Linda C. Wright's Blog, page 36
June 19, 2011
1001 Uses For Duct Tape
I live 40 miles east of Orlando, Florida. Our world these days revolves around the trial of a mother accused of murdering her daughter. There is nothing else to watch on television but the trial. I have to admit it's quite fascinating learning about bugs and flies and varieties of duct tape. But I long for simpler TV like guessing the showcase on The Price is Right.
In a week I'm going to Cleveland to visit my sister. She's been planning with great care my every waking moment while I'm in Ohio. When I received the following email from her my mind only thought of one thing.
"Dear Linny, Too bad you will miss the duct tape festival but the gnomes are in the garden."
I replied back, "If you're talking about the Anthony trial, I'm hoping it will go to the jury before I leave."
Her reply back, " I found your response quite odd. I wanted to go to a fashion show of things made from duct tape but it ends before you get here."
I laughed. That explains it. On the list of 1001 uses for a roll of duct tape, murder is at the top of the list but number 2 is make a dress to wear out to the club afterwards. The other 999 uses hardly matter after that. In Cleveland they make fashionable clothes from duct tape, in Florida, we've become more hardened. And in most places they use it to fix a leaky duct. I think that' s why they call it duct tape.
In a week I'm going to Cleveland to visit my sister. She's been planning with great care my every waking moment while I'm in Ohio. When I received the following email from her my mind only thought of one thing.
"Dear Linny, Too bad you will miss the duct tape festival but the gnomes are in the garden."
I replied back, "If you're talking about the Anthony trial, I'm hoping it will go to the jury before I leave."
Her reply back, " I found your response quite odd. I wanted to go to a fashion show of things made from duct tape but it ends before you get here."
I laughed. That explains it. On the list of 1001 uses for a roll of duct tape, murder is at the top of the list but number 2 is make a dress to wear out to the club afterwards. The other 999 uses hardly matter after that. In Cleveland they make fashionable clothes from duct tape, in Florida, we've become more hardened. And in most places they use it to fix a leaky duct. I think that' s why they call it duct tape.
June 16, 2011
Sisters of the Sari by Brenda L. Baker
Kiria is a middle aged, savvy business woman who wants to do something more meaningful with her life. She takes a trip to southern India, and in a time of need in an unfamiliar country she becomes the recipient of unexpected kindness of a poor Indian woman, Santoshi. Forming a tenuous bond, Kiria sets out to change Santoshi's circumstances. Santoshi is not aware that her circumstances are in need of a change.
Ms. Baker did a wonderful job of depicting the clash of cultures. A western woman who expects life to be clean, cool and orderly struggles to come to terms with the poverty and plight of women that they accepted as normal. Kiria has a few skeletons in her own closet that when added to the mix help to propel her and Santoshi into new views of life.
Sisters of the Sari is a wonderful modern story full of rich and interesting characters. The well detailed clash of cultures make this book a page turner that you won't be able to put down.
Ms. Baker did a wonderful job of depicting the clash of cultures. A western woman who expects life to be clean, cool and orderly struggles to come to terms with the poverty and plight of women that they accepted as normal. Kiria has a few skeletons in her own closet that when added to the mix help to propel her and Santoshi into new views of life.
Sisters of the Sari is a wonderful modern story full of rich and interesting characters. The well detailed clash of cultures make this book a page turner that you won't be able to put down.
June 12, 2011
My Dilemma
I'm loving my Kindle. I'm loving it so much that remember all those unread books I have yet to read? Now it's really going to be hard to get through them because I don't even want to read a bound book anymore.
My Kindle is everything Amazon said it would be. The screen really does look like ink on the printed page. It weighs about the same as a book so my mind is tricked into thinking I'm holding a book. But I can set the font to a size that's easy on my eyes. Can't do that with a printed book. I hate it when a book is set with narrow margins and tiny print. It's too hard to read when there are too many words on the page. Now I can read the way I like it.
Since I no longer want to read the real book, I've been searching for Kindle versions of those still on my list. Some of the books on my shelf are so old there is no Kindle version available. Or maybe it's because they weren't that great to begin with, no one bothered to bring them into the 21st century. I'm torn between paying for the Kindle version and giving away the print version for some others. Being on a budget I probably should suck it up and read what I already own. But what I have found is that some of the classics like David Copperfield by Dickens and The Jungle by Sinclair Upton have free Kindle versions available. I quickly downloaded them leaving the hardbound family heirlooms preserved on the shelf.
