Have you heard of this book? It's a list of 1001 books that a bunch of critics think you should read before you die. I don't actually own the book, but there are all sorts of websites on the internet that have a list of the books, which is nice for me, maybe not so nice for the publisher. :).
I think it's an interesting list. I agree with a lot of the books on it, some of the books I've never heard of, and there are a few books that I can't believe they left off. But being a list person and a bookworm, I'm intrigued. So I decided in my effort to be more well-read, I'm going to make a goal to read 10 books from the list a year. Of course at that pace, I will most likely never read every book on the list, but there are some books that I don't want to read no matter what the critics say, and I have read about 30 of them already, so that shaves 3 years off. Also, I have my own genres that I like to read (like YA and fantasy) that are almost completely left off the list of 1001, and reading only 10 books a year will allow me time to read those, too. Anyway, here's what I've decided to read this year:
1. Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe (1710s)
2. Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift (1720s)
3. Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens (1830s)
4. Moby-Dick – Herman Melville (1850s)
5. The House of the Seven Gables – Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850s)
6. The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins (1860s)
7. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll (1860s)
8. Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy (1870s)
9. The Portrait of a Lady – Henry James (1880s)
10. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson (1880s)
I'm going to post this on my sidebar and edit it once I finish a book. Not sure if I will be organized enough to post reviews of each book here--I'm not much of a reviewer anyway, but if a particular book strikes a chord, I might. We'll see. I might not even read them in that order, and I my time frame is loose. I'm keeping it low-key. I like the idea of making lists of books I want to read because every time I go to the library or a book store, I always end up going a little crazy and bringing home way more books that I have time to read. Then I get frustrated because I have to return them before I'm done, and worry that I'll forget which books I wanted to read. If I keep a list, then I can go to the library and get one or two, and I know that I can just look at my list to find what I want for the next trip. A little anal, I know, but it works for me.
And speaking of books, I just finished Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games. If you haven't read either of these books, you really need to. No joking. Both have riveting plots and great writing. Not all books have both elements--these do. Just make sure to block out a day for each. Once you pick them up, you won't want to put them down.
So, does anybody have any good book suggestions for me? If so, leave them in the comments! I love getting recommendations from my friends and fellow readers.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A new school year
If you know me well, it's really not secret to you that I hate summer. I hate the heat, I don't like the harsh rays of the sun, and now that I'm a mom, I don't like the lack of schedule, either. Growing up I think I liked summer merely because of the break from school (I mean, come on, what kid doesn't like a break from school?) but I still hated the heat. So I always look forward to fall. It's my favorite season, winter coming in at a close second. I love the way the sun mellows out a little. It still shines (at least here in Colorado) but it's not so hot that I feel like I'm melting. And I love the thought of getting out sweaters and fleece and long sleeved shirts, and that cool crispy feel of the air that wakes me up instead of putting me to sleep.
Anyway, we're not quite there yet, (still wearing short sleeves) but a sure sign of fall is a new school year, and this year it was especially significant to us because Ella started kindergarten! Here she is at school on her first day:
I was worried about her first day--the elementary school she attends has a different schedule than any I've ever heard of. Instead of 5 half days a week, they go 1 half day and two full days. It's the same amount of time, just arranged a little differently. Since the first day of school happened to fall on one of the full days, I worried it would be too long for her, that she wouldn't eat enough lunch and get hungry, that she'd be afraid to use the bathroom and have an accident...basically all those little things us moms obsess about. But it all ended up going really well. It doesn't often occur to Ella to be scared or nervous about transitions; she tends adapt to them in a way that I admire, and her first day of school was no exception. No tears from her when I dropped her off (I'll leave it up to your imagination whether there were any on my side...) and she was full of stories and anecdotes from her day when I picked her up. I think she enjoyed the social stimulation and interaction with her peers. She has a great teacher, which I'm sure helped a lot, too.
