When I was little (5 or 6) I announced to my parents that we needed to move to Alaska and live in a house with eighteen bathrooms. I was apparently obsessed, because I remember mentioning it to my mom more than once over the next year or two. Her general response involved something along the lines of, “Are you going to clean all eighteen bathrooms?”
Eventually, I realized that my request wasn’t going to be fulfilled, and I pretty much blocked out all memory of it from my brain. And it stayed blocked until two weeks ago. I was driving home from work one night, and suddenly I found myself wondering, “Why eighteen?” Seriously, it’s the most random number. I didn’t have any siblings, so it wasn’t about everyone having their own bathroom. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if I just randomly grabbed a number out of mid-air in an attempt to impress my parents with what a good idea I had. I’m also not sure why I was so insistent it had to bathrooms. Why not jungle gyms or swimming pools?
I was a strange child. (Yeah, probably should’ve opened with that.)
Big eyes, giant head, crazy amount of detail for a little figurine. They really are ridiculous. The only thing more ridiculous? My recently discovered love of them. It could be argued that there’s no point in owning one, and I’ll be glad to listen to your argument if you don’t mind my staring at my Legolas figure while you do.
He’s much more adorable in real life.
The point is, if I was married and had a kid or two, I couldn’t “waste” money on these adorable pieces of plastic. I couldn’t be siting here trying to figure out how best to arrange them on my empty shelf in my bedroom.
There are so many things I am free to do because I’m single. I can watch an episode of my favorite tv show for the eighth time and not have to worry about getting asked, “Haven’t you seen this before? Why can’t we watch something less British?” I can add to my movie collection whenever I want.
It’s pleasant being single. There’s quite a bit of freedom and minimal amount of compromising that needs to take place. I can work a job I love, one with bizarre hours and not worry about how it’s going to affect (or is it effect? I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get this grammatical rule down) my relationship with my significant other.
Even though I have all this going for me, there are still times where my heart yearns to be with someone else. Not for there to be grand romantic gestures (although, they certainly would be appreciated), but for someone to be partners with in order to fight through the battle known as life.
Y’know, I’ve read multiple books on the subject of being single, and had chats with fellow singletons and even with some marrieds regarding being single. I’ve heard all “logical” reasons for being single. I’ve been given most of the pat answers offered in the following video:
And, you know what? Tonight, I was at home, reading a fluffly little book, and suddenly I was overwhelmed to the point of tears with feelings of loneliness. There wasn’t any logical explanation for it, but I’ll tell you this. As I was sobbing, I was reminded of this scene from Kung Fu Panda
There is no secret ingredient. There is no one magical mystical answer to this whole singleness thing. Just because Person A needed to learn to be content being single doesn’t mean that’s why Person B is single. Maybe Person B is single because they need to learn to be more willing to make good compromises. Maybe Person C is single because they’ll never finish their education if they get distracted with a romance. Every person is different, and we all have different life lessons to learn. The best thing we can do is stick it out, cry if necessary, do things for others, and not lock our hearts away (no matter how much we may get hurt).
And, if all else fails, you can join me in creating a silly collection of vinyl figurines.
It’s quite clear that the mystery novelist, Harriet Vane, is guilty of murdering her ex. However, when the jury disagrees on a verdict, and she gets a 30 day reprieve. That 30 days is just enough for Lord Peter Wimsey to set about trying to prove her innocence (and to fall in love).
Okay, mild spoiler, this one comes about two years after the events of Strong Poisonand does feature Harriet Vane and Lord Peter. Harriet finds a body on the beach, and Lord Peter shows up to help investigate the murder which proves to be a bit tricky considering that the body disappears.
my mom’s copy of this novel so many times I wore it out and had to buy a new one (which I’ve done a decent amount of wear to, as well). I think she’s relieved I finally got this on my Kindle. This is definitely my favorite of the four.
When Harriet returns to her alma mater to attend a reunion, she ends up getting mixed up in a poison pen mystery. It’s a different kind of mystery novel, because it’s more about the choices people make and how they affect other human beings. Also, there isn’t (but there is) a murder to be found in the book.
I can’t say much without giving away important spoilers. Here’s what I will say, this is a classic whodunit. An unpleasant man is killed, and almost everyone seems to have a motive.
There are two additional novels that were based on writing Sayers did, but never completed. I’ve not read either novel, so I can’t speak to how well they fit with the first four novels.
Time for a random stream of things that have been going on…
Well, another Christmas has come and gone. This was a better Christmas than the last couple. Last year was the first Christmas after Grampa dying. I was in a bad place due to a really crappy year, and the whole day just felt off. I ended up sleeping for most of the day. Also, this year I was finally financially stable enough that I was able to get presents for everyone. As someone who enjoys gift giving, this made me quite happy.
I saw The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug two weeks ago. I’m still not 100% certain what I think of it. It was beautifully done. The dragon was amazing. However, there were so many changes, the book nerd in me is still having trouble resigning myself to the movie. I’m anxious to see the extended edition so that I may make a better final judgement.
