The Parent App by Lynn Schofield Clark

The Parent App by Lynn Schofield Clark

After spending a miserable vacation in the amazing beauty of Yellowstone National Park with two teenagers who refused to release their grip on their cell phones, I decided to read The Parent App. 

I wasn't raised on computers or cellphones but as a writer trying to be noticed in today's world, I'm very aware of their gravitational pull.  My husband, who doesn't even know how to turn on a computer, often complains about how attached I am. My computer usage however, is extremely tame compared to my granddaughters who have never known a world without them.

The Parent App is an interesting discussion about children and their parents in this digital age.  Socioeconomic backgrounds play a huge role in how soon a child gets a cellphone and how the parent regulates its use.  Each child is different and the parenting styles have to adjust. I found the comparisons fascinating. 

Instead of being frustrated at my failure to understand teenagers, The Parent App opened my eyes to what it means to grow up in today's world.  That doesn't mean as adults we have to accept a computer's domination of our daily lives.  We must teach our children how to use these modern tools wisely and we must learn how to use them wisely ourselves.

A River Sutra by Gita Mehta

A River Sutra by Gita Mehta

To feed my appetite for books, I take time each day to answer surveys and click on ads to collect points.  Once I collect enough points, I cash them in for Amazon gift cards.  Free books!  Cool and right up my alley.

With a a $20 gift card burning a hole in my computer, I opened up my Amazon wish list to see if I'd wished for anything interesting.  A River Sutra had been added to the list a couple years ago.  The reviews looked interesting, it's set in an exotic local, and has a spiritual message.  I like to mix up my reading material between styles and genres and this seemed like the perfect fit for the moment. I downloaded it.

The story is about a man who retires from his government job and  takes a post at a guest house deep in the jungle along the Narmada River.  A variety of people cross his path, all offering different bits of spiritual advice.  Although the stories and characters were interesting, I never felt a connection between them.  He would begin a conversation with a monk, or a woman or a musician and then they would say, "Let me tell you a story." 

The stories had different messages for the retired man looking to escape from life.  For me at least, I got to the point I didn't want to hear any more stories.  I wanted to know the main character's story.  It was never told to the extent I wanted to find some satisfaction.  The book is beautifully descriptive of the people and places.  I didn't feel the stories came together as a cohesive unit.  I know I often like things to be tied up in neat little packages and life doesn't resolve itself so easily.  I didn't need a pretty bow, I only wanted to see how he processed in his own mind, the lessons told by others.

A River Sutra is wonderfully written and has much to teach.  I wasn't in the right mindset to learn from it even though I thought I was ready.

The Annual Rummage Sale

I've gotten in the habit of walking for a couple miles each morning around my 55+ development.  I watch the sunrise, listen to the birds sing and say hello to the many bunnies that also call this place home.  It's a peaceful time and I can be all alone with my thoughts taking in the ever changing landscape.

On trash day however, my eyes are diverted to the curb.  Not only are the streets lined with trash cans of all shape, colors and sizes, but I learn where people have been shopping during the week.  I often see the empty cartons that once contained a new office chair, printer or television.  Sometimes I'll find a broken bicycle or a barely used treadmill.  Today, at the end of one driveway were several large Target bags sporting the famous red bullseye,  stuffed to overflowing with more red and white Target bags.  I happen to be a Wal Mart girl but to each his own.  Whoever lived there must have been on a shopping frenzy!  

What goes in must eventually come out. 

Saturday, the association held its annual rummage sale.  It's advertised in the local paper and cars line up early to get in.  Usually people rent tables in the clubhouse to sell what they no longer have room for in their scaled down retirement home.    And this year they allowed homeowners to sell from their driveways.  This place turned into one giant garage sale.

The streets filled quickly with cars and pickup trucks cruising for a bargain. Paintings, golf clubs, mattresses, sweaters and t-shirts and Christmas decorations lay out in the hot beating sun hoping to be snatched up by a new owner.  I watched cars and trucks leave stuffed with all kinds of goodies.

This is what happens when you get old.   The space you live in gets smaller but your desire to go shopping increases.  Maybe it's not so much your desire as the amount of free time that needs to be filled.  I'm not one for shopping at rummage sales but tomorrow is trash day.  I can't wait to see what's going to turn up.  It's been a long holiday weekend with lots of time to fill the coffers again.  Next year's sale is bound to include some really good stuff. I'm making a list.