1. How many hours a day do you spend reading?
Oh, goodness, it varies so much. Right now I get about 1-3 hours, but that doesn't include online. And it's gone up a bit since I can trust Jane to crawl around and play quietly with toys in the background; previously reading was limited to her nap time, which needed to be dedicated to other chores.
2. How fast do you read?
Very quickly. My all-time benchmark is finishing all 1200+ pages of Les Miz in two days (but that was back before I had a job and could stay up half the night).
3. What is your favorite book?
The Bible, of course.
4. Who is your favorite author?
Mmm, that's a tricky one, but I'll go with Jane Austen.
5. What is your favorite action/adventure novel?
And we have a five-way tie between The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Prisoner of Zenda, Scaramouche, Beau Geste, and A Tale of Two Cities.
6. What is your favorite mystery novel?
The Eleventh Hour.
7. What is your favorite romance novel?
Pride and Prejudice, far and away.
8. What is your favorite character novel?
But all of the people in my favourite books are characters!
I would say either Little Women, the Little House books, Caddie Woodlawn, or the Grandma's Attic books, because they're all excellent moral character books without sounding a bit preachy.
9. What is your favorite fantasy/sci-fi novel?
Sci-fi would be Asimov's Foundation trilogy. Fantasy would be, of course, Lord of the Rings.
10. What is your favorite history book?
No contest - The Story of Liberty.
11. What is your favorite biography?
If a biography of a pretend person counts, then Ben-Hur. Otherwise, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.
12. What is your favorite other non-fiction book?
Probably Stepping Heavenward, in sheer terms of how many times I've read it.
13. What is your favorite play?
The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde. Other plays by Oscar Wilde rank very high up there, as do a few plays by Shakespeare and Moliere. Gilbert and Sullivan go without saying. Of course, I love a lot of the plays that were turned into movie musicals.
14. What is your favorite of the genres mentioned in questions 5-12?
As if I could answer that!
15. What is your favorite type of character?
The one I married: clever, intelligent, handsome, dashing, witty, charming, gallant, thoughtful, and surprising.
16. If you could host a party with 7 literary characters, who would they be and why?
Eliza Bennet, because I want to meet her.
The Princess from The Lady or the Tiger, because I want to ask her which door it was.
Anne Shirley, to make me feel better about forgetting the sweet potatoes and setting out the wrong napkins.
Atreyu from The Neverending Story, because every good dinner party needs an adventurer.
Dad Gilbreth from Cheaper by the Dozen, because he would be the life of the party.
Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey, to talk nonsense and make us all laugh.
Tommy Hambledon from Drink To Yesterday, because I need another Brit and and another gent.
17. Do you like film adaptations of books? If so, which is your favorite? Which is your least?
Yes, if they're done right. Not if they're mangled. Perhaps my favourite is Mary Poppins, which I actually like better than the book, one of only five such cases known to man. As for worst, it's hard to differentiate between so-bad-because-it's-such-a-badly-done-movie, like those dismal 50s-60s attempts at Prisoner of Zenda, Pride & Prejudice, and Little Women, and it-would-be-a-great-movie-if-it-didn't-steal-the-title-of-the-book-to-which-it-bears-no-resemblance, such as Lord of the Rings, Count of Monte Cristo, etc.
18. Who is your literary role model?
Eliza Bennet, because she is intelligent, pretty, modest, and confident, but is open to reproof and improvement.
19. Which literary house would you like most to live in?
Probably the Last Homely House. I'd have the best neighbors. Of course, Cair Paravel wouldn't be too shabby, either.
20. Which literary couple would you like most for parents?
Probably Percy and Marguerite Blakeney, or Tommy and Tuppence. I like books that have a romance between married couples.
21. Pick 3 literary characters you would like to have as siblings.
Michael Geste, Caddie Woodlawn, and Christopher Robin.
22. Who is your favorite literary villain?
After Rupert of Hentzau? Probably Messala.
23. Name a character that most people dislike, but that you do not. Why do you like them?
Ooh, I much prefer the reverse, of explaining why I don't like all the characters that most people like! But definitely Boromir. He's far under-rated, especially in the movie. I love the bit in the appendices that says something along the lines of, 'Faramir believed that his older brother was the most valiant in arms in all of Gondor, and Boromir thought so too.' He's brave, patriotic, loyal, cynical, and dislikes Aragorn, which is enough of a recommendation in its own right.
24. Which minor character deserves a book all to themselves, in your opinion?
Puddleglum, certainly. Also Tom Bombadil. Also Rosencrantz & Guildenstern - oh, wait, they already got that.
25. Which character do you identify most with in literature?
Emma Woodhouse.
26. If you could go into a novel, which one would it be and why?
Ooh, tricky, tricky! If I went into a novel, I'd have to be sure to go in as the right character, with the right location and social standing and amount of wealth. But it would probably be an English 18th-century novel.
