I'm currently reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and I love it. I'm only half-way through it (300 pages) but I'm pretty sure it will be amongst my favorites. This got me to thinking about what books I would list as my top choices. I could never pick one favorite, but I'm pretty sure that I have a top 5. So, here, in no particular order, are my Top 5 Favorite Novels:
1. The Return of the Native
2. Love in the Time of Cholera
3. 1984
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
5. East of Eden (pending)
There is nothing ground-breaking or unexpected about these. I think they could be found on a good number of people's short lists. They're classics. I can pick them up at any time at any point in the book and start reading, and I am pulled into the plot automatically.
I think of their characters as real people. I wish I knew them: Atticus, Diggory, Winston, Fermina. I want to know more about them. I want to go to out for a drink with them. Well, except for Scout and Jem. Maybe I could hang out at the mall with those two, or probably the courthouse, they seemed to enjoy that. The Hamiltons and the Trasks are keeping me company during these past few balmy Wisconsin winter nights. But I have a feeling I'm going to be visiting with them again in the future.
Saturday, January 28
Friday, January 27
The Comeback Post Part 1
Oh, there's so much pressure to write. And there's pressure to make it a good post, even though I don't know what precedent would have set up that expectation. My last two weeks have been busy but I don't know what events to talk about. A good deal happened, but I don't know how post-worthy it is.
Jake and I threw a party. It was a success - no vomitting. Huzzah. But we still have that bottle of Gordon's vodka that nobody wants to drink.
I went to Washington D.C. to visit KT. It was good. KT worked on Friday so I had the day to get my touristy things out of the way. I started at the zoo. The mane wolf smelled like a skunk. I watched the elephants get their baths (for 45 minutes - it was cool.) The weather was warm so that I didn't even need a jacket. It was perfect for walking around the Mall. I visited Abe and the Korean War Memorial. I walked past the White House and heckled the president (under my breath (Don't roll your eyes. As if he would have heard me if I had yelled it anyway.)). I saw the National Archives, and I still don't see how Nick Cage could have stolen the Dec. of Indo. I learned how astronauts use a toilet in space. I compared the diceratops to the triceratops. And I learned about Sikhs.
I met KT for dinner. Sushi! I didn't tell her that I had also had sushi for lunch until after the meal. I didn't care. It was very good. We went for drinks at the zoo bar, aptly named as it is across the street from the zoo. However, the name is where the zoo-theme ended. Adina and Tyler both called me that night, which was timely because KT and I had spent so much time talking about our freshman year of college over our beers, which were Yuenglings, by the way.
On Saturday, we took the bus out to the National Arboretum. We looked at trees. I enjoyed it, but really, what more can I say?
That evening KT's friends came over and we cooked dinner together. We experimented with pretzel coated chicken and it was a major success. The highlight of dinner was when KT's boyfriend, Brody, laughed so suddenly that milk came out his nose. By middle school standards, this made the evening a huge success. But by adult standards, it had been successful much earlier than that.
That evening we went out. We met up with some more of KT's friends at one of the hot spots of the D.C. nightlife. The place we ended up seemed to have more men than women at it. It was a little strange to be dancing with so many guys. Luckily I was with a group of girls, but still, it was strange.
On Sunday we went to the National Cathedral, which is also within walking distance of KT's apartment. It was Oklahoma Day, which meant that they had a choir from Oklahoma, an Oklahoman Senator, a Native American chief, and other notable Okies, all in one service. But we didn't stay long because I had a flight to catch.
It was a nice vacation. Just long enough to see the sights and to visit with a good friend.
Jake and I threw a party. It was a success - no vomitting. Huzzah. But we still have that bottle of Gordon's vodka that nobody wants to drink.
I went to Washington D.C. to visit KT. It was good. KT worked on Friday so I had the day to get my touristy things out of the way. I started at the zoo. The mane wolf smelled like a skunk. I watched the elephants get their baths (for 45 minutes - it was cool.) The weather was warm so that I didn't even need a jacket. It was perfect for walking around the Mall. I visited Abe and the Korean War Memorial. I walked past the White House and heckled the president (under my breath (Don't roll your eyes. As if he would have heard me if I had yelled it anyway.)). I saw the National Archives, and I still don't see how Nick Cage could have stolen the Dec. of Indo. I learned how astronauts use a toilet in space. I compared the diceratops to the triceratops. And I learned about Sikhs.
