"Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!"

Earlier This Morning...

I'm currently reading a Shakespeare anthology--All of Shakespeare by Maurice Charney--and looking at whiteout conditions out my window. I'm trying to decide whether I should even try to go down the hill to take Sammy to preschool. At least Austin took the car that we put new brake pads on last night--I don't have to worry about whether we installed them right and whether or not I'll go careening out of control off the side of the mountain. Anyway, back to Shakespar, my book is not really an anthology, but more like a compendium of Shakespere's plays which makes for a quick read. It was during my college Shakspear class that I first knew that studying literature was my calling in life, and I've loved him ever since. Especially the fact that you can spell his name so many different ways and still be right.

So enough of talking about literature written hundreds of years ago in iambic pentameter. Shakesper aside, my other love is reserved for J Fiction books. A recent read I found that is easy to dive into, fun, and also at times insightful, is The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood. Whatever you end up reading, enjoy!

The Anti-Social Book Club

I know, I know...anti-social people don't join clubs, but hear me out.

You know how some people have things? For example, they are awesome cooks, or write science fiction books, or live on a ranch, or homeschool, or take cool pictures, or save the environment? Well, my thing is that I read books. Super amazing, right? But get this. I don't just read books, I read books super fast. Even cooler, I know.

Since my thing is reading, (super fast) it seems logical that I should join a book club. But from listening to other women talk about book clubs, it kind of seems like "Book Club" equals "Excuse for a bunch of women to get together and compare clothes, houses, and refreshments, while inserting something about the book of the month into the conversation if it lags." In short, I would have to be social. And let other people tell me what to read. And feel guilty if I didn't have time to read the book. (Which obviously would never happen since I read super fast.) Anyway, who needs that?

So I'm starting the Anti-Social Book Club. The first book to be read is "The Upside of Irrationality" by Dan Ariely. Why? 1.) My husband wants to read it, and I've always been pleasantly surprised by his book choices. 2.) I've looked at Ariely's blog and he seems like a smart, funny guy. I'm considering adding his blog to my sidebar. 3.) Despite loving the study of English literature, I've always been strangely drawn to behavioral economics. Seriously.

If you don't read it, I'll never know. (The beauty of the Anti-Social Book Club) If you do want to read it, I'm going to post some thoughts on it in a couple weeks and I would love your input. I know you just can't wait!

"Red Flags or Red Herrings?" by Susan Engel

I grabbed this book at the library on an impulse. Who doesn't want a magic ball for their child's future? I read it in a couple days--it was well-written with lots of stories, just the way I like it. The premise is: there are some things you can change about your kids and some you can't. Like if your kid is shy or has lots of energy, you can't change that aspect of their personality although it may shift as they grow older.

Unfortunately, after I got done reading this book I was confused as to what things are problematic and what things I should just roll with. It sounds like they are different for each child. Am I missing the little problematic behaviors that will add up to Sammy being a troubled teen? This one story is stuck in my head of a boy who was popular, happy, smart, etc., but grew up to be a loser adult because his mom ignored things like him stealing a quarter off the dresser and denying it.

Also, I don't think the author meant for me to get this from the book, but one message I got loud and clear was: If I am a normal, sane, middle-class American, my kids have a good chance of growing up to be okay. Think normal and sane, Anona, normal and sane. Normal and sane, normal and sane...

Writing a book

I've decided I should write a book. I majored in English and I like to write. I stay at home with Sammy and (theoretically) have lots of time on my hands. Sooo...what to write about? Young adult, fantasy, memoir, deep philosophical musings? I keep waiting for some awesome idea to come to me in a vision, but no luck so far. So I guess I will just start writing and wait for the novel to flow out of my pen.