27. Do you prefer hardback or paperback?
Hardback.
28. Do you like dustcovers?
Yes, they make fabulous bookmarks.
29. Do you like introductions, forwards, afterwards, and appendices?
Depends on how interesting they are. Usually they are boring, in which case I skip them.
30. Do you like reading literary criticism?
Sometimes it gives me insights and good ideas, but most of the time it just frustrates me.
31. Do you like new or used books? What about ex-library?
Yes.
32. Are you likely to buy new books without having read them, or would you buy a used copy (or check it out from the library) to see if it is good or not?
I would never buy a new book never having read it. That's as dangerous as ordering something brand-new from a catalogue you've never tried the clothes of before.
33. Name 3 - 7 books that you rarely see on people's favorite book lists, that are high on your own.
Skipping through all the ones that appear on other people's lists we arrive at:
Lost Horizon
Winnie-the-Pooh & House at Pooh Corner
King Solomon's Mines
The Last Days of Pompeii
Our Mutual Friend
Queen Margot
The Accidental Detectives
34. Which is your least favorite book of those that are considered "classics"?
The Iliad and the Odessy. Still can't get through them.
35. Do you like books read aloud, or do you prefer silent reading?
Both very much.
36. When you read, do you see things in your mind like a movie, or just in vague pictures?
Both, although seeing a credible movie version of it tends to mess with this phenomenon.
37. Do you like to read in silence, or with backround noise/music?
Doesn't really matter.
38. Can you read in the car without getting carsick?
I never get carsick.
39. Do you go to booksales?
No, but I'd like to. *sigh* I really should not buy any more books until I have bookshelves for all the ones I've got.
40. Name one literary quirk of yours.
I obsessively count commas. Usually it's pretty subliminal, but if a sentence has seven or eight commas then I have to go back and make sure all the clauses come out right.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
At least I won't be so surprised by spring forward this weekend
There is absolutely nothing to do at 7:30 in the morning. This is after I've had breakfast, waved Michael off, read my Bible, and fed my baby. It's too soon to put Jane down for her morning nap; too early to go shopping; too chilly yet to do anything outside; too soon to sit down to a nice little second breakfast on the lawn; and far too early to call any of my friends to chat.
Recently Michael couldn't find his other pair of jeans, and asked me if they might be in the laundry. 'Maybe,' I told him. 'Just wait a few days, and it will all come out in the wash.' (Ha, ha!) But they didn't turn up, so yesterday I checked my closet and pulled out a pair of Wranglers with rolled-up cuffs that were definitely not mine. I remember now that a few weeks ago, when we were doing yard work together, I grabbed a pair of jeans that were so big I assumed they must be a spare pair of grubby jeans because I had to roll up the cuffs. Oops.
Recently Michael couldn't find his other pair of jeans, and asked me if they might be in the laundry. 'Maybe,' I told him. 'Just wait a few days, and it will all come out in the wash.' (Ha, ha!) But they didn't turn up, so yesterday I checked my closet and pulled out a pair of Wranglers with rolled-up cuffs that were definitely not mine. I remember now that a few weeks ago, when we were doing yard work together, I grabbed a pair of jeans that were so big I assumed they must be a spare pair of grubby jeans because I had to roll up the cuffs. Oops.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Mumble's the word
So I went to the dentist this morning to fill some more cavities. (This cannot keep up much longer; at some point I am bound to run out of original tooth material.) Two of the fillings were so shallow that I didn't need any anesthesia at all, which was nice, because I hate the taste and the numbness. But the others left me feeling predictably rubbery, and I kept gnashing my teeth all the way home and not feeling a thing other than dull impact. I couldn't even apply lipstick properly: I tried putting the stuff on, and then simply could not purse my lips to rub it in. But I did make such hilarious faces in the rear-view mirror while trying that I couldn't help but laugh, which was a healthy thing.
And now I've discovered that I can't whistle properly. Now I have an inkling what Botox patients feel like. I ask you, why would anyone do that to herself?
And now I've discovered that I can't whistle properly. Now I have an inkling what Botox patients feel like. I ask you, why would anyone do that to herself?
Friday, March 24, 2006
Goodbye to a dear friend
They never quite leave us, our friends who have passed
Through the shadows of death to the sunlight above;
A thousand sweet memories are holding them fast
To the places they blessed with their presence and love.
The work which they left, and the books which they read,
Speak mutely, though still with an eloquence rare;
And the songs that they sung, and the dear words that they said,
Yet linger and sigh on the desolate air.
And oft when alone, and as oft in the throng,
Or when evil allures us, or sin draweth nigh,
A whisper comes gently, ‘Nay, do not the wrong,’
And we feel that our weakness is pitied on high.
We toil at our tasks in the burden and heat
Of life’s passionate noon. They are folded in peace.
