The day was nice enough. It was sunny. The sunlight only served to invigorate us after days of El Nino had sucked our senses dry. We had chores to catch up on while our senses were enlivened by the warmth. In the middle of our busyness, BOOM! and everything went dark. (Yes, it was broad daylight, but my house eats light.) My firebug lit the candles, the other girls got out the board games. An odd thing these days, laughter. The girls sat around the candles and laughed and played together. The adults in the neighborhood all began to peek out. "Lose power?" "Sure did. Did you hear the boom?" "Yeah. I think it came from the high school side of things."
Neighbors I've never seen came out of hiding. With no power there were no meals to prepare, no laundry to be done, no dishwashers to run. There were no imaginary internet friends to interact with.
We all, rather stupidly, stepped into the sunlight. There was never so much block walking at once. One neighbor has a grandbaby I knew about but had never seen--before that day. We smiled at each other and waved. And we gawked while the power company sent their crews racing to restore us to normalcy.
Truly, the explosion had come from the high school side as I thought, and the crew member who discovered the issue cheered. As did we all as we crept back into our caves.
For a few strange moments, we all felt life. It was if we, like Dr. Manet, had been "recalled to life." But, El Nino sent us more deluge and we all went back into our caves where the darkness sucked us dry again.
What an odd lot we are.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
IA:Initiate by John Darryl Winston
I have not been so struck by a book in a long time. IA: Initiate is set in the Exclave, the bad part of town. All the characters are there--the nuclear families, the broken families, the shop owners, the bullies, and the bullied. But Naz struck me.
I should let you know, in case you didn't, that I used to spend hours on Saturdays while I was in college in Glen Park which is a neighborhood in Gary, Indiana. It wasn't the worst neighborhood; it wasn't the best. The thing I know is that I know Naz and Meri. I met them there in Glen Park. I loved them with my whole heart. Granted, Meri was only 3 and her name was Athena. But I can only imagine the spunk she had at 3 translated into "firecracker" by age 9.
But Naz. Naz is so many of those kids. They were full of hopes and dreams and wishes and desires. The circumstances of their lives hadn't squashed all that joy out of them yet. I don't know if they knew their lives were hard or not. I can't say because they were happy.
They had huge televisions in their living rooms but their coats were threadbare. They grabbed what they could to feed themselves and their siblings--often Twinkies or chips. Their mamas had been squashed and squished and their dreams were gone; but the kids' dreams lived and bubbled inside them. Their mamas hardly had a reason to get out of bed some days; but the kids could still dream.
As I read Initiate, I was back in Glen Park. I saw those kids again. And I wondered what ever happened to them. Did any of them have dreams survive? Did they become the hero that was inside their minds? Did any of them succumb to the same fate that squished their mamas?
I'll likely never know. Where is Athena now? Did she maintain her spunk? Did she grow up and become a teacher? A mother? She had so much life in that little body. And my boys? What became of them? Did they excel in school? Did they get to college?
When an author writes kids you know or knew once upon a time, and when he grabs your soul because you knew those kids, you know he's done a good job.
I should let you know, in case you didn't, that I used to spend hours on Saturdays while I was in college in Glen Park which is a neighborhood in Gary, Indiana. It wasn't the worst neighborhood; it wasn't the best. The thing I know is that I know Naz and Meri. I met them there in Glen Park. I loved them with my whole heart. Granted, Meri was only 3 and her name was Athena. But I can only imagine the spunk she had at 3 translated into "firecracker" by age 9.
But Naz. Naz is so many of those kids. They were full of hopes and dreams and wishes and desires. The circumstances of their lives hadn't squashed all that joy out of them yet. I don't know if they knew their lives were hard or not. I can't say because they were happy.
They had huge televisions in their living rooms but their coats were threadbare. They grabbed what they could to feed themselves and their siblings--often Twinkies or chips. Their mamas had been squashed and squished and their dreams were gone; but the kids' dreams lived and bubbled inside them. Their mamas hardly had a reason to get out of bed some days; but the kids could still dream.
