tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38484976992586646872023-11-16T05:40:34.909-08:00Occupy North StreetThe Revolution Starts at HomeJonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-31727523977765864302013-05-12T05:56:00.001-07:002013-05-12T05:56:47.660-07:00A Mother of a Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZdx_ZOcMWkIaeVznmFq11xJznxFXLkm09z4YNKoBCoA5n375sbP367W1tufnuVoDvTvul00FiOfXEohvrRY11uc1PX9cAVxPTX-6tMRbGQ7ZwuNuGZ-SGmzsXQkum-RwjSrh_jRU7-E/s1600/HappyMothersDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZdx_ZOcMWkIaeVznmFq11xJznxFXLkm09z4YNKoBCoA5n375sbP367W1tufnuVoDvTvul00FiOfXEohvrRY11uc1PX9cAVxPTX-6tMRbGQ7ZwuNuGZ-SGmzsXQkum-RwjSrh_jRU7-E/s320/HappyMothersDay.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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I am going to make a statement that is bound to strike my
readers as politically incorrect. Even shocking. It is simply this: I hate
Mother’s Day. I have hated it for years – even the years before my mother died,
but especially afterward. I thought having my own kids would make me like it,
but no … not really. I guess I basked in the glow of my first Mother’s Day, but
since it was little over a month after giving birth, I pretty much attribute
that to a chemical rush of happy hormones. </div>
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It’s probably got a lot to do with expectations. Thinking
that just because the calendar says it’s Mother’s Day, our children will not
just flood us with cards, gifts and flowers, but will be stricken with some
sudden <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mea culpa</i> moment when they
will prostrate themselves at our feet, beg our forgiveness for all the times
they tore our hearts out, and promise to strive harder to reach the pinnacle of
perfection we expected for them on the day they were born. </div>
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On the flip side, there is the hope – quickly dashed – that
our relationship with our own mother will magically be healed by the simple act
of bestowing a Hallmark greeting upon her. All the years of tears and
disappointments, all the fights and harsh words, instantly erased –
abracadabra!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in my case, where even
that slim chance of reconciliation disappeared in the sudden chill of an
October night in 1978, the regret over what will never be … assuaged only
somewhat by the knowledge that it never really could have been anyway.</div>
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So today when everyone is posting pictures of flowers and
verses of sweet poetry and trite syrupy sentiments on Facebook, I won’t be
participating. All I’m offering is this rather cynical, negative blog post.
(You can thank me after you get over the sugar hangover.) It’s not that I do
not have any appreciation for the wonderful, difficult, usually unsung job
mothers do. I am one, after all. It’s just that I don’t think one day is enough
to encompass the joys and the sorrows, the highs and the lows, the intricacies
and the ambivalence of how it feels to bear the name “MOM.” </div>
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What’s the answer? Hallmark doesn’t know. 1-800-FLOWERS
doesn’t know. And I certainly don’t know.</div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-76521416238360089102013-02-10T09:11:00.003-08:002013-02-10T09:11:47.547-08:00The Ghosts of Snow Storms Past<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
It was Christmas Day 1966 in Brooklyn, NY. For me, that meant getting up
early, opening the gazillion gifts under the tree that – as an only child –
were all mine, then getting into the car and picking up Nana and Baba, my
maternal grandparents. This was tradition. This is what we did. Every Christmas
for my whole, entire nine years of life.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWSP4oweXmj0hy-m99Gxfdee6AmzHd3V6fHkWrPaI2admFFsbDKT9SB8NCh3-VxvXlRWl4bnfeyn8gGU2dRj42gjO_cmzw0BtVUyaX5KwfXXrwD79UieGVIkKXMxfkKz-l8U414TWyuU/s1600/christmas+1966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWSP4oweXmj0hy-m99Gxfdee6AmzHd3V6fHkWrPaI2admFFsbDKT9SB8NCh3-VxvXlRWl4bnfeyn8gGU2dRj42gjO_cmzw0BtVUyaX5KwfXXrwD79UieGVIkKXMxfkKz-l8U414TWyuU/s320/christmas+1966.jpg" width="169" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
But when I looked past the glittery, foil-wrapped packages and out the
living room window, I saw an incredible sight: snow. And an awful lot of it! In
fact, from the whispered voices of my parents in the kitchen, probably too much
of it to allow us to pick up Nana and Baba.<br />
<br />
A wiggly worm of fear started crawling its way into my Christmas joy. Surely
it was not possible that this … this … white stuff … could ruin our family
tradition! Could keep us from the people we loved!<br />
My father walked outside to survey the situation. I pulled on my red rubber
snow boots and awkwardly followed after him in the deep snow. He shook his head
slowly. We didn’t have a snow-blower. (I’m not too sure anyone had a snow
blower.) And the snow was up to my waist. But surely Daddy could fix this …
Daddy fixed everything.<br />
<br />
Gently, he stated the unacceptable: that we probably wouldn’t be able to
pick up Nana and Baba. <br />
My Christmas was ruined.<br />
<br />
Well, OK, if Daddy couldn’t fix this, then I would, damn it! (I may have said
“damn it!” in my head, but I’m sure that as a good Catholic girl, I didn’t say
it out loud.) I marched resolutely into the garage as quickly as the snow would
allow, which was not very quickly at all, and I grabbed my baby snow shovel,
and I started to dig. And I dug and I dug and my Daddy laughed and told me to
stop but I dug and I dug and I dug. And my breath came out in big steamy puffs
and my face got cold and red and my toes and fingers got cold and numb and I
dug and I dug and I dug some more. And when I stepped back to admire my
handiwork, I saw that I had barely scratched the surface. This white stuff.
This white SHIT (which of course I also did not say) had ruined my Christmas.
Was ruining my Christmas. Would continue to ruin my Christmas.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl1iPh2lZYlMAxnM94pVs_RllOjHkyMfLIIiGgu7mW2Q_Z3kxiscbx-pZYrqsKnss1TEIvayohykBBDVryWzxzyjPJxuI0jAMGlc95kLUnO4k7VXZzkCsaHct45opBiBbnKdVUohV9EU/s1600/kidschristmasshovel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl1iPh2lZYlMAxnM94pVs_RllOjHkyMfLIIiGgu7mW2Q_Z3kxiscbx-pZYrqsKnss1TEIvayohykBBDVryWzxzyjPJxuI0jAMGlc95kLUnO4k7VXZzkCsaHct45opBiBbnKdVUohV9EU/s1600/kidschristmasshovel.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Daddy gently took away my baby shovel, and I dejectedly returned to the
house.<br />
<br />
I do not remember what was inside those glittery, foil-wrapped packages. I
do not remember what we ate for dinner. I just remember my bitter tears of
defeat.<br />
<br />
I’m not sure if what happened next took place that day or the day after. But
Mommy and Daddy had found a solution after all! The minute the buses were
running, we threw Nana and Baba’s gifts into shopping bags and trudged our way
down the street to the bus stop. We had to take two different buses to get to their
house, and the 10-minute trip probably took us a couple of hours in the snow,
but we got there. Christmas was saved. Different … but saved. The people who
made it Christmas were together. The snow had not won this game!<br />
<br />
I never felt the same about snow after that Christmas. Although I admire it
and respect it, I still hold a resentment toward it. You will not ruin my joy.
You will not alter my plans. You will not keep me from the people I love.<br />
<br />
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I remembered that yesterday as I
shoveled – this time with a small aluminum shovel probably not much bigger than
my baby shovel had been but much more effective – and my husband shoveled and ran
the snow blower and cleared out our driveway from three feet of record-breaking
snow that had fallen the night before. And when we stood looking back at what
we had accomplished, backs and shoulders sore, my 9-year-old self smiled and
thought, “Here we come, Nana and Baba! We won another round! Nothing will keep
us away!”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO89cHLG-Hb1vR4EpWcbiiDaMCQE_E5THfAUVUtYgZ2KdJlLMAHLf60UsVVvb_-mQU_Pl4JDKdDmCLJy-oztzHphXjMG4EQvSsiIFj_MYXUPArR0T-QzYonzPGIgyheV48P2ioqpv8BE/s1600/driveway+clear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO89cHLG-Hb1vR4EpWcbiiDaMCQE_E5THfAUVUtYgZ2KdJlLMAHLf60UsVVvb_-mQU_Pl4JDKdDmCLJy-oztzHphXjMG4EQvSsiIFj_MYXUPArR0T-QzYonzPGIgyheV48P2ioqpv8BE/s320/driveway+clear.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">For information on the “Donner & Blitzen” storm of 1966, follow this
link to the Old Farmer’s Almanac:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2009/12/21/white-christmas/</span></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-69955141851864570112013-01-01T05:34:00.002-08:002013-01-01T05:34:24.367-08:00Reflections on a New Year<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmJJ4J1cCbKqAm9B3Uu2cBHNL2w6rGofoy1TuQnJ9huTKzxXi5FbuPajuqYXnsh8aIr14-1k32rv4VHydAg8967EOAW9mU-6YiPFAaBTOVfb5Uo4WdaDagp7xiZEyvmQncx9y6dc_Ad4/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmJJ4J1cCbKqAm9B3Uu2cBHNL2w6rGofoy1TuQnJ9huTKzxXi5FbuPajuqYXnsh8aIr14-1k32rv4VHydAg8967EOAW9mU-6YiPFAaBTOVfb5Uo4WdaDagp7xiZEyvmQncx9y6dc_Ad4/s320/2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>[Note: I have made a
personal promise to myself to start handwritten journaling again, which I refer
to below. This is a transcript of that journal entry.]</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another New Year! I’m beginning this one with no voice.
