectually:

I’ve been exposed to a much wider variety of books, and even genres, than I’d have ever chosen to read – or even heard of – myself. These are the titles we’ve read since I joined the group:

  • The Dolphin’s Tooth: A Decade in Search of Adventure by Bruce Kirkby
  • Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
  • On the Outside Looking Indian: How My Second Childhood Changed My Life by Rupinder Gill
  • Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
  • The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald
  • Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
  • The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Vol. 1: 1889-1910

This in turn has helped me to realize the value of reading a really good book – one I can sink my teeth into and come away with new insight and not just be entertained. For example, the above reading list has broadened my knowledge about many topics that had never been on my radar, including the work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright and real live “practice babies” that were used to teach mother skills to young women in the mid-20th century. I’m no longer satisfied by novels with predictable plots and uninteresting characters, though I still enjoy the occasional diversion.

Socially:

It gets me out of the house. The combination of working from home, being an introvert, and being married to someone who is even less social than I am can be isolating. Even I need to connect with the outside world every once in a while!

We meet in one another’s homes, so there’s no loud background music or other gatherings that often make it challenging to have a proper conversation in a restaurant or other public setting.

There are only six members, which for me is the optimum group size. When my husband and I go out, we like to visit with one other couple, or two at most. Any more than that, and it’s no longer an intimate gathering, but the makings of a party.

By the way, not all our group members are introverts, but the nature of the group discussions allows everyone to participate in whatever way is comfortable for them.

Personally:

It gets me on the road. The members are fairly scattered geographically, so I have to drive anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes to get to a meeting. I’m not uncomfortable driving, but it’s not often that I leave my own city, and  rare that I go to an unfamiliar place, so it’s good for my confidence to do it once in a while.

I get to cook for someone other than my husband and myself. We entertain even less often than we go out, so although I love to cook, I seldom get to make recipes that won’t work in small quantities or don’t fit into our lifestyle. This gives me a chance to do this.

Due to frequent moves since leaving home, until a few years ago the only people in my life were family members and those I’d met in my current place of residence. Being reconnected to childhood friends has given me an incredible feeling of completeness.

Have you ever belonged to a book group? I’d love to hear about it, including some of the books you’ve discussed.

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Categories Books, General
Tags : reading, social gatherings
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Janet
March 20th, 2013

The Perks of Being a WallflowerI was really looking forward to watching this movie. What introvert wouldn’t be keen to see a movie that celebrates introversion?

My husband even said, “I didn’t think there were any perks to  being a wallflower,” to which I replied, “You need to read The Introvert Advantage!”

Well anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The characters and the story were interesting, the acting was good, and it was especially fun to see Emma Watson in a role so totally different from Hermione Grainger. But in terms of fulfilling what the title (and the description on IMDb) promised, I was frankly a little disappointed.

To me, Charlie (the main character) wasn’t an introvert – he was a young man with a mental illness – and that’s a stereotype we’re trying very hard to dispel, that introversion and mental illness are somehow interconnected.

Charlie’s self-esteem and mental well-being hinged very much on his interaction with other people. He needed and wanted to be popular. He didn’t crave alone time, or even seem to value it very much. Yes, he was quiet, but that in itself doesn’t define him as an introvert.

Yet, I suspect that many of us can relate to this line:

I know who you are, Sam. I know I’m quiet… and, and I should speak more. But if you knew the things that were in my head most of the time, you’d know what I really meant. How, how much we’re alike and, and how we’ve been through things…

Overall though, the movie was great, and it’s easy to see why it has won nine awards and been nominated for 22 others.

Have you seen it, or read the novel it was based on? I’d love to know what you thought of it.

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Categories Movies and TV
Tags : stereotype
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Insight: Reflections on the Gifts of Being an Introvert

by Janet
February 27th, 2013

Insight: Reflections on the Gifts of Being an Introvert by Beth L. BuelowHave you already read The Introvert Advantage and Quiet? Are you looking for something new to read on the subject of introversion? You’ll probably enjoy this recent release by Beth L. Buelow.

Although not as meaty as the best-sellers mentioned above, Insight contains lots of worthwhile information, both for extraverts trying to gain a better understanding of the introverts in their life and for introverts who may be struggling to find their place in an extraverted world.

