Monday, August 30, 2010

Quaint Queue Quest

Yesterday was a reading day. Larson's read makes me both wish I knew more turn of 20th century history and glad that I was ignorant of the city's past when I frequented Chicago alone for nearly two years. Cue: mixed emotions of a Gemini.

Yesterday's schedule was a bit off so I unexpectedly found that sweet spot of time when on a rainy afternoon one could have a seat to themselves to read while waiting for a late lunch. One could also enjoy a glass of reading water compliments of the waiter as well. Cue: fat tip.

The evening sunset was noticeable earlier and with the cooler temperature which found its way to the red clay, the book was open again. Cue: anticipation with a twinge of anxiety and phone close by.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

These Boots Were Made for Walking

I am only six percent (electronic reader = instant statistics) into The Devil in the White City as my schedule grew a bit more hectic at week's end. Also, The Devil in the White City's title reminded me of The Devil Wears Prada so I may have spent that little bit of free time (insomnia) yesterday morning researching this year's "must have" fall boot instead of reading.

This morning's email summary included a TechCrunch article on internet search engines which discussed intent generation and mentioned Barneys, so guess who went directly to the Barneys website to check out their shoes (and handbags)?

Apparently this weekend, all roads lead to shoes, and I walk the line.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sweet Home Alabama/Chicago

I finished Joshilyn Jackson's gods in Alabama Tuesday night. I had not realized the copy borrowed from GBC Paige had a reader's guide in the back so I misjudged the number of pages remaining and arrived at the ending before I was ready. After I finished, I felt the urge to pace. Crazy mamas, tragedy, gardens, running away, and a past that would literally drive someone to climb a tree - seems like a Southern setting was indeed appropriate. I am not ready to pick up Backseat Saints just yet. Soon.

Instead, the Chicago connection from the book above (and perhaps the content too) pulls me in, leaving me with the constant thought to dive into The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I need a blues soundtrack to accompany these selections, and I think Robert Johnson makes the top of the list.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Roll Stride

I am blaming gods in Alabama for the fact that at 9:00 last night, I was making biscuits. I am blaming my grandmother for never measuring anything and for inspiring me to follow in her footsteps which meant my destiny was drop flour all over my newly vacuumed floor. (This was of course my lesson for being lazy on sieve selection and for not washing the one I should have used.) The first sentence was no shocker at its mention of football. Judging from my brief stint here, the entire first line of the novel is apropos as an opener to life in Alabama.

As I do not seem to have the ability to let a novel "rest" before jumping into the next one, Sunday found me in the company of Jackson's read. This was the first book that I have read in some time which is actually a "book" and not a manifestation of New York Times font (or in Handler's case, Linotype Sabon font which debuted in 1966 for all you trivia buffs) on my electronic reader. I held the book, and I turned page after page, trying to 'cifer (getting into character) what happened with Jim Beverly. I am also now a little more fearful of palmetto bugs, but this may not be relevant to the rest of you.

How were the biscuits? Tasty. I had them with butter, bbq and slaw. Note to self: next read must be from a healthier food region.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Club Read

I spent some time yesterday researching local bookclubs to see if I could fill this gap left by the move. While there were over a dozen reading groups, most of the these met at the LIBRARY (dramatic pause) MID-DAY. These were crossed off my list as quickly as yellow or lime summer dresses (not my color). Library + mid-day meet-up time = no reading water. I am not saying that reading water is a necessity for a good book group; well, actually, yes, yes I am. As I have mentioned here before, the GBC was not just about the books. The gatherings celebrated life and the crazy, odd, funny, crazy (worth mentioning again) things that we all had done in the month since last meet in search of living life to its true potential.

This bias against most of the aforementioned bookclubs was confirmed in a social gathering last night where several of the local (cool, interesting and would make quality GBC member) ladies had shared their stories about participating in the local bookclubs. Some excerpts: annual syllabus; assigned readings; attitude received from not completing the book and thus not carrying their own club "weight"; written synopsis; and requirements to bring questions. In addition, the book discussion seemed to frequently end on religious notes which has a slightly different tone than the usual GBC discussion [where slightly = ginormous].

