Readers Are Leaders?

The other day, I came to a sad, scary realization.

I don't read much any more.  I'm not sure when, exactly, this happened.  Back when I was a child, I loved to read.  At one point, I read around a book a day (granted, junior high reading level books, but still).  I think it might have initially dropped off back in high school, or maybe college (because I had a lot of required reading then, so I wouldn't pick up a book for fun, because I would think of what I should be reading instead).

However, in the early days of adulthood, I picked it back up a little, where I probably got in one book a month.  I used to read pretty regularly on the train at one point.  However, as of lately, I've been (shamefully) playing on my smartphone and working from home a lot, so my train reading time has been cut down.  Right now I'd pull out the excuse of 'I've been so busy', but a) I really hate it when people say that, b) ultimately, we always make time for our priorities, and c) in spite of my busyness, there's probably plenty of random crap I waste my time on.

Anyhow, as I sat down with a good magazine about a week ago, I came to another scary realization.  I'm out of 'reading shape'.  Now, don't get me wrong - it's not as if I COULDN'T read, it's that I had trouble getting into it, my mind quickly wandered, etc.  I figured this was kind of like running - people who do it regularly enjoy it, but people who do not struggle with it because they're not conditioned for it, if you will.  This could partially be why, when I have downtime, I don't typically reach for a book or magazine.

I could throw in the towel here and accept being a non-reader, but a) I have a lot of good books left on my shelf that need to be read and b) I don't like that idea.  So, I'm making a conscious effort to get back into reading.  I've made a goal to read for half an hour every day.  The first couple times were a little awkward (like the first couple training runs I went on), but I think I've found my groove and I'm generally enjoying it once again.  This makes me think of the potential comparison of how, over time, we can fall out of love with things for which we once cared deeply.  Reading and I have, metaphorically speaking, grown apart.  However, I'm honestly surprised at how quickly my love for it is coming back.

Does anyone else out there notice he or she has 'grown apart' from reading (especially with the presence of things like smartphones/ipads/facebook/etc.)?  Is anyone else perturbed and trying to make a conscious effort to 'get it back'?

Willpower Instinct

I just finished reading The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal for the BlogHer Book Club - interesting discussion material found here.  (Requisite comment that I was compensated for this review found here.)

The author teaches a class on willpower in the psych department at Stanford.  She seems like she'd be an interesting person to take class from and it seems as though she really tries her best to take feedback from her students and apply it to how she presents her material.

Anyhow, I suppose this book falls into the 'self help' category, which I don't read from very often, so it's hard to compare how it stacks up to other books in its genre.  It read pretty quickly and was easy to understand, even when she got into explaining the scientific studies.  I may have zoned out a little during some portions when she was explaining which parts of the brain control what, but otherwise, she wholly kept my attention.  I was very reminiscent of books I had to read for various psych classes back in college, which I admittedly enjoyed.

The two main takeaway points I found most beneficial in this book:

1)  Don't beat yourself up for a slip-up - it is counter-productive.  It's kind of a knee-jerk reaction when one is trying to lose weight, quit smoking, stop drinking, etc. - when one indulges, she then starts hating on herself, but that just leaves one feeling bad about herself and seeking more comfort (perhaps from one of our vices).  Makes perfect sense but it isn't easy.  It makes me think of a quote I heard earlier this week - When you vow to live in forgiveness, don't forget to begin with yourself.  

2)  When one feels a craving - instead of trying to fight it, instead of beating yourself up for feeling said way (see above), just accept that these will come from time to time, allow yourself to feel what you're feeling, and imagine you're 'riding the wave' (like a surfer) of craving, imaging it will eventually crash, regardless of whether or not it is fed.  Interesting to think about.

All in all, I would recommend this book - it was an interesting and quick read.  It would be especially helpful to someone trying to make some positive changes in her life, which, I imagine, might be a lot of people at this time of the year.

People Walking and Reading

A couple times throughout the past couple years, I've witnessed a random phenomenon throughout downtown Chicago.  People walking and reading.  I've seen it in the Merchandise Mart.  I've seen it on Michigan Avenue.

I get it that the book is good.  And it get it that you might be at a part where something really interesting is happening.  Maybe a big plot twist is about to be revealed.  I get it.  BUT STILL.  I don't get how one can do this and not crash into something.  I find this infinitely more difficult than walking and texting, and I struggle with that.

Your thoughts?  Do you see people doing this?  Is it just around me?  Have you ever seen anyone walk into a pole or another person whilst doing this?  Is it happening in the suburbs too?  How about other parts of the country?  Do you do this?  Weigh in!

