What a gorgeous weekend!
This weekend has just been picture perfect, weatherwise. High 70s, sunny, light breeze. It's wonderful!
Such a contrast to the last couple weeks. One, we had such up and down weather recently. One day, it was high 80s. The next day didn't even make it to 60, I don't think. Then last Monday we had a torrential downpour. The city I live in reported 4 inches of rain in just a couple hours. That storm was vicious! I count my blessings that we sustained no damage here, but a lot of people had several inches of water, and even sewage *wince*.
On the positive news side, my lil sis graduated from college, summa cum laude. SOOO proud!
Also for positive news, I finally am doing something I haven't done in ages- gardening. I started some container gardens - something I've never really tried before- for vegetables. I planted those yesterday. Today, I have lots of pretty flowers to plant. I aim to do that after I take a break. Visted my grandpa, who continues to do well. I can see his memory is slipping, though.
Bracing myself for the next week, which I anticipate will be insane. One, it's a shorter week. Two, there's a community guide. Three, I'm gearing up for Mozart's Requiem. There are rehearsals Tuesday, Thursday AND Friday. But this past rehearsal especially was very strong. I'm excited!
Some sad news: Last Saturday, my high school choir director passed away. He died less than a week after being diagnosed with ALS. His health had been in decline for some time. Still, my fondest memories in high school include choir and the school musicals, so feel a part of my youth died. His calling hours were Thursday, was glad I could go, at least for a while.
Of course, I've continued with my reading. I've got a few books this time around:
13. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I have seen the Orson Welles movie and have read the charming "The Eyre Affair" so I already knew the gist of this story, but I've never actually read the novel until now. Only regret is waiting so long to do so. I really, really enjoyed this classic. Jane Eyre is such a fantastic character. Jane is so spunky, especially as a child. A pet peeve of mine is many times, children in classics are far too passive with cruel, bullying adults and children, to the point where they border on Mary Sue/Gary Stu. But she's still vulnerable and classy. This book has a bit of everything- romance, or course, a bit of adventure, gentle humor and even some supernatural elements. My only question involves a bit of a spoiler..
.
.
.
(OK, I understand Mr. Rochester couldn't divorce his first wife because the law prohibited it on the grounds that she was insane. Soooo... why didn't he seek an annulment instead? That is different from a divorce, and from what I understand about the rules he had ample grounds to appeal for annulment- under fraud and intent to deceive.).
Ultimately, I really enjoyed this one, and would have liked this in high school. While it is longer, it's fairly well-paced, and Jane is engaging enough to keep even the slower sections interesting.
14. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, by Mary Ellen Guiley. This wasn't what I thought it would be- but I like it all the more for what it is. And what it is, is not just an encyclopedia of general legendary phenomenon (like brownies, ghosts, poltergeists, etc.) but an encyclopedia of major haunting incidents, "hot spots" for haunting, and even people connected to it (active members of paranormal research groups, well-known mediums and those who were the subject of paranormal phenomenon). at the end of each entry is a listing of books and further readings on that topic. It covers a huge time span, from times BCE to at least the 1990s. This is invaluable to anyone who participates in paranormal groups or those with a keen interest in the topic. The entries cover all areas of the world, but is concentrated on the United States and the British Isles.
15. My Father's Arms Are a Boat, by Stein Erik Lunde and Oyvind Torseter. This was...OK. The story itself is sweet, if a bit meandering. The language is too complex for preschool but the story itself is a bit simple and whitewashed for gradeschool. Still, the image of the father and child consoling each other over the loss of the mother is tender and gentle. The illustration technique- 3D cutouts- was neat. But the illustrations didn't always match with the text, and almost seemed a part of a different story. This could have worked if that second story was followed through with, but it didn't work for me as it stood.
16. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad. I think I might have read this in high school. I'm not sure. I didn't recall anything about it. After reading it (perhaps for a second time?) I can see why I wouldn't have remembered it, and I suspect I won't remember anything about it a year from now, other than the fact that the story's only saving grace was its brevity. If this had been any longer, I wouldn't have finished it. Why this is considered a classic and a must-read escapes me. It's awful. The sentences run on, the plot meanders like the river in the story and it's hard to follow. There's some interesting written imagery but there's all this build-up to meeting the main villain, and then the actual meeting feels anti-climatic. The only benefit I pulled from this is now I know where "The horror! The horror!" comes from.