It is well. We rejoice that their heaven is sweet,
And one day for us all the bitter will cease.
We, too, shall go home o'er the river of rest
As the strong and the lovely before us have gone;
Our sun will go down in the beautiful west
To rise in the glory that circles the throne.
Until then we are bound by our love and our faith
To the saints who are walking in Paradise fair;
They have passed beyond sight at the touching of death
But they live, like ourselves, in God's infinite care.
~Margaret E. Sangster
Through the shadows of death to the sunlight above;
A thousand sweet memories are holding them fast
To the places they blessed with their presence and love.
The work which they left, and the books which they read,
Speak mutely, though still with an eloquence rare;
And the songs that they sung, and the dear words that they said,
Yet linger and sigh on the desolate air.
And oft when alone, and as oft in the throng,
Or when evil allures us, or sin draweth nigh,
A whisper comes gently, ‘Nay, do not the wrong,’
And we feel that our weakness is pitied on high.
We toil at our tasks in the burden and heat
Of life’s passionate noon. They are folded in peace.
It is well. We rejoice that their heaven is sweet,
And one day for us all the bitter will cease.
We, too, shall go home o'er the river of rest
As the strong and the lovely before us have gone;
Our sun will go down in the beautiful west
To rise in the glory that circles the throne.
Until then we are bound by our love and our faith
To the saints who are walking in Paradise fair;
They have passed beyond sight at the touching of death
But they live, like ourselves, in God's infinite care.
~Margaret E. Sangster
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
A day of pleasant bread
It's the small things in life that really add up to more than the sum of their parts and make the world go 'round. Yesterday was just such a day. Jane was happy, I was happy, the First Day of Spring was rainy so I got to wear my beloved winter sweaters for at least one day longer, and we snapped up tremendous bargains while out and about.
In the first place, I've been looking for invitations for a shower I'm co-hosting soon. Something simple, elegant, classy, and not too expensive, while not looking as if it's trying not to be too expensive. Last week I saw a package of simple white embossed blank cards that I can print off my own invites on, and decided to get them, but also decided to wait a week first. Yesterday I went back and found a box of those very invites, opened but with all the cards and envelopes, marked down to $2.48. Yippee! I felt as if I had just saved ten dollars, but since we are now officially on a budget the extra money was not spendable but goes toward next month's gift allowance.
I hate budgets. Somehow we've made it thus far in our marriage without anything etched in paper, our general rule of thumb being to spend as little as possible and use the rest for savings, giving to missions, buying new cars after destructive car wrecks, etc. But this book on finances that we've been reading strongly recommends a fixed budget, so last week we itemised all expenses and actually drew up a budget. Ugh. Whether we'll actually stick to it is another matter.
The morning of errand-running was topped off in fine style by a free cup of premium roast coffee from McDonalds. I had found a coupon in the Sunday paper (which we do not pay for but which persists in showing up in our front yard every week, so I gamely flip through it and clip coupons for anything free), and having spotted a McDonalds while out and about, whizzed through the drive-thru and collected my token. Then it was such fun walking through Target, holding a cute baby in one hand and a styrofoam cup of coffee in the other. Only a straitened and sheltered youth could eke such feelings of opulence and luxury from a disposable coffee cup.
In the first place, I've been looking for invitations for a shower I'm co-hosting soon. Something simple, elegant, classy, and not too expensive, while not looking as if it's trying not to be too expensive. Last week I saw a package of simple white embossed blank cards that I can print off my own invites on, and decided to get them, but also decided to wait a week first. Yesterday I went back and found a box of those very invites, opened but with all the cards and envelopes, marked down to $2.48. Yippee! I felt as if I had just saved ten dollars, but since we are now officially on a budget the extra money was not spendable but goes toward next month's gift allowance.
I hate budgets. Somehow we've made it thus far in our marriage without anything etched in paper, our general rule of thumb being to spend as little as possible and use the rest for savings, giving to missions, buying new cars after destructive car wrecks, etc. But this book on finances that we've been reading strongly recommends a fixed budget, so last week we itemised all expenses and actually drew up a budget. Ugh. Whether we'll actually stick to it is another matter.
The morning of errand-running was topped off in fine style by a free cup of premium roast coffee from McDonalds. I had found a coupon in the Sunday paper (which we do not pay for but which persists in showing up in our front yard every week, so I gamely flip through it and clip coupons for anything free), and having spotted a McDonalds while out and about, whizzed through the drive-thru and collected my token. Then it was such fun walking through Target, holding a cute baby in one hand and a styrofoam cup of coffee in the other. Only a straitened and sheltered youth could eke such feelings of opulence and luxury from a disposable coffee cup.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Beware already
I give you a few random quotes in honour of the Ides of March.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar....
~from Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare
Claudius: What'll ya have?
Flavius: Give me a Martinus.
Claudius: Don't you mean a MartiNI?