Third day of laryngitis, which is driving me bonkers – though I have discovered
that, like singing, if I speak from my diaphragm instead of my throat, I can
get a lot more sound out. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I was feeling better last night, but then we had the world’s
worst experience at China Pavilion and I got upset and raised my voice – and soon
lost it again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lesson: I can’t afford to get stressed anymore. It takes too
much of a toll on me mentally, spiritually and now physically. If I have any
goal in 2013 it is to take positive steps toward alleviating stress. They may
be baby steps, but they have to start somewhere. I must walk before I can run.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s hard to start journaling in longhand again. It feels so
slow. But slow, I think, is what I need. I hope to maintain this discipline,
though if history is any indicator, I won’t. It’s like those fatties who start
gung-ho at the gym in January and are back in the candy aisle by February 1.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The New Year is always a time for looking ahead and planning
to “change the things we can.” But mostly this New Year, I pray for the wisdom
to know the difference.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2012 was a good year until the fourth quarter when it all unraveled.
But truly it is a fallacy to try to compartmentalize a full year into one neat
package. Each day, each event, has the potential to be good or bad. As my
friend Don says, “Thinking makes it so.” And yet, there is such a thing as pure
evil, and we have seen that in recent weeks.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In past years, I believe we humans have collectively
exercised a certain degree of magical thinking around the New Year – that at
the stroke of midnight, the bad stuff of the year gone by would be washed away
and the freshness of a New Year’s potential would take its place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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This year, I don’t feel that. Instead, I sense a collective
relief that 2012 is over, but only a tentative hope that 2013 will be
different.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Were there fewer fireworks last night or was it my imagination?
Were there more tears, or was that my assumption? Is there less optimism, or is
that my fear?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have adopted one phrase for the New Year in lieu of my
usual list of resolutions, REVolutions or goals. That is to spread peace and to
live joy. How those are accomplished is up to each of us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Happy New Year!</div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-5564032014223209982012-12-16T05:46:00.003-08:002012-12-16T05:46:40.229-08:00Another Rent in the Fabric<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjKvLpJsrky5DSjKIAQQ-6dM1pGA04fOI45kjpB1-aKpp63x9DNm3HGzJsLsQ-l6Ik8oX6-kx0fkuGtBzTY7FCG13z1ETsC4t826gA5iCLfoKS0bgbQZIfmGKNgBEdRBhXr9XvGppWhc/s1600/torn+cloth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjKvLpJsrky5DSjKIAQQ-6dM1pGA04fOI45kjpB1-aKpp63x9DNm3HGzJsLsQ-l6Ik8oX6-kx0fkuGtBzTY7FCG13z1ETsC4t826gA5iCLfoKS0bgbQZIfmGKNgBEdRBhXr9XvGppWhc/s320/torn+cloth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The two days started in eerily similar ways: taking a walk,
chatting with a loved one, complaining about the petty annoyances of everyday
life. Soccer practices at inconvenient times. Christmas dinner with a slightly
dysfunctional family. The minor frustrations of life that seemed like terrible
dilemmas at the time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even the weather on those days was similar, though one boasted
the bold blue skies of a waning summer and the other the cold crisp promise of
the coming winter. Finishing the walk, grabbing some water, stretching our
legs, heading back to the routine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then the curtain was torn.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And the following hours were spent mesmerized by the media
frenzy, in shock over the depths of human depravity, and deeply questioning how
it could come to this and how we could ever recover.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before and after. Then and now. Defining lines in the
continuum of time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After that first day – 9/11/01 – I had hoped that I would
never witness another rent in the fabric of normalcy. After the second day –
12/14/12 – I realize that the cloth may be irreparably tattered. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I know for sure is that the things I complained about,
whined about – okay, bitched about – during my early-morning walks both days
are insignificant irritations I would gladly reclaim as the worst problems in life.
I wonder what the families of both sets of victims were grumbling about the
morning before they kissed their loved ones goodbye for what would be the last
time. Perhaps that pain is the one that resonates most with all of us: things
left unsaid – and worse, things said that now can never be undone. </div>
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<br /></div>
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We hear all the time about “living in the moment” and
cherishing each day. But how many of us do it? I know I will write this today
and probably kvetch about something stupid five minutes from now. It is human
nature. </div>
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I did not personally know the victims of either 9/11 or the
Sandy Hook school shooting. But they are all our families; they are all our
friends; they are all our children. We all want to help yet feel helpless.
There are no words, no actions, no way to change the past. But we can make
today count. We can cherish the normal day.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ll end with this poem that I found years ago … when, at
least to my mind, there were many more Normal Days.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">NORMAL DAY… </span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Author:
Mary Jean Iron</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 160%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
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day, let me be aware<br />
of the treasure that you are.<br />
let me learn from you, love you,<br />
bless you before we depart.<br />
Let me not pass you by in quest<br />
of some rare and perfect tomorrow.<br />
let me hold you while I may,<br />
for it may not be always so. one day<br />
I shall dig my nails into the earth,<br />
or bury my face in the pillow,<br />
or stretch myself tart,<br />
or raise my hands<br />
to the sky and want, more<br />
than all the world, your return.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-72251355690941119692012-12-05T07:10:00.004-08:002012-12-05T07:10:38.695-08:00Hooray! I'm Done!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hooray! I’m Done! – Books 51-52</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1j7iMclWiNObnwBNR0tdmByzuJrUN51PIKccZTX2Fx6D8-GibQaNTnlMbgqOyIujsrZ8g1ROc1pNz01ENxP4SYP5gm3pQYXRhAEAXEfcobREeG2IldVmwxVOddHGEBcF43NDZTD00ZQ0/s1600/finish+line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1j7iMclWiNObnwBNR0tdmByzuJrUN51PIKccZTX2Fx6D8-GibQaNTnlMbgqOyIujsrZ8g1ROc1pNz01ENxP4SYP5gm3pQYXRhAEAXEfcobREeG2IldVmwxVOddHGEBcF43NDZTD00ZQ0/s1600/finish+line.jpg" /></a></div>
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As I closed the back cover of Book # 52, I breathed a great
sigh of relief: My 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge was officially finished. I
had managed to read one book a week during 2012. And although it was an
interesting adventure, I will not be repeating it … nor will I be upping the
ante by doubling my intake to 104 books in 52 weeks. I did it. I’m done. Now I
will read for pleasure as I always have!</div>
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So here are my final two books of 2012:</div>
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Book # 51: <b>Someone to Watch Over Me</b> by Judi McMahon</div>
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This book bills itself as a “novelized memoir” – which made
it especially intriguing to me. I’ve always wanted to fictionalize my life, and
in my younger days I often wrote stories featuring myself and my friends in a
variety of escapades, some of which were frighteningly similar to reality. This
book was obviously self-published – and not edited very well. Nevertheless,
there was something compelling about it that kept me interested in the main
characters. Perhaps it was the fact that they grew up in New York during the
same era as I did and faced many of the same personal and professional
challenges. Or maybe it was just because I wanted to see what awful typo would
come up next: like spelling the purple dinosaur’s name “Barnie” a number of
times … or the Egyptian president’s “Anwar el Dadat.” Then again, we WERE
warned that it was novelized. </div>
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Book # 52: <b>Catch Me If You Can</b> by Frank W. Abagnale with
Stan Redding</div>
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I love-love-loved this book! And I also loved the film by
the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. I’d seen the movie a
couple of years ago, but somehow the fact that this consummate con man was only
in his late teens/early twenties when he perpetuated his crimes had escaped me.
