Storytelling
There has been some press recently about bloggers and this generation of people that are so narcissistic they think the mundane details of their lives deserve to be published and read. I see the writer's point of view about this and I am sure that I am guilty as charged by being the blogger that I am however my intentions aren't solely motivated for people to "look at me!" I believe in storytelling and that you can effect people around you by sharing of yourself.
My blog is sometimes inappropriate, sometimes written to customers, sometimes written for family, sometimes written with hope that someday my children (still yet to be conceived) will read this and know what my life was like before them. I don't post a bunch of photos of myself looking cute (that would take WAY too much effort) and I don't try to make myself look like I have a perfect life so I think I'm OK as far as being an attention you-know-what.
I grew up in a family of readers and for me personally reading a good story is almost akin to going on a spiritual journey. I actually stopped reading for a few years after reading a particularly bad book, it was also about that same time that I met Bill so I took a break from voracious reading but I'm back and easing myself into it by reading 3 books concurrently. Here are my current reading influences:
I finished Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, on our road trip and was definitely impacted by it. It's a book that was recommended by several friends and I had my eyes rolled going into it because the author takes a year off from her life to travel to Italy, India and Indonesia after her divorce. "How very indulgent of her," I thought. But her voice is friendly and her story (a true story) is compelling and I was able to forgive her for her good fortune to be a travel writer and learn from her. This is one of those books women pass around to each other like it's a wonderful secret we can all share, and it is. I absolutely recommend it for a good read and have already passed on my copy to a friend.
Presently I am reading A Short History of Islam by Karen Armstrong. This book is going to take a while, even though it is short, I know nothing about Islam or the Koran and since the book is about history it is filled with battles and politics and things I am not all that interested in BUT, I want to explore all religions now that we are trying to start a family so that I am not ignorant about the world as I am now. I like Armstrong's writing style but would not recommend this as I am struggling to get through it. I do understand more about how this religion evolved and hope Muslims can return to peace.
Bill and I are reading The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini aloud to each other and I am struggling with this book so far, we are about half way through it. The book is set in Afghanistan in the early 70s before Russia invaded. The main character of the story is not likable to me yet so I will have to wait until the end of the book before I can recommend it. It is informative about the attitudes toward the Taliban but I am unforgiving about the way a story is told and parts of this book I could do without.
Finally, I am reading Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before by Tony Horwitz. The author retraces parts of Cook's journey and writes about the present state of affairs of locations such as Fiji and New Zealand and how Cook might have influenced life there today. His first stops are places I've dreamed of traveling to so hearing how bitter the Maori feel toward Pakeha (white people) and seeing Fiji portrayed as a pit where 80% of the food is imported shatters misconceptions of bountiful islands and fulfilled native life. One of the most telling anecdotes about Fiji is the bottling of the upscale Fiji water. Power is only available during the day and is spotty even then so they use diesel engines to keep the plant running 24 hours a day. Crystal clear designer diesel water! This book is actually written with humor and is really very interesting. I had an excellent time eating chips and salsa on our back deck while reading this book, it's good, you should get a copy or take a copy from your parents like I did.
One last one, a friend recently returned the book Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage to me and said she really enjoyed it. It's about a couple that bicycle all over the world in the 1970s. She is a novice writer (and bicycle rider) and their story is great. You need to read this if you've ever daydreamed about bike touring, it might change or mind or it might convince you to go immediately.
Please send any good book recommendations to me if you have some, I'm sure Bill would love for me to have my nose shoved in another book!
My blog is sometimes inappropriate, sometimes written to customers, sometimes written for family, sometimes written with hope that someday my children (still yet to be conceived) will read this and know what my life was like before them. I don't post a bunch of photos of myself looking cute (that would take WAY too much effort) and I don't try to make myself look like I have a perfect life so I think I'm OK as far as being an attention you-know-what.
I grew up in a family of readers and for me personally reading a good story is almost akin to going on a spiritual journey. I actually stopped reading for a few years after reading a particularly bad book, it was also about that same time that I met Bill so I took a break from voracious reading but I'm back and easing myself into it by reading 3 books concurrently. Here are my current reading influences:
I finished Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, on our road trip and was definitely impacted by it. It's a book that was recommended by several friends and I had my eyes rolled going into it because the author takes a year off from her life to travel to Italy, India and Indonesia after her divorce. "How very indulgent of her," I thought. But her voice is friendly and her story (a true story) is compelling and I was able to forgive her for her good fortune to be a travel writer and learn from her. This is one of those books women pass around to each other like it's a wonderful secret we can all share, and it is. I absolutely recommend it for a good read and have already passed on my copy to a friend.
Presently I am reading A Short History of Islam by Karen Armstrong. This book is going to take a while, even though it is short, I know nothing about Islam or the Koran and since the book is about history it is filled with battles and politics and things I am not all that interested in BUT, I want to explore all religions now that we are trying to start a family so that I am not ignorant about the world as I am now. I like Armstrong's writing style but would not recommend this as I am struggling to get through it. I do understand more about how this religion evolved and hope Muslims can return to peace.
Bill and I are reading The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini aloud to each other and I am struggling with this book so far, we are about half way through it. The book is set in Afghanistan in the early 70s before Russia invaded. The main character of the story is not likable to me yet so I will have to wait until the end of the book before I can recommend it. It is informative about the attitudes toward the Taliban but I am unforgiving about the way a story is told and parts of this book I could do without.
Finally, I am reading Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before by Tony Horwitz. The author retraces parts of Cook's journey and writes about the present state of affairs of locations such as Fiji and New Zealand and how Cook might have influenced life there today. His first stops are places I've dreamed of traveling to so hearing how bitter the Maori feel toward Pakeha (white people) and seeing Fiji portrayed as a pit where 80% of the food is imported shatters misconceptions of bountiful islands and fulfilled native life. One of the most telling anecdotes about Fiji is the bottling of the upscale Fiji water. Power is only available during the day and is spotty even then so they use diesel engines to keep the plant running 24 hours a day. Crystal clear designer diesel water! This book is actually written with humor and is really very interesting. I had an excellent time eating chips and salsa on our back deck while reading this book, it's good, you should get a copy or take a copy from your parents like I did.
One last one, a friend recently returned the book Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage to me and said she really enjoyed it. It's about a couple that bicycle all over the world in the 1970s. She is a novice writer (and bicycle rider) and their story is great. You need to read this if you've ever daydreamed about bike touring, it might change or mind or it might convince you to go immediately.
Please send any good book recommendations to me if you have some, I'm sure Bill would love for me to have my nose shoved in another book!
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