Calvin & Hobbes Motto

Save the Words

This post is something I think my sister, Kris, would enjoy. Thanks to the New Dork Review of Books, I clicked on the link and discovered you could save a word that has been disappearing from the English language. The trick is to use it constantly in your everyday conversations. How fun would that be, but at my job I would just get very strange looks. I think some of my other family members would benefit from it more than I would. Check it out:

http://www.savethewords.org/

If I said leeftail in conversation, I would get some strange looks. (It means in great demand).

Like: "The night vision goggles in Black Friday's ad were leeftail." Yeah, doesn't sound very intellectual at my place of business.

Book Shelf

I want to add some more to my earlier post. I mentioned I almost bought Hugo's classic. I have three bookshelves of my own, and at least one of them is filled with books I have purchased but not read yet. I tend to check out books from the library and read those first, because of the due dates. Occasionally I pick one up when the library holds dry up, but many are sitting there for the day I choose them.

While at the bookstore, I had a thought. Do I "hoard" books so I have a great stack if I am ever stranded for a long period at home? Yes, I think I am book hoarder. I just hope that someday I will live in a place I can have an actual library. Faith is moving out someday, I can rearrange her room. Don't tell her...it will be our little secret.

Updated Classics

There is an interesting prompt for discussion in one of the many book blogs I follow, and it really got me thinking. It also helped that Faith and I spent the morning browsing at Barnes and Noble after enjoying my venti peppermint mocha (I'm awake now). I had a 30% off one item coupon I had to use, and I had to choose between a classic (Hugo's Les Miserable) or a must read (Furnivall's Girl from Junchow). I chose the must read, because I bet I can pick up the classic at a used bookstore. Oh, sorry, I'm rambling....

The Blue Bookcase's Literary Blog Hop asked: What makes a contemporary novel a classic? It certainly brings up a good point, and I can list alot that I feel would fall under the category as a must read/must own. I came down to two selections that I strongly believe that need to be classified as classics: "The Stand" by Stephen King, and all of JK Rowlings Harry Potter books. Both books are amazing reads that take a simple plot of good versus evil and gets you cheering along the way.

Has anyone in my family read "The Stand"? It is one of my paperbacks that is worn, and I know I have read it twice. I refuse to give up my paperback, and it comforts me to know that it is still on my shelf, waiting for that day I need to lose myself in it again. I know my sister loves the miniseries as much as I do, and watches it whenever it's on (I still smile when King makes an appearance in the movie. His line is very choppy and you can tell he's not an actor). The book is so much better.

I'm not sure what Harry Potter books are still laying around, because it's hard to keep track when Faith reads my stuff, it seems to disappear in the pit she calls her room. But still it is comforting to know that they could be around somewhere. These books are classics because they don't cater to a specific age group. I know that 10 year olds enjoy it as much as the 65 year olds, and a classic is when a story can connect people in a special way. These books hold a special place in my heart, because Faith and I started reading them together, when our lives were turned upside down through the divorce. It was a great way to connect with my daughter before bedtime, and an easy way to escape the reality we were facing every day. I love the movies too, but the books are, of course, more involved and enjoyable. I know I will cry at the last showing of the last movie next summer, because I am always sad when a series ends, I feel as if a part of my life is gone.

The most amazing part of these books is that they are early novels of a new writer. Can you imagine one of your first publications being so loved that they are constantly in print? That is the stuff my dreams are made of.

Alone Time

I crave my alone time when I'm at work, and that is my hour lunch period. I have not been able to have a quiet lunch period for a long time now. Faith drives me to school in the morning, and I no longer have a vehicle to hide in. It is much easier for her to drive me to work, and then she is done at 4, picking me up at 5. It really works great when she has to work at 5, then I have the car. The only bad point is, I have to eat in the building.

I've tried everything, I put headphones in, people still try to talk to me. I hide in an office with a door shut, people just barge in. I sit in the breakroom, and then get paged for a phone call. Today I did something so out of my normal routine, it shocked even me. I went and ate at HyVee, sitting at a table by myself.

I have never done that, even if I'm traveling. I would always eat in my hotel room. I was always afraid of looking stupid. Not anymore. It was noisy, yet no one talked to me!!!! I read my book, and no one talked to me!!!! You see, in my life this is a HUGE accomplishment. I don't like to step out of my comfort zone, and I did it and found I survived, and went back to work feeling like I could tackle the afternoon. Yeah for me. The only problem is it will cost me money, so it will be limited. I can't bring myself to just sit there without buying anything. I know they wouldn't say anything, but I really don't think that is the right thing to do.

Yeah for me!!!!

Now what I do when I have too much alone time at home because Faith is always gone????

