Tag Archives: Reading

The growing pile.

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Reading is one of my one true loves in life. I love it so much that a book can envelop my entire consciousness for days and wind its way into my inner workings. I’ve got shelves crammed full of books I’ve read and don’t have the heart to get rid of, books that I can’t wait to crack open and devour and even more books that others hope I’ll want to read. I’ve spent hours in book stores and even more time at the library book sale each fall scouring the titles for something that speaks to me – meaning it could be anything from the Poisonwood Bible to something about vampires (cough, Twilight Series, cough).

I’m not one of those people that wants to sit down to a book only to find myself falling into a twisted story (while beautifully written) that in the end will only leave me wishing I hadn’t opened the book to begin with. I read to enjoy the words, to learn something or to find solace in something I can’t find outside of books. Books are like coming home – an escape from reality and a chance to live through something you otherwise would have missed.

Now that I’ve quit my job I’ve had a bit more time to read with less of an imposed bed time — meaning I’ve flown through 6 books in just about a month. What was it I was reading with such fervor?

See, a little of everything. With days like yesterday with the snow flakes spitting from the sky, nothing sounds better than curling up with a cup of hot apple cider and a book. Not sure what book is next on the list, any suggestions?

It’s been six months – update!

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Today is my half birthday, and in honor of such an exciting occasion I thought I’d give and update on where we are with my 25 before I’m 25 list. Here we go:

  1. Spend a week on a beach. Any beach. Unplugged. (No such plans yet. Sad.)
  2. Re-work the design of this site. (Went to polka dots, that counts right?)
  3. Read 12 books, one per month. (On my way, so far we have Leota’s Garden, Devlin Diary, The dive from Claussen’s Pier, The Friday Night Knitting Club, The Shack… and many more to come)
  4. Post 100 times… 30 will, hopefully, be cranked out in November. (I’ve got a way to go on this — especially since I am a Nablopomo drop out)
  5. Be healthy. Get back to working out and eating well. (I’m re-starting the eating well,  and working out is next on the list)
  6. Try yoga. (Still need to do this)
  7. Take cooking classes. (Still need to do this)
  8. Schedule time for myself each week. (Still need to do this)
  9. Find a classy purse that suits me. And buy it. (Still need to do this)
  10. Be able to do 10 push ups. (Back to the working out, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed on this one)
  11. Attend Canvas and Cocktails. (They’re opening a new one by my house and I got a gift certificate for Christmas – BONUS!)
  12. Smile more often — especially at strangers. (Well under way)
  13. Fix Charles. Surgery and all. (Done and done. He has his last blood test this month)
  14. Be happy. So much of it is in my control. (Working on this, but I’m one happy camper lately)
  15. Pick a cookbook and make all the recipes – except the ones with mushrooms or other inedible objects. (I’m a total flop here. I just can’t commit to one cookbook. I’m a cookbook and recipe slut, ok?)
  16. Tell everyone I love, why I love them. (Still working on this)
  17. Send more mail. Cards, packages, random gifts. (Sent a few)
  18. Stay up late drinking wine and talking, even though I have to work the next day. (Done with Jacqui, Liz, Lindsey, Kaitlyn, Marcy… and the list goes on)
  19. Buy a pair of *perfect* boots for winter. (Hmmm, any suggestions??)
  20. Spend a weekend in the mountains with friends. (Went to Vail in October and going again in March with Kaitlyn and her new fiancé Griffin – so excited)
  21. Buy something from Etsy for someone and for my house. (Bought a purse, now something for my house… ideas welcome)
  22. Develop my favorite pictures and hang them up. (Once I’m all moved in I’ll get on this)
  23. Be a positive impact. Be aware of what I do, what I listen to and how I behave. You never know who you’re impacting. (This would be a work in progress)
  24. Eat locally and naturally. Try to buy local and eat out at local restaurants. (Doing a little better, but those Red Robin french fries get me every time)
  25. Stop to smell the flowers. This year flew by and I was constantly caught up in the day-to-day. I want to remember to take it one step at a time and pause to enjoy it! (Now that I’m moved down South again I think this will be much easier — I’ll keep you posted)

Hopefully I’ll have individual posts on more of these soon…
*Image by Libertinus

An unexpected legend.

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I read the Thorn Birds a few years ago and this story has always stuck with me. It was so unexpected and so tragic. I’m not sure what made me think of it tonight… feeling a little reflective.

“There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain… Or so says the legend.”

— Colleen McCullough (The Thorn Birds)

Operation book sale.

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I love books. I love them. I get attached to them. That’s why for the entire past year I’ve been looking forward to the library book sale. Which happened to be this last weekend. I think I’m equally excited for Christmas as I am the book sale. <Insert nostalgic sigh>

I dragged the bf to be the muscle of the library book operation. Someone had to carry them around for me… and it was also payback for “teaching how to play a computer game involving tanks” at 10:00 the night before. I’m sure he loved every second, and by loved I may mean simply existed through the hour or so I spent digging through boxes and piles of books. I walked away (on day 1) with two bags full of books and $32 less in my wallet.

We went back after a quick lunch to fuel up on Sunday. Sunday is the holy grail of book sale days. You get as many brown grocery bags as you want and you fill them up with any and all books you want — and get this — it only costs $6 a bag! I had to elbow a greasy aunt Edna out of the way to score the signed Ann Packer book and loaded up with the Poison Wood Bible among others. Again I had the bf haul my books around and feigned interest. At one point he looks at me incredulously and says “Are you actually going to read all of these? This would take me a lifetime”.

And to that I replied. “I am”, good sir, I am.

$12.80 later and I’m home with this pile of love:

Such a deal at the library sale!

I love these books

Lots of keepers in there