Needless to say, the local book club members probably didn't spend their Sunday morning finishing My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler. The book did make me laugh aloud in more than a few occasions, but I would not place this on my "Stop the Presses: read this immediately" list. I would place it on your "Whoa, I totally forgot that I did that too list" for summer reading or any other time when you are feeling like perhaps you did not quite "live" your twenties (or thirties - not judging).

Friday, August 20, 2010

Mail Stereotypes

Last night I arrived home to find a second package awaiting my attention. The first, delivered to the office, contained two future reads by Joshilyn Jackson while the second held my favorite cookie. The two will combine very nicely for a lazy reading weekend. Of course, with my current battle for a full night's rest, these two could combine very nicely for a three a.m. read, but this connection would be bad for the hips indeed.

I am moving through Handler's work fairly quickly. Each chapter is a short (see also her chapter entitled 'My Little Nugget') tale of an encounter of the closest kind. [This is the moment where I will not draw any parallels to my own life.]

So, moving right along...next in the queue, I will add gods in Alabama courtesy of GBC Paige. I do not plan to read the book jacket so that I will be pleasantly surprised when I learn this book is not about football, Bear Bryant, or peaches.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The World is Flat

I had hoped to make a Skype cameo at our GBC meet, but alas I was caught at work and missed what I am certain was a wonderful affair. I kept abreast of several of the food items via Twitter: chocolate pie with meringue and fig chutney with goat cheese. With a bottle (generally per person) of reading water, these items alone are sufficient for a meal. I am looking forward to the updates from the group on the book discussion.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I downloaded a sample of My Horizontal Life in yet one more effort to prolong the summer reading schedule. The sample itself resembles the author's description of a one-night stand: one concentrated effort to see if you want to read more, but the reader can absolutely walk away with no commitment leaving perhaps only a brief memory of a semi-pleasant exchange. (In some cases, semi-pleasant is replaced with the memory of an answering machine message which might sound hypothetically like: "Hey hey it's me; it's Ernest P; leave a message for me" which is all kinds of wrong, but these, readers, are strictly isolated incidents.) Ahem.

The few intro pages were enough to both traumatize me and make me laugh aloud so in Monday's continued sleep-deprived haze, I used my handy one-click button to pick up the rest of the read. One positive of insomnia is that more time is available to read. The negative of course is a higher use of concealer, but there is no hiding that fact.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Reading Water for Chocolate

Last night, when I sat down with Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tomello, I knew I would finish the book before I moved from my orange, but not quite Hermes, sofa. With reading water and a couple of chocolates at my side, I moved through the pages like a shopper at Covent Garden. The story included one section which was a surprise to me; of course, I cannot share this chapter as it might risk the storyline. The book, like my chocolate, was decadent, and I could not put it down. The author made a reference to Sherlock Hermes. (I read Holmes prior to Birkin which just further proves that books seem to find the right time to be read. Additionally, anyone who uses puns in their titles, well, I like them.)

Anyway, I should move from the handbag to a reminder of this week's GBC meeting. Discussion will address The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Get your fly swatters ready.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Pursing my Lips

One of the best things about spending a month in France is that I can now navigate the Hermes website en français. (On the flip side, I think I will now be receiving SCNF newsletters for life.) Skills like these are bad for budgets; luckily my will power is (mostly, occasionally) strong in these areas. If I had to pick a weakness, I would choose shoes over bags, but reading Bringing Home the Birkin has awakened my inner girl and subsequently my perusal of Hermes. Will I ever own a Birkin? Probably not. After all, I am fairly practical and clumsy, so the two of these do not combine to invest in an item that I would carry on my wrist rather than one I would hang on my wall. Still, I am fascinated by the fascination for a singular sac à main.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Sign Here Please

I spend quite a bit of time reading contracts these days. I cannot remember which came first, the contracts or the engagement to an attorney. Ah, enter the termination clause...