I saw Catching Fire three weeks ago, and it was absolutely amazing! Heartbreaking, but amazing. There was only one change that they made that I was genuinely irked by, but it was pretty insignificant when I considered how accurate everything else was.
I came home tonight to find two police vehicles in our parking lot. Not police cars, these were SUV type automobiles. Apparently, there’s been a spree of robberies in town, and they tracked the burglars to one of the condo buildings in the grouping where we live. I guess the burglars stole something that had GPS in it, and they were stupid enough to turn it on. Hence the police finding where they were hiding out at. I guess it was quite exciting about half an hour before I got home from work. Mom said the police helicopter and about fifteen police SUV-things were here. Sad, but also relieved I missed it.
We’ve been passing around some sort of nasty bug at work. I know, I know, it’s a shocker that disease would be present at a medical reference lab… I’ve spent 3 weeks with horrible headaches and stomachaches. It’s been loads of fun. Also, it’s been making me an absolute “delight” to be around. I’m afraid it’s sealing my status as nasty witch with a capital B at work. Which is really too bad, cause I’m a pretty nice person. Or at least, I used to be.
So, I really want one of the single serving Keurig machines. There’s only one small problem: it’d be a bit of a waste of money. I don’t drink coffee and I rarely drink tea or cocoa. I think I’m just generally fascinated by them, and that has led to this ridiculous desire to own one.
Sherlock is returning! If you’ve never watched it, go to Netflix now and fix this part of your life. (There’s only six episodes currently, it’s less than a day of binge watching.) One of my friends spent yesterday watching it for the first time, and she proceeded to say, “I could listen to Benedict Cumberbatch read the phone book.” I happen to agree with this. He and Alan Rickman could get together and read the sides of cereal boxes and the backs of shampoo bottles and it would be the most fantastic thing ever.
This is the best $3 I have ever spent on a book. It’s a book of fictional correspondence between an author and various residents of Guernsey. It tells the story of the German occupation during WWII, and as charming as the novel is, it certainly does nothing to romanticize the history.
If I had to pick an all time, #1 favorite novel, this would be it. This was the first “real” novel I ever read, and it has amazed me how every time I read it, it’s completely fresh. Even though I know what’s going to happen. So, what’s it about? It’s a memoir of an orphan. She talks about growing up in a relatively loveless environment, but the story really picks up when she goes off and becomes a governess at mysterious Thornfield Hall, employed by the even more mysterious Mr. Rochester. This is a love story, morality story, and mystery novel all rolled into one.
This is the 20th century update of Jane Eyre. Extremely creepy, with a decent amount of suspense. The book starts at the end of the story, and you take a journey in order to learn what leads to the narrator stating, “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Every time I read it, I find myself changing my mind as to whether or not it’s a ghost story. Also, you must read it because Mrs. Danvers is one of the most overlooked villains (at least in my opinion) of all time. She’s conniving, manipulative, and pretty much a psycho.
This is my all time favorite Christie novel. I don’t think it’s very well known, but it’s definitely worth a read. It takes place in ancient Egypt, and all within one family. Family members start dying off horribly, and the whodunit presents a cast of suspects that even includes a ghost (and you totally accept it because it actually makes logical sense).
I would list this as my #2 favorite novel of all time (it’s a tie with Lord of the Rings, which I know is a trilogy, but Tolkien meant it to be one novel, and that’s how I’ve always viewed it). British aristocrat has a band of followers (other British aristocrats) that help smuggle French aristocrats out of France. Leader of band is married to French actress who may or may not still be faithful to the French revolution. There’s romance! There’s intrigue! There’s pepper! See, now you’re intrigued. You’re thinking, “Why did she mention pepper? Is it important?” And it’s going to drive you crazy until you read it and find out for yourself.
Long before the musical or movies, there was the novel. For non-musical fans, the novel involves a lot less singing. However, it presents a wonderful view of the Paris opera, while also serving up a pretty fantastically creepy plot.
(What follows is a real conversation I let myself get sucked into today. The topic was all the books person A was assigned to read in high school and didn’t. I tried very hard to keep my mouth shut, but I only have so much restraint.)
Person A: Then there was that one about a werewolf.
Person B: Beowulf?
Person A: Yeah, that one.
Me: There are no werewolves in Beowulf. (I swear I was being quiet. I honestly thought no one would hear me.)
Person A: Yeah, well, there’s wolves in it.
Fortunately, I had a legitimate reason to leave at that moment, so I was saved from saying anything else I might regret. I know that not everyone is book obsessed like I am, and I know that I should have just kept my mouth shut. It would have been the polite thing to do. Then again, I suppose blogging about the encounter isn’t terribly polite either.
I have this special talent. I can be walking down a completely empty corridor, and I’ll still manage to find something to run into. When I’m somewhere where there are multiple things to run into, I always manage to run into the most pain-causing thing available. Take last night, for example.
