odds 'n' ends of this 'n' that

*A few people wanted to hear what I thought of Sunshine. Well, I can tell you I really loved it! But I must add that I am the worst person to ask for an opinion about a movie. Why? Because I am so easily amused when it comes to movies. I'm not sure why this is so...I'm definitely pickier when it comes to books. Maybe because so much more of my time is invested in a book, as opposed to a movie. Anyway, unless a movie hopelessly bores me, is full of stereotypical immature-middle-school-boy type humor, is excessively gory, or the acting is horrendously atrocious, I'm generally o.k. with it. So, if you're fairly undiscerning like me, maybe my opinion will hold some weight. But if you'd like a real review, I suggest you read Carl's exceptionally well-thought-out, well-written review. It was there that I first heard of the movie, and have wanted to see it ever since.

*After reading The Goose Girl, I knew I had to get my hands on the sequels. But after reading Nymeth's review of Enna Burning yesterday, I knew I had to get my hands on them even sooner. And I did manage to pick up Enna Burning yesterday, though they didn't have River Secrets in stock.

*This recent compulsion to compartmentalize my blogging has led me to start another blog. This one is for our homeschool activities, so probably won't be terribly interesting to anyone but ourselves. :)

*That darn Becky! (Said with a smile on my face, of course.) She went and started another fun challenge, the Initials Reading Challenge. Do you think I could resist? Of course not!

this wonderful world of blogging

I don't think I'm alone in the way I feel about blogging. It seems bizarre on the face of it, truly it does. But blogging has become very important to me. Because of the people and the connections. Before blogging, I would have thought it a tad ridiculous to think that I could "meet" people this way and come to consider them true friends. But I do. And as silly as it seems on the surface, I've really come to love some of these people. No, I've never met them in person. And I probably never will. Yet they mean the world to me. I love hearing about their lives. I treasure the minutes I "spend" with them. I want only the very best for them in everything they do.

Nymeth is one of these people. She is an absolute treasure! She's always, always, always sweet and gracious. She's intelligent, but in no way pretentious. She writes the most exquisitely beautiful and thoughtful book reviews. She's taken her own valuable time to help Annie and me, never complaining about my silly questions. In short, she is a beautiful person!

And as unbelievable as it seems, she just celebrated her one-year blogoversary (or whatever the appropriate term is). It seems unbelievable, because it feels as if I've "known" her for years. Anyway, to celebrate both this milestone and BYFAB week, Nymeth is giving away not one, but five books! And let me tell you, they're good ones! But to find out what they are, you're going to have to go see for yourself!

Happy one year, Nymeth!

randomosity

*best news of the week:
--One of my most very favorite people in all of the world had a beautiful, healthy baby boy!

*favorite photo of the week:


(taken at Grandmother's house the day before Easter)




















*biggest surprise of the week:
--awakening to 6 inches of fresh snow this morning...really shouldn't have been surprised, but was

*most looking forward to over the weekend:
--watching Sunshine

*least looking forward to over the weekend:
--doing the taxes...finally

I wish I wasn't so technologically challenged!

For some reason, some wordpress blogs have decided that they don't like me anymore. They won't let me comment. So Chris and JP, I apologize...it's not that I don't love you anymore! I swear I'm still reading, and even still commenting, but the comments just aren't showing up. If I wasn't such an idiot when it comes to computers, maybe I'd know how to fix it, but I am an idiot and I don't know how to fix it :(

Fahrenheit 451...random thoughts

Fahrenheit 451. While this is only my third book by Mr. Bradbury, I just have to say that his writing is just the most exquisite I've ever read. And yes, I do love his stories, but its his writing that really blows me away.

"It was a pleasure to burn.

It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of the blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history...."

Thus begins Fahrenheit 451. I could spend years trying, and still never be able to put words together in such an amazing way. But now, having said all that, I have to admit that, for the most part, I wasn't quite as captivated by the writing in this book as I was by that in either Something Wicked This Way Comes or The Halloween Tree. The reason for that may be, though I'm not sure, that this story was just more thought-provoking. While Something Wicked This Way Comes is wonderfully sinister in its own way, Fahrenheit 451 was even more terrifying because of its utter plausibility.

Guy Montag is a fireman. But the profession of fireman in this novel is far different from what it is today. Firemen in Fahrenheit 451 destroy, as opposed to preserve. And what they destroy is books. And homes that hide books. And sometimes even the people who own these books.

In the space of just a single week, Guy Montag's world is turned upside down. Though really, the seeds of this tumultuous turn-around were sown long before. Montag just hadn't realized this before meeting Clarisse, a seventeen-year-old girl who still found wonder and beauty in the world. And because she did find wonder and beauty in the world, she was considered crazy. Montag's brief talks with Clarisse awaken something inside him. Later in this life-altering week, Montag witnesses a woman choose to burn with her books as opposed to living without them. From here, his world begins spinning out of control...

