Well, as promised in my last post, there is more. Welcome to Part II. And what an incredible Part II it is....at least for me! If you find yourself getting bored...bear with me...it just may be worth it. :+)
They say (the infamous "they" strike again!) that Christmas is a time for miracles. While this doesn't exactly qualify as a miracle, for me it is so truly strange/freaky/wonderful that it at least rated writing about.
One of the neatest things about my Christmas at home was the incorporation of friends in a larger way than ever before into my Holiday. Waking up Christmas morning with my best friend. Sharing Christmas dinner with friends who had come together as "family" and of course, meeting new friends who might eventually rate that precious word "family" to me. Such was my Christmas season. Wonderful old friends and great new ones. One of whom in particular made a special sort of impression on me simply because he was such a nice guy. While nice people are not at all unusual in the Maritimes, it's still always nice to meet new people. This man was great fun. Introduced by my best friend, we quickly found that we had much in common and struck up a nice, easy friendship. We visited him often while I was home for the holidays and we always had great fun. Sharing music,stories, laughter and camaraderie, I had yet another reason for being grateful for being home. Meeting a wonderful new friend. Knowing that eventually I had to return to Ontario, we became Facebook friends in an effort to stay connected at least in some small way. While I know that so many people hate Facebook, I'm not one of them. When you have friends around the world especially, it's a great way to stay connected. It also helps maintain the sense of belonging I feel every time I go home. So Facebook it is. My new friend from home and I are still Facebook friends. And he is still a very sweet man who I proudly call "friend". But, like all good things, my trip home had to end and I had to come back to Ontario. I left NS on January 9th having spent a wonderful New Year's Eve and Day with my friends - old and new and came back with rather a heavy heart. I missed my home and friends already...and that was all while I was still on the plane!
Now I am back in Ontario. It had been a little over a month and life was pretty much the same as life in Ontario always has been. While I do have a few good friends here, nothing can ever compare to what home delivers up to me whenever I am lucky enough to be there. But life goes on and I'm trying to make the best of it. To that end I have decided to try and meet new people. Something, by the way, that for the most of the nine years I've been here, I've abhorred. When first I moved to Ontario I tried everything I knew to "fit in". I joined clubs. I started going to church again. I volunteered. None of it brought me the friends I sought so desperately. At least not for quite a number of years. I did meet a few very special people over the nine year course, but only a few and after trying so hard, in so many different ways and being soundly rejected so often, I finally gave up on new friends in Ontario and decided that the friends that I already had were as many as I would ever have. Thank God they were as awesome as they are or I would never have made it in this province! In any event, I was determined to give making new friends one more shot. Many questioned my methods but I figure that I've tried most of what isn't frowned upon so what the hey....I'll go with something different! So I went a rather non traditional (and a little scary for me) route and lo and behold, I started meeting new people! Go figure! Most of the people I met were not the sort who became close friends, but they were still worthwhile people and I enjoyed spending time with them. Then the really "out of the Ontario way" thing happened. I met a really nice guy! The kind I would consider actually calling "friend"! Here! In Ontario! After nine years! Wow! Cool! He's charming, smart, witty and fun to be around. In short, my kind of people. AND...he introduced me to more much like him! Nice people! Really nice people! Again, people I would certainly consider calling "friend". I've only been back a month and a half and now have a new circle of friends. How cool is that?! Friends are and will always be a treasure that I don't take lightly. When I find them, I pray that they will be able to put up with me and all my idiosyncratic ways and that friendship will truly become a given. At this point, I think I'm well on my way. Who'd a thunk it?! Very, very cool!