2011 Reading Goal

So, one of my goals for 2012 was to read 12 books.  I didn't have any specifics on what kind of books they were, how many pages they needed to be, etc.  Yes, I realize these are big factors, seeing that, at times, one book can be over twice the length of another.  However, I didn't want to get pedantic.

Anyhow.  Drumroll please....

I fell short.  Whop whop.  Eleven books.  Just one shy.  I didn't make it.  I feel like a failure.  I kid.  Oh well.

Here's a list of the books I was able to finish:

1)  Save the Assistants by Lilit Marcus
2)  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (Editor's sidenote:  This book took me FOREVER - I would like to blame partially for my not being able to meet my reading goal.)
3)  Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
4)  What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
5)  My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
6)  Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
7)  Summer in the City by Candace Bushnell
8)  Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal
9)  Love At First Bark by Julie Klam
10)  If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) by Betty White
11)  It Was Over When by Robert K. Elder

I THOUGHT about staying home all day Saturday reading to make the goal, seeing that I am already into Mindy Kaling's 'Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)', and it seemed like a quick read.  However, instead, I just decided to up the ante for this year - I will do 13 books to make up for the missed one this year.  I am thinking I will have more time to accomplish this.

Did anyone else make any reading goals?  Were you able to keep them?  Do you feel my goal was a little weak?  Did you lose respect for me for not making it?  Don't answer that.  

Book Club - Love At First Bark

So, as most of my readers know, I am part of a blogging network, and, through said network, a book club. Well, recently, I participated in a group reading for Julie Klam's 'Love at First Bark'.

**Requisite disclaimer:  I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review, but, like everything found on this blog, the opinions expressed in said post are my own.

Anyhow - moving right along.   The author discusses three separate instances in which she went through moderate to great lengths to rescue/foster dogs in need.  She seems like an easy victim to every dog in need that crosses her path, although that certainly isn't a bad quality.  (No judgment.)

Overall, I found the author's writing style to be direct, humorous, and easy to read.  I imagine that Julie Klam, in real life, is one of those people who cracks herself up.  (Again, no judgment.)  Anyhow, I found it to be a quick, pleasant read based on her writing style.

Two of the biggest challenges I found reading this book were a) the reminders of how people, at times, are pointlessly cruel to animals and b) dealing with the fact that my 15 year-old Samantha is struggling.

But I digress.  In short, this was a good, humorous read about the ins and outs of fostering dogs and all the challenges one encounters throughout the process.  I was reminded that it certainly is not easy to save a dog - Klam clearly outlines all the red tape one might face whilst trying to do a good deed.

More discussions on said book to come.  

Book Club.

So I have been chosen by my new blog network to review a book.  (Well, quite a few bloggers have also been chosen.  Regardless, I like to think I'm special.)

The book is 'What Happened to Goodbye' by Sarah Dessen.  I have heard the author's name before but never read anything by her.  I believe she's typically a teen author.  However, I often times enjoy teen books more than adult lit because the characters typically have more depth and the story line is usually slightly less formulaic.  Or, perhaps, in my life - I read the most when I was a teen, and I could relate to the other angsty teen characters, whereas now, when I read, I rarely find a character to which I truly relate.

I think the central theme of the book is starting over.  Recently, a good friend of mine and I had a discussion about starting over and new beginnings - I shall have a lot to say about this in a later blog post.

My blog network, of course, has some specific guidelines on the review.  They stated that we, the reviewers, must make sure it's a good quality book report - we cannot just say we did or didn't like it, we have to say why.  This makes me nervous.  I cannot remember the last time I wrote a 'book report'.  (Does reviewing a book on amazon.com, or better yet, THIS BLOG, count?).  Anyhow - hopefully I can find my high school AP English notes quickly.

Review of said book to come.

My Feelings on Sweet Valley Confidential

Ok - before I get started - let me add one quick disclaimer.  I read the various Sweet Valley books growing up.  However, it wasn't my primary series.  I can't say I read all the books.  So, therefore, some of the supporting characters were a complete and utter question mark to me.  And, I suppose, this disclaimer implies that I might not know the main characters as well as some of the diehards.  

Anyhow, moving right along.  Another important sidenote is that Francine Pascal, the writer of said book, is the creator of the series.  However, most of the series was written by ghostwriters.  I know this is a common practice.  This bothers me, and I don't know why.  It's not as though I know Francine Pascal personally, or that I could blindly identify her writing, so I am not sure why it should matter that the stories were written by another author, as long as I liked them.  Cue for the quote about a rose by any other name smelling less sweet?  

