Currently, I'm reading 5 books simultaneously.
What am I thinking?
I don't normally pick that many up at a time, but they all showed up at about the same time through various circumstances. 2 of them are sequels to other books I have read, and I will write about those when I am finished. One of the books however, has made such an impression on me that I wanted to get the word out before I finish it!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is fantastic, incredible, heartbreaking, thought provoking and wonderful. I'm about half way through and I'll let you know if I still feel the same way when I finish it. I'd heard about this book for quite a while, but my pile of "to reads" was so big I put it off and put it off. I have fallen in love with the characters and yes, even the narrator. (If you know who the narrator is you will think I am very odd.)
This weekend will be a challenge to get anything done!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
CH ch ch changes......
My favorite radio station went off the air. Sort of. It's still there, it just no longer has a dj, or the news, traffic or weather. It has become a prerecorded steady stream of a variety (not always the variety that I like) of music playlists.
I can't stand to listen to it now. Gone is the personality. Gone is the ability to call in and make a request or share an idea (not that I ever did, but I liked to hear it).
I was really sad and shocked when it happened a few weeks ago. There was no warning. One day they were there and the next they weren't. I doubt that the radio personalities even saw it coming.
My reason for sharing this is because I have been thinking about the blessing and the curse of technology. I remember as a kid thinking how cool it would be to have a tv like the Jetsons where I could see the person I was talking to. Guess what! Now I have a computer that does just that. It is incredible really, when I think about how much technology is a part of my life. But for the last while or so, I've been thinking with a bit of nostalgia about what it is replacing and wondering if it really is always for the best. The fate of the radio hosts from my once favorite station is probably where the trend is heading. With so many ipods out there and the ability to play them in your car, or from a docking station, there really isn't any reason for people to be a part of broadcasting music anymore. We can simply make our own playlists, so who needs anything else.
Do people sit down anymore and take pen to paper to write a letter? Why bother with it, when email and texting is faster, more convenient and you don't have to pay for a stamp. Newspapers have been struggling in many places and will probably be replaced one day with the internet or whatever is next out there. Yesterday, I had a friend visiting from out of town and she noticed all of the books I have piled up. She laughed and told me I should get a Kindle to cut down on the clutter. To me though, there is something about the smell of a real book and turning the pages myself that I don't think I will ever be able to let go of. I then proceeded to tell her that if I were to go back to college I would want to get my degree in library science. She laughed again and told me about all of the libraries that are closing down.
Change is inevitable. As long as people are set on discovery and exploration, change will follow. I appreciate all of the luxuries that change has afforded me and I would be hard pressed to live without them.
I just wonder, are we pushing away the human connection?
I can't stand to listen to it now. Gone is the personality. Gone is the ability to call in and make a request or share an idea (not that I ever did, but I liked to hear it).
I was really sad and shocked when it happened a few weeks ago. There was no warning. One day they were there and the next they weren't. I doubt that the radio personalities even saw it coming.
My reason for sharing this is because I have been thinking about the blessing and the curse of technology. I remember as a kid thinking how cool it would be to have a tv like the Jetsons where I could see the person I was talking to. Guess what! Now I have a computer that does just that. It is incredible really, when I think about how much technology is a part of my life. But for the last while or so, I've been thinking with a bit of nostalgia about what it is replacing and wondering if it really is always for the best. The fate of the radio hosts from my once favorite station is probably where the trend is heading. With so many ipods out there and the ability to play them in your car, or from a docking station, there really isn't any reason for people to be a part of broadcasting music anymore. We can simply make our own playlists, so who needs anything else.
Do people sit down anymore and take pen to paper to write a letter? Why bother with it, when email and texting is faster, more convenient and you don't have to pay for a stamp. Newspapers have been struggling in many places and will probably be replaced one day with the internet or whatever is next out there. Yesterday, I had a friend visiting from out of town and she noticed all of the books I have piled up. She laughed and told me I should get a Kindle to cut down on the clutter. To me though, there is something about the smell of a real book and turning the pages myself that I don't think I will ever be able to let go of. I then proceeded to tell her that if I were to go back to college I would want to get my degree in library science. She laughed again and told me about all of the libraries that are closing down.
