I am marathoning The Mindy Project right now and it is GREATLY ENJOYABLE. I had heard many conflicting/negative reports during the 1st season so I dove in a few episodes into the 2nd (when the episode descriptions sounded like they'd wrapped up the S1 storyline - like the 3rd or 4th episode of S2?) and it was delightful so now I'm going back to the beginning. I recommend my unorthodox approach, since it worked for me. :D

I want to re-read her book now. I didn't adore it the first time through but I wasn't actually familiar with any of her work at the time.

Thanks! As I said, I haven't read the books in ages, so I was just looking for this clarification.

Yeah, I didn't mean at all to imply you didn't know the setting - I read your bio - just looking for clarification on the 1917 connection. Thank you.

I'm trying to follow this but am being tripped up by the stuff about America entering the war in 1917, since the books are Canadian & set in Canada and Canada was lumped into the war right away in 1914. I haven't read the books in ages, but I thought he'd just been waiting on his birthday. It doesn't have to be 1917, though - just any date after (I think) August, 1914.

There could be a million reasons, and it's probably any number of them combined. Since harrassers are often just throwing as wide and random a net as they can, lots of women will get caught in it but some won't. It could just be a coincidence that you're the one that hasn't been, over and over.

On the other hand, I often suspect harassers consciously or subconsciously choose targets they feel are safe; women who are alone, obviously, and women who seem like they won't be willing to cause a scene or who might break down satisfyingly or feel they have to respond "politely"... someone they can have power over. Perhaps you give off a no-point-fucking-with-me vibe that some of them pick up on so that they go on to the next, simpler target. And I bet that vibe has only gotten stronger since maybe you don't leave your house wondering what fresh hell awaits you at every turn today (with bonus fresh memories of yesterday's hells). NB THIS IS NOT TO SAY WOMEN ARE DOING THIS TO THEMSELVES BY BEING VICTIM-Y, OBVS THE HARASSERS ARE THE MONSTERS HERE.

Finally, I "haven't been" harassed nearly as often since I developed a podcast addiction... which I realize might only mean I'm not hearing the blow-by comments over my ipod, but I'm fine with that. :) So uh... how's your hearing? ;)

ABSOLUTELY agreeing with all the advice in the 2nd letter - I worked at a "same position" job for several years at a company without the budget to give big increases, but they were able to adjust my duties to get rid of the more gruntworky dullsville soulsucking ones so I could spend more time on the things that were added as I became more competent (like the letter writer), and instead of big raises I got a fancier title with "senior" in it (senior to whom? nobody, for a while, but it looked great on my resume right away, which is important as you look for other opportunities, because it shows the development in your skills rather than making it seem like you got stuck in that role because you're a dodo) AND I was able to bargain for more vacation time instead of cold hard cash, which in a dull-yet-sometimes-stressful role was enormously valuable to me. If they can't give you more actual money, they can give you other, less literally costly things to improve your working life.

"Oh shit, I got the mail just now and my student loan payment this month is going to totally empty my bank account, which makes me sad. SCHOOL."

I randomly read Original Sin (I think published as Innocent House in that edition? I am confused) and really liked it, even though I'm not a detective/mystery reader normally. Mostly I thought the writing was excellent - fast-paced and functional but also moody and suspenseful. A really good balance compared to what normally turns me off about detective series. So maybe just jump in later rather than starting with her first effort?

I also just read Death Comes to Pemberley and can completely understand why many people hated it, yet the non-Austen-wankery parts were solid and it was a really fun read.