my nieces are delightful, exhibit a

Today, I got to read books and "talk about things" with my 3 (almost 4) year old niece, M.  We read two books: the Cat in the Hat and King and King*. 

At the end of the book M asked me "Why did the two princes get married?" To which I responded that sometimes princesses and princes fall in love and get married, but sometimes princes fall in love with princes, and princesses fall in love with princesses.  Side note: It's really difficult to say the plural of "prince" while also saying the plural of "princess" and have it not all run together. I should have said "boys" and "girls". Oh well, lesson learned.  :)

She seemed satisfied with the answer, and moved on to more pressing issues like: "Why do women have a uterus?"

After a very long talk about things related to the uterus (thankfully her mother fielded most of these questions), she then contemplated if she should have a baby. We told her she didn't need to make any rash decisions. She thought for a moment, and then must have concluded that she needed more information before deciding because she asked that a list of Dr. Seuss books be compiled. Very sensible.

My niece is awesome, by the way**.

* It's an okay book, although not as good as And Tango Makes Three, (M loved this book), which is about two boy penguins falling in love and raising a baby penguin
**I have 4 smart, hilarious, energetic and delightful nieces, they are actually all awesome, not just this one. 

public art for the win

Knowing I love and all things Sherman Alexie (and therefore fantastic), Bird's partner, Melissa, showed me a piece of public art in Spokane while I was visiting. For this piece, Sherman Alexie wrote the poem, That Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump, which is inscribed on the spiral. Upon reading it I  was blown away by the poem itself, the placement of the spiral overlooking the Spokane Falls, and the beauty and power in such a simple design. My picture doesn't begin to do it justice, but here it is:

About the spiral, Alexie has been quoted as saying, "The design forces people to dance. The true power of it is in watching people reading the poem in that way." Which I adore.

irony defined

Yesterday I went on search for this book to help me create healthy meals during my training. Although it is available on Amazon, I took to the book store because I both want it now and  prefer shopping in person.

I hit up a used bookstore & this was the exchange I had with the owner:

Him: Can I help you find something?
Me: Oh, no thanks. I was just looking for a specific book on running; you didn't have it.
Him: Yeah, we don't carry that sort of thing.
Me: Yep; there were only about 5 running books. It's okay; I knew it was a long shot.
Him: You know, you can get pretty much anything on-line these days; you should try there.
Me:  Yeah; it is available on Amazon; I'd just rather give my business to actual stores.
Him: Sometimes the internet is just easier though.
Me: I guess I'm just old fashioned. Thanks!

So, was this proprietor of a used bookstore actually advocating that I have not come into his store at all? That instead of trying to buy books in a brick and mortar store I just start with Amazon, his main source of competition? Really?

Although they did not have the book I was looking for the do have HUNDREDS of books; books that I (as a reader) started perusing. That's what readers do. That's why we like books stores. That's how books stores stay in business. The 2 B&N stores I ultimately visited didn't have this book, and yet I left each store with a book. I would have likely left his store with a book had he not shooed me away.

As it was, I left the store completely baffled. The only thing I can come up with the explain his behavior is that I smell. I must smell. Right?

1/2 marathon training part 1: research

As you know, I've started training for a 1/2 marathon. I am currently in the learn-how-to-train-with-out-killing-myself stage, so I'm reading.

My first book was No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running, by John Bingham.  In this book, the author discusses how he began running as a 43 year old smoker/drinker who was 80 pounds overweight. He currently runs marathons, and although he is "at the back of the pack," he is no less a runner than anyone else just because he is slow. Slow and steady does win the race, after all.  This book was really inspiring to me - a slow runner.

It is really easy to get discouraged when you are a slow-runner: to think you aren't really doing anything worthwhile, or at least was for me (explaining why I let the heat-wave end my 1st running career). For me, this discouragement often comes in the form of little jokes that others think are harmless (and should be) or well-meaning advice from those who think speed is the only measurement of running success. What I loved about this book is that it is filled with testimonials of other slow runners, talking about their successes.  It is not saying a runner *should* be slow, just that it's fine if they are. That they are still a runner.But beyond that, it asks the reader to really analyze why they want to run.  I found it very inspirational and encouraging. If you are a slowbie, I highly recommend it.