As I said earlier, this book was all the more terrifying because of its plausibility. The censorship of books in this tale did not begin with the government, though it did eventually become illegal to read books. It began with apathy. With people choosing to give up books on their own. With people choosing to spend their time in rooms comprised of wall-sized screens. Do I really see this book as a prophecy of what's to come? No. I'd like to believe it couldn't really happen. But then there's a lot happening in this world that seems unfathomable.

This is Annie's and my next literature selection for school, and it should make for some interesting conversations. But as for me, I'm anxious to now dive into another book for Once Upon a Time II.

saying goodbye

Damn. I can't believe I had to say goodbye to Jericho...again. And this time, I don't see any way to raise it from its premature grave.

I think the way they ended it upset me nearly as much as the fact that they did end it. It's not that the story was bad. But they rushed to finish up, shoving what should have taken place over several episodes into a single one. It didn't feel at all like the Jericho I'd fallen in love with. I think the actors, the fans, the show itself, all deserved better.

It seems rather silly to be so heartbroken over a television show, I suppose. But I am.

A Wolf at the Door...random thoughts

A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, was my first read for Once Upon a Time II. It was a nice kick-off for me, a quick and satisfying read to get started. It consists of 13 tales by a variety of authors, some of whom I was familiar with and some of whom I wasn't (though I'm sure long-time fantasy lovers are probably familiar with all of them).

Of all the tales, there was only one which didn't really appeal to me. And that's not to say it wasn't good, it just wasn't for me. Which is really a shame; I wanted to love the story, because I really loved its title, "The Seven Stage a Comeback". I'll bet you can guess what fairy tale that one comes from, huh? Anyway, aside from that one by Gregory Maguire, I really did enjoy all the others. Some more than others, of course.

I won't talk about each one, but just mention a few of my favorites. I really enjoyed the one by Neil Gaiman, though it wasn't really a fairy tale retelling. It was titled "Instructions"...and that's just what it was, instructions for what to do if you ever find yourself stuck in a fairy tale. Very cute. Very clever.

I found myself laughing aloud at "Cinder Elephant" by Jane Yolen. Our heroine in this Cinderella retelling is Eleanor. She is dubbed Cinder Elephant by her "skinny as a straw" and "skinny as a reed" stepsisters. You see, Eleanor, while quite a lovely girl, is not a size two or four, or even six or eight, and she has very large feet. And yes, she is sweet, and she is smart, and she does capture the prince's heart with her knowledge of sports.

"Hansel's Eyes" by Garth Nix is more in the deliciously frightening category of fairy tale retellings, much as Hansel and Gretel is a deliciously frightening fairy tale. A video game, a cat sewn together from the pieces of other cats, and a cold room to store human organs all play a part in this story. I really enjoyed this sinister tale!

And finally, I'll mention the last tale in the book, "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" by Patricia A. McKillip. Annie and I read this fairy tale not too long ago, and both agreed that while we loved the story in general, we were disappointed in its ending. I was definitely not disappointed in the ending of Ms. McKillip's retelling. In fact, I loved her retelling much more than the original tale, in part because of the ending, but also just because of her unique twist on the tale as a whole.

All in all, I can definitely say that I found this to be quite a delightful little book!

it's never too late to fall in love

That is the biggest lesson I've learned in the past year.

I'm not speaking of falling in love with a person, though I'm sure the sentiment is every bit as true.

Here I am, pretty much firmly entrenched now in my mid-40s, and I have found myself falling in love over and over again. With fantasy. With fairy tales. With young adult literature. It's such a liberating experience.

But now I have to admit to a small amount of sadness that has popped up in the midst of all this newfound delight. As much as I know that it is a waste of time, I can't help but wish I had made these discoveries long ago.

Specifically, I'm speaking of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I finished reading The Fellowship of the Ring this past weekend. (Because I'm using it as one of my selections for the Chunkster Challenge, I should be writing a review. However, it seems silly to me to write a review as all but a handful of people have read it, and those who haven't have surely seen the movies. So instead of an actual review, I'm just going to throw out a few thoughts on my reading experience.)

O.K., back to this whole regret thing. It's a horrible thing to say, but I'm envious of my daughter. Oh how I wish I'd read these books as a child like she did, so I had carried them with me my whole life. But as I said, that's a waste of time...it's much better to focus on the gift of discovering them now. And they really are a gift that I'm giving myself. I started reading The Fellowship of the Ring back in January, so I'm sure it seems odd that I've just now finished it.

