Books and Such

I love books. I love being able to escape into a different world and forget about what's going on in mine if I need to. Of course, I read quite a bit and I have quite a few books than I have read more than once. As a Lit major in college I got credit for reading and talking about some of the greatest books in literature. It was a pretty sweet deal. As I have continued to read and expand my own library since college I have missed talking about what I've read. I recently met a friend of a friend that has a blog called Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Woolf? (It's Woolf not wolf..as in Virginia Woolf. Get it? It's the simple things in life really). Anyway, it's basically a blog for people to post book reviews. After briefly perusing the blog, I've already found several books that I have added to my "to-read" list. I also have a profile on goodreads.com. It's a cool website where you can build your own bookshelf and post reviews and can read others reviews. I've found several books that I know love from that website. Since I love books and reading so much, I've decided to share that with you all. It won't be every post but when I finish a book or come across a book that I particularly enjoyed I will give you all a heads up about it. It probably won't be a review a la Who's Afraid but it'll be my thoughts on the book.

So to start it off here are a couple of books that I have read lately that I thoroughly enjoyed.

1. The Nazi Officer's Wife
If you enjoy memoirs and are interested in WWII/Holocaust, this is a must read. It's the story of Edith Hahn Beer, a Jewish woman that grew up in Vienna. She was a young adult at the start of the war. She survives by marrying a member of the Nazi party who later becomes an officer. It's very well written and the story of her life moves at the perfect pace. I stayed up late to read the next chapter and then the next chapter. It was a very touching look at humanity and what we will do in order to survive. She is first forced to live in a ghetto and then into a labor camp. When she gets back her mother has been forced to the "east"...Poland and eventually death in a concentration camp. She goes underground for a brief period of time but then, with the help of a Christian friend she becomes a Christian woman and moves away from Vienna. She then meets and marries Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party Member. It's not graphic or violent as many WWII memoirs can be given the subject matter. It's a close look at it was like for countless Jews that were hidden in plain sight and the everyday terror that she and many others must have felt at a knock at the door, getting her weekly rations, clothing, etc. Seriously...read it.

2.The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
This is actually the first in a trilogy. The second book was recently published and I'm not entirely sure when the third will be completed. My coworker first got me interested in this book but when she told me what it was about I was seriously disturbed and I wasn't sure I was going to read it. Having read it, I really enjoyed it. It's a young adult novel. Following a rebellion, all of North America has been destroyed and it is now the nation of Panem. 12 Districts that are all controlled by the Capitol. The 13th district was utterly destroyed in the rebellion. In remembrance of the Uprising and to remind each district the control the Capitol holds over them the Capital hosts the Hunger Games. Each district sends two tributes, one girl and one boy ages 12-18, to participate in the Games. They are sent to the Capital and then they are all put in a huge arena that changes landscapes, traps, animals, conditions etc. every year. Once in the arena, they have to kill everyone off and the last person standing is the winner. So now you see why I was extremely unsure about this book but really it's very good. It's disturbing but I think it's supposed to be disturbing. You have to continually remind yourself that the characters you are reading about are just children. It reminded me a bit of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. This story centers on the two tributes from the poor, coal producing District Twelve. I can't say too much without giving away the ending but it's an interesting story and really pulls you in. If you look deeper you could find the social commentary but you don't need to in order to enjoy the book.

3. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
I am actually currently reading this one. I started it quite a while ago but at the time, I had recently been on a "classics" reading spree and I just couldn't get through it. But now, I've been reading pretty "easy" books and decided it was time to have another go at Hardy. So far I've been enjoying it. It's not a book that you read just to get to the end of the story. You have to enjoy the language and the descriptions of what is going on. Hardy has a way of layering meaning on top of meaning. It can be difficult to get through but it's worth it, in my opinion, to persevere to the end. In Tess the title character gets into bad situations, gets herself out just to get into more trouble down the road. It's not her fault necessarily but it's not a real pick me up sort of story. In describing Tess's budding relationship with another character throughout the day, Hardy describes the rising and setting of the sun. He says

The gray half-tones of daybreak are not the gray half-tones of the day's close,
though the degree of their shade may be the same. In the twilight of the morning
light seems active, darkness passive; in the twilight of evening it is the darkness
which is active and crescent, and the light which is the drowsy reverse.

Hardy has a way of describing the world around the characters as a way of giving further illumination into the mind, life and emotions of the characters. I don't think Hardy is for everyone but I'm enjoying it. I don't think he'll make it to my top 5 favorite "classic" authors but I can at least understand while he's considered a classic.

So that was more than just one novel but don't get used to it.

Makes me want to do a little two steppin'

My coworker found this today. It's kind of catchy.

Cliff Notes Update

I haven't been an uber regular blogger of late. Life has been pretty busy and I'm sure you all have been devastated that you haven't been able to keep up to tabs with my life. So to help you cope with the loss, here's a quickie update of what I've been up to lately...

1- Started school. It's much more difficult than I had anticipated. It's hard to work 8+ hours everyday and then come home and put in 3 hours for school...at least that's what I should be doing. It doesn't always happen that way. I am currently enrolled in the BA in Special Education with an elementary teaching license. After starting the program, I decided that I actually don't need a second BA and I don't want to spend 3 years getting a second BA. And after much deliberation, I also decided that I don't want to teach elementary school. I would rather teach high school. SO when my term ends (12/31/09), I will change my program to the Post Bacc in Social Science (5-12). It's not a Master's program but I'll get my license to teach Social Science for middle/high school. I feel good about this. And please...all you naysayers out there...please don't rain on my parade. I know it's a tough job market for teachers right now. I know this. I don't need you all to add to my stress and worries. I feel good about this decision, I've gone through the proper process to make said decision and it's my decision to make. Thanks for caring.