Flavius: If I wanted two, I'd ask for it. By the way, could I have a bite to eat?
Claudius: Sure thing. What'll ya have?
Flavius: I could do with some pizzum.
Claudius: Don't you mean pizza?
Flavius: If I wanted more than one, I'd say so.
~from Rinse the Blood off My Toga, by Wayne and Schuster.
"The first date in English History is 55 B.C. in which year Julius Caesar (the memorable Roman Emperor) landed, like all other successful invaders of these islands, at Thanet. This was in the Olden Days, when the Romans were top nation on account of their classical education, etc....
"Julius Caesar was therefore compelled to invade Britain again the following year (54 B.C., not 56, owing to the peculiar Roman method of counting), and having defeated the Ancient Britons by unfair means, such as battering-rams, tortoises, hippocausts, centipedes, axes and bundles, set the memorable Latin sentence, 'Veni, Vidi, Vici,' which the Romans, who were all very well educated, construed correctly.
"The Britons, however, who of course still used the old pronunciation, understanding him to have called them 'Weeny, Weedy, and Weaky,' lost heart and gave up the struggle, thinking that he had already divided them All into Three Parts."
~from 1066 And All That.
A Pict Song
Rome never looks where she treads.
Always her heavy hooves fall
On our stomachs, our hearts or our heads;
And Rome never heeds when we bawl.
Her sentries pass on -- that is all,
And we gather behind them in hordes,
And plot to reconquer the Wall,
With only our tongues for our swords.
We are the Little Folk -- we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you'll see
How we can drag down the State!
We are the worm in the wood!
We are the rot at the root!
We are the taint in the blood!
We are the thorn in the foot!
Mistletoe killing an oak --
Rats gnawing cables in two --
Moths making holes in a cloak --
How they must love what they do!
Yes -- and we Little Folk too,
We are busy as they --
Working our works out of view --
Watch, and you'll see it some day!
No indeed! We are not strong,
But we know Peoples that are.
Yes, and we'll guide them along
To smash and destroy you in War!
We shall be slaves just the same?
Yes, we have always been slaves,
But you -- you will die of the shame,
And then we shall dance on your graves!
~by Rudyard Kipling
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar....
~from Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare
Claudius: What'll ya have?
Flavius: Give me a Martinus.
Claudius: Don't you mean a MartiNI?
Flavius: If I wanted two, I'd ask for it. By the way, could I have a bite to eat?
Claudius: Sure thing. What'll ya have?
Flavius: I could do with some pizzum.
Claudius: Don't you mean pizza?
Flavius: If I wanted more than one, I'd say so.
~from Rinse the Blood off My Toga, by Wayne and Schuster.
"The first date in English History is 55 B.C. in which year Julius Caesar (the memorable Roman Emperor) landed, like all other successful invaders of these islands, at Thanet. This was in the Olden Days, when the Romans were top nation on account of their classical education, etc....
"Julius Caesar was therefore compelled to invade Britain again the following year (54 B.C., not 56, owing to the peculiar Roman method of counting), and having defeated the Ancient Britons by unfair means, such as battering-rams, tortoises, hippocausts, centipedes, axes and bundles, set the memorable Latin sentence, 'Veni, Vidi, Vici,' which the Romans, who were all very well educated, construed correctly.
"The Britons, however, who of course still used the old pronunciation, understanding him to have called them 'Weeny, Weedy, and Weaky,' lost heart and gave up the struggle, thinking that he had already divided them All into Three Parts."
~from 1066 And All That.
A Pict Song
Rome never looks where she treads.
Always her heavy hooves fall
On our stomachs, our hearts or our heads;
And Rome never heeds when we bawl.
Her sentries pass on -- that is all,
And we gather behind them in hordes,
And plot to reconquer the Wall,
With only our tongues for our swords.
We are the Little Folk -- we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you'll see
How we can drag down the State!
We are the worm in the wood!
We are the rot at the root!
We are the taint in the blood!
We are the thorn in the foot!
Mistletoe killing an oak --
Rats gnawing cables in two --
Moths making holes in a cloak --
How they must love what they do!
Yes -- and we Little Folk too,
We are busy as they --
Working our works out of view --
Watch, and you'll see it some day!
No indeed! We are not strong,
But we know Peoples that are.
Yes, and we'll guide them along
To smash and destroy you in War!
We shall be slaves just the same?
Yes, we have always been slaves,
But you -- you will die of the shame,
And then we shall dance on your graves!
~by Rudyard Kipling
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Give me a sign
Last night Michael was telling me about this book his boss had mentioned, which advocates teaching your babies to sign so you can communicate with them before they can even speak. It's a fascinating idea, and I know I just heard about this recently, maybe chatting with someone at church, so I was already intrigued with the idea.
