Friday, May 21, 2010

Reading, a trip down memory lane

Yes, this morning I'm pondering reading.

I've always been an avid reader. Always.

When I was in grade school, Catholic, in case you didn't know, I got in trouble for my reading.

You hear all the time how reading is the foundation for all other studies. Even helps you in math supposedly. Perhaps I should have read more, as I pretty much suck in math.

Anyway, back to St. Roberts and the nuns...oh we weren't talking about nuns? Crap.

I remember being in the 3rd grade, so 7 years old, and having the nun send a note home to my mom. 'Debra reads too much'. WTF??? Apparently they thought I was one sided. Because I voraciously read all the books I liked, 'Bobbsey Twins' at that time, I was not a rounded person. I will admit, I read nothing but mystery...

Looking back, I understand what they were getting at. I read all the time, and I only read one type of book. The other kids would run about on the playground, and I would read. Perhaps that's how I ended up rounded in figure after all.

But still....reading is a joy for me. A pleasure. A guilty indulgence. Leave it to the nuns to make something wonderful feel guilty!

I , now, really love to read all things. I have always been a mystery buff. As I said earlier, the Bobbsey Twins were my first foray into the mystery series. Trixie Belden followed and of course Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys came soon after. I read every single one of those books. I loved them. Parts of them still come back to me today in fact. Talk about impact. They were followed by Stuart Woods, James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark, just to name a few of my more recent passions.

I love everything about reading. I love choosing a book, sitting down with it and beginning to bond. Learning the characters, loving them, hating them, gosh I just love it all.

I read mysteries. A lot of them. I never try to figure out who did it. I read and immerse myself into the story and let it lead me and take me to the conclusion. It's so much more fun for me that way. Turning that last page and thinking OMG! HE did it! Oh yes, I love surprises.

A few years ago, I decided I should broaden my horizons...ya the damn nuns were right.

OMG what an eye opener for me.

I started with Pearl S. Buck's 'The Good Earth'. Oh it moved me deeply. I was there. I was learning the culture. It pained me, it brought me joy. I read. I felt. I reveled.

One morning at coffee hour here in the park, a friend had a book she was leaving at the library. I looked at it. She said she didn't like it. I was intrigued. I took it. I was hooked from the first page. 'Water For Elephants'. Wow. Again, I was there. I cried, and yet again, I was touched. I'm smiling thinking about it.

We have a book club here in the park that a few keep trying to get me to join. My favorite librarian back in Houghton Lake is similarly on my case to attend their book club. That's not my bag. To me, that would make reading a chore not a pleasure. I want to read. I want to have deep thoughts about what I read. I don't want to share that with others. I want to get out of a book what I want to, not what they think I should have.

I'm sitting here with my eyes closed thinking of some of my favorite reads.

*Palindrome" by Stuart Woods
*"Memoirs of a Geisha'
*The 'Twilight' series by Stephanie Meyers (OMG YES I know they were written for teenage girls, but I was hooked. Totally and completely!)
*Harry Potter series, yep I waited in line at midnight for the last one.
*"Moonraker's Bride". I'd actually like to read that again as I was about 12 when I read it and I don't remember anything but the name. I'm guessing it had to be something special or it would not have stuck in my mind all these years!
*"Girl With a Pearl Earring"
*"Pillars of the Earth"...wow that Ken Follett!
* the 'Little House on the Prarie' series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Oh how I loved those books. I still have the set to share with my grandchildren. I was part of that family. I remember reading and being so excited to pick up the next book. Oh just to see what 'Half Pint' was going to get up to, or where Pa was going to go. I do believe that set might have been the most memorable thing of my youth as far as reading goes. Yes, I do believe.....

Well, I'm sure the list is endless...but I love how it's evolved over the years. I love that I can lose myself in something other than mystery.

Where are those nuns today? Today they could send a note home that said 'How well she's read to reason against reading!'......ahhhh one of my true indulgences....I do so love the Bard.

If I could send a note to the nun today...it might be this.

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”

- Confucius

or this.

“He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, as in all fortunes.”

- Barrow

Or to make it simplistic, this.

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

- Dr. Seuss


I know that very few people read this blog anymore...perhaps I should have posted this on my Weight Watcher blog...(hmmm I might just do a copy and paste after all!), but if you do read, and if you have read books that have touched your heart, made you laugh, left an imprint on you, please share.



:-)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Asshats

Yes, Asshats.

Those are people that piss me off. The number seems to be many tonight.

You drive in the passing lane doing 40. Are you freaking kidding me? The speed limit is 55, there are 3 lanes, and YOU have to get your ass in front of me and go 40? I want to nudge you with my one ton doolie and see if you speed up any.

We're buying a new home. We close on Wednesday. We can close earlier if the papers from the sellers arrive early. They mailed them today. Everyone knows they'd overnight them right? We can close on our beautiful new home tomorrow? Oh hell no! Asshats that they are, sent the papers registered mail. REGISTERED MAIL...NOT OVERNIGHT MAIL. We'll be lucky to even get them by Wednesday now.

My neighbors, scum personified mind you, have a front door without the plunger thingy that lets it close gently. So, they go out the door and SLAM! EVERY FREAKING TIME! OMG would you NOT hold it and let it shut gently? MUST you let it slam so it jars the teeth in my head and sets my nerves on end? Asshats.

The sign at WalMart says 20 items or less. CAN'T YOU FREAKING COUNT???? Do you think it means 20 items for everyone BUT you and that it's OK for you to have 50? NO IT ISN'T!

Bad grammar. Oh yes, that really gets my goat. Educated people that use words incorrectly. They're stupid! No, there not stupid, or their not stupid....they're stupid! I don't really care how that affects you...I sure the hell know it didn't effect you! "A lot" is two words people!!!! I'm sure you saw something cool....you certainly shouldn't have seen it. "I seen the movie" is NOT the way to make yourself sound intelligent.

When you pick your nose in your car while sitting at a stop light? PEOPLE CAN SEE YOU!

When I'm having a nice meal out and your little angel is running all over the restaurant screaming, I don't think he's cute. I wish to thrust my foot out and trip him and see if he bleeds.

Wal-Mart greeters. All asshats. I despise the position. It rankles me that someone is getting paid to stand in front of the door and welcome me to the store. I'm there for milk and eggs...I don't need welcoming. I need my groceries to be a bit cheaper which they could be IF WE WEREN'T PAYING ASSHATS TO SAY 'WELCOME TO WAL-MART'!

The fast food jockey that asks me 'Do you want fries with that?' NO, if I wanted fries I'd have ordered them. Do you think I forgot you sell fries and since you've asked I shall have an epiphany right there in the drive through lane? OMG you have fries here? Why yes! I'd love some fries. Yes, I know your boss makes you do that. Grow a set, tell them they're asshats and people don't like being asked if they want fries!!!

The list goes on. I must pace myself.

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