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First Monday in 2013!

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2013

2013 Here We Come!

The New Year feel has settled in.  I think I’ve already gotten used to typing 2013 at work!  

So now it’s time to think about my 2nd quarter of 11 fun things to do and look forward to!
(I think it needs a new name! It’s so cumbersome! 44 Things Quarter 2?) 

My FALL list was not completed: I did NOT shop early for Christmas or play accordion weekly.  
But I don’t feel regrets or guilt about not accomplishing things…
it just means that other things popped up and pushed them out of the way!  

So my WINTER list of things to do or look forward to starts here: 

English: Persusasion (Jane Austen Novel). For ...

English: Persusasion (Jane Austen Novel). For Sir Elliot, baronnet, the hints of Mrs Sheppard, his agent, was very unwelcome. Français : Persuasion, dernier roman de Jane Austen. Sir Elliot n’apprécie pas les conseils d’économie de Mr Sheppard, son notaire (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

44 Things – Quarter 2 (Jan-Feb-Mar)

  1. A January mini-vacation at Deadra’s, including many movies and much wine!
  2. Read “Persuasion” by Jane Austen with Wallace’s readalong in January 
  3. START reading “Gone With the Wind” in February – it’s so large I’m not sure I can finish it in two months!  But it’s after “Persuasion”!
  4. “The Book of Mormon” with Deadra and John in February!
  5. Host a baby shower for a work colleague at my house on February 13!
  6. Gaelic Storm in March with Kristine!
  7. Social-ICE in February!
  8. Walk at least twice weekly and do yoga once weekly.
  9.  Spray Tan!  Get the look of a summer glow!
  10.  Pick a closet and clean it out OR
    watch all of the Oscar nominated movies (which would you rather do??)
  11.  Invigorate book club and plan ahead for the year

Well, that wasn’t what I thought it would be, but there you have it!  I am maybe forgetting some of the things that I know that I will be looking forward to!  Yikes… I started writing this down somewhere.  And I’m still kicking around a list of THINGS for 2013, sort of like last year’s list.  It may be an over-arching list, or maybe a theme word or statement for the year… still thinking about it on paper.  

How about you?  How do you feel about resolutions?  Would you rather pick a theme WORD or STATEMENT (ala Let ‘er Rip) than set goals?  Do you avoid these altogether?  

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12/21/12: What’s Making Me Happy This Week

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A Christmas tradition in New York City is WPIX...

A Christmas tradition in New York City is WPIX’s yearly yule log program (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

12/21 is the date of the Winter Solstice this year.  I love to find a reason to celebrate daily, so I will find some way to honor the shortest day of the year – a short walk in the early dark? lighting a candle when I get home? searching for sunshiney foods in the cafeteria (think citrus)?  Who knows.  One year I had a party for the start of each of the four seasons.  During my Winter Solstice party we had a bonfire on my deck and I’m sure we had good food and drink.  🙂

The lists for my 44th year are still a work in progress; part 1 of 4 is nearing deadline.  Here’s the list from Fall:

11 Things to Do or Look Forward to in the Fall (October November December)

  1. Celebrate my birthday in NYC – check! October 1
  2. Go to 4 Daughters Winery – October 13
  3. Go to Door County to celebrate birthdays and trivia wins! October 19-21
  4. Go to Bruce Springsteen concert – November 12!
  5. Choir gigs and holiday concerts – November 30-December 2
  6. Read … something classic or new?: just try to read! I read a few books!  
  7. Write … poetry or themed blogs? Blogs!  22 in these three months – so far!  
  8. Plan … a dinner party or ??: I planned a Christmas Open House!  
  9. Shop early for Christmas gifts: Fail!  Waiting for packages to arrive! I’m thinking tomorrow will be a big delivery day here!
  10. Play accordion weekly and give piano lessons as regularly as possible: FAIL!  Never home!
  11. and something else that I’ll think of eventually!: Thinking a “Pay it Forward” or volunteer thing… – We did a Random Acts of Kindness Night for Cosmo Girls and it was so fun!  And I’ve done a few things at work to help make someone’s Christmas “merry and bright.”  

Not too bad.  I look forward to writing about my list for WINTER (Jan Feb March).  Much to look forward to in those months!