He brought the book by this morning, and I read it with great interest. Apparently infants' manual motor skills develop far sooner than the speech capacity, and babies as young as six months can be taught to sign! Jane is ten months old, so she should pick it up in no time. Today we learned three signs ('We' as in me, with Jane very soon to follow) and are going to rehearse them until Jane is fluent.
Part of why this fascinates me so much is that sign language actually counts as another language. Infants who sign are already bilingual when they begin to speak, and therefore have an advantage in learning another spoken language. This book uses the symbols of American Sign Language, which is something I want my kids to know anyway. This way, we get a head start on the learning and can actually have conversations meanwhile!
I am very excited about this. Will keep you posted as to whether or not it works.
He brought the book by this morning, and I read it with great interest. Apparently infants' manual motor skills develop far sooner than the speech capacity, and babies as young as six months can be taught to sign! Jane is ten months old, so she should pick it up in no time. Today we learned three signs ('We' as in me, with Jane very soon to follow) and are going to rehearse them until Jane is fluent.
Part of why this fascinates me so much is that sign language actually counts as another language. Infants who sign are already bilingual when they begin to speak, and therefore have an advantage in learning another spoken language. This book uses the symbols of American Sign Language, which is something I want my kids to know anyway. This way, we get a head start on the learning and can actually have conversations meanwhile!
I am very excited about this. Will keep you posted as to whether or not it works.
Monday, March 13, 2006
A quick post
Busy times make few blog posts. We had houseguests this past weekend, which means that the fridge is satisfyingly full of leftovers that will probably last the whole week. We went to Kennesaw Mountain on Saturday, where we had a picnic, toured the museum and Civil War battlefield, and climbed to the top and back. Babies who hate being trapped in backpacks will gladly cheer up as long as you stop at every tree and let them pat the trunk and try to eat a few leaves. Two water bottles do not contain enough water to keep you hydrated for a mile-long hike.
On Sunday Michael sang in the church choir for the first time. We've started going to church on Wednesday nights, which is when choir practice is held, and even though it makes for a very long Wednesday, I've really enjoyed it. I think mid-week service must just be a southern thing.
Jane is officially crawling now (previously it was just a very adept scoot) and has a new friend: Ethan John Owens, born to Benjamin and Amanda last Friday.
On Sunday Michael sang in the church choir for the first time. We've started going to church on Wednesday nights, which is when choir practice is held, and even though it makes for a very long Wednesday, I've really enjoyed it. I think mid-week service must just be a southern thing.
Jane is officially crawling now (previously it was just a very adept scoot) and has a new friend: Ethan John Owens, born to Benjamin and Amanda last Friday.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The other 6:00
Ever since Michael started his new job six months ago, he's been getting up earlier to compensate for an hour-long commute. Fortunately, there are several other co-workers who live at our exit with whom he can carpool, which saves on gas, time (HOV lane), and stress in only having to drive once a week or so. Plus he has more time now to read on the drive.
Last week, one of his fellow carpoolers, who also happens to be his boss, offered the challenge that they all start getting up at 5:00 and spending that extra hour in prayer. Previously, I slept right through the alarm and only got up when it was time to get ready for my day and feed Jane, around 7:30-8. I do need more sleep than Michael, but switching to that wide of a divergence would probably not be a good idea, as if I'm too caught up on sleep I might be likely to stay up late talking and thus hijack Michael's resolve on early rising. The only solution is to make sure I'm as sleepy as he is when it's time to sleep.
So for this past week, Michael has gotten up at five, and then awakened me at six, and I have fixed breakfast for him, which we eat together. It's been very nice to have breakfast together and to be able to serve him a hot meal, and then I have a bit of quiet time after he leaves and before Jane wakes up.
What I'm most struck with is how long the morning is when it starts that early. I'm hungry long before lunch time, and I have to be careful, when running errands, to make sure that the stores are actually open. Apparently only grocery stores and pharmacies are usually open before 8:00 am.
Here it is 10:00, and I've already been awake for four hours. Jane is already down for her morning nap, and I've gotten groceries, cleaned the kitchen, de-boned the chicken from last night, and read a good bit. One can certainly accomplish a good bit with an early start. Even if I have to compensate with a nap this afternoon, I'll still feel ahead.
We'll see how long it lasts. I really hate the new system during the first ten minutes of the day. But after that, the advantages are manifold and glorious.
Last week, one of his fellow carpoolers, who also happens to be his boss, offered the challenge that they all start getting up at 5:00 and spending that extra hour in prayer. Previously, I slept right through the alarm and only got up when it was time to get ready for my day and feed Jane, around 7:30-8. I do need more sleep than Michael, but switching to that wide of a divergence would probably not be a good idea, as if I'm too caught up on sleep I might be likely to stay up late talking and thus hijack Michael's resolve on early rising. The only solution is to make sure I'm as sleepy as he is when it's time to sleep.