2- I went through the temple for the first time in early August. It was actually the week before I went on my cruise. I went through the Bountiful Temple and it was a wonderful experience. My older brother, Conor, was able to come in from Denver for a short visit. I hadn't seen him in quite a while...ever since they had moved to Denver. My dear, dear friend, Nicki, also was able to be there. She is currently in grad school back in Iowa but it turned out to perfectly coincide with a trip she was taking to visit her family in Logan. It was so great to have my family and friends surround me in the Celestial Room and see them all dressed in white. It was great to receive such love and support from unexpected quarters. I felt truly blessed that day.

3- I have rediscovered my love of music. I've always loved music. I grew up listening to my mother play the piano, taking lessons, being a part of my high school choir, taking dance lessons. I bought a piano several years ago but it was never tuned and after being moved several times and going through several winters, it sounded like an out of tune honky tonk piano...it was bad. I had forgotten what it was supposed to sound like. A friend of mine offered to tune it for me, free of charge. So I now have a piano that sounds like a piano! It's beautiful. I had forgotten how beautiful it is! I also joined the Institute Choir. We meet once a week for an hour and a half and we get to sing great music and feel of the Spirit. We have a musical fireside in November and then a Christmas Concert at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square. After going to choir for a couple of weeks I decided that I wanted to take voice lessons. Kind of random, I know, but it's actually something that I've always wanted to do but never thought it would be worth it because I never really thought I was that great of a singer. I sang because I loved it but I never that I was amazing. Honestly, I still don't. I'm not unrealistic about my ability and I know that I'll never be an amazing singer but it's fun and I know that I can improve and it will improve my experience and increase my joy.

4- I have been involved in planning a 5K for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) this year. A very old friend, Ashley, lost her brother to suicide several years ago and since then she has gotten involved with AFSP. First in Florida and now in Utah. This is the second year we've had a 5K here in Salt Lake. It was this morning at Wheeler Farm. It was a huge success. We had more registrants and more donations than any other city in the western region. I got to get up at 5:00 this morning to get to Wheeler Farm to help set up. For any of you that have experienced me in the morning know, that a huge deal! I am NOT a morning person. It was a long morning but it was so great to see complete strangers come together to raise awareness for this neglected and somewhat taboo cause. In January - July of 2009 Utah had as many deaths caused by suicide than in all of 2008. It's a huge problem that no one discusses. We had particular difficulty getting any response from the media because "suicide is not an issue in Utah" presumably because of the heavy LDS culture. Obviously that's not true but it's what a lot of people actually believe. However, a news crew did show up from KSL and shot some footage and did a couple of interviews. We're working on getting an AFSP Chapter started in Utah. I am so proud of Ashley and all the work she put into making this happen. She is such an inspiration to me and I know she is a source strength for her friends and family. Her boyfriend actually proposed to her this morning after the prize raffle. It was so cute and I couldn't be happier for her.

There has been much more happening that I can't seem to remember but it's been a fairly busy couple of months. We have had birthdays, karaoke parties, massive dinner pot lucks, friends being endowed, ward campouts, mingles to plan, Halloween costumes to figure out, allergies to combat, Grey's Anatomy marathons, tears cried, decisions to be made. It's good. It's busy, confusing, difficult and wonderful. Life is good.

This Kid has got some serious moves!

I don't know what's more funny...the booty slapping or the pointing eye thingy he does whenever he hears "lookin' at her"

Mexico Highlights Part II

Mexico Highlights..

Things I love..

I love.....

1- my family
2- gooey brownies that stay soft after being left uncovered for a day or more
3- being taught the gospel by enthusiastic teachers
4- playing the piano on those rare moments I can feel it in my heart and soul
5- finishing a good book and knowing that I have learned something
6- the soft breeze on a cool summer night
7- a wonderful roommate that laughs at my sometimes bizarre behavior
8- being surrounded by my family dressed in white
9- meeting knew and interesting people
10- karaoke - the cheesier the better
11- falling into bed after an emotional and wonderful weekend
12- making a new connection with a new friend
13- singing harmony
14- a smiling face
15- the trace scent of men's cologne after they get out of my car
16- wearing a new dress and heels and feeling beautiful
17- taking off said new dress and heels and putting on the pj's
18- waking up after a restful night's sleep
19- dinner with friends
20- watching my young nephews play and laugh
21- inside jokes
22- new jokes with new friends
23- late night trips to village inn
24- turning in an assignment
25- writing in my journal
26- the slanting rays of sunlight shining through the clouds
27- cooking for friends and family
28- girl talk
29- getting "that feeling"
30- girl's night out
31- girl's night in
32- getting lost with a friend
33- rediscovering old interests
34- discovering new interests
35- knowing that I am a valued member of my family
36- knowing that I am a valued daughter of God
37- watching silly movies at the Dollar Theater (which is technically not a dollar anymore!)
38- getting "the look"
39- giving "the look"
40- perfect hair days...they don't come often but when they do, you can't help but be happy
41- buying new scriptures. They're unmarked and fresh and just waiting to be opened.
42- little hands reaching for mine
43- baggy sweaters
44- lying in bed on a rainy morning
45- thunder storms
46- snowy evenings spent in front of a fire
47- the smell of fresh bread
48- home made chicken noodle soup on a cold fall evening
49- driving with the windows down and the radio up
50- knowing the Lord has truly blessed me in my life and looking forward to the blessing yet to come
51- goldfish crackers
52- comically awkward evenings spent with friends
53- good men that know how to treat women
54- new furniture
55- classic movies
56- meaningful conversation
57- vacation/traveling
58- museums
59- roller coasters
60- seeing and placing myself in an eternal perspective.

It was a really great weekend with the family and some dear friends. I am tremendously blessed and fortunate.