But, as I know I've said before, the bulk of my reading time comes in snippets of 5 minutes here, 2 minutes there, with an occasional 10 or 15 minute spree thrown in now and then. It's not the ideal way to read--I know that--but you take what you can get, right? I tend to get up pretty early in the morning. It's the only time I get any quantity of uninterrupted time to work on school planning. And I used to spend this couple of hours doing just that seven days of the week. Then I began reading The Fellowship of the Ring. And it took little time to realize what a special experience these books were going to be. Here's where the gift to myself part comes in...I decided that I deserved to "steal" some of that uninterrupted time for myself. So somewhere back in January, I decided to devote those early morning hours on the weekends to reading for "me" as opposed to reading and planning for school. So for the past two months, I have spent the early hours of Saturday and Sunday with Frodo and Sam and Merry and Pippin and Gandalf and Legolas and Gimli and Boromir and Aragorn. And I plan to spend those hours in the months to come in the same manner as I read the rest of the trilogy.

But why did it take me so long to discover their magic? I honestly can't say. It's obviously not like I'd never heard of them before, or even that I didn't know how well-loved they were. But for whatever reason, I always found myself intimidated by them. So it takes a 9/10-year-old girl to break that long-held misconception. Live and learn, huh? Now, instead of dreading the idea of reading these books, I cherish my time spent with them. In fact, cherish isn't even a strong enough word. This is one of those rare adventures that you yearn with everything you've got that you could just somehow enter the pages yourself and be a real, living part of it.

So there you have it...this old dog has learned a new trick.

just 'fessin' up

Figured I might as well just confess...yes, I did join Katrina's Spring Reading Thing '08. No, I probably shouldn't have...I'm a little over-extended as is ;) But how could I not...this was the very first challenge I ever joined. Hard to believe that was only one year ago! But I kept my list short, so maybe, just maybe, I'll actually finish. And I put on books that I've really, really, really been wanting to read, but haven't got to because they aren't on any other challenge lists.

Will probably be out of the loop for a while. We're heading to Rich's Mom's early tomorrow afternoon for the weekend. Still need to pack, make a coffeecake, some Easter cupcakes, and get through a big day's worth of school today. But the good news is a total of almost 12 hours of reading time in the car. (Usually I work on "school stuff" during long car rides, but I decided I deserved a break this time. Okay, maybe I don't deserve a break, but I'm just so anxious to get started on my Once Upon a Time II reading!)

Hope everyone has a beautiful, joyous weekend!

The Goose Girl...random thoughts

Fairy tales. As I said not so long ago in a post, I wasn't one of those who grew up on fairy tales. But last summer, when I was trying to put together some kind of plan for Annie's school year, I decided that we should explore the world of folktales and fairy tales. Right here, I need to say a big thank you to Nymeth. She has graciously answered questions and given advice to this poor novice here. But even more than that, her deep true love of these stories has been utterly contagious.

Anyway, what I had assumed would be a very fun "unit" of study for Annie, has really become an immense pleasure to me. I've been so captivated by the fairy tales we've been reading...I can't imagine I will ever stop searching them out.

And now we come to the idea of fairy tale retellings. A year ago, I'm not sure I even knew such books existed. Last month, I read my first, I Was A Rat by Philip Pullman, which by the way, I adored. But that story was more of an epilogue focusing on a particular character from a fairy tale (if that makes any sense at all). The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale, on the other hand, takes the Grimms Brothers "The Goose Girl" and really turns it into a full novel. I have to admit, "The Goose Girl" is one of my favorite fairy tales, one of the few I've known and loved for years. I was a bit leery that anyone could really retell this story and do it justice.

Well, my fears were entirely unfounded! What can I say? I love, love, love this book! In a way I haven't loved a book in while. Not more or less, necessarily, but differently. Not in a soul-searching, thought-provoking way. But plain and simply, in a sweet and joyful way. I was utterly astounded at the way Shannon Hale stayed so true to the fairy tale, while bringing the story and the characters so wonderfully to life. This book is nothing if not magical!

I'll be the first to admit, I've never been much of a princess kind of girl. But you know what, Shannon Hale just might change that! There's a quote on the back of the book from The New York Times Book Review that I think sums up the book perfectly for me:

"In layer upon layer of detail a beautiful coming-of-age story emerges, a tale about learning to rescue yourself rather than falling accidentally into happily-ever-after."

Now I know it's not exactly unheard of for me to cry while reading a book, but this is the first book I can remember in a very long time that left tears of joy in my eyes as I finished the last page.






(Now that's a lot of bang for your reading challenge buck, huh?)
