So for this past week, Michael has gotten up at five, and then awakened me at six, and I have fixed breakfast for him, which we eat together. It's been very nice to have breakfast together and to be able to serve him a hot meal, and then I have a bit of quiet time after he leaves and before Jane wakes up.
What I'm most struck with is how long the morning is when it starts that early. I'm hungry long before lunch time, and I have to be careful, when running errands, to make sure that the stores are actually open. Apparently only grocery stores and pharmacies are usually open before 8:00 am.
Here it is 10:00, and I've already been awake for four hours. Jane is already down for her morning nap, and I've gotten groceries, cleaned the kitchen, de-boned the chicken from last night, and read a good bit. One can certainly accomplish a good bit with an early start. Even if I have to compensate with a nap this afternoon, I'll still feel ahead.
We'll see how long it lasts. I really hate the new system during the first ten minutes of the day. But after that, the advantages are manifold and glorious.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
The abundant life
Now, I am usually not one for kicks or programs, especially on the Christian scene, so it may come as a surprise that I am as of this week enthusiastically embarked upon Dr. Charles Stanley's 49-day Abundant Life Challenge. But this is not so surprising when one discovers that this program (for so I must resort to calling this collection of books and the study guide, including a thorough online assessment) was given free to all employees of InTouch Ministries.
The course starts with an online assessment to gauge one's fitness in the spiritual, financial, and physical arenas. (It is a very thorough, comprehensive personality/behaviour-type assessment quiz, which I find particularly irresistible, as I love answering questions about how I think or feel.) The study guide directs one's progress through the assigned books, which are Dr. Stanley's Living The Extraordinary Life, Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, and Jordan Rubin's The Great Physician's Rx for Health and Wellness.
I must say that this whole challenge is an excellent and fascinating idea. There is something very powerful in the agreement of a body of believers to commit themselves corporately to seeking God's will, like the weekly prayer times at HSLDA, and I'm very glad that Michael works for a place that encourages employees to spend time in pursuit of excellence. Now for the subject material itself, which is so enthralling that I feel as if I'm simply bursting with new ideas and insights (Ugh! What a pity 'Insight' is such a loaded word to my subconscious!)
Dave Ramsey is a popular money advice guru, though I hadn't heard of him before; I read his book on Monday (very easy reading) and am quite impressed with the way he combines sound financial advice with strong scriptural principles. The premise of his book is that you want to build wealth to have money to give away. Very good point. Much of his total money makeover seems directed at people who are in financial straits, and he has a solid strategy for digging out of holes. That doesn't seem to apply to my situation so much, although I gather that it would be a lifesaver for most Americans, who are according to the statistics drowning in consumer debt. Some of the stuff he says just makes sense, and some of it was rather eye-opening. All in all, it gave me a lot to think about. I always enjoy expanding my horizons and learning about everything I can, so I was glad to learn his recommendations on retirement savings, at which point to concentrate on retirement v. paying off the house, etc.
Jordan Rubin, who also wrote The Maker's Diet, is also a strong Christian who approaches his topic from the perspective that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and his mission is to encourage Christians to be vibrant, healthy witnesses to the power of God, like Daniel and his companions. Why don't people look at Christians and say, 'Wow, he is so strong and healthy and glowing! What is his secret? How can I have what he has?' Instead, Christians are just as plagued by obesity, cholesterol, heart disease, and other problems, much as divorce runs as rampantly through the Church as through the secular world.
I just finished the introduction and the first chapter, so I haven't much to report beyond the fact that I am simply brimming over with new ideas. I am not about to make any drastic changes to my diet, of course, but he has such harsh things to say about pork, catfish, shrimp, and lobster (filthy, polluted, corrupt bottom-feeders living off the waste of other creatures - nature's toxic waste dump) that I may just find myself naturally avoiding them in the future, much as I gradually and without any internal conviction weaned myself of ever eating hot dogs again just by virtue of learning exactly how nasty they were.
The biggest drawback to eating natural and organic foods, of course, is not convenience, preference, taste, or habit - it is cost. Most people are hooked on junk food because they're addicted to the cheap pleasures of hamburgers and pizza. I'd gladly trade in my canola oil and peanut butter and homogenized cow's milk for a Mediterranean diet of olive oil, feta cheese, and alfalfa sprouts if it didn't mean my grocery budget would triple. I'd happily buy tilapia and mahi-mahi if my local Super Walmart ran sales on that instead of catfish. Some whole grains and fresh, organic foods simply aren't available most places, and the ones that are are prohibitively expensive. So for now, I'll muddle along as best I can and slip as much whole wheat flour into my muffins as I can get away with and plant LOTS of blueberry bushes in the meantime.
