*Odontophobia anyone? *raising hand very high* I finally made myself make an appointment for a check-up. And I must admit I'm proud of myself for finally doing so. It's way overdue. The only problem is that I'm now having trouble sleeping and I feel like my heart is always pounding...and the damn appointment is still 2 1/2 weeks away. I am so afraid there are going to be major problems...
*I am not masochistic. Therefore, I will never watch Penn State play Iowa again. NEVER. Two years in a row of hopes shattered by them is enough. :(
*We've been trying to make this a fun weekend for Max (we don't generally do parties, but instead give them a weekend full of fun of their choosing). This, however, means I'm even further behind than usual in answering e-mails and reading blogs. But this probably won't be the day I catch up, as I've got much school work to sneak in between Maxidoodle requests.
Okay, and after all that whining, I do actually have something fun on my mind, too:
*I'm a big fat liar. Just a few days ago, I made myself a list of all the books I had to finish before starting new ones. But already I'm heading off course. See, the Stevens family has been inspired by Becky and Becky's Mom. We're going to try something similar to their challenges to one another, though we're picking out books we honestly believe the recipient will love. (We each have to have read the book we're recommending.) So Friday night, we drew names to see whom we would be picking a book for, and then yesterday while eating lunch at McDonalds (Ugh. But McDonalds playland is what Max requested.), we handed out our assignments.
--Max chose the Warriors graphic novel series Graystripe's Adventures by Erin Hunter for Annie.
--Gray chose Space Chimps: Mission to Malgor adapted by Lauren Alexander for Max.
--Annie chose Dramacon Ultimate Edition by Svetlana Chmakova for me.
--Rich chose Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling for Gray.
--And I chose The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness for Rich.
We've given ourselves about a month to complete our assignments. Then we're going out for pizza, where we'll discuss our reads and give out our next assignments. Maybe we'll even do fun little interviews like Becky and her mom. :D
*Also on the fun side of life, I'm finally getting back to work on the library. Doing some serious rearranging of books. Hopefully more weeding out. And Rich and I figured out a few places where we can add more shelves, and I designed something for him to build for the one area. I know...so not fair to poor Rich...I design and he builds. But believe me, it would be a disaster if we switched jobs. ;)
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Bone...random thoughts
Okay, I should be strung up by my toes...or perhaps baked in a quiche :D ...for never having talked about Bone. I finished it weeks ago, and just completely forgot to mention it. And it deserves to be mentioned!
Chris said, I believe it was when he reviewed the first of these books, that he had sort of avoided Bone for a while. I was the same way. I think I had the idea that they were too cutesy or simplistic or something. ***Bad Debi! Stop making assumptions!*** Well, all that changed when I happened to pick up the prequel, Rose, from the library several months back. I read it, and loved it, and never even realized until I'd finished it that it was the prequel to Bone. At that point, I ditched my reservations and immediately went and ordered this complete collection of Bone. But then, as often happens, it went to the shelf and languished due to the fact that I have so many damn unread books. Enter Nymeth. She reads it, loves it, writes one of her unbelievably awesome reviews of it. Back on the radar it goes. I became determined to get it read over the summer. And hey, determination (and a long vacation) paid off.
So, those preconceptions I had--cutesy and simplistic--was I correct? Well, no! In some ways, it definitely is cute...some of the characters simply beg to be picked up and cuddled. But no. The story, while humorous and fun and fantastical and delightful, is not pure fluff. Not at all. There is darkness, and there is evil. There is greed, and there is misunderstanding. There are difficult decisions, and there is war. And there is friendship and loyalty and courage and love.
The story starts when three cousins, Fone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone, are fun out of Boneville. They end up lost and separated in a land they know nothing about. But Fone Bone is befriended by a girl named Thorn, and comes to stay with Thorn and her grandmother, Rose. Rose is a tough, yet kind-hearted, woman. A woman with a world of secrets. Secrets that not only involve herself and her granddaughter, but really all the people and creatures of the land. And these secrets are about to come to light...
As I mentioned earlier, Bone is filled with wonderful characters. Characters I already miss dearly. I dare anyone not to fall in love with Fone Bone. And Rose is such a strong, loving, and complex woman, a woman that I wish I could be more like. And there's the wise, patient red dragon. And an adorable bug named Ted. And Bartleby. Oh how Bartleby stole my heart. I won't say more about him, because you'll want to get to know him all by yourself.
Hmmm...I really wish I could just read it all again right now.
*****
For more on the subject:
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot
Chris of Stuff as Dreams Are Made On (Volume 1)
Beth F of Beth Fish Reads (Volume 1. Others are reviewed as well, so just search blog.)
Graeme of Graeme's Fantasy Book Review (Volume 1. Others are reviewed as well, so just search blog.)
Memory of Stella Matutina (fun post about fantasy gift recommendations)
As usual, I'm sure I've missed some. I apologize. Feel free to leave me a link in the comments, and I'll add it to the list. Thanks.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
always my baby
came as a total surprise
popped into this world too early
stole hearts from day one
will likely break some in the future
spitfire of epic proportions
with a mind of his own
obstinate times ten
well, more like times twenty
cat lovin'-est boy around
comic relief
instigator
marvel with his hands
in possession of a very short fuse
lovable times a bazillion
HAPPY SEVENTH BIRTHDAY!
always my baby
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
one thing at a time
I've been in a bit of a funk lately. No, don't feel bad for me or anything...I really have no business complaining. Honestly, my life is a good one, and I know it. It's just a matter of feeling overwhelmed in all facets. So, instead of just moping away, I'm going to try to really tackle some of these things head on. Make a plan, get organized, and then plug away. And hope that actually doing something about it all makes me feel better.
And the first area I'm going to try to get under control is my reading. Because how pathetic is it that I've let my bad reading habits make me so miserable?!! And what I mean by "bad reading habits" is having too many books going all at the same time. I'm not naive enough to think that I can get back down to just one book at a time...circumstances won't allow that. But I'm going to make an concerted effort to finish up all the damn books I've got started, and then keep it down to four books at a time. Even that sounds bad, but it shouldn't be, as it includes: one "for me" book, one book that I'm reading with the boys, one book of short stories, one book for school. (Once I get things under control, it's the one book for school that will pose the biggest problem. I often have as many as three or four going for school at once, and I haven't quite figured out how deal with this. I'm hoping for a jolt of inspiration to hit me.)
But first things first. I must clear up the backlog. Realistically, I wouldn't be surprised if this took me the rest of the year. Or longer. *sigh*
In the "for me" category, I'm currently reading Oh Pure and Radiant Heart (Lydia Millet). Which despite the fact that I've loved it from the start, I've been reading it for the past two months. At least. And I've started (just barely) and am absolutely loving to pieces an unpublished book called Kesterwood. :D (I can't tell you how honored I am that DesLily has given me this treat!) After that, there are three books that I haven't actually started, but that for sanity's sake, I'm going to schedule in there. Want badly to read Dangerous Angels (Francesca Lia Block) for Banned Book Week. Will not be able to stop myself from reading The Ask and the Answer (Patrick Ness) if Rich buys it for me as he's threatened to do. And need to read A Circle of Souls (Preetham Grandhi) for review.
With the boys...well this category poses no problems. We're still reading A Figure in the Shadows. And we'll follow that with The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring. (Both by John Bellairs.) We've given up on The Scary Stories Treasury for this year. Yes, I'm still sleeping in the living room with Gray every night due to our venture into this book last month. ;)
Short story collections. Okay, this is where things start to get ugly. I've got soooo many started. I wish I was the kind of person who could just tuck them away on the shelves and be okay with that. But I'm not. They each sit there bad-mouthing me for ignoring them. So NO STARTING ANY NEW SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS until all started ones have been completed. ***I mean it, Debra Anne...if you start a new one, you will be punished by having to give away one you haven't yet started!*** That ought to keep me in line, huh? Here are the ones I have in progress: The Best of Roald Dahl, Night Shift (Stephen King), The Starry Rift (edited by Johathan Strahan), The Golden Apples of the Sun (Ray Bradbury), Dreams Underfoot (Charles de Lint), Everything's Eventual (Stephen King), M is for Magic (Neil Gaiman), Scary! 2 (edited by Peter Haining), and Wastelands (edited by John Joseph Adams). I'll just work my way through one, and then move on to the next.
And then there's school. *more heavy sighing* I have three books started that we're done actually using for school (I just had Annie read relevant sections). Two of them are even from the last school year. But I still would like to finish reading them myself. Africa: A Biography of the Continent (John Reader), The Scientists (John Gribbin), and Collapse (Jared Diamond). Then there are the books for the remainder of this quarter (ending in mid-November). The Epidemic (Jonathan Engel), 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa (Stephanie Nolen), and Cry Bloody Murder (Elaine DePrince) for health. And All Quiet on the Western Front (Erich Maria Remarque) for history. And at least one, but hopefully two of these, for science--Where the Wild Things Were (William Stolzenburg), Out of Eden (Alan Burdick), and The Sixth Extinction (Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin). I can't even face quarter two yet.
Maybe organizing myself wasn't such a good idea. Now I'm just more depressed. :/ Pretty much sucks having no room left for whims. But hey, if I succeed, I will be such a happy camper, right? :D
And the first area I'm going to try to get under control is my reading. Because how pathetic is it that I've let my bad reading habits make me so miserable?!! And what I mean by "bad reading habits" is having too many books going all at the same time. I'm not naive enough to think that I can get back down to just one book at a time...circumstances won't allow that. But I'm going to make an concerted effort to finish up all the damn books I've got started, and then keep it down to four books at a time. Even that sounds bad, but it shouldn't be, as it includes: one "for me" book, one book that I'm reading with the boys, one book of short stories, one book for school. (Once I get things under control, it's the one book for school that will pose the biggest problem. I often have as many as three or four going for school at once, and I haven't quite figured out how deal with this. I'm hoping for a jolt of inspiration to hit me.)
