Monday, April 21, 2008

Books

Over the past couple of months I have been on a reading kick. I LOVE to read and since everyone has school I figure this is my education, I know I need to read slighly more educating books for that to really work in my benefit but I don't love non-fiction. You should also know that as much as I cry in movies, which you know is a good amount, I cry 10 times as much when reading books and usually not just a tear here and there but really messy, kleenex all over, can hardly breath crying. My poor roommate came to ask me a question a few weeks ago and I was in the middle of a particularly messy crying moment and she was a little worried, all she said was "sad book?" Here are my most recent reads...




Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close--My friend and fellow reader, Jodi, lent me this book. I really liked it, it was a little different but most wonderful books are. I plan to read Everything is Illuminated also by this author.













Water for Elephants--I enjoyed reading this book but I don't think I liked it as much as everyone else seemes to. It was a good read though. Also lent to me by Jodi (I think)













Amsterdam--I didn't really like this book, it was good enough to finish but only barely for me. I prefer more character interaction and for me it was a vary blah ending. I read this becuase I wanted to read Atonement by him and it wasn't available. I now have Atonetment and I don't know that I want to read it because I have heard it is similiar.












Flowers for Algernon--I liked this book. It was a little difficult for me becuase I was constantly moving between love, admiration, heartfelt concern and annoyance, anger, frustration for the main character. I think I was supposed to feel that way but it was a little much at times.














The Memory Keeper's Daughter--I liked this book. It was frustrating becuase it seemed so much easier to just be honest than to continue keeping a HUGE secret. It was interesting to see how one decision can literally change the rest of your life.














The Secret Life of Bees--I really liked this book. I loved the characters in this book, especially May. I think I have a little May in me and I need a whaling wall. I also loved Rosaleen and May's relationship. I would recomend this book.










The Handmaid and the Carpenter--I thought this was a really interesting book. I didn't realize what it was about until I started reading. It is the Mary/Joseph story from their perspective and a different look at their emotions. I liked it but I don't know if others will becuase I just took it as fiction, just an interesting perspective but others might take it a little too seriously.












Deception Point--I liked this book and I think all of Dan Brown's books are good reads but it isn't Da Vinci Code and definitely not Angels and Demons for sure, but I did like it better than Digital Fortress. Similar to his other books as far as characters and plot goes.













A Thousand Splendid Suns--I liked this book but I didn't think it was as good as Kite Runner. This author doesn't tip toe around the difficult topics though and after words I always feel like I need to read something light.














We are all Welcome Here--I enjoyed this book but it wasn't overly deep and it was a really quick read.











The Secret Life of a Wallflower--I finished this book last night and I lreally liked it. It is written as letters from a teenager to someone but we don't know who. I cried hard at points. The main character is lovable but a little different in that I wondered a couple of times if he had very slight mental disability and for sure some social ones. I was thinking autism but could just be that odd kid you went to school with.


I enjoyed the majority of these books but I didn't feel overly impacted by them. I am really craving that book that I just love!! I think I might venture to read one of the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe books or possibly one of Jane Austen's books neither of which I have ever ventured to read. If any of you have suggestions let me know.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Gardening

So, as many of you know deep in my heart I am actually more like 50 years old than 24. One of the many reasons is I love to grow things. Sadly I am stuck in the part of my life where I don't have my own home or a yard of any sorts, stupid apartment complex. Luckily I have nice friends, thanks Amy and Phil, who allow me to pretend that their yard is mine. I doubt they realized what they were getting themselves into. SO I will be showing you the progress of the garden via blog. Here is the garden before anything has been done

Last year I put the garden in pretty late and although I did enjoy it I just didn't get to enjoy it enough, NOT THIS YEAR! On Saturday I tilled the garden with my brothers pretend tiller. It is actually an attachment that he changes to on his edger. So instead of pushing something you have to hold it and move back and forth, which it much more difficult. I woke up yesterday and my back feels it is 50 years old, ouch.

To aid in my gardening planning I made a fun purchase last week and hopefully it arrives soon.



I hope you look forward to many garden post to come.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Connections

So you know how they say that everyone is connected somehow well today I had an experience like that.
  • A while back I was at the wonderful Joshua Radin and Ingrid Michaelson concert and Joshua brought a local singer/songwriter up on the stage by the name of Joshua James to perform a song with him. During the performance I mentioned to Jodi that the local guy looked a lot like the guy who lives across the street from me.
  • The guy who lives across the street is the same guy I studied for Anatomy with once and his wife. He was pretty quiet but his wife was really nice and friendly.
  • Today I was looking at a friend’s facebook from back home and there is the same guy who lives across the street, performed with Joshua Radin, and I studied with him and his wife. My friend is dating his sister
  • And last of all I go to his website to find pictures confirm all of these things and come to find out he is from Nebraska!

This is a crazy world I live in!! To top it all off he happens to be good which is an added bonus. I bought his shirt because I like him and It has Nebraska on it, double positive!