Happy Christmas, painted by Johansen Viggo

Happy Christmas, painted by Johansen Viggo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For now, what’s making me happy this week:

  • Jimmy Fallon – Tuesday was a great example of a perfect show – Tom Cruise and Water Wars, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Judd Apatow, Christmas sweater giveaway… Always good stuff!
  • Making it to Gracie’s play last week, going for ice cream after, and then a Christmas open house at Dana’s office
  • Having a 3 day weekend without work!  Cleaning for my Open House, playing games and eating good no-fuss food with good friends and family, Christmas program at church and then the Lessons & Carols, shopping… a great weekend!
  • Learning that we will get a raise this year at Mayo, even though they are making drastic changes in how they will operate.  They really value their employees and aren’t afraid to say so!
  • A “snow day” today on my day off – hunkering down to wrap presents, bake cookies and make some soup concoction (not very tasty).  And then ringing the bells with Dana and family (per Rees’s request) in the blizzard-like wind!
  • I’m actually sort of looking forward to working this weekend.  I know that no one wants to be in the hospital, especially at Christmas time, so I will attempt to be a blessing to everyone that I meet this weekend and work hard to help them get home to be with family.
  • And then I’m looking forward to having 3 days off to be with family in Rushford.  Movies, games and togetherness!  Love the holidays!

What’s making you happy this week??

I hope that the darkest day of the year (daylight-wise) fills you up with brightness and light, in anticipation of longer days, soon-arriving Christmas Day and a New Year!  

Happy Newyear

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What a Difference…

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Only a few weeks left in 2012.

Tonight I was looking back in my computer to see if I wrote any kind of “end of year wrap up” for 2011 and found nothing but revisions of resumes and cover letters dated 2011.  I guess that’s where my mind was last year at this time!  What a difference a year makes.

It was fun to go back and read my December 2011 and January 2012 blogs – the books and movies that I indulged in during unemployment and my blogs about what I will and won’t miss about unemployment.  Ah.

Pretty good stuff.  I think I was the most creative during that time!  Blogs in early 2012 were pretty ‘meh.”  I guess brain power was going elsewhere for a while… rightly so!

Anyway, found this list again:

US passport

US passport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

12 Things to Get Done in 2012

  1. See Garrison Keillor at the Fitzgerald Theatre
  2. Visit the Four Daughters Vineyard in Spring Valley (maybe more than once!). Doesn’t it look lovely?
  3. Get my passport – so I’m ready!  This was on my list of 40 Things and it didn’t happen.  It will happen – soon.
  4. Write – at least weekly blogs
  5. Write – more letters. It’s so fun to get mail.
  6. Eat healthy and REAL food
  7. Watch for and attend more Table Trivia Nights
  8. Seek out author and book events, especially for authors and books I love!
  9. Go to New York City to see “Once – the Musical” – you see that, Troy
  10. While in NYC maybe go on a Greenwich Village walking tour with Adriana Trigiani (love her!)
  11. Read at least one GOOD book per month.  Easily achievable.
  12. Try new recipes and cook for myself (or invite others!)
Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Still no passport (eeek!) and no Garrison yet, but NYC twice in a year?  A dream come true.

Seeing “Once” twice?  Amazing.

Even on Facebook in January 2011 I was posting links for the musical and dreaming of getting there.

Fun to start my dream list for 2013!  What do I want to come true this coming year???

I have to review my birthday list of 11 Things to do in the Fall, as the Winter Solstice is coming up soon and it’ll be time for a new list!  Yikes!

More later on that!

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44

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Go 44

Go 44 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

One week ago today I had a birthday – my 44th!  It’s a great number and I’m certain it’s going to be a great year.  I’ll write about my birthday festivities later, but wanted to let you know what I’m thinking of doing to celebrate these 44 years.

 

Wikipedia

 

I researched the number 44 on Wikipedia and learned that  “Forty-four is a tribonacci number, a happy number, an octahedral number and a palindromic number.”  I LOVE that it’s a happy number! I’m not sure I fully understand what it means to be a happy number but it was fun to read about!

