Sept Soon Left

My recommendation is to take a walk today. Find a spot to stand, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. (Obviously, be certain that all personal belongings are well secured if you are doing this in a public area.)

I am constantly amazed at the number of "new" details I have noticed on buildings while taking a downtown stroll; these details have, of course, been there for decades. Dates of construction, architectural elements, historic plaques, and various other minutiae are there waiting to be discovered. I will not admit the number of times I walked by the Tribune Tower before I noticed the embedded rock collection with help from my sister.

Reading begins with seeing. Find something to see today.

Fall Fashion

Today's bit of luxury was perusing InStyle Magazine while having a nice shiny coat of "kaberet" applied to my nails. (Think blue rather than red.) I do not hold a subscription to InStyle, but do occasionally read it when I am out and about in the world of various salons (which is infrequent these days) or friends' homes.

I "read" the magazine from front to back in about forty-five minutes with a few takeaways: a camel coat for winter, riding and/or thigh high boots for autumn, and a cape...if you are inclined. I actually own a black wool cape. It is an item that has survived several closet cleanings waiting, I suppose, for just this season. I have spent the last hour or so pondering whether or not I can cut it for a more appropriate length for more frequent wear.

Sometimes reading gets you thinking about things that you may not have considered in some time...like shoulder pads.

September Falls

During the past few days, I been reading patterns instead of books. Although we do not yet have the weather for fall, perhaps just the official passing of the autumnal equinox has been enough to push us into our shorter day habits. GBC Kim has recently mentioned making chili. Many are taking advantage of their coop's bounty by canning or freezing foods for the winter months ahead. I have found myself exploring patterns for scarves or blankets. We are beginning to notice our shorter days and perhaps have already released our sigh in remembrance of summer.

The TACA craft fair approaches, and in a short time, our neighborhood will be in full swing to prepare for Oktoberfest/Street Fest. And perhaps, one day soon, we will even don long sleeves as we make our evening walk through the neighborhood.

Wouldn't You Like to have a Pepper Too?

It was a fortunate series of events which led me to this morning’s kitchen activity and indeed, something I have never done before: blanch and freeze vegetables.

1. A discussion yesterday about what to do with surplus fruit led me to suggest to a friend that she could blanch and freeze watermelon for later smoothies. (I really had no idea if this could be done, but doesn’t it just sound like it could work?)
2. The generosity of this same friend left me with wax beans and a pepper, and my current schedule meant that I would not be able to consume them in the near future.
3. Rising to the surface were childhood memories of my mother canning and freezing all manner of things which were grown in our garden.
4. We had a desire for the food not to go to waste.
5. I have no fear in the kitchen.
6. Oh, and I own a small cookbook collection. I was certain one of these books would give me the instructions for such a task.

The Joy of Cooking did not fail me and in those golden pages in the back, there were instructions for preserving food. With the largest of my three owned pots filled to the brim with water, I began this quest to freeze wax beans and the pepper. The whole process took me less than an hour and by 7:15 a.m., I was done save washing and drying the few dishes I used. (Two bowls, two strainers, pot, knife, and cutting board might constitute more than a “few” to you, but you have not been in the kitchen with me lately.) I also managed to slosh water on my cookbook as I had it perched near my “cooling water”. I decided this page wrinkling was my badge for my first freeze.

The point of this whole excursion and perhaps the reason that I am prompted to write this morning is that I really had no idea how to do this and I will not know if it worked until some point later in the fall when I consume these items. (If the blog ends abruptly, please check on me). By using a book as my guide, I decided to try. The knowledge of others’ success is sometimes just the inspiration we need.

Left Me Flat

I have decided to abandon The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman. I have persevered through the two-hundred page mark which included completing his chapter entitled “The Ten Forces That Flattened the World” and am not yet hooked enough to go further (another 365 pages). My adjectives for the book include obvious and dated, however I can see how the read might have been engaging if one had not studied companies such as UPS or Wal-Mart, monitored developments in computing and other technologies, visited China, or worked with international supply chains. (I recognize my background might be a bias here.)