So I now have something of a life. Interesting concept for me. A good one, but different. And not just good. Really, truly GOOD. I find myself spending as much time as possible with this new friend and by extension, I get to share his friends. As mentioned, I am a Facebook person. In talking, it was mentioned that he was on Facebook so one day I went to add him as a friend. When I got to the spot on Facebook where you did this, I looked at what I was doing, quickly realized that I had somehow made a mistake, went back to my homepage and started over. There it was again! "You have one mutual friend". ?????? That's not possible. (at this point I actually shook my head for real!) I met this man a few weeks ago and it says here that we have a "mutual friend"?? Okay, let's review. He was born in Bermuda to British parents and spent at least 30 years of his life there. Another chunk of time was spent living in the UK. I spent the first 41 years of my life in Nova Scotia, Canada, then the next nine in Ontario, Canada where I met this person with the really cool past. He's been in Canada 12 years. I've been in Canada all my life. None of this leads me to the path that says "you have one mutual friend". In fact...none of it seems even remotely possible. (I'm still shaking my head). I finally focused enough to actually read who that mutual friend was. GET OUT !!!! No way!! Not possible!! Our "mutual friend" was none other then the wonderful guy I had just met and connected with so well while home for Christmas! What??!! Slowly, very slowly, things started to click in my brain. I remembered my new friend at home talking about his days in the theatre in Bermuda. I remembered a phone call that he received from his "old mate Pete" (name changed to protect the none too innocent!) who he hadn't heard from in years, I remembered the many fascinating stories of sailing and diving the Bermuda waters. I then remembered hearing those same stories from Pete!! These two men, both new found friends of mine, go back years and years! Good grief!! I'm back to the whole NO WAY thing! This stuff doesn't happen in real life. And it certainly doesn't happen to me! And yet it did. I spoke to Pete the next day and got the final confirmation. Yup, two new friends, one in Halifax, NS one in Fergus, ON know one another far better than they know me! To say my mind was blown would be such an understatement as to be a joke but I was totally and utterly gobsmacked! (the two men in question would approve of that word. My nod to them). We're not just talking half of Canada here. This one spans oceans and even entire continents! Yup - gobsmacked it is! Serendipity? God works in mysterious ways? It's a small world? Six degrees of separation? Whatever you call it, it still blows my mind!
So here I am,roughly a month and a half later, with new friends, actually enjoying Ontario since I first arrived and still shaking my head incredulously at the way all of this happened. A miracle? Probably not even close. An incredible gift? You bet. And it all started when, where and how? At Christmas, in Nova Scotia through my best friend! While I realize that Nova Scotia cannot really take all the credit for this one, you have to admit, it is kinda neat!!!
Merry Christmas Rachel!!!
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About Me
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Home For The Holidays
After 9 years of holidays in Guelph, last Christmas I went home for the holidays for the first time ever. It was amazing. It was an eye opener. It was fun. It was cathartic. It was truly the best way I could have spent Christmas without actually living there. It gave the term "Home For The Holidays" a whole new meaning for me. And it gave me an even greater appreciation of the word "home".
My flight landed at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon and by 8 that same evening, not only was I firmly ensconced in my best friend's home and feeling great, but was on my way to spend time with still another good friend. I've been home less than 4 hours and have already connected with two of my closest friends. This is significant mostly I think because these people do not live in the same house. Or even on the same street. They are mutual friends, but both in their own ways, went out of their way to spend time with me, almost immediately. These are special people. Truly special people. They care and they show it. They are Maritimers. And this is who and what we are and do.(I will always consider myself a Maritimer) We love. We spend quality and quantity time. We are loving, caring, nurturing people. And it shows. Just visit a Maritime province (I highly recommend Nova Scotia). You'll see and feel what I'm talking about.
While scattered and seemingly unfocused, this rather odd intro really is going somewhere. You see, with all due respect to the great Thomas Wolfe, I don't believe his adage "you can't go home again". I used to. I really did. Until I went home and proved him wrong. And I am thrilled that I did!
I spent a month in Nova Scotia after a four year absence. Not just in Nova Scotia but in Dartmouth, the city where I spent the first 41 years of my life until I moved here to Guelph 9 years ago. While I have been back to Nova Scotia, I had not been to Dartmouth in 6 years, so before leaving Guelph, I tried my best to prepare for the inevitable shock that I knew was to come after being gone from home for so long. I wondered at the many changes that must have taken place during my years away. I wondered if the genuineness of the people had changed with the passing years. I steeled myself to accept the changes and enjoy simply being home. Imagine my delight when it finally sunk in that not only was I home, but that "home" had not changed! In fact, it had changed so little that that became the shock. Yes there were new buildings. Yes some buildings were gone. But the essence of my home was the same. Right down to my old stomping grounds! The buildings were still there, though a few had had much needed face lifts but the people and the way of life and the water....let's never forget the water (it's not called The City of Lakes for nothing!)....were all still the same!