 

I also learned that it’s the retired number for Hank Aaron and Reggie Jackson, so it’s known as the “hitter’s number.”  44 is the international calling code for Great Britain, Wyoming is the 44th state and Obama is the 44th president.  Victor French played Agent 44 on Get Smart and +44 used to be a band.

 

I already did a “40 things to do before turning 40 list” and doing one for 50 sounds daunting (and it’s too early to be thinking about 50!), so I decided that I am going to make a list of 11 things to do or look forward to in the 4 seasons of my 44th year!  One year I had a party for each season of the year and that was a lot of fun, and celebrating smaller chunks of the year sounds like a great idea to me!  Here’s my start.  Maybe I’ll incorporate some of the above interesting facts into my lists!

 

Autumn trees

 

11 Things to Do or Look Forward to in the Fall (October November December)

 

  1. Celebrate my birthday in NYC – check!
  2. Go to 4 Daughters Winery
  3. Go to Door County to celebrate birthdays and trivia wins!
  4. Go to Bruce Springsteen concert
  5. Choir gigs and holiday concerts
  6. Read … something classic or new?
  7. Write … poetry or themed blogs?
  8. Plan … a dinner party or ??
  9. Shop early for Christmas gifts
  10. Play accordion weekly and give piano lessons as regularly as possible
  11. and something else that I’ll think of eventually!

 

Let me know if you have ideas that I can steal for my list or for the future lists!

 

Today I found this quote from L. M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables:

 

I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.

 

In looking for the quote reference I found a TON of great quotes from the book.  I listened to it on audio years ago – probably the very first audiobook I listened to – and I should read it with my eyes sometime!  Great positive quotes!

 

Personification of Autumn (Currier & Ives lith...

 

Have a great week!

 

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Again with the lists!

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For the lists

I was at Barnes & Noble the other night with my niece and I was captivated by these little notebooks.  It was a pack of four made to look like “dance cards” from Jane Austen novels.  I’m a sucker for things Austen and also like to have something to write on at any time, so I bought them (and shared with my niece).  I have one by my bed and it has turned in to another place to keep lists.

 

I’ve never written a “Bucket List,” per se, but have created many lists in my day.  So far my book contains lists for potential blog posts (a list for movie blogs, book blogs, and blogs about random topics), as well as lists for places I want to visit – in the United States and the World.

 

I read many blogs and one that I recently found and enjoy immensely is Lesley Carter’s blog, Bucket List Publications.  She is FAR more adventurous than I am, but also quite a list-maker.  After moving to South Carolina, she started and posted a list of the things she wants to do there. It’s a fun read.  And she has thousands of followers!  She hopes to share the wealth, so if you follow my blog, you should check out her blog -and I hope that some of her followers do the same!  (I may need to step-it-up a bit, if that’s the case!)

 

So check out Bucket List Publications for a great blog about Travel, Adventure and New Experiences – Indulge!

 

http://lesleycarter.wordpress.com/

Bucket List word cloud #3

Bucket List word cloud #3 (Photo credit: mccmicb)

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Lists

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Goals for 2012

I love lists, as I believe I’ve said before.  The above is a list that I made in January of this year of things that I want to accomplish in 2012.  Not big lofty goals, not life-changing goals, really, but a list of things that I want to work on being able to do.