Third sidenote:  SPOILERS GALORE.

So, in short - Francine Pascal CREATED these characters.   However, other writers (I believe Kate Williams to be one of them) crafted them into the characters we knew.  I'm guessing Francine Pascal felt she had the poetic license to do whatever she wanted with them, because she took all of them in a completely new direction.  She drastically changed almost all of them.  Now, I'm not going get into the long debate about whether or not people change, however, what the diehard long-term fan readers (basically, the only demographic that intends to read this book) wanted was a where are they now-esque continuation of the characters we knew, not this random piece of fiction with completely-newly carved out individuals she made from the shells she once created 20+ years ago.

Jessica and Todd?  Seriously, no one buys this.  I get it if she didn't want Elizabeth and Todd together.  Maybe Elizabeth should have ended up with an older man, because of her maturity (maybe that one scandalous English teacher?) or perhaps some completely new man.   Maybe Todd could have fallen into a deep depression/drinking from the loss of Elizabeth.  And Elizabeth and Bruce?  No.  Just no.  I can't even begin to explain why it's wrong.   I kind of oddly liked Bruce with Lila - as in Sweet Valley University.  Maybe they should have ended up married.  Or already divorced - there we have it!  That would have made sense.  And I do realize that SOMEONE had to come out of the closet, by definition of a 'where are they now' book - but not Steven Wakefield.  They should have hung the 'I've grown so much' persona on him instead of Jessica - I could see him as a married father trying to do the right thing.  The one thing I liked and found believable was Jessica succeeding in a PR career and being twice divorced.  The gay character should have been Winston.  Or maybe Enid?   Or maybe thrown in a third husband for Jessica who leaves her for a man.  That, and additionally, I HATE the betrayal that takes place between the twins.  HATE.  No one believes that even shady, selfish Jessica could do this, or that it could be somehow overcome in under 300 pages. 

Anyhow.  In short, one of the ghostwriters (or even a random diehard fan) who had a better respect for the characters should have been commissioned to write this.  This might as well have been a complete and total original piece of work, as opposed to a continuation of these pre-existing characters.  When I went to check amazon and various other places for reviews, it appears as though I am not the only person offended by Francine Pascal's new direction with all of these characters.  Several diehards pointed out some historical inaccuracies about when certain characters first met and even character's names!?!  Oh, and apparently someone came back from the dead.  Seriously, Francine Pascal, what were you doing?  Clearly not reading the Sweet Valley series - perhaps just collecting a fat check.  Hmm.

Anyone else read Sweet Valley Confidential?  Your thoughts?

Editor's sidenote:  Ann M. Martin (or one of her ghostwriters) - Baby-Sitters Club where are they now?!!

Sweet Valley Confidential

I just found out that recently, there was a 'ten years later' follow up release for the Sweet Valley High Series called 'Sweet Valley Confidential'.  Apparently, there were some loose ends that needed to be tied up and there was a real demand by some consumers that amends be made.  Or, there was presumed to be a market worth cashing in on (see also: Sex and the City 2).  

Anyhow.  Back when I was a young, vulnerable 12-13 year old, I loved the Sweet Valley High Series.  And the Sweet Valley Junior High.  And Sweet Valley University.  There must be somewhere around 300 books under the 'Sweet Valley' umbrella.  I can't say I read anywhere near all of them, but I did read a decent chunk.  It wasn't my core series (THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB), but it was a noteworthy division of my library.  

Anyhow.  This brings me to a question - are any teens currently reading this series?  I'm guessing not.  They probably like Harry Potter and the Twilight Series.  Kids these days, I tell you.  That brings me to my next question - does anyone actually care about the release of this new book?  I can give you a definite answer - I DO.  I don't know that I, or anyone else, for that matter, was thinking about Sweet Valley High, or demanding this release, but now that I know it's here, I will definitely be reading it (no matter how horrific it ends up being - hey, just being realistic).  

Is it too late to register for this for my birthday?  Hint hint.  Could be a good beach read for San Diego...hopefully it won't be too taxing or overly intellectual....

Baby-Sitters Club.

So, it seems like a mere 8 months ago on this blog, I was talking about the infamous 'Baby-Sitters Club'.  Well, I happened to come across an article on the subject.

If you notice in the comments section - someone says 'spot fucking on'.  I concur.

Sidenote:  I always was torn between being Claudia and Stacey.  Obviously, based on the information set forth, it's official - I am Claudia.  Well, the smart version of Claudia.

Currently Reading....

Save the Assistants.

