Saturday, October 31, 2009

My New Project

So, as many of you know, I am back in school...this time for the sciences.  Not to toot my own horn here, but I just aced a Chemistry exam containing information I taught myself. (I'm doing it all online thanks to full time work). I should have probably done the Science degree in the first place as I am pretty sure a Bachelor of Arts in English does not even equal a high school diploma in the real world. 

Despite my career change, I remain passionate about literature, and to include this passion in my new endeavors, I have decided to begin my own little "marathon training".  I have found a list of 100 books you should read before you die.  I reviewed many lists I found online, but this one included more books I haven't read in comparison to the many of the books I read during my tenure at the U of M. My intentions at this point are to read all the books on the list I have already read again with the exception of Catcher in the Rye and As I lay Dying for I am neither a fan of Salinger nor of Faulkner and I'm not sure I could stomach reading them again. 

First on the list is Don Quixote and no, I have not read it before. FYI,  I just heard all ye literature-loving gurus gasp in disgust from here.  I just came fresh from the Library with a brand new library card and book in tow and I have to ask, what the hell happened to libraries?  Granted the City of Phoenix Library is not the same as the small, haunted library in my hometown, but what is with all this new, fangled equipment?  I haven't used a library for pleasure reading since grade school, but let's just say you no longer pull out the checkout card and get an ink stamp with a due date.  Now you get a due date, email reminders your due date is approaching, and the chance to click a button and renew from your home to avoid all those nasty late fees.  Something tells me these fees are no longer $.25 per week - just a hunch. Had my husband not informed me that I am no longer entitled to buying books just to read once, I never would have been aware of this new and improved literature Mecca.  

So now I begin with Don Quixote and plan on moving down the list as printed.  My only exceptions are when Bernard Cornwell releases his next "Saxon Stories" in January and when A Dance with Dragons is released, though I have a sneaking suspicion I will be done with all 100 books before I read that one. 

Happy Halloween to all and Happy Reading!! 

Friday, October 16, 2009

The Massachusetts Wedding...Read at your own Risk!

Well...I think it has been about 2 months since my last blog posting. Since then, husband and I have traveled to Massachusetts for his younger sister's wedding, enjoyed some cooler weather in the valley of the sun and all in all have enjoyed the end of summer.

The wedding in Massachusetts was very nice and even hurricane Danny couldn't put a damper on my enjoyment of the "festivities," and by "festivities" I mean the endless hosted supply of Jack and diet coke. - Yes, I am the holiday drunk...I'm pretty sure that I will only be invited to husband's family functions when social conventions dictate that I must. My only words of advice to any girl out there trying desperately to change a the in-laws impression of you...do not attempt to channel Ren McCormack's wickedly awesome dance moves while wearing a strapless dress...unless you trying to show everyone your boobs...I noticed my the SIL did not post any pictures of me on her website so I'm sure she is impressed, I know the random groomsman dancing near me was.

Maybe these New Englanders just need a Montana girl to show them how to party...

Needless to say, I was excited to get home; I don't think I ate much of anything solid for the entire trip. The night before the plane took off for Phoenix, I ordered a chicken sandwich with a summer salad, a plate of seasoned french fries and a vat of dipping sauces via room service. I settled in on the bed with a diet coke and Sex and the City on HBO. I probably should have stuck to the virgin diet coke all weekend. I have to go to Connecticut in December for my final wedding of the year...I think I will stick with water - I don't want to be 86'd from New England entirely.