Other blog reviews:
*Kim at Bold. Blue. Adventure.
*Annie at Words by Annie
*Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot
*Eva at A Striped Armchair
*Melody at Melody's Reading Corner
*Deslily at Here There and Everywhere

giddyness abounds

Yep, I know many of you are as excited as I am this morning. Carl has "made it official"! Once Upon a Time II begins on Friday!

I swear I've been checking his blog 5 times a day for the past week or so just waiting for this post. (Come on, admit it...I know I wasn't the only one!) I wanted to read what "the quests" were this year before putting together my list. But you know what, I still couldn't do it...I ended up with a pool of books to choose from instead of a strict list.

It's funny, a year ago when I joined this challenge, I was almost entirely unfamiliar with fantasy. I joined for two main reasons...a.) because Annie was such a fantasy lover and I wanted to be able share in some way in her passion, and b.) to expand what had become over the years very narrow reading horizons. What I didn't realize at the time, was how deeply in love I would fall with this genre. (And it goes without saying, the friends I made as a result of last year's Once Upon a Time challenge, are an even bigger gift!)

Anyway, I am so excited for Friday to arrive so I can dive right into my first book...though what that will be, I haven't yet decided. But in the meantime, I have two incredible books to finish up (The Fellowship of the Ring and The Goose Girl). Two books I never would have been reading if it hadn't been for Once Upon a Time.

sweet innocence

A few nights ago at supper, Gray asked a doozie..."Why are we at war in Iraq?"

I must admit, I was inwardly groaning, really not wanting to go there. But before I can think of any sensible words to begin this discussion, Rich picks up the ball. "The president said that the leader of Iraq had some really, really bad weapons."

Max interrupts, "He said he had matches?"

Holding back laughter, Rich and I say together, "No, even worse weapons than that."

Max, with incredulity in his voice, "Swords?!!"

Well, bless your sweet little heart, Maxidoodle! I certainly wish matches and swords were the worst weapons this world had to contend with! And may you keep that sweet childhood innocence for as long as possible!

good stuff

Ah, it's just a great morning...

*snow coming down in big, beautiful flakes

*homemade brownies in the kitchen

*two glorious hours of "for fun" reading in peace before anyone else got up

*being productive enough yesterday that there may be time for some scrapbooking this afternoon

*The Traveling Wilburys singing "Last Night" on my iPod...yes, I'm hopelessly old and incredibly uncool

*a couple of goofy boys who leave me in hysterics

bookish odds 'n ends

*Is there anyone out there who hasn't yet discovered J. Kaye's Book Blog? I recently discovered it because J. Kaye is hosting the Suspense and Thriller Reading Challenge. If you haven't checked it out yet, you really should. Why? Well...
a.) J. Kaye is just one incredibly nice person,
b.) she and her family write book reviews on an incredibly varied bunch of books (seriously, in the past couple of weeks, I've written down books that I thought my husband would like, books that I thought Gray would like, and of course, books that interested me), and
c.) she holds book raffles every Sunday where she gives away many of the books she reviews.
I was the lucky recipient of Easy Scrapbook Embellishment by Heidi Schueller this week! Thanks again, J. Kaye!

*I joined the Twisted Fairy Tales Reading Challenge last night. No rationalizations. No excuses. I've just decided that I'm tired of being tortured by these damn challenges. If I want to join one, I will. Even if I never actually complete another one as long as I live.

*I finished up another book for Dewey's Graphic Novels Challenge. And since it's a challenge book, I feel like I should write a review. But frankly, I don't really know how. It's not that I'm being self-deprecating, or that the book had any kind of profound effect on me. It's just that I'm really out of my league here. The Books of Faerie by Bronwyn Carlton. Let me just post what it says on the back cover:

Do you believe...

...in a mystical land beyond the boundaries of the mundane world...

...ruled by a beautiful queen who was once a mortal like you and me...

...who may have sired the most powerful sorcerer of our world?

In this finest high fantasy tradition, this companion volume to Vertigo's ongoing BOOKS OF MAGIC series collects for the first time the acclaimed BOOKS OF FAERIE miniseries, featuring the story of Titania, Queen of Faerie. Also included is the much sought-after ARCANA ANNUAL, featuring an early tale of young mage Timothy Hunter and his journeys in the magical realms.

I joined the Graphic Novels Challenge to expand my horizons, and thus far, I have not been disappointed. I have to say that I really enjoyed the first part of this book very much. It's the story of how a young mortal girl, Maryrose, is lured to faerie and how she ultimately becomes Titania, Queen of Faerie, and gives birth to a son. It held me thoroughly entranced throughout.

The second part, Long Walks in Dancing Shoes, by John Ney Rieber was also enjoyable, but, I'm guessing, a little harder to appreciate by someone like me who is not familiar with The Books of Magic. I can say it has awakened my curiosity, however, and I can certainly see myself seeking out more about Timothy Hunter in the future.

