back at it

It's been over two months since my last post, but definitely not that long since I've read.  "So Long, See You Tomorrow" by William Maxwell was my favorite in that time.  It's a very sad and compelling story that unravels in the 1920s.  One of the character's names is Cletus.  That alone is a good enough reason for me to read it, yes it's weird for me to okay a book simply on a name, but hey, I do what I want.  I don't want to reveal any of the plot because it's so heartbreaking, but for those of you who don't have time to read a 500-page novel, this is the one for you because it's only 134 pages and the font is pretty big.  So there you have it, no excuses.
One paragraph that really stood out to me and sums up this story is when Clarence was realizing how all these problems going on in his life affected him even if he had nothing to do with it and that was a horrible situation to be in.  He thought, "People neither get what they deserve nor deserve what they get.  The gentle and the trusting are trampled on.  The rich man usually forces his way through the eye of the needle, and there is little or no point in putting your faith in Divine Providence."  I am sure everyone has thought this at one time or another in their life, it's part of being human.  The important thing however, is to get up and start over again.  There is hope and mercy for all, it's just up to you to receive it.

Nice, France

My next five star is "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey.  It's a pretty intense book on drug and alcohol addiction/recovery and if you know me at all you know I am drawn into those kinds of stories.  I started reading it on my way to Nice, France and didn't read the whole week I was there (we were constantly up to something and I didn't want to miss out on one second of anything going on around me) but once I returned home I had a hard time putting it down.  Although I have never been an addict to illegal substances, I have had my share of being dependent on prescribed medications (especially after surgeries) and I know what it feels like to have to come off of them.  In that slight way this book feels familiar to me.  This is my B book- blunt, brusque, and brutal.  I would only recommend it to those who have had encounters with these sorts of situations... otherwise, it just causes disgust and judgement rather than compassion and empathy.

I read something that I would NEVER read... "Maus I & II" by Art Spiegelman.  This got a one star from me.  I wanted to stretch myself and so I chose this book which is really just a loooong cartoon.  The story would have been a lot better for me if there were only words and not illustrations with mice and pigs.  My brain just doesn't follow those things easily.

"Bossy Pants" by Tina Fey was quite a funny book.  I laughed and enjoyed the majority of her humor.  It was a sort-of biography, but mainly about how she got to where she is today.  It's a easy read, I think I finished it in 2 days.  Good book to read on the train.

Coming up next is "9 Stories" by J.D. Salinger and "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver.

p.s.  I am starting up my photography website soon so stay tuned!!!

gardens galore

Summer is officially here and so are all the beautiful flowers...one of my favorite things to photograph.  This means I've been slacking in the reading area, but I think I will make up for it this week because I'll be traveling up to Massachusetts for my cousin's wedding.  It's nice to pass the 7 hour drive with a book or two.  I started a new book recommended by Oprah (I love her) and it's over 600 pages so I don't think I will finish it, but just in case, I am bringing another one. 
I finished a humorous gardening book which I picked out of the pile just because of its name, "Beds I Have Known."  It might not seem possible to have a book that involves flowers and comic relief, but here it is.  I really enjoyed this one because the author talks about how she is a novice gardener and loves to get tips and watch those who have been gardening for their whole life.  This sounds like me.  I go to Garden Club once a month and hang out with all those gardening fanatics.  I am the youngest person there by at least 25 years but I love it.  As we visit different gardens and go on bus tours I take the pictures.  It's one of those simple pleasures in life.  Admiring the beauty of our world. 
Tonight, I went over to a neighbors garden and had my own photography shoot (see link at bottom of post).  It amazes me to see such a variety of plants together and complimenting each other.  I could never accomplish creating and maintaining a garden like that, but I can still love it and appreciate it in my own way.  You plant and I will photograph.