A Salute on Veteran's Day

Today is a day that is usually hidden, because it is unlucky to fall right before Thanksgiving, another holiday that is fast disappearing in this world of retail that is focusing on the money made over Christmas.

I do know some veterans in the family that we can honor today. Many times I wish I had asked Grandpa Briggle about his experiences. I don't recall that he actually saw combat, but his experiences were part of what is now known as the "Greatest Generation". I am familiar with the story of Grandma Briggle's brother who didn't make it home alive in WWII, but wish there was more information. I know Dad was in the National Guard, and that is a very important part of our country, and a cousin who is an officer. Even though I don't know much about their actual experiences (except for Dad's--thanks to those drives to the Hills) and wish someone would have written them down or recorded the stories. I may not know everything that they experienced, but I do know I owe them my thanks. This country would not be if we didn't have the veterans. Thank you for your devotion.

Comments

Can anyone answer this question: What, exactly, do some of the words that pop up for you to "verify" your comment left mean? You know, when you comment on a post, or sign up for something on the internet and they need to verify it's an actual person, not just some computer and it says to type what the letters are? Is it an actual word, or just jibberish? Comment on this post and you will understand my question. I've been wondering about that a long time now.

Pray for Silence

If you know me, you've heard that I hate to read series out of order. I also try to read an author's first publication until I get to the one I really want to read. It's almost as if I follow their journey of writing, even if they don't write an actual series. It's just one of my "issues".

I checked this book out, thinking it was the one I had wanted to read earlier this year. I didn't pay attention to the cover, but discovered after starting it that it was the second in a series by the author. Normally, I put the book down, and get the first one to start over, but I couldn't with this one. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and I decided I couldn't wait to finish it.

Glad I kept reading. The main character is typical of what I tend to read, a strong woman solving problems. What I really liked is that it combined another fascination of mine, the Amish. I can't explain why I want to read about this private group of people, and was introduced by Beverly Lewis when I started another of her series. Castillo takes it to a new experience for me, the main character chose to leave the Amish faith, but is still living where she was raised. The crimes committed against the Amish in her community become personal for her. I think I am going to pick up the first publication at the library. Although I know how that book ended, I am really interested in the developement of the characters I discovered. It was a quick, fascinating read, and another I couldn't figure out the ending on my own, which is always a plus for me.

Patterns

Looking back at the publication dates of past posts, I have noticed that they are spiked when I have time off. I got to thinking about it and decided that my job is sucking the creativity and desire to write out of me. That's not a nice thought. Is it because all day long I have to be on my game, making decisions and making sure everyone around me is happy? Or is it because of exhaustion? Maybe it's because my computer chair is from the dining room table and so hard my back hurts if I sit here too long, especially if I take too long tending to my crops on Facebook's Farmville.

I'm not sure. Sorry I don't post as often as I like. I even took my time posting about my recent reads. I could post about the fact that now that political ads are finally done, I am already sick of the Christmas ads on. I could complain about the fact my toe still hurts from running over it with the pallet jack last Thursday (the entire big toe is now a nice shade of purple, and my toenail looks like I painted it a nice grey color, sorry TMI). Sure you don't want to hear about my dreams where I am yelling at the store manager because I am mad at him sometimes. Maybe you don't want to hear about the fact my ex is still a butthead, and what did I actually see in him? Maybe I should post my schedule for the rest of the month when I get it so you will know when to check my blog for a recent post:)

Be warned, it might be my last full weekend off until after the Holidays, so don't get too concerned if it's been awhile since you heard from me...my creativity only goes so far.

The Postcard Killers

He's done it again, another fast paced, easy read murder mystery by Patterson. This time he teams up with who is listed as a famous writer in another country. The book is very similar in everything with a lot of his others, and I am wondering if I really want to continue reading his publications. I do enjoy his Women's Murder Club and the new series with the widowed detective with all the kids, and always enjoy Alex Cross, but when does it end? This one was a little creepy, but predictable and I found it kind of boring. It's getting to the point that I enjoy his books when I am busy, because his chapters are short and the book is easy to pick up when it's been a day between readings, and I hope that I don't "burn" out reading the stuff. I hate it when I stop reading a writer because I'm "bored", it's almost like breaking up with them. Weird, I know, but that's how I see it.

Midnight Angels

I discovered this author (who's last name I cannot pronounce) when I read "Sleepers", around the time the movie with the same name was released. I never saw the movie, but liked the book, and always try to read his new publications. I'll be honest, this book was very similar to "The DaVinci Code" because it was intrigue, murder, and mystery surrounding Micheangelo. It's been a couple of weeks since I read the book, and can honestly say I have forgotton some of it already. It took me over a week to read it, and that is a long time for me. Hope the next book is better.