Here is my dilemma. Will I be able to make it through my list without rebuying a second Kindle version? Or will I be able to read from the printed page those that don't exist as an electronic version? Those titles may not be the most interesting or desirable in the first place. That's probably the reason I never read them. Or am I going to become a literary genius by reading all the free classics that are now at my fingertips?
All three of these options sound like a challenge. And I'm always up for that.
My Kindle is everything Amazon said it would be. The screen really does look like ink on the printed page. It weighs about the same as a book so my mind is tricked into thinking I'm holding a book. But I can set the font to a size that's easy on my eyes. Can't do that with a printed book. I hate it when a book is set with narrow margins and tiny print. It's too hard to read when there are too many words on the page. Now I can read the way I like it.
Since I no longer want to read the real book, I've been searching for Kindle versions of those still on my list. Some of the books on my shelf are so old there is no Kindle version available. Or maybe it's because they weren't that great to begin with, no one bothered to bring them into the 21st century. I'm torn between paying for the Kindle version and giving away the print version for some others. Being on a budget I probably should suck it up and read what I already own. But what I have found is that some of the classics like David Copperfield by Dickens and The Jungle by Sinclair Upton have free Kindle versions available. I quickly downloaded them leaving the hardbound family heirlooms preserved on the shelf.
Here is my dilemma. Will I be able to make it through my list without rebuying a second Kindle version? Or will I be able to read from the printed page those that don't exist as an electronic version? Those titles may not be the most interesting or desirable in the first place. That's probably the reason I never read them. Or am I going to become a literary genius by reading all the free classics that are now at my fingertips?
All three of these options sound like a challenge. And I'm always up for that.
June 6, 2011
Jesus CEO by Laurie Beth Jones
Jesus CEO is a leadership guide for the business world. This book is a collection of principles that can be used a day at a time. I happen to like to read an inspirational story each night before I go to bed. I thought this would be perfect.
But I have to admit I just didn't get it. Maybe because I'm finished trying to make my way in the business world. Or maybe because the business world has no room for me any longer. My search for a job has left me discouraged and frustrated. After two and a half years I no longer see any hope for a career other than my writing. Writing makes me extremely happy but it requires a totally different mindset than a 9 to 5 job with a steady paycheck.
Jesus CEO is chock full of great inspiration, guidance and hope. At this place in my life I couldn't make it click for me. This book came to me from my sister, Martha. Tucked inside were some daily calendar pages put there by her late husband, Tom all dated January 26th. I have to admit I didn't understand the meaning of the saying on any of the pages or what the date might have meant to him. So I've tucked them away until I do. That's the same thing I'll do with Jesus CEO, tuck it away until I figure it out. And I will.
But I have to admit I just didn't get it. Maybe because I'm finished trying to make my way in the business world. Or maybe because the business world has no room for me any longer. My search for a job has left me discouraged and frustrated. After two and a half years I no longer see any hope for a career other than my writing. Writing makes me extremely happy but it requires a totally different mindset than a 9 to 5 job with a steady paycheck.
Jesus CEO is chock full of great inspiration, guidance and hope. At this place in my life I couldn't make it click for me. This book came to me from my sister, Martha. Tucked inside were some daily calendar pages put there by her late husband, Tom all dated January 26th. I have to admit I didn't understand the meaning of the saying on any of the pages or what the date might have meant to him. So I've tucked them away until I do. That's the same thing I'll do with Jesus CEO, tuck it away until I figure it out. And I will.
May 30, 2011
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Greg Mortenson has been in the news lately and not in a good way. I took Three Cups of Tea off the shelf to see what all the hub bub was about.
The story was admirable. The son of missionaries raised in Africa follows his passion for climbing and attempts to summit K2. He fails in his attempt and finds his way into the local culture as he recovers. Makes perfect sense, a man raised to give selflessly to others is called to do that in a poor, remote part of the world.
I found the book itself difficult to read. Small print, with lots of words crammed onto each page. I'm not the type to dismiss a book because of the way it looks. I started to read. My mind jostled through each paragraph to the next. Mortenson had a co-author and this book really feels if it's being told through his eyes. Three Cups of Tea is written in third person. I'm not a snob but for a memoir third person doesn't allow the reader to engage deeply in the story. I didn't like being on the outside looking in.