So, to wrap up, I realize that this is less than helpful as a review. But I must say, I am so glad I joined Dewey's challenge. The world of graphic novels is such a varied world. I'm continuing to be delighted and surprised with each new venture.

can't think of a title

I am feeling like such a slug. The kids have the day off from school today, some kind of conference or something. Anyway, I made a conscious decision last night to allow myself to sleep in this morning. And sleep in, I did! I did not get up at 4:00am, or 5:00am, or even 6:00am! No, I didn't get out of bed until 6:30! I thought all this extra sleep would be a good thing, but now I'm not so sure. I think I'm more tired than ever, and definitely lacking in motivation. Probably has nothing to do with sleep though...more likely it's just bad attitude :)

I must admit it felt mighty good waking up and getting to tell myself that I could just go back to sleep though. But you know how when you're sleeping and waking up frequently, you often have very vivid bizarre dreams? Yep, definitely had that going on this morning. One of the most memorable: I decided to legally change my name to Vampirella because I thought it would give me a better chance of getting to meet Wayne Newton. Now that is just one creepy dream! In real life, I'd be much more likely to change my name to Vampirella if it would save me from having to meet Wayne Newton! The brain certainly is one fascinating organ.


I did make the kids French toast for breakfast, but that's about all I've accomplished. Some technique this kid has, huh? We really do try to teach manners around here, but, well, I guess we don't always get through.

And speaking of imperfection, I posted "10 reasons why our home will never grace the pages of House Beautiful" over on my domestic stuff blog. I also have a new post on my reading challenge blog...Joy just had to go host another Non-Fiction Five challenge. Actually, I was really hoping she would...I loved that challenge last year. Even finished it on time! I love reading non-fiction, but somehow it always gets pushed to the side (unless it's for homeschooling). This provides just the motivation I need.

Okay, enough babbling for now. Hopefully next time I post, I'll be a bit more coherent.

why fight it?

It's a waste of time. Trying to fight my obsessiveness, that is. What am I talking about this time?

Well, first of all, there's the fact that I've started another blog. Come on now...how many blogs can one person possibly need, right?!! According to my warped brain, the answer is many. So I keep compartmentalizing more and more and more. This time around, we've got That's All She Made. Yep, my crafty/creative stuff blog.

And as if this isn't bad enough, I'm having trouble saying "no" to yet another challenge. Not Carl's Once Upon a Time II challenge...I never even dreamed of saying "no" to that one. The one that is currently tormenting me is Katrina's Spring Reading Thing.


I honestly believe I could say "no" to this one if it weren't for the fact that last year's Spring Reading Thing was the very first reading challenge I ever joined. And look what happened from there! So I feel kind of loyal, if you know what I mean. Besides, it would give me the chance to choose a couple of books I'm dying to read that I don't have on any other challenges. And darn it, that button is just too cute! Crap, will someone just smack me upside the head?!!

The Lorax...random thoughts

Dr. Seuss will forever be near and dear to many a heart. Mine is definitely included. Talent like his boggles my mind. Truly. I can't imagine a time when his books won't be favorites of children and adults alike.

There's his trademark rhyming and his nonsensical words that make perfect sense. His books are an absolute delight to read aloud. I can't imagine ever tiring of twisting my tongue with Fox in Socks. His illustrations and fantastical creatures. All of it adds up to pure joy.

But beyond all that, Dr. Seuss had meaningful messages to pass along. Messages as relevant today, if not more so, as they were when he wrote them. Gertrude McFuzz can teach us about the dangers of vanity. The Sneetches about the idiocy of bigotry. The Zax about the importance of compromise.

And my very favorite book of all, The Lorax, tells a tale of greed and the environment. Long before it was fashionable, Dr. Seuss was explaining to children the importance of each living species to those around it. The interconnectedness of life. The catastrophic consequences of not taking care of the world we live in.

This is one of those books that we read with the kids on a regular basis. This is a book I'll continue to read once the kids are grown and gone.

Many thanks to Becky for hosting the Celebrate the Author Reading Challenge. When it came to choosing authors for each month, March was definitely the easiest one of all for me! Believe it or not, this is also for the Banned Books Challenge...can you believe that?!! It was challenged in Laytonville, CA, because it "criminalizes the foresting industry".

fairy tales and mayonnaise

...not one of those dynamic duos like Bert and Ernie or chips and Rotel dip. No, they really don't belong together at all.