I was walking around a bed, which sits up on a platform made of wood. I’m not sure how, but I managed to ram the outside edge of my right knee into the extremely pointed corner, and then I just kind of howled in pain for a few minutes. It turned into a lovely, swollen, bruised goose-egg, and because that’s not fun enough, my whole knee area has been quite irritate since I did this. You would think I learned my lesson, but no, tonight I managed to run back into the same corner in the same spot on my leg. Go me.
The thing is, I know 29 isn’t old. I actually feel sixteen. However, my body doesn’t seem to get the message. When I was sixteen, I was about as graceful as I am now, and when I ran into things I pretty much forgot I had done so within a minute of doing so. There was no nonsense of it still hurting hours or even days later. Plus, I rarely bruised. Nowadays, I run into stuff all the time, and I seem to bruise more and more easily. This is the only thing I’m really dreading about the whole aging thing (apart from the whole family members dying thing). I don’t mind getting older, but I really dislike how my lack of gracefulness seems to have a direct link to the part of my brain that realizes I’m not sixteen and am getting older.
So, I’ve been promising my friend Mila that I would compile a list of book recommendations for her. I thought it would be fun to share the list with others as well. By no means is this a complete list (or a long one, for that matter), but I’ve got to start somewhere. Also, I’m not including some books that I know she has already read (like Lord of the Rings).
Okay, stick with me, because by far this is going to be the silliest sounding book series I list. This series follows the adventures of several different animals living in a medieval world. The stories are brilliant and heartbreaking.
There are 14 books in this series, and it’s a very long, very detailed story. I’ll be honest, I’ve not gotten very far in this book series. However, what I’ve read has been quite excellent, and everyone I know who has finished it has really liked it.
This is a fantastic series, but be prepared to have your heart broken. Don’t get attached to characters, because it’s likely they won’t survive. A word of caution, this series doesn’t shy away from describing anything. Definitely not child friendly.
Initially, I didn’t want to read these books, because much as I love Dave Barry, I didn’t think the overall idea of an update to a classic story was a good idea. I was wrong. If anything, these books have made me love the original even more.
Okay, that does it for this week’s list. I’m thinking I’ll make this a weekly thing, until I have shared all the books & series that I can come up with.
I’ll get to the rage in a moment. First, what I’m thankful for.
1. Family. Good times or bad, I love that I have a close family that is very supportive of each other.
2. My excellent friends. I’ve been very blessed with five wonderful women that I consider to be very dear friends. Each one knows me, faults and all, and still lets me be part of their lives.
3. My job. A year ago, I never would have guessed that I was just weeks away from starting a job I truly love. A job that I gladly go to, and that I truly enjoy. Also, I have a really fantastic supervisor, and I’d be really lost without her.
4. My love of reading, and the easy access to an almost unlimited supply of books that there is.
5. The roof over my head.
6. A working vehicle.
7. Snapple. Silly, I know, but it’s quite yummy.
8. Doctor Who. I love this “kid’s” show. It’s smart, funny, and is something I can share with my family and friends.
9. I’m generally healthy, and have much to live for and look forward to in this life.
Okay, so, it’s not so much rage as irritation. Tomorrow is Black Friday. I understand the theory behind the day. It makes sense that businesses want to try to get in the black before the year ends. However, and yes I know I’m not the only one saying this, it has gone from out of control to complete absurdity. It used to be just one psycho day, but now it’s almost a full week. How is this okay? Plus, it seems that there’s at least one death every year in connection with Black Friday shopping. People’s lives should be of more value. What does that say about this culture when possessions are held in higher esteem than a human being? Don’t misunderstand me, I’m as greedy as the next person, but even I have my limits.
So, if you’re going to take part in the madness, remember that your fellow shoppers are human beings. Remember that the people working in the stores aren’t making very much, aren’t getting to spend time with their loved ones (and have likely missed most and/or all of Thanksgiving), and being rude to them isn’t going to make things go any better for you.
Today I encountered someone I know very slightly. I was pretty sure I had seen her at the theater last night, so I was asking her if I it had been indeed her I had seen. She informed me that she was, and then asked me what I thought of the episode. I told her how much I enjoyed it, and that overall the end was fantastic. Now, I was referring to seeing the return of Four. However, I don’t think she understood that. She proceeded to tell me that she was an old Who fan from way back, unlike those us of us who are new. When I tried to interject that I’m not new to Who, she blew me off, and took to talking to someone else.
Now, I know that I don’t look like a teenager anymore, but I also don’t look like I’m nearly 30. Plus, I was wearing my adorable new Who shirt that features Ten leaning against the TARDIS which bears the words “Bad Wolf.” These two things combined screamed “NEW TO WHO.” So, nothing about me said that I am a long time fan, or that I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know about Doctor Who.
I know that there’s quite a bit of frustration among Whovians over those who star watching just because “Matt Smith is, like, so totally hot.” However, it makes me sad that some people seem to assume this about their fellow Whovians, and they don’t take a minute to find out the truth.
Any Second Now... 