It doesn't happen very often, but I gave up. The story didn't seem real to me, more like a work of fiction. What I read in the news claims that maybe alot of it isn't. Do I believe that Mr. Mortenson did a wonderful thing building schools? Yes. Was the book worth reading? Probably. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
The story was admirable. The son of missionaries raised in Africa follows his passion for climbing and attempts to summit K2. He fails in his attempt and finds his way into the local culture as he recovers. Makes perfect sense, a man raised to give selflessly to others is called to do that in a poor, remote part of the world.
I found the book itself difficult to read. Small print, with lots of words crammed onto each page. I'm not the type to dismiss a book because of the way it looks. I started to read. My mind jostled through each paragraph to the next. Mortenson had a co-author and this book really feels if it's being told through his eyes. Three Cups of Tea is written in third person. I'm not a snob but for a memoir third person doesn't allow the reader to engage deeply in the story. I didn't like being on the outside looking in.
It doesn't happen very often, but I gave up. The story didn't seem real to me, more like a work of fiction. What I read in the news claims that maybe alot of it isn't. Do I believe that Mr. Mortenson did a wonderful thing building schools? Yes. Was the book worth reading? Probably. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
May 29, 2011
Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese
Wow! Cutting for Stone took me on a ride that I never expected. Twin boys born to a nun who died in childbirth, deserted by their father and raised by loving doctors, Hema and Ghosh. The novel is filled with rich characters who come to life within its pages. Shiva and Marion, twins, mirror images of one another both follow different paths in life.
Sometimes I thought this story dragged on. The medical terminology and descriptions were often cumbersome for me. One thing was clear however, the author was precise in his descriptions of surgical procedures along with the history and culture of Ethiopia. But the brother's walk through a life of love, loss and betrayal was something I couldn't stop reading, something special.
I am torn however on how to rate this book. The blood and trauma lingered on too long. That Marion met everyone he'd known back home in Addis Ababa while studying in the United States seemed a bit contrived. And that he had an evil streak shown by the things he did after breaking into his estranged father's apartment was out of character. But I cried as the story ended. The sign of a well written story of real characters is that it can bring the reader's emotions to the surface. Cutting for Stone did that brilliantly.
Sometimes I thought this story dragged on. The medical terminology and descriptions were often cumbersome for me. One thing was clear however, the author was precise in his descriptions of surgical procedures along with the history and culture of Ethiopia. But the brother's walk through a life of love, loss and betrayal was something I couldn't stop reading, something special.
I am torn however on how to rate this book. The blood and trauma lingered on too long. That Marion met everyone he'd known back home in Addis Ababa while studying in the United States seemed a bit contrived. And that he had an evil streak shown by the things he did after breaking into his estranged father's apartment was out of character. But I cried as the story ended. The sign of a well written story of real characters is that it can bring the reader's emotions to the surface. Cutting for Stone did that brilliantly.
May 27, 2011
Writers are the Nicest People
I spent the past few days attending the Creative Writing Institute at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. I find being on a college campus invigorating, add to that interesting instructors and speakers, throw other writers into the mix and I was over the moon.
The first class I took focused on memoir writing. I have a couple segments of my life in mind for that. Being surrounded by other writers of all walks and stages of life, we freely told our personal stories. And each one was different and fascinating. My own life seems ordinary in comparison, yet they all assured me that my story was relevant and intriguing.
My second class dealt with character development. Many of the memoir students were also in this class. We talked and read aloud, critiqued each others work no matter how rough. I received great feedback, best that I've heard in a long time. I made friends. Wonderful friends. I learned so much about the craft of writing that I'm sure mine is moving up a few levels. But I made friends. Friends that I miss today now that class has ended, energy I long to feel again.
My heart opened up to these fellow writers, their stories, their pain, their joy. Blessings overwhelmed me knowing I'm meant to be a writer. Knowing and surrounding myself other wonderful writers boosts me up to accomplish my dreams. I am one lucky girl, woman, wife, friend, writer.
The first class I took focused on memoir writing. I have a couple segments of my life in mind for that. Being surrounded by other writers of all walks and stages of life, we freely told our personal stories. And each one was different and fascinating. My own life seems ordinary in comparison, yet they all assured me that my story was relevant and intriguing.
My second class dealt with character development. Many of the memoir students were also in this class. We talked and read aloud, critiqued each others work no matter how rough. I received great feedback, best that I've heard in a long time. I made friends. Wonderful friends. I learned so much about the craft of writing that I'm sure mine is moving up a few levels. But I made friends. Friends that I miss today now that class has ended, energy I long to feel again.