But first things first. I must clear up the backlog. Realistically, I wouldn't be surprised if this took me the rest of the year. Or longer. *sigh*
In the "for me" category, I'm currently reading Oh Pure and Radiant Heart (Lydia Millet). Which despite the fact that I've loved it from the start, I've been reading it for the past two months. At least. And I've started (just barely) and am absolutely loving to pieces an unpublished book called Kesterwood. :D (I can't tell you how honored I am that DesLily has given me this treat!) After that, there are three books that I haven't actually started, but that for sanity's sake, I'm going to schedule in there. Want badly to read Dangerous Angels (Francesca Lia Block) for Banned Book Week. Will not be able to stop myself from reading The Ask and the Answer (Patrick Ness) if Rich buys it for me as he's threatened to do. And need to read A Circle of Souls (Preetham Grandhi) for review.
With the boys...well this category poses no problems. We're still reading A Figure in the Shadows. And we'll follow that with The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring. (Both by John Bellairs.) We've given up on The Scary Stories Treasury for this year. Yes, I'm still sleeping in the living room with Gray every night due to our venture into this book last month. ;)
Short story collections. Okay, this is where things start to get ugly. I've got soooo many started. I wish I was the kind of person who could just tuck them away on the shelves and be okay with that. But I'm not. They each sit there bad-mouthing me for ignoring them. So NO STARTING ANY NEW SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS until all started ones have been completed. ***I mean it, Debra Anne...if you start a new one, you will be punished by having to give away one you haven't yet started!*** That ought to keep me in line, huh? Here are the ones I have in progress: The Best of Roald Dahl, Night Shift (Stephen King), The Starry Rift (edited by Johathan Strahan), The Golden Apples of the Sun (Ray Bradbury), Dreams Underfoot (Charles de Lint), Everything's Eventual (Stephen King), M is for Magic (Neil Gaiman), Scary! 2 (edited by Peter Haining), and Wastelands (edited by John Joseph Adams). I'll just work my way through one, and then move on to the next.
And then there's school. *more heavy sighing* I have three books started that we're done actually using for school (I just had Annie read relevant sections). Two of them are even from the last school year. But I still would like to finish reading them myself. Africa: A Biography of the Continent (John Reader), The Scientists (John Gribbin), and Collapse (Jared Diamond). Then there are the books for the remainder of this quarter (ending in mid-November). The Epidemic (Jonathan Engel), 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa (Stephanie Nolen), and Cry Bloody Murder (Elaine DePrince) for health. And All Quiet on the Western Front (Erich Maria Remarque) for history. And at least one, but hopefully two of these, for science--Where the Wild Things Were (William Stolzenburg), Out of Eden (Alan Burdick), and The Sixth Extinction (Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin). I can't even face quarter two yet.
Maybe organizing myself wasn't such a good idea. Now I'm just more depressed. :/ Pretty much sucks having no room left for whims. But hey, if I succeed, I will be such a happy camper, right? :D
Sunday, September 20, 2009
and the ride is over...for now
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness may well turn out to be my new favorite book. I'm going to give it a few more days or weeks to settle in before I finalize that proclamation to myself. But the fact that I'm even thinking that The Stand may be knocked from its #1 slot, a position its held for 30 years, is really saying something.
I've been talking about this book (here and here and here and here) throughout my reading journey. At the time I wrote that last post, I couldn't imagine that the experience could become any more intense. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I could not been more wrong. Something happened about three quarters of the way through the book that took the already broken pieces of my heart and proceeded to shatter them into slivers.
Admitting that I cried doesn't really mean much, because honestly, I cry during a lot of books. But "cry" isn't really quite the right word here. I sobbed. Truly sobbed. And then, when I finally got it under control enough to continue reading, I found the tears just weren't going to end. I cried through nearly every remaining page.
I would be lying if I said this was a pleasurable reading experience. It wasn't. It was intense. It was dizzying. It was raw. And it was real. And that's why I loved it. I loved it so very much. I realize that I haven't said anything about what this book is actually about. I just don't know how, because even some of the simplest things are spoilers. But it's a book about life. Yes, it's dystopian. There's elements of science fiction. But really it's about being human. About fear. About truths and lies. About gender. About love. About sacrifice. About loyalty. About violence. About mistakes. What is civilization? What does it mean to be a "man"? Is hope enough?
*****
Read more opinions here:
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot
Chris of Stuff as Dreams Are Made On
Renay of YA Fabulous
Amanda of The Zen Leaf
Vivienne of Serendipity
Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
Sheila Ruth of Wands and Worlds
Lenore of Presenting Lenore
Aimee of My Fluttering Heart
I know there are more reviews out there as well, and I apologize for not getting them all. If yours is one I missed, please feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll add it here. Thanks.
I've been talking about this book (here and here and here and here) throughout my reading journey. At the time I wrote that last post, I couldn't imagine that the experience could become any more intense. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I could not been more wrong. Something happened about three quarters of the way through the book that took the already broken pieces of my heart and proceeded to shatter them into slivers.
Admitting that I cried doesn't really mean much, because honestly, I cry during a lot of books. But "cry" isn't really quite the right word here. I sobbed. Truly sobbed. And then, when I finally got it under control enough to continue reading, I found the tears just weren't going to end. I cried through nearly every remaining page.
I would be lying if I said this was a pleasurable reading experience. It wasn't. It was intense. It was dizzying. It was raw. And it was real. And that's why I loved it. I loved it so very much. I realize that I haven't said anything about what this book is actually about. I just don't know how, because even some of the simplest things are spoilers. But it's a book about life. Yes, it's dystopian. There's elements of science fiction. But really it's about being human. About fear. About truths and lies. About gender. About love. About sacrifice. About loyalty. About violence. About mistakes. What is civilization? What does it mean to be a "man"? Is hope enough?
*****
Read more opinions here:
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot
Chris of Stuff as Dreams Are Made On
Renay of YA Fabulous
Amanda of The Zen Leaf
Vivienne of Serendipity
Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
Sheila Ruth of Wands and Worlds
Lenore of Presenting Lenore
Aimee of My Fluttering Heart
I know there are more reviews out there as well, and I apologize for not getting them all. If yours is one I missed, please feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll add it here. Thanks.
Friday, September 18, 2009
blindsided
The Knife of Never Letting Go may well be the death of me. Okay, that's a tad melodramatic, huh? But I swear if this emotional gauntlet doesn't soon end...
I sat down last night with over an hour of time for "recreational" reading. Sounds heavenly, right? And yet I only managed about 20 minutes. Because I hit this scene that just devastated me. I just crumpled. Not outside physically crumpled. But inside, metaphorical implosion. And I just couldn't read on at that point. Just couldn't.
Yes, I'll be picking it back up today. Of course. I couldn't stop this ride if I wanted to. But it's got me thinking...why am I so emotionally invested in this book? Seems like a question that with a little self-knowledge I should be able to answer. But I can't.
Yes, I care about the characters. I do. But there have been plenty of other books in which I care deeply for the characters and still yet don't have this kind powerful reaction to reading.
Yes, the story is fast-paced and suspenseful. But I used to read "thrillers" on a regular basis. Every bit as fast-paced. Definitely suspenseful. But I never had this type of personal connection.
Yes, there is a big chunk of the picture missing. I'm anxious to find out the "why" of everything that is happening in the story. But I don't think that is the ultimate grip on me either.
Is it a massive combination of these and other factors? Or is it some intangible that I'll never quite understand? And does it really matter? Do I need to understand my reaction to somehow give it more credibility? I'm not sure that I do. The experience is real whether I can define it or not.
What about you? Have there been books that have just turned you into an ball of nerves? Where your emotional experiences with the book have felt nearly suffocating? And if so, could you even put your finger on why?
Maybe I'm just going off the deep end...
I sat down last night with over an hour of time for "recreational" reading. Sounds heavenly, right? And yet I only managed about 20 minutes. Because I hit this scene that just devastated me. I just crumpled. Not outside physically crumpled. But inside, metaphorical implosion. And I just couldn't read on at that point. Just couldn't.
Yes, I'll be picking it back up today. Of course. I couldn't stop this ride if I wanted to. But it's got me thinking...why am I so emotionally invested in this book? Seems like a question that with a little self-knowledge I should be able to answer. But I can't.
Yes, I care about the characters. I do. But there have been plenty of other books in which I care deeply for the characters and still yet don't have this kind powerful reaction to reading.
Yes, the story is fast-paced and suspenseful. But I used to read "thrillers" on a regular basis. Every bit as fast-paced. Definitely suspenseful. But I never had this type of personal connection.
Yes, there is a big chunk of the picture missing. I'm anxious to find out the "why" of everything that is happening in the story. But I don't think that is the ultimate grip on me either.
Is it a massive combination of these and other factors? Or is it some intangible that I'll never quite understand? And does it really matter? Do I need to understand my reaction to somehow give it more credibility? I'm not sure that I do. The experience is real whether I can define it or not.
What about you? Have there been books that have just turned you into an ball of nerves? Where your emotional experiences with the book have felt nearly suffocating? And if so, could you even put your finger on why?
Maybe I'm just going off the deep end...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
a hodge podge and a half
We're out of here tomorrow as soon as the boys get home from school. Going to surprise Rich's mom. So much I've been trying to get done before we go, as I know I won't get much accomplished over the weekend. One of those things is finally, finally, finally getting caught up with everyone's posts. "Caught up" just never seems to happen anymore though. But I did the best I could. Certainly has been a fun week around here, huh? Thank you Amy, for all your dedication and hard work in pulling it off...and well, for being the sweetheart that you are! And thanks to all those who helped her with BBAW as well!
*****
School is already kicking my butt, so I've had very little time for "recreational" reading this week. I'm only about halfway through The Knife of Never Letting Go. I'm hoping to be able to finish it in the car tomorrow (note to self: don't forget book light!). Seriously can't get over how much I'm loving this book. Honestly don't know if it's just me, or if it's entirely the book, or if it's some combination of the two...but this book just has my emotions in overdrive. It's so raw and powerful and compelling...and I don't even know entirely what the hell's even going on yet!
