Book Club Update

So here’s what I’m getting out of being in the Book Club so far.

1) I’m actually motivated to read the book instead of setting it down and feeling guilty every time I pass by it’s new resting place. And it’s pretty good. I’ve only had time to read the intro stuff, as per the group’s reading plan, but I intend to sit down with it later this week and start getting into the real meat of the book. I’ve read skimmed the first Covey book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and was really impressed with what I saw there, so I am ready to see how it correlates to family life.

2) As for a sense of community, I feel a little, um, I guess estranged from most of the other club members. I guess that comes from the fact that the Simple Mom blog tends to cater more to a stay-at-home-mommin’-home-schoolin’-earth-savin’-church-goin’ kind of reader. Which is ok. I don’t have anything against any of those segments of society. I just don’t have a whole lot in common with them. I work outside of the home and my kids are in [gasp!] daycare and [double-gasp!!] public school. I did the majority of my earth crusading when I was in junior high and, sadly, don’t really concern myself with how ‘green’ my house is. We recycle because the city provides the service for free (or rather, through our regular trash pickup) and they pick it up. I teach the kids to turn off the water when they’re brushing their teeth, that kind of thing, but I also wash and dry my clothes in machines with poisonous soaps that are killing Mother Earth and our budget. And church? We’re lucky to make it once a month, and it’s not your traditional congregation.

So yeah, I don’t really relate when they say that to keep their husband’s Love Tank full, they try to make sure that dinner is on the table when he walks in the door and that all the clutter is picked up from the day and that the high point of their day is when they all pray together.

But that’s what book clubs are all about, right? Discussing books with people from different walks of life, getting glimpses of their lives and sharing glimpses of yours? Seeing different points of view?

I don’t know. I’m still going to read the book on schedule and I still plan to check in on the boards and see what others are saying. I’m interested in seeing how these principles can apply to our lives and I look forward to discussing them with my family and friends. I might even throw in a dissenting opinion on the boards from time to time and see where it takes me. :)