My heart opened up to these fellow writers, their stories, their pain, their joy. Blessings overwhelmed me knowing I'm meant to be a writer. Knowing and surrounding myself other wonderful writers boosts me up to accomplish my dreams. I am one lucky girl, woman, wife, friend, writer.
May 18, 2011
The Price of Being Well Read
I've bypassed the steps toward my goal and gone straight to the prize. I now own a Kindle. I was supposed to read all those books on my shelf before treating myself to the electronic device, but I got itchy to have one. Technology of the 21st century seemed to be slipping through my fingers. If I want to stay on the cutting edge of the publishing world, I needed to have it. Now!
I'm reading my first book on Kindle and I love it. I can set the size of the font to what is pleasing to my eyes. The screen really does look like ink printed on a page. And the little scale at the bottom tells me the percentage I've read. I happen to love this feature. When I read a paper book the first thing I do is look at the number of pages, determine the halfway point and track my progress through the story. I know. I'm weird. The Kindle does all that for me.
Yesterday I watched Oprah and James Frey of 'A Million Little Pieces' fame. I got out the Kindle and searched for his books so I could download them. The USA Today has a wonderful book section and if anything looks interesting, the heck with the bookstore. I download it. A friend of mine has her first book coming out in June. Guess what? I preordered it on the Kindle. 'Sisters of the Sari' will magically appear on its release date.
Instead of all my books getting dusty on the shelf, I can carry them with me wherever I go. Amazon makes it easy. I have no idea how much I'm spending. I download, they automatically charge the fee to my credit card. And e-books aren't really much cheaper than the print version, just lighter.
Never realizing how books bombarded me from so many places before, I don't even need to go to the bookstore anymore. It used to be my favorite hang out spot. Now I will be even more well read than ever with so many books at my fingertips. I may be spending more on books but with gas at $4 a gallon I might really be saving. Or at least that's what I'd like to believe.
I'm reading my first book on Kindle and I love it. I can set the size of the font to what is pleasing to my eyes. The screen really does look like ink printed on a page. And the little scale at the bottom tells me the percentage I've read. I happen to love this feature. When I read a paper book the first thing I do is look at the number of pages, determine the halfway point and track my progress through the story. I know. I'm weird. The Kindle does all that for me.
Yesterday I watched Oprah and James Frey of 'A Million Little Pieces' fame. I got out the Kindle and searched for his books so I could download them. The USA Today has a wonderful book section and if anything looks interesting, the heck with the bookstore. I download it. A friend of mine has her first book coming out in June. Guess what? I preordered it on the Kindle. 'Sisters of the Sari' will magically appear on its release date.
Instead of all my books getting dusty on the shelf, I can carry them with me wherever I go. Amazon makes it easy. I have no idea how much I'm spending. I download, they automatically charge the fee to my credit card. And e-books aren't really much cheaper than the print version, just lighter.
Never realizing how books bombarded me from so many places before, I don't even need to go to the bookstore anymore. It used to be my favorite hang out spot. Now I will be even more well read than ever with so many books at my fingertips. I may be spending more on books but with gas at $4 a gallon I might really be saving. Or at least that's what I'd like to believe.
May 9, 2011
An Anniversary of Sorts
I'm not big on celebrating birthdays or anniversaries. They come around every year like clockwork and the older I get the less exciting they become. Richard and I got married on Valentine's Day so we'd have one less date to remember. The stores get all decked out for Valentine's day to remind us it's coming up. One trip to the grocery store and we're prepared by buying a card and a box of candy hearts. Plus the date falls in between Christmas and our summer birthdays so our schedule doesn't get cramped or rushed. For twenty four years we've celebrated our wedding anniversary with no muss, no fuss. Just the way we like it.
This is the month of May. I have no idea what day in May but last year sometime in May, I stopped drinking. Cold turkey. After months of praying, God said 'You're ready' and took away my desire to reach for a glass of wine every night before dinner. He took away my need to keep drinking until it was time for bed. I tossed back a bottle of wine every night. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired until the day my prayers were answered.
Little did I know how rough the road ahead of me would be. I remember so clearly the months of headaches and nausea and general malaise that came next. I stopped the alcohol, changed my diet to help with my vertigo and migraine headaches and lost 30 pounds. I struggled with my weight for years convincing myself I could diet and drink loads of empty calories each day. The minute I stopped, the pounds literally fell off.