  • Garrison Keillor at the Fitz: I would love to see Garrison Keillor in his home territory of the Fitzgerald Theatre before he retires.  If I can’t do that, I want to get to a stage show of The Wits at the Fitz sometime soon.  I have been a John Moe fan for years – since his podcast Weekend America (which has been off the air since 2009) – and his stage/radio show sounds delightfully fun.
  • Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery: A new winery opened up in our area and it looks beautiful.  Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery has a beautiful building with what appears to be delicious food and wonderful local wine. I need to get there!
  • NYC: “Once” Musical: This is an item that can be crossed off the list this week!  I fly out early tomorrow and have tickets for this show on Tuesday!  If you’ve talked to me at all lately, you know that I’m over-the-moon excited about the entire trip, so I won’t go on and on… but it’s happening, and all because I wrote it on a list in January!  🙂
  • Maybe: You can see off to the side that I also wrote “Maybe a Greenwich Village walking tour with Adriana.”  I love all things Adriana Trigiani and so I checked into this.  No weekday tour groups but they would do a private walking tour – with or without food – for $95-$130.  Well, I can walk around and see a lot and eat a lot of food for that money.  So, not this time.  But I subscribed to the newsletter about her tours in NYC and in Italy… so it’ll continue to be something I look out for!
  • Passport: I still haven’t gotten a passport.  Must do that next!  No trips out of the country planned, but they are not possible until I have the passport!  🙂  Must. Be. Ready.
  • Write, at least weekly:  I haven’t been blogging weekly but feel pretty good about the amount that I am doing right now.  Starting the new job required mucho brain power and I am finally feeling like I can use a little for other things, like reading a novel.  🙂  So I’ll still aspire to weekly writing.
  • Write letters: I don’t do too badly at this.  I can do better, for sure.  But it is something I enjoy doing – writing and getting letters in return.  So fun.
  • Eat healthy and real food: The continual quest.  I thought that getting sleep would be the hardest thing about the crazy shift schedule we work in the Emergency Department, but it turns out that eating meals has been harder.  Working 12 hour shifts is easy when you’re there – it flies by – but so does the 12 hours you’re off!  I don’t cook meals for myself, aside from a cold meat sandwich, and have been eating out a LOT!  I try to make good choices while out.  A few weeks ago I realized that every time I went out I ate a delicious burger and my rationale was that I never make burgers for myself at home; but the truth is, i never make anything for myself at home, so I started making different choices!  That night I ordered Indian carryout and was blissfully happy about that.  I’ll have to keep working on this…
  • Trivia night: I had so much fun at Trivia Night in November with Kristine that I must find other venues for this.  Marissa found a bar in LaCrosse that has trivia on Monday nights and she has gone with a group and kicked butt – 1st place last week! – but I think it would dampen her image if her mom came along. 🙂  So I’ll keep looking!
  • Seek out author/book events: I scoured the web looking for author events while I’m in NYC next week, as I’ll have a few days to myself to wander, but was unsuccessful in finding anything that jumped out at me (by anyone I knew).  I went to B&N today and saw that tomorrow Jesse Ventura is going to be here for a reading and book signing.  I wondered if I would go, if I wasn’t winging it to NYC tomorrow.  🙂  I’ll keep my eyes open for fun opportunities.

What about you?  What’s on your list of things to do in 2012?  Or this summer?  Holler if you want to help me check off anything else on my list!

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Last Day of Being Unemployed

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Unemployed Girl

Last day of UNEMPLOYMENT

Things I Won’t Miss:  

  • That nagging feeling that I should be chained to the computer searching indeed.com or any of the many job search sites I checked
  • That nagging feeling that I should be out networking and hob-nobbing
  • That nagging feeling that I should be sending another email or making another phone call to check on a job status
  • That nagging feeling that while I was home, unemployed, I should be exercising and getting into shape
  • That nagging feeling that I shouldn’t be eating out/seeing a movie/doing anything fun because I should keep all my pennies
  • That nagging feeling that I didn’t have health insurance for a few months
  • I guess a lot of nagging feelings 🙂

Things I Will Miss:

  • Going to bed and waking up whenever I want to – I had some months of pretty good sleep, after the anxious sleeplessness went away
  • Bringing the kids to school in the morning or picking them up after school
  • Having the time to help out – making meals, babysitting, painting a nursery, grocery shopping, library-going…
  • Long leisurely showers in the afternoon and air-drying my hair (maybe only understood by curly-haired folk?)
  • Painting my fingernails crazy colors
  • Movie matinees on Wednesday (free popcorn!)
  • Keeping up with Twitter and bloggers
  • Tweeting and blogging
  • Having a super flexible schedule so that I could say YES to almost anything

Although the list of things that I will miss could go on and on, the overwhelming feeling of relief about being employed really overshadows them all.  I value being self-reliant and I know that most of the things on the second list will continue in some way.  I will still be helpful when I can, stay up late and sleep in when I can, tweet and blog when I can, and say YES to fun things when I can.

Life is good.

Happy last day of unemployment to me!!!

Off to read – after a leisurely afternoon shower!