gardens galore photos 

rest in peace

My grandfather passed away this week.  It was expected to happen, but not as quickly as it did.  My parents were on their way up to see him and he died one hour before they arrived.  Mick, G, and I drove up Tuesday afternoon.  I was able to finish "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath.  In fact, it was the only book I brought which made me mad that I would go a few days without reading, it was difficult.  There was a lot going on around me with family and visiting and the funeral, so I thought I wouldn't need to take another book. 
Anyway, this book was not what I expected at all.  Starts out pretty normal and then turns all wacky.  Kind of like a "The Catcher In the Rye" meets "Clockwork Orange" only a girl version.  And to make it more depressing, I read that Plath committed suicide a month after this book was published.  This book is like the movie "Selena" because it makes you bummed out for no reason.

name dropping

Alright, if I had to be a teacher (which I am 90% sure would be a bad idea since I am not especially gifted in the area of patience) and could choose what my course would be, I would base it solely on "The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas" by Gertrude Stein.  This book mainly takes place between 1907 and 1932.  I don't usually like history and how it is hard to relate to, but the way that this book was written made the dates secondary and the experiences were ones I would love to know.  There were a few things that reminded me of my modern day (cars & electricity) but the majority of the book was all about relationships with artists and their work and living with what they were able to.  

Appreciating the simple things in life, saying what one means and mean what one says, doing what your heart tells you to, and being confident in yourself.  These are some things Ms. Toklas learned as she spent her time with Gertrude Stein.  It inspires me to want to learn more about the people she associated herself with: Picasso, Matisse, and Hemingway; just to name a few.  The way they built each other up and saw life as an artist possible.  

It's a book that I have given five stars to, which is rare.  I am going to buy it and a few other books of Stein's and make a nice place for them on top of my library shelf which is strictly reserved for books I have read and will read again and recommend.  I started to take notes of things mentioned in the book that I want to research more of, but it started to get out of control and I was writing more than reading so I decided to stop jotting things down and come back through it once I had a one-down of the whole thing.

and there were five

I'm stuck.  I've started 5 books.  It usually doesn't get that bad.  I just feel discombobulated (yes, that is a real word, I just double-checked it on dictionary.com).  Maybe it's the crazy weather or that I have haven't been able to hear very well for the last two weeks thanks to double ear infections or that I am distracted over this issue that I have to find an attorney (if anyone knows a great employment/discrimination lawyer please share!) or that my living room is being redone or that my sister & niece were away for way too long or one of the bazillion other things.  It's just life and if five different books is what I need right now, so be it.

One doesn't count though because it's the kind that you follow each week for a certain amount of time ("The Artist's Way").  I'm on week four and haven't been able to complete most of the suggested exercises (one would be writing for 30 minutes every day anything and everything that comes to mind).  But this is my first read-through and I wanted to get the gist of the book first, I still struggle with whether I am an artist or not anyway.  One moment I feel very inspired and art-like and then another like a wanna-be.  I am working on it.

Next up, I've started this memoir.  There's a lot going on here and interestingly enough this one is about the author and her endeavor of becoming an artist (more specifically a writer) and her journey through many obstacles including alcoholism and struggling with her identity and who she is.  These types of books are my favorite genre so I am not surprised that  I am enjoying it.  It reminds me that everyone has their own problems and their own way of dealing with them.  It normalizes my world and makes me feel less crazy.


Here is another one about France.  This woman's name kept popping up in random places over an over lately so I took it as a sign and picked "The Autobiography of Alice B. Tolkas" because was one of her most famous novels.  The only thing I knew about this author was that she had this place in Paris where she would have artists like Picasso and Cezanne hanging around with her.  This book goes into more details of it all and she is writing from her friend's point of view.  I don't usually like history and things of that nature, but this book has me captivated. 


So, the first three book I am enjoying, but "Catch-22" was the first one I had going and caused me to pick up the other four.  It is bizarre.  It is about war and I feel like it is all over the place and wacky.  I am over half way through and want to finish it because I am hoping at some point it will come together for me.  If not, I will be referring to the Cliff-Notes for some guidance and clarifications.