In Guelph, I'd spent 9 years watching people run from one appointment to the next. Diaries and calendars at the ready so that a coffee date could be scheduled for a month from Tuesday next. That's life in Ontario. It's the way people are. It's the way things work. It's what is. I don't like it, but it's the way life is lived here. By dates, full schedules and good intentioned but often broken promises. Which is why the first two paragraphs of this entry were what they were. To establish the difference between life in Nova Scotia and life in Ontario, one has to look at how life is lived. And not just lived but accepted as the norm. And in Ontario, I cannot conceive of a circumstance where I could send an email saying "I'm here. Where are you?" and promptly getting the reply "give me an hour and I'll be ready" and actually having it happen! It wasn't planned! It wasn't part of the itinerary. It was unscheduled. It doesn't happen here. It did happen there.It was great! I arrived at the airport, was met by my best friend, drove to her place where I didn't even bother unpacking (My God what was I thinking??), spent a few hours chatting and catching up, then shot off the afore-mentioned email. And then we were three! And the three of us spent a very long, very impromptu, incredibly wonderful evening together. All totally unscripted! (well, except for the airport part but even there the plane was late!). A totally unrehearsed, unplanned, fun filled evening among friends. Copious quantities of coffee were consumed. Very little sleep was had. All in all it was a great night. At home. Wow. What a great welcome home! Then the fun began.
Holidays, especially Christmas I think, mean different things to different people. Ergo, everyone has a different idea of what makes Christmas "special" for them. It's a very individual thing and there is no right or wrong. As long as the happiness is there, it's your holiday. For some it's about friends. For others, presents. Still others feel that immediate family is what it's all about and no one shall encroach upon this sacred ritual. Some look forward to Christmas simply because the food is usually great if not downright spectacular! For me, Christmas is pretty much all of the above. I'd be less than honest if I said that I didn't care about gifts. I do. But in order to be truly appreciated, a gift has to have thought, love and care put into it. Otherwise save your money. In fact, in many cases, saving your money and making me something is absolutely the best way to go for a gift for me! The old adage "it's the thought that counts" didn't get to be an old adage for no reason! I love the food too. I have a sweet tooth that refuses to be denied, especially at Christmas so when those cookies are brought out, make way....I'm coming through!! I do love cookies! Especially the kinds that seem to crop up only around Christmas. And people. What would gifts and cookies and even turkey for that matter be, without wonderful people to share it with? My answer is "not much!". Over the years I have come to realize that blood has little to do with family. My family are those people I choose to love and share my life with. Not necessarily people with whom I share DNA. That's okay. It works and the people I call "family" are all people I love and who love me. That's what families are made of. Love. Simply put. One word. All encompassing. Love. It makes the world go 'round and it creates and sustains families.....no matter what kind of family you have. And that's what my Christmas was. Friends, great food, presents, my own brand of "family" and love. Lots and lots of love. No timetables. No diaries. No loved ones saying "sorry...no time". Real people, doing real things, in real time. Yes people had jobs. Yes there were obligations to be fulfilled. But never at anyone else's expense. No one was ever "left out" because people were "too busy". This, is what home is. This is what I miss so much. This is what I love. And this was my Christmas this year. Home. It means so many different things to so many different people but I think it all boils down to the same thing in the final analysis. If you are where you love and are loved, you are home. I was indeed....home.
And this people, believe it or not, is only Part I!!! Stay tuned! It gets better!
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My flight landed at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon and by 8 that same evening, not only was I firmly ensconced in my best friend's home and feeling great, but was on my way to spend time with still another good friend. I've been home less than 4 hours and have already connected with two of my closest friends. This is significant mostly I think because these people do not live in the same house. Or even on the same street. They are mutual friends, but both in their own ways, went out of their way to spend time with me, almost immediately. These are special people. Truly special people. They care and they show it. They are Maritimers. And this is who and what we are and do.(I will always consider myself a Maritimer) We love. We spend quality and quantity time. We are loving, caring, nurturing people. And it shows. Just visit a Maritime province (I highly recommend Nova Scotia). You'll see and feel what I'm talking about.
While scattered and seemingly unfocused, this rather odd intro really is going somewhere. You see, with all due respect to the great Thomas Wolfe, I don't believe his adage "you can't go home again". I used to. I really did. Until I went home and proved him wrong. And I am thrilled that I did!