Currently reading: Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and The Color Purple, by Alice Walker.
Such a contrast to the last couple weeks. One, we had such up and down weather recently. One day, it was high 80s. The next day didn't even make it to 60, I don't think. Then last Monday we had a torrential downpour. The city I live in reported 4 inches of rain in just a couple hours. That storm was vicious! I count my blessings that we sustained no damage here, but a lot of people had several inches of water, and even sewage *wince*.
On the positive news side, my lil sis graduated from college, summa cum laude. SOOO proud!
Also for positive news, I finally am doing something I haven't done in ages- gardening. I started some container gardens - something I've never really tried before- for vegetables. I planted those yesterday. Today, I have lots of pretty flowers to plant. I aim to do that after I take a break. Visted my grandpa, who continues to do well. I can see his memory is slipping, though.
Bracing myself for the next week, which I anticipate will be insane. One, it's a shorter week. Two, there's a community guide. Three, I'm gearing up for Mozart's Requiem. There are rehearsals Tuesday, Thursday AND Friday. But this past rehearsal especially was very strong. I'm excited!
Some sad news: Last Saturday, my high school choir director passed away. He died less than a week after being diagnosed with ALS. His health had been in decline for some time. Still, my fondest memories in high school include choir and the school musicals, so feel a part of my youth died. His calling hours were Thursday, was glad I could go, at least for a while.
Of course, I've continued with my reading. I've got a few books this time around:
13. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I have seen the Orson Welles movie and have read the charming "The Eyre Affair" so I already knew the gist of this story, but I've never actually read the novel until now. Only regret is waiting so long to do so. I really, really enjoyed this classic. Jane Eyre is such a fantastic character. Jane is so spunky, especially as a child. A pet peeve of mine is many times, children in classics are far too passive with cruel, bullying adults and children, to the point where they border on Mary Sue/Gary Stu. But she's still vulnerable and classy. This book has a bit of everything- romance, or course, a bit of adventure, gentle humor and even some supernatural elements. My only question involves a bit of a spoiler..
.
.
.
(OK, I understand Mr. Rochester couldn't divorce his first wife because the law prohibited it on the grounds that she was insane. Soooo... why didn't he seek an annulment instead? That is different from a divorce, and from what I understand about the rules he had ample grounds to appeal for annulment- under fraud and intent to deceive.).
Ultimately, I really enjoyed this one, and would have liked this in high school. While it is longer, it's fairly well-paced, and Jane is engaging enough to keep even the slower sections interesting.
14. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, by Mary Ellen Guiley. This wasn't what I thought it would be- but I like it all the more for what it is. And what it is, is not just an encyclopedia of general legendary phenomenon (like brownies, ghosts, poltergeists, etc.) but an encyclopedia of major haunting incidents, "hot spots" for haunting, and even people connected to it (active members of paranormal research groups, well-known mediums and those who were the subject of paranormal phenomenon). at the end of each entry is a listing of books and further readings on that topic. It covers a huge time span, from times BCE to at least the 1990s. This is invaluable to anyone who participates in paranormal groups or those with a keen interest in the topic. The entries cover all areas of the world, but is concentrated on the United States and the British Isles.
15. My Father's Arms Are a Boat, by Stein Erik Lunde and Oyvind Torseter. This was...OK. The story itself is sweet, if a bit meandering. The language is too complex for preschool but the story itself is a bit simple and whitewashed for gradeschool. Still, the image of the father and child consoling each other over the loss of the mother is tender and gentle. The illustration technique- 3D cutouts- was neat. But the illustrations didn't always match with the text, and almost seemed a part of a different story. This could have worked if that second story was followed through with, but it didn't work for me as it stood.
16. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad. I think I might have read this in high school. I'm not sure. I didn't recall anything about it. After reading it (perhaps for a second time?) I can see why I wouldn't have remembered it, and I suspect I won't remember anything about it a year from now, other than the fact that the story's only saving grace was its brevity. If this had been any longer, I wouldn't have finished it. Why this is considered a classic and a must-read escapes me. It's awful. The sentences run on, the plot meanders like the river in the story and it's hard to follow. There's some interesting written imagery but there's all this build-up to meeting the main villain, and then the actual meeting feels anti-climatic. The only benefit I pulled from this is now I know where "The horror! The horror!" comes from.
Currently reading: Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and The Color Purple, by Alice Walker.