This was one of those books that had you rooting for the “bad guy”
unremorsefully! Most, if not all, of the capers he pulled would be impossible
to get away with today (I think) but reading how he managed to forge, con and
smooth-talk his way around the globe was – as the cover blurb states – “dangerously
inspirational.” For a fun read, I highly recommend this one.</div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-86190440468579453342012-11-23T05:49:00.002-08:002012-11-23T05:49:20.017-08:00Down the Home Stretch - Books 48-50<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfKWIetT7XSey-AsRJnlcRpvOvsXFGssP2_AVohmp6wa_QXpdF3rjIif2HtVsHtzExIpLs2al-n9DkM9ZR_oH6Tc9SVyOU-ba-yInaH89xnDtwZTJw0Jdfsxc2Da8ncyFD-civnEtYI4/s1600/homestretch_logo(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfKWIetT7XSey-AsRJnlcRpvOvsXFGssP2_AVohmp6wa_QXpdF3rjIif2HtVsHtzExIpLs2al-n9DkM9ZR_oH6Tc9SVyOU-ba-yInaH89xnDtwZTJw0Jdfsxc2Da8ncyFD-civnEtYI4/s320/homestretch_logo(1).jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming down the home stretch now! And still selecting the
thinnest books on my shelf in order to finish the challenge by the end of the
year, though there’s really no doubt in my mind at this point.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Are You Somebody? </b>By
Nuala O’Faolain</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I hadn’t had a goal to meet, I probably wouldn’t have
finished this book. Subtitled “The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman,” it
sounded like it might be interesting to read about this middle-aged columnist
and how she overcame the barriers faced by women in the 60s to become a
successful writer. And there was some good stuff about how family, religion and
culture challenged and shaped her. However, for the most part I found the book
full of gratuitous name dropping of presumably important literary and art-world
figures, and cultural references that went over my head. I’m not sure if I felt
dumber about not understanding the allusions or about being obsessive enough to
continue reading this book to the bloody end.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Perfume</b> by
Patrick Suskind</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This book totally made up for my displeasure over the
previous one. I can’t even begin to explain how unusual the premise is and how
adept the author is at describing the main character’s extraordinary proclivity
toward all things olfactory. This was one of the most original books I’ve read
in a long time, and I’ve already added the movie (2006 starring Dustin Hoffman)
to my Netflix queue. Not sure how I missed that one, but if it’s anything like
the book, I’m sure it will be quite a ride! I will say no more … just read this
book!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Patrimony</b> by
Philip Roth</div>
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Sometimes sad, sometimes whimsical but always from the
heart, this story of a son and his father during the elder man’s final illness
is a touching story of devotion. By the time the book reaches its inevitable
conclusion, you really feel like you know the feisty, clever, tradition-bound
man who has now become a shell of himself through the ravages of illness. If
you have ever experienced the paradoxical joy and sorrow of caring for an
elderly parent, you will relate to this story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-83431896089096062842012-11-13T09:18:00.003-08:002012-11-13T09:18:40.677-08:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Slogging Along<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Books
44-47 - Slogging Along</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKu32f7aPCjC86c2-1TVVvYRDqElu2VSn9b1JOz_cVQgTMqy614oeFqGmjl5cF96XSk4qk63YGzwMsqucDkRiyXL9tCkopZlEWrz-Uy20rBGPvGYymQzes31bLJKjukqjBRpGUzarugY/s1600/trudging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKu32f7aPCjC86c2-1TVVvYRDqElu2VSn9b1JOz_cVQgTMqy614oeFqGmjl5cF96XSk4qk63YGzwMsqucDkRiyXL9tCkopZlEWrz-Uy20rBGPvGYymQzes31bLJKjukqjBRpGUzarugY/s1600/trudging.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It seemed
like a really good idea at the beginning of the year to blog every one of the
52 books I read in 2012 as part of the “52 Books in 52 Weeks” challenge, but as
the year has worn on, I’ve grown weary of the practice. I’ve also grown weary
of counting the number of books I’m reading and looking toward December 31
wondering if I’ll have made my “quota”! In fact, I recently rejected a
particularly thick book that was next on my pile in favor of a few skinny ones
that I knew I’d get through quickly.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I will not
be repeating the challenge again next year. I enjoy reading too much to
quantify it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But since
I hate to quit something once I’ve committed to it, here’s a very brief
synopsis of Books 44-47.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 44:
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Richard
Rohr never disappoints, and his brand of spirituality resonates with me. In
this book, he talks about the differences in how we look at spirituality in the
first half of life as opposed to the second. He makes sense of a lot of the
doubts that creep into one’s mind at middle-age – about institutions, governments,
religious leaders – and assures the reader that this is not only normal but a
sign of growth. Highly recommended for any serious students of spirituality.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 45:
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I admit I
was only attracted to this book because we plan to visit Dogtown in the spring.
No one lives there now, but there are some very interesting stone carvings
worth visiting as well as a whole bunch of geocaches. The book itself tells the
tale of the last remaining residents of this village outside Gloucester and the
complicated lives they led in the 1800s. You get a real sense of the
loneliness, poverty and prejudice that were part of the fabric of life. A bit
slow and definitely not action-packed but an interesting character study.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 46:
Atonement by Ian McEwan</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I would
have enjoyed this book a lot more if we hadn’t been experiencing and recovering
from a hurricane at the time I read it. I often found myself rereading a page
over and over again as my mind drifted from the book to our powerless
situation. Nothing against the book, but I was glad I’d seen the movie so I
knew what was going on. Maybe I’ll read this again during a calm, sunny week on
a placid lake.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 47:
Finders Keepers by Mark Bowden</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This was a
very amusing – but inherently sad – true story of Joey Coyle, a meth-addicted,
unemployed twenty-something who found a couple of bags of money that had fallen
off an armored truck in South Philly. The description of this hapless man and
his friends as they moved from one escapade to another in an attempt to launder
the money, hide the money, and ultimately flee the country with the money before
their poorly hidden trail led police straight to them makes for a lively romp. Joey’s
eventual fall into obscurity, drug addiction and depression is a stark reminder
that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-90211121045228041932012-11-05T02:38:00.001-08:002012-11-05T02:38:36.842-08:00Peace After the Storm<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl37FGe5Ec8DFbEYt_aweXJIx_8wIYuMRC-v0mTVw6f_Oqo1uwuMQmVoS5XihC1Q0w4_EdbCWYpbTyHN3dOIUXidrCRKvzDcrYBYmHwFdQdczlsL7_5xfb0mQG2LAyc2BlgEldog5Tr10/s1600/sandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl37FGe5Ec8DFbEYt_aweXJIx_8wIYuMRC-v0mTVw6f_Oqo1uwuMQmVoS5XihC1Q0w4_EdbCWYpbTyHN3dOIUXidrCRKvzDcrYBYmHwFdQdczlsL7_5xfb0mQG2LAyc2BlgEldog5Tr10/s1600/sandy.jpg" /></a></div>
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Although I consider myself a spiritual person, I have not
been a big churchgoer in quite some time. So it was with some reluctance that I
found myself shuffling into 9:00 Mass alongside my husband and my mother- and
father-in-law. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I was exhausted. It had been six days since we’d lost power
during Hurricane Sandy. Six days since I slept in my own bed. Six days of
anxiety about how to keep my business up and running, how to keep my food from
spoiling, how to heat my home, how to get my husband’s elderly parents safely
out of their powerless home and back, how to avoid gas lines, how to find
lodging for our dog, how to make sure all our devices were charged so we could stay
connected to family and friends. For every solution, there were three more
problems. And I hadn’t had a full night’s sleep since the week before
Halloween.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Still, every time I started feeling sorry for myself, I
would remember all those who had it a thousand times worse. Who had lost
everything and were struggling to stay warm and nourished. Then I would feel
guilty. It was a no-win situation. A constant battle between my ears. And
usually the “committee meeting” to discuss this would take place in the middle
of the night.</div>
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This morning I was especially exhausted. I’d spent a half
hour crying, followed by a half hour taking a walk down to the now-placid bay
to try to clear my head and get some much-needed fresh air, sunshine and
exercise. But still I felt like someone had turned on a giant fog machine in my
brain. I took my seat in the unusually crowded church and began a half-hearted “Go
ahead, make my day” prayer. I didn’t really want to be here, but seeing as how
I was, I figured I might as well stay open to some kind of message. Any kind of
message. Oh, how I needed a message!</div>
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There was a children’s folk group tuning up at the side of
the church, and I thought back to my teens and early 20s when my dad and I
enjoyed playing music together at our parish folk Mass. He passed away in 2004,
but I’ve always felt he’s watching over me, especially in times of crisis. It
might not hurt to say a few words to Dad right about now. “Hey, Dad, about that
message … God might be a little busy, but maybe you’ve got a minute …”</div>
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<br /></div>
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The service was especially long and boring. The music, which
I usually enjoy, seemed to go on and on, and it all sounded exactly the same:
like a dirge. The one bright spot was that it was a children’s Mass, and the priest
invited the kids up to the altar after the sermon for a Q&A that gave us a
few much-needed chuckles. The Gospel message was that loving one another was
the most important commandment. Was that the message? Take the focus off myself
and move it onto others, especially in this time of need? That felt right, but
not quite “it.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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Still I waited. </div>
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<br /></div>
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After Communion, I checked my iPhone. We’d been here an hour
and a quarter already. I might have dozed off at one point. It really was time
to go. Clearly no burning bush would be coming to me today. Figured as much.