There was this paragraph that I read this morning that just hit me. One of the saddest things I've ever read in a fictional work. I found myself reading it again. And then again. Like I somehow didn't believe that something could be this sad. I'm so curious, to any of you who have read the book, did this passage hit you as well? I don't think it gives away anything about the story to share it here:
*****
Oh my gosh...I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you. Yes, I'm beaming with pride at myself. See, the best, and man, I do mean the very best, library sale in the county is going on this week. And I didn't go. Rich and Annie went. But not me. Any freakin' idea how hard it was to say no?!! But I did it!!!
I think the willpower involved in this book buying ban ranks right up there with the willpower it took to quit smoking all those many years ago. Oh shit...I gained almost 50 pounds in the year following quitting smoking. I gain one lousy pound and this ban is history! ;)
*****
School is already kicking my butt, so I've had very little time for "recreational" reading this week. I'm only about halfway through The Knife of Never Letting Go. I'm hoping to be able to finish it in the car tomorrow (note to self: don't forget book light!). Seriously can't get over how much I'm loving this book. Honestly don't know if it's just me, or if it's entirely the book, or if it's some combination of the two...but this book just has my emotions in overdrive. It's so raw and powerful and compelling...and I don't even know entirely what the hell's even going on yet!
There was this paragraph that I read this morning that just hit me. One of the saddest things I've ever read in a fictional work. I found myself reading it again. And then again. Like I somehow didn't believe that something could be this sad. I'm so curious, to any of you who have read the book, did this passage hit you as well? I don't think it gives away anything about the story to share it here:
Maybe our story will turn out differently if we take the left fork, maybe the bad things that are waiting to happen to us won't happen, maybe there's happiness at the end of the left fork and warm places with the people who love us and no Noise but no silence neither and there's plenty of food and no one dies and no one dies and no one never never dies.
*****
Oh my gosh...I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you. Yes, I'm beaming with pride at myself. See, the best, and man, I do mean the very best, library sale in the county is going on this week. And I didn't go. Rich and Annie went. But not me. Any freakin' idea how hard it was to say no?!! But I did it!!!
I think the willpower involved in this book buying ban ranks right up there with the willpower it took to quit smoking all those many years ago. Oh shit...I gained almost 50 pounds in the year following quitting smoking. I gain one lousy pound and this ban is history! ;)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
giving thanks
Yesterday was our chance to show our love to the many wonderful book bloggers who didn't make the shortlists for the BBAW awards. Wow...the posts were wonderful, weren't they? And I don't even have to ask how many of you doubled the subscriptions in your readers, do I? All hands are raised, I'm sure.
But as I wrote my post yesterday, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. For one thing, there are just so many people who brighten my days on a regular basis...and if I read your blog, that means you're one of them! So I used the only method I knew to select out who to highlight..."randomosity." But the other thing that made me sad is that so many of the people that have honestly, truly become my closest friends were shortlisted...so I couldn't gush all over them.
Well, I'm going to do that today...
Ana a.k.a. Nymeth...Though I have never seen her beautiful face in person, she is undoubtedly one of the very best friends I have ever, EVER had! We've laughed together, and we've grieved together. She is a bottomless well of support. Oh my goodness, I can't tell you how guilty I feel about the crap I dump on her...but she never complains. She listens to it all, and then miraculously finds the words to make me feel better. And it's always so comforting to find someone who sees the world in the same way you do. I swear, there is not a single thing about Ana that I don't love. She is intelligent, and thoughtful, and generous, and open...and dammit, I'm starting to cry here because I honestly don't know what I ever did to deserve such an incredible person in my life.
Of course, she has been living hell on our floors...and when we go crashing down through to the basement under the weight of all these books, she had better fly herself right over here and help us rebuild. ;)
Chris...He's Ana, in boy form. :D Don't worry, they both know what a tremendous compliment that is! Of course, Chris and Ana are very individual people...it's just that the feelings I have for them both are so strong. Chris is one of the kindest, most genuine people on the planet! You know, with Rich and Ana and Chris, I think I could face any challenge that this world could throw at me...and that's a feeling I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world. I got to meet Chris in person. :D Was it awkward or uncomfortable? Did it take us time to warm up and feel at ease? HELL NO!!! Because Chris on-line = Chris in person. There's no pretense there. It felt as if we'd known each other forever. And I will cherish those two days with him always! Of course, we'll be getting together again...there is NO doubt about that! Friends like Chris just don't come into one's life very often...and I am so very blessed that he came into mine!
Renay...I don't think I've ever been quite so intimidated by any blogger as I was by Renay. And you know, I almost hate using that word "intimidated" because I worry that it has a negative connotation, and I truly don't mean it to. So let me explain...I never felt I could possibly have anything to say that the incredibly awesome Renay would want to hear. Going the equation route again: Renay = fabulously cool, while Debi = total dork. But guess what! While these descriptions remain true, it didn't stop Renay from liking me. :D I was lucky enough to get to meet Renay in person, too. And holy crap, I just love her all the more! But for all this babbling here, I haven't really told you what makes Renay so special to me. Renay has one incredible voice! She doesn't pull her punches. She reviews books like no one else I've ever read. She makes me think...always. Even when I think my eyes are already wide open, she manages to pull them open even wider. I don't know quite how to thank her for that, because it's one of those gifts that is truly priceless. And don't let her fool you...sure, she's strong and she's opinionated and she's just too cool for words...but she's also got a heart of gold.
Eva...Eva is such a ray of sunshine in my life! I probably shouldn't admit it, but I feel almost maternal towards her at times. I'm guessing that's because she and Annie remind me so much of one another. And as I've told Eva before, I can't possibly think of a better role model. I worry about her incessantly, probably to the point that I drive her crazy (though she would never admit it)...but I can't help it, because I just cannot stand the fact that she suffers with such pain. But while I worry about her, it is she who ends up making me feel better about myself. She's so incredibly intelligent that at first I was definitely greatly intimidated by her. But she refused to let that stand...she somehow managed to make me stop degrading myself by comparison. Now, instead of feeling stupid around her, I take joy in all I can learn from her. Can I say it again, what a ray of sunshine she is...because warmth and light and happiness, that's Eva!
Carl...Talk about the epitome of giving. It seems like a lifetime ago when Annie and I met Carl through the first Once Upon a Time challenge. Because who could possibly believe that so much could happen in just a couple short years. Over this time, I have grown to love Carl and his family more than I can say. He totally won my undying friendship in his selfless gestures to a little girl. I've tried to tell him, but I'm not sure I've ever been able to convey the true extent that the impact his encouragement, and generosity, and respect, had on Annie. A little girl who always found herself feeling a bit different from her peers. But all that was just the beginning. The gifts I've received from this incredible guy are boundless...from the horizon-expanding nature of his posts both on books and on art to the reawakening of my long-buried love of horror, from the endless fun he provides us all through his awesome challenges to the encouragement he abundantly offers...but the most precious of all, is truly his wonderful friendship.
Trish...There is no possible way on earth that one cannot fall in love with Trish! Those of you who know her, I'm sure you'll agree. For those of you who don't, well, I dare to go meet her and see. Always, always, always, Trish makes me smile! :D And not just itty bitty smiles either, no, we're talking the ear-to-ear variety here. It's one of those ineffable qualities. Honestly, I can't describe it. She exudes warmth and friendship and positive feelings. She's so open and welcoming and gosh darnit, she's just as adorable as can be!
Amanda...I haven't known Amanda nearly as long as I've known these other friends, but already I can't imagine my life without her. Truth is, she sometimes reminds me of me, only in a much more polished form. :D Honestly, there's so many thing I love about her...her passion for her incredible family, her talent with a pen (or keyboard, if you will), her willingness to disagree with the "majority" about a book, her worldviews, her love of all things HP...seriously, this list could go on and on. But on a selfish note, there's also the fact that she has a knack for making me feel good about myself...she somehow seems to sense my insecurities and bolsters me just when I need it (and I have no idea if she's even conscious that she does this).
Okay, feel free to call me a major league sap here. I just read over what I wrote and I'm sitting here with tears flowing freely. I feel so undeniably blessed to have each and every one of these people in my life. Yeah, and don't ever try to convince me that on-line friends aren't "real"!
And to those of you above, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Dewey...You know how much you belong on that list. I still miss you so much it physically hurts. I guess it will always be that way. Because I will always love you.
But as I wrote my post yesterday, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. For one thing, there are just so many people who brighten my days on a regular basis...and if I read your blog, that means you're one of them! So I used the only method I knew to select out who to highlight..."randomosity." But the other thing that made me sad is that so many of the people that have honestly, truly become my closest friends were shortlisted...so I couldn't gush all over them.
Well, I'm going to do that today...
Ana a.k.a. Nymeth...Though I have never seen her beautiful face in person, she is undoubtedly one of the very best friends I have ever, EVER had! We've laughed together, and we've grieved together. She is a bottomless well of support. Oh my goodness, I can't tell you how guilty I feel about the crap I dump on her...but she never complains. She listens to it all, and then miraculously finds the words to make me feel better. And it's always so comforting to find someone who sees the world in the same way you do. I swear, there is not a single thing about Ana that I don't love. She is intelligent, and thoughtful, and generous, and open...and dammit, I'm starting to cry here because I honestly don't know what I ever did to deserve such an incredible person in my life.
Of course, she has been living hell on our floors...and when we go crashing down through to the basement under the weight of all these books, she had better fly herself right over here and help us rebuild. ;)
Chris...He's Ana, in boy form. :D Don't worry, they both know what a tremendous compliment that is! Of course, Chris and Ana are very individual people...it's just that the feelings I have for them both are so strong. Chris is one of the kindest, most genuine people on the planet! You know, with Rich and Ana and Chris, I think I could face any challenge that this world could throw at me...and that's a feeling I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world. I got to meet Chris in person. :D Was it awkward or uncomfortable? Did it take us time to warm up and feel at ease? HELL NO!!! Because Chris on-line = Chris in person. There's no pretense there. It felt as if we'd known each other forever. And I will cherish those two days with him always! Of course, we'll be getting together again...there is NO doubt about that! Friends like Chris just don't come into one's life very often...and I am so very blessed that he came into mine!