As I read Initiate, I was back in Glen Park. I saw those kids again. And I wondered what ever happened to them. Did any of them have dreams survive? Did they become the hero that was inside their minds? Did any of them succumb to the same fate that squished their mamas?
I'll likely never know. Where is Athena now? Did she maintain her spunk? Did she grow up and become a teacher? A mother? She had so much life in that little body. And my boys? What became of them? Did they excel in school? Did they get to college?
When an author writes kids you know or knew once upon a time, and when he grabs your soul because you knew those kids, you know he's done a good job.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
WHY??
I have games on my phone. I have Kindle on my phone. While I'm playing games on my phone, no one has anything to say to me. As soon as I open my Kindle app, everyone needs me. Why do they hate me?
Monday, February 1, 2016
Confessions of a (formerly) fat girl
So, I keep buying smaller and smaller sizes. I am currently sitting here in a size 10 pair of jeans and I'm thinking they are a little loose. And I'm thinking that I don't think I look fat sitting here. But then I see myself in a mirror and I still see myself 30 pounds ago. I can still see the lumpy bumpy mess that I was. Rod tells me he keeps doing a double-take because he has to figure out who I am. So, I'm obviously looking good, so to speak. But, not to me. Not really.
I guess it takes a while to get past that fat girl block. When will I see the me in the mirror that others see?
"You are looking really good." (Thanks, I guess. I'm wearing Spanx.)
"You are wasting away." (Well, I still have plenty of fat to lose, you know?)
Do we ever see ourselves how we are after weight loss? Or do we always see ourselves how we were? I guess these remain to be answered. For myself at least.
BTW, I am in my goal size(s) but I still have 15-20 pounds left to lose.
I guess it takes a while to get past that fat girl block. When will I see the me in the mirror that others see?
"You are looking really good." (Thanks, I guess. I'm wearing Spanx.)
"You are wasting away." (Well, I still have plenty of fat to lose, you know?)
Do we ever see ourselves how we are after weight loss? Or do we always see ourselves how we were? I guess these remain to be answered. For myself at least.
BTW, I am in my goal size(s) but I still have 15-20 pounds left to lose.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
A Little Rant
Facebook is a great place. It's especially great if you are an introvert which is a whole other can of worms.
It's great that I can watch your kids grow up no matter how far you live from me. It's great that I can share your happy moments and your sad ones as if I were there.
It's not great when you are the sort of person who only puts a vague statement about something and people have to draw it out of you. Seriously.
"OH! My heart hurts!" What?? Are you having a heart attack? Call 911! Don't tell facebook. Well, never mind, your cat got hit by a car we find out 2 hours later.
"I can finally breathe." Were you having an asthma attack? I just checked your last 5 days of posts and I have no indication otherwise. What? Never mind, your car passed DEQ inspections.
This sort of adrenaline rush isn't good for anyone. Just say what you need to say. I have no idea whether your drama is drama worthy unless you just tell me because I don't have time to waste begging you spell it out.
Did a runaway bus load of children run over your dog and then careen down an embankment where they all died? Or did you simply have a flat tire?
We need conversations that go like this:
"My grandpa died."
"Oh? When was this? I had no idea. He was a really fun guy."
"Last week, I posted it on facebook."
"You did?"
"Yeah. I said my heart hurt."
"Oh. Well, you didn't say why it hurt so I just assumed you were having a heart attack. My dog was barking at the neighbors though, so I had to run out and get him in before the other neighbor called the sheriff again. Maybe next time you should just say what happened so I know it's important that I get back with you."
It's great that I can watch your kids grow up no matter how far you live from me. It's great that I can share your happy moments and your sad ones as if I were there.
It's not great when you are the sort of person who only puts a vague statement about something and people have to draw it out of you. Seriously.
"OH! My heart hurts!" What?? Are you having a heart attack? Call 911! Don't tell facebook. Well, never mind, your cat got hit by a car we find out 2 hours later.
"I can finally breathe." Were you having an asthma attack? I just checked your last 5 days of posts and I have no indication otherwise. What? Never mind, your car passed DEQ inspections.