That was magical thinking anyway. The priest gave the final blessing. Everyone
started putting on their coats. I thought to myself ‘I really hope we don’t sit
here through the final song. Enough already with the music. No one will think
any less of us if we slip out a bit early.’</div>
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And then I heard the first notes of “Let There Be Peace on
Earth,” and my racing thoughts stopped abruptly. This was the song that used to
be my big “solo” at the folk Mass, with my dad accompanying me on the guitar. I
remembered his encouraging smile when I got to the part that tested my vocal
abilities, and the satisfaction I felt when I hit the high notes successfully
and drew approval from the congregation as well as from him. And I knew. This
was my message. Let there be peace. You can hit the high notes. You can get
through this. I’m still with you and it will be okay.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The fog lifted. The exhaustion, though still there, didn’t
seem quite so bad. We decided to go home right after lunch and prepare for
another cold night and the work week ahead. Put one foot in front of the other
and trust that all would be well. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Once aboard the ferry, we called our home phone, hoping the
answering machine would pick up, signaling that the electricity had been turned
on. It just kept ringing. As we debarked and hit the highway, we discussed how
to best prepare in the fast-approaching darkness: fire up the generator, bring
in wood for the fireplace, test the space heater, put the cooler on the deck,
grab some extra blankets from the cedar closet. Back in Milford, we noticed a
couple of traffic lights working that had been dark yesterday. And the turn
signal was functioning again. That was a good sign.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Then, as we rounded our corner, there was the welcome sight
of our front light on! The work crews stood across the street; they had just
finished the job. I let out a war whoop and started to cry! Power had returned.
In so many ways. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Let there be peace on earth. Thank you, Daddy.</div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-70766688761759486252012-10-17T12:29:00.002-07:002012-10-17T12:29:34.125-07:00Book 43 - A Twisted Faith<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "ScalaSans-Caps","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: ScalaSans-Caps;">A
Twisted Faith by Gregg Olsen</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVMmyDLTvweK9MAE6DKSyFuvtnot1ZUE8bmhtohfDwwRJ3sUpUfPp2drOTKS-fJlH3Seg3zhah28k6ZvnjQQtWqHGg4tG4T4aeyxZTnlupwz6ZiN-vPLJ04pcMb0aI1JxzflHZiS6BDc/s1600/twisted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVMmyDLTvweK9MAE6DKSyFuvtnot1ZUE8bmhtohfDwwRJ3sUpUfPp2drOTKS-fJlH3Seg3zhah28k6ZvnjQQtWqHGg4tG4T4aeyxZTnlupwz6ZiN-vPLJ04pcMb0aI1JxzflHZiS6BDc/s1600/twisted.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ScalaSans-Caps","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: ScalaSans-Caps;">It’s
amazing what some people will do in the name of religion … and this book tells
the story of one man, Nick Hacheney, who exploited his position as a spiritual
leader at a small church in Washington State to satisfy his own desires of the
flesh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ScalaSans-Caps","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: ScalaSans-Caps;">But
that’s not what was so incredible about this story. After all, we’ve heard
enough scandalous church tales in recent years that we’re pretty much immune to
them. What made this true-crime story stand out – for me at least – was how
gullible so many young women of his congregation were. Married, single, young
or old, they not only believed they were doing “God’s will” by having sex with
this man, but several of them actually fell in love with him, including the
barely legal daughter of the pastor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ScalaSans-Caps","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: ScalaSans-Caps;">Oh
… and they also believed Nick’s story about a mysterious post-Christmas fire
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<span style="font-family: "ScalaSans-Caps","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: ScalaSans-Caps;">I
found this book to be quite gripping, and had a hard time putting it down. I kept
hoping for someone to come to his or her senses and see Nick Hacheney for the
person he was … an overweight, oversexed sociopath. It was an agonizing wait. In
the end, good triumphed over evil, but not before taking a lot of people down
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-55018385475533243902012-10-11T06:49:00.002-07:002012-10-11T06:49:57.944-07:00Book 42: Middle Age: A Romance<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Book 42: Middle Age – A Romance by Joyce Carol Oates</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7x4P4sUpYGIiUaAbScUf6UAS_UXmrBWqi2nVChgiNgfGj5lYj-JpJLVWPcEeEM1uqbadN3lMUZMKzpDDK2Z57xhBojvvVQCohD1Zhtay1crhHY-3kyHc61KB0N3IpG3V_q-KyKpunHE/s1600/middle+age.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7x4P4sUpYGIiUaAbScUf6UAS_UXmrBWqi2nVChgiNgfGj5lYj-JpJLVWPcEeEM1uqbadN3lMUZMKzpDDK2Z57xhBojvvVQCohD1Zhtay1crhHY-3kyHc61KB0N3IpG3V_q-KyKpunHE/s1600/middle+age.jpg" /></a></div>
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I have always enjoyed Joyce Carol Oates’ writing, from the
time I first read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Garden of Earthly
Delights</i> back in high school. Now that I am … um … no longer in high
school, the title of this book appealed to me right away.</div>
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This was a very enjoyable and thought-provoking novel about
the inhabitants of a wealthy suburb of New York. After the accidental and
heroic death of one of their favorite gentleman artists, they discover that he
was not necessarily who he appeared to be … and neither is anyone else! This is
personality study at its finest, with plenty of humor, pathos and wisdom to
spare. For anyone facing middle age – or refusing to do so – enjoy the ride
that this book takes you on!</div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-61347430051557706642012-10-11T06:41:00.001-07:002012-10-11T06:41:50.279-07:00Book 41: Dinner with a Perfect Stranger<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Book 41 – Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory</span></div>
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Occasionally a book comes along that inspires my
spirituality and makes me feel that things are right with the universe. This
was not that book.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Brief (100 pages) and conversational in tone, the basic story
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dinner with a Perfect Stranger</i> is
that a successful but overwhelmed businessman receives an anonymous invitation
to meet Jesus Christ at a nearby restaurant. He accepts – just for the hell of
it (excuse my choice of words) – and sits down to a most interesting meal with
a “perfect stranger.” </div>
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The message is a familiar one – trust in God, all is well,
focus on your loved ones and not on money and career. And it should have been a
reassuring one, but it contained far too many fundamentalist undertones (us vs.
them) for my comfort. So in the end, the best thing I have to say about this
book is that it was “blessedly” short.</div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-42800519807577747202012-09-26T12:13:00.000-07:002012-09-26T12:13:10.692-07:00Summer Reading - Books 34-40<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">More summer reading!</span></div>
<div class="Pa3">
<br /></div>
<div class="Pa3">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 34: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Weight of
Dreams</i> by Jonis Agee </span></div>
<div class="Default">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Weight of
Dreams</span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> told a story of vengeance that I felt could have been told in
half the amount of pages. Set in the West, it gave the reader the impression
that the Plains were still very much like the Wild, Wild West we know from the
days of cowboys and Indians. For whatever reason, I could not get involved with
the characters’ lives and pretty much plodded through this book. </span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 35: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Riven Rock</i> by
T.C. Boyle </span></div>
<div class="Default">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Riven Rock</span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
was quite a welcome departure from the previous book. I love T.C. Boyle’s
style, and he didn’t disappoint. This was the fictionalized story of the heir
to the McCormick reaper fortune and his sad life as a schizophrenic and sex
maniac, locked up in his mansion and forbidden to see any women – even his own
wife. It was a fascinating look at history, early 20<sup>th</sup> century
mores, and the rudimentary beginnings of the field of psychiatry.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 36: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Psycho</i>
by Bret Easton Ellis </span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">… And then there was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American
Psycho</i> … which definitely took abnormal psych to a whole new level. I would
not recommend this book for anyone who is squeamish. I vaguely recall this
being a movie, but I don’t think I saw it. If I did, I would surely remember it
… and not with fondness. Sexual depravity, senseless violence, rampant drug
use, all wrapped up in the guise of an ‘80s New York success story. If that’s
your cup of tea, this is the book for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 37: River, Cross My Heart by Breena Clarke</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A haunting look at the Georgetown section of Washington, DC, in
the early part of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. Home to a thriving community of
African-Americans, this book tells the story of the accidental drowning of a
young girl and how the effects of her death ripple throughout the lives of the
people who knew her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 38: Chasing Fire by Suzanne Collins</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The second in the Hunger Games trilogy, this book has some
predictable moments, but there are enough unexpected twists and turns to make
it just as hard to put down as the first one. Looking forward to what this
author has in store in the final book.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 39: The Gathering by Anne Enright</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The last of my “summer reading” books, this one tells the story of
an Irish family coming together to mourn the passing of one of their siblings.