My contract recommendations:
1) know why you are getting into an agreement in the first place
2) do not enter into an agreement without knowing how you are getting out
3) file an agreement in a semi-logical place - "under the stack" does not apply
4) arbitration is expensive - just flip for it
5) acts of God - these are a sign (see point 2 above)
6) if you have to refer to an agreement, the relationship (business or otherwise) was not on solid footing

If any of the above require additional clarity, consult a GBC attorney. We have a few.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

A Clean Slate

A guy visits Barcelona and subsequently decides that this (beautiful, art-filled, amazing, dancing) city should be his new home. Highly improbable. I mean, really, would anyone just stop what they are doing, take a risk to travel, and then make life decisions which would radically change the course of their lives? Inconceivable. Well, maybe not.

The author, who incidentally has a love of first edition works, takes the experience as a fresh start. He rids his life of the unnecessary and then finally the not so necessary if it means one can live longer in Barcelona...and so it begins.

Okay, so perhaps I identify with the character a bit. Needless to type, I have enjoyed the first few chapters of the book.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Triangle Man

Several of us in (and out) of the GBC are wondering where to go with our reading list. For my thoughts, it is approaching the end of summer so I feel as though I should go with more serious literature, but yet, I am not ready to give up those light reads which seem to match the longer mostly sunny with occasional thunderstorm days. What to do? In the end, I have selected Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello and a sample of My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler. (As you can see I have not made the transition to autumn reading.)

So my conscious does not let me leave you with suggesting only books about bags and er, baggage. (Thank goodness for NPR.) Nancy Pearl in this link has put together a pretty interesting list of reads and since she modifies a line by They Might Be Giants in her review, I trust her recommendations. (Such high standards I have.)

Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Q&Qs

I had a craving for M&Ms last night and gave in to temptation. I am not certain whether it my body's subconscious craving for Blue 1 Lake dye, Lactose, Red 40, or the memory of my youth which caused this impulsive buy. [Note: Had I actually read the ingredient list before purchase listing the ten different coloring agents, I might have had stronger will power.]

When my sister and I were young, the package of candy was equally divided in number and color with a barter system in place where the quantity of orange, blue, yellow, green or red was uneven. My sister would savor each candy one by one, whereas I could consume these chocolates at a quite rapid pace. There was a near zero chance that any of these would ever melt in my hand. As I have grown older, my preference for chocolates has evolved with a tendency to savor one really nice chocolate (truffle) over something from Mars (the brand not the planet).

Quality over Quantity (and of course, fewer miles on the treadmill).

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Good Help is Hard to Find

It is hot. It is really hot. So hot, you wish you had a fan and a glass which has beads of water on the outside with your icy coca-cola on the inside melting into your ice cubes. You are remembering the porch of your youth and your grandparents or your favorite Auntie. The air is still (save the sirens in our downtown dwellings, but even they seem far away). And you are reading The Help for GBC's next meeting if you have not already done so. With the weather near or above 100F and the air thick as a good meringue, this is the time to delve into this month's read.

Luckily for me and thanks to my sis, I am ahead of the curve for this month, meaning I will have no (okay, less) shame via my Skype presence. I have already shared my comments on the read, so what do you think?

Monday, August 2, 2010

No Place Like Holmes

While many of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are clever, leaving the reader to ascertain the true crux of a tale only just before or at the point of revelation by Mr. Holmes, the language has been to me the larger draw. I am listing a few examples below to illustrate my meaning:

"As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after" - Holmes in "Adventure V. The Five Orange Pips" (Loc 1751) [This story is actually quite a sad, disturbing one, and the plot I am afraid, is a little more obvious than the other stories, particularly if a reader has spent any time in the South.]

"Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still more so." - Holmes again to Dr. Watson in "Adventure VI. The Man with the Twisted Lip" (Loc 1964) [The turn of this story was only evident to me just moments before Holmes leads us through his discovery, although I suspect my father would have been earlier to the game.]

"I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner." - Holmes again in "Adventure VI" (Loc 2135) [No comment.]

As a woman chronicler who does not always understand the link between several incidents, I would recommend these short stories if you had a moment or two to ponder.