As I have already mentioned, I do not like to quit books. If, however, in six weeks and two hundred pages I am not inspired to continue, I must defer to Mr. Rogers and “know when to walk away.”

Odd Tales

With the weekend upon us and memories of last month's meeting still fresh, it is the perfect time to dive into October's discussion selection, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Several of our members are well into this book which bodes well for next month's meeting.

Due to technical difficulties, I am publishing a bit late. Hopefully you are well into the weekend and a very nice book.

Legends of the Fall

Every GBC meeting is a lot of fun but there are those few, special nights which are highlighted in the annals (GBC Paige's calendar) and reach legendary status in the club. Tuesday was such a night. Our meeting joins DaVinci Code in East Nashville, the “13 by 11” night in our neighborhood, and downtown on the roof under the setting sun to name just a few. The tour of coming architectural changes, the delivery of very special news, the anticipation to discuss the book, and a fantastic late summer menu set the stage for over four hours of discussion, laughter, toasts, and (light) debate.

The venue: Septevius under a delightful rain. Our hosts also assembled a bag of books for exchange; thank you again for my next plane read.

The meal: Locally grown, luscious, red Bradley tomatoes were topped with a light tuna salad in an arrangement that was befitting the beautifully set table. Our host (pictured here) presents his pièce de résistance for dessert. [photo credit: GBC Kim]

The company: Most GBC members were present with the majority having read the book, and one diligent member (guess who) was prepared with reading questions.

The book: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. (Advice: you can read the book faster and with more enjoyment than listening to the audio version.)

The discussion: Animated, lively, boisterous and at times, just one harmony humming with discussion of favorite characters, technology, security, Internet history, Halo, cameras, and court decisions. It was as if we each were players in our own GBC game and brought to the table our best “weapons” for dialogue.

GBC F.L. Right had the quote for the evening when he noted as we neared meeting’s end, “Sometimes we even discuss the book.”

My Brother is Not Bitter

Our regular meeting is tonight, and I think we are poised for a lively discussion. Thanks again to GBC T1m for his recommendation of Little Brother.

Another September reading for me included Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster which I slipped in during The World is Flat. The book is a memoir describing a woman with a substantial income who loses her job, apartment, and who eventually begins a blog as an outlet to detail some of her exploits. (Despite the fact that this book has absolutely no relevance to present day events, it was an entertaining read.) If you decide to add this to your list, please do read the footnotes.

Jamming

I have just finished Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. This is our book for discussion Tuesday (subtle reminder). GBC P@!ge gave me her copy yesterday and I started reading about 2:00 pm today. Reading was interrupted by one hour of exercising proxy to sign up other neighbors for Germantown Street Fest, otherwise I kept turning the pages. (I hope you like your assigments.)

I was hooked, engaged, and taken back to those university days where I stared at a black screen typing in a series of characters trying to execute a successful code. (I am still eternally grateful to those students who helped me debug those programs.) I am looking forward to the discussion Tuesday night and intrigued as to the menu our host will be pairing with this selection.

P.S. I will be lobbying for GBC handles.

Pa(i)ge One

I thought today's email from GBC Paige was the appropriate note for today. The email is reprinted in its entirety with her permission:

Hello all! Just a reminder that our September meeting is Tuesday, September 15 at Bill's house. 6:00 p.m.

Bill has informed me that as of right now, he just needs folks to bring reading water. Bill or I will let you know if that information changes before Tuesday.

Just as an aside...I pulled out my 2002 calendar (yes, I still have my 2002 calendar!) and found the entry for the first ever Germantown Book Club meeting that I attended on August 27, 2002, at April and Bill's. I remember very clearly receiving a call from April (I don't think I had ever met her in person...I had moved to the neighborhood just a few weeks prior to the meeting) and she told me to "come with some discussion questions". I was nervous! I didn't know what to expect from the group, I didn't know if my reading of the book (I think it was The Girl with the Pearl Earring) was thorough enough, and I didn't know if I was bright enough to participate in an in-depth conversation about literature. My nervousness melted away when I was greeted by and introduced to some of the loveliest people I have ever, or will ever know. The conversation flowed, sometimes about the book, sometimes not, and a wonderful tradition began.