Told from the point of view of the sister, it skillfully weaves together the
story of the family’s past and the challenges of the present day as she tries
to cope with grief at the same time she is questioning her marriage and her relationships
with the surviving members of the family. I’ve never been to Ireland, but I
swear I almost felt like I’d just visited by the time this book was done. Well
written and engrossing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book 40: A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To say that this book is disturbing would be a gross
understatement. Lots of books are disturbing, but this one is more so because
it is true. Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped at age 11 and was not reunited with her
family until she was 29. During those 18 years, she was held prisoner, treated
as a sex slave, bore two daughters and feared for her life if she attempted
escape. Although her captor was a parolee and received regular visits from his parole
officer, no one discovered the girl in the backyard until two astute UC
Berkeley police officers investigated the strange behavior of a local “religious”
fanatic. The thought of this all taking place in an otherwise unremarkable and
well-populated neighborhood is terrifying. The fact that Jaycee Dugard survived
with body and soul intact is a miracle.</span></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-32537584627763414652012-08-20T04:38:00.001-07:002012-08-20T04:38:08.650-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Books 30-33
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Summer Reading List</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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There’s something about summer and reading that just goes
together. And as the days fly by, so do the books. Here then is a brief outline
of four books I read over the past month:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jewel</b> by Bret
Lott – A touching, fascinating look back at the struggles of raising a special
needs child in post-WWII America. And a compelling reminder that the main
ingredient is a mother’s love.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Marriage Plot</b>
by Jeffrey Eugenides – This book proved the adage that you can’t judge a book
by its cover. The cover art nearly deterred me from what turned out to be a
fun, intelligent read. The fact that it took place in a New England college
town in the early 80s made it particularly relevant to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Hunger Games</b>
by Suzanne Collins – I finally gave in and began the trilogy … and couldn’t put
it down. This series is designed for young adult readers, but since in my mind
I am still 19, I felt I was the perfect audience. I have now gotten hold of the
two remaining books, and will likely plow through those as well.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sam’s Letters to
Jennifer</b> by James Patterson – Trite and way too sugary for my taste. A blessedly
quick read.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Vacation is over, but there’s still another four weeks of
summer! And the read-a-thon continues!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-64849708931804064732012-07-31T10:04:00.001-07:002012-07-31T10:04:28.987-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 29 - The Kite Runner<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sVVQO5xjJLCfoVzWVDbnhK99rU4SP8mC8WotXb2wR995X-67Ap-Pwn3ZhMebPxdfHuq8ZT7J8o5t4Yy8Kk5LMxff0Z83mS1n_V0j_PRZ0CeGTbaI3C8ANAlM3GywCPLW4FTGAklI7bw/s1600/kite+runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sVVQO5xjJLCfoVzWVDbnhK99rU4SP8mC8WotXb2wR995X-67Ap-Pwn3ZhMebPxdfHuq8ZT7J8o5t4Yy8Kk5LMxff0Z83mS1n_V0j_PRZ0CeGTbaI3C8ANAlM3GywCPLW4FTGAklI7bw/s1600/kite+runner.jpg" /></a></div>
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It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that I couldn’t put
down, but this was one of them. </div>
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<br /></div>
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This book gave me a whole new perspective on Afghanistan … a
place I was only vaguely aware of before 9/11. At times endearing and at others
powerfully disturbing, I was struck first by its depiction of the universality
of childhood. And how its innocence – skillfully woven in the symbolism of kite
flying – could be snuffed out in a moment.</div>
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I had seen the film version of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Kite Runner</i> several years ago, so as the book unfolded, I
remembered many of the incidents. But – as usual – I preferred the book to the
movie, even though the latter was excellent. The plot twists and character
development keep the reader on edge throughout, and deeply involved in the life
of the protagonist (Amir) and his people.</div>
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For me, one line stands out as a stark reminder of how
quickly life changes. Spoken by the mother Amir never knew, it states: “[Profound]
happiness is frightening. … They only let you be this happy if they’re
preparing to take something from you.” Indeed that was the case for so many of
the Afghanis affected by war and inhumanity in this book. Yet we are left with
a sliver of hope for the future in the image of the kite flying free.</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-10329931592498657262012-07-26T09:25:00.002-07:002012-07-26T09:25:36.329-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book # 28: In the Woods<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the Woods by Tana French</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VmWBIIyjrVpt5P1_FC34gCmcz3KlOcDNujYEk6H3uIqpedwalHaMbtzv5h8Js3hlORUIBTc4nWcPjvoUhIK5kB5A3JgFXyheqzx4t49Uz0Y2I4Wz1_iyOR2aq5-YoLMDnTYuNM0_ous/s1600/in+the+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VmWBIIyjrVpt5P1_FC34gCmcz3KlOcDNujYEk6H3uIqpedwalHaMbtzv5h8Js3hlORUIBTc4nWcPjvoUhIK5kB5A3JgFXyheqzx4t49Uz0Y2I4Wz1_iyOR2aq5-YoLMDnTYuNM0_ous/s1600/in+the+woods.jpg" /></a></div>
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As you all know by now, I enjoy the True Crime genre, so I
figured I would equally enjoy a good fictional murder mystery – especially one
that was an Edgar Award Winner. But for some reason I just couldn’t get excited
about this book.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It sounded great – psychological suspense, a 20-year-old
secret, long-buried memories – but I had a hard time empathizing with the
characters most of the time. They seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time
drinking, getting drunk and recovering from hangovers. And the jargon they used
in conversation (the book took place in Ireland) got to be a bit off-putting. </div>
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Then there was the length … the editor in me felt that the
story could have been told in half the number of pages (there were 429 of
them). Perhaps a bit of succinctness would have prevented me from falling
asleep so many nights while reading. Or maybe if they spent a little less time drinking
and a little more time detecting, the mystery could have been solved a lot
sooner. </div>
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<br /></div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-29894177754852897932012-07-16T10:02:00.001-07:002012-07-16T10:02:09.397-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book #27: Olive Kitteridge<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout</div>
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At first I found it hard to get used to the unusual way this
book is constructed – more like a series of short stories or vignettes centered
(or sometimes not centered) around the main character, Olive Kitteridge. In
some stories, she played a prominent role while in others she was merely
mentioned as someone in the background. </div>
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But since it was a Pulitzer Prize winner, I knew it must
have something to offer, so I plodded on. And in fact, this book grew on me as
I read it, and I soon found myself relating to Olive as an older woman facing
many of life’s challenges. There are not too many books that focus on women
past middle age, so it was refreshing to gain new perspective on this stage of
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From empty-nest syndrome to health concerns, post-traumatic
stress to a spouse’s sudden disability, this book takes the reader through
real-life situations as seen through the eyes of Olive and other residents of a
small town in Maine. And within these characters I recognized many of my own
quirks and personality defects … sometimes with amusement but often with dismay.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Give this one a chance and I think it will grow on you too.</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-85824030393480636372012-06-28T05:31:00.002-07:002012-06-28T05:31:48.552-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Books 24, 25 & 26<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>Stones from the River </i>by Ursula Hegi, <i>Ellen Foster</i> by Kaye Gibbons, <i>Black and Blue</i> by Anna Quindlen</div>
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In honor of summer, I’ve taken a break from my usual
literary diet of nonfiction and have begun delving into some of the novels my
daughter recommended. It’s been a great diversion, and I am rediscovering the
joy of diving into someone else’s life and immersing myself in it.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stones from the River</i>
takes place in Germany, spanning the years that include the rise and fall of the
Nazis. The main character is a young woman who is a dwarf, and focuses on her
personal struggles to fit in against a larger backdrop of an entire society
that no longer “fits in” to Hitler’s worldview. Thoroughly captivating, often
heartbreaking, this was one that I hated to finish.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ellen Foster</i> is a
short book, written from the perspective of a simple girl in the rural South
who has grown up in an extremely dysfunctional family and has seen way too
much. But the real hero is the foster family from whom she appropriates her
surname.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black and Blue</i> is
a book it turns out I’ve read before, but it was worth rereading. I always
enjoy Anna Quindlen’s novels, and her descriptions of the heroine’s day-to-day
life made my palms sweat, knowing that danger lurked right around the corner.
