April 2006 booklist

1. Jack's Life, Douglas Gresham
I talked about this [here.] As a recap, I liked it a lot but there was something a little odd about it.

2. How I Got To Be Perfect, Jean Kerr
Most comedy from this long ago feels old and stale, but I find Jean Kerr as funny as ever. Very little of it felt dated. I laughed a lot.

3. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
I talked about this [here.] Not impressed.

4. Real Weddings, Sally Kilbridge & Mallory Samson
I got this for the pictures, but I did read it all as well. Have decided to marry a Scotsman so I can have a Highland wedding.

5. Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel, Scott Adams
I listened to this on CD as I exercised. Scott Adams's voice sounds like my old friend Quinton (who, incidentally, was a huge Dilbert fan). It doth amuse on all counts. Also, under the guise of humor, it's a very true book.

6. Moving Pictures, Terry Pratchett
The month isn't complete without a Pratchett on the list. This one's a spoof of Hollywood and it's funny.

7. Irish Crystal, Andrew M. Greeley
Regular disclaimer: Greeley doesn't write like a priest, and this isn't for the young or easily offended. I've never found books that more perfectly express Irishness, though, and so I keep reading.

8. Life's Little Annoyances: true tales of people who just couldn't take it anymore, Ian Urbina
This is my pick for the month! Anyone who 1)has pet peeves, 2) likes Lynne Truss's writing style, or 3) has a sense of humor needs to read this. Both I and my favorite library patron finished it in an evening and agreed that it was the best little book we'd read since Eats, Shoots and Leaves. It also gave me great ideas, although I would never (oh, the innocence!) actually attempt them. Really.

9. The Silver Hand, Stephen Lawhead
Book two in the Song of Albion cycle and I love it more than ever. It's so Celtic.

10. Odd Gods, James R. Lewis
Admittedly, I didn't read the whole thing, just the part pertaining to Christian cults (oxymoron!). I don't know enough about the other major world religons (Buddism, Hindu, etc.) to understand cults based from them. It was interesting but depressing.

11. Talking From 9 to 5, Deborah Tannen
This one's about how men and women's conversational styles differ, particular as relates to the workplace. I'm not sure why I read it, since currently all my coworkers are female, but I do find the subject interesting. It's amazing anybody ever understands each other.

12. The Woman He Loved, Ralph R. Martin
This is a biography of Edward Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII), and his wife Wallis, whom he abdicated in order to marry. Before reading this book, I had a rather poor opinion of Edward (imagine, putting love before duty!) As usual, I had jumped to conclusions without knowing the facts. There were many other complicating factors that led to his abdication, and yes, he was still an impulsive, sometimes stupid person, but I think much better of him now. It really was a beautiful (if sad) story. I was also very impressed with Wallis's poise and simple elegance. She reminded me a lot of Jackie Kennedy.

And there we would'ha stayed if we had'na moved away...

Five inches in one week: nothing like a drought to make you properly appreciate rain! I love it. More is predicted.

Sunday I was snubbed at a party by several people I used to go to church with. I don't care that much anymore, but it's an odd experience. I'm not that used to flat-out blatant rudeness and I'm always a little shocked (and later, amused) by it. Also, I ran into my former pastor at the pharmacy and he did deign to say hello, but called me by the wrong name. As the British would say, "typical!"

It appears I wasn't that far off the mark, though, when Quinton asked me what the main difference between my former church and my current church was and I blurted out before I thought, "They like me here."

But I came home and drank three cups of Mexican coffee (thanks again for the beans, Sarah-girl!), and so all was well.

Sometimes I wonder why anybody would hate little old me and sometimes I wonder why anybody wouldn't.

I will now proceed to mention several people.

To another Sarah: pansyprincess, you were in my dream Saturday night! I dreamed that I went to my favorite coffee shop and you had just started to work there. You made me an excellent latte, and then I realized your sister was also there (she was taller and blonder than you, but her face looked just like yours...probably because I don't know your real sister's faces well enough). We three sat around and talked and I was almost late getting back to work because of you. =)

aftondays's photography contest grows near, but there's still time to submit a picture or two!

savetheolives and I have been having a grand time planning for the end of May. I think Hollywood conspired not to release any good movies when we could see them together, though. It currently looks like we'll have our pick between MI:II and The Da Vinci Code. ....or not.

I will now venture into politics, which I find interesting that I rarely talk about here. I am actually a very political person....believe it or not.

I'm getting really sick of the whole illegal immigration thing, especially the marches and demonstrations and strikes. I have all the sympathy in the world, but you're breaking the law. I don't see the big deal.

And I heard the gentleman who started the whole translate-the-national-anthem-into-Spanish thing quoted today as saying he did it "to honor all the immigrants who came to this country speaking Spanish." My thought, and my dad concurs, is that we should also translate it into French and German and Polish and Dutch and Chinese and a bunch of obscure African dialects and heck, Gaelic too; and then when Americans gather to sing the national anthem it will sound like the tower of Babel and maybe God will strike us dead.

A Story

I walked into the library and the first thing I saw was a young woman sitting crosslegged inside the display case.

What a perfect start to a romance that would be! Fifty years later, Grandpa would reminise to the grandkids, Did I ever tell you the story of how I met your grandmother? It was one Monday night at the library...