Renay...I don't think I've ever been quite so intimidated by any blogger as I was by Renay. And you know, I almost hate using that word "intimidated" because I worry that it has a negative connotation, and I truly don't mean it to. So let me explain...I never felt I could possibly have anything to say that the incredibly awesome Renay would want to hear. Going the equation route again: Renay = fabulously cool, while Debi = total dork. But guess what! While these descriptions remain true, it didn't stop Renay from liking me. :D I was lucky enough to get to meet Renay in person, too. And holy crap, I just love her all the more! But for all this babbling here, I haven't really told you what makes Renay so special to me. Renay has one incredible voice! She doesn't pull her punches. She reviews books like no one else I've ever read. She makes me think...always. Even when I think my eyes are already wide open, she manages to pull them open even wider. I don't know quite how to thank her for that, because it's one of those gifts that is truly priceless. And don't let her fool you...sure, she's strong and she's opinionated and she's just too cool for words...but she's also got a heart of gold.
Eva...Eva is such a ray of sunshine in my life! I probably shouldn't admit it, but I feel almost maternal towards her at times. I'm guessing that's because she and Annie remind me so much of one another. And as I've told Eva before, I can't possibly think of a better role model. I worry about her incessantly, probably to the point that I drive her crazy (though she would never admit it)...but I can't help it, because I just cannot stand the fact that she suffers with such pain. But while I worry about her, it is she who ends up making me feel better about myself. She's so incredibly intelligent that at first I was definitely greatly intimidated by her. But she refused to let that stand...she somehow managed to make me stop degrading myself by comparison. Now, instead of feeling stupid around her, I take joy in all I can learn from her. Can I say it again, what a ray of sunshine she is...because warmth and light and happiness, that's Eva!
Carl...Talk about the epitome of giving. It seems like a lifetime ago when Annie and I met Carl through the first Once Upon a Time challenge. Because who could possibly believe that so much could happen in just a couple short years. Over this time, I have grown to love Carl and his family more than I can say. He totally won my undying friendship in his selfless gestures to a little girl. I've tried to tell him, but I'm not sure I've ever been able to convey the true extent that the impact his encouragement, and generosity, and respect, had on Annie. A little girl who always found herself feeling a bit different from her peers. But all that was just the beginning. The gifts I've received from this incredible guy are boundless...from the horizon-expanding nature of his posts both on books and on art to the reawakening of my long-buried love of horror, from the endless fun he provides us all through his awesome challenges to the encouragement he abundantly offers...but the most precious of all, is truly his wonderful friendship.
Trish...There is no possible way on earth that one cannot fall in love with Trish! Those of you who know her, I'm sure you'll agree. For those of you who don't, well, I dare to go meet her and see. Always, always, always, Trish makes me smile! :D And not just itty bitty smiles either, no, we're talking the ear-to-ear variety here. It's one of those ineffable qualities. Honestly, I can't describe it. She exudes warmth and friendship and positive feelings. She's so open and welcoming and gosh darnit, she's just as adorable as can be!
Amanda...I haven't known Amanda nearly as long as I've known these other friends, but already I can't imagine my life without her. Truth is, she sometimes reminds me of me, only in a much more polished form. :D Honestly, there's so many thing I love about her...her passion for her incredible family, her talent with a pen (or keyboard, if you will), her willingness to disagree with the "majority" about a book, her worldviews, her love of all things HP...seriously, this list could go on and on. But on a selfish note, there's also the fact that she has a knack for making me feel good about myself...she somehow seems to sense my insecurities and bolsters me just when I need it (and I have no idea if she's even conscious that she does this).
Okay, feel free to call me a major league sap here. I just read over what I wrote and I'm sitting here with tears flowing freely. I feel so undeniably blessed to have each and every one of these people in my life. Yeah, and don't ever try to convince me that on-line friends aren't "real"!
And to those of you above, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Dewey...You know how much you belong on that list. I still miss you so much it physically hurts. I guess it will always be that way. Because I will always love you.
Monday, September 14, 2009
so many wonderful blogs
Yes, it's finally here! Book Blogger Appreciation Week. And today, we've been asked to highlight some of our favorite blogs that didn't make the shortlists for the awards. This is a good time to make a confession. I don't feel like a book blogger myself. Yes, I love, love, love books...reading them, talking about them, reading what other people have to say about them. But a.) I don't write wonderful, intelligent book reviews...I babble, and b.) I don't even limit my babbling to books, as anyone who reads my blog can attest. I'm just one of those little bloggers who blogs for purely personal reasons...to have fun, to "hang out" with friends, to create a little record of my time on earth. In other words, I am not one of those awesome book bloggers whose blog is filled with beautifully-written, insightful reviews and author interviews and book news, etc. I do admire those bloggers...I can't even imagine the time and dedication involved...but it's not who I am.
But why do I mention any of this at all? Well, because part of being this little blogger that I am, also involves the fact that I just don't read that many blogs. A fact that kills me. Honest. I know that there are probably hundreds of blogs that I could easily get addicted to if I let myself. There are just so many freakin' cool people in this book blogging world!!! But I've had to be tough on myself...I've had to make myself keep my blogging world on the small side. Simply because I'm in the midst of one of those tremendously busy periods of my life. We all go through them, so I'm sure you understand. And I can honestly say that I feel truckloads of guilt for not reading more of the wonderful blogs out there and for not commenting on every single post of the blogs I do read. But every time I try to expand my world too much, I find myself stressed, and fighting to hold onto my sanity, and starting to lose the joy that blogging gives me.
Sheesh...see, this is what I mean about babbling!!! Could I not simply have said, "There's too many freakin' awesome book blogs out there for me to keep up with, but here's a few that didn't make the shortlists that I positively adore." ?!! Yeah, I think that would have worked. And you know what, even with the small number of blogs I read, I can't possibly mention all the ones I adore. So I'm just going to choose 9 (because 4 and 9 are my favorite numbers, but 4 isn't enough) totally randomly from my google reader. And it truly makes me sad to leave anyone out, because honest and true, if I read your blog it means I love it.
DesLily of Here, There, and Everywhere...Wow, what an interesting life she's lived! She tells the greatest stories, writes fun book reviews that leave me immediately with a feel of whether it's a book I'd enjoy or not, and takes wonderful photos that always make me smile. Did I mention that she's just a sweetheart of a person to boot?!!
Melody of Mel's Reading Corner...Oh my goodness, I wish I could put into words the kind of person she is. The best I can do is to say that she's a ray of sunshine. There is something about Melody that just exudes warmth and happiness. Yeah, even in her book review posts!
Vivienne of Serendipity...Another sweetheart. Hey, I think we've got a theme going here! :D So much I love about Vivienne...her sense of humor, her lovely local expressions, her personal way of writing that just makes you feel like you're sitting down with her chatting. And I love reading her reviews, and hearing about her family, and drooling over her scrapbook pages, and...
Stephanie of Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic...Oh what can I say...Stephanie is just so mega-cool. I adore her! We love the same kind of books, but even more importantly, we feel the same way about the world. She's so crazy busy living life and doesn't generally get to post every day, but every time she does post, it's just a pure treat!
Susan of You Can Never Have Too Many Books...Susan is so down-to-earth and friendly, and her blog is so homey and welcoming! We, too, have much the same taste in books, so I always look forward to what she has to say about her latest reads.
Care of Care's Online Book Club...Oh my, Care is such a doll! Seriously. She's adorable and funny and reads such a cool variety of books. And while math may not really be my thing, I so love her math geekiness! Adorable, I tell you. Adorable!
Megan of Leafing Through Life...No one makes me laugh like Megan does!!! I kid you not. And she's just as sweet and friendly and approachable as a person can be. And she reads these books that I always think initially are "too sophisticated" for me, but her reviews are so awesome that she ends up making me want to read them after all!
Staci at Life in the Thumb...Is it really dorky of me to say that I want to grow up and be just like her? (I'm ignoring that fact that I'm older than she is, of course.) Okay, I'm not sure how to put into words why I love her so much. Yes, she's incredibly sweet. Yes, she's obviously very smart. Yes, she's down-to-earth. Yes, she reads an incredible amount of books (and she scrapbooks!) But there's something else...some intangible that I can't explain. Maybe it's self-confidence or poise. I don't know, but I find her utterly charming!
Kailana of My Written World...Well, there is the fact that she is definitely one of my reading idols...seriously, the amount of books she reads is astonishing! But it's way more than that. I love the way Kelly talks about books...she's got a real personal style that really appeals to me. And it's not just when she talks about books either. She's just such an open, friendly person, and I love her to pieces.
Lots more bloggy love to be found here.
But why do I mention any of this at all? Well, because part of being this little blogger that I am, also involves the fact that I just don't read that many blogs. A fact that kills me. Honest. I know that there are probably hundreds of blogs that I could easily get addicted to if I let myself. There are just so many freakin' cool people in this book blogging world!!! But I've had to be tough on myself...I've had to make myself keep my blogging world on the small side. Simply because I'm in the midst of one of those tremendously busy periods of my life. We all go through them, so I'm sure you understand. And I can honestly say that I feel truckloads of guilt for not reading more of the wonderful blogs out there and for not commenting on every single post of the blogs I do read. But every time I try to expand my world too much, I find myself stressed, and fighting to hold onto my sanity, and starting to lose the joy that blogging gives me.