I spent a month in Nova Scotia after a four year absence. Not just in Nova Scotia but in Dartmouth, the city where I spent the first 41 years of my life until I moved here to Guelph 9 years ago. While I have been back to Nova Scotia, I had not been to Dartmouth in 6 years, so before leaving Guelph, I tried my best to prepare for the inevitable shock that I knew was to come after being gone from home for so long. I wondered at the many changes that must have taken place during my years away. I wondered if the genuineness of the people had changed with the passing years. I steeled myself to accept the changes and enjoy simply being home. Imagine my delight when it finally sunk in that not only was I home, but that "home" had not changed! In fact, it had changed so little that that became the shock. Yes there were new buildings. Yes some buildings were gone. But the essence of my home was the same. Right down to my old stomping grounds! The buildings were still there, though a few had had much needed face lifts but the people and the way of life and the water....let's never forget the water (it's not called The City of Lakes for nothing!)....were all still the same!
In Guelph, I'd spent 9 years watching people run from one appointment to the next. Diaries and calendars at the ready so that a coffee date could be scheduled for a month from Tuesday next. That's life in Ontario. It's the way people are. It's the way things work. It's what is. I don't like it, but it's the way life is lived here. By dates, full schedules and good intentioned but often broken promises. Which is why the first two paragraphs of this entry were what they were. To establish the difference between life in Nova Scotia and life in Ontario, one has to look at how life is lived. And not just lived but accepted as the norm. And in Ontario, I cannot conceive of a circumstance where I could send an email saying "I'm here. Where are you?" and promptly getting the reply "give me an hour and I'll be ready" and actually having it happen! It wasn't planned! It wasn't part of the itinerary. It was unscheduled. It doesn't happen here. It did happen there.It was great! I arrived at the airport, was met by my best friend, drove to her place where I didn't even bother unpacking (My God what was I thinking??), spent a few hours chatting and catching up, then shot off the afore-mentioned email. And then we were three! And the three of us spent a very long, very impromptu, incredibly wonderful evening together. All totally unscripted! (well, except for the airport part but even there the plane was late!). A totally unrehearsed, unplanned, fun filled evening among friends. Copious quantities of coffee were consumed. Very little sleep was had. All in all it was a great night. At home. Wow. What a great welcome home! Then the fun began.
Holidays, especially Christmas I think, mean different things to different people. Ergo, everyone has a different idea of what makes Christmas "special" for them. It's a very individual thing and there is no right or wrong. As long as the happiness is there, it's your holiday. For some it's about friends. For others, presents. Still others feel that immediate family is what it's all about and no one shall encroach upon this sacred ritual. Some look forward to Christmas simply because the food is usually great if not downright spectacular! For me, Christmas is pretty much all of the above. I'd be less than honest if I said that I didn't care about gifts. I do. But in order to be truly appreciated, a gift has to have thought, love and care put into it. Otherwise save your money. In fact, in many cases, saving your money and making me something is absolutely the best way to go for a gift for me! The old adage "it's the thought that counts" didn't get to be an old adage for no reason! I love the food too. I have a sweet tooth that refuses to be denied, especially at Christmas so when those cookies are brought out, make way....I'm coming through!! I do love cookies! Especially the kinds that seem to crop up only around Christmas. And people. What would gifts and cookies and even turkey for that matter be, without wonderful people to share it with? My answer is "not much!". Over the years I have come to realize that blood has little to do with family. My family are those people I choose to love and share my life with. Not necessarily people with whom I share DNA. That's okay. It works and the people I call "family" are all people I love and who love me. That's what families are made of. Love. Simply put. One word. All encompassing. Love. It makes the world go 'round and it creates and sustains families.....no matter what kind of family you have. And that's what my Christmas was. Friends, great food, presents, my own brand of "family" and love. Lots and lots of love. No timetables. No diaries. No loved ones saying "sorry...no time". Real people, doing real things, in real time. Yes people had jobs. Yes there were obligations to be fulfilled. But never at anyone else's expense. No one was ever "left out" because people were "too busy". This, is what home is. This is what I miss so much. This is what I love. And this was my Christmas this year. Home. It means so many different things to so many different people but I think it all boils down to the same thing in the final analysis. If you are where you love and are loved, you are home. I was indeed....home.
