"Part of it is living in Tennessee. I'm so out of the loop. And as a person, I'm out of the loop. I'm oblivious by nature"

Ann Patchett is expressing her feelings of being disconnected from the world around her. She is living in Tennessee, which is a backwoods, and she feels that she is not in the know about what is going on the planet. She likewise feels that she runs out the loop as a person, indicating that she is not as linked to individuals around her as she wish to be. She associates this to her nature, which is to be oblivious to the things going on around her. This quote is a reflection of her sensations of seclusion and disconnection from the world. It is a suggestion that even in a backwoods, it is possible to feel disconnected from the world and individuals around us.