Sheesh...see, this is what I mean about babbling!!! Could I not simply have said, "There's too many freakin' awesome book blogs out there for me to keep up with, but here's a few that didn't make the shortlists that I positively adore." ?!! Yeah, I think that would have worked. And you know what, even with the small number of blogs I read, I can't possibly mention all the ones I adore. So I'm just going to choose 9 (because 4 and 9 are my favorite numbers, but 4 isn't enough) totally randomly from my google reader. And it truly makes me sad to leave anyone out, because honest and true, if I read your blog it means I love it.
DesLily of Here, There, and Everywhere...Wow, what an interesting life she's lived! She tells the greatest stories, writes fun book reviews that leave me immediately with a feel of whether it's a book I'd enjoy or not, and takes wonderful photos that always make me smile. Did I mention that she's just a sweetheart of a person to boot?!!
Melody of Mel's Reading Corner...Oh my goodness, I wish I could put into words the kind of person she is. The best I can do is to say that she's a ray of sunshine. There is something about Melody that just exudes warmth and happiness. Yeah, even in her book review posts!
Vivienne of Serendipity...Another sweetheart. Hey, I think we've got a theme going here! :D So much I love about Vivienne...her sense of humor, her lovely local expressions, her personal way of writing that just makes you feel like you're sitting down with her chatting. And I love reading her reviews, and hearing about her family, and drooling over her scrapbook pages, and...
Stephanie of Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic...Oh what can I say...Stephanie is just so mega-cool. I adore her! We love the same kind of books, but even more importantly, we feel the same way about the world. She's so crazy busy living life and doesn't generally get to post every day, but every time she does post, it's just a pure treat!
Susan of You Can Never Have Too Many Books...Susan is so down-to-earth and friendly, and her blog is so homey and welcoming! We, too, have much the same taste in books, so I always look forward to what she has to say about her latest reads.
Care of Care's Online Book Club...Oh my, Care is such a doll! Seriously. She's adorable and funny and reads such a cool variety of books. And while math may not really be my thing, I so love her math geekiness! Adorable, I tell you. Adorable!
Megan of Leafing Through Life...No one makes me laugh like Megan does!!! I kid you not. And she's just as sweet and friendly and approachable as a person can be. And she reads these books that I always think initially are "too sophisticated" for me, but her reviews are so awesome that she ends up making me want to read them after all!
Staci at Life in the Thumb...Is it really dorky of me to say that I want to grow up and be just like her? (I'm ignoring that fact that I'm older than she is, of course.) Okay, I'm not sure how to put into words why I love her so much. Yes, she's incredibly sweet. Yes, she's obviously very smart. Yes, she's down-to-earth. Yes, she reads an incredible amount of books (and she scrapbooks!) But there's something else...some intangible that I can't explain. Maybe it's self-confidence or poise. I don't know, but I find her utterly charming!
Kailana of My Written World...Well, there is the fact that she is definitely one of my reading idols...seriously, the amount of books she reads is astonishing! But it's way more than that. I love the way Kelly talks about books...she's got a real personal style that really appeals to me. And it's not just when she talks about books either. She's just such an open, friendly person, and I love her to pieces.
Lots more bloggy love to be found here.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
in the pages yesterday... (and a perilous short story)
I was supposed to be reading for school. But, well, that just didn't happen. The small amount of time I had for reading yesterday went to The Knife of Never Letting Go. I'm willing to bet that all of you who have read it fully understand why school reading just didn't stand a chance. Anyway, I finished Part II. The pace, which has really been quite fast from the start, has continued gaining momentum. Honestly, to this point, I don't think there has been a single page even bordering on dull.
I'm impressed with Ness's portrayal of Todd. He feels so utterly authentic to me. I was almost happy to read his outburst during this last section. And Manchee...how can you not love Manchee?!! He reminds me so much of Baker. Not in looks. I have Manchee pictured very differently physically than our beagle baby. But in personality...well, I just very much see Baker "speaking" just like Manchee. Of course, this is unfair of me--I can't pretend to really know what goes on in another creature's mind.
*****
Earlier this week, I read another short story, "The Sound Machine," by Roald Dahl. Another winner. With an RIP feel. Not quite scary. Not quite creepy. But definitely unsettling. I have no idea how to talk about it without giving too much away. But it was very interesting, the focus on sound. Which plays such a role in TKONLG. (Yeah, I just love those neat little coincidences.)
*****
Okay, must run. I turned on the TV when I got up to see if my football game was going to be on TV today. But in the process, I saw that all three of the LOTR movies were being played today. One thing led to another, and we decided to spend today and the next two Sunday mornings watching the movies. (Thank you again, Carl!!!) Rich has never seen them, so it will be extra fun getting to watch with him. Of course, the boys will undoubtedly make us take a break part way through for second breakfast. ;)
Happy Sunday, everyone!!!
I'm impressed with Ness's portrayal of Todd. He feels so utterly authentic to me. I was almost happy to read his outburst during this last section. And Manchee...how can you not love Manchee?!! He reminds me so much of Baker. Not in looks. I have Manchee pictured very differently physically than our beagle baby. But in personality...well, I just very much see Baker "speaking" just like Manchee. Of course, this is unfair of me--I can't pretend to really know what goes on in another creature's mind.
*****
Earlier this week, I read another short story, "The Sound Machine," by Roald Dahl. Another winner. With an RIP feel. Not quite scary. Not quite creepy. But definitely unsettling. I have no idea how to talk about it without giving too much away. But it was very interesting, the focus on sound. Which plays such a role in TKONLG. (Yeah, I just love those neat little coincidences.)
*****
Okay, must run. I turned on the TV when I got up to see if my football game was going to be on TV today. But in the process, I saw that all three of the LOTR movies were being played today. One thing led to another, and we decided to spend today and the next two Sunday mornings watching the movies. (Thank you again, Carl!!!) Rich has never seen them, so it will be extra fun getting to watch with him. Of course, the boys will undoubtedly make us take a break part way through for second breakfast. ;)
Happy Sunday, everyone!!!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
just experimenting here
Okay, so even during the best of times, I'm exceedingly slow at finishing books. Yes, because I read so slowly...yes, because I have so many books going at once...yes, because school is back to kicking my butt and reading time is short. But whatever the reasons, the results are the same...I just don't get books finished to talk about at nearly the rate as most of you. And the fact is I've never been comfortable calling what I do end up writing "book reviews" anyway. Hence, my use of the term "book babble."
And as I was sitting reading The Knife of Letting Go yesterday, I got sort of sad. Not because of the book, but because I wanted to talk about it with someone! And I got to thinking that by the time I finished the book, all these powerful feelings I was having now might have changed (after all, I have no idea what the rest of the book will bring, right?) And by the time I actually got the book finished (the slow at finishing books thing here), I might not have that great a recollection of my feelings throughout. So then my little brain said, "Well, who said you have to wait until you finish a book to talk about it?"
This thought has danced through my head for the past day, and I finally decided that I was just going to go with it. So I've decided to just experiment a bit. I'm just going to babble a bit about the book(s) I happened to read the previous day. That is if there's anything I feel like babbling about. I fully realize that this might not make for satisfying posts...like I said, I'm just experimenting. And please, please, please...even those of you who are my dearest of friends...please do not make yourself read my babbling if this turns out to be a stupid idea, okay? I mean it--promise me!
In the pages yesterday...
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.
Okay, so I finished Part I. Which really isn't that big of a chunk (64 pages out of 479). But wow! Seriously. This book is so freakin' intense! I'm not sure if I've ever had such a visceral reaction to a book right from the start.
Part of it is the whole concept of Noise. And it's explained right at the start of the book, so I don't think I'm giving anything away by talking about it. See, in Prentisstown, everyone can hear everyone else. Not just their voices, but their thoughts. Their truths, their lies, their memories, their fantasies...all unfiltered. Never ending. This just makes me squirm. Literally. Inside and out. Honestly, it's almost too much to bear. I suspect there's a good chance if I lived in a place like that, I'd opt for suicide. And I don't say that lightly. Noise drives me crazy. I cannot stand to be in crowds...I get nauseated...both because of the physical closeness of so many people and because of the noise. I'm not one of those people who has to have the TV, or even music, on in the background. If I'm listening to music, I want to listen to it. I want sound to have meaning. Otherwise, I prefer silence. So this whole concept, and the way Ness was able to convey it, just put me on edge. And on edge is exactly where Patrick Ness wants the reader...or so I'm guessing.
But that wasn't all. There's an intensity to this book that I don't know quite how to put into words. I wasn't comfortable as I was reading...I was all keyed up. But as bad as I may be making it sound, I was enjoying the experience. Well, at least after the first couple pages when I got used to the writing style. I wasn't really bothered by the first person. And it was easy enough to get used to the misspellings and Todd's unique voice. Though, being petty here, I will admit that the double negatives bugged me. Anyway, back to the enjoying. It was so incredibly compelling. And towards the end of Part I, it was certainly more than a little exciting. Suspenseful.
Oh yeah, and then there's this little surprise that caught me totally off guard. :D
I have no idea where this book is going, but I sure am eager to find out.
And as I was sitting reading The Knife of Letting Go yesterday, I got sort of sad. Not because of the book, but because I wanted to talk about it with someone! And I got to thinking that by the time I finished the book, all these powerful feelings I was having now might have changed (after all, I have no idea what the rest of the book will bring, right?) And by the time I actually got the book finished (the slow at finishing books thing here), I might not have that great a recollection of my feelings throughout. So then my little brain said, "Well, who said you have to wait until you finish a book to talk about it?"
This thought has danced through my head for the past day, and I finally decided that I was just going to go with it. So I've decided to just experiment a bit. I'm just going to babble a bit about the book(s) I happened to read the previous day. That is if there's anything I feel like babbling about. I fully realize that this might not make for satisfying posts...like I said, I'm just experimenting. And please, please, please...even those of you who are my dearest of friends...please do not make yourself read my babbling if this turns out to be a stupid idea, okay? I mean it--promise me!
In the pages yesterday...
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.
Okay, so I finished Part I. Which really isn't that big of a chunk (64 pages out of 479). But wow! Seriously. This book is so freakin' intense! I'm not sure if I've ever had such a visceral reaction to a book right from the start.