And this people, believe it or not, is only Part I!!! Stay tuned! It gets better!
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Friday, August 28, 2009
An Addendum
After posting the newest installment of my blog this afternoon I walked away thinking it was rather boring. I reflected on that thought all afternoon. Why did I feel that way? Is it because when you get a good author, writing a good book, with no controversy, there is simply nothing to bitch about? The book was good. The book had no gratuitous sex or violence. The book was not controversial in any way. It was simply a good book. Do good books make for boring blogging? Perhaps they do. Not a bad thing if you're the author of the book. :+) What do you think?
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Next Please!
So Robin Cook is no longer in Crisis as I have finished the book. (I'm sure the good Dr. Cook would be thrilled to hear that). It was a good book. An easy read. In fact, as Robin Cook novels go, perhaps too easy.Though perhaps not as well developed as most of his earlier stuff, it was still a good read. I also answered my own question about whether or not one could enjoy something when one did not always understand the terminology being used. Absolutely! After all with lines like "despite a cacophony of horn blowing and screeching tires, Jack's car managed to merge into traffic".(Robin Cook, Crisis, p255)ya gotta be impressed! How can you not love a line like that? I mean really? Does that not appeal to the wordsmith in all the avid readers among us? I love that line. It's so descriptive and....well ...loud. What can I say...I'm a city girl and can relate to those sounds so very well. I could not however have put them down on paper that well. Which is why he's earning the big bucks and I'm writing about him earning the big bucks.
Not all was wonderful with his words though. It took almost all the way to the end of the book but eventually the serious medical terminology did rear it's head. I spent a good 4 paragraphs wading through page after page of medical lingo that I neither needed to know for the purposes of this book nor wanted to know for any other purpose. Oh well, I suppose when you are as learned as Robin Cook, you will tend to lean toward your chosen field in whatever endeavor you undertake. In this case he simply took the reader along with him for a few rather tedious chapters. All in all it was worth the boredom. The book was well written, contained characters who were like old friends and even established new relationships with old characters. That's always nice as it leaves open a door for old and new to merge into a new book. That might be nice.
So what's next? I would really love to find a good old fashioned controversial book. Rabble rouser, sh** disturber, controversy queen.....that's me. Well at least a little bit. (even I have my limits). Something like the DaVinci Code would be nice. Lots of action. A great read and something to bicker both "for" and "against". Nice thought that. However, I've found nothing even remotely resembling that either in my own library or the Public Library. I think what I'm saying here in my own not so subtle way is, I need a good book to read. Something that I can sink my teeth into. Something that will keep me awake at night trying to finish. (I'm sick of being awake at night for no good reason). I've looked at all my favorite authors and no one has anything on the go right now. I can't wait for Dan Brown's new release but as I am # 161 on the waiting list at the library, methinks it will be a while before I get to that particular eagerly anticipated novel. I really think it's time to find a new author. One who's novels I have yet to sample. Preferably one I will like and has written a few already as that would provide good reading material for some time. Any suggestions anyone? I really could use a good book.
All of which brings me to my next question. Is being a Rabble rousing, sh** disturbing, controversy queen ( I flatter myself here) such a bad thing? Is it wrong to enjoy a good book simply for the sake of a good read despite the controversy that might surround it? Especially given my "Christian" status? There are many I know who would suggest that as a "Christian" I should be reading only "Christian" materials. What think you gentle readers? This is a question that has given me pause often. I mean, not only do I read material that I know many "Christian" people would shy far away from, often I relish it. How appropriate is this? Or not as the case may be? Please, let me know what you think and for goodness sake could someone please suggest a good author?! Or at the very least, a good book?! Thanks, I appreciate your help. :+)
Until next time, read on MacDuff......etc. (yes I know it was lame but it was there!). Apologies to die hard Shakespeare fans who don't see the humour.
PS - Thanks for the tip Dennis :+)
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Not all was wonderful with his words though. It took almost all the way to the end of the book but eventually the serious medical terminology did rear it's head. I spent a good 4 paragraphs wading through page after page of medical lingo that I neither needed to know for the purposes of this book nor wanted to know for any other purpose. Oh well, I suppose when you are as learned as Robin Cook, you will tend to lean toward your chosen field in whatever endeavor you undertake. In this case he simply took the reader along with him for a few rather tedious chapters. All in all it was worth the boredom. The book was well written, contained characters who were like old friends and even established new relationships with old characters. That's always nice as it leaves open a door for old and new to merge into a new book. That might be nice.