Change is inevitable. As long as people are set on discovery and exploration, change will follow. I appreciate all of the luxuries that change has afforded me and I would be hard pressed to live without them.
I just wonder, are we pushing away the human connection?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Shoes....
My conversation with my almost 5 year old daughter yesterday:
"Where are you?" I asked in a sing song voice as I searched for my daughter throughout the house.
"Just a sec, mommy!" she answered, trying to suppress her giggles of delight.
As I walked towards the direction of her voice, my daughter sauntered out of my bedroom with hands on her hips, pink gloss on her lips and a sassy back and forth head bob.
"I want Hot Tamale shoes just like yours mommy!" she said as she sashayed her hips around and around wearing my sinfully delicious, cherry red, high heel shoes.
I am in for a whole heap of trouble with that saucy little thing.
"Where are you?" I asked in a sing song voice as I searched for my daughter throughout the house.
"Just a sec, mommy!" she answered, trying to suppress her giggles of delight.
As I walked towards the direction of her voice, my daughter sauntered out of my bedroom with hands on her hips, pink gloss on her lips and a sassy back and forth head bob.
"I want Hot Tamale shoes just like yours mommy!" she said as she sashayed her hips around and around wearing my sinfully delicious, cherry red, high heel shoes.
I am in for a whole heap of trouble with that saucy little thing.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Funny Funny weather...
We have had the strangest Spring that I can remember for a long time. The weather has been so inconsistent that my four year old is getting confused.
One day it will be 75 and sunny, the next is wind, rain and 42.
This morning we woke up to a few inches of snow, but tomorrows high is set for 68 and up to 80 on Wednesday.
You should see my tulips. They look like they are bent over in shame.
Ah well, I can't complain. This weather has extended my reading time! Yard work will just have to wait.
One day it will be 75 and sunny, the next is wind, rain and 42.
This morning we woke up to a few inches of snow, but tomorrows high is set for 68 and up to 80 on Wednesday.
You should see my tulips. They look like they are bent over in shame.
Ah well, I can't complain. This weather has extended my reading time! Yard work will just have to wait.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The recieving end...
Yesterday I had the unfortunate opportunity to be on the receiving end of a mother's anger. It took me by surprise and I remained very calm but I definitely learned a few things from it.
In the past I've blogged about being very careful about passing judgment of any kind, whether it is assuming that someone has their life all perfectly put together, or assuming that someone has done something to be hurtful. It's hard sometimes, at least for me, not to pass an immediate judgment on a situation, but I have been trying to stop and listen before I react. It really isn't fun to be the object of a misunderstanding, but, (and this is a big but!) I learned that I also have an opportunity to influence the outcome of these situations simply by my reactions. I've had times in the past where my knee jerk reaction would have been to lash out if I was being accused by someone who didn't have all of the facts. For whatever reason though, yesterday I didn't feel that fight or flight reaction. I felt calm. I gave the other person about an hour to calm down and then I called them back to explain my side of the situation. Once all of the facts were on the table there was a change of heart by this mother. She knew that there was a miscommunication and that no harm was meant and in the end everything was worked out, apologies were made and a friendship was restored.
I am not saying that if I reacted positively and calmly every time to one of these situations that it would always end well, because the other person is in control of his or her own reaction to it all. What I am saying is that I would always feel like I had my character intact and would feel at peace with my part of the scenerio.
Maybe yoga has done more good for me than I thought!!!
In the past I've blogged about being very careful about passing judgment of any kind, whether it is assuming that someone has their life all perfectly put together, or assuming that someone has done something to be hurtful. It's hard sometimes, at least for me, not to pass an immediate judgment on a situation, but I have been trying to stop and listen before I react. It really isn't fun to be the object of a misunderstanding, but, (and this is a big but!) I learned that I also have an opportunity to influence the outcome of these situations simply by my reactions. I've had times in the past where my knee jerk reaction would have been to lash out if I was being accused by someone who didn't have all of the facts. For whatever reason though, yesterday I didn't feel that fight or flight reaction. I felt calm. I gave the other person about an hour to calm down and then I called them back to explain my side of the situation. Once all of the facts were on the table there was a change of heart by this mother. She knew that there was a miscommunication and that no harm was meant and in the end everything was worked out, apologies were made and a friendship was restored.