Part of it is the whole concept of Noise. And it's explained right at the start of the book, so I don't think I'm giving anything away by talking about it. See, in Prentisstown, everyone can hear everyone else. Not just their voices, but their thoughts. Their truths, their lies, their memories, their fantasies...all unfiltered. Never ending. This just makes me squirm. Literally. Inside and out. Honestly, it's almost too much to bear. I suspect there's a good chance if I lived in a place like that, I'd opt for suicide. And I don't say that lightly. Noise drives me crazy. I cannot stand to be in crowds...I get nauseated...both because of the physical closeness of so many people and because of the noise. I'm not one of those people who has to have the TV, or even music, on in the background. If I'm listening to music, I want to listen to it. I want sound to have meaning. Otherwise, I prefer silence. So this whole concept, and the way Ness was able to convey it, just put me on edge. And on edge is exactly where Patrick Ness wants the reader...or so I'm guessing.
But that wasn't all. There's an intensity to this book that I don't know quite how to put into words. I wasn't comfortable as I was reading...I was all keyed up. But as bad as I may be making it sound, I was enjoying the experience. Well, at least after the first couple pages when I got used to the writing style. I wasn't really bothered by the first person. And it was easy enough to get used to the misspellings and Todd's unique voice. Though, being petty here, I will admit that the double negatives bugged me. Anyway, back to the enjoying. It was so incredibly compelling. And towards the end of Part I, it was certainly more than a little exciting. Suspenseful.
Oh yeah, and then there's this little surprise that caught me totally off guard. :D
I have no idea where this book is going, but I sure am eager to find out.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I give up
I tried to post about all the books that I dragged home with me from vacation. Actually I did post, but I deleted it. Because no matter how hard I tried, I could not get things spaced right. And photos kept disappearing. And well, I just got too frustrated to fight with Blogger any longer. Life's too short and all that.
So here's a much abbreviated version of that horrendous post.
Points go to:
*2 to Chris (for The Photographer and for Miejong)
*2 to Nymeth (for The Wizard of Earthsea and for East)
*1 to Kailana (for East)
*1 to DesLily (for Igraine the Brave)
Sorry for no explanations. And no links. I'm still fuming at Blogger. And yes, I do realize it's probably just me, not Blogger...but I've had so many problems with Blogger lately that I just feel like blaming them. ;)
I will try again with their back-to-school pics:
The morning the boys went back to school. Somehow it just didn't seem like a good sign. Foggy. Slightly, or not so slightly, eerie. But I'm happy to report that all went well.
The one and only "sort of" smiling photo I managed of them that morning. But that's okay...they cooperated for that one so I gave them free reign to have their own version of a photo shoot for the rest of the 100 pictures I took.
Which is why I ended up with photos like this. :D
And I certainly don't want to leave my sweet girlie out. This is Miss Annie arriving home from her first day of school. (She already loves her Children's Lit class...like there was any doubt she would.)
So here's a much abbreviated version of that horrendous post.
Points go to:
*2 to Chris (for The Photographer and for Miejong)
*2 to Nymeth (for The Wizard of Earthsea and for East)
*1 to Kailana (for East)
*1 to DesLily (for Igraine the Brave)
Sorry for no explanations. And no links. I'm still fuming at Blogger. And yes, I do realize it's probably just me, not Blogger...but I've had so many problems with Blogger lately that I just feel like blaming them. ;)
I will try again with their back-to-school pics:
The morning the boys went back to school. Somehow it just didn't seem like a good sign. Foggy. Slightly, or not so slightly, eerie. But I'm happy to report that all went well.
The one and only "sort of" smiling photo I managed of them that morning. But that's okay...they cooperated for that one so I gave them free reign to have their own version of a photo shoot for the rest of the 100 pictures I took.
Which is why I ended up with photos like this. :D
And I certainly don't want to leave my sweet girlie out. This is Miss Annie arriving home from her first day of school. (She already loves her Children's Lit class...like there was any doubt she would.)
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
those back to school blues
Let me just admit it...I'm selfish.
Tomorrow the boys go back to school...and I'm miserable. I don't want to be miserable, but dammit, I am.
Yes, I am excited for them. They both have incredible teachers this year. (I know because they each have the same teacher as they did last year.) They both have great classmates. (Again, the same ones as last year.) Gray is starting violin this year. They're both excited about chess club. It's a good thing.
So, why have I unsuccessfully been fighting back tears the past couple days just thinking about it?!! Yeah, I guess it's that whole selfish thing, huh? Bottom line, it just isn't as fun around here when they're not around. :(
I guess I should count myself lucky though...Annie will be around! At least on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She's still being homeschooled, and we're both really excited about the upcoming school year. She actually started her school year today. She's taking another class at the community college this semester. Children's Literature...and man, am I jealous! Anyway, this means I prepare her assignments for her other classes and send them with her on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and she spends her day on campus.
So anyway, if I get this depressed each fall when school starts, how I am ever going to survive when they all move out?!! I'd like to say that I will feel nothing but overwhelming joy for them moving on with their lives, chasing their dreams. So yeah, that means I really need to put in some work on this pathetic selfishness of mine, don't I?
Tomorrow the boys go back to school...and I'm miserable. I don't want to be miserable, but dammit, I am.
Yes, I am excited for them. They both have incredible teachers this year. (I know because they each have the same teacher as they did last year.) They both have great classmates. (Again, the same ones as last year.) Gray is starting violin this year. They're both excited about chess club. It's a good thing.
So, why have I unsuccessfully been fighting back tears the past couple days just thinking about it?!! Yeah, I guess it's that whole selfish thing, huh? Bottom line, it just isn't as fun around here when they're not around. :(
I guess I should count myself lucky though...Annie will be around! At least on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She's still being homeschooled, and we're both really excited about the upcoming school year. She actually started her school year today. She's taking another class at the community college this semester. Children's Literature...and man, am I jealous! Anyway, this means I prepare her assignments for her other classes and send them with her on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and she spends her day on campus.
So anyway, if I get this depressed each fall when school starts, how I am ever going to survive when they all move out?!! I'd like to say that I will feel nothing but overwhelming joy for them moving on with their lives, chasing their dreams. So yeah, that means I really need to put in some work on this pathetic selfishness of mine, don't I?
Sunday, September 06, 2009
haunting shorts
I never got a chance to read Carl's short story post from last Sunday until Friday morning, but when I did, well, I was instantly itching to pick up a couple volumes of scary short stories and hide away in the library for the day. But we had a trip to the local zoo on slate for the day, so that just wasn't an option.But...I did the next best thing I could think of...I grabbed Scary Stories Treasury to take along with us. This is actually a collection of three books, books in which Alvin Schwartz has collected and retold numerous scary stories from folklore. The stories are rather short, and we all took turns reading them aloud (well, except for Rich, as he was driving). It was really great fun! And we managed to finish the first two sections of the first book. Schwartz called the stories in the first section "jump stories," the kind of stories you can tell your friends and make them jump. Our collective opinion--they were o.k. But the next section contained ghost stories, and these ones we all loved! There was a story about a ghost wolf (Annie's favorite, of course), a story about a mysterious house, a story about a mysterious creature and the aftermath of getting too close to it, a story about lovers torn asunder, and my favorite, a story about a ghost seeking justice for her murder.
The art in this book is by Stephen Gammell. And it is fabulous! Fabulous! It's beautiful and haunting and sometimes downright creepy. But don't take my word for it:
One slight problem. I knew all along that this would be a book we needed to read during the daytime, for no way would Gray ever be able to sleep if we read these at bedtime. Well, turns out the whole "just read them in the daylight" strategy wasn't enough...guess who's had to sleep in the boys room with them the last two nights. Oh well.
Last evening, I decided I really wanted to dive into a nice RIP short just for myself. So I grabbed The Best of Roald Dahl (thanks again, Ana!) off my nightstand and finally cracked it open. But I'm afraid to say that the first story, "Madame Rosette," was a disappointment. In fact, I didn't really like it al all. But it wasn't really fitting for RIP anyway. So today I started the second tale, "Man from the South." Holy crap...it was sooooo good!!! And so very, very fitting, with all its delicious creepiness, for RIP. It drops this little bomb near the beginning, and this left me squirming inside and out throught the rest of the story. I was reading as fast as I could to find out how it would turn out, yet by the time I got towards the end, I was afraid to turn the page for fear of what might happen. And no, the ending did not disappoint!
And finally there's Pemba's Song: A Ghost Story by Marilyn Nelson and Tonya C. Hegamin. Which really isn't a short story at all. But I swear that's sort of how it felt. In fact, when I listed this book as a possible RIP read, Eva commented that she wished this book had had more complexity to it. After reading it, I know exactly what she meant by that. I wish this book had been three or four or five times as long as it was. And I wouldn't say that if I didn't like the story. But I did...there was a lot I liked a great deal about this book.Pemba, a teen forced to move from Brooklyn to the small town of Colchester, CT, is having a tough time. She's had to leave her best friend and her boyfriend behind, and she's not particularly happy with her mom about it all. Pemba feels very authentic to me, and frankly, I adored her. And I felt for her. Because, as if things weren't bad enough, strange things start happening to her. She wakes up in the dusty old attic of their new house and has no clue how she got there, she starts getting horrible headaches, she sees someone else's reflection in an old mirror. And she's afraid to talk to her mom about these things because of what happened after her father died.
I don't want to give away any of the story, so I'll stop there, but I will say this worked well for RIP. It wasn't actually scary, but well, as the title says, it's a ghost story. :D
Sunday Salon...the ban
Okay, I know I've tried this book buying ban kind of thing before. And every time I tried, I truly had good intentions. And still I failed. But hey, that's no reason not to try again, right? And I'm hopeful, really I am. For one thing, I have a lot of inspiration this time around:
1. Nymeth's post about tackling her TBR mountain. Yeah, and I suspect I was not the only one who had a nerve struck with her post. ; ) Seriously, isn't it just easier to face a monster head on when you've got friends doing battle along with you?
