Some Girls

We read Some Girls: My Life in a Harem by Jillian Lauren for book club last month. Honestly? Wasn't expecting to like it. Truthfully? I think I did. Like it. But I'm not really sure. I feel much as Lora did about it.

I have a hard time discounting true life accounts. I mean, who am I to judge or tell them their experience was wrong? I am not them. I don't know what I would do if I WERE them and had the same life experiences. I just do not know...

What I do know is that I had tons of questions after I was done with the book. Like did the girls she named know the book was coming out? Did she use their real names? Are there any repercussions from the Sultan? Did she prep her family for this coming out and how? Is her dad still alive? And. Seriously. How much DID she spend during that "trying to reach her limit" spending spree?

We came away with the feeling that this is a life none of us could ever even imagine. It was something so far removed from us that it read as fiction. Her prose was so beautiful, so that helped give it a fictional feeling as well. And this was the first book in a long time that we kept talking about throughout our three hour meeting. So, that, right there, says something!

Next month is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan...


(torn, ednaswap)

The Circle

My mom made homemade bread. And most other things, as well, from scratch. I remember the days we got boxed mac and cheese and (GASP!) the occasional wear down that resulted in boxed chef boyardee pizza for Saturday lunch. I thought we had ARRIVED. This would be the turning point for us! Popularity! Name brand things! The gateway to the good life! So, I may have been a little melodramatic and completely overlooking other aspects of life. I get that. NOW. But then? It was rough having the mom who didn't buy convenience food.

So today. Here I am. Making homemade bread every week. Eliminating convenience foods from our diet and embracing the slow food / whole food movement. Turning our yard into one giant garden. Researching the smartest choices of reusable wares to get Sammy for his lunches once he starts school. And I wonder...will he feel the same as I did? Is there greater acceptance among peers, now, for this? Will he, as an adult, indulge in something he so rarely got as a child and bemoan the lost years of not having (like I do with boxed mac and cheese)?

Everything I balked at feels like it's coming back around, ingrained in my soul. And I feel parts of my childhood acutely as I guide choices for Sammy; reminding him to do what is right, not always what he wants.


(housemartins, caravan of love)

I Should Do Something Instead of Just Lay There...

First of all...when did I get so busy? I used to have very little in the way of a schedule and commitments and now I seem to always be busy and have things to do. Is this what having a life is like? Cause...wow. I haven't seen one of these for several years. I'd forgotten.

I showed Isaac the first couple of pages of my novel. This is significant for several reasons. I think Isaac's only read one thing I've written and that was a LONG time ago. And he didn't like it. The whole episode smacked of us not eating spaghetti for the first five-ish years of our marriage. When something isn't loved (or assumed it isn't loved...), it's removed! ANYWAY. Sunday night I emailed him the first page of my novel because I've grown since the spaghetti incident (ha!) and I really do value his opinion. But I was nervous and contemplated hacking into his email while he was working out Monday morning so he wouldn't find it. But I refrained and it was read and (gasp!) liked. Strong voice. Strong setting. Yay! I feel as though I've passed a very important milestone. It will be so very nice to have him read and make suggestions as I go. Like the one he's already given. I have a tendency to have my journalism background bleed a little into my writing and makes pacing a little difficult. So. Something to work on today.

We turned on our A/C yesterday. Apparently low 90s, even though it isn't July yet, cracked me. Every year I try not to turn it on until July and I very nearly made it. Sigh. So close. This weekend is supposed to cool off nicely, so maybe the reprieve this weekend will make it all a wash.

I have yet to pick up my Nook (*yes, Amanda, it's still the Nook!). I've talked myself out of it and back into it and out of it again. I have the money. I really want it, but...I don't know. Maybe it's a good thing I have to go to a different town an hour away to get it? Ugh. I'm being so...indecisive, which is unlike me in many ways. I THINK I'll get it the next time I'm near a Barnes and Noble. I think.

Finally. We are trying to decide where to go on a mini weekend vacation this year. Somewhere not too far away and fun. We've tossed ideas around about Denver and Albuquerque for the balloon fiesta, but nothing's grabbing us. So...put in your suggestions here!


(santana, smooth)

This is How Our Weekend Went...

Saturday afternoon we, along with my sister and her family, went to see Toy Story 3. Holy crap, that movie was sad. During the evil ending, the part that is emotionally manipulative, between the sobs and tears, I turned to Isaac and choked out, "That's IT! Sammy is taking Momo to college and he has NO choice about it". It was definitely more heart provoking than the previous two films, but what I didn't anticipate was how much darker it was. And that was illustrated NICELY by my son screaming, at the top of his lungs, inconsolable, at one of the darker points. He spent the rest of the movie, neatly tuck in on daddy's lap. And I'm pretty sure my sister's family is still twitching from the sound. I'm pretty sure I'm still twitching from the sound. My boy. He has a set of lungs when he wants them. Which is not often. Hence the surprise. Man I feel so sorry for the other people in the theater.

We decided when we first saw the trailer for Knight and Day that it would DEFINITELY be a must see for us. It is just right up both of our alleys. Yesterday as we printed off a free ticket, we were trying to decide when we should go. Next week was out because of the 4th and the next week was out due to another commitment and so, right before Toy Story we wondered if we should see if my sister was busy and go that night. As luck would have it...

About 15 minutes before showtime, we stumble into a dark theater to find a nearly full room. People were spilling into the front row and I was disappointed that my wholly looked forward to show was going to be ruined by a craned neck. And then. Then I hear a, "I think that's my brother in law" from the beyond and turn to see my brother and his date...and an empty seat next to her and one in front of that. The people next to that empty seat heard our dilemma and decided to be nice and scoot down so there was suddenly two empty seats next to my brother. Hooray for the spontaneous (and probably unwelcomed, as far as my brother is concerned!) double date that saved my neck.

The movie was a no brainer. Very predictable and un-Oscar worthy. But so much fun. And Cameron Diaz. Oh, how I do not like her. But in this? So didn't want to punch her! Yay! We just loved it all and were very right. It WAS right up our alley. We missed seeing A-Team a couple weeks ago when there was a mix up with our babysitter, so I'm glad we were spontaneous this week and embraced the back to back movies. It was lovely.

And then I may or may not have plowed through the first season of Drop Dead Diva. And started in on the new season. Or something...Busy week coming up? Bring it on.


(you do something to me, paul weller)