Reading Frenzy

Last week I was laying on the couch watching Idol or DWTS, or some other inane program feeling my brain slowly rot away in my head.  These are pretty much the only two reality shows I allow myself to watch, but I hate myself everytime I tune into them.  They just don't tell a story, have a plot or even give much drama.  At least if I watch a drama, I feel at least as if my brain has to think about what's going on, or what will happen.  These reality shows...well quite frankly I'm over them.  But when it's winter and you live in a town where you don't have many friends, there aren't many options out there.  Plus with the laparascopy, I had to stop running for over 2 weeks so I've been booooorrrrreeeed, but at least I can start that back up again this week.

But back to the original topic; reading.  I decided aloud last week that I'm going to have my own summer book club.  After Idol and DWTS end this season, along with all my other shows, I'm going to turn off the tv.  I'm going to concentrate on running and reading, and maybe meeting a friend or two.  The idea came to me because we bought new furniture last month for the office.  Since I work from home, our old stuff just wasn't cutting it, and we needed to upgrade.  When I was going through our bookshelves, I found all these old books that I haven't read yet.  Classics that I bought and have been wanting to read, but probably turned to the just released page turner.  

So starting...well, now...I'm starting my summer bookclub and I invite you to join me!  I did just find out that my three most favorite authors are all releasing books this summer, but I can usually read those in a couple of days but would be happy to have those in the mix too.  But I'd love to embark on a few of the classics that are new to me, or I just never read. 

Here are a few of my suggestions...
Farewell to Arms (read about 1/4 of this, never finished, but need to, and loved what I read!)
Huckleberry Finn (of course read this, but back in grammar school)
Grapes of Wrath (never read, but East of Eden changed my life)
Sense and Sensibility (ugh, I think I'm the only female who is not a Jane Austen fan, but I have this on my bookshelf)

So I invite you dear friends to join me!  Let's do this together this summer...I'm 100% open to some other suggestions as well.  I'm finishing another book that I've already started and then would like to start on a classic.  My goal is 3 classics this summer.  I don't have huge goals here, but that's about a book a month and we all know how quickly the summer moves!

Leave a comment if you're interested, and what you'd like to read!  If I don't get any comments, I'll just go ahead and read and report back on my findings.  Happy May!

Obsessed with the Vampires

The past few weeks I have barely watched tv. I have missed the last Grey’s Anatomy, have weeks of Oprahs backed up on our tivo and have my Sunday night programs from last night waiting for me to watch them. I think those programs will be sitting there for a little longer before I get a chance to watch them. The reason I have neglected my favorite characters is in exchange for some new characters. Bella Swan and Edward Cullen have entered my life.

If those are new names to you, you are probably not a teenager into vampire books. Either am, er, was I until I discovered these little gems known as the Twilight series written by Stephanie Meyer. At dinner a few weeks ago, my friend told me she’s been reading these books and explained that they are really written for teenagers…and they have vampires in them. I scoffed at her (she did, after all, make fun of the fact that I had taken a pottery class). I was an English major in college. I read big kid books, like Ernest Hemingway, Toni Morrison, John Steinbeck. I do of course, have many other favorites, but I do try to read some of the classics in between some fun reads. But my friend persisted and said how great they were. I hate vampires, and didn’t think much of the books after dinner.

A few days later I meandered over to the Border’s by my work and as soon I was walked I was accosted by the biggest layout of Twilight books. Maybe it was a sign. I casually walked over, and picked up the first in the series (there are now four) and thought about it. I put it back and walked to find a better read. 45 minutes later, I walked back to the display and picked up the first book again. I walked around with it, kind of embarrassed that I was holding a teenager’s book. I put it back again and walked away. I went over by the Oprah books and picked up what looked to be a riveting, but probably kind of boring read. Fine, I walked back one last time, grabbed the damn book and got in line before I could change my mind. I just bought the first in the series, and told myself I could always come back for more if I liked it.

Three days later I was back at the bookstore looking for book number 2 (New Moon), NEEDING to know what was going to happen with Edward and Bella. Only 2 days later, yep, you guessed it, back at the bookstore to buy number 3 (Eclipse) and 4 (Breaking Dawn) (why waste gas and have to go back?). Kevin and I both know that once I get locked into an obsession, it’s there to stay for quite some time. An example? After watching Walk the Line, I couldn’t find enough information to satisfy my desire to learn more about Johnny and June Cash. This went on for weeks, WEEKS, and if I think about it, I start googling again. Another example…after Elizabeth Smart was found, I would wake up at ungodly hours to turn on the news to learn more about what happened. I kind of feel like she’s my friend after all that. Creepy? Most definitely. There are plenty more, but I will save myself the embarrassment and anyone calling the authorities on me.

So here I am. A new obsession. I had to leave the book at home today, because I get too tempted to try to read when I should be working, or taking longer than necessary lunches when I am actually really busy at work. I guess it just surprises me, because even when I was a teenager, I never got into very teenager-y things. I hated New Kids on the Block. I wore a uniform to school, so I never got into the latest fads. In fact, if it was popular, I tried to be different and not love it. So perhaps the fact that I love these books is a way for me to live through my teenage years once again, but in a different way. Whatever the case may be, I love them. I am slightly obsessed with them. And I will be seeing the movie this weekend. Please, read them with me so we can talk about them incessantly and I won’t feel like such a loser anymore. You might even get slightly obsessed right there with me.