So what's next? I would really love to find a good old fashioned controversial book. Rabble rouser, sh** disturber, controversy queen.....that's me. Well at least a little bit. (even I have my limits). Something like the DaVinci Code would be nice. Lots of action. A great read and something to bicker both "for" and "against". Nice thought that. However, I've found nothing even remotely resembling that either in my own library or the Public Library. I think what I'm saying here in my own not so subtle way is, I need a good book to read. Something that I can sink my teeth into. Something that will keep me awake at night trying to finish. (I'm sick of being awake at night for no good reason). I've looked at all my favorite authors and no one has anything on the go right now. I can't wait for Dan Brown's new release but as I am # 161 on the waiting list at the library, methinks it will be a while before I get to that particular eagerly anticipated novel. I really think it's time to find a new author. One who's novels I have yet to sample. Preferably one I will like and has written a few already as that would provide good reading material for some time. Any suggestions anyone? I really could use a good book.
All of which brings me to my next question. Is being a Rabble rousing, sh** disturbing, controversy queen ( I flatter myself here) such a bad thing? Is it wrong to enjoy a good book simply for the sake of a good read despite the controversy that might surround it? Especially given my "Christian" status? There are many I know who would suggest that as a "Christian" I should be reading only "Christian" materials. What think you gentle readers? This is a question that has given me pause often. I mean, not only do I read material that I know many "Christian" people would shy far away from, often I relish it. How appropriate is this? Or not as the case may be? Please, let me know what you think and for goodness sake could someone please suggest a good author?! Or at the very least, a good book?! Thanks, I appreciate your help. :+)
Until next time, read on MacDuff......etc. (yes I know it was lame but it was there!). Apologies to die hard Shakespeare fans who don't see the humour.
PS - Thanks for the tip Dennis :+)
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Friday, July 31, 2009
Fluff Be Gone
Ok, So Judith Michael's Pot of Gold finally bit the dust. I simply couldn't handle it anymore. I decided that it fell into the category of "life is too short". The book that I read before this one was boring too but at least there was potential for character growth. I didn't see that anywhere in this book. The gyst of the story was: a working class woman wins a 60 million dollar lottery and how it changes her life. Ok, I can get on board with winning a lottery. Big Time! Whoever said "money can't buy happiness" most assuredly had no money problems. Trust me, right now there are few things in life that would make me happier than winning a lottery. (please note that I did say "few"). Money would get the wolves away from my door. Money would allow me to own a pair of running shoes that have not been chewed by the dog. Money would allow me frivolities like a trip to the eye doctor and dentist. Yes, money would certainly make me much happier, and to some degree, even healthier, right now. But oh, the things this woman in the novel expected money to do for her! I read what part of the book I read with one question repeating in my mind. "Do people really believe this crap?" Sadly I think too often, the answer is "yes". Scary concept. Our heroine seemed to think that money could buy her a self confidence she had never before had. She also seemed to think that she could "fit in" places she never had before because with money came a sense of entitlement. Hmm..... perhaps I am the one missing something here, but I rather think if the impossible did happen and I one a lottery tomorrow, after the initial euphoria wore off (which I figure would take about 2 minutes) my first emotion would be dead fear! I don't know what to do with large amounts of money! I'm poor. I have always been poor. Entitled? Me? Ha! What would I do with 60 million dollars (for instance)? I could speculate all day long and never come up with concrete answers. Until and unless I am in the position, I really have no way of knowing exactly what I would do or think or how I would act. Yes, it would help tremendously and I could finally go home, but there truly are some things that money really cannot buy, like self confidence and love, and I'm missing those things too. But at least I don't expect that money could ever buy them. As far as a sense of entitlement goes, I don't even want that! In short, this woman got on my last nerve so I turfed the book.