December Things

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I’ve had this page up a few times in the month of November but have remained quiet!  Partly because my reading has slowed, due to the Thanksgiving holiday and other things.  And partly because I didn’t want to post for the sake of posting!  Finally, I have something to say. 🙂

new tree, glittery baubles

I love firsts – first of the month, first of the year, first time doing anything.  So a few days ago (the first of December) I started a list in my head (I also love lists) of things to get done in December.  Fun things.  I was going to do it like an Advent calendar, one thing assigned to each day, but decided to just make a list and see how many I can knock off.

  1. Bake bake bake!
  2. Try new recipes (Whiskey caramels? Yes please!)
  3. Bake with kiddos
  4. Drive around and look at Christmas lights while drinking hot cocoa
  5. Have a hot cocoa and cookie party
  6. Read the Christmas story in the Bible
  7. Hear the Christmas story being read
  8. Read “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”
  9. Watch “Elf”
  10. Watch “The Holiday”
  11. Watch “Love Actually” (again)
  12.  Buy some mistletoe
  13. Get a New Year’s Eve plan (before New Year’s Eve rolls around)
  14. Plan get-togethers with friends during Christmas break
  15. Sing as many carols as possible – find (or create!) singalongs
  16. Make more lefse
  17. Listen to LOTS of Christmas music!
  18. Play LOTS of Christmas music at the piano
  19. Find a tree topper – an angel or star
  20. …. I’m going to continue to add to this list as I think of more things.

Maybe you can help!  Any holiday traditions that you have that are “must-do”s?

Off to read!

A Sense of Self

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Found Words: Question Marks

Image by rosefirerising via Flickr

Wow.  So this isn’t going to be easy, is it?  A Sense of Self…  What does that mean?  I think that I have done a lot of self-reflection, especially lately, but at many different points in my life.  Lately I’ve been thinking about what the next part of my life will bring – new challenges and adventures, new people and opportunities. Although I am a person who likes to talk things out with others, I also am a person who trusts instincts and makes decisions on “what feels right.”  Is that because I have a good sense of who I am and what I can do?  Is that what good instincts are from?

When I googled “sense of self,” a webpage came up about how reading expands our sense of self.  I love reading so I read on… It goes on to say that when we are reading a book, we identify with the characters of the book and psychologically become part of their community.  We become vampires or students at Hogwarts or women of Biblical times.  And we can get as much satisfaction from these relationships as real-life relationships.  It comes from a desire to belong to a group.  Interesting to think about, eh?  I’ve always encouraged people to “feed their heads” with good things, because it would be awful to identify yourself with a group of racists or murderers.  Hmmmm…  Stuff to think about.

So where does this go?  I guess I’ll keep thinking about who I am and what I want and what I believe and will keep writing about it from time to time (on Tuesdays for a while).

And in the meantime, I found this on facebook from a few years ago:  25 Things about me.  I should update it – maybe that will be my assignment for this week – but it’s a glimpse into February 2009.  🙂

Off to read!

25 Things about Danette Grimsrud

by Danette Grimsrud on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at 4:12pm

1. I love lists. Some that I’m currently working on: books I want to read, movies I want to see, books I have read, movies I have seen. And see #2.

2. I turned 40 in 2008 and I had a list of 40 THINGS TO DO BEFORE TURNING 40. I didn’t complete the list (durn flood) but had a good time trying! Now I’m working on a list of 40 THINGS TO DO IN MY 40s. That gives me some time.

3. I remember weird things and forget lots of things.

4. I have a Christmas letter written that I haven’t sent out yet. Maybe this weekend? Yikes.

5. If given a choice, I will always choose eat out at a Chinese or Asian restaurant.

6. My daughter wouldn’t friend me at first and had to create a “family” facebook page so that she could join in all our fun. :-p

7. I love my job but it does have its heavy moments. Especially lately. I just want to bring kids home with me.

8. During my commute I mostly listen to podcasts. I’m very out of touch with the “pop” music scene right now. Podcasts I listen to regularly: Weekend America (last episode was 1/31 (sad sad), NPR Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, This American Life, The Satellite Sisters/The Chaos Chronicles. Others I hit now and again: anything Ricky Gervais, Oprah, iTunes book chat with authors, The Flight of the Conchords videocasts.