To say I was disappointed with the ending is an understatement, but then abuse
seldom has a happy ending.</div>
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I’m looking forward to some more beach reads this summer! </div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-63266697815862336642012-06-20T05:18:00.003-07:002012-06-20T05:18:40.015-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 23 - Dirty Secret<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dirty Secret by Jessie Sholl</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46LvZxBwZ2RB2YkHyL1en-jqsNKToCCH5jGmejyZE8eZbtuxQ6fmRI2123mm01zg0K0ks7NFZlZ6xN43meQvcN060iPqsxVoFTUe1PnNMni5qwlLEGe6IOrTVRD5OYyD4rFHX1RoV5D8/s1600/dirty+secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46LvZxBwZ2RB2YkHyL1en-jqsNKToCCH5jGmejyZE8eZbtuxQ6fmRI2123mm01zg0K0ks7NFZlZ6xN43meQvcN060iPqsxVoFTUe1PnNMni5qwlLEGe6IOrTVRD5OYyD4rFHX1RoV5D8/s1600/dirty+secret.jpg" /></a></div>
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Bugs. That is what I will forever remember about this book,
which I picked up because of my interest in (OK, obsession with) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hoarders</i>.</div>
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At first it was a comfortably familiar scenario: girl leaves
exciting job and sympathetic partner in NYC to help sick, hoarding mother in Midwestern
city. There was the usual back-and-forth, past-and-present description,
providing insight on how the problem began, how it progressed, what the
situation was like now, and the impact it had on the author. Mom’s house was a
wreck – an assorted mess of unopened bags from the thrift store, clothes and
knick-knacks piled everywhere but on the shelves where they belonged, used food
containers, non-working appliances. Nothing I hadn’t seen on my TV screen week
after week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, as my kids would say, “shit got real.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After one extended visit with Mom, the author’s feet started
itching. Tracing the source of the problem to a used pillow the hoarder “couldn’t
resist” purchasing at the thrift shop, at first she thought the problem was
body lice. Bad enough. But the usual poisons, potions and lotions didn’t work,
and soon she (and the still-sympathetic, long-suffering partner) were infested
with what doctors thought might be mites, causing scabies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KlubtmLR94HDK1MPlNAxq8gUlDfQP2m5ShUavLvvwEOlvQyu2EWkBbwMSZzjDkn5H-HLQLCgCU63e6YKWNnCXGrLooekIynMQtdcCpcjH9nIklif1mf_AKYc8GPtrz0GqKa_CyNJBP4/s1600/scabies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KlubtmLR94HDK1MPlNAxq8gUlDfQP2m5ShUavLvvwEOlvQyu2EWkBbwMSZzjDkn5H-HLQLCgCU63e6YKWNnCXGrLooekIynMQtdcCpcjH9nIklif1mf_AKYc8GPtrz0GqKa_CyNJBP4/s320/scabies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Natural cures, insecticides, creams, gels, lotions … it was
hard to concentrate on some of the psychodrama taking place in this book
because I kept scratching and wondering why modern medicine didn’t have a cure
for the parasites that caused scabies. And how she was able to bring all her
bottles and tubes of liquids on the airplane with her to Italy. My mind kept
going to the TSA list, and I’d flip back to the publication date just to see if
perhaps the rules had been different when the story was written. Then, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just when I (and the author) thought the rash
was gone and the bugs were dead, another visit to Mom brought about a relapse.
Itch, scratch, itch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I might have been better able to concentrate on the
psychological aspects of this book if it weren’t for the “skeeve” factor. But
alas, it is what it is. And as much as I enjoyed the read, I was happy I could
stop scratching once I reached the end.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-76271481612384935532012-06-03T06:10:00.004-07:002012-06-03T06:10:50.075-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Books 21 & 22 - Liar's Poker and The Big Short<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>Liar’s Poker</i> and <i>The Big Short</i> by
Michael Lewis</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7-_N55mqozf-vMBo3IpwbnNTkEmLB56bLlDQHbRxy5kU_n8hCTdr3CdpyZEgX4oHdMdZOA3m0tthf3AUo_myHIzMz6VUPlzEMeOWIQ_59916dXiI_lHe3lUwbjkjhgvpiwViLOaxo2Y/s1600/Liar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7-_N55mqozf-vMBo3IpwbnNTkEmLB56bLlDQHbRxy5kU_n8hCTdr3CdpyZEgX4oHdMdZOA3m0tthf3AUo_myHIzMz6VUPlzEMeOWIQ_59916dXiI_lHe3lUwbjkjhgvpiwViLOaxo2Y/s200/Liar.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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If you want to restore your faith in America’s financial
future, feel good about the people in power at the country’s biggest investment
banks, and face today’s fiscal nightmare with the confidence that the system is
inherently good and will surely repair itself, I suggest you avoid these two
books like the plague.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Liar’s Poker</i> gives
an insider’s account of the no-rules chicanery that took place on the trading
floor of Salomon Brothers and other major players in the ‘80s, which eventually
led to the stock market crash of 1987. Then, just when you think the power
brokers have surely learned their lesson and mended their ways, here comes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Big Short</i>, describing how these same
frat boys rose up from the flames like so many phoenixes and proceeded to
concoct an even more mind-boggling get-rich scheme. The result of that one: the
stock market crash of 2008. The one we’re still reeling from.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxQ2AZg3STKIqO0vY2GVXd8vcDVnGwUzDK2pmYrRyZ4a2-B05l0XAcr-camPP_6wy0tkIEXXRb9YHJ5X-bS8n9Apc675rmw2DJqBrHUTjaf9kigkthDqxu2ylwbzany9Zd1G6ZaIMT9E/s1600/short.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxQ2AZg3STKIqO0vY2GVXd8vcDVnGwUzDK2pmYrRyZ4a2-B05l0XAcr-camPP_6wy0tkIEXXRb9YHJ5X-bS8n9Apc675rmw2DJqBrHUTjaf9kigkthDqxu2ylwbzany9Zd1G6ZaIMT9E/s200/short.jpg" width="149" /></a>They say that those who do not learn from history are doomed
to repeat it. But the postscript for these guys is that they managed to get
wealthier regardless. And not just a little wealthier. Incredibly,
inconceivably wealthier.</div>
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Michael Lewis is a great storyteller, and even though I didn’t
understand a lot of the financial goings-on that he described (and frighteningly,
neither did an awful lot of CEOs), both books were thoroughly readable and –
dare I say – enjoyable. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The takeaway: Grandpa was right. Under the mattress is a safe
place for money.</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-63453755721088735702012-05-21T07:18:00.003-07:002012-05-21T07:18:58.683-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 20 - The Only Thing Worth Dying For<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Only Thing Worth Dying For by Eric Blehm</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTn6NyPvn2ZakaAh9py6aFz2j1tRroENieCI0us6cz8x4qCDOOMB5iTziy1mWN9zx0ipwvMbRQaa7-2JnH0BJutYGj3oVy0-z1hVipjKlmb36Mzyif1RTByjlB5UNOOtgue7JXWX3u1pM/s1600/the+only+thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTn6NyPvn2ZakaAh9py6aFz2j1tRroENieCI0us6cz8x4qCDOOMB5iTziy1mWN9zx0ipwvMbRQaa7-2JnH0BJutYGj3oVy0-z1hVipjKlmb36Mzyif1RTByjlB5UNOOtgue7JXWX3u1pM/s1600/the+only+thing.jpg" /></a></div>
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One of the few stories my father would tell about his service
in World War II was the time his outfit was strafed by “friendly fire” because
they had advanced much farther and faster than had been anticipated. I remember
thinking that communication must have been pretty poor in “the old days” and
that that kind of horrific mistake must of course have been eradicated by the
wonders of modern warfare.</div>
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Sadly, as this book relates, that is not the case. </div>
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<br /></div>
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After reading the story of this team of Green Berets who
infiltrated Afghanistan early in the War on Terror, I have a newfound respect
for their bravery but also an enhanced fear of the powers-that-be who are purportedly
running the show. It was shocking to read how poorly informed they were of the
landscape, the people, the politics and even the man (Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s
future leader) they were tasked with protecting. But even worse was the
ultimate human error that led to tragedy amongst these valiant soldiers.</div>
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This is not a feel-good book. The title refers to advice
given the platoon leader by his mother: “Following your ideals is the only
thing worth dying for.” Perhaps the reader can take some comfort in that.</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-39906045998680870182012-05-08T10:43:00.000-07:002012-05-08T10:43:30.357-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 19: 11/22/63<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">11/22/63 by Stephen King</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I must admit that it crossed my mind that reading this
massive tome (849 pages) might make me fall critically behind in my 52 Books in
52 Weeks quest. But the premise was just too compelling to let that stop me. As
with so many of Stephen King’s books, once I got started reading, it was hard
to put down, so I ended up finishing it in little over a week.</div>
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All I will reveal about this book is that, in it, a man
travels back in time to try to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
From that seemingly “simple” concept, a convoluted tapestry is woven, one that
leaves the reader questioning the nature of time, space and reality itself. Not
to mention the impact each of us may have by performing even the simplest of
actions: the “butterfly effect.” </div>
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Ask yourself this question: If you had the chance to go back
in time and prevent some awful catastrophe from happening, wouldn’t you do it?
Of course you would! But I guarantee that after reading this book, you will want
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-87559776855127866162012-05-04T07:29:00.004-07:002012-05-04T07:29:38.636-07:00April REVolution: Food (Part 2)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">More Fun with the Facebook Food Challenge!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Having identified 26 food items from the Facebook Food
Challenge that I would be willing to try, I found recipes for several of them
and added the ingredients to my weekly shopping list. I was also happy to note
that I had indeed eaten Moon Pie before (in New York, we called it Scooter
Pie). That brought my total to 63.</div>
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<br /></div>
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On Monday, I was ready to test my first recipe: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chicken Tikka Masala</b>. </div>
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I had found this recipe on allrecipes.com, submitted by a
person named Yakuta. That sounded like an authentic Thai name – or at least
that of someone who hailed from someplace respectably close to Thailand. And
the intro blurb stated that it was easy to make – an important feature since my
cooking time is limited.</div>
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The first hint that something might be up with this recipe
came when I started making the marinade. I didn’t have an issue with the
unusually large quantities of spices – after all, that’s what Thai food is
famous for. But the 4 teaspoons of salt gave me pause. Nevertheless, I reluctantly
added it, dumped in the diced chicken breasts and let it sit in the fridge for
a couple of hours before broiling it. Luckily I had the sense to taste one of
the chunks before making the accompanying sauce. Ouch! </div>
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<br /></div>
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Now I like a spicy dish, but this was bordering on painful.