Lately she's been intrigued by the little boy who sits next to her that keeps getting a red stick (something you get when you've misbehaved). She is quite proud of herself for always having a green stick (they get a green stick at the start of everyday, and the goal is to keep it that way) but I've noticed she talks about this other boy with an almost reverent awe. Hopefully she continues to admire from afar, rather than join in his antics. Time will only tell, though I'm not too worried.
As far as the schedule that I worried about all summer...I actually really like it. I find that I enjoy having two full days a week to focus on Jeremy as well as have a little bit of quiet time to myself. I think it's going to be a great year--it'll fly by (don't they always, these days?) but we'll enjoy it.
Anyway, we're not quite there yet, (still wearing short sleeves) but a sure sign of fall is a new school year, and this year it was especially significant to us because Ella started kindergarten! Here she is at school on her first day:
I was worried about her first day--the elementary school she attends has a different schedule than any I've ever heard of. Instead of 5 half days a week, they go 1 half day and two full days. It's the same amount of time, just arranged a little differently. Since the first day of school happened to fall on one of the full days, I worried it would be too long for her, that she wouldn't eat enough lunch and get hungry, that she'd be afraid to use the bathroom and have an accident...basically all those little things us moms obsess about. But it all ended up going really well. It doesn't often occur to Ella to be scared or nervous about transitions; she tends adapt to them in a way that I admire, and her first day of school was no exception. No tears from her when I dropped her off (I'll leave it up to your imagination whether there were any on my side...) and she was full of stories and anecdotes from her day when I picked her up. I think she enjoyed the social stimulation and interaction with her peers. She has a great teacher, which I'm sure helped a lot, too.
Lately she's been intrigued by the little boy who sits next to her that keeps getting a red stick (something you get when you've misbehaved). She is quite proud of herself for always having a green stick (they get a green stick at the start of everyday, and the goal is to keep it that way) but I've noticed she talks about this other boy with an almost reverent awe. Hopefully she continues to admire from afar, rather than join in his antics. Time will only tell, though I'm not too worried.
As far as the schedule that I worried about all summer...I actually really like it. I find that I enjoy having two full days a week to focus on Jeremy as well as have a little bit of quiet time to myself. I think it's going to be a great year--it'll fly by (don't they always, these days?) but we'll enjoy it.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The end of an era
Thanks to everyone's warm and encouraging comments from my previous post. I am blessed to have so many caring friends. I'm doing better now that Jason is home for a few days. To give you some idea of what life has been like for us, Jason has put in three 80-hour work weeks in the last month. I knew the end was in sight, but I was losing steam rapidly near the end there. But I'm not going to dwell on the negative anymore--we made it through; Friday was his last day at his old job. He has a couple days off before starting his new one (we're unemployed for two days!) and will start on Wednesday.
Last week his old job had a farewell luncheon for him and invited me and the kids. I was very surprised when I grew a little misty-eyed on the drive to his work. But when I thought about it, I realized that Jason has worked for this particular company for as long as we've known each other(I think they hired him a month after we met), and as such it has been a steady influence throughout our life together and in our family.
In many ways, the company was such a blessing to us--Jason worked there when we were dating, when we got married, it supported us through school, and was there when we had both of our kids. They took pretty good care of us there, and it was a small company so it had a friendly feel--a little like family. Sometimes you love them, sometimes you want to gouge their eyes out with a spoon, but through it all, they are a constant presence.
I know it was a difficult decision for Jason to make to leave. He agonized over it for days. He is a loyal employee like that, but he ultimately decided that the direction the company was going wasn't the best direction for our family. We were very blessed for him to find a new job so close to home that will allow him (we hope) to be home more often. I recognize the Lord's hand in our lives and am so grateful for it, and I am grateful to Jason for his devotion to our family. So many things to put under the heading of "Things that give me hope."