9. I can’t stand sports on television, with the exception of soccer. I think that the commentators for soccer don’t talk much so it’s just crowd noise. I haven’t watched a lot but during the World Cup enjoyed it a lot. Love to watch almost anything live. Although I think I’d never watch boxing or fighting.

10. I was a “Hot Box Dancer” in Guys and Dolls when I was 12.

11. I love to sing and sang a solo in a concert almost two years ago. It was the song, “Crossword Puzzle.”

12. I love crossword puzzles. But I bought a book of them recently that was just stupid. I was doing the NY Times puzzles for almost a year. Could complete a MONDAY puzzle without looking for answers. Even did a TUESDAY once. Never ever a SUNDAY.

13. I love to travel. I would love to plan trips for people.

14. I get great pleasure from sitting in a movie theatre and watching anything fun on the big screen. When I’m there I always wonder why I don’t do it more often. Last weekend was a two-movie weekend – pure bliss.

15. I have been to New York City three times. In 1991 or so with Lisa, in 1999 with Deadra and Marissa and in 2008 with Deadra. I could go back yearly, finances permitting, or even more often, just for a few days. It’s so fun to see the museums, the shows, the people. I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it.

16. I have 368 movies in my Netflix queue. Yikes.

17. I try to not eat at franchise restaurants, especially when I’m in a new place. It’s fun to hit the kitschy little places. My favorite was the little polka-dotted diner somewhere in western Minnesota on the way to Pierre. What a hoot.

18. David Letterman over Jay Leno any day.

19. The song with the highest play count on my iTunes is “Moon River” by Henry Mancini. Out of 5097 items.

20. I collect coffee cups from Broadway Shows. And music from Broadway shows. And programs from Broadway shows I’ve seen. And ticket stubs from movies. Nothing too big or that takes up too much space. Probably could say I collect books and movies and music too, but no snowmen or figurines or anything.

21. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I love anything that celebrates gratitude.

22. I use firefox instead of internet explorer. (Now I’m reaching for things to say!)

23. I have a blog. About my book and movie habits. It’s a form of list-making.

24. I’ve gotten a lot better about getting rid of things. Seeing all your stuff underwater or soaked with water makes it pretty easy to see what is important to keep and what needs to be tossed.

25. This list has taken me entirely too long to write! Am gonna publish it already! No need to make your own list, as you either already have or aren’t going to! 🙂

 

40 Things (32) – and my BiRtHdAy

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Cover of "What Is the What: The Autobiogr...

Cover via Amazon

Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, day 32 (MY BIRTHDAY!)

32) A book that has been on my shelf unread for more than 5 years

Five years ago I lived in a different house and had different book shelves.  I lost a lot of books, although I did have some book shelves that were safe from the water and I still have those books.  I now have bookshelves from IKEA – the 25 squares kind – and only one square is devoted to unread books (although I do have a big pile by my bed, too).

One book that I know I’ve had a LONG time (maybe not five years, but it was written in 2006) and haven’t read yet is Dave Egger’s “What is the What.”  I loved Dave’s first book, “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” and I know that I will love this too, but it seems a little heavy, and those are the books that it’s easy to put off reading.  I know I will read this because Sarah has it and we’re going to discuss it in the Walkie Talkie style.

Have you read it?  Why do you think people put off reading certain books?

#32 on my list of 40 things was: Go to the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapollis with Inna.  Inna was our foreign exchange student from the Ukraine in 2002/2003 and she came back as an adult in the summer of 2007 to work for a few weeks and she lived with us again.  We had intended to spend a few days in Minneapolis before she flew home at the end of August, but that durn flood changed a lot of plans, so I never got to go with her.  We did get the chance to spend one night in the Cities before she left and ate a fun dinner at Moscow on the Hill – a Russian restaurant – with good good friends.  So we partook in shots of vodka with dill pickles.  Crazy, fun.  And needed after that crazy week.  🙂

I did make it to the museum the following summer (6/27/08) with my cousin Emily, who lives very close to it.  It’s a great museum and I especially loved the photography exhibit.

Off to read!  And party!  Because, it’s my birthday, after all!