Seeing that the sauce I was about to make also contained vast quantities of hot
pepper and another 3 teaspoons of salt, I made an executive decision to turn
down the heat a bit, figuring the chicken would impart enough of the spice into
the sauce to make it redundant (and unpalatable) to add even more.</div>
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My cooking instincts were right. The dish was delicious,
just peppery enough to clear the sinuses but not evoke weeping. Served with
some long grain and white rice, fresh blueberries and a spinach salad, it made
a very tasty meal.</div>
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<br /></div>
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On Tuesday, I made <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fried
Plantains</b> as a side dish to salmon, and it was a big hit! Turns out my
daughter, who dined with us that night, had tried these before and gave them
her seal of approval. Later she bemoaned their high calorie content, but I
could have guessed they’d be pretty loaded since they were deep-fried.</div>
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I think I expected them to have a more banana-y flavor, so I
was surprised that they were starchier and more like French fries than I anticipated.
I served mine lightly salted, but later we broke out some Newman’s Own Hot
Tomato Salsa and dipped them in that – delicious! I also read that they are
good served warm as a dessert with powdered sugar. But before we had a chance
to consider an after-dinner treat, we’d eaten them all!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Wednesday night it was time for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Frito Pie</b>! This was by far the simplest meal of the week to put
together. Layer Fritos, chopped onion, cheddar cheese and canned chili in a
casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes.</div>
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While I don’t remember ever making this before, the taste
was similar to several Tex-Mex dishes I’ve cooked, so chances are it has graced
my table in the past. My husband was especially fond of this one (he loves
chili!) and went back for seconds. And of course that half a bag of Fritos now
taking up space in the snack drawer is also calling his name!</div>
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After taking a few days off to celebrate my birthday and let
other folks do the cooking, I was ready to start again on Monday with some soul
food: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chicken & Waffles</b>, to be
specific. This was amazingly good, though I had to push aside the moments of
doubt I had as I combined ingredients that I normally would never mix. (Mayo,
maple syrup and horseradish? Really? Yes, really. Really really good!) My
daughter, who’d had the “real thing” in Harlem a few years ago, announced that
this was delicious, albeit presented differently than the meal she’d enjoyed.
Still, she took the leftover “sandwich” with her for the next days’ lunch and I
saved the extra mayo, maple and horseradish concoction for some other use.
Burger sauce perhaps?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">German
Currywurst</b> time. The recipe I found stated that this was a popular “fast
food” in Berlin, often served by street vendors. And it was, in fact, quick and
easy to make. The sauce (which made way too much) was a simple combo of tomato
sauce, chili sauce and seasonings, which after a brief simmer was poured over
broiled kielbasa. I served it with garlic potatoes and some fresh
bread-and-butter pickles a friend had given me for Christmas. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wunderbar!</i></div>
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<i> </i> </div>
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On Wednesday I mixed up a big batch of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Strawberry Lassi</b>, a frothy drink originally from Punjab, India, and
made from yogurt, strawberries and milk. It bore more than a passing
resemblance to a fruit smoothie, so I refrigerated it in the blender container
and saved it for the morning when I’d have it in place of my usual container of
Yoplait. The recipe said it made three servings, but I poured the whole thing
into a 12-ounce cup, along with chunks of fresh strawberries. Mmm, good! As
suspected, it did taste like a smoothie and was creamy and satisfying.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV09TvU62AdDJbzXd7qr5Ghugn_MJRxK2gpLhy_D4ISqVJonBHb15SCb-F-wqpJc64B6GlSuyAdM8H1alKMkxh4zfM19VbAwtEfdMOSpkRbMs9WuP-OL3cLg4F8X-vnFXVBZlfN-vsIgc/s1600/Lassi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV09TvU62AdDJbzXd7qr5Ghugn_MJRxK2gpLhy_D4ISqVJonBHb15SCb-F-wqpJc64B6GlSuyAdM8H1alKMkxh4zfM19VbAwtEfdMOSpkRbMs9WuP-OL3cLg4F8X-vnFXVBZlfN-vsIgc/s1600/Lassi.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had been pleasantly surprised to come across a pouch of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tom Yum</b> in the Thai section of my local
supermarket last weekend, and was happy to see that it could be used for a
stir-fry as well as a traditional soup. So Thursday night I thawed out a bag of
cooked shrimp, steamed a bag of frozen veggies and added the contents of the
Tom Yum pouch. Voila! A tasty stir-fry!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So far my adventures in eating have been quite positive, but
I still have to try seven more dishes to get into the top three of my Facebook
friends list. It’s getting a bit tougher now, and April is over, but I’m going
to let this challenge spill into May. Besides, it’s so much fun!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-69000745214542143762012-05-03T04:29:00.003-07:002012-05-03T04:29:51.097-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 18 The Enneagram<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Book 18: The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard
Rohr and Andreas Ebert</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz3EycOzaF_tWMlC_5S-7Azs2Nz_mXvixaIZA4nNXzmIOWu0CraTNsuReZ1bor4t701irFPb3pJojJqJoQENTfeKAIN6EW-5FBlD1PX3yjSgp0f1vWJG7PwM2EIod3EZ0mOuwoIWdEWk/s1600/enneagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz3EycOzaF_tWMlC_5S-7Azs2Nz_mXvixaIZA4nNXzmIOWu0CraTNsuReZ1bor4t701irFPb3pJojJqJoQENTfeKAIN6EW-5FBlD1PX3yjSgp0f1vWJG7PwM2EIod3EZ0mOuwoIWdEWk/s1600/enneagram.jpg" /></a></div>
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For those of you who like to spend time figuring out what
personality type you are, here’s a new perspective – the Christian perspective,
as the subtitle suggests. Based on the ancient personality-type system of the
Enneagram, the authors divide personalities into nine different types, based on
the seven deadly sins plus two more character defects that apparently didn’t
make the final cut. These are further segmented into three “centers”: heart,
head and gut. </div>
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<br /></div>
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To determine your type, you must take a test. However,
although the book is over 250 pages long, the test is not included. I had to
resort to my favorite spiritual leader, Father Google, to steer me in the right
direction. Or the wrong direction … who knows? There were so many choices
online, it was hard to determine which ones were authentic. But I figured the
free ones were more authentic than the ones you had to pay for, so I selected
one and started answering about 180 questions.</div>
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I took the Enneagram test on two separate occasions. The
first time I discovered that I was a Type 1 (Need to be Perfect) with a Type 3 “wing”
(Need to Succeed). That made total sense. Then I took it again when I was in a somewhat
negative mood and the results showed me to be a Type 8 (Need to be Against)
with a Type 1 “wing” (that perfectionist thing again). Since Type 1 seemed
dominant to me, I took that to be the most accurate personality assessment.
This was based on no scientific method whatsoever, just my own feelings, which
I would imagine is its fatal flaw.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As with most attempts to pigeonhole personalities, this one
hits some high points but falls short in other areas. For example: Yes, I’m a
perfectionist and get angry when things don’t go right in the world, but I am
not a serious person who seldom tells jokes. (Just read a few of my blogs and
you should figure that out.) But I did have a few aha moments while reading the
description of Type 1.</div>
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What to do with this knowledge? Well, the point of the book
was to show how to enhance one’s spirituality based on the personality type.
And quite honestly, I was looking for a little more in the way of specifics
here. Instead, the direction was more along the lines of “learn that there isn’t
just one right way” (duh) and “don’t take yourself so seriously” (remind me of
that the next time I do something stupid). It all seemed like the usual rubric.