I was chuckling aloud the other day when I read Kim's post about how hard she tends to be on books. Actually, the post was about a few of her favorite books, but in the opening paragraphs she admitted to some of habits that may have had some book-lovers clutching their hearts in horror. Now, I am certainly no Carl...my books don't come out looking as if they've never been touched by human hands. But I figured I probably wasn't quite as brutal on them as Kim. *** Kim, you do know I'm only teasing, don't you? :) ***

Well, I now must eat those words. (Even though I only ever spoke them inside my own head.) Last night while fixing supper, I figured I could sneak in a quick fairy tale. The Frog-Prince fit the bill, a short little tale which only took a few minutes. But as I was reaching to set the book down, it slipped through my fingers and landed in a roll slathered with mayonnaise. And it didn't land flat so the cover could just easily be wiped off either. No, it landed corner first, so mayo managed to seep right up between all the pages. Not a fun clean up job.

I've decided to look at the bright side though. When I decided to read Grimm's Fairy Tales for school this year, I just picked up an inexpensive little Puffin Classics version. But it didn't take me long to fall madly in love with these little tales, and I have been kicking myself for not just shelling out a few extra bucks to buy an edition of The Complete Grimms Fairy Tales. Guess now's my chance, huh?

Anyway, I was wondering, am I the only person out here that never really had much exposure to fairy tales as a kid? I honestly do not remember reading them as a child, or having them read to me. Yes, I'd heard some of "the biggies" like Cinderella and Snow White, but beyond that nada. But I have to say, that is one of the precious things about fairy tales...you don't need to be a child to fall in love with them. Here I am in my 40s being enchanted for the first time.

Annie and I have really been having so much fun with this "unit". We read a handful of tales each week, sometimes together, sometimes separately, and then we discuss them. And we're trying to work in some retold versions as well. I'm sure literary professionals would be appalled, but we have somehow, without even trying, set up our own little classification system for many of the fairy tales. Some of our categories include: dark and disturbing, no one could possibly be that dumb, and priceless treasure.

A few that have made that priceless treasure category in the last few weeks:

*Jorinda and Jorindel--a tale in which the power of true love wins out, despite an evil old fairy

*King Grisly-Beard--a tale about the evils or pride and conceit, and also about the wonders of love and second chances

*The Giant With the Three Golden Hairs--a tale of come-uppance for an evil, greedy king

And one final note on the subject of fairy tales...I started reading Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl last night. (The Goose Girl happens to one of the few fairy tales I was actually already familiar with.) So far, I am finding it perfectly delightful!

useless ramblings

Every once in a while I get it in my head that it's really time to get my act together and pull this place into shape. Do a super clean. Get some crafting/scrapbooking done. Try some new recipes. This was going to be my big week to get underway. (Past experience tells me that this gung-ho feeling will only last for a week or so, but at least I manage to get a few things done while it lasts.)

Anyway, wouldn't you know, I woke up during the middle of the night feeling as if I'd been run over by a very large vehicle, possibly a garbage truck. Head pounding. Throat raw. And let me just say, this overall feeling of malaise has pretty much pulverized those gung-ho feelings to dust. Oh well, there's always next week for productivity, right?

I did manage to post this week's menu over on my domestic-y blog. Haven't done that in ages, so maybe the day isn't a total loss.

In other weekend news, Gray and I read the last of The Spiderwick Chronicles books on Saturday. So yesterday, Rich took Gray to see the movie. They really seemed to enjoy it, though I guess it scared Gray a bit. According to Gray, the movie was quite a bit different from the books...not better or worse, just different.

We were supposedly going to get a big dumping of snow over the weekend, but we only ended up getting about 11 inches. Which isn't a bad amount, I suppose. Enough to look really pretty, but easy enough to deal with.

Well, Annie needs the computer for school, and since I'm really just blathering on about nothing, I suppose it's time to put an end to this post.

LIfe As We Knew It...Random Thoughts

After reading a book like Ender's Game, which was such an incredibly emotional experience for me, I was afraid that next book I read couldn't possibly get a fair shake. That no matter how good it was, it would be a let-down. I'm happy to say that wasn't the case. No, I'm not claiming that Life As We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer, has made my top reads of all-time list the way Ender's Game did. But I was able to let this book tell its own story, without interference.

I hadn't heard of Life As We Knew It until reading Somer's review. And after reading her review, I immediately headed to our library's website and requested it. After all, Somer's review did contain the words "post-apocalyptic"...how is a girl to resist that?!!

Miranda is pretty much your average 16-year-old girl as the book begins. She worries about her grades. Her friends are growing and changing as kids do. Miranda had been an ice skater until a broken ankle sidelined her, and she then took up swimming instead. But all these normal teenage concerns become a thing of the past when a freak event changes life on Earth for everyone.