The course starts with an online assessment to gauge one's fitness in the spiritual, financial, and physical arenas. (It is a very thorough, comprehensive personality/behaviour-type assessment quiz, which I find particularly irresistible, as I love answering questions about how I think or feel.) The study guide directs one's progress through the assigned books, which are Dr. Stanley's Living The Extraordinary Life, Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, and Jordan Rubin's The Great Physician's Rx for Health and Wellness.
I must say that this whole challenge is an excellent and fascinating idea. There is something very powerful in the agreement of a body of believers to commit themselves corporately to seeking God's will, like the weekly prayer times at HSLDA, and I'm very glad that Michael works for a place that encourages employees to spend time in pursuit of excellence. Now for the subject material itself, which is so enthralling that I feel as if I'm simply bursting with new ideas and insights (Ugh! What a pity 'Insight' is such a loaded word to my subconscious!)
Dave Ramsey is a popular money advice guru, though I hadn't heard of him before; I read his book on Monday (very easy reading) and am quite impressed with the way he combines sound financial advice with strong scriptural principles. The premise of his book is that you want to build wealth to have money to give away. Very good point. Much of his total money makeover seems directed at people who are in financial straits, and he has a solid strategy for digging out of holes. That doesn't seem to apply to my situation so much, although I gather that it would be a lifesaver for most Americans, who are according to the statistics drowning in consumer debt. Some of the stuff he says just makes sense, and some of it was rather eye-opening. All in all, it gave me a lot to think about. I always enjoy expanding my horizons and learning about everything I can, so I was glad to learn his recommendations on retirement savings, at which point to concentrate on retirement v. paying off the house, etc.
Jordan Rubin, who also wrote The Maker's Diet, is also a strong Christian who approaches his topic from the perspective that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and his mission is to encourage Christians to be vibrant, healthy witnesses to the power of God, like Daniel and his companions. Why don't people look at Christians and say, 'Wow, he is so strong and healthy and glowing! What is his secret? How can I have what he has?' Instead, Christians are just as plagued by obesity, cholesterol, heart disease, and other problems, much as divorce runs as rampantly through the Church as through the secular world.
I just finished the introduction and the first chapter, so I haven't much to report beyond the fact that I am simply brimming over with new ideas. I am not about to make any drastic changes to my diet, of course, but he has such harsh things to say about pork, catfish, shrimp, and lobster (filthy, polluted, corrupt bottom-feeders living off the waste of other creatures - nature's toxic waste dump) that I may just find myself naturally avoiding them in the future, much as I gradually and without any internal conviction weaned myself of ever eating hot dogs again just by virtue of learning exactly how nasty they were.
The biggest drawback to eating natural and organic foods, of course, is not convenience, preference, taste, or habit - it is cost. Most people are hooked on junk food because they're addicted to the cheap pleasures of hamburgers and pizza. I'd gladly trade in my canola oil and peanut butter and homogenized cow's milk for a Mediterranean diet of olive oil, feta cheese, and alfalfa sprouts if it didn't mean my grocery budget would triple. I'd happily buy tilapia and mahi-mahi if my local Super Walmart ran sales on that instead of catfish. Some whole grains and fresh, organic foods simply aren't available most places, and the ones that are are prohibitively expensive. So for now, I'll muddle along as best I can and slip as much whole wheat flour into my muffins as I can get away with and plant LOTS of blueberry bushes in the meantime.
That was odd
For some reason, Blogspot didn't like the last batch of pictures I posted, the really cute ones of Jane in the sand wearing a swimsuit. The internet would crash and send an error report every time I tried to log in, and I was on the brink of asking Michael to fix the computer for me when a call to a friend confirmed that this was a universal problem with the blog site, not my individual computer. What a pity.
Saints alive
Recently I heard that an old family friend, an elderly lady in Oregon, had died. She had always told us, 'When you hear I'm gone, don't be sad - be happy for me! I know I'll be happy!' I almost forgot to mention it to Michael, and just remembered before falling asleep, at which the following conversation (if you can call it a conversation, as one-sided as it was) took place:
'Oh, by the way, I heard that Blanche B- died....You remember her? We visited her last time we were in Oregon, in that red farmhouse....She was quite elderly, so it was to be expected, and she always told us not to be sorrowful at her death....Her husband was quite the inventor...patented lots of useful things, I believe, and was a very brilliant man - he died a few years ago...so she's with him now...not that she cares....he's just another saint to her.'
That's the one drawback of heaven: the universal specialness of everyone. As far as my mortal mind can comprehend, I don't want to be so ubiquitous, nor do I want everyone to be so equally special to me.
'Oh, by the way, I heard that Blanche B- died....You remember her? We visited her last time we were in Oregon, in that red farmhouse....She was quite elderly, so it was to be expected, and she always told us not to be sorrowful at her death....Her husband was quite the inventor...patented lots of useful things, I believe, and was a very brilliant man - he died a few years ago...so she's with him now...not that she cares....he's just another saint to her.'