I was hoping to be given more of a laundry list, kinda like old-school penance:
Say three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys and you’re cool for the rest of the
week. But then that’s very Type 1 of me, isn’t it?</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-54763039956811522082012-04-23T11:21:00.001-07:002012-04-23T11:21:14.443-07:0052 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 17 - Night Road by Kristin Hannah<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Night Road by Kristin Hannah</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVh20nJZaSYuCCFmVvf4nbWUBAeSiLxJd96-Ni9enxkCDRIHc_cXCSUM9kNRCppic3UVjlvvMSw7U6FE5W78OCKd2SCfDo8J8MWTujKOlkstL1iZ-8Spl76nejVZV4fsw4WRoWDQJH6OI/s1600/night+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVh20nJZaSYuCCFmVvf4nbWUBAeSiLxJd96-Ni9enxkCDRIHc_cXCSUM9kNRCppic3UVjlvvMSw7U6FE5W78OCKd2SCfDo8J8MWTujKOlkstL1iZ-8Spl76nejVZV4fsw4WRoWDQJH6OI/s1600/night+road.jpg" /></a></div>
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There’s something about this author’s books that gets right
to the heart of human emotion, which is probably why I enjoy them so much. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night Road</i>, Kristin Hannah explores
motherhood and loss in a way that brought me to tears a number of times. </div>
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I related deeply to Jude Farraday, who tried so hard to be
the perfect mother and to present a buttoned-up, picture-perfect exterior to
the world … until the day she suffered a loss so devastating that she couldn’t
do it anymore.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I also identified with Lexi Baill, a confused teen just
beginning to discover who she was when her life was changed forever by a bad
choice. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In fact, I empathized with just about all the characters in
this book because their personalities were so complex and believable. What I
love the most about this author’s books is that there are no clear-cut “bad
guys” and “good guys” in them. Just humans trying their best and sometimes
failing. Attempting to move forward but often getting stuck. And learning –
usually in an agonizingly slow way – what life and love are all about. </div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848497699258664687.post-12612148628313584612012-04-18T12:48:00.000-07:002012-04-18T12:48:38.616-07:00April REVolution: Food (Part 1)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="WordSection1"> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">April REVolution: The Food Challenge</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In my original list of REVolutions, I chose April as the month to devote to food. But as March came to an end, I realized I didn’t have any idea how I wanted to approach the subject. That’s probably why I’m only getting to this on April 18! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Let me begin by saying that I love food. All kinds of food. In fact, some of my meat-and-potatoes friends are downright appalled by my eclectic food choices. (You know who you are …) So variety is not a problem. And since deciding to eliminate vast quantities of bread from my dinner table and cut my portions to human size, quantity is not really a problem either. I also love to cook, and I choose to make a well-balanced meal five out of seven nights a week. (The other two nights we have leftovers or takeout, or dine out – preferably at a place where I can try something new and different.) So my “relationship” with food vis-à-vis preparation and nutrition is also not an issue.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So it would seem that food presents very few challenges for me and therefore makes a pretty boring topic for REVolution. Let’s face it, if the colonists had been as content with the British as I am with food, they’d have been joining them for tea instead of dumping it into Boston Harbor.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then, just as I began to think that the month of April would pass without a single food-based REVolution, I was asked to take the “Food List Challenge” on Facebook. <a href="https://apps.facebook.com/foodlistchallenge/">https://apps.facebook.com/foodlistchallenge/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkfXaEezbKjlGuJyaRzYVHC1N2Y6EaoMY1orKrMJsjLrfJoba0u0XpwVuZ4BkjO4fmwkqaVNCAAvJRJRGx8LNM88zVNa6TQQNSu1cu70rN_WrxKzl8awPrAq_yq90JR31gHgLebqAA0Y/s1600/food+challenge.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkfXaEezbKjlGuJyaRzYVHC1N2Y6EaoMY1orKrMJsjLrfJoba0u0XpwVuZ4BkjO4fmwkqaVNCAAvJRJRGx8LNM88zVNa6TQQNSu1cu70rN_WrxKzl8awPrAq_yq90JR31gHgLebqAA0Y/s1600/food+challenge.gif" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For those of you who have somehow avoided being asked to participate, I’ll give a brief explanation: The Food List Challenge asks you to prove you’re a “foodie” by indicating which of 100 different foods you have tried. The app suggests that these “delicacies” represent “100 foods to eat before you die” and that most people will have only tried 20 of them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This should be a piece of cake, I thought. (Can I check off “cake”?) I made my way down the list, happily ticking off such obscure items as Pocky (we used to get these little Japanese treats at the sushi restaurant) and Polenta (thanks, Grandma!) as well as more ordinary fare like Crab Cakes and Cheese Fondue. I was happy to report that I had tried numerous exotic dishes such as Alligator, Borscht and Calamari (though not at the same meal) and plenty of dessert items including Key Lime Pie, Hostess Fruit Pies and Funnel Cake. In total, I had consumed 62 out of the 100 items. Respectable. But nowhere near where I thought I would (or should) be. In fact, upon comparison with other Facebook friends, I found that I had not even made the top 10! </div><div class="MsoNormal">This deplorable situation must be rectified! And so begins my April Food REVolution! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">From the list of foods that I have never tried (though I may actually have had some of the foreign-sounding ones without even knowing … more on that later), it was first necessary to eliminate those items that I will never, under any circumstances, allow to pass my lips. So I happily deleted Crickets (ewwww) and Squirrel (though we had a neighbor once who was quite fond of them). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudiuIVzfQDhY45ZGNmyp3qx2n5glNpcL-ctUECTXFATSPV7K3qZTW_pXiS9UpZqS4DES8kH-qg-nTY0w8aXTqIvVEwXScd8-QSCfeIe_Hy4suXLXtyw9OCIhbUGOqsc0c50_O-8_U4Xk/s1600/squirrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudiuIVzfQDhY45ZGNmyp3qx2n5glNpcL-ctUECTXFATSPV7K3qZTW_pXiS9UpZqS4DES8kH-qg-nTY0w8aXTqIvVEwXScd8-QSCfeIe_Hy4suXLXtyw9OCIhbUGOqsc0c50_O-8_U4Xk/s1600/squirrel.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdoQ4q8L8EBr_dvajr-R-ITf-3U0Jn4azI8U3AHlxtscViwgMdaCQEhxldZEBzY8R28TyCLYsIT95vWWaWgVJn5CFhJ_6fy9W-glpVmS_jK6HUigmq643-e89fjAX2PSvHAMiUh5G378/s1600/cricket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdoQ4q8L8EBr_dvajr-R-ITf-3U0Jn4azI8U3AHlxtscViwgMdaCQEhxldZEBzY8R28TyCLYsIT95vWWaWgVJn5CFhJ_6fy9W-glpVmS_jK6HUigmq643-e89fjAX2PSvHAMiUh5G378/s1600/cricket.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Also stricken from the list were the alcoholic beverages, in which I choose not to indulge: Absinthe (isn’t that shit illegal anyway?), Bellini (though I might have had one back in the day, I can’t be certain) and Dandelion Wine.</div></div><div class="WordSection3"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">There are a few items that I debated putting on my “never” list but will instead label “maybe” – those being Goat, Kangaroo, Oxtail Soup and Snake. As far as I know, our local supermarket doesn’t carry the ingredients for any of these, but should I run into them anywhere – preferably in their deceased and butchered form – I will keep an open mind.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next, I turned to Chef Google to find out what the foreign items were, as well as some of the others I wasn’t familiar with. Perhaps I’ve actually eaten them after all.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">About 15 minutes of searching yielded me several more items to add to the “never” list: Black Pudding (main ingredient: dried blood), Chitlins (pig intestines), Fugu (pufferfish – tempting, but not worth dying for), Haggis (sheep’s heart, liver and lungs), Head Cheese (jellied meat from the head of a pig or calf) and Sweetbreads (a very nice name for a very nasty food: the edible glands or stomach of an animal).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WrW-vQKF1CbLUrFyD8-lnN58D_3w-zAY-IAcO298LtHQbxGHK7qBiwpUPlw2CEE6hRyymnvfIhXfSBhHgHQiAYdq2vTC6tK2ISIt2zP3-NqkhbNt4L4eVs8Q68InCpKYnAZSJL49YUU/s1600/sweetbreads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WrW-vQKF1CbLUrFyD8-lnN58D_3w-zAY-IAcO298LtHQbxGHK7qBiwpUPlw2CEE6hRyymnvfIhXfSBhHgHQiAYdq2vTC6tK2ISIt2zP3-NqkhbNt4L4eVs8Q68InCpKYnAZSJL49YUU/s320/sweetbreads.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I discovered that some of the items on the list could easily be made at home (Chicken & Waffles, Chicken Tikka Masala, Currywurst), though it might be more fun to order them at an ethnic restaurant. Other foods are rare and expensive enough that I may not have an opportunity to try them – at least not over the next month – like Bird’s Nest Soup and Black Truffle. And others I’ve likely had but just don’t remember (Moon Pie, Prickly Pear, Frito Pie).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here, then, is my remaining list:</div></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /> </span> <div class="WordSection4"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Bird’s Nest Soup – Chinese delicacy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Black Truffle – gourmet </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Carp </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Chicken & Waffles – soul food</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Chicken Tikka Masala – S. Asian curry</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Currywurst – German sausage & ketchup</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Fried Plantain</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Frito Pie</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Goat (?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Honeycomb</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Kangaroo (?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Lassi – yogurt-based drink</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Moon Pie</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Nettle Tea</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Oxtail Soup (?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Paneer – Indian cottage cheese</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Pavlova – meringue based dessert</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Phaal – hottest Indian curry</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Pho – Vietnamese noodle soup</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Prickly Pear</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Rabbit Stew</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Snake (?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Som Tam – spicy Thai papaya salad</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Tom Yum – spicy Thai clear soup</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Umeboshi – Japanese salty pickled plums</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Zucchini Flowers</span></div></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /> </span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">And now it’s time to Stop & Shop. Care to join me for dinner?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465844496793402437noreply@blogger.com0