Monday, September 22, 2008
The Awakening: Kate Chopin
I just read this again for the 90th time. It's my favorite book.
Fitting that it should be my first review.
I'm not going to go into any history of the novel. You can do that yourself.
Suffice it to say, I find it amazing. I find it beautiful. Cliche words and I don't care.
The main character, Edna Pontellier, finds that she has been living a life that truly isn't hers. She is married with children and slowly begins to realize her full capabilities as a woman and soul. She awakens emotionally, sexually, somewhat spiritually (in that she finds she is oppressed by it); in addition to awakening to discover who she truly is.
Although these discoveries of self open Edna up to an enlightened world and existence, she is also reminded of all that is impossible in her life which inevitably lead to...
Read it!
It's a Madame Bovary of sorts...but to me, it's so much more beautiful. For anyone who has been moved to tears by a song or the ocean or contemplated leaving it all behind in the name of love, please read this novel and let me know what you think.
Should I train for a marathon again?
So I ran 6 miles tonight. I ran a marathon back when I was 22. 6 years ago. I ran a small marathon in Amarillo, TX called the Lonestar Paper Chase. It was fairly horrendous. You shove chocolate GU down your throat and suck mercilessly on peppermints and cry and hurt and cry some more and then you cramp once you finish. Sounds lovely doesn't it?
But I'm considering it again. My brain seems so happy to be out near the trees again. I run with the IPOD when I feel like pretending I am performing on American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance. My friend C's friend from LA says she creates music videos in her head. I just perform. Usually someone I know is watching and they're so impressed.
So anyway...
I started up again slowly. 2 miles, 3, then 4...then 4.5...
Then I went to LA and took off Friday, Saturday and Sunday which is somewhat of a setback...but we truly never stopped. I can't wait to tell you all about my trip.
So, I figured that I would do a long run tonight. And then maybe I could run 7 next Monday? We'll see. I'm still uncertain if I want to make the committment. It's a lot of work and it's exhausting and my right knee is still troubling me.
Stay tuned.
But I'm considering it again. My brain seems so happy to be out near the trees again. I run with the IPOD when I feel like pretending I am performing on American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance. My friend C's friend from LA says she creates music videos in her head. I just perform. Usually someone I know is watching and they're so impressed.
So anyway...
I started up again slowly. 2 miles, 3, then 4...then 4.5...
Then I went to LA and took off Friday, Saturday and Sunday which is somewhat of a setback...but we truly never stopped. I can't wait to tell you all about my trip.
So, I figured that I would do a long run tonight. And then maybe I could run 7 next Monday? We'll see. I'm still uncertain if I want to make the committment. It's a lot of work and it's exhausting and my right knee is still troubling me.
Stay tuned.
Atlanta traffic
Atlanta is amazing. Eclectic. What's more, there seem to be small countries within this one state. Decatur, where the hippies live...Buckhead, where the intricate coffee shops with the best lattes served out of the best mugs reside...Martini bars and live music...
Atlanta is alive. And I like it that way.
I love it here. I essentially live here. Although my dogs and my husband live elsewhere. I love having an apartment that is all mine. I read and I write and make bacon, egg and cheese english muffins for dinner and I watch Fox News AND Gossip Girl for hours because I can.
I stay up until 2:00am and listen to the crickets because my mind is racing and full of all of the thoughts that I may have missed if I weren't alone.
I enjoy my mornings whether they include my 4.5 mile jogs or not because I stop at either Starbucks or Caribou and order a medium coffee which for some reason, even in the dead of summer, reminds me of fall.
I LOVE stopping off near the Perimeter area for sushi and wine all by myself and I am seldom happier than when I am at a movie theatre seeing a movie that my beloved hubby would hate.
My solitary life makes me...me.
BUT...
The traffic is enough to drive me to sheer madness. Truly. And so here I sit at work on a Monday evening, awaiting 6:30 when I can drive home without murderous thoughts clouding my brain.
Sigh.
Atlanta is alive. And I like it that way.
I love it here. I essentially live here. Although my dogs and my husband live elsewhere. I love having an apartment that is all mine. I read and I write and make bacon, egg and cheese english muffins for dinner and I watch Fox News AND Gossip Girl for hours because I can.
I stay up until 2:00am and listen to the crickets because my mind is racing and full of all of the thoughts that I may have missed if I weren't alone.
I enjoy my mornings whether they include my 4.5 mile jogs or not because I stop at either Starbucks or Caribou and order a medium coffee which for some reason, even in the dead of summer, reminds me of fall.
I LOVE stopping off near the Perimeter area for sushi and wine all by myself and I am seldom happier than when I am at a movie theatre seeing a movie that my beloved hubby would hate.
My solitary life makes me...me.
BUT...
The traffic is enough to drive me to sheer madness. Truly. And so here I sit at work on a Monday evening, awaiting 6:30 when I can drive home without murderous thoughts clouding my brain.
Sigh.
Golden Los Angeles
My husband and I flew to LA this weekend to see my best friend from high school. I seem to have a life hangover. One of those headaches from realizing that you have been living in the wrong place for 28 years. How disturbing. When I reflect on the trip, I picture LA, Venice Beach, Malibu, Beverly Hills, etc...
All of them to me seem golden. As if shimmery, muted lights reflect off the windows and store fronts and everyone seems to be smiling even if they're not.
It is not my intention to blog about my vacations but rather about books, novels, novellas, short stories, magazine articles. As an avid reader, I have always wished to read book reviews written by real people and not writers that only wish to impress you with their ever-expanding vocabulary. Chances are...they desire to be writers as well.
Anyway...I am too exhausted from my trip to blog on this day about the novel (s) I am currently immersed in. But I will return later.
I wish to tell you all about my trip and all about my books.
If there is anything that anyone out there wishes me to read and/or review, let me know. Chances are that I would love to...
All of them to me seem golden. As if shimmery, muted lights reflect off the windows and store fronts and everyone seems to be smiling even if they're not.
It is not my intention to blog about my vacations but rather about books, novels, novellas, short stories, magazine articles. As an avid reader, I have always wished to read book reviews written by real people and not writers that only wish to impress you with their ever-expanding vocabulary. Chances are...they desire to be writers as well.
Anyway...I am too exhausted from my trip to blog on this day about the novel (s) I am currently immersed in. But I will return later.
I wish to tell you all about my trip and all about my books.
If there is anything that anyone out there wishes me to read and/or review, let me know. Chances are that I would love to...
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