I met KT for dinner. Sushi! I didn't tell her that I had also had sushi for lunch until after the meal. I didn't care. It was very good. We went for drinks at the zoo bar, aptly named as it is across the street from the zoo. However, the name is where the zoo-theme ended. Adina and Tyler both called me that night, which was timely because KT and I had spent so much time talking about our freshman year of college over our beers, which were Yuenglings, by the way.
On Saturday, we took the bus out to the National Arboretum. We looked at trees. I enjoyed it, but really, what more can I say?
That evening KT's friends came over and we cooked dinner together. We experimented with pretzel coated chicken and it was a major success. The highlight of dinner was when KT's boyfriend, Brody, laughed so suddenly that milk came out his nose. By middle school standards, this made the evening a huge success. But by adult standards, it had been successful much earlier than that.
That evening we went out. We met up with some more of KT's friends at one of the hot spots of the D.C. nightlife. The place we ended up seemed to have more men than women at it. It was a little strange to be dancing with so many guys. Luckily I was with a group of girls, but still, it was strange.
On Sunday we went to the National Cathedral, which is also within walking distance of KT's apartment. It was Oklahoma Day, which meant that they had a choir from Oklahoma, an Oklahoman Senator, a Native American chief, and other notable Okies, all in one service. But we didn't stay long because I had a flight to catch.
It was a nice vacation. Just long enough to see the sights and to visit with a good friend.
Friday, January 13
NAACP
I got lost on my way to the NAACP on Wednesday night. Why I was going, isn't important. I kept driving up and down Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (Seriously, some people say the whole name everytime they talk about it.) but I could not find the office. I couldn't even find a respectable building besides a bank. And as the only black woman in my office said later, I was "deep in the 'hood" so I did not feel safe walking around to get a better view of the addresses.
I eventually found a library, the Martin Luther King Library. (Despite its juxtaposition to a police station, this is the branch of the Milwaukee Public Library that had a shooting at it.) I went inside and asked for directions to the NAACP. The security guard directed me to the reference desk, where the other white person in the room was seated. The librarian was helpful. We checked some websites, but eventually turned to the Address Listing Book, which is really cool. You just turn to an address and find out what's there. It's an artifact from PG - pre-google. It was incredible.
It turns out that the NAACP's office is in the basement of the bank. I found it, but I was fifteen minutes late. Better late than never.
I eventually found a library, the Martin Luther King Library. (Despite its juxtaposition to a police station, this is the branch of the Milwaukee Public Library that had a shooting at it.) I went inside and asked for directions to the NAACP. The security guard directed me to the reference desk, where the other white person in the room was seated. The librarian was helpful. We checked some websites, but eventually turned to the Address Listing Book, which is really cool. You just turn to an address and find out what's there. It's an artifact from PG - pre-google. It was incredible.
It turns out that the NAACP's office is in the basement of the bank. I found it, but I was fifteen minutes late. Better late than never.
Intervention
Last Friday I was to meet Mick and Kate for drinks at a local Irish pub after their dinner with Kate's family. Their friends would also be out so I'd have a chance to meet some more young Milwaukeeans.
I was sitting in my apartment alone, just waiting for the agreed time, so I decided to walk to the pub early. I would stop for dinner along the way and it would help kill the time. Well, the walk and pizza were not enough because I arrived too early. But no big deal - I'm confident. I'm secure. I can sit at a bar alone and wait for my friends. Of course I can - but not without drawing the attention of the bartenders.
The bar is cute. It has small rooms because it used to be a home. An Irish band plays in one of the rooms. There's a fireplace. And a host greets you when you enter and helps you to find an appropriate table for your party.
I sat down at the end of the bar and ordered a whiskey and coke. Just that afternoon, I had learned that I had not passed my actuarial exam from November so I was planning my next few months professionally. I thought I was just paranoid, but it seemed like the bartenders were watching and talking about me. After fifteen minutes or so, one of them, I think the owner, approached me. He asked, "How are you doing tonight? Is everything ok?"
"Yes, thank you. I'm good." And then I realized his concern wasn't that my glass was empty, his concern was that my life was empty. I quickly tried to exude confidence. I sat up straighter. I smiled, not just with my mouth, but my eyes too. I said, "Yeah, my friends are running late, but it's no big deal."
He probably didn't believe me; he said with a tone to imply deep concern, "Well if you need anything from us, you just let one of us know, ok?"
"Ok, thanks."