2. This:
Our once lovely library. Now there are books piled on the floor and books piled on the table and books scattered through the rest of the house... I'm in the midst of trying to rearrange it a bit, and weed it out a bit. But the bottom line is that there are just too many books for the amount of shelves. It's just become overwhelming. And not nearly as fun to be in there because it's like running a gauntlet just to get to a chair. :(
3. Reading the book Affluenza. Yep, it was the final kick in the pants I really, really needed.
Now I'm not claiming that I now have a will made of iron or anything. In fact, to help ensure success, I'm starting slowly. Very slowly. And I plan on rewarding success heavily to further motivate me. My goals are to buy less. And to tame the TBR piles to levels where I don't have to feel guilty about bringing more books into this house.
So, to buy a new book, I must:
a. If they are books from my TBR pile that I plan to keep, I must read 10. Or...
b. If they are books from my TBR pile that I will then give away, I must read 5. Or...
c. If they are books from the library, I must read 8.
d. PaperbackSwap doesn't count...but I can't buy credits.
Like I said, I'm starting slowly. But I'm hoping that success will lead me to realize that it's really not as hard as I imagined. And thus I will be able to raise those numbers without it leading to failure.
If I really follow through here, I guess there will be less blame to hand out, huh? Of course, I do still have this big box of books sitting here that I brought home from vacation...some of those have blame attached when I finally get around to it.
Anyway, wish me luck...
1. Nymeth's post about tackling her TBR mountain. Yeah, and I suspect I was not the only one who had a nerve struck with her post. ; ) Seriously, isn't it just easier to face a monster head on when you've got friends doing battle along with you?
2. This:
Our once lovely library. Now there are books piled on the floor and books piled on the table and books scattered through the rest of the house... I'm in the midst of trying to rearrange it a bit, and weed it out a bit. But the bottom line is that there are just too many books for the amount of shelves. It's just become overwhelming. And not nearly as fun to be in there because it's like running a gauntlet just to get to a chair. :(3. Reading the book Affluenza. Yep, it was the final kick in the pants I really, really needed.
Now I'm not claiming that I now have a will made of iron or anything. In fact, to help ensure success, I'm starting slowly. Very slowly. And I plan on rewarding success heavily to further motivate me. My goals are to buy less. And to tame the TBR piles to levels where I don't have to feel guilty about bringing more books into this house.
So, to buy a new book, I must:
a. If they are books from my TBR pile that I plan to keep, I must read 10. Or...
b. If they are books from my TBR pile that I will then give away, I must read 5. Or...
c. If they are books from the library, I must read 8.
d. PaperbackSwap doesn't count...but I can't buy credits.
Like I said, I'm starting slowly. But I'm hoping that success will lead me to realize that it's really not as hard as I imagined. And thus I will be able to raise those numbers without it leading to failure.
If I really follow through here, I guess there will be less blame to hand out, huh? Of course, I do still have this big box of books sitting here that I brought home from vacation...some of those have blame attached when I finally get around to it.
Anyway, wish me luck...
Saturday, September 05, 2009
itty bitty book babble
It's hopeless. I'm never going to get around to writing individual posts about the books I read on vacation. But since I'm counting most of them for challenges, I feel like I should say something. Even if it's just to say, "Read this book!!!"...because that's definitely how I felt about a few of them. Hadn't realized I went so heavy on the non-fiction. Anyway, in the order I read them:
College-Prep Homeschooling: Your Complete Guide to Homeschooling through High School by David P. Byers, Ph.D. and Chandra Byers.
Since there are nearly as many reasons for homeschooling as there are homeschoolers, no book about homeschooling is going to be perfect in every way for every person. While the authors try not to inject their personal philosophy into this book, it's still there in subtle ways. And their reasons for homeschooling definitely don't align completely with ours. But that's okay. It did mean that certain parts of this book were not as relevant to us as they may be to others. I do think this book has a lot to offer. Both to people who are not sure if homeschooling through the high school years is something they want to attempt and to those who have already made the decision. There are sections on learning styles, on teaching methods, on creating a high school curriculum, and more. Personally, the section that I found most helpful (and honestly, the reason I bought the book to start with) was about preparing for the end. It included things such as keeping transcripts, what to include in a portfolio, and writing course descriptions. Bottom line, while much of the book was about things we already know or things that don't particularly apply to us, I think I got my money's worth from the book, and I will definitely be referring to it from time to time over the next few years.
Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences by Kitty Burns Florey.
You know, this is a case where the title pretty much sums up the book. Jean lent me this book a long time ago, and I decided it was about time I got it read and returned to her. Thanks again, Jean! This really was a fun read. Kitty Burns Florey is quite an engaging writer, and she had me chuckling on many an occasion. However, if you don't know what diagramming sentences really is, if you didn't have to do it in those middle school years, I'm not sure if it would be nearly as entertaining. (Of course, I could be wrong there...as she definitely talks a lot about grammar, and writing in general, as well.) I guess it says something that she has me wanting to relearn some of the intricacies of sentence diagramming and pass it along to the kids, huh?
The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci.
Okay, this is one of those books that I really want to say, "Just read it!" This book first came to my attention because of Becky's review. And then when I mentioned I bought it, Renaythreatened me with bodily harm if I didn't read it strongly urged me to read it. Damn...am I glad I took her advice! I actually read this one aloud to Rich while we were traveling. And yes, he loved it as much as I did. In fact, at one point he said, "Damn. I really need to be reading more YA!" :D I'm really struggling here to try to find the words to describe this book. There's mystery. There's family problems. And friend problems. There's stereotypical characters...yeah, to be honest, they really were stereotypical...but dammit, I loved them anyway, probably because they reminded me so much of me and my friends in high school (Torey, our main character, privilege personified, who does a lot of growing; Ali, the cheerleader turned school slut; Bo, the thug with the heart-of-gold he keeps hidden from the general public). I know I've seen people claim that their high school was not clique-ish, and it's not that I don't believe them. But mine was. And this school very much had the feel of my high school (yes, I really can remember back that far ;) ). And though it may sound contradictory, I found the story to be both unique and still a bit predictable. Yes, predictable...but dammit, I still loved it! :D
Death: At Death's Door by Jill Thompson.
This is sort of an offshoot of the book Season of Mists, the fourth book in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series. In Season of Mists, the Endless come together for a meeting, and then we follow Dream through the events that follow. In this book, Thompson takes a look at what Dream's sister Death, as well as siblings Delirium and Despair, are doing during this time. To be perfectly honest, I had sort of mixed feelings about this. It's not that I didn't enjoy it...I really did. It just doesn't come close to the love I had for Season of Mists. At Death's Door has a much lighter, humorous tone. It was playful and simply didn't have the depth of Season of Mists. But then, it was wasn't meant to. Even as I was reading it, I was trying to figure out how much someone would understand if they hadn't read Season of Mists. I'm not sure I came up with a real answer. I think having read Seasons of Mists would give one a lot more insights. But then again, not having read it would free one from the constant comparing that I couldn't seem to avoid. Oh whatever. I do want to say that the art in this manga-style book totally charmed me!
Normal: Transexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops, and Hermaphrodites With Attitude by Amy Bloom.
Another one of those books that I just want to scream, "Read this!" I just want everyone to read it, and not just because it is so good, but because I think nearly everyone could learn something from it. I found myself constantly talking with Rich about it as I read. At one point while I was reading the last section, he said, "Yeah, male/female is simply a false dichotomy." But yet it's still such a prevalent notion. We just had to wonder if the intolerance and the hatred could finally be eradicated if people just learn that gender is a continuum. What can I say...I can't stop hoping... Anyway, it's a wonderfully written book, and it's fascinating...so fascinating that it nearly killed me to put it down. Okay, I know this is a total cop-out, but I'm going to direct you to Eva's wonderful review, which is what led me to pick up this book in the first place, because I pretty much think I agreed with her on everything she said. :D
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld.
In graphic novel form, A.D. tells the story of seven New Orleans residents in the days leading up to, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. Josh Neufeld went to MS after to Katrina to help. I imagine it was impossible to not be changed in some way by that experience. And he was ultimately compelled to bring some of the stories to the world. The people who so graciously shared their stories with Josh Neufeld came from different walks of life, lived in different parts of the city, and chose (or were forced) into different actions in the advent of the hurricane.
While each of these people survived (obviously), most of them experienced a great deal of loss. It rips your heart out to read. And of course, it's overwhelming to think that there are thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands of personal stories that we haven't heard. I bought this book while I was in New Orleans, and Chris bought a copy, too. I imagine our reading experiences will be drastically different. For I will never know, can never know, what it was truly like to be there. To live this. But that is why I think books like this are important. And I think all the people who suffered, in New Orleans and in Biloxi and in Gulfport and in countless other places, all deserve to have someone listen to their stories.
Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic by John De Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas N. Naylor.
Another "Please read this book!" book. The reason I happened to pick it up right now was because I was hoping it would be a good supplemental read during our population and consumption unit for environmental science this coming school year. Well, not only is it perfect for school, it was just a damn good read. My only complaint: while it wasn't actually repetitive, it did at times feel repetitive (if that makes any sense at all). But it was still so very worth the time it took to read it. It's a somewhat humorous look at a very serious subject...our passion for acquisition. It compares our overwhelming consumerism with a disease...discussing symptoms, causes, and treatments. And its approach was one of common sense. It was powerful, but I didn't find it to be preachy. And I do have to say it was motivating...while we're not terribly materialistic people to start with, this book has had me looking for ways to minimize our consumerism. But you can guess where that's leading, huh? Yep...I'm be announcing my new book buying (my biggest weakness!) "sort of" ban tomorrow...and I'm hoping you'll all help keep me in line.