Which brings me to my latest tome. Crisis by Robin Cook. So far, so good. A medical thriller with believeable characters and an enjoyable (so far) storyline. It has raised a couple of odd and/or interesting questions though. It's a novel written by an MD. Which means that there are plenty of references to actual medical terms. Are the terms and scenarios that are being described and depicted in this novel true to life? I know nothing about the medical proffession. For all I know this guy could just be really well spoken or even just really good with a thesaurus! The bottom line for me is - it doesn't matter. I dont care if he's an uber scientist/doctor/medical researcher or simply a good writer. He's given me a book that appeals to my intelligence, my love for thrillers and an escape from the mundane. His characters are believable on 2 fronts. 1) they are very well written and developed, and 2) some of them have appeared in earlier Robin Cook novels that I have read so it's rather like catching up with old friends. I like that in a novel. Recurring characters have always been a favorite of mine when choosing reading material.
So, for now at least, Robin Cook is what's on board for me. Every once in a while I even think about the medical parts of the book and do a little online research of my own. It's fun. Sometimes.
My question to you, dear reader, is this: "Can you read a novel you don't totally and completely understand and still enjoy it"? Or better (or perhaps worse) "Can you read a novel that you know perhaps a little bit about (if you were say, some kind of medical practioner), spot errors and simply overlook them and enjoy the book for it's own sake"? It is after all, a work of fiction, a novel. Not the new England Journal of Medicine (and you thought I learned nothing from reading!).
Food for thought. Or at least that is my hope. So for now, it's me, Robin Cook, Jack Stapleton (major character's name) and an enjoyable evening.
Until next time, read on friends and keep in touch.
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Which brings me to my latest tome. Crisis by Robin Cook. So far, so good. A medical thriller with believeable characters and an enjoyable (so far) storyline. It has raised a couple of odd and/or interesting questions though. It's a novel written by an MD. Which means that there are plenty of references to actual medical terms. Are the terms and scenarios that are being described and depicted in this novel true to life? I know nothing about the medical proffession. For all I know this guy could just be really well spoken or even just really good with a thesaurus! The bottom line for me is - it doesn't matter. I dont care if he's an uber scientist/doctor/medical researcher or simply a good writer. He's given me a book that appeals to my intelligence, my love for thrillers and an escape from the mundane. His characters are believable on 2 fronts. 1) they are very well written and developed, and 2) some of them have appeared in earlier Robin Cook novels that I have read so it's rather like catching up with old friends. I like that in a novel. Recurring characters have always been a favorite of mine when choosing reading material.
So, for now at least, Robin Cook is what's on board for me. Every once in a while I even think about the medical parts of the book and do a little online research of my own. It's fun. Sometimes.
My question to you, dear reader, is this: "Can you read a novel you don't totally and completely understand and still enjoy it"? Or better (or perhaps worse) "Can you read a novel that you know perhaps a little bit about (if you were say, some kind of medical practioner), spot errors and simply overlook them and enjoy the book for it's own sake"? It is after all, a work of fiction, a novel. Not the new England Journal of Medicine (and you thought I learned nothing from reading!).
Food for thought. Or at least that is my hope. So for now, it's me, Robin Cook, Jack Stapleton (major character's name) and an enjoyable evening.
Until next time, read on friends and keep in touch.
.
Friday, July 24, 2009
My First Attempt
Recently someone put the question to me “does the music we listen to say something about us as individuals or is it just a random like/dislike kind of thing. I thought about this for a while before answering. In fact, as I lay in bed that night reading my second boring book in a row, it came to me that the same question could be asked about books. What does our choice of reading material say about us – if anything? Being the avid reader that I am, this question totally derailed the original music question and I have been thinking about books and how they affect me ever since.
I consider myself to be a “Christian”. That is, one who follows (or at least tries to follow) Christ. I believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and a triune God. That being said, how do I justify my choice of reading material? As a rule, I read only for enjoyment. Reading is an escape for me. My life is totally uninspired and lifeless and books help fill a gap for me. So....how do I choose what to read? I enjoy gratuitous violence in books. I enjoy gratuitous sex in books. Does this make me a “bad Christian”? Is there a place in society for these types of books or should I be avoiding them as the “trash” they really are. (“trash” is a word I usually use to describe any work of literature that is not meant for “learning” purposes. ie: any given novel) Further, are they worse (or arguably better) trash because of the sex and/or violence?
I caught a lot of flack from many Christian friends when I read The DaVinci Code and Harry Potter and admitted to thoroughly enjoying them. Was the outrage of my friends justified? Should I not be reading such books? Are they in fact tools of the devil or harmful to my soul in ways that I can't quite understand? Or are they simply wonderfully written works of fiction that I could lose myself in for a bit. (as is my personal belief).
