Books

Over the summer I got into a reading groove and was tossing books down like tequila shots. I got all the way to 26 for the year (see the list) and then ground to a halt two or three weeks ago.

I don't know what changed -- was it my attitude? stress level? did I just pick some dud books?

I tried reading In The Skin Of A Lion by Michael Ondaatje. I don't know where I got the idea I should read this -- maybe because he wrote several award-winning books, including The English Patient which was then made into an award-winning movie -- but I couldn't get very far. It was like slogging through deep snow.

Next I tried Water Bound by Christine Feehan. After (guiltily) enjoying a romance novel earlier in the summer, I thought I'd go for another one, and this one got good reviews somewhere. I wish I could remember where that "somewhere" was, because I'm not going to trust it again. Only made it two chapters into this one before all my eye-rolling was hurting my head. I skipped ahead to the first sex scene and then called it quits.

Most recently I've been trying to read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I picked this from Amazon.com recommendations after I so enjoyed The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Unfortunately this book is just not doing it for me. I only kind of want to know what happens, and I don't feel like dealing with the minorly annoying writing style to find out. I think I'm going to give this up too.

Many of my favorite reads have actually come from NPR recommendations, especially Nancy Pearl's lists. Guess I'll be returning to her...

Why So Serious?

Rain and traffic that make for over a two hour commute on a Monday morning... not a good way to start the week off.

Waking up to find your three-year-old looking like the Joker is not a good way to start Sunday morning off either. She got into her sister's purse.

It may have been mixed messages for me to take her picture and then scold her and send her to her room...

And here is a random picture of the dog wearing Minnie Mouse ears. Enjoy!

Happy Sabbath

At my little church it is tradition near the beginning of the service for the congregation (as they are able) to get up out of the pews, move around the sanctuary and greet fellow members and visitors alike with a smile and handshake or often a hug. The phrase you will hear repeated is "Happy Sabbath!"

It was a happy Sabbath for me indeed this week as both Thea and Faith were baptized. What a feeling of pride and joy for me to see my daughters declare their faith in Jesus! Their grandparents (my parents) and their dad were able to make it to the service. The pastor asked their family to stand up, so we did, and then he asked their friends in the church to stand in support of them, and I felt so blessed and loved to see basically the entire church come to its feet. I can only imagine that Thea and Faith felt the same.

The baptism was originally scheduled for later in the year, but with some other family goings-on we needed to move the date forward quickly. Because of this we weren't able to get the word out to everybody that we would have liked to have invited to the service, or plan a party for later in the day that I would have liked to have had. But I think the church members who were there really came through in making it a very Happy Sabbath.

Sunny days

We went to Centennial Park on Sabbath for a picnic with some people from church. Beautiful day. I do realize I'm way behind in getting pictures up -- I've only done through June. Sometime I'll sit down and work on getting July posted. July was the week-long camping trip, and I have between 200 and 300 pictures to go through... a daunting task.

Emily -- "Not a Kitten, Not Yet a Queen" -- became suddenly affectionate last week and we all thought, well isn't this nice! Until she began yowling and behaving obscenely and we realized she was in heat. It's not fun, and less fun is going to be the vet bill for having her spayed.

Today I am very taken with this song: "Laughing With a Mouth Of Blood" by St Vincent. Don't be put off -- the name sounds more Goth than it really is.

Becky's Top 40

I'm told I'm picky about music. This is probably true. The thing is, I love music, lots of different kinds of music, but I tend to form strong opinions for sometimes random reasons. I have completely arbitrary rules about what we can listen to in the car on the way to school. Thea likes to flip the radio channels and choose music, but she has to abide by my rules.

For instance, no Katy Perry. Because once she was a guest judge on American Idol and I couldn't stand her, plus I hate "California Gurls" because I think the lyrics are stupid. So, I decreed No More Katy Perry.

Also, I don't like songs in which the singer announces his name (I'm looking at you, Jason Derulo, and also at the three of you, Jay Sean, Sean Paul, and Lil Jon) because for one, it's arrogant, and for two, if you sound so much like a hundred other artists that you have to remind the listener who you are, why do we need you cluttering up the airwaves? Hence, No Saying Your Name.

I don't like Buckcherry's "All Night Long" because it has no hook, no musical piece of interest at all, it's just non-stop caterwauling. It's like hearing my kids whining and wailing at me for four minutes or whatever. Also, pretty much anything by Avenged Sevenfold. Tiresome. It sucks that I used to be into 98 Rock-type rock music, but now much of what they play seems just like a bunch of noise. Great! I'm officially old! No Buckcherry or Avenged Sevenfold.

But lest I (and you) think I'm just the grouch that hates all the kids' music these days, now and then something truly interesting and original will come on the radio and I'll perk up. Here are two things that caught my ear this past week:

"Believe" by The Bravery -- This is a unique sound, leans to the alternative... but still you can turn it way up with the windows down on a late summer night and rock out as you drive.

"100 Yard Dash" by Raphael Saadiq -- Do yourself a favor and check this out. The video is cool too. Very retro and fresh, makes your hips want to move.