This sort of adrenaline rush isn't good for anyone. Just say what you need to say. I have no idea whether your drama is drama worthy unless you just tell me because I don't have time to waste begging you spell it out.
Did a runaway bus load of children run over your dog and then careen down an embankment where they all died? Or did you simply have a flat tire?
We need conversations that go like this:
"My grandpa died."
"Oh? When was this? I had no idea. He was a really fun guy."
"Last week, I posted it on facebook."
"You did?"
"Yeah. I said my heart hurt."
"Oh. Well, you didn't say why it hurt so I just assumed you were having a heart attack. My dog was barking at the neighbors though, so I had to run out and get him in before the other neighbor called the sheriff again. Maybe next time you should just say what happened so I know it's important that I get back with you."
Monday, January 25, 2016
The Current Reading List
If you stumble across this blog every once in a while, you will know that I might have ADHD when it comes to books. You can count on me to have several books going at any given time.
So, the current list includes the following:
1. A Very British Family This is a history of the (in)famous Trevelyan family. It's written by a Trevelyan, but it is the only book I could find. It's slow going in this one, but it has led me to increase my TBR pile because now I want to read The Competition Wallah, which was written by one of the Trevelyans.
2. The Ninja Librarians is being read with the kids. It's slow. I like that this book takes place in a library. I like that this book introduces some awfully clever words that the average middle schooler won't likely read otherwise. I hate that in the first 86 pages I have had to correct grammar. There are awkward moments of humor that help ease the tedium. This book will be finished but only because of the principle of the matter and also...there's my Goodreads challenge that needs the numbers.
3. Israel is nearly complete. As a matter of fact, we will finish it tomorrow and move on to Afghanistan. As we have read through the books about the various Middle Eastern countries, I have found extreme agendas in promoting Islam. This book began with a seeming bias against Israel by oddly worded sentences that made Israel look like the aggressor in many cases where history shows Israel was attacked first. However, as the book moved on, the wording changed and became a little more honest. Yes, I realize Israel has done some things that have been aggressive; but not all the things were started by them. Honesty is good.
4. IA: Initiate is only just begun but there has been magic already. Most notably, my inner reading voice became James Earl Jones-ish. My inner reading voice is rarely male and never big like his. That was unique and cool. So far, the characters I've met are believable and quite possibly just like children I knew when I spent so many hours with kids in Gary, Indiana. As a matter of fact, the young girl is most definitely pictured like one most adorable saucy child. This is quite readable and I'll possibly read it to the kids if I ever finish slogging through Ninja Librarians.
5. The Windcatcher has been slow. I started reading it last May. The writing style is difficult for me, but this is a book I go to when I feel specific clarity mentally. It takes a few minutes to get into the proper mode and then I can go only a short distance. I will finish this one but it may take a while. It isn't because it is uninteresting. It is more that it doesn't match my style. I don't mind books like that.
6. The Korean Word for Butterfly is odd. I don't know if it's going to get any better, but I've read words like "groovy" and "cool cat." This is a book set in the 2000's.
There may be others. Well, there are always others. Catch-22 is languishing under my bed because the thought of the droning on makes me feel as though fingernails are being dragged down a blackboard.
I have just completed The Mad Tinker's Daughter which I loved. It was my first foray into the steampunk genre and it was clever and it was fun. There is a good possibility that I will go on to the 2nd in the trilogy at some point.
So, the current list includes the following:
1. A Very British Family This is a history of the (in)famous Trevelyan family. It's written by a Trevelyan, but it is the only book I could find. It's slow going in this one, but it has led me to increase my TBR pile because now I want to read The Competition Wallah, which was written by one of the Trevelyans.
2. The Ninja Librarians is being read with the kids. It's slow. I like that this book takes place in a library. I like that this book introduces some awfully clever words that the average middle schooler won't likely read otherwise. I hate that in the first 86 pages I have had to correct grammar. There are awkward moments of humor that help ease the tedium. This book will be finished but only because of the principle of the matter and also...there's my Goodreads challenge that needs the numbers.
