tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26405400608191799352024-03-18T20:23:55.514-07:00Bookishly BoisterousChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.comBlogger1867125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-55310822688783808242023-05-03T16:22:00.004-07:002023-05-03T16:31:06.073-07:00And That's All She Wrote<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_iB67ODvFcZqrpne5GDrQDvRd4MyekNITNrnYpTXnKWZ53I7w8ZemzQIjCeFx9rvmJMMQfJisRvZerwsHnPWX-gEPLIyeE4htTog32Rex19shx2_sxE88AC6NclD9TOeMUvAloe0-5utEO-AF5YMF04wopYsJApG9XfsIMYs1f-OqmeCD8H3t3Goig/s4032/the%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_iB67ODvFcZqrpne5GDrQDvRd4MyekNITNrnYpTXnKWZ53I7w8ZemzQIjCeFx9rvmJMMQfJisRvZerwsHnPWX-gEPLIyeE4htTog32Rex19shx2_sxE88AC6NclD9TOeMUvAloe0-5utEO-AF5YMF04wopYsJApG9XfsIMYs1f-OqmeCD8H3t3Goig/w300-h400/the%20end.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Back in 2010 I started this blog as a way to distract myself from the infamous teacher pink-slipping that plagued districts far and wide in California. Since then I've had a child, bought a house, traveled, endured a pandemic, had dogs, read so many books, taught about 2000 students, seen dozens of authors speak, and have tried to live the best life I’ve been able to, no matter what the circumstances.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">My blogging has dropped off quite a bit over the last few years, due to how busy life has been and the general slide over to different platforms for the bookish community. I’ve always loved keeping this space afloat and have never felt a lot of pressure to post a certain number of times or promote specific books.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the last few weeks I've had a change of heart and I’ve decided to say goodbye to this little corner of the internet. There are many reasons, but at the end of the day it’s just… time. I won’t close the site, since I want to keep this snapshot of my life and I’m not discounting the occasional return. I will be keeping my bookstagram account, @bookishlyboisterous , so follow along there!</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">To those who have read and commented over the years, I appreciate you so much.</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy reading!</div></span></span>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-10542241595380623262023-04-26T20:28:00.002-07:002023-04-26T20:28:17.285-07:00LA Festival of Books!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1J3XlDF_xwYLjnrM5TgJg0Hxnny9xlup6bANIcxiCwgelxOExHFh7QN6DNu4BCAvz9DoB6i5N-pJY6_jXMsLDmv8G5KfL4FTKhQ94Q5jxatDHBq5FpdVDBuVGR1mfa3W7i7bX014MuDZ_pttH8bbn0d-zNJ4JvE4GsIpv7fKokelsuaSwGuLME7L5Ug/s4032/uscfestival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1J3XlDF_xwYLjnrM5TgJg0Hxnny9xlup6bANIcxiCwgelxOExHFh7QN6DNu4BCAvz9DoB6i5N-pJY6_jXMsLDmv8G5KfL4FTKhQ94Q5jxatDHBq5FpdVDBuVGR1mfa3W7i7bX014MuDZ_pttH8bbn0d-zNJ4JvE4GsIpv7fKokelsuaSwGuLME7L5Ug/s320/uscfestival.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been a few years since I've been to the LA Times Festival of Books and it was good to be back! I went with two friends we spent the day buying books and attending panels. The highlights:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNiEtDLYXCAMSvpUv3Ilh_cwSXFEUCzPSmJfgx7NHZ6mbRLPgY7rYxNTD4XGMHucoteXYE7rTyKclDD_BTTHDRaiVkFijpC-iZ72LMCX9jSdiab5KYoe0BDgIICqes6l1elPqY4gUCDmSgxD3Ijuv6ElQLlZeIKEicP70nkdY2QVy1Wxy03hXm0cd1A/s4032/vromanslatimes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNiEtDLYXCAMSvpUv3Ilh_cwSXFEUCzPSmJfgx7NHZ6mbRLPgY7rYxNTD4XGMHucoteXYE7rTyKclDD_BTTHDRaiVkFijpC-iZ72LMCX9jSdiab5KYoe0BDgIICqes6l1elPqY4gUCDmSgxD3Ijuv6ElQLlZeIKEicP70nkdY2QVy1Wxy03hXm0cd1A/s320/vromanslatimes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The Vroman's tent did not disappoint we each bought a few books</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- We stopped by Octavia's, a new black-owned bookstore in Pasadena. The booksellers were delightful and they had some really cool stuff</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- We went to a panel with Ottessa Moshfegh and Rachel Kushner</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Another panel featured Gabrielle Zevin (she's just the coolest)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The last panel had a few guests, but I was there by Andrew Sean Greer and Rebecca Makkai</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPoQa-5DxM-eSKrePxUU0n0Cl8XsVqEmNusbLJ2vdv0BwPaFP6o7ve87Z6AGHueOI6u1XuhHjtym4l2ZOX6cFwIOYd_g8qj2xsqHbqshA5cJhjlEHjTNRyP1eBMxmcWyorrCU02gPJkXCJvE9woVBxRRHhO1nVncJJFcOqAW3gYJ2Ue67_kMlyNikYQ/s4032/panelbookfest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPoQa-5DxM-eSKrePxUU0n0Cl8XsVqEmNusbLJ2vdv0BwPaFP6o7ve87Z6AGHueOI6u1XuhHjtym4l2ZOX6cFwIOYd_g8qj2xsqHbqshA5cJhjlEHjTNRyP1eBMxmcWyorrCU02gPJkXCJvE9woVBxRRHhO1nVncJJFcOqAW3gYJ2Ue67_kMlyNikYQ/s320/panelbookfest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A few drawbacks</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- It was pretty warm</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- It was at USC; it used to be at UCLA and that was much better (says the Bruin)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- There isn't a lot of shade or benches</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The food situation is always a pain; they have food trucks, but they're spread out and it's hard to see what all is there before you decide </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The panels felt a little shorter this year</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-74852485970099620192023-04-19T05:00:00.001-07:002023-04-19T05:00:00.220-07:00March Reads Three Weeks Late <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc9nSNMqA8SpJe2J9d5sbxdfJ4oxTqpRb0SH4I08CDWd4-ykwlx9eIp4kAuBFSjUewo25E1F6aWxP-yd_YHyttsG4rq1h0US622VyY4Ljg7rDMeyMuuZXoRnT3XpxZFgLWV6Kgnn9mwWK97cQ750GDwtfbo48Mvpm9zGeSUE5LqdlFZD3ab73_Bafig/s3780/march%20reads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc9nSNMqA8SpJe2J9d5sbxdfJ4oxTqpRb0SH4I08CDWd4-ykwlx9eIp4kAuBFSjUewo25E1F6aWxP-yd_YHyttsG4rq1h0US622VyY4Ljg7rDMeyMuuZXoRnT3XpxZFgLWV6Kgnn9mwWK97cQ750GDwtfbo48Mvpm9zGeSUE5LqdlFZD3ab73_Bafig/w320-h400/march%20reads.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Honestly, I think I'd probably blog more if I brought my laptop downstairs more often, but I loathe clutter, so it stays on my desk in my office/gym/whatever I call it on that particular day. Oh well. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">March reads! Over half way through April! It's fine. It really is. If you'd like a more updated account of my reading-life just follow me on Instagram at @bookishlyboisterous</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Three fiction and three nonfiction! I eagerly awaited Rebbeca Makkai's book and enjoyed it, although not as much as <i>The Great Believers, </i>which everyone needs to read. I am so happy that she's finding so much success with her newest book- she's so talented and deserves the recognition. I can't wait to see her (again) and the LA Times Book Festival Saturday!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I felt the same way about Maggie O'Farrell's <i>The Marriage Portrait</i>- it was super solid, just not as good as some of her older books. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I bought two books about overthinking since it's Anxiety Spiral City over here to the absolute max this spring, but, spoiler alert, neither changed my life. It's who I am. I just need to harness the energy for good... like... Spiderman? Or something? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I appreciated the message behind Mohsin Hamid's book, but the style prevents you from really becoming connected to the characters, which I would have liked to.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The writer's routine book had a lot of potential, but there were too many dead white guys in there for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-80062485141124298942023-04-18T05:00:00.001-07:002023-04-18T05:00:00.255-07:00Squeezing in Reading Time During Busy Seasons <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVdYUtoVnf7htu7D2rC5DuaAcg63yhSNcpI70-SVzOiwKc5VzgKwCyu-xI7k22FcYpNpibqR4OiSPyDHJIS-QyC47qe60hL6UvsD6ck-zxR8RGSnivukTPlUNk2f3QOALNtYKRpi7K9mLwgre-91RffVGKLFML82OGk2DeCygvyGCFE9lppor3U862A/s3024/mutliple%20books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2419" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVdYUtoVnf7htu7D2rC5DuaAcg63yhSNcpI70-SVzOiwKc5VzgKwCyu-xI7k22FcYpNpibqR4OiSPyDHJIS-QyC47qe60hL6UvsD6ck-zxR8RGSnivukTPlUNk2f3QOALNtYKRpi7K9mLwgre-91RffVGKLFML82OGk2DeCygvyGCFE9lppor3U862A/w320-h400/mutliple%20books.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite this being an incredibly busy year so far, I have still managed to stay on track in terms of meeting my reading goals. Here's a few things that work for me:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. Always, always, <b>always have a book on you</b> (I don't count audiobooks, or else this would be a no-brainer). I read during Sawyer's swim class, if I get to an appointment early, or when I'm waiting to meet a friend (I am a chronic early-arriver).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. If I'm on my phone I ask myself if I could be reading instead. I am still a die-hard Forest App user!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3. I read for a few minutes of my lunch period every single day- ten minutes, five days a week adds up! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. I read when Sawyer reads for his homework independent reading time, most days, which is a nice way to transition from work to home.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. I do a lot of what I call "indoor hiking" (aka crank the incline way up on the treadmill), which I can read paperbacks while doing. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. I very rarely watch TV- I get it, we all unwind differently, but I would rather read. I have lots of other hobbies, but on weeknights after Sawyer is in bed and my husband is still working, I pick up a book instead of a remote. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And, the kicker:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. I read a few books at once now. I got the urge to reread <i>Lonesome Dove</i>, but that book is a beast at almost 900 pages, so carrying it around isn't super practical. I'm also reading an oral biography of Anthony Bourdain, but I'm not always in the mood. That means I need to have a third book to fill in the gaps. I finished the Strayed one in the picture above and just started Curtiss Sittenfeld's new one, which I'm really enjoying. Having a few options makes it even easier to read! </span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-30421326445919582182023-04-16T15:38:00.001-07:002023-04-16T15:38:38.338-07:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ-zvW8GmAid6Lq2akzA23yl9L3GCO4jKxa7uJGqBza8yT896u-lqYULyE883S2NqIFFGm_14rJ8DmBcvZpWwfp4H3SlKOr4alnFB4B0g4HRx9KTCoqvx4iHli2hds27A8ikKINxHhMGQ2qZlW08Zjiqu2a_GsdGnFXEyqP_boaAMzvtFxgsaaGeZLA/s4032/hoodoos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ-zvW8GmAid6Lq2akzA23yl9L3GCO4jKxa7uJGqBza8yT896u-lqYULyE883S2NqIFFGm_14rJ8DmBcvZpWwfp4H3SlKOr4alnFB4B0g4HRx9KTCoqvx4iHli2hds27A8ikKINxHhMGQ2qZlW08Zjiqu2a_GsdGnFXEyqP_boaAMzvtFxgsaaGeZLA/w400-h300/hoodoos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>In the last two months since I posted on of these I've been busy! Most notable was our trip to Zion and Bryce Canyon NPs for spring break. I'm a forest kind-of-girl, but I loved a new adventure (I've been to Zion one other time, but specifically for the Subway Hike, which is on a different side than where we were this time). The first day we were there we had a lot of rain and snow, which we hiked through, and the other two days were perfection. Typically we go to Yosemite this time of year, but after the insane amount of snow this winter I didn't feel like attempting the water-logged park. I rescheduled for the fall, which will be a perfect break when the time comes. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sawyer and I also went up to the Bay Area to visit my sister for a weekend and had a great time. My mom joined us for a few hours, too, which was an added bonus.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That same weekend my other sister had a baby! She was still in the hospital when we were nearby, so I didn't detour to visit (they were only allowed one visitor the whole time!), but, honestly, newborns are a little boring. I rather go this summer when she's smiling and they have their routine a little more worked out. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I went to an event at LA Public Library recently with Emily St. John Mandel and it was <i>so good</i>. She's so quirky and intelligent, without an ounce of pretention. She mentioned the fact that occasionally people tattoo lines from her book on them and how it was flattering, so I stayed in the signing line for the second time EVER to show her and have a book signed. She took a picture and put it on her social! If it had had my face in it I may have been slightly horrified, but more than anything it was just a testament to Daniel Winter's amazing skills. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It really is the season for literary events! I am going to see Cheryl Strayed this week and Saturday is the LA Times Festival of Books. I have my panel passes ready to go for a few friends and I- I can't wait. (Sawyer is going to Disneyland with his best friend that day, which will be his first real big outing away from us, so it's good that I have something to distract me... I trust the family COMPLETELY, but what if there is a natural disaster and he gets separated and- you get the gist). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My students just finished reading <i>Macbeth</i> and it was such a great experience this year. I really worked to vary the different ways we consumed the text (group, independent, audiobook, teacher read-alouds, and film) and the kids seemed to get SO much from it. I have incorporated all those elements before, but most days we were doing ALL forms, so the periods just flew by. I can't believe that we finish this play in the next week or two and then move on to our last work of the semester (which we'll have to hustle through, because....)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">... there are only six weeks of school left! I cannot believe it! Except, I kind of can. This summer is packed full of travel and fun. I am so thankful I submitted our passport paperwork back in February (we go to Europe in mid-July), since it sounds like things are getting pretty crazy. I'll be nervous until I have both in my hands, but at least I didn't procrastinate. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sawyer's birthday is soon- he's going to be nine already! We have lots of fun things in store for him and the fact that he's not wrapped up in it makes it even more tempting to spoil him. We don't really do parties for him, but an art-lesson company that his school contracts through is going to do a project with his class and we have a special weekend away planned, too. </span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-21062851077206395952023-03-01T19:35:00.010-08:002023-03-01T19:35:42.113-08:00February Reads <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXuC7VKJR1J8VvRf8KjvbC3sTxa3Z9c_lRPxfEqBit3XM6x0P2rv4qGrbEyI9K76GIpQzlrAUBzn2bmy4paed0YZ7wmzszGnB_7Q-EhwxL3TdeIAAq0pfRnoZuw2J3hnpkDeHSEkOSyZNX_JisVSFQfdiFQI2ZQHIEs2_0r-ZpbmOHo0OXC-CcfppMA/s3780/feb%20reads.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXuC7VKJR1J8VvRf8KjvbC3sTxa3Z9c_lRPxfEqBit3XM6x0P2rv4qGrbEyI9K76GIpQzlrAUBzn2bmy4paed0YZ7wmzszGnB_7Q-EhwxL3TdeIAAq0pfRnoZuw2J3hnpkDeHSEkOSyZNX_JisVSFQfdiFQI2ZQHIEs2_0r-ZpbmOHo0OXC-CcfppMA/w320-h400/feb%20reads.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">February reads! Also capturing the sun after a brief period of snow in socal a few hours ago! Hopefully March brings some warmth. Thoughts: </span></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Grit</i>- some helpful data for helping my students and son. If anything, it really reinforced some of my philosophies as a parent and teacher. She needs a post-pandemic follow-up</span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>All My Rage</i>- I don’t typically read YA but the buzz had me curious. It still has that “teenagers are the audience” feel (which makes sense), but I did appreciate the character development and the timely topics. It would be great for high schoolers!</span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Orange World-</i> delightfully quirky short stories </span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The Rabbit Hutch-</i> As a whole this is a really solid book that raises some important questions about the foster care system, mental health, and urbanization. At times it was maybe a touch overwritten, but still an accomplishment </span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Violeta-</i> I loved this Allende novel! It had a meandering plot, which worked with the historical backdrop and setting. The were also some really charming characters you have to love (and some you will love to hate)</span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Age of Vice-</i> I couldn’t put this down! It’s a total page turner, but not in a cheap kind of checkout-counter-mass-market kind of way. I thought the three main characters were well done and loved the glimpse into their lives. </span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Migrations-</i> this is my second book by this author and I appreciate how she writes about people and environmentalism</span></div><div id="m_-1179637719182613123AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-90852550045848104242023-02-18T21:32:00.004-08:002023-02-18T21:40:43.145-08:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KdtZ_MUGZrn85z5QKE2ro3wLMMN1bflTzRXDV75x0iC8zN7FRvIwKiYL0ZUhwWMobpGwovLEMotbnxi1Ne3XlpfrhfFi7fjDdazFS0D8YHe2TmpgwTn6HvZnZxbr4KBqQy5fuaqKD4uh1d3VKJNGlw_Cgtf4CDIpm0wS5Ri0D_hU4tC5aVCPcrmvQg/s3780/bookishbfast.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KdtZ_MUGZrn85z5QKE2ro3wLMMN1bflTzRXDV75x0iC8zN7FRvIwKiYL0ZUhwWMobpGwovLEMotbnxi1Ne3XlpfrhfFi7fjDdazFS0D8YHe2TmpgwTn6HvZnZxbr4KBqQy5fuaqKD4uh1d3VKJNGlw_Cgtf4CDIpm0wS5Ri0D_hU4tC5aVCPcrmvQg/w320-h400/bookishbfast.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've had the week off and have been able to read so much- honestly, it's all I want to do right now. I think after months of half marathon training, the holidays, and feeling so tightly wound, my body just craves sweatpants, the couch, and books. In a perfect world it would want some spinach and 80 ounces of water a day, but alas, it does not. I haven't been able to quite succumb to total literary slothdom, but I have been able to finish four books in the last nine days, so I'll take it. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other than reading, this week has been pretty great. Sawyer has been in school most of the time, and my husband was on a business trip for a few days, so I was gifted with a lot more alone time than usual. I think I've had seven or eight appointments this week, some fun, like getting a pedicure, and some not so fun, like the dentist and the passport office (but that leads to fun, I guess). I've been able to have a few different friend dates, Sawyer and I went hiking at a spot we haven't been to for awhile, and on Monday we're going to go walk around the beach for a nice change of scenery (and find something fun to eat). I've gotten some annoying house tasks out of the way (here's looking at you, dusty ceiling fans and unorganized pantry), worked on a for-fun embroidery hoop, gotten in a ton of solid work out sessions, and even a few naps. Going back to work is going back to work Tuesday is going to be tough (I know, everyone feels <i>so </i>bad for me). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One nice thing about going back to work, besides my students, who are at the point where we've really hit our stride as a group, is that we're moving from Sylvia Plath poetry to Shakespeare's <i>Macbeth</i> soon, which is always a fun challenge. I don't have a natural love of The Bard, but I've taught myself how to enjoy and appreciate certain plays and am able to tap in on that sort of literary-manipulation to use with the kids, too. After that we have only one more book for the year! It's Chinua Achebe's <i>Things Fall Apart</i>, which elicits some really great discussions.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband got me a gift card to the bookstore for V-Day, and I hustled on over the next day to spend that sucker. I picked up Deepti Kapoor's <i>Age of Vice</i> (just started), Mason Currey's <i>Daily Rituals</i> (also just started... I often have a novel and a nonfiction going on at once), SE Boyd's <i>The Lemon</i> and Fiona McFarlane's <i>The Sun Walks Down.</i> I also ordered four other books last week. Plus alllllllll the ones I bought at Vroman's last month. I don't really believe in book-buying bans (unless it's a financial issue, than I totally get the need to budget), since I think they just result in binging, but I need to tap the breaks. I think I have like... 142 unread books. I KNOW. My goals is to have it down to double digits by the end of the year, which means I basically need to read a little over 4 of the books each month that I currently own, leaving space to buy like 2 a month. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes I worry about running out of space for my books on the shelves we have, but then I remember all the space in the guest bedroom. I mean, what guest wouldn't want a cozy wall of books next to their bed, right? I joke that someday when Sawyer moves out I'm turning his room into the nonfiction annex. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We met with our wonderful tax-preparer today, which stresses me the eff out for absolutely no reason since she's incredibly knowledgeable and I'm incredibly organized (plus Scott and I both claim single-zero, which means they take a bajillion dollars out of our checks). We were talking about my regular monthly charitable donations (Doctors Without Borders and Planned Parenthood) and how much you can tell about a person from where/who they give to. It's so interesting! Not only their political ideologies, but social concerns, pet projects, interests, etc... I keep meaning to set up another one for The Sierra Club, which I'm sure would surprise NO ONE.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-59176372817467612222023-02-10T06:00:00.001-08:002023-02-10T06:00:00.227-08:00Reframing My Tiredness <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0Qra7AqIK5kkWN1mToVuGHhJf6gtos10fxfgbmYKjYR1y2Ueij17vu0H5bFwKidVF708De5OV2zJR_F26lLiW-2n4qaP__Nf4mTHMaqQ2yYfnouFNv2rf6WQg9sSVqDaBmM7DLkdlNiYYp1oAdLFBL0efpNee3ERAQAUDBI5-2hFzTQlZHKx-IT3HQ/s4032/skyline2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0Qra7AqIK5kkWN1mToVuGHhJf6gtos10fxfgbmYKjYR1y2Ueij17vu0H5bFwKidVF708De5OV2zJR_F26lLiW-2n4qaP__Nf4mTHMaqQ2yYfnouFNv2rf6WQg9sSVqDaBmM7DLkdlNiYYp1oAdLFBL0efpNee3ERAQAUDBI5-2hFzTQlZHKx-IT3HQ/w300-h400/skyline2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Obligatory preface: this is me and my take on a topic that impacts everyone differently. We all have different ways of living life and handling our bodies. This is what works for me and my life philosophy- you do you! I just wish I had had this insight a long time ago, so if it helps bring someone perspective, cool. </i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think I've been tired for at least nine years- probably since the last trimester of my pregnancy. I was tired before that, too, but I could squeeze in weekend sleep-in sessions pretty easily, so it felt doable. But once I had my son it was all over- he was a horrible sleeper for the first two years of his life (don't come at me with your sleep training lecture, I tried and it didn't work for us) and then was just habitually a super duper early riser. Once we started using one of those color-coded alarm clocks we got the dog who also likes to greet the sun. Pairing the early wake ups with my high activity level during the day (combining my constant need to win the gold medal for productivity and working out) just perpetually zaps my energy. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So<span style="color: #222222;">, yeah, super tired. All the time.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the last few months I've decided to reframe this tiredness (I actually started this post last September and it has been sitting in my drafts since then). Sure, I'm tired of being tired, but more than anything<i> I was tired of being mad about being tired.</i> So, I decided to look at why I'm tired, what I can do about it (if possible... I can't quit working or being a parent!). Based on this I was able to shift my perspective, at least part of the time! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #222222;">First, I get up early- 5 during the week, 7ish on the weekends, if we aren't going somewhere (earlier when it's hot out, though, so I can walk the dog before the sun is up). The only thing that can really be done is going to bed earlier than I already do, which would then take away from the very little precious alone time I have at night. Not doing so is a </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 700;">choice</span><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 700;">I make. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #222222;">Secondly, I take care of the kid, dog, and house pretty much all the time. My husband works long hours, some of which are in LA, which means on those days he commutes he's gone well over twelve hours. There are some other things at play here that I won't go into, since they're what our family calls "house business," but at the end of the day having a home, kid, and pet, while knowing my husband's job habits and use of time is a </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 700;">choice I made. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #222222;">Next, I work an exhausting job- teaching all day will take it out of anyone! It's also often enjoyable, rewarding, and challenging and I love the schedule and time off. I think I've been burnt out for years, but I refuse to let that interfere with my performance, what I give to my students, and quality of life outside of work. No one made me choose this profession, it's a </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 700;">choice I made. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #222222;">I am extremely active in terms of exercise- I walk my hilly neighborhood for almost an hour, total, a day and get in some other sort of workout six or so days a week. Sure, it's great for my health and sanity, but it takes away time from my life and also sucks away more energy. And yup, it's still a </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 700;">choice I make</span><span style="color: #222222;">.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #222222;">Lastly, I like being on the go and partaking in projects and hobbies. It gives me a lot of enjoyment to fill my calendar with social dates, hikes, excursions with my son, and travel. This means when I am home I have to kick it into high gear to take care of my house, do any work I need to do, and be a good mom/pet owner. Being a busy little bee is, again, you guessed it, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 700;">a choice I make</span><span style="color: #222222;">.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #222222;">So, that's the secret to reframing my tired: <b>I made/make specific choices to have the life I have and it's a life I really truly appreciate and love,</b> most of the time. Am I in love with it when I am spinning like a tornado taking the trash out, helping with math homework, and prying god-knows-what out of my dog's mouth, all at the same time? No. Do I occasionally and silently lament about patriarchy, societal expectations of women, and the state of education in our country? Of course! But, I check myself often and remind myself that being tired is the price I am willing to pay to be able to have and do what I want. And I do take the occasional Sunday afternoon naps and spend plenty of time parked on the couch reading. Summers are spent afternoons poolside and I have a pedicure schedule tonight. I do pause, on occasion, but this is <b>my</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"><b> one </b></span><span style="color: #222222;"><b>life</b>. We all want to spend it differently, but I know when I am eighty I don't want to look back and realize I spent a lot of time being unhappy and not having anything to show for my time. I want to <i>go </i>and <i>do</i> and <i>experience</i>, and if it requires a baseline level of tired, so be it. I am claiming responsibility.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">*I know that everyone tolerates being tired differently, and when I do reach a certain threshold I become really anxious- I'm not a robot that can just go indefinitely. I know when that point is and can feel the warning signs, so I just adjust life as much as I can</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">**I also know that there is a certain level of privilege that comes with this conversation. There are people who work multiple jobs, are single parents, etc… who don't have the luxury of packing their weekends with fun activities to counteract the fatigue that the every-day brings. I grew up in that household! That is why I definitely acknowledge that I do have some flexibility in how I manage my time and am grateful for the fact I have been able to create the structure to do so.</span></span></p>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-17350544373348722372023-02-09T19:19:00.001-08:002023-02-09T19:19:21.758-08:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWrWlgQo9BAwbJyFf9liYcVug5vLEtr4oEPhSXFYT7iW0li-6TST6xTQ-jOmnqcu3GH_cm0gJoMpyWLsxyHybTbdGikof5hswEUPfqZ_NWvsJ0N89Q0Q1j6jH3aEJK1k5Pdi8r6_QraYCqOk9fIeDf_YtgGsGouw7VpbOOEWwvcqsjmc2jlMSRNJsnA/s4032/hslf%20msr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWrWlgQo9BAwbJyFf9liYcVug5vLEtr4oEPhSXFYT7iW0li-6TST6xTQ-jOmnqcu3GH_cm0gJoMpyWLsxyHybTbdGikof5hswEUPfqZ_NWvsJ0N89Q0Q1j6jH3aEJK1k5Pdi8r6_QraYCqOk9fIeDf_YtgGsGouw7VpbOOEWwvcqsjmc2jlMSRNJsnA/w300-h400/hslf%20msr.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My half-marathon is done! It was fine- not my best, not my worst. Considering that I was coming off a week with a pretty bad cold the fact that I retained the same pace for nearly seven miles that I used to run when I was running them all the time was good enough for me. Miles eight through ten were a bit rougher and then eleven through thirteen made me question all of my life choices. I was beyond exhausted more than sore for a few days after, but now I'm just super happy it's done and I can spend less time running (and diversify my exercise routine again). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Reading this month has been pretty great. I NEVER read YA, but after all the buzz over <span style="font-style: italic;">All My Rage</span> I decided to give it a try. The writing still felt like it was meant for teenagers (although smart ones), but the content and characters were super solid. I also finished Allende's newest, <span style="font-style: italic;">Violeta</span>, which I enjoyed (although I do like her older books more, especially since they're more magical realism heavy), and just started <span style="font-style: italic;">The Rabbit Hutch</span>, which I have a feeling will break my heart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">I was an idiot and let my passport full-on expire and then Sawyer's is expiring year too, since kid ones are only good for five years. So Saturday we have to go take our pictures and have the paperwork notarized that will let me apply for his without his dad present (this is after I realized I misplaced Sawyer's birth certificate and had to go to the County Clerk's office when feeling like junk last week). And THEN I have to actually fill out ALL the paperwork and go to the passport office next week for our appointment to apply. I fully understand that this is all part of the process and people do it everyday, but this is the part of adulting I hate. Fortunately, it means I get to leave the country in July, so I guess it's worth it (we are going to London!). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">For the first time since we bought our house eleven or twelve years ago our mortgage company over-estimated our escrow account deductions and issues us a check and decreased out payment. I am guessing some mello-roos expired, but the fact that it happened the SAME day as the dog racked up $700 in vet bills seemed like the universe actually wanted to do us a favor. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Sawyer's school participates in Accelerated Reading (AR), which I have mixed feelings about, but I am definitely amused by the fact that he has 400% of the goal his teacher set for him this trimester met. Clearly she needs to reassess for the next one… I am really proud of his reading, though, since not only is he challenging himself with above-grade-level texts, but also has really strong comprehension skills, too. If only this translated into memorizing his 8 and 12 multiplication facts, haha.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">I know it's hard to plan for these things, but if you ever get in an accident and it's the other person's fault, try to make sure they have adequate coverage. HA. The woman who hit me last November only had the state minimum, which was nowhere near the damage she caused to my car or the out-of-pocket rental expenses I accrued. I think things are going to get messy, which is not really my problem, since my insurance handles it, but still a pain.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">My students are selecting their outside reading books for the semester right now and it is so fun talking to them about what they want to read and giving out recommendations. I have had a few tell me that they're blowing way too much money at the bookstore on books and one told me she can't wait to get her driver's license so she can go to Barnes and Noble whenever she wants. And these are kids who don't identify as readers! </span></div></span></div><blockquote style="background-color: white; text-align: left;" type="cite"><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div></blockquote>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-62870283802881726632023-01-16T16:10:00.003-08:002023-01-16T16:10:25.126-08:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-AtrcOm1UYibrKwYLycNE3uMJqZbXS0FB7inJ9t4KK83j8aF9vWSGNnfaXzZZrXaePUAeTyXzTWZn8CoHuNQ4_MZZKMaMiCyOS0RmlMVoAwL-vVwVcQj7GvDOQdhNxIdjg1kCa8RkLTpppXUN5qHgp7d_yeKuAwnnx5opCeVkH499qGhZpeVnPEF8g/s4032/vromansbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-AtrcOm1UYibrKwYLycNE3uMJqZbXS0FB7inJ9t4KK83j8aF9vWSGNnfaXzZZrXaePUAeTyXzTWZn8CoHuNQ4_MZZKMaMiCyOS0RmlMVoAwL-vVwVcQj7GvDOQdhNxIdjg1kCa8RkLTpppXUN5qHgp7d_yeKuAwnnx5opCeVkH499qGhZpeVnPEF8g/w300-h400/vromansbooks.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My friends and I spent a few hours at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena this weekend and did some serious damage (especially me). It was so nice wandering around and not feeling rushed like I do sometimes (which meant carrying my max amount of books and then buying them). We had lunch at a fancy Italian place after and then visited a new little pie shop- it was the best kind of indulgent day. Extra friend time, extra books, extra food. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sawyer's friend is over right now and the two of them are happily playing upstairs and there's no threat of tears, tattling, or breaking things. Those really are the best kinds of playdates, am I right, moms? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The weather in Southern California has been incredibly rainy lately, which we can't complain about because of the drought. But... it's a lot of water. A LOT. And, actually, I will complain for a second, because too much of the deluge will be wasted because we don't have the infrastructure to catch the extra and save it for the summer. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm running a half marathon in a few weeks and am at my peak mileage right now- I am so tired and hungry. I am zero expectations besides finishing, since my runs just have not been amazing these past few months. I knew this going into it- I just needed <i>something. </i> I work out almost daily without a big race or hike on the horizon, but I guess I just needed some additional accountability and structure. And there's just this little itch I get occasionally to torture myself, I guess. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Check out <a href="http://bookishlyboisterous.blogspot.com/2023/01/demon-copperhead-2023-top-ten-contender.html">yesterday's post </a>on <i>Demon Copperhead. </i>That book just killed me in the best possible way. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">No pun intended, but I just finished <i>We All Want Impossible Things</i> yesterday, about a woman who is dying in hospice and her friend who is there with her until the end. It was funny, heartbreaking, and just really well-done. It wasn't overly sappy or morbid, just the right amount emotion to make you so thankful for friendships and life. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was SO OVER THE MOON EXCITED about the newest season of Yellowstone and even watched the season premier without Scott while he was in Korea, but have failed watch an more episodes since. I am so invested in the show (the only show... really) that I don't want to do anything else while it's on, which means I can't embroider, grade, or run on the treadmill, which also means that I'm having some serious trouble carving out time to devote to it. My dentist, who I see in less than a month, is going to be seriously disappointed in me if I don't catch up, so I need to make it happen. He gave me constant shit for year about never seeing the movie <i>Coming to America</i> and I finally redeemed myself with the cowboys and now I'm destroying all cred I had acquired. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The US part of the pandemic is almost three years old (happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!) and I am just now starting to have covid dreams. I haven't had it (yet), but I've had two dreams in 2023 where I have come down with it in weird scenarios (last night's fun included me getting arrested by district police because I was in my classroom trying to put together plans for the sub and forgot to wear a mask). Fun. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-3478746568569905112023-01-16T15:42:00.002-08:002023-01-16T15:42:25.291-08:00Demon Copperhead- 2023 Top Ten Contender <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTlCwlpruwmG1MKRvwJeCMXp_9coGUheTgw8aNJSTl5LLN-GHp3jsgiLRPvnZhb_jpiHokSdQguPbyoNNyZ9H52PrBCtJhubdO6vLVNn4d04tjsMCoTYuiq0TNxrAtLlo_ZniWt-cwd-7PqxyktJGDRthqPjx6zd1zNWp9X7mYaUBv8ahprWMFQDBZg/s3780/demon%20copper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTlCwlpruwmG1MKRvwJeCMXp_9coGUheTgw8aNJSTl5LLN-GHp3jsgiLRPvnZhb_jpiHokSdQguPbyoNNyZ9H52PrBCtJhubdO6vLVNn4d04tjsMCoTYuiq0TNxrAtLlo_ZniWt-cwd-7PqxyktJGDRthqPjx6zd1zNWp9X7mYaUBv8ahprWMFQDBZg/w320-h400/demon%20copper.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It’s not often I am confident in January that a book will make my top ten of the year list, but my intense love for Demon Copperfield by Barbara Kingsolver has pretty much all but secured it a spot. Demon, the narrator, is subjected to a life in poverty, foster care, and chaos, all worsened by the lurking impact of the opioid crisis in Appalachia. My heart constantly ached for him while still cheering him on towards the small successes he was granted, albeit most temporary. The supporting characters are mostly endearing, and the ones who are not just give you more of a reason to offer your undying support for Demon. Kingsolver’s writing is unsurprisingly brilliant and you won’t want the book to end (even at nearly 600 pages). Just go buy it and bump it up your TBR.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="yj6qo" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-71857867525694717862023-01-03T05:00:00.001-08:002023-01-03T05:00:00.299-08:002023 Goals and 2022 Revisited <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGknYeHaEzzAhdCP0Lxf_8KagzDa_Dbzi9jJj021HnR8Igc3pPxmMlep4f4VflkwDdW9tOm_1UXNAz3QFePnGqKKq1QvdhgN0lck-9I9Q1kiThNzN8rnIz5s_i8LKh5WypuUeB7488aCAa97_2NLHqyHbB5CwoTtP_9o-ZsGj_UPVATxatfcHZbJz2hg/s4032/habit%20tracker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGknYeHaEzzAhdCP0Lxf_8KagzDa_Dbzi9jJj021HnR8Igc3pPxmMlep4f4VflkwDdW9tOm_1UXNAz3QFePnGqKKq1QvdhgN0lck-9I9Q1kiThNzN8rnIz5s_i8LKh5WypuUeB7488aCAa97_2NLHqyHbB5CwoTtP_9o-ZsGj_UPVATxatfcHZbJz2hg/w300-h400/habit%20tracker.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love pushing myself to take on new goals, whether it's on the yearly or monthly level. Last year I had an extensive list of things I wanted to accomplish and printed out a google doc for each month for tracking progress (I posted it in my office/treadmill room and the visual was really helpful). Here's how I did:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. Read 75 books- check!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. Non-stretching yoga once a week- nope! I did more yoga this year, but because of the hiking and running I needed session focused more on stretching</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3. One home-related project a month- Yup! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. Pay off car- Yup! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. Hike once a month- Yup!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. Donate to a cause once a month- Yup (set up 2 monthly contributions)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. Stay on top of reviews/blogs- Not really... I did okay on bookstagram, but not great here</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8. Organize something once a month- yup!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">9. Send mail to someone once a month- yup!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">10. 120 hours a month on the Forest app- yup!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">All in all, I am really pleased with how I did. This year will have some of the same and some new ones. I am also using a habit tracker chart I bought recently, which will help. A lot of things from last year are just habitual now, like hiking and donating money (reading is, but I just like to include it). Some things I'm not interested in pushing myself on, like staying up on blogging or bookstagram- I will do what I have time for and what feels interesting! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. 150 hours a month on the Forest app (average of 5ish hours a day)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. One 32 oz water bottle a day (I am <i>the worst</i> at drinking water when I am not actively running, so this is a start).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3. 76 books for the year</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. Deep clean something once a month (my house is clean, but I want to really get in there)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. Send actual birthday cards to friends and family (I need to make a list!) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. Some sort of strength training at least five days a week (arms, abs, legs)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. Do my year-in-review book by month; finish the previous month within the first week of the next month</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8. Keep $xx,xxx in my savings, even after travel plans </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">9. Make an average five times the amount of the required HELOC monthly payment (this sounds crazy, but it's not)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">10. Any kind of yoga twice a week </span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-73134020098382339312023-01-02T11:17:00.004-08:002023-01-02T11:17:55.686-08:002022: The Best Year... Ever?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPq8Pk0jrMsHYLYmCgpqNNfek9J4uaasWM7cpFjLcbhhjAKYauLakFmJcOOU0r2ThxocaewudHrZt-WpGYyFQOeTIMhC1M7HFFEfLfhaupvEbwNjnD_WTvD0ZK3S2z0HKVlII_FzXgCkIl6Eoa_nmaVSgJNG40oQauxZ8mehNheKpr1RxsVr9d0Iw1w/s4032/joshua%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPq8Pk0jrMsHYLYmCgpqNNfek9J4uaasWM7cpFjLcbhhjAKYauLakFmJcOOU0r2ThxocaewudHrZt-WpGYyFQOeTIMhC1M7HFFEfLfhaupvEbwNjnD_WTvD0ZK3S2z0HKVlII_FzXgCkIl6Eoa_nmaVSgJNG40oQauxZ8mehNheKpr1RxsVr9d0Iw1w/w400-h300/joshua%20tree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I feel almost guilty admitting this, but 2022 has been once of the best years, if not the best, of my life. People don't want to hear this, whether it's because misery loves company, they think it's bragging, or whatever the deal it is (their deal...). And I get it, if you've had a shitty year the last thing you want to hear about is someone raving about why they're so happy. So, that's why I do it here, since basically no one reads (blogs are dead, it's cool) and if they are we're either strangers, they're hate reading to begin with, or they're a genuine friend that like to catch up on my ramblings. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, here are my top ten reasons why 2022 was great (we have to keep with the obligatory top-ten year-end lists, right?):</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. <b>Travel!</b> I could really put a hundred exclamation points behind it, but finally, I got on a plane again! We did a lot in the state, as well. Here were our various destinations:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> - Yosemite </span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span> - La Jolla (just me, on my solo weekend trip)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span> - Modesto (my sister's wedding)</span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span> - Bay Area (including San Francisco)</span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span> - Sequoia National Park</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span> - The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have some <i>very</i> exciting places on the docket for this year (writes reminder note to deal with passports)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. <b>Hiking</b> I made it my goal to hike an average of once a month ago and definitely exceeded it. Here are some of my favorites:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> - Yosemite</span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span> - Sequoias</span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span> - Tetons/Yellowstone</span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span> - Big Bear</span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span> - Idyllwild</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Peter's Canyon</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Claremont Nature Loop</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Skyline Trail (it's actually not a great trail, but the beauty comes from it being <span> </span><span> </span>so close)</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Santa Rosa Plateau </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> - Joshua Tree </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span>3. <b>Happy family</b> My marriage is really good and my son is thriving (swim, art, friends, reading). We found a babysitter who is <i>amazing, </i>which has allowed us to go out much more often, which is super nice. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>4. <b>The best friends</b> I remember when I moved out to the area I live in now and I had no friends or family. I had my husband, my then boyfriend, but I was never close to his family, so I was starting from scratch. Which has turned out amazing! Seventeen years later I have the best friends, and I work hard to maintain my relationships with them. Even if it's just a quick cup of coffee, a walk, or a drink for an hour on a Friday, we make it work. Obviously I love the readings in LA, the lengthy brunches, or afternoon pool dates, but we get what we can take. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. <b>Financial goals</b> Oh! The F word! I paid off my car after only one year, hit a savings goal, and set up monthly contributions to two charities I feel strongly about. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. <b>Family Time</b> Besides time with Scott and Sawyer (we definitely did more together as the three of us than ever before), I also went to Modesto for my sister's wedding, visited my other sister in the Bay Area, got together with my brother, his baby, and some other family in San Luis Obispo, and hosted some people down here (including for Thanksgiving). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. <b>Reading Goal Hit</b> I already published a post on my reading goals, but books are a huge source of happiness for me, so the fact I had such a good reading year was a huge positive</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8. <b>Small Home Improvements</b> One of my goals this year was to either coordinate or do some sort of home project each month, as simple as installing solar walkway lights or logistically annoying as hiring someone to paint our kitchen and living room. By necessity we had to have a tree cut down out back, replace a huge pool part, get a new washer and dryer, and have a leak in our downstairs living room fixed. I also painted a bathroom, did some work in the yard, and had someone finally come and clean out the dryer (PSA- if you don't do this or have someone, put that on your calendar ASAP; that is the leading cause of dryer fires and is an easy fix). This is a boring, adulty positive to have on the list, but it felt good to fulfill. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">9. <b>Fun Stuff </b> We do a lot, it's how I want to spend my time and money, what can I say? Museums, amusement parks, trails, restaurants, whatever sounds good. I like having a life that is full of variety and movement. I know that's not for everyone, and I do like the occasional weekend where we don't have plans, but this year I took advantage of life basically being back to "normal" and enjoyed it extensively.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">10. <b>Small Joys</b> A new tattoo, becoming unapologetically obsessed with the show <i>Yellowstone</i>, discovering one of my new favorite bands Lord Huron, figuring out that doing my nails during my runs (well I hop off to paint really fast) is super efficient, walking down the hill to Starbucks (and back up), and lots of other microjoys that help me get through the daily. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-25892589099721569632023-01-02T10:21:00.000-08:002023-01-02T10:21:17.438-08:002022 Top Ten Books Read <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbunV_ymxBuFQgvqOb1cRWc5pbp3wQUB4RVslr8cKxLUOnRb3NMpp3lz1ZoAu8SEQII3pqqv5UdjpRXA7lPlFpbHkFuldC5969nABIA4RMU2wXWV85jDyNyz5EsGMPpBf_Wci8rR01slhKdD7MMtdFhwitRVyureZ4GORwhGeXkXf88lZcrR09WbHK_A/s3780/topten2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbunV_ymxBuFQgvqOb1cRWc5pbp3wQUB4RVslr8cKxLUOnRb3NMpp3lz1ZoAu8SEQII3pqqv5UdjpRXA7lPlFpbHkFuldC5969nABIA4RMU2wXWV85jDyNyz5EsGMPpBf_Wci8rR01slhKdD7MMtdFhwitRVyureZ4GORwhGeXkXf88lZcrR09WbHK_A/w320-h400/topten2022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I made my goodreads goal of 75 books read with a day or two to spare this year! A miracle, indeed. I had a really, really good year of reading and it was tough to pick my favorites- I need to come up with some sort of elaborate scoring rubric to make this process more scientific and easier (really, I might). Here are some stats, taken off a very fancy note I wrote in my phone to post on social media:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5O3ZOTyRTtQeur-eXTP4cFbq6ABmcuAt2MHX55GYqm-M0p3-3wFWGh_mXczYUCXDLBe3XhWamEjyntcabzc-3HV8oDoa-MeqLs8OrrZXvYhNcPSI8pq_1ptgklzcx4LIt1rOfYvVvNLzt3-X7XNOokgNMu-ubbPBHKZpKr2vu3D4w_R7rWu4djQ4blw/s1678/2022%20Reading%20Stats.