I got it from Santa.  But it was a direct request.  

Here is her website:  www.savetheassistants.com

Anyhow.  After I received the book, I went to amazon to read the reviews on the subject matter.  A couple of people played it off as a book on how to be better at your job as an assistant - that kind of worried me.   I feel I have truly mastered my role.  

However, upon starting the book, I realized it was a great catch.  I like the sarcastic, direct, observatory writing style of the author (Lilit Marcus).  I highly, highly recommend it.  

Anyhow.  As mentioned above, Lilit has a website.  I really think she should hire me to work for her.  But not as her assistant.  Even though I trust she'll behave.

Just For the Record.

I am reading this book.

My coworker foisted it on me.  So far, I like it better than the previous one.

So I Read This Book.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Ok.  

I was a bit underwhelmed.   Maybe it was that expectation was high.  Everyone is reading it; everyone thinks it's SOOOO good.  It wasn't bad.  It was 'kind of good' in my book.  It was slightly disturbing.  I know this is one of three in a series - I definitely felt there were some loose ends not fully tied up.  I am not sure if I want to commit to reading the other two books (but I probably will because a coworker already lent me the second book).  

Granted it was a (not lighthearted) mystery.  I won't spoil it, but it was kind of predictable in the sense that the person who wasn't a suspect was the shocking twist culprit, with all kinds of red herrings along the way. What I found most interesting was this author and his perception of men and women.  I know he is dead - I am curious his views and what he was really trying to say with this book.

That being said - and I realize I am about to get a lot of backlash on this - I don't think he is THAT great of a writer.  Stieg Larsson.  It was good.  He COULD be a great writer - but I'm not sure this book showed it.  But I don't think this book could have only been written by some writer of genius caliber - as most people seem to think.  I seem to remember after the DaVinci Code was released and made it big - everyone was all like 'this book is sooo great, omg' - then came a wave of 'Dan Brown is overrated'.    I forsee the 'Stieg Larsson is overrated' movement coming through soon.

I will also say this - on a side-by-side comparison of two books, I personally (gasp!) liked the DaVinci Code better.  

Your thoughts?

Eat, Pray, Love

Ok - just a question - did anyone out there REALLY LIKE this book?

Let me preface this by saying I haven't read it - however, several of my friends (my reading afficionados, if you will) read it and HATED it.  In fact, everyone I know personally whom I've spoken with on this book said they didn't like it.  However, it is a bestseller and all.  Do I just happen to know the pocket of people who hold unpopular opinion?  Or are there just a bunch of lemmings over the cliff on this?  Is this another 'The Secret'?!

Have any of my readers read it?  Did you like it?  Should I read it?  Your thoughts?

For No Reason in Particular....

I'm looking forward to the release of this book.  Not sure why.

New Hobbies

So, I, unlike some of my peers, am not:

a)  tending to a baby/chasing a toddler around
b)  planning a wedding
c)  working 14 hour days or
d)  a full-time student

It's not to say that I have some 'time on my hands', but in a way, I kind of do.  Some people might think I am at a point where I should be 'living it up', and I am, for the most part.  However, something is often forgotten - most of my friends might fall into one of the above categories.  A lot of teachers I know make the same comment - everyone envies their 'summers off', but none of their other friends have the same luxury so it sometimes leaves them bored.

Anyhow.

To combat this temporary 'boredom', I'm acquiring some new hobbies/interests/goals/etc.:

(in addition to my current dance class/blogging/facebooking/what have you):

--reading (read 16 books this year - halfway there!)
--doing push-ups
--jewelry making
--painting my coffeetable
--cooking/baking
--random arts & crafts
--buying a piece of art
--learning various google products better (step 1 - blogger)
--becoming certified in said products
--getting a butterfly tattoo on the small of my back
--running 3-5 miles at a time without stopping approximately once every couple weeks
--additional blog - www.friendsoftheprintedword.blogspot.com

I am quite open to further suggestions.  Your thoughts?  Any one else take on some new hobbies?  Looks like it's gonna be busy summer.

Currently Reading....

Really good.   About 40 pages in already.

However (spoiler alert?).

I get picky when there are inconsistencies between a book and a series.  I do realize Candace wrote the first book that started SATC but didn't write every episode from there on out (I assume).  However - in the series, I believe it's Season 4, the episode entitled 'Shoulda Woulda Coulda' - Carrie comments that her dad ran out on her and her mom at age 5 (or sometime around there).  In this book - Carrie is in high school and her dad is still around.