Some things to consider before buying the book (which I think any new/slow runner should do):
The book is actually geared less towards "slow runners" as a whole, and more towards those who are likely to be slow (at least at first):  inactive adults who are looking to change their lives and become more active. Because this is not me (although I am an adult who is less active than she should be), some of the advice didn't apply to me, but it was a good read none-the-less. Additionally, it can be repetitive at times, but when discouragement is all around you (or even just all inside your head), it can't hurt to hear stories encouragement more than once. In fact, I think that may have been the author's goal.

reading list

NPR keeps adding books to my reading list. These are a few I don't want to forget as I read the books currently on my nightstand.

• Sticks and Stones, by Emily Bazelon - I've actually heard Emily Bazelon speak on the subject of autism in girls (which often presents itself much differently in girls than in boys) on TED, so I was interested when I heard she'd written this book. The book is about how cyber/internet bullying has upped the anti when it comes to bullying. Here  you can listen to Terry Gross interviewing Brazelon on Fresh Air (incidentally, she sounds exactly like a friend of mine; I'm beginning to think they are the same person).
• Cinderella Ate My Daughter, by Peggy Orenstein - I heard Orenstein talking about this on All Things Considered & it seems like the kind of book anyone (mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, cousins, teachers, etc) who has a hand in raising girls should read. I've read Orenstein's other book, School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap, which is a great read, so I am hopefully I will like this one as well.
• Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, by Lawrence Wright - I heard an interview with the author on NPR and I became fascinated. Independently, my mom told me she was reading this book and it was amazing. As Agent Cooper says, "When two things happen simultaneously pertaining to the same object of inquiry we must pay special attention," so pay attention to this I must!

pippy love

the children came to a perfume shop. In the show window was a large jar of freckle salve, and beside the jar was a sign, which read: DO YOU SUFFER FROM FRECKLES?

"What does the sign say?” ask Pippi. She couldn’t read very well because she didn’t want to go to school as other children did.
It says, ‘Do you suffer from freckles?’” said Annika.
Does it indeed?” said Pippi thoughtfully. “Well, a civil question deserves a civil answer. Let’s go in.”

She opened the door and entered the shop, closely followed by Tommy and Annika. An elderly lady stood back of the counter. Pippi went right up to her. “No!” she said decidedly.

"What is it you want?” asked the lady.
"No,” said Pippi once more.
"I don’t understand what you mean,” said the lady.
"No, I don’t suffer from freckles,” said Pippi.

Then the lady understood, but she took one look at Pippi and burst out, “But, my dear child, your whole face is covered with freckles!”

"I know it,” said Pippi, “but I don’t suffer from them. I love them. Good morning.”

She turned to leave, but when she got to the door she looked back and cried, “But if you should happen to get in any salve that gives people more freckles, then you can send me seven or eight jars.”

~Pippy Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren,

i am from poem

I just started my LAST master's class. I took a couple years off (that is to say the class I needed to graduate took a couple of years off), but I'm finally finishing up. Today in class our teacher had us write a poem, and as this was not an English class, I was a little perturbed. But as it turns out, it was actually pretty cool (albeit also a little cheesy), and although I by no means think I'm a poet, I thought I'd share the poem here. She got the idea from Mary Pipher's I Am From, and modified it a bit. Anyway, it was kind of cool, and I might actually try something like this with my kids as we embark on our immigration unit. Here is my I Am From poem:

I Am From (as inspired by Mary Pipher)

I Am From Tim, Jackie, Ester, Andy, Mildred, and Leo

I Am From Ireland, Germany, and the farmland of Illinois

I Am From Grandma G----'s rolls, lasagna, sweet corn, the perfect s'more, pizza, Dr. Pepper, Chinese take out, mashed potatoes & roast.

I Am From trust that everyone is doing their best; see the world, but always come home; people in hell want ice water, but they don't get it; tell the truth; catch ‘em doing something good, and we love you.