Oh, there are still days I'd like to sit on the patio enjoying the cool spring breeze with a glass of wine, but I don't. With each passing day, that desire became less and less. Now I only joke about it when I've had a bad day at work. There are a couple bad habits, I've yet to overcome, like lounging in front of the television every night when I could be reading or writing or otherwise being more productive. At least I'm not damaging my mind and body in a destructive manner. So I can take my time breaking that one.
For one full year I've been alcohol free. That also means free to live a happy, productive, loving life. Free from the chain that was holding me back. Free to be me again. Happy anniversary!
This is the month of May. I have no idea what day in May but last year sometime in May, I stopped drinking. Cold turkey. After months of praying, God said 'You're ready' and took away my desire to reach for a glass of wine every night before dinner. He took away my need to keep drinking until it was time for bed. I tossed back a bottle of wine every night. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired until the day my prayers were answered.
Little did I know how rough the road ahead of me would be. I remember so clearly the months of headaches and nausea and general malaise that came next. I stopped the alcohol, changed my diet to help with my vertigo and migraine headaches and lost 30 pounds. I struggled with my weight for years convincing myself I could diet and drink loads of empty calories each day. The minute I stopped, the pounds literally fell off.
Oh, there are still days I'd like to sit on the patio enjoying the cool spring breeze with a glass of wine, but I don't. With each passing day, that desire became less and less. Now I only joke about it when I've had a bad day at work. There are a couple bad habits, I've yet to overcome, like lounging in front of the television every night when I could be reading or writing or otherwise being more productive. At least I'm not damaging my mind and body in a destructive manner. So I can take my time breaking that one.
For one full year I've been alcohol free. That also means free to live a happy, productive, loving life. Free from the chain that was holding me back. Free to be me again. Happy anniversary!
May 8, 2011
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Oscar Wao was a book that went missing from my collection after we moved two years ago. About six months ago the book was found, miraculously in a box in the corner of a closet. I didn't realize until I pulled it off the shelf that it had won the Pulitzer Prize. I imagined that the story was worth waiting for.
I was prepared for all the Spanish. My sister had warned me after she'd heard Junot Diaz speak in Cleveland. I've taken some Spanish classes over the years when I lived in South Florida where English often takes a back seat. I can't speak Spanish but I can figure out most of it on the written page. Or so I thought.
After reading the first ten pages I was ready to quit. The story is loaded with Spanish slang. I had difficulty following. And the footnotes! Sometimes half the page was a footnote written in tiny print. I didn't know if I should read it or not. Mostly I didn't. I kept going though since I'm always afraid I'm going to miss some brilliance that will make me a better writer. In this case I'm ecstatic that tenacious streak inside kept me reading.
Oscar Wao is a nerdy, bookworm, sci-fi crazed, fat Dominican who is desperate to get laid. He's being raised alongside his sister by a wild and crazy single mother. The family is followed by the curse, the fuku and have been for generations. There were so many good things about Oscar and his family, I found it impossible not to fall in love with all of them. Pain and misery followed them everywhere, yet they never gave in to the fuku.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is one wild ride that is well worth the trip. No wonder it won the Pulitzer Prize. The book is all I imagined and well worth the wait. It's brilliant.
I was prepared for all the Spanish. My sister had warned me after she'd heard Junot Diaz speak in Cleveland. I've taken some Spanish classes over the years when I lived in South Florida where English often takes a back seat. I can't speak Spanish but I can figure out most of it on the written page. Or so I thought.
After reading the first ten pages I was ready to quit. The story is loaded with Spanish slang. I had difficulty following. And the footnotes! Sometimes half the page was a footnote written in tiny print. I didn't know if I should read it or not. Mostly I didn't. I kept going though since I'm always afraid I'm going to miss some brilliance that will make me a better writer. In this case I'm ecstatic that tenacious streak inside kept me reading.
Oscar Wao is a nerdy, bookworm, sci-fi crazed, fat Dominican who is desperate to get laid. He's being raised alongside his sister by a wild and crazy single mother. The family is followed by the curse, the fuku and have been for generations. There were so many good things about Oscar and his family, I found it impossible not to fall in love with all of them. Pain and misery followed them everywhere, yet they never gave in to the fuku.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is one wild ride that is well worth the trip. No wonder it won the Pulitzer Prize. The book is all I imagined and well worth the wait. It's brilliant.