When Mick and Kate arrived, their friends already had a table in another room. Kate retrieved me from the bar and, as always, greeted me with a hug. As we walked to the next room, she ask me, "Why was that bartender grinning at us? What were you talking to her about?" I explained that I had not even talked to that particular bartender, but I don't think that she appreciated the story until we were leaving and all of the waitstaff waved to me and wished me a good night.
Some people have thought that the actions of the staff were strange, but I found them to be honorable. Despite their busy night, the workers were caring and genuine. It was refreshing to find strangers so concerned.
I was sitting in my apartment alone, just waiting for the agreed time, so I decided to walk to the pub early. I would stop for dinner along the way and it would help kill the time. Well, the walk and pizza were not enough because I arrived too early. But no big deal - I'm confident. I'm secure. I can sit at a bar alone and wait for my friends. Of course I can - but not without drawing the attention of the bartenders.
The bar is cute. It has small rooms because it used to be a home. An Irish band plays in one of the rooms. There's a fireplace. And a host greets you when you enter and helps you to find an appropriate table for your party.
I sat down at the end of the bar and ordered a whiskey and coke. Just that afternoon, I had learned that I had not passed my actuarial exam from November so I was planning my next few months professionally. I thought I was just paranoid, but it seemed like the bartenders were watching and talking about me. After fifteen minutes or so, one of them, I think the owner, approached me. He asked, "How are you doing tonight? Is everything ok?"
"Yes, thank you. I'm good." And then I realized his concern wasn't that my glass was empty, his concern was that my life was empty. I quickly tried to exude confidence. I sat up straighter. I smiled, not just with my mouth, but my eyes too. I said, "Yeah, my friends are running late, but it's no big deal."
He probably didn't believe me; he said with a tone to imply deep concern, "Well if you need anything from us, you just let one of us know, ok?"
"Ok, thanks."
When Mick and Kate arrived, their friends already had a table in another room. Kate retrieved me from the bar and, as always, greeted me with a hug. As we walked to the next room, she ask me, "Why was that bartender grinning at us? What were you talking to her about?" I explained that I had not even talked to that particular bartender, but I don't think that she appreciated the story until we were leaving and all of the waitstaff waved to me and wished me a good night.
Some people have thought that the actions of the staff were strange, but I found them to be honorable. Despite their busy night, the workers were caring and genuine. It was refreshing to find strangers so concerned.
Wednesday, January 4
Resolutions 2006
1. Weekday Bedtime = 11 pm.
Not even reading after this time. Accomplishing this will help my morning exercising, keep me focused at work, and allow for more efficient studying.
2. Eat out for lunch only once each week.
Hopefully this will help to thin the waist and thicken the wallet.
3. Drink less.
Alcohol that is. I seriously don’t think this one will happen.
4. Donate as much money to my church as I spend on alcohol in a week.
Just to keep perspective as I give and as I drink.
5. Make a budget.
I have superior Excel skills. Why am I not using them to become more financially responsible?
In case you were keeping score, I broke Resolutions 1 and 3 on January 2.
Not even reading after this time. Accomplishing this will help my morning exercising, keep me focused at work, and allow for more efficient studying.
2. Eat out for lunch only once each week.
Hopefully this will help to thin the waist and thicken the wallet.
3. Drink less.
Alcohol that is. I seriously don’t think this one will happen.
4. Donate as much money to my church as I spend on alcohol in a week.
Just to keep perspective as I give and as I drink.
5. Make a budget.
I have superior Excel skills. Why am I not using them to become more financially responsible?
In case you were keeping score, I broke Resolutions 1 and 3 on January 2.
Monday, January 2
Back from BONYE 2006
I would have to say that BONYE 2006 was a huge success. I'm back in Milwaukee, finally cleaning my clothes. I'm still smarting from the bruises that I got from snowboarding. I'm trying to put together a timeline of New Year's Eve. Who left the bar when and with whom? And why did they leave? I have a feeling that none of know everything, but then a part of me doesn't want to know everything.
Everytime I go back to Massachusetts I feel the pull to move back there. I know that it's not all party, party, party, but that's not what I miss. I miss the friends with a comfort level that we can spend all day long teasing each other. And this weekend has provided so much new teasing material.
Everytime I go back to Massachusetts I feel the pull to move back there. I know that it's not all party, party, party, but that's not what I miss. I miss the friends with a comfort level that we can spend all day long teasing each other. And this weekend has provided so much new teasing material.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)