I Am From Christmas mornings, Easter egg hunts, and all the Sundays in between.

I Am From teachers, farmers, and small business owners

I Am From the Monster at the End of this Book, the Princess Bride, 500, Le Mutt, movies during thunderstorms, playing Tetrus until my eyes water, and Free to Be You and Me.

I Am From hikes through the mountains; treks through the cities; I can’t believe we ended up at the beach, and mom told us not to pack a swimsuit; songs sung on road trips; and wait, wasn't that our exit?

I Am From the Pride and Prejudice, Ishmael, and the Delicacy and Strength of Lace.

I am me and those before me.

also worthy of note

advent - a good word, and not just for the holidays

books: new low

I can't even get through Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. It is boring. I've moved on to Persuasion, and already things are looking up.

This blog post brought to you by "Belated Wordy Wednesdays"

Haiku

Diet Cherry Coke
Refreshingly smooth you are
I can't get enough

This blogpost brought to you by "Thirsty Thursdays"

books: high and low

My favorite Jane Austin book to date: Pride and Prejudice

• I just reread it for the 3rd or 4th time. Just as the first time I read it, too much did I care about the fate of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to be tempted to do anything in my spare time but devour the book. I love this book and the Colin Firth BBC miniseries version of it. Both are sheer perfection.

My least favorite Jane Austin book to date: Mansfield Park

• It's fine, but it doesn't captivate me the way some of her other stories do. The main character is meek and ultimately falls in love with her first cousin, which might be overlooked if she hadn't also been raised practically as the sister of this first cousin. That, however, I could get over if I felt a sense of true love between them, but I did not. Additionally, the other characters were not very likable either, and I found that I had no one to root for. That said, I found the book interesting enough to finish, but one I will likely never pick up again.

Confession: these are the only two Jane Austin books I've read. I just started Emma. I love the movie, so we'll see if I love the book. Already I enjoy it more than Mansfield Park.

This blog post brought to you by "Wordy Wednesdays"

oh the irony...

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
is the fear of long words

one of the few short stories i love

John Cheever's Enormous Radio

a joke from my brother

A magician was driving down the street, and then he turned into a driveway.

worth reading

A friend of mine linked to an article called Two Phrases That Destroyed American Culture. I quite enjoyed the article, and I agree with the author's point whole-heartedly. Enjoy.

the wonders - and pitfalls- of spellcheck

I always misspell "cinnamon," and the spell check never gives me the correct spelling.

• cinneman generates: lineman's, lineman, cinema, Annamarie, and cinemas
• cinamman generates: Chinaman's, Chinaman, Tammany's, Tammany, and commanding
  

I just discovered that if you misspell cinnamon as cinnamen, it will give you the correct word. So, please, misspell your words wisely (apparently I don't).

use it in a sentance, why don't ya!

lugubrious - exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful

it does have a ribbon!

I exclaimed after reading in Stephen Colbert's new book, I am America (And You Can Too!), that it came with a ribbon place holder. That is just awesome. All books should come with ribbon place holders!

bedazzle

I enjoy being bedazzled and being found to be bedazzling.

I am also fond of saying, "I am bewitched, bewildered, and bedazzled;" although, the occasion to say such a thing is rare, indeed.

one day someone will call me...

macushla - a term of endearment (from the Irish words "mo" and "cuisle" meaning "my" and "pulse" respectively).

I came across this word in a book I recently bought from the used bookstore that has a bunch of words that have all but died out from the English language. This word should not die. It is very sweet and pretty. I love it so much that I've been trying to find a way to introduce it into my daily vocabulary, but sadly I don't have a macushla to call my own. Yesterday, as I watched The Office, Micheal greeted Pam as his "macushla." Apparently, this word is also used in Million Dollar baby. Clearly it is not as uncommon as I thought, and to that I say, "horay! for it is an awesome word!"

This blog post brought to you by "she actually blogging again! day" and the book, Weird and Wonderful Words, by Erin McKean