I am not saying that if I reacted positively and calmly every time to one of these situations that it would always end well, because the other person is in control of his or her own reaction to it all. What I am saying is that I would always feel like I had my character intact and would feel at peace with my part of the scenerio.
Maybe yoga has done more good for me than I thought!!!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Book Review!
Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris
Summary from Goodreads: A young man with a mysterious past and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father.
This is a darling, I just need something to match my carefree mood kind of a book. The cover says "part comedy, part love story, part everything but the kitchen sink" and it is all true! It's geared toward the middle grade reader and I would say ages 9 and up would find something to love about it. Jean Ferris keeps her humor light hearted and fun and the love story innocent and fresh. She creates situations that feel uncomfortable and funny at the same time, all the while giving us a glimpse into the mind of a boy who falls in love for the first time. If you are young at heart you will love this!
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Summary from Goodreads: In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them.
Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.
The premise of this book is very disturbing, but brilliant. This story of three kids who are trying to keep things together, literally, will give you much to think about. I felt horrified at times and had to walk away from the book here and there, just to wrap my brain around what the world had come to in this story. I felt disgusted by the parents who would dispose of their children in such a horrible way, but then I realized that we hear about this in the news all of the time. The people we hear about may not be getting rid of their children for "parts", but they ignore, abuse, mistreat and take for granted the possibility of what their children can be. Just this week we had a 4 year old boy who was tortured and murdered by his mom and step father. While watching the news story all I could think was "Why?". Why did that sweet boy have to be a child of monsters. The thing about this novel by Mr. Shusterman is that it made me ask these same questions. The only difference is that the "parents" weren't viewed as monsters. It was just the way things were done. Life is not something to be taken for granted and this book serves as a reminder of that.
Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.
The premise of this book is very disturbing, but brilliant. This story of three kids who are trying to keep things together, literally, will give you much to think about. I felt horrified at times and had to walk away from the book here and there, just to wrap my brain around what the world had come to in this story. I felt disgusted by the parents who would dispose of their children in such a horrible way, but then I realized that we hear about this in the news all of the time. The people we hear about may not be getting rid of their children for "parts", but they ignore, abuse, mistreat and take for granted the possibility of what their children can be. Just this week we had a 4 year old boy who was tortured and murdered by his mom and step father. While watching the news story all I could think was "Why?". Why did that sweet boy have to be a child of monsters. The thing about this novel by Mr. Shusterman is that it made me ask these same questions. The only difference is that the "parents" weren't viewed as monsters. It was just the way things were done. Life is not something to be taken for granted and this book serves as a reminder of that.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Hello again!
I hadn't realized how many unblogging days I have had until I looked at the date of my last post. Just know that they were well spent while I was curled up on the couch with my 4 year old daughter reading books while it rained and rained and rained! We also got some awesome play-dough and barbie/pretend sessions in as well. I am not sure why, but for the last 2 weeks she has decided that I am her very best friend and wants to play with me instead of her friends. How could anyone ever turn down an opportunity like that! The time will come soon enough when she wants nothing to do with me, but for now I will be 4 almost 5 again and think only of butterflies and cotton candy clouds!
p.s. I have 2 books that I have been dying to review for you on here. Check back tomorrow. I pinky promise that I'll put the reviews up. Until then, I, Sarah Sparkle Star (my new name given to me by my daughter) am off to a magical world where we eat licorice for breakfast and sometimes we can fly without an airplane! (This is what I found on my pillow this morning)
p.s. I have 2 books that I have been dying to review for you on here. Check back tomorrow. I pinky promise that I'll put the reviews up. Until then, I, Sarah Sparkle Star (my new name given to me by my daughter) am off to a magical world where we eat licorice for breakfast and sometimes we can fly without an airplane! (This is what I found on my pillow this morning)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
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