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1678" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5O3ZOTyRTtQeur-eXTP4cFbq6ABmcuAt2MHX55GYqm-M0p3-3wFWGh_mXczYUCXDLBe3XhWamEjyntcabzc-3HV8oDoa-MeqLs8OrrZXvYhNcPSI8pq_1ptgklzcx4LIt1rOfYvVvNLzt3-X7XNOokgNMu-ubbPBHKZpKr2vu3D4w_R7rWu4djQ4blw/w279-h400/2022%20Reading%20Stats.png" width="279" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know it's controversial, but I do not count audiobooks as reading. It's listening. The two are different. Sure, you're consuming a text, still, but it's a much more passive experience and you lose so much when trying to analyze the language (believe me, I can tell the kids who listen as opposed to read their assigned texts for work). I can listen to a book while I drive, walk, or clean- it's constantly something done when multitasking, which detracts from the attention needed to really fully comprehend a text. I listen to audiobooks and it's a totally different experience. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Okay, stepping off the soapbox, removing chip from shoulder. Moving on. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next year my goal is 76 books, since I just move up one a year, but hopefully I'll squeeze in a few more, since my TBR is, shall we say, exceptional.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-70345276112839683362022-12-24T05:00:00.001-08:002022-12-24T05:00:00.212-08:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrJAa5r4OMxR64SU91B3e-6m3DnqkHz2RlPwJn2I9qF9jnSdmJRY6FJGsvWegcdQCEeBiNBJnsFFQ8pkKweCh4WSamJUoQKM9JrS5CTmN6N8Tby-tVT9XljsFvUh4pYg4wNMtasI0KywZM6ug44XLydihkBxA2e_dBrM5uK7lWE0blH1H2Clf-mUPGw/s2048/christmas%202022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrJAa5r4OMxR64SU91B3e-6m3DnqkHz2RlPwJn2I9qF9jnSdmJRY6FJGsvWegcdQCEeBiNBJnsFFQ8pkKweCh4WSamJUoQKM9JrS5CTmN6N8Tby-tVT9XljsFvUh4pYg4wNMtasI0KywZM6ug44XLydihkBxA2e_dBrM5uK7lWE0blH1H2Clf-mUPGw/w400-h400/christmas%202022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Without a doubt, this has been our busiest and best holiday season to date. The combination of it being a "normal" year, Sawyer being old enough and more-than-willing to do ALL the things, and having the time, has allowed us to do some really great things We spent a day at Disneyland (we've never been at Christmas and a rainy morning allowed us to go on a ton of rides right away), watched<i> Home Alone</i> at the Walt Disney Music Hall in LA, did a Santa Run, saw the Enchanted lights at Descanso Gardens, and several other fun things. I've always said that I'd rather spend my money on experiences, rather than things! I'm usually a bit happy to see Christmas wind down, but this year I'll be a little sad to see it go. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am incredibly thankful my family has stayed healthy through the holiday season. Sawyer had a nasty bug before Thanksgiving, but other than that we have been well. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our Christmas card was so much fun this year! We always repurpose Sawyer's Halloween costumes and this year he was Marty McFly. On the cover he is doing the iconic watch-checking pose and there's a Santa flying in the sky with "Great Scott! We'll miss Santa!" (or something like that). On the inside Scott photoshopped present Sawyer into a scene I had taken of him photographing Sawyer for his very first Christmas card when he was eight months old. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've been training for a half-marathon in February, and to make a long boring story short, I've finally gotten some food pain under control, so that's helping a lot. I don't think it's going to be a fabulous race or anything, but it's been good for me to have some structure in my fitness routine.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, after managing to score Taylor Swift tickets last month, I landed another big concert victory- Lord Huron in Red Rocks in June. I LOVE this band SO much and had told Scott a week before that one day I'd see them there. When the tickets went on sale the next week I couldn't get any but managed to get some somewhat-reasonable ones through stubhub. I'm worried about it somehow falling through, but my friend who is going with me and I decided we'll just go anyway and explore Denver if anything! Between these two and another one in May, my concert budget it spent for 2023, haha.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The semester ended fairly quietly at work. I managed to pull a few extra kids into passing territory and did a good job staying on top of my grading from Thanksgiving to the end of term, so I never had to pull any essay-reading all-nighters. When return in January we're starting Sylvia Plath poetry, which is always <i>super</i> uplifting.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a few books away from making my GoodReads goal for the year, which I know I'll pull off on the the 30th or 31st, per the usual. It's a tradition! Luckily next my second week of break is pretty chill, minus a day trip to Joshua Tree with some friends (I've never been!) and a few happy hours and dinners and whatnot. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another big project for next week: completing my year-in-review book. I did through June over the summer, which puts me in a good spot for completing it, if I do a month or two a day once Christmas is over. I always give myself the due date of 1/1, since the site I use has really great sales and my books are LONG. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of Joshua Tree, I'll end the year with having gone to five National Parks this year! Yosemite, Sequoia, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Joshua Tree. Definitely got my money's worth out of my NPP (and before it expires next summer I'll be using it at Yosemite again, Rocky Mountain NP, and maybe another one of two). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My sister is due in a few months and I have been doing the same thing for her as I did my brother- Sawyer and I choose a kid's each month and send it to the little fetus to build her library (another niece! I can't want to meet her). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the body shop having my car for five weeks after an accident last month, I FINALLY got my car back yesterday. Now I get to deal with car rental reimbursements from the other insurance company, since the other driver was at-fault, but I'm a persistent woman. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm so proud of Sawyer's reading lately! He always has a book in the car, asks to extend his required homework independent reading time, and is already at 200% of is AR goal for the trimester, which is only half over (I have very mixed feelings on AR, but I like how his teacher uses it). Needless to say, he is getting a ton of books for Christmas! I tried to do a mix of some of the easier series he likes, some challenging ones, and some in between.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas- maybe I'll actually put up a few posts when I'm off. I mean, for the three of your who read for fun and the person or two who is hate-reading ;) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-83620150158618197742022-12-23T15:33:00.003-08:002022-12-23T15:33:31.855-08:00The Solace of Open Spaces<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDu5FYjszPd73nnRh_jztfEE3cqRvpL4vzWZh2J2GkX-rbqP-DaWKq2zMv67y20lV7aV6uDxWWImI4HwmK0UF_BWO_f6qiWpVEH9EXwPQXchqCFucpnPkY5o9qkpMs6-k5jsmessyN7-kfTKwkxQjCvt-395cLzpDRrgSC-ID_amQ93dqHEiA2AXCWlA/s500/solace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="327" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDu5FYjszPd73nnRh_jztfEE3cqRvpL4vzWZh2J2GkX-rbqP-DaWKq2zMv67y20lV7aV6uDxWWImI4HwmK0UF_BWO_f6qiWpVEH9EXwPQXchqCFucpnPkY5o9qkpMs6-k5jsmessyN7-kfTKwkxQjCvt-395cLzpDRrgSC-ID_amQ93dqHEiA2AXCWlA/w261-h400/solace.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I first heard about Gretel Ehrlich’s <i>The Solace of Open Spaces</i> on Yellowstone, when the character Beth reads a line to her father (I’d pretend to be embarrassed, but I’m beyond in love with the show, so I’m not). I immediately looked it up and ordered it on the spot. Between Beth Dutton’s recommendation and my newfound adoration of Wyoming after a trip to the Tetons, I knew it would resonate. It did. </span></span></div><div id="m_-3204813774049147791AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-3204813774049147791AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I finally finished the slim book of Ehrlich’s recounting of her time in Wyoming, working on ranches, and I already find myself wanting to reread it (this rarely happens). The language she uses to talk about the land and the nature that lives on it is exquisite, providing the potential for beauty in expected images like the landscape but also in the dry dust storms of the summer. Her depiction of those who inhabit the wide open land left me partially envious of their space, physical productivity, and seemingly simpler lives. Annie Dillard’s blurb on the cover, that “Wyoming has found it’s Whitman” is spot on. </span></div><div id="m_-3204813774049147791AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-3204813774049147791AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m not going to pack up and leave my home in suburbia, but there wasn’t a page that went by that didn’t make me yearn to get in my car and drive east, through Nevada and into Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. </span></div><div id="m_-3204813774049147791AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_-3204813774049147791AppleMailSignature" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There’s plenty of time. And hopefully space.</span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-68524242015497577682022-11-28T05:30:00.000-08:002022-11-28T05:30:00.232-08:00Bookish Banter- The Last Chairlift by John Irving <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5tbs1K9tW8ez-w2hhEnEv_9ye2zhQFFG_UQUzD9ri2okCRFHItzvegW3JWHzC9h1oZv555DgPbvRIkT3L5c9hGWJHbSwenrhDPuoaEJk5dNz1kxpIe1FWfcRtW7w50Krt8NR7bSQ_1SA6c75ITQ5MdZ-KWQGnndScI4kog0lUIHwi8XWrXu4EcagwA/s2096/chairlift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2096" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5tbs1K9tW8ez-w2hhEnEv_9ye2zhQFFG_UQUzD9ri2okCRFHItzvegW3JWHzC9h1oZv555DgPbvRIkT3L5c9hGWJHbSwenrhDPuoaEJk5dNz1kxpIe1FWfcRtW7w50Krt8NR7bSQ_1SA6c75ITQ5MdZ-KWQGnndScI4kog0lUIHwi8XWrXu4EcagwA/w268-h400/chairlift.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Look at us! </span><a href="https://julzreads.com/" style="font-family: verdana;">Julie</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and I got through the nearly 900 page newest John Irving book, </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The Last Chairlift</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">, during the start of the holiday season! There are some spoilers in here, be warned! </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-100b677e-7fff-7584-adf9-485bd21c9f10"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the first time I’ve ever read Irving “hot off the presses.” It was quirky and cute and vulgar and fun. And of course, all the sex. And of course there were some slightly odd anecdotes like “the kiss of questionable judgment” that Ray gave to Adam (ew) and the fact that Adam slept with his dad’s wife. Um yeah.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christine</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: I could get over the stepmom sex, since he didn’t grow up with her (</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Agreed), but the boundaries between Adam and Ray were a bit too poorly defined for me at times (</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, agreed). I thought the expression Em’s sexuality was interesting too, the fact that she expressed herself so loudly in the heat of the moment and was silent the rest of the time was such a deliberate commentary on the importance sex, and even intimacy as a whole, played in the book. Also intentional was his lack of discussion about Adam’s sex with Grace. What did you think of her? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I liked Em, especially when she started speaking. The pantomime thing didn’t work too well in writing. I’m glad she and Adam could support each other as spouses and writers. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I thought it was hilarious that it was the crazy wedding weekend (yeast infections, lesbians, orgasms, electrocutions) that Adam, “… decided to adopt an uncharacteristic nonchalance. I would henceforth appear to understand, or be indifferent to, everything.” That was a hell of a weekend…</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christine:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> That section was one of my favorites! Can you imagine it as a movie? Such shenanigans. So much of the story grew from that weekend- Ray and Mr. Barlow’s relationships, Nora and Em’s sexuality, ghosts, Molly’s role in their lives (loved her, by the way), etc… </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only people in Adam’s life who appear to have died natural deaths were Nana and Molly (despite her best efforts). Think about all of the outrageous ways people died like the diaper man previously mentioned. Aunts, scared to death by ghost. Uncles drive off cliff, possibly deliberately. The elder Barlows crushed by a train in an avalanche. Clara jumps from a chairlift. Nora and Paul Goode are shot at two very different venues and Adam witness both. Plus Vietnam and AIDS. Irving is certainly creatives in how he kills his characters.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although, honestly, I was glad to see Mr. Barlow and Ray commit suicide by six-pack and hypothermia. I don’t think I could have witnessed Ray’s death by cancer. Hell no.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christine:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It was very reminiscent of poor Owen Meany’s mom…</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I agree, and it would have been so out of character for her to just succumb. There really was so much loss in the book, which for Adam as a writer gave him a lot of material, but to look at it spelled out like that it’s really sad, too. This isn’t a sad story, though, with a lot of grieving. What do you make of Irving’s intent there? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think Irving’s presentation of loss is to demonstrate that at some point in everyone’s life, it’s going to happen. You will lose the people you love in some way or another and life goes on for the living. Shit, look at the year I’ve had.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Why is Irving so obsessed with small men? The way he gushes over Mr. Barlow, he would adore my husband!</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christine</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Ha! Again, Owen Meany vibes! (</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Totally!) I googled Irving’s height and he was 5’8”, so maybe it comes from some personal insecurities? Not that that is </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> short, but maybe it felt that way growing up? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did you think of the screenplay as narrative device? I found it distracting at first, especially with all the ghosts in scenes. I did get used to it after a while, and though it made for quicker reading, I was relieved when it switched back.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christine:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This was definitely something I wanted to talk about, and I felt the same way. I know Irving has written screenplays, so this wasn’t coming from somewhere completely random, but I connect with his prose so much more. I feel that way about literature as a whole, though, I much rather read a novel than a play!</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Confession: I really didn’t love the ghost angle, minus his grandfather’s. I was glad that it didn’t take over the text. It wasn’t done poorly or anything, just personal preference </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Names were so important! Adam, Grace, Rachel being shortened to Ray, Em’s name also being shortened by Nora, the plentiful descriptors for Mr. Barlow, etc.. Obviously this isn’t anything new, but I enjoyed deciphering the meanings. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julz: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeah, I prefer prose any day. I could have done without the ghost angle, too, except (besides the diaper man) maybe Paul Goode’s mom at the hotel. And yes, I’m glad you mentioned the descriptors! The snowshoer, the night groomer, etc. Those were endearing.</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-11753710060853977572022-11-22T19:48:00.002-08:002022-11-23T09:37:18.456-08:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaMcspztKr4zimRuUtVuCyhjEur0fNoHroKDWbQ_Uwo15xxkhx7c7kEXDreKzvBhlKL0VB_146u_10PJFBB_VlJURoBcC5BRuKqj_L4poPYiZlT9XNr1FnXmLcqsBSM8C3u2UYd2YkrIg9h4WhC9mSVUXLgJqGoWQpKePJ1bkkQ61fXY4VYTDyQ5nMA/s4032/galltree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaMcspztKr4zimRuUtVuCyhjEur0fNoHroKDWbQ_Uwo15xxkhx7c7kEXDreKzvBhlKL0VB_146u_10PJFBB_VlJURoBcC5BRuKqj_L4poPYiZlT9XNr1FnXmLcqsBSM8C3u2UYd2YkrIg9h4WhC9mSVUXLgJqGoWQpKePJ1bkkQ61fXY4VYTDyQ5nMA/w300-h400/galltree.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I finally finished John Irving's <i>The Last Chairlift</i>- Julz and I have a post coming in the near future for inquiring minds. I enjoyed it, but at nearly 900 pages it was a tad long. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Today is my birthday and I got lots of new books from my husband. Our birthday/Christmas strategy is very simple- set limits and exchange wish lists. It works!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Part of me is getting a little concerned about my Goodreads goals for the year, and part of me knows I <i>always</i> pull it off and will be totally fine. Please note that no part of me whatsoever thinks this whole goal is contrived and unimportant. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The last week has been A LOT, some in good ways and some not. Sawyer got a cold that turned into something more, which antibiotics helped with quickly, but then in turn bothered his stomach. I got in a car accident on Friday (a lady turned left in front of me when we both had just normal green lights... everyone is fine, but my car will be in the shop for a whilllllle... the whole thing has been pretty stressful). My mom was down for a few days and now my sister and her husband are with us through the holiday (these are good things). Scott came back from almost two weeks out of the country and I've been trying to catch up with work so I can go into the last few weeks in a good spot. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since my life isn't hectic enough, I decided to train for a half-marathon in February. It's one I've done six or so times before and I'm in good cardiovascular health, but I just forgot how much time the training schedule requires, especially since I am very slow. I needed a goal, though, a reason to push myself. So, here we are. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mysterious plastic babies started showing up in my classroom, the ones that are baked in to cakes for The Epiphany. Now it's become this huge running jokes and I have taken a little container of them home for my house for Thanksgiving break, since my students agree they needed constant protection. Let's just say since I started making them the stars of my Insastories I've gotten a lot of new followers (my teacher account)... apparently they'd rather see them then get book recs? As if. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Yellowstone </i> is back! If they just focused on Beth and Rip 90% of each episode that would be fine.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am not into decorating for Christmas on the outside of my house, but let's just say I've added another tree to my indoors, bringing out total to three (plus a big one in my classroom, so I guess I own four!).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The one in my classroom is for the extra credit literary ornament that my students are hopefully working on. It's one of my favorite classroom holiday traditions and I can't wait to see them! </span></p>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-36359003662814273102022-11-08T19:16:00.003-08:002022-11-08T19:16:32.059-08:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7ptB2B-U_8rMoXJRSiyQtflVdn43Uc7lY7kYY2iGArey8qSMMyD64f-ZDnCQPbAWBUn8CqTTM8Jhoq1fBRNHjyoJns1mdwcj0-oi7GGeZKnaML0kzHFCEfyMsevKsB_6IRt_hp_umDSodcsB7k-Q27_7y77mo-YvP9pszKWtSUYh71fyShGNDNbvEA/s4032/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7ptB2B-U_8rMoXJRSiyQtflVdn43Uc7lY7kYY2iGArey8qSMMyD64f-ZDnCQPbAWBUn8CqTTM8Jhoq1fBRNHjyoJns1mdwcj0-oi7GGeZKnaML0kzHFCEfyMsevKsB_6IRt_hp_umDSodcsB7k-Q27_7y77mo-YvP9pszKWtSUYh71fyShGNDNbvEA/w400-h300/sunset.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's pouring outside here in Southern California and in many other parts of the state (plus feet of snow in the mountains!)- we need it a million times over, but I must say I don't like it. I </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">appreciate </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">it, but I don't like it. I can't walk my dog, traffic is abysmal, and I walk around staring at my ceiling, since I </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">just know</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> it's going to start leaking (it's who I am).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's Election Night and I'm avoiding the news. I know it's not going to be great and I rather get it all in one chunk tomorrow rather than lots of disappointing tidbits tonight. There are some local and state issues that I feel more optimistic about, at least.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband is away for nearly two weeks out of the country for work, so I'm holding down the fort with a loud, chatty eight-year-old. Thoughts and prayers, please.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Coincidentally, the day my husband left to fly halfway across the world, is also out anniversary (we went out over the weekend, so it's all good). Marriage is really, really hard- not the part about being monogamous, the part about two different people with two very different personalities living in one space and making a life together. It's just tough, some years are very, very tough. Luckily, this year has been the easiest of them all- out of all fourteen of them! </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last month Sawyer and I took a weekend trip to Sequoia National Park and it was such a great weekend away. We drove to Visalia Friday afternoon, stayed the night there, hiked all of Saturday in the forest, and drove back in time for his swim lessons on Sunday (it's about four hours without traffic). The drive from the park entrance to the biggest tree (by volume), General Sherman, was incredibly windy but kind of a fun drive.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I just finished Thomas Hardy's <i>Woodlanders</i> for a research project I'm doing with my students and while it isn't best, there was a certain college-nostalgia I had while reading it. I took a class on Hardy at UCLA and just the idea of knowing I was going to write a paper on the book while I read it took me wayyyyy back.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm listening to Matthew Perry's memoir and...damn. It's really good, but really heavy.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm looking forward to lots of family time this month! We actually hung out with some of my husband's family, who we haven't see in years, a few weeks ago and then my mom comes in little over a week, and then when she leaves my sister and her husband are coming. Maybe I'll squeeze in a visit with my grandpa, too, and a cousin and I are trying to calendar some time to get lunch. Tis the season! </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-21952672509070506412022-11-08T18:47:00.001-08:002022-11-08T18:47:33.845-08:00Celeste Ng Reading <div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVoOOLe_T6j6beQ7z6gklOngN1ijs5DmXObFDa8y2y5MjrdrTBpoB5OPMTpaxmZKxd0BGjZIuxo4Wr876msP9aD7w6gRYFq9355D3uAcGkqNZ37rQqR8IWEKqAukPGcKP_4RWwcQ39EohdKaEE22MBBpv5KA9xCOvMQFSESHTqlSeh2ES41kCv-nuIQ/s1799/celeste%20ng.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVoOOLe_T6j6beQ7z6gklOngN1ijs5DmXObFDa8y2y5MjrdrTBpoB5OPMTpaxmZKxd0BGjZIuxo4Wr876msP9aD7w6gRYFq9355D3uAcGkqNZ37rQqR8IWEKqAukPGcKP_4RWwcQ39EohdKaEE22MBBpv5KA9xCOvMQFSESHTqlSeh2ES41kCv-nuIQ/s320/celeste%20ng.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of the things I missed most about the pandemic was going to readings, so it has felt good to go to a few this year! Earlier in the year I saw David Sedaris and at the beginning of the fall Anthony Doerr, and then, most recently, Celest Ng. Some of the highlights:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I went with one of my good friends, who I used to go with several times a year. This was our first since 2019, so it was good to be back in action </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Ng was in conversation with the Gabrielle Zevin, the author of <i>Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow</i>, which I absolutely loved. They're friends in real life, which made the conversation truly authentic! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The venue, Second Home, in Hollywood was super cool. It's a work space for freelancers and they had a beautiful courtyard, a bar, and a little library (and even a little resident dog that was mingling with the attendees) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The two authors talked about race in America, Ng's book, and her writing in general. It flew by and we wanted more! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ng is definitely at the place where I'll read anything she writes- <i>Our Missing Hearts</i> was just as solid as her other two. It broke my hearts many times over and made me a little fearful for out world, but the emotion she evokes is a testament to her writing skills (just make sure you're in the right headspace for it).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7EckSH2G3AEDhwfuXkZDKkOHopkyDLOIT72UpkwJVEYTyFJ-AWlgfQytuoHtg1JuIgzL1vMcwgVuW_CjBF_22bWLirQBXGiTvJFBb6p1FE1OeyyiUlX-0ZYFBzNSGhXRtv7uIHSWoNq6vXluCjdGHlCgxMnvOzUJtH_shOy8Ihbn6KenKS-ydhHXIA/s1800/hearts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7EckSH2G3AEDhwfuXkZDKkOHopkyDLOIT72UpkwJVEYTyFJ-AWlgfQytuoHtg1JuIgzL1vMcwgVuW_CjBF_22bWLirQBXGiTvJFBb6p1FE1OeyyiUlX-0ZYFBzNSGhXRtv7uIHSWoNq6vXluCjdGHlCgxMnvOzUJtH_shOy8Ihbn6KenKS-ydhHXIA/s320/hearts.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-87600886237104636542022-10-10T16:30:00.001-07:002022-10-10T16:30:00.256-07:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71jIDCfmq2TZlM89s1ESPLQ8pFjTUUyIQNU21eVBC4syY69qM5yp6XRqmU4mSN2-JWqxAki0mH0PTcCyfrPYZOke89w4syL6fWuAvy2lFF0nrJJcFDyU7PD0zMhNNXsoszGPzuKhUrkS1TffEceH_OQhza1RhaIDl52TNy4beSmRiH0blUSIfDRr2gA/s4032/IMG_0995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71jIDCfmq2TZlM89s1ESPLQ8pFjTUUyIQNU21eVBC4syY69qM5yp6XRqmU4mSN2-JWqxAki0mH0PTcCyfrPYZOke89w4syL6fWuAvy2lFF0nrJJcFDyU7PD0zMhNNXsoszGPzuKhUrkS1TffEceH_OQhza1RhaIDl52TNy4beSmRiH0blUSIfDRr2gA/w300-h400/IMG_0995.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Apparently we're a once-a-month blog over here, now. Ha! What can I say? Life has been busy and I do what I can, when I can, with what I can. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been reading, albeit at slower pace than the summer since school started. I started the month with a book I'd seen in many places, <i>Remarkably Bright Creatures, </i>and I thought it was okay. I'm sure it would make an adorable movie, super touching and with some great scenes of the PNW, but it just wasn't amazing. The dialogue alone bugged me from the start. Right now I am unfortunately feeling the same way about my current read, <i>Killers of a Certain Age</i>, although with that one I can at least get behind the idea of bringing awareness to certain things our society does to older people. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I went to the Anthony Doerr reading in Beverly Hills a few weeks ago and he was absolutely delightful. So funny, so smart, it was just a great event. David Ulin from the LA Times interviewed him, whom I have seen several times (and read one of his books), and he was so enjoyable too. It makes for a very late night, but they're often on Thursdays, so I can hang in there on Fridays. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of readings, a friend and I are going to hear Celeste Ng speak later this month and I am so excited. I love her first two books and her third just arrived the other day, so I'm hoping to get through it before the event (it will be a bit of a palate cleanser, as well). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I recently listed to <i>I'm Glad My Mom Died</i> by Jennette McCurdy after hearing all the buzz absolutely everywhere. It was the perfect listen- she of course reads it and her whole story is so fascinating. Despite most of the things she focuses on being quite heavy, she still manages to bring light and humor into her story. I had no idea who she was, since I was too old for the <i>iCarly</i> mania, but nonetheless, I was captivated from beginning to end. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My son has been bugging me for months and months to buy a Switch so I can play <i>Animal Crossing</i>, the one game I have expressed interested in that you can play on it. I finally gave in and it's so funny to see him try to "teach" me to play. He insists the thirty or forty minutes I sit down to play on the couch next to him twice a week or counts as "hanging out time," so I guess it's a win. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We had family portraits taken for the first time earlier this month and I just got them back last week and love them so much. A friend from work is semi-retired from her photography business but she occasionally will take on a client still, so we totally lucked out. She did an amazing job and I can't wait to get some printed. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sawyer has decided on a Halloween costume: Marty McFly, since he's obsessed with those movies. Marty wore A LOT of layers, lemme tell you. Luckily he will be able to wears many of them all fall, so I guess we're killing two birds with one... Halloween costume.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband has been in NYC for several days for week and I've had to build in extra time to my daily routines to just <i>check</i> things. He and I are equally paranoid about burners being off, candles blown out, curling irons not plugged in, etc... so I rely on him as my co-fire-started-checker, and now that he's not here I'm on high alert. I know, this sounds super crazy. I have always been very worried about home catastrophes, fire especially, which I blame on the fact that a fire broke out in my parents' home when my mom was pregnant with me. Being scared of fire truly is innate in my case. And, to make matters worse recently, the home around the corner from us burnt down in the middle of the night and I pass by it daily when I walk (my heart breaks for the family every time I go by it- I was so thankful the neighborhood banded together to help them out, but still... their home is destroyed).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since we're on the topic of me being witness to devastating things, because <i>that's fun</i>, here's another one. A few weeks ago I was taking my son to swim class and I noticed the husband and young daughter of an old colleague whom I am still friendly with. I saw them ride in front of me... and then cross the street on the other side... and then get hit by a car. It was one of the scariest moments of my life (and Sawyer's). Long story short, while they were hurt, they will be fine and please please please everyone wear helmets.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-3081680741180957222022-09-17T13:10:00.000-07:002022-09-17T13:10:11.431-07:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGbh_7BjhDpoNk1ZAlpTwIB-4CRvXsFUBfW2m0DIVOgwDAfDssPP9ddcnK0RA3wljWKQP-HRrySFA9KbShLXx93dZBxY0VTNxMTbqYyBmHlRV3xfPTYVYOHJOp1kI51ECykaICEYSfd3DR8YouWs43tImIIjV5RTzCItFQ39wBDaGVCxvLqqPr1MLIA/s1227/august%20reads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1088" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGbh_7BjhDpoNk1ZAlpTwIB-4CRvXsFUBfW2m0DIVOgwDAfDssPP9ddcnK0RA3wljWKQP-HRrySFA9KbShLXx93dZBxY0VTNxMTbqYyBmHlRV3xfPTYVYOHJOp1kI51ECykaICEYSfd3DR8YouWs43tImIIjV5RTzCItFQ39wBDaGVCxvLqqPr1MLIA/w355-h400/august%20reads.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. See above for what I read in August! I really, really loved the Louise Erdrich one and <i>Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow</i> (so much better than <i>Ready Player Two...)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. I got my Covid Booster on Thursday night and, like my predicted clockwork, it knocked me out twenty-four hours later for twelve hours (I always get Moderna and always have pretty strong side effects). I was so confident in the timing that I even agreed to go to Happy Hour yesterday evening, and I felt totally fine until I got home, haha. I know there is some who think we should wait a bit to get it, but my husband has really big work trips in October and November, so this works best for our family. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3. September has been quite the month for home repairs issues, and it's barely half way through (cue crying emoji). We had to have a huge tree removed in the back yard, our eleven-year-old dryer quit so we replaced the pair, and then the pool guy texted yesterday with the news that our salt cell was dead. The joys of home ownership, right?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. Despite the home stuff, this month has been a lot of fun so far- my friend had a big Roaring 20s dress up birthday party that another friend and I went to, my new babysitter has come over again and we absolutely love her, my husband survived flying to Seattle (he hates flying) for work, Sawyer had to memorize a poem for school and did wonderfully, I have gotten together with a few friends, and, most importantly, it is no longer 106 degrees. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. I got the weirdest, best mail yesterday: my Warby Parker try-ons, a kit that will supposedly teach me how to crochet a penguin, and <i>Remarkably Bright Creatures</i> by Shelby Van Pelt.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. I don't know if I am going to listen to them all, but I just discovered the Podcast on Spotify <i>60 Songs that Explain the '90s</i>. Such a flashback to my youth- the first one is Alanis Morrissette's "You Oughta Know," so we're off with a bang! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. There are SO many good new released this fall- I made a reel for my bookstagram account (@bookishlyb) but don't know how to get it here/don't have the time to figure it out, so maybe I can get my shit together and do a post. Debatable.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8. Honestly, I do consider shuttering this blog a few times a month, just because I hate doing things I can't consistently maintain. I don't want to, though, since it's a fun time capsule of a really huge chunk of my adult life, and I do enjoy popping on just to write a few times a month. I enjoy writing things that aren't emails, student assignments, etc... so that alone is probably reason enough to keep going. More than anything, I just need to reframe what exactly my expectations are for the space. </span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-37655308348675863592022-08-31T17:57:00.004-07:002022-08-31T17:57:41.673-07:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHCtWcTBI3F46ZdBqQFQBh35lCIZdmQrc3cu8lXBbqzBT9cwk31xyyV3LDLkWfQeZ1yBqNKzA9oEGsLwnhOV5T6K9ol8J45mRNaj2nMr-KeDvl_X8cyP4ZpbEpGOEd-Qw80ar7lYohDxbb-caaNLlox9X4uMmgcjUWkoMcvxXlsp4sIBkiDFjRoTEhg/s4032/hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHCtWcTBI3F46ZdBqQFQBh35lCIZdmQrc3cu8lXBbqzBT9cwk31xyyV3LDLkWfQeZ1yBqNKzA9oEGsLwnhOV5T6K9ol8J45mRNaj2nMr-KeDvl_X8cyP4ZpbEpGOEd-Qw80ar7lYohDxbb-caaNLlox9X4uMmgcjUWkoMcvxXlsp4sIBkiDFjRoTEhg/w400-h300/hike.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">August! It's over! I managed to read six books this month, but it has been really full life-wise (hence no posts here). Some of the highlights (and a few lows):</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Sawyer started school and all is well between his new teacher, the center that transports him before/after school, etc... He goes to art class a few times a month and is now doing weekly swim lessons, since we've talked about him joining a swim team someday (I have maxed out on what I can teach him, which is pretty limited, so now I need a professional)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I am wrapping up my fifth week back, which is crazy. The days themselves can drag on and be really tiring, but as a whole the year is off to a quick start</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- My husband is traveling A LOT for work, which is so weird, since he never has before. Luckily I am a very independent woman who has no problem holding down the fort (pats self on back) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- We have to have a tree removed from our backyard tomorrow and I'm pretty sad about it. It's a huge eucalyptus, but the roots are doing some damage, so it's time to pull it out before anything becomes too expensive. I am pretty nervous about it all, since it's right next to pool equipment, but they're insured and I'll be at work the whole time. By the time I get home it should all be over </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I went hiking last weekends with some friends and then we had brunch afterwards- my idea of a perfect friend date</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- WE FOUND A BABYSITTER! She is an old student now in graduate school and I trust her completely. We did a trial run a few weeks ago and it went smoothly, so she's coming this weekend for a longer stretch. The prospect of all the future dinner's out with <i>just</i> my husband is so exciting (not that I don't love taking Sawyer places, but we are together A LOT)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- The three of us went to the Hollywood Bowl to see <i>Back to the Future. </i>It was so fun! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>- </i>I renewed mine and Sawyer's Knott's Berry Farm passes, which we haven't had for awhile. I had gotten a little sick of it and probably will again, but it's fun for a few hours. We thought about getting Disneyland season passes for a minute, but we'd have to go like once a month to make them worth it and I'm more of a go-once-a-year kind of person, so we opted to not. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And a few more things...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I have gotten super in to the band Lord Huron this summer and I'm so bummed I missed my chance to see them in concert when they were touring </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I am SO glad Sawyer's new teacher doesn't use Class Dojo (it's this app that connects the teacher to the parents and allows them to award points for things, take away points, post messages/pictures, etc...). I think it could be utilized well, like I have friends who just use it for messaging, but I think teachers should just handle their day-to-day classroom management in their room without a sort of tattle-tale big brother sort of app (and Sawyer only got one point taken away all year... I just don't like it). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I am so happy for the people that the student loan relief bill will help! I paid mine off last year, so I won't benefit, but I know people who will. It doesn't take away from the fact that their is a HUGE problem with the ridiculous college costs that exist now, but at least it's a little help</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Let me just tell you, the two minutes you're on hold with your kid's school secretary trying to figure out why they were marked absent after you are very sure you dropped them off at the daycare center that transports them is excruciating. Because there's this middleman taking him to school I check his attendance through an app every minute to make sure he made (and on time). One day last week he was marked absent, just a few days after a registered sec offender managed to get on a nearby elementary school campus. Luckily his teacher just made a mistake, which I know I've done, but I probably lost a year off of my life!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- I can't wait for this weekend! Despite it being 106-110 degrees, I have big plans. My friend's Roaring 20s costume party is this weekend and another friend is my date since my husband has a work trip, another friend is coming over to swim one day, and then Sawyer and I are taking Ellie to meet another friend's puppy (this will probably go poorly for the dogs, since Ellie is terrified of other animals). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-54989021207639152162022-08-03T05:00:00.001-07:002022-08-03T05:00:00.241-07:00Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3c-Yn_JbbSDux7pgkMad4tpFv_NsUJi1coUMILgLmmHp9LvSHJXJU-ElwEJagXCKsqGtTLDxRskJ6M1TH30EgIQypCre-EQxUXJXlj6FUh202tdtIuNDGrj9fnnBGEfD9bNnIYQXsJJjSUiW2rz1IcuC26Dk1sQgeY4guzTRg8RuKvpO0uvahS8OlA/s1800/sf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3c-Yn_JbbSDux7pgkMad4tpFv_NsUJi1coUMILgLmmHp9LvSHJXJU-ElwEJagXCKsqGtTLDxRskJ6M1TH30EgIQypCre-EQxUXJXlj6FUh202tdtIuNDGrj9fnnBGEfD9bNnIYQXsJJjSUiW2rz1IcuC26Dk1sQgeY4guzTRg8RuKvpO0uvahS8OlA/w320-h400/sf.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hey! It's me! I'm back from an incredibly busy stretch of the summer. Since we last chatted, I have:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- taken Sawyer aquarium</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- had two book clubs</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- chauffeured Sawyer to and from art camp for a week</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- drove to the Bay Area to pick up my sister and while there spent the day in San Francisco </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- spent a day in La Jolla with Sawyer and my sister</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- had a park reading date with the above two</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- did eight miles of hiking with friends in Big Bear (our Half Dome trip was canceled because of a fire, but we rallied and made the best out of it!)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- met family for the day in San Louis Obispo, which is four hours a day</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I started back at work yesterday and was quickly reminded as to how much planning goes into being a working mom, if things need to run smoothly. Luckily this happens every single year and I rapidly acclimate to the rush of work days (Sawyer hasn't even started school again yet, nor do I have any grading! That's when the true craziness begins.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband and I got to go out to a non-child-friendly restaurant in a different city last night, since my sister is in town. And in a few weeks we get to go out again, since we finally found a babysitter. A miracle!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am about 100 pages into <i>Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow</i> by Gabrielle Zevin and I love it so much. Don't be put off by the synopsis- it's really great and not about videogames.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I read seven books last month- all of them were really solid except <i>Cult Classic</i>. I definitely prefer Sloane Crosley's essays. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0vGgFC4NB4BqVlnyrEsUMXSd-7Z4ZkB0FKYcIBc8fbKqEO0nsgKtKbzfUKWPR5IYGYKVOjaa6kbdP_PaAIli28WX1IAGxpub-cjcstdXc40RNRt4Xa1eSJ85PNJkPnlrv4tpKt281oEEXq9YxonGr9C7CjuAc_SQebJZqVK9F27kN9Ner0gfrIE8RA/s3780/july%20books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0vGgFC4NB4BqVlnyrEsUMXSd-7Z4ZkB0FKYcIBc8fbKqEO0nsgKtKbzfUKWPR5IYGYKVOjaa6kbdP_PaAIli28WX1IAGxpub-cjcstdXc40RNRt4Xa1eSJ85PNJkPnlrv4tpKt281oEEXq9YxonGr9C7CjuAc_SQebJZqVK9F27kN9Ner0gfrIE8RA/s320/july%20books.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm kind of at a standstill in terms of how I want to handle reviews here and on Instagram. I've tried doing quick little bullet points and monthly round ups, but nothing really sticks. Honestly, I think I'm probably just going to do whatever I feel like! Definitely a round-up picture/post, but maybe just mention the ones I really like or have time for. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We finally caught up with <i>Yellowstone</i> and this is totally the fastest I have watched anything since Sawyer was born- I love the show so much I'll probably start re-watching episodes on the treadmill. All I know is that I wish there was a little more Beth in me, because there are have needed some of her sass. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, how did I do on the list of things I needed to finish up before ending the summer? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- finish six books <b>(YUP)</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- finish current embroidery project <b>(NOPE)</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- embroider a necklace (I have these little sort of metal settings that are clearly hard to describe) <b>(YES, but redoing) </b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- have a fun weekend in the bay area/SF when driving up to get my sister <b>(YUP)</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- have loose ideas for the first week and a half with students<b> (YUP)</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- do some boring yard work <b>(YUP)</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #3b3939; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Half Dome ready (I need to go to REI, stay active, etc...) <b>(YUP, but didn't actually go)</b></span></div></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640540060819179935.post-44946844217572433262022-08-02T15:36:00.000-07:002022-08-02T15:36:00.071-07:00Bookish Banter: Middlesex<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Hey! It's me! I'm alive! Until my next update, here's a conversation between <a href="https://julzreads.com/">Julz</a> and I about a reread for both of us- Jeffrey Eugenides' <i>Middlesex. </i>It's hard for me to reread things, since there are just sooooo many books to read as is, but I always walk away with a new, deeper understanding and appreciation that I should do it more often.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christine</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">: Obviously fate versus free will is a huge thematic component in the text, which is a nice tie back to the classical references and ancestry. Then there’s also the idea of nature versus nurture, which is an interesting extension of that concept. How much control did the characters have of their lives? Their futures?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julz</span>: I think free will was more prevalent than fate. Sure, there were things that were beyond the characters’ control, like civil unrest and the goings on of the wider world, but every decision they made shaped the lives of their family. Like, um, marrying your brother! </span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I could totally relate to Callie here: “Gradually as most of the other girls in my grade began to undergo their own transformations, I began to worry less about possible accidents and more about being left behind, left out.” That was so me until my junior year of high school.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christine</span>: Father Mike and Jimmy Zizmo both marry into the family and end up showing their corruption (although Zizmo is much more overt and immediate). Both are religious figures and are outsiders- what do you think Eugenides is saying about those not blood related to the family? Or even religion (I know Zizmo’s organization wasn’t exactly traditional)?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julz</span>: I think the way Eugenides addressed religion made it sound more like superstition and it felt like he was rolling his eyes at the concept of organized religion. Maybe that’s why he portrayed Mike and Jimmy as corrupt, as they were a reflection of those institutions. Hmmm?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christine</span>: Agreed! Speaking of secondary male characters, what do you think of Dr. Luce? Part of me hated him for treating Cal as a mere specimen, but if I try to look at things objectively, he’s a scientist and this is a really, really different time period when it comes to sexuality and patient transparency. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julz</span>: Well, that can circle back to the nature versus nurture concept. Luce was convinced that despite her maleness, Cal could continue as female because that’s how she was nurtured. I didn’t really feel strongly either way with how Luce handled Cal. I think he expressed enough compassion toward her, and yet, there was a bit of detachment when studying her. Hey, it was the 70’s they were all probably smoking cigarettes in his office.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christine</span>: I loved this book, despite forgetting a lot of it (I did read a really long time ago, in my defense), but I had one criticism, and that was of some of the symbolism being a bit too obvious, namely the spoon and the house address. Any nitpicky problems? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julz</span>: I didn’t think Eugenides was hitting me over the head with symbolism any more than say, John Irving. I read it probably 15 years ago, and it was pretty much like reading it for the first time again. This book definitely cemented my love for multigenerational family epics (unabashed plug for Ursula, Under by Ingrid Hill). </span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My one irritation was that we didn’t get the punchline to Cal referring to her brother as Chapter Eleven until the very end.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And funny enough, the first time I read this book, I highlighted the following (about the house on Middlesex Boulevard): “…communism, better in theory than reality.” I’m guessing I did that because it’s so similar to a quote from the Simpsons.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christine:</span> I will have to check that one out. I always say that I don’t like them and then end up eating my words, hah!</span></p>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02287501540207945678noreply@blogger.com0