There’s an excellent explanation of the difference between shyness and introversion,  as well as an in-depth look at the valuable role that introverts play in society and the business world. Speaking of business, there’s also an entire section devoted to entrepreneurs, which is not surprising, as the book is essentially a compilation of posts from Buelow’s popular blog, The Introverted Entrepreneur.

Because of its bloggy origins, the book is written in a conversational style, which makes it an easy read, especially since each chapter is essentially its own entity. I’d have liked it better had the author taken the time to edit the content thoroughly when converting it into a book, as certain parts just didn’t “feel” right to me. For example, it’s my opinion that “I titled this post…” should have been changed to say “I titled this chapter…” and that “since this is November” should have been changed to “since it was November when I wrote this” (if it was even necessary to keep that part in).

Despite my possibly petty complaints, I found it thought-provoking and well worth reading. It’s perfect to pick up and read a chapter when you have a few minutes between activities, and it’s short enough to read in one or two sittings if that’s your preference.

Have you read Insight: Reflections on the Gifts of Being an Introvert? What did you think of it?

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Categories Books
Tags : book review
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Top 3 Networking Tips for Introverts

by Janet
January 16th, 2013

handshake

  1. If you find it difficult to approach others, offer to sit at the registration desk or greet people at the door at networking events. You’ll get to meet a lot of people without stepping so far outside your comfort zone.
  2. Offer to speak. I am very uncomfortable networking in large groups, but if I’m there as a featured expert, it’s very different.
  3. Arrange to meet with others one-on-one over coffee or lunch. This allows you to build deeper relationships, and you’ll be much more relaxed.

If you let introversion or shyness keep you from networking, you may miss out on some great business or career opportunities!

What is your favourite networking survival strategy?

Illustration courtesy of idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Categories Business Networking
Tags : business, introvert, networking
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The Effects of Introversion on Productivity

by Janet
March 30th, 2012

Do Not Disturb signThe way we introverts manage our time and space has a tremendous impact on our work style.

Introverts typically prefer to work alone. Even when the nature of a particular project dictates working as a group, we would rather have some time alone to formulate our ideas before involving others.

Naturally, this means we appreciate having our own space where we can concentrate and work privately. If it’s not possible for an introvert to have his or her own office, even a cubicle with partitions is much more desirable than working in an open area.

Read More→

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Categories Introverts at Work
Tags : introversion, productivity, time management, work style
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Self-Marketing for Introverted Virtual Assistants

by Janet
March 5th, 2012

Since becoming involved with the virtual assistant industry, I’ve noticed that a lot of introverts are drawn to this profession because it allows us to work independently in the comfort of our own homes and to communicate mainly through email or online.

virtual assistant attending a webinar

Unfortunately, when it comes to networking and promoting our businesses, many introverted VAs run into difficulty. After all, talking about ourselves just isn’t something that comes naturally to us.

That’s why I was really pleased to learn that Donna Gunter (who has been mentioned previously in this blog) is offering a webinar called Get Found Online: Best Strategies Helping Introverted Virtual Assistants (or VAs Who Hate to Market Themselves) Massively Increase Their Visibility Online, Today.

In this free class, Donna is going to talk about:

  • The 3 natural gifts almost every introvert possesses that serves as the foundation of your Internet marketing success
  • The million dollar questions you must answer BEFORE you start any marketing
  • A simple two-step plan that will instantly establish you as an expert in your field
  • The most effective method of establishing relationships online
  • How just one email per week can help you build a waiting list of clients
  • The best 15 minutes a day you can use to quickly build your network from zero to hundreds or thousands
  • The one Internet marketing secret NO ONE tells you about that will quadruple your marketing reach
  • The most effective strategy to share your expertise with hundreds of potential clients in only an hour a month

This learning opportunity is open to new and experienced virtual assistants worldwide and will be delivered via the internet, so you don’t even have to worry about travel or long distance expenses.

To register, visit the Canadian Virtual Assistant Connection and click on Webinars under the Resources tab.

Photo: Mitarart / Photoxpress

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Categories Business Networking
Tags : business, introvert, Marketing, virtual assistant
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