3. Israel is nearly complete. As a matter of fact, we will finish it tomorrow and move on to Afghanistan. As we have read through the books about the various Middle Eastern countries, I have found extreme agendas in promoting Islam. This book began with a seeming bias against Israel by oddly worded sentences that made Israel look like the aggressor in many cases where history shows Israel was attacked first. However, as the book moved on, the wording changed and became a little more honest. Yes, I realize Israel has done some things that have been aggressive; but not all the things were started by them. Honesty is good.
4. IA: Initiate is only just begun but there has been magic already. Most notably, my inner reading voice became James Earl Jones-ish. My inner reading voice is rarely male and never big like his. That was unique and cool. So far, the characters I've met are believable and quite possibly just like children I knew when I spent so many hours with kids in Gary, Indiana. As a matter of fact, the young girl is most definitely pictured like one most adorable saucy child. This is quite readable and I'll possibly read it to the kids if I ever finish slogging through Ninja Librarians.
5. The Windcatcher has been slow. I started reading it last May. The writing style is difficult for me, but this is a book I go to when I feel specific clarity mentally. It takes a few minutes to get into the proper mode and then I can go only a short distance. I will finish this one but it may take a while. It isn't because it is uninteresting. It is more that it doesn't match my style. I don't mind books like that.
6. The Korean Word for Butterfly is odd. I don't know if it's going to get any better, but I've read words like "groovy" and "cool cat." This is a book set in the 2000's.
There may be others. Well, there are always others. Catch-22 is languishing under my bed because the thought of the droning on makes me feel as though fingernails are being dragged down a blackboard.
I have just completed The Mad Tinker's Daughter which I loved. It was my first foray into the steampunk genre and it was clever and it was fun. There is a good possibility that I will go on to the 2nd in the trilogy at some point.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
My Heart Leaps Up when I Behold...
I decided to stop in at Barnes & Noble last night and just buy a journal to keep in my purse for those weird moments of strange inspiration that need to be written down so that I don't have to scrounge for an odd receipt anymore. It's actually quite cute and purple. Purple is important to me. But as I wandered, I ran across a thing that made my heart leap up. No, it wasn't a rainbow in the sky. (I'm sorry Mr. Wordsworth.) It was a notepad. Yes, a notepad made my heart leap within me! I embrace my quirk.
Okay, now do you see why? Wouldn't you be all giddy over this find? No? Well, as I said, I embrace my quirk. This notepad took me back to all sorts of times and places from pre-IR checkout.
I remember how I loved looking over the library pocket cards to see how long it'd been since it was checked out. I enjoyed reading books that had been overlooked for a while. I enjoyed seeing the names of the previous borrowers and wondering how they'd responded to the book in question. And, oh! Was that the name of my current crush? Well, we'd have something to talk about, wouldn't we? I mean, if I actually talked to people outside my tiny circle.
In sixth grade, I got to volunteer in the library. It was wondrous. I got to stamp the cards after the names were signed. I got to file the cards in their proper order. It was divine. I got to put the cards back in when the books were returned and it was marvelous.
So, seeing the notepad ignited nostalgia. In these days of quick-self checking, the stories of the pocket cards are gone. I didn't realize I missed them until last night.
Okay, now do you see why? Wouldn't you be all giddy over this find? No? Well, as I said, I embrace my quirk. This notepad took me back to all sorts of times and places from pre-IR checkout.
I remember how I loved looking over the library pocket cards to see how long it'd been since it was checked out. I enjoyed reading books that had been overlooked for a while. I enjoyed seeing the names of the previous borrowers and wondering how they'd responded to the book in question. And, oh! Was that the name of my current crush? Well, we'd have something to talk about, wouldn't we? I mean, if I actually talked to people outside my tiny circle.
In sixth grade, I got to volunteer in the library. It was wondrous. I got to stamp the cards after the names were signed. I got to file the cards in their proper order. It was divine. I got to put the cards back in when the books were returned and it was marvelous.
So, seeing the notepad ignited nostalgia. In these days of quick-self checking, the stories of the pocket cards are gone. I didn't realize I missed them until last night.
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