*****
Read more:
C.B. James of Ready When You Are, C.B. (Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog)
Rebecca Reid of Rebecca Reads (Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog)
Becky of Becky's Book Reviews (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Renay of YA Fabulous! (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Amy of My Friend Amy (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Bibliovore of Confessions of a Bibliovore (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot (Death: At Death's Door)
Fyrefly of Fyrefly's Book Blog (Death: At Death's Door)
Megan of Working Title (Death: At Death's Door)
Diana Dang at Stop, Drop & Read (Death: At Death's Door)
Eva of A Striped Armchair (Normal)
C.B. James of Ready When You Are, C.B. (Normal)
Kathrin of Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic (Affluenza)
--I apologize for any reviews I may have missed. If you've reviewed one of these books, please feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll add it. Thanks.
College-Prep Homeschooling: Your Complete Guide to Homeschooling through High School by David P. Byers, Ph.D. and Chandra Byers.Since there are nearly as many reasons for homeschooling as there are homeschoolers, no book about homeschooling is going to be perfect in every way for every person. While the authors try not to inject their personal philosophy into this book, it's still there in subtle ways. And their reasons for homeschooling definitely don't align completely with ours. But that's okay. It did mean that certain parts of this book were not as relevant to us as they may be to others. I do think this book has a lot to offer. Both to people who are not sure if homeschooling through the high school years is something they want to attempt and to those who have already made the decision. There are sections on learning styles, on teaching methods, on creating a high school curriculum, and more. Personally, the section that I found most helpful (and honestly, the reason I bought the book to start with) was about preparing for the end. It included things such as keeping transcripts, what to include in a portfolio, and writing course descriptions. Bottom line, while much of the book was about things we already know or things that don't particularly apply to us, I think I got my money's worth from the book, and I will definitely be referring to it from time to time over the next few years.
Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences by Kitty Burns Florey.You know, this is a case where the title pretty much sums up the book. Jean lent me this book a long time ago, and I decided it was about time I got it read and returned to her. Thanks again, Jean! This really was a fun read. Kitty Burns Florey is quite an engaging writer, and she had me chuckling on many an occasion. However, if you don't know what diagramming sentences really is, if you didn't have to do it in those middle school years, I'm not sure if it would be nearly as entertaining. (Of course, I could be wrong there...as she definitely talks a lot about grammar, and writing in general, as well.) I guess it says something that she has me wanting to relearn some of the intricacies of sentence diagramming and pass it along to the kids, huh?
The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci.Okay, this is one of those books that I really want to say, "Just read it!" This book first came to my attention because of Becky's review. And then when I mentioned I bought it, Renay
Death: At Death's Door by Jill Thompson.This is sort of an offshoot of the book Season of Mists, the fourth book in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series. In Season of Mists, the Endless come together for a meeting, and then we follow Dream through the events that follow. In this book, Thompson takes a look at what Dream's sister Death, as well as siblings Delirium and Despair, are doing during this time. To be perfectly honest, I had sort of mixed feelings about this. It's not that I didn't enjoy it...I really did. It just doesn't come close to the love I had for Season of Mists. At Death's Door has a much lighter, humorous tone. It was playful and simply didn't have the depth of Season of Mists. But then, it was wasn't meant to. Even as I was reading it, I was trying to figure out how much someone would understand if they hadn't read Season of Mists. I'm not sure I came up with a real answer. I think having read Seasons of Mists would give one a lot more insights. But then again, not having read it would free one from the constant comparing that I couldn't seem to avoid. Oh whatever. I do want to say that the art in this manga-style book totally charmed me!
Normal: Transexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops, and Hermaphrodites With Attitude by Amy Bloom.Another one of those books that I just want to scream, "Read this!" I just want everyone to read it, and not just because it is so good, but because I think nearly everyone could learn something from it. I found myself constantly talking with Rich about it as I read. At one point while I was reading the last section, he said, "Yeah, male/female is simply a false dichotomy." But yet it's still such a prevalent notion. We just had to wonder if the intolerance and the hatred could finally be eradicated if people just learn that gender is a continuum. What can I say...I can't stop hoping... Anyway, it's a wonderfully written book, and it's fascinating...so fascinating that it nearly killed me to put it down. Okay, I know this is a total cop-out, but I'm going to direct you to Eva's wonderful review, which is what led me to pick up this book in the first place, because I pretty much think I agreed with her on everything she said. :D
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld.In graphic novel form, A.D. tells the story of seven New Orleans residents in the days leading up to, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. Josh Neufeld went to MS after to Katrina to help. I imagine it was impossible to not be changed in some way by that experience. And he was ultimately compelled to bring some of the stories to the world. The people who so graciously shared their stories with Josh Neufeld came from different walks of life, lived in different parts of the city, and chose (or were forced) into different actions in the advent of the hurricane.
While each of these people survived (obviously), most of them experienced a great deal of loss. It rips your heart out to read. And of course, it's overwhelming to think that there are thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands of personal stories that we haven't heard. I bought this book while I was in New Orleans, and Chris bought a copy, too. I imagine our reading experiences will be drastically different. For I will never know, can never know, what it was truly like to be there. To live this. But that is why I think books like this are important. And I think all the people who suffered, in New Orleans and in Biloxi and in Gulfport and in countless other places, all deserve to have someone listen to their stories.
Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic by John De Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas N. Naylor.Another "Please read this book!" book. The reason I happened to pick it up right now was because I was hoping it would be a good supplemental read during our population and consumption unit for environmental science this coming school year. Well, not only is it perfect for school, it was just a damn good read. My only complaint: while it wasn't actually repetitive, it did at times feel repetitive (if that makes any sense at all). But it was still so very worth the time it took to read it. It's a somewhat humorous look at a very serious subject...our passion for acquisition. It compares our overwhelming consumerism with a disease...discussing symptoms, causes, and treatments. And its approach was one of common sense. It was powerful, but I didn't find it to be preachy. And I do have to say it was motivating...while we're not terribly materialistic people to start with, this book has had me looking for ways to minimize our consumerism. But you can guess where that's leading, huh? Yep...I'm be announcing my new book buying (my biggest weakness!) "sort of" ban tomorrow...and I'm hoping you'll all help keep me in line.
*****
Read more:
C.B. James of Ready When You Are, C.B. (Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog)
Rebecca Reid of Rebecca Reads (Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog)
Becky of Becky's Book Reviews (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Renay of YA Fabulous! (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Amy of My Friend Amy (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Bibliovore of Confessions of a Bibliovore (The Body of Christopher Creed)
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot (Death: At Death's Door)
Fyrefly of Fyrefly's Book Blog (Death: At Death's Door)
Megan of Working Title (Death: At Death's Door)
Diana Dang at Stop, Drop & Read (Death: At Death's Door)
Eva of A Striped Armchair (Normal)
C.B. James of Ready When You Are, C.B. (Normal)
Kathrin of Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic (Affluenza)
--I apologize for any reviews I may have missed. If you've reviewed one of these books, please feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll add it. Thanks.
vacation photos, part IV
Okay, you'll be grateful to know this post should be the last. No, I don't promise to stop posting our goofy faces altogether...but at least this will be the end of the vacation pics, so you should get a break for a while.
Vacation: Day 9
Spent mostly in the car, on our way north again. But we did detour off the highway, onto the Natchez Trace Parkway (one of Rich and my favorite national parks) for a bit. We really wanted to take the kids to Cypress Swamp, which is just north of Jackson, MS. Arrived in Memphis, TN late afternoon.
Vacation: Day 10
Memphis Zoo. One of the big reasons this entire vacation came to be was because of the YaYa and LeLe, the pandas at the Memphis Zoo. Gray loves bears, all bears. But pandas...wow. After the zoo, we met Renay!!!! Sorry, she asked me not to post any photos, but I can tell you that, yes, this incredible woman really does exist. And she's as sweet and adorable as can be! Thanks again, Renay!!! You have no idea how much it meant to have you drove over and spent time with me!!!
Gray petting a skink.
Komodo Dragon.
One of Maxidoodle's favorites. Surprise, surprise. ;)
Max began channeling his chimp cousins. He kept this up all day. Just ask poor Renay. ;)
Awwwwww.
Vacation: Day 11
Spent the morning at Shiloh National Battlefield. Then drove up through TN and most of KY.
Vacation: Days 12-13
Drove to Cleveland OH. Morning/early afternoon of day 13 were spent at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. We love this museum!!! Then drove to PA to my parents, where we spent the night.
Vacation: Day 14
After spending the morning and early afternoon with my wonderful parents, we head home to NY.
Thanks again, for Bacon-sitting, Mom and Dad!
The end.
Vacation: Day 9
Spent mostly in the car, on our way north again. But we did detour off the highway, onto the Natchez Trace Parkway (one of Rich and my favorite national parks) for a bit. We really wanted to take the kids to Cypress Swamp, which is just north of Jackson, MS. Arrived in Memphis, TN late afternoon.
Vacation: Day 10
Memphis Zoo. One of the big reasons this entire vacation came to be was because of the YaYa and LeLe, the pandas at the Memphis Zoo. Gray loves bears, all bears. But pandas...wow. After the zoo, we met Renay!!!! Sorry, she asked me not to post any photos, but I can tell you that, yes, this incredible woman really does exist. And she's as sweet and adorable as can be! Thanks again, Renay!!! You have no idea how much it meant to have you drove over and spent time with me!!!
Gray petting a skink.
Komodo Dragon.
One of Maxidoodle's favorites. Surprise, surprise. ;)
Max began channeling his chimp cousins. He kept this up all day. Just ask poor Renay. ;)
Awwwwww.
Vacation: Day 11
Spent the morning at Shiloh National Battlefield. Then drove up through TN and most of KY.
Vacation: Days 12-13
Drove to Cleveland OH. Morning/early afternoon of day 13 were spent at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. We love this museum!!! Then drove to PA to my parents, where we spent the night.
Vacation: Day 14
After spending the morning and early afternoon with my wonderful parents, we head home to NY.
Thanks again, for Bacon-sitting, Mom and Dad!
The end.
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