I've been recording my thoughts in bits and scraps, collecting a reel of moments as best I can.
My reading diet since August has mostly consisted of accounting and business. The end of classes are in sight, and I must say, it can't come soon enough. I've hardly read a work of fiction, except for blogs, since July. But, alas, yesterday marked the day I finished a novel that I started in September. It has taken me that long because I didn't want to deviate from school work. I've also dipped into a few other books, but not as many or as long as I'd like.
The novel I finished is called The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich. I found this one while I was searching the library shelves one day back in September. Something about the dabs of orange and red watercolor squares on the book's spine caught my attention. After reading the inside flap, I had a good idea what the story would be about. In short: a happy marriage that leads to an affair and a woman finding herself. But there's so much more, so many details and stories. I was drawn to the story in part because it involved an artist and alternates between Mexico and Ireland. We are guided along on this woman's journey, learning how her story begins and the internal struggles she goes through along the way. I grew to care about the characters, especially in Ireland. It's a story I will remember and will revisit in my mind, and the writing was gorgeous.
I also picked two non-fiction books from the library's shelves: 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot by Richard Wiseman; and Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. What little I've read so far of 59 Seconds has been inspirational. This seems like a gem of a book, packed with information, that can be read in small spurts. I've only read a few pages of Love 2.0. I'm thoroughly intrigued. There are quotes that head each chapter and this one is speaking to me tonight from the chapter titled "Loving Kindness":
"Love Doesn't just sit there, like a stone;
it has to be made, like bread;
remade all the time, made new."
–Ursula K. Le Guin
**
I've sufficiently deviated tonight, catching up on blogs and such. I'm tired, yet I keep staring at the page, knowing there is more, yet unable to spit it out at this time– I stare at the white space, feeling the heaviness in my eyes, and the heaviness from looking at a computer screen for too long, neck stooped over. The blank page has a way of casting a spell; and now, I must break that spell–
9 comments:
i like how you said "reading diet." the book you wrote about sounds lovely. i have been buying used books on amazon lately, my used bookstore i would sift through for hours has gone out of business. so, i will put that one on my list for my next order.
I don't really have much to add, but I am reading, just saying hey. Good to see you writing. I know life sometimes don't allow it but I think you ought to do it more often. Thanks for stopping by, it is appreciated.
I bet you're super glad that classes are almost over for the semester. I know I am!!
...Reading since September; that's not bad when you have other primary reading requirements, not like me, where I can please myself. It doesn't always work, some books do not please me, yet I plough on and they take eternity to finish: or, at least that's what it seems to be. I rarely cast books aside, though I am beginning to edit more of them as I read. One two books have have gone elsewhere, they were to awful to persevere with.
Corrections typos
...one or two books have gone elsewhere
...were too awful to persevere with
I love shopping for books on Amazon too, Kayla Lynn. That's so sad that your used book store went out of business. A lot of small bookstores have closed shop. I used to spend my lunch breaks at one frequently, but it closed. I started a new book. I remember when it first came out. Found it at a second hand store. The Memory Keepers Daughter. So far I'm really enjoying it.
Hi Ryan, Thanks for visiting. It's always good to see you. And I always enjoy reading you, even if it's sometimes days or weeks later.
I'm happier than words can say, Keith. I'll be taking another class next semester, but it won't begin until February. It will be a nice break. Have fun until the end!!
ZACL, I used to hang in there reading books that I wasn't enjoying because I wanted to finish. I've gotten much better at accepting that every book I pick up is not going to be my cup of tea. Sometimes I will even keep track of those in my little spreadsheet and write about why the book didn't work out for me. There's a book I started two times and actually enjoyed it as far as i got. But for some reason I still haven't finished it. It's called The Strangeness of Beauty. I want to get back to it. I can see that I have several stickies in it and recall that I was inspired by many concepts in it and blogged about one of them and that one of my blog tittles from years ago was inspired by the tittle of the book...yet, I have not finished it. It's such a beautiful, generational book of identity, family, and traditions from a Japanese perspective. I think that I want to be in the right mood when I finish it, just not sure when that mood will come.
Now that classes are winding down, I'm trying to get back into my regular reading groove. It feels good.
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