These and many other questions have arisen since I started actively thinking about what I read, (it's also possible that I simply have way too much time on my hands) so I decided to put some of these questions out there and see if anyone else has ideas about books and why they read what they read.
I've decided to start off by continuing (for now at least) with the book I am now being bored with and see what happens. It is one of my “trashy novels” called Pot of Gold by Judith Michael. A major piece of fluff to say the least. I will keep you updated on the book and whether or not it gets any better, whether I finally give up in disgust and put the book down or simply push on and finish the darn thing and pick up the next escape route.
I would like to encourage you to share your thoughts about books, authors, writing genres, and anything else literary that you may think of. I am especially interested right now in your thoughts as to why I am persevering with this piece of boredom I am using as a sleep aid right now.
Answers to the above questions could spark some interesting conversations I think, so please feel free to offer opinions on those as well.
Most of all, please bear in mind that I am totally new to this and am not a seasoned blogger or writer of any sort, so bear with me.
I have listed below a few of my favorite authors (as you will see, Judith Michael is not among them) so you will probably gain a little insight as to what kind of novels I enjoy. If you think there is an author out there that I might enjoy and his/her name is not on the list, please suggest it! I am always on the lookout for new authors to read.
Beyond all that folks.............read on...........
Favorite Authors:
James Patterson
Steve Berry
Robert Ludlum
Ken Follett
Robin Cook
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Barbara Taylor Bradford
Judith Krantz
Andrew Greeley
Jeffrey Archer
Five Favorite Books (in no particular order):
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke
Little Women by Lousia May Alcott
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I consider myself to be a “Christian”. That is, one who follows (or at least tries to follow) Christ. I believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and a triune God. That being said, how do I justify my choice of reading material? As a rule, I read only for enjoyment. Reading is an escape for me. My life is totally uninspired and lifeless and books help fill a gap for me. So....how do I choose what to read? I enjoy gratuitous violence in books. I enjoy gratuitous sex in books. Does this make me a “bad Christian”? Is there a place in society for these types of books or should I be avoiding them as the “trash” they really are. (“trash” is a word I usually use to describe any work of literature that is not meant for “learning” purposes. ie: any given novel) Further, are they worse (or arguably better) trash because of the sex and/or violence?
I caught a lot of flack from many Christian friends when I read The DaVinci Code and Harry Potter and admitted to thoroughly enjoying them. Was the outrage of my friends justified? Should I not be reading such books? Are they in fact tools of the devil or harmful to my soul in ways that I can't quite understand? Or are they simply wonderfully written works of fiction that I could lose myself in for a bit. (as is my personal belief).
These and many other questions have arisen since I started actively thinking about what I read, (it's also possible that I simply have way too much time on my hands) so I decided to put some of these questions out there and see if anyone else has ideas about books and why they read what they read.
I've decided to start off by continuing (for now at least) with the book I am now being bored with and see what happens. It is one of my “trashy novels” called Pot of Gold by Judith Michael. A major piece of fluff to say the least. I will keep you updated on the book and whether or not it gets any better, whether I finally give up in disgust and put the book down or simply push on and finish the darn thing and pick up the next escape route.
I would like to encourage you to share your thoughts about books, authors, writing genres, and anything else literary that you may think of. I am especially interested right now in your thoughts as to why I am persevering with this piece of boredom I am using as a sleep aid right now.
Answers to the above questions could spark some interesting conversations I think, so please feel free to offer opinions on those as well.
Most of all, please bear in mind that I am totally new to this and am not a seasoned blogger or writer of any sort, so bear with me.
I have listed below a few of my favorite authors (as you will see, Judith Michael is not among them) so you will probably gain a little insight as to what kind of novels I enjoy. If you think there is an author out there that I might enjoy and his/her name is not on the list, please suggest it! I am always on the lookout for new authors to read.
Beyond all that folks.............read on...........
Favorite Authors:
James Patterson
Steve Berry
Robert Ludlum
Ken Follett
Robin Cook
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Barbara Taylor Bradford
Judith Krantz
Andrew Greeley
Jeffrey Archer
Five Favorite Books (in no particular order):
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke
Little Women by Lousia May Alcott
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
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