Everyone knows that an asteroid is going to hit the moon. It's a big event, drawing people out of their homes to watch. But something goes wrong, something the scientists didn't predict. It turns out that the asteroid is denser than predicted, and it manages to knock the moon out of its normal orbit. The moon is now noticeably larger in the sky. And the effects of this are immediately felt around the world, as gravitational forces related to the moon are thrown askew. Tsunamis. Earthquakes. Volcanoes. Millions die.

Life As We Knew It is Miranda's personal account of life in the year following this catastrophic event, told through her journal entries. Miranda is a good kid. And like even the best of teenagers, or people in general for that matter, she has her selfish moments. But through this story of survival, we watch Miranda grow into one incredible woman. It's a story of survival, but it's also a story of family, a story of sacrifice, a story of hope.

I admit I was in tears near the end of the book (I know, I'm an emotional mess). But mostly this book terrified the heck out of me. It was easy to imagine my family in this situation, and having to fully admit that we would not have survived for long. But it really was a compelling read, and I found myself time and again saying, "I'll just read one more entry." Which would lead to another entry and another, as I blowing off all the things I should have been doing. As far as post-apocalyptic stories go, this definitely can't compare to The Stand (what book can?), but I honestly enjoyed it very much.

Anyone else interested in reading it might want to check out Becky's post. She's heading up an on-line book discussion group in May featuring Life As We Knew It. (I would have waited until then to read it myself, but I already had it from the library when I heard about it and was afraid I wouldn't be able to get it back during the appropriate time.)

randomosity

For the week of March 2:

*most enjoyable book read: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
--Still need to do a review.

*most enjoyable movie watched: Scotland, PA
--Okay, so it was the only movie I watched, but I did enjoy it. Rich and I have been wanting to see this one again ever since we read MacBeth last fall with Annie. It's such a darkly humorous and quirky adaptation of MacBeth. Hey, I never claimed to have any sophistication.

*most enjoyable outdoor activity: sledding
--Last Sunday was the perfect day for sledding...we had about a foot of snow left, it was bright and sunny, and it wasn't too bitterly cold or windy.




*most interesting question I had to answer: "What is a brothel?"
--Posed by Annie. I was actually somewhat surprised she didn't know. I also had to explain to Gray what a "period" is.

*favorite photo taken:

can I cry now...

This is where my reading challenge obsession has led me:



I decided to gather from around the house all the books I need for the various challenges I was unable to say "no" to. There are 81 books on that table. And there is a list of 19 additional books that I still need to get from the library, or otherwise acquire, for these various challenges. Adds up to an even 100 books. This is not good for a person like me, who generally manages to finish only 6 or 8 books a month. And of the six books I'm currently reading, only one of them is a challenge book. No, things aren't looking good, are they? And of course, Carl will be starting the Once Upon a Time II Challenge in just a few short weeks. And you know that proverbial snowball in hell...yep, that's about how likely it is that I'll not participate in that one.

Oh man, my head is spinning.

And related to that obsessive streak, I have the old anal retentive streak. That is why each of those books on that table now contains a post-it note inside the front cover listing all the challenges the book is for.

Anyone know a cheap psychiatrist?

just a quick heads up

Just thought I'd let everyone participating in Annie's challenge know that she has March's contest question posted.

childhood magic

I absolutely loved reading this post by Chris the other day about his favorite books. Not titles, but the actual, physical books. And I have since enjoyed everyone's corresponding posts. I didn't write such a post though, because I thought that I didn't actually get attached to books so much as to the stories they contained. But then it hit me this morning, as I started work on a new, very neurotic project (I'll probably post about that in a day or two), that there is a set of books that I am extremely attached to. They no longer belong to me though; I'd given them to Annie.

This set of red books. Called The Children's Hour. From my childhood. Oh, how I loved these books! I spent countless hours reading these. Some stories I would read just once, while some I would read over and over and over again.



One of the stories I read time and time again was The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. I bought a Golden Book copy of this book for Annie when she was little, but she just never loved it like I did. I don't think I've ever read it to the boys, and I really do need to remedy that. (I'm guessing Max won't like it, but Gray just might.)

Anyway, when I heard about Becky's Heart of a Child reading challenge, I knew The Velveteen Rabbit would definitely be one of my choices. It's the very first book that I can remember loving like this. And when I learned over at Nymeth's that this week is Read an E-Book Week, I decided to see if The Velveteen Rabbit was available on-line. And, of course, it is (otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it)...right here...in case you'd like a chance to revisit a childhood classic.

I must say, when I read it again this morning, I was every bit as enchanted by it as I ever was. It's such a sweet magical tale about the power of love.

kid logic

"Multiples of five are crazy."

This is what Gray said to me this morning. I was baffled. For one thing, I had no idea he knew what a multiple was. But mostly because I just didn't understand why he would say they were crazy. So I give him that "I don't understand...could you please explain?" look.