Actually, the tradition originated a month prior. The first meeting I attended was the second-ever meeting of the Club. Though I wasn't there for it, I know that the first Book Club book was The Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. If you haven't read it, I recommend it...but if you haven't read Kingsolver's novel The Poisonwood Bible, I would recommend that even more.

September 24, 2002, found us at Nancy's, followed by Milena's house on October 29 (our book was Plainsong). Then November 19, 2002...my first hosting experience. I remember parts of it vividly (and you may too!)...it was the night of my terrible toothache!! No time to be nervous about your first hosting gig when you are in excruciating pain :o) But I survived and December came and we celebrated our last gathering of 2002 at Bill's house on the 17th of the month.

Seven years later and book club is still going strong, and I still look forward to it every month. I feel lucky to be part of something so special. Some of the faces have changed, but I'm still surrounded by some of the loveliest people I have ever, or will ever, know.

Happy Reading!

Thanks GBC Paige, both for this email and for all you do to keep us organized.

Nine Benign Things to do Today

1. Start reading Little Brother (book club next week)
2. Watch a baseball game (nine innings)
3. Start your crossword puzzle by completing 9-Down or 9-Across
4. Donate $9 (or more) to your favorite charity
5. Adopt a cat with nine lives
6. Email or call nine friends that you have not contacted in nine months
7. Explore 9th Avenue South
8. Have dessert at 9:00 p.m. (or a.m.)
9. Read random blog postings about today’s date

Enjoy the day!

School's In for Autumn

This weekend I visited a campus bookstore. I had forgotten the contrast between this University-operated bookstore and well, virtually any other type of bookstore in which I have shopped. Key differences include the obvious: clothing and other gear from car decals to lip balm emblazoned with the school’s logo, slogan, association, etc; textbooks at standard full price; and a grand piano. (As I type, I am actually trying to envision a grand piano in many of those tucked away used bookstores I enjoy frequenting, but it does not work.)

I remember the expense of textbooks each semester and the fight to get one of a few “used” textbooks which may have saved up to $20 each or perhaps more on the full bill. (A student could do a lot with $20.) Thanks to a young woman who talked with an extremely audible tone, I learned there are a few more options for students these days. Both Amazon and Ebay have textbook re-sale sections, and other sites such as Campus Books and Buy Used Textbooks offer discounted rates as well. These might be worth a look and may even save you enough money to buy one or two of those logoed items.

Print Hands

This morning I was able to indulge in what is now an infrequent habit: I read a print newspaper. My usual technique is to keep the paper in its original single fold as long as possible to read all the leading stories. Finally, of course, I will have to give in to get those last few sentences in the crease (usually under a photo), and then the event becomes a game of turning the pages without too much noise and without having the mid-section get out of sorts. (I envision at times, I must look as if I am rowing rather than reading in my quest to keep the paper in tact.) The last page is another easy go, and I usually try to move back to (what I think is) the cool, one-hand newspaper hold (with coffee in the other hand). Wearing glasses whilst reading a paper is even better, but I think I am digressing.

By the end, I usually am a little sad that the paper is finished, unless of course it's a Sunday Times issue and instead, am celebratory that I have managed to complete it in (hopefully) a reasonable amount of time (meaning before the next week's paper). Then, of course, I wash my hands.

Thank you Grantland Rice

In just two short days, we will reach that marker that most of us believe truly represents the beginning of autumn and solidifies our relationships with our alma maters. We will find ourselves reading the sports sections a little more often and observing with keen interest which teams are victors and which manage the upset in those last few seconds. Nicknames emerge, and if we are lucky, legends will be born. Highlights, heartache, and hope will mark the next few weeks as sports fans embrace the college football season.

Sports editors turn focus to their turn of phrase and writers who follow the dreams of athletes will wax poetic on the smallest of details. Even if you are not a sports fan, it is a great time to read an editorial and see if the game comes to life, if just for a moment.

Roll On MegaBeth

Since most of us visit our local library, I wanted to share this CNN link to remind us all that the person who hands us the book might just be (almost) famous.

In the event you are inspired to visit our local talent, visit the Nashville Rollergirls website for event dates and tickets.