That's the one drawback of heaven: the universal specialness of everyone. As far as my mortal mind can comprehend, I don't want to be so ubiquitous, nor do I want everyone to be so equally special to me.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
We're baaaaaack!
Vacations are wonderful things, but they absolutely ruin you for real life. I feel so ripped off now that I have to put my own dishes in the sink again.
We had a fabulous time visiting with family, and everyone doted on Jane, who really was a model child. ('I think I could be a model child if only I were invited to tea at the manse every day.') She took everything in stride, and we got some adorable shots of her on the beach, in a very cute swimsuit, playing with sand.
Yes, Janice, I did do the acrobat thingy, but only a few times. Brother Benjamin and cousin Walter were the stars of the show, meaning they actually performed in the flying trapeze show one night. Which meant that they got to wear tight, shiny pants and do tricks under bright lights with loud music. We were very proud of them.
We went sailing, played putt-putt golf (thank goodness for the rule that you max out at six shots per hole!), went roller-blading, played tennis, and ate lots of good food. I always mean to weigh myself at the beginning and the end of the week to see if I gain weight (lots of good food) or lose weight (lots of exercise) or gain weight (because muscle weighs more than fat). But once again I forgot until nearly halfway through the week.
Today we will slowly ease ourselves back into our normal routines. It is very cold and cloudy out. We are glad that we live no farther north than we do.
We had a fabulous time visiting with family, and everyone doted on Jane, who really was a model child. ('I think I could be a model child if only I were invited to tea at the manse every day.') She took everything in stride, and we got some adorable shots of her on the beach, in a very cute swimsuit, playing with sand.
Yes, Janice, I did do the acrobat thingy, but only a few times. Brother Benjamin and cousin Walter were the stars of the show, meaning they actually performed in the flying trapeze show one night. Which meant that they got to wear tight, shiny pants and do tricks under bright lights with loud music. We were very proud of them.
We went sailing, played putt-putt golf (thank goodness for the rule that you max out at six shots per hole!), went roller-blading, played tennis, and ate lots of good food. I always mean to weigh myself at the beginning and the end of the week to see if I gain weight (lots of good food) or lose weight (lots of exercise) or gain weight (because muscle weighs more than fat). But once again I forgot until nearly halfway through the week.
Today we will slowly ease ourselves back into our normal routines. It is very cold and cloudy out. We are glad that we live no farther north than we do.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Tally ho - and away we go!
Tomorrow we're leaving to spend a week with family in sunny Florida. Well, in Florida, at any rate. I've decided that traveling with a baby is just about as much of a bother whether you're going for a week or a weekend; this is our first long trip with her, and it seems like I'm packing just about as much as I've packed for her during our two other weekend trips. So it's a good thing it's worth our while.
Bad things about Florida:
- Fire ants
- Alligators
- Jellyfish
- Closer to the West Nile virus
- More UV
Did you know that UV actually shoots tiny holes into your body? That's exactly how x-rays work. And you're body is constantly at work repairing the damage, but eventually your skin loses the battle. Eek. And yet I'm still excited about going. Adios, everyone! Have a happy week while we're gone!
Bad things about Florida:
- Fire ants
- Alligators
- Jellyfish
- Closer to the West Nile virus
- More UV
Did you know that UV actually shoots tiny holes into your body? That's exactly how x-rays work. And you're body is constantly at work repairing the damage, but eventually your skin loses the battle. Eek. And yet I'm still excited about going. Adios, everyone! Have a happy week while we're gone!
Thursday, February 09, 2006
The day is not sunny...and teether am I
By Jane Victoria
Cutting teeth is not nearly as wonderful as the baby book made it out to be. Oh, sure, fresh sharp teeth can provide hours of amusement for an idle tongue, but I think I'd just as soon go back to scooting around and licking the carpet for fun. Mama says that cutting teeth is not so bad, but that is not true. It is terrible. It is the worst thing that has happened to me in my entire life.
The one advantage, you would think, is that now I can gnash my teeth. But the irony of it is that, with no teeth on top, I simply end up biting my gum. Ow! Hence the wailing.
Apparently teeth are supposed to help me eat my food, but I can't see that I need any help. I've been eating food for three months now just fine. Why couldn't things just stay the way they were??
Cutting teeth is not nearly as wonderful as the baby book made it out to be. Oh, sure, fresh sharp teeth can provide hours of amusement for an idle tongue, but I think I'd just as soon go back to scooting around and licking the carpet for fun. Mama says that cutting teeth is not so bad, but that is not true. It is terrible. It is the worst thing that has happened to me in my entire life.
The one advantage, you would think, is that now I can gnash my teeth. But the irony of it is that, with no teeth on top, I simply end up biting my gum. Ow! Hence the wailing.
Apparently teeth are supposed to help me eat my food, but I can't see that I need any help. I've been eating food for three months now just fine. Why couldn't things just stay the way they were??
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