He just points across the room to where his brother and sister are in the midst of silly fit. It took me a second to comprehend, but then it clicked...Max is 5 and Annie is 10.

Couldn't argue with his conclusions.

Ender's Game...random thoughts

I suppose it might be wise of me to wait a few days to write this review. To let it settle a bit. To see where my thoughts lead. But I'm not waiting, so this is bound to come out a bit raw, a bit haphazard.

As everyone knows, Chris loves this book. Jean loves this book. Carl loves this book. Annie loves this book. Becky loves this book. I would trust the opinion of any one of these people. Put them together, and well, I knew I couldn't lose. And yet, I was still not prepared for the emotional experience I would have reading this book. I realize that might sound a little melodramatic, and I apologize. But nonetheless, it is true. I don't believe I've ever been so moved by a work of fiction before.

And I'm not sure I can even explain why, because I can't quite get a handle on it myself. It's certainly true that we all experience books in different ways based on our own lives, our own experiences, our own beliefs, our own personalities. But this book hit me in a way that no other book has ever hit me before. It somehow went straight for the jugular...my maternal instincts. I don't know why. I've certainly read plenty of books featuring children before, and never had them affect me this way. And it's not that my children are like Ender...they aren't geniuses and they certainly aren't being called upon to do impossible things. And yet somehow, something in Ender Wiggin brought out that part of me. Part of it may just be the way that he just doesn't "fit" with other children...and that is something I see my own kids struggle with often, though obviously in ways far different from Ender. But even if that is part of it, I don't think that's all of it. I can't explain it, but that's how it is.

I suppose for those of you who haven't read this, I'm making absolutely no sense (and possibly to those of you who have read it as well). I should really tell you a bit about the story. But I'm going to cheat and just refer you to Kim's review. I just read it this morning, after finishing the book myself. (I didn't want to read it when she first wrote it, because I knew I was about to read the book myself.) Anyway, she is so good at summarizing a book...something I really struggle with because I'm so prone to going off on tangents. (Yeah, like I really had to point that out, huh?)

Okay, if you've read Kim's review or, of course, the book, you now know that Ender Wiggin was conceived with the sole purpose of saving the earth from a race of aliens known as Buggers. Ender is gifted...gifted beyond normal imagination. ("Gifted" is a term I despise, but that's a tangent I'll save for another day.) Ender is a Third, something that sets him apart from the beginning. Because in this day and age, couples are only allowed to have two children. Ender's older brother and sister are equally as brilliant as Ender, but do not possess the disposition it takes to lead the world to victory against their powerful enemy. So, an exception is made, and Ender is conceived. And at the ripe old age of six, Ender is sent to Battle School to begin his training.

But from the very beginning, Ender is different than the other children. And he's treated differently. The isolation, the ceaseless demands on his body and his mind, the unfairness of it all...it added up to cruelty. And this is what really affected the "mom" in me. This book left me in tears on multiple occasions...tears of sadness, tears of helplessness, tears of rage. Yes, I know this is a work of fiction, but it just got to me...it really got to me. And no, I'm not a complete idiot...I did understand the purpose of Ender's education, but it hit on a real gut level.

Part of it, may be because of my attitudes towards war, in general. I'm not naive enough to believe that war can always, in all circumstances, be avoided. But I am naive enough to believe that it usually can, and it usually should. For example, from the very beginning, I never thought the U.S. should have gone to war in Iraq. I am not trying to get political here, and I definitely don't want to argue with anyone about this. I only mention it, because it is part of the perspective from which I viewed this book. And I definitely thought this book had some very poignant things to say about war, and about human nature.

Oh man. I am just not doing this book justice. Maybe I really should have waited a few days to write this. I can't say that everyone will be affected as strongly by this book as I was, but even without that, it is one heck of a good story. It has definitely moved into first place for my favorite read of the year.


I know the Sci-Fi Experience officially ended two days ago. I had hoped to have finished this one in time, but didn't quite make it. Still I wanted to take a second to say a big thank you to Carl for hosting this. It was quite a fun experience for me. I've never really thought of myself as a big Sci-Fi fan, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed all four books I read. (The Stainless Steel Rat, by Harry Harrison, Star Split, by Kathryn Lasky, The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells, and Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card) And I think I can honestly say that it won't take another challenge to get me to read more!


Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that this is also my first book for Becky's Margaret A. Edwards Challenge. And it crosses off another for 3M's Book Award Challenge and her Decades Challenge. And of course, it's always nice to fill in another letter in Joy's A-Z Challenge.

good stuff

The abbreviated version:

*Cheerios

*snow

*ibuprofen

*glue dots

*homemade spaghetti sauce

*David Attenborough DVDs

*kids and "goggles"