Last week his old job had a farewell luncheon for him and invited me and the kids. I was very surprised when I grew a little misty-eyed on the drive to his work. But when I thought about it, I realized that Jason has worked for this particular company for as long as we've known each other(I think they hired him a month after we met), and as such it has been a steady influence throughout our life together and in our family.
In many ways, the company was such a blessing to us--Jason worked there when we were dating, when we got married, it supported us through school, and was there when we had both of our kids. They took pretty good care of us there, and it was a small company so it had a friendly feel--a little like family. Sometimes you love them, sometimes you want to gouge their eyes out with a spoon, but through it all, they are a constant presence.
I know it was a difficult decision for Jason to make to leave. He agonized over it for days. He is a loyal employee like that, but he ultimately decided that the direction the company was going wasn't the best direction for our family. We were very blessed for him to find a new job so close to home that will allow him (we hope) to be home more often. I recognize the Lord's hand in our lives and am so grateful for it, and I am grateful to Jason for his devotion to our family. So many things to put under the heading of "Things that give me hope."
Thursday, August 13, 2009
When I was younger, I wore my heart on my sleeve. I'm pretty sure that everyone who knew me could figure out my mood just by looking at me. As I've gotten older, I've become less willing to bear my soul, and I've learned how to temper my emotions and not let things get under my skin as easily. At least that's how I feel anyway--there are a lot of things I think and feel that I just don't say out loud anymore. In my personal experience, there are certain things that just don't need to be said because they don't make anyone feel any better, including myself. I know that there's some people who wouldn't agree with that, which is okay. There's lots of different ways to live.
So this post is a little uncharacteristic of me. It's kind of hard for me. But I'm having a hard time this week, and I needed somewhere to go to work it out, and my blog seemed like a good idea. Who knows. Maybe I'll regret it. I figure with the 1 or 2 loyal readers I have, there is less chance of me making a fool of myself and saying something I'll regret than on facebook with my 138 friends.
I don't really know why I am having a hard time, but I know that I'm feeling down. I'm feeling worthless, and frustrated and a little like a failure. I just read a middle grade fiction book by Denise Vega (a local CO author that I met at my retreat--very cool lady and great writer) called Click Here (to Find Out How I Survived the Seventh Grade) Awesome, awesome book! I loved it. Anyway, it's the story of a girl named Erin who loves computers and is very talented with them. She creates her own webpage that she never intends to publish, so it ends up being her diary of sorts. After particularly bad days, she sometimes ends her blog entries with two headings: "Things that I'm worried/sad/frustrated about," and "Things that give me hope." I thought it was a clever idea. Here's my own version.
Things I'm worried about right now:
So this post is a little uncharacteristic of me. It's kind of hard for me. But I'm having a hard time this week, and I needed somewhere to go to work it out, and my blog seemed like a good idea. Who knows. Maybe I'll regret it. I figure with the 1 or 2 loyal readers I have, there is less chance of me making a fool of myself and saying something I'll regret than on facebook with my 138 friends.
I don't really know why I am having a hard time, but I know that I'm feeling down. I'm feeling worthless, and frustrated and a little like a failure. I just read a middle grade fiction book by Denise Vega (a local CO author that I met at my retreat--very cool lady and great writer) called Click Here (to Find Out How I Survived the Seventh Grade) Awesome, awesome book! I loved it. Anyway, it's the story of a girl named Erin who loves computers and is very talented with them. She creates her own webpage that she never intends to publish, so it ends up being her diary of sorts. After particularly bad days, she sometimes ends her blog entries with two headings: "Things that I'm worried/sad/frustrated about," and "Things that give me hope." I thought it was a clever idea. Here's my own version.
Things I'm worried about right now:
- I can't find any motivation to work on my book. What if it never gets done? What if I've told all these people about it, joined a writer's group, and I fail? Maybe it's the fear of failure that's keeping me from working on it.
- Jason's been working a lot this week because he's quit his job and found a new one. I'm tired. I feel guilty for wanting a break from my kids, but I do.