This is the most recent one I've started.  It was late one night and as I was getting ready to go to bed I saw it laying on the floor and couldn't resist the urge to pick it up.  I started reading it and the started to fall asleep.  Not because it was blasé, but because I was wicked tired.  I am not bored with this book.  I can't wait to see what I'll get out of it.

giggling about grammar

If you're looking for a book on grammar, this is it.  "Things That Make Us [Sic]" by Martha Brockenbrough had me chuckling the entire time.  I'm not a huge fan of learning the rules of English and such, but I thought I should pick up a few books on this subject as I am editing my manuscript.   This book I found randomly at the library and read it like one of those books that you don't want to end because it was so funny and I felt like I was having a conversation with the author right there in front of me.  She was telling me all about our language and I was actually enjoying it! 

I am questioning all of my comma placements and word choices now because I feel like since I read about it I should know it now, but I am not claiming to be an expert on this stuff, not even close.  I will point something out if I notice it and welcome corrections from others.

It makes me feel better that the author doesn't put too much emphasis on correct punctuation.  She explains that it was originally meant for telling people when to breathe as they were reading aloud.  "Punctuation isn't meant to make the author's state of mind clear.  Well-chosen words do that, and the day serious writers turn to punctuation to communicate their ideas will be a :-( day indeed."  
Have you ever experienced a moment where something or someone you knew about or did or saw was referenced?  For example, before Zappos was famous for fabulous free shipping I had known about it and did a research project on it for one of my undergrad business courses.  So now I see commercials for the company on TV and think back to when no one knew what it was and feel "in the know."  Anyway, I felt like that as I was reading this current book and Nabokov was mentioned!  Woo-hoo! I know who that author is and have actually read one of his books.  And don't try to ruin my excitement by telling me that he is one of those classic authors, I don't care, I wouldn't have known who he was if I hadn't just read his memoir.  Getrude Stein has a few books on my to-read list, too.  This book wasn't the first I've been reading where she is talked about (and it typically seems to be brought up with some negative vibes).  This lady really seems like something for all these other authors to keep bring her up...maybe the type of person I would've like to have known?  In "Things That Make Us [Sic]" she is talked about because of Stein a few times.  I guess I should bump up one of her books on my library requests.

wordless way of saying grace

I am excited that I finished Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" because even though I really liked this book I had a hard time getting into it back when I borrowed it from the library.  In fact, I maxed out my limit of three renewals and gave up trying to read it.  My friend and I would always end up talking about this book and she encouraged me to give it another try.  Instead of having to get another library version, she kindly lent me her own copy.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the ending when Pollan has finally prepared his meal that he spend so much time foraging, hunting, and gathering for.  He put a lot (physically and emotionally) into this project and ended with a meal with those who've taught him all about it.  He describes how he meant to prepare a speech laced with praise and appreciation.  One of those moments we all have of thinking up great things to say before or after but can never remember at the appropriate time.  He realizes how his way of saying grace before this meal didn't have to be words that he prepared because every second that went into finding and making this meal were mindful and therefore appreciated and blessed and thanked.
My problem with this type of book (read also, "Eating Animals") is that I develop this temporary obsession over every single thing that goes into my mouth and drive those around me nuts.  I had been a successful vegetarian for 6 months last year, but it was at the expense of my mother and sister.  Since they buy and prepare 90% of my food for me, I not only was inflicting my new ways on myself, but them too.  I finally gave up and became what I call a mindful eater- I make sure to think about what I am putting into my mouth.  
I think this book should be required reading in our high schools.  Too many people are ignorant about what goes on in our food industry and if this was read some eyes would be open.  These generations coming up right now need some accountability for the actions that are done to our environment, especially when it comes to poor food choices.  We have so much to be grateful for and it seems to be just wasted or misused.  How can a change be made if they don't even see a problem?