Also, Carrie has siblings in this book.  Nothing was ever said that Carrie had siblings during the entire series.  Granted, there was no mention of family, in general, for her.  I realize that doesn't mean they couldn't have existed, however, with so much focus on her for so long, I feel, if they did exist, they should have been thrown in to a conversation or episode at some point.  I had Carrie pegged as an only like me, for multiple reasons, and I had all the supporting evidence I needed.  Or, at least, no contradictory evidence.  Hmm.  Sigh.

Your thoughts?  Who else is reading this?

Anyone Remember?

The Baby-Sitters Club books?  I don't know what made me think of these out of the blue, but I used to LOVE them.

Well, I started to wonder,  you know, 'where are they now?'   I think I stopped reading the books back around 7th or 8th grade because, you know, I thought I was suddenly too mature and sophisticated.  However, now I wonder what may have went on to happen in this series (where they always seemed to restart 8th grade every year with no explanation offered - I believe these girls spent around 9 Christmases together in a land where time froze).

Anyhow.  I went to the, cough, 'all-knowing' source Wikipedia for some further information.  As always, it looks as though someone (or several someones) have put in a lot of time and effort into the page.  It appears as though the series ended in 2000 (tear) on book 131.  As I looked over the list, I believe in my day, I got up to somewhere around the 90s.

It also appears as though the series is now out of print (?!?!?!) but will soon be reprinted.  I am not sure what this means.  But seriously, what are kids reading these days?!   That Twilight or Harry Potter crap!?  Please!

Anyhow - I always kind of wondered how this series ended (although I highly doubt anything earth-shattering happened).  One thing that I did find kind of interesting - I remember reading somewhere that Ann M. Martin is a lesbian.  I am not sure the accuracy of the source (I think I read it on some blog), however, it made sense considering that I seemed to remember she divulged a decent amount of personal information with respect to her hobbies and childhood, but nothing about her personal life (and as a children's book author, going back fifteen or so years, this clearly could have greatly affected her career).  Hmm.

Anyhow.  Does anyone have any additional information about The BSC or Ann M. Martin that Wiki seems to have missed?  Anyone else love this series like I did?

Some X-Mas 2009 Highlights

30 Ways of Looking at Hillary

Yes, I've already started reading it. Review to come.

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

So, it appears as though everyone, everwhere, has a blog. How could I criticize another blogger? However, with many, I wonder how long they will last. I read a random statistic that said half the blogs currently out there won't be in existence six months from now.

What makes a blog have 'staying power'? Well, I suppose that, simply put, the blogger needs to keep having motivation to post. It's not like a business where it needs funds to operate. A blog doesn't necessarily need readers to operate - I guess this disproves that 'tree falling in the woods' theory.

However, the readers are helpful. What keeps readers coming back? Is it having a certain topic? I recently started following a couple of my friend's cooking blogs, and I've noticed they have a lot of followers. Another friend of mine blogs about her dating life.

What is this blog about? I believe we've had this discussion before. Deja vu. It doesn't have a particular theme. It's my thoughts. Well, I realize some of my thoughts are of no interest to others. Hmm. I guess if I'd have to pick my favorite thing to write about, it'd be my opinions on random observations I make (such as asking for a girl's father's hand in marriage, living together before marriage, etc.). Particularly, I like blogging about dating and relationships. Do people like my opinions/advice? Am I qualified to give them even? Do people take them? Hmm.

Actually, I like starting discussions/debates the best. Asking a probing question and getting some opinionated responses. That's the best part of blogging. I will try to do more of this....

Should I Read This?

The Lost Symbol.

It's Dan Brown's latest book. The man behind 'The DaVinci Code', 'Angels and Demons', etc. Some feel he's an absolute genius; some feel he's painfully overrated at best.

Your thoughts? I liked the DaVinci Code. Whether or not it is 'high art' is perhaps a subject open for debate - but it was entertaining, easy to read and kept me interested and in suspense. I think it's not always easy to write in a way that makes people want to keep reading (believe me, I know). That, and I liked the symbolic puzzles he found within everything.

Angels and Demons was, in my opinion, a little more laboring (although most people I've spoken to seem to think it was the better of the two books). That, and after having read the DaVinci Code, I found it to be a bit more predictable. I'm sure I wouldn't have had it been the first book I read by Mr. Brown (he wrote it prior to the code), but regardless - I didn't enjoy it as much.

Now that it's been a couple years and many other books have slipped in - do I want to read The Lost Symbol? Has anyone read it yet? Is it good? I'm afraid to look at reviews online because of spoilers. Did you like the D-Code? Angels and Demons? Which did you prefer?