- What if Jason's new job isn't as good as his old one? What will the new schedule be like? Will he really be home more often? Why, oh why did he have to get a new church calling right when I thought I would get him back for a little bit?
- Ella's going to kindergarten in a week. She's going to be gone all day for two days a week, and suddenly it feels like a lot. Have I taught her everything she needs to know before I throw her to the wolves? Will she make the transition okay? Did I make the right choice to send her now instead of waiting another year?
- Jason has two days off before he starts his new job.
- I love Jeremy's profile. I know it's weird, but everytime I look at it, it makes me happy.
- Ella goes to school in a week. I will have a small amount of time to myself. (As long as Jeremy keeps napping...cross your fingers.)
- I made bread today from my own freshly ground wheat. It turned out, the house smells wonderful, and it's very tasty.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
5
Today was Ella's fifth birthday. When I looked at her today and thought about how big she is compared to the tiny baby she was five years ago, it boggles my mind. But then I think of all the days between then and now and it doesn't seem so far-fetched. Either way, I'm grateful to have Ella in my life. I know it might sound kind of funny to say, but I've learned a tremendous amount from her.
I think she had a good birthday. We had her first friend party complete with balloons, cupcakes, and streamers and a Tinkerbell theme, so we had a lot of fun with fairy dust (aka glitter) in the backyard, and she got tons of tinkerbell themed toys. I'm not sure my house will ever be free of glitter after giving seven little girls a small bag full of it, but it was really a lot of fun. I took lots of pictures, but I'm too tired to post any tonight--I'll hopefully get around to that soon. After I've cleaned up the mess...
After the party this morning, we had some quiet time this afternoon and played with Ella's new toys while Jeremy napped. Then we headed out to the popsicle party at the elementary school to meet Ella's kindergarten teacher. I can't believe that in one week I'll have a kindergartner!! I'm excited for her to start school because I think she's going to have some awesome experiences and I love to watch her learn and grow, but it's bittersweet because my sphere of influence will shrink while the world's influence expands. She seems so small to be away so much, and I truly hope that I have taught her well so that she will make good choices.
In honor of my birthday girl today, I want to share some noteworthy things about her. I don't do that nearly as often as I should, and now is a good opportunity. Here goes, in bullet form:
I think she had a good birthday. We had her first friend party complete with balloons, cupcakes, and streamers and a Tinkerbell theme, so we had a lot of fun with fairy dust (aka glitter) in the backyard, and she got tons of tinkerbell themed toys. I'm not sure my house will ever be free of glitter after giving seven little girls a small bag full of it, but it was really a lot of fun. I took lots of pictures, but I'm too tired to post any tonight--I'll hopefully get around to that soon. After I've cleaned up the mess...
After the party this morning, we had some quiet time this afternoon and played with Ella's new toys while Jeremy napped. Then we headed out to the popsicle party at the elementary school to meet Ella's kindergarten teacher. I can't believe that in one week I'll have a kindergartner!! I'm excited for her to start school because I think she's going to have some awesome experiences and I love to watch her learn and grow, but it's bittersweet because my sphere of influence will shrink while the world's influence expands. She seems so small to be away so much, and I truly hope that I have taught her well so that she will make good choices.
In honor of my birthday girl today, I want to share some noteworthy things about her. I don't do that nearly as often as I should, and now is a good opportunity. Here goes, in bullet form:
- She is starting to wonder more about how the world works and what everything means. She peppers me with questions all day long. A few of my recent favorites are "What color are doggies owies?"and "What does what mean?"
- She has also turned into quite an artist. It seems like she scribbles all day long, and I think she's quite good at it (though I may be biased).
- In the last few weeks she has taken an interest in reading and can sound out short words on her own, as well as write them herself.
- She has a very keen sense of right and wrong. She is very much into following the rules, and while she is a bit rigid at times--she tries to put ideas and situations into neat little boxes and wants everything to be black and white--I am grateful for this because I'm hoping it will help her make right decisions.
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