In Which I Express my Lifelong Love

I'll be updating this later, but I need to close this window before my family gets annoyed. So here's a start.

Dear Void,

For the record, I did write a post for this blog. But I put it in the wrong blog. And blogger won't let me copy-paste. So there.

I never ever want to live in a house that isn't teeming with books. A house without bookshelves or book stacks in almost every room, a home where tripping over a book on the floor is unusual. I never want that to be me. I want to live--always--between the dedication page and the Acknowledgements. I curl up to sleep between front and back covers. I breathe air scented with the aromas of paper and printer's ink. I eat while reading. I listen to music while reading. I carry on conversations while reading. I have even been known to watch movies while reading.

Which is, I admit, unusual.

So let's talk books for a minute. Delicious, wonderful, cozy books. I been asked for recommended reading... here I go. (Note, the parentheticals are other people's recommendations)

P.S. There are some terms you'll need to know to navigate this.

Brain candy; noun, [invented by my mother c. 1980ish] a term describing a type of literature that is enjoyable and well written, but which does not imporve the mental capacity of the reader. (Note: this may be untrue. Sometimes you learn, mostly from high-level brain candy.)

Easy Adult; these are books about adults that are easy reads. Easy Teen and Easy Kid are some obvious terms too.

Lit Love: a character I personally am in love with.

Skettttchy: a book with semi-quetionable content.


Artemis Fowl and the following series by Eoin Colfer. Stories of a genious boy's interaction with a hidden magical world. Medium Teen brain candy. Lit Love Butler.

The Boxcar Children #1 by Gertrude Chandler Warner. The first book is a delight. The story of four siblings trying to make their way in the world. Super easy kid brain candy.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (first book titled Dealing With Dragons) by Patricia C. Wrede. Fast-paced, intriguing plotlines involving unusual royalty, dragons, and other magic. Fantasy. Middle-upper brain candy. Lit Love Mendenbar (and Cimorene in a non-lesbian way.)

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. The story of a crippled orphan girl (Kira) in a post-apocolyptic rural town with a semi-magical gift for weaving. It's a whole lot less stupid than it sounds. This is not brain candy, but I do absolutely love it. I also have a huge crush on Thomas the Carver. Also of note is The Giver, set in the same world and time but in a completely different city, where things are overly controlled and individuality is a lost concept. The main character, Jonas, has the semi-magical ability to absorb others' memories when they are passsed on to him. Technically these two books are both part of a series that ends with The Messenger, but I didn't like that book. However, if you are interested, it is the story of Matt from Gathering Blue and involves both Kira and Jonas as well.

The Hatchet by Gary Paulson. A brilliant short novel about a boy's struggle to survive the Canadian Wilderness. Fiction. High-level brain candy.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards. The fantastic story of three siblings who, guided by a highly imaginitive professor, search the lands of mythical creatures for the last Whangdoodle. Easy braincandy, very lighthearted.

Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards. The story of an orphan girl who finds a project that helps her to become truly self-identified. Kid high brain candy.

The Melendy Series (first book titled The Saturdays.) by Elizabeth Enright. The story of a world-wars era family, particularly the children. Fiction (semi-historical.) Easy brain candy. Easy kid.

(Mitford Series) by Jan Karon

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater. A story about a man, his family, and a troop of performing penguins. Lots of fun. Fiction. Young Brain Candy.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. The story of a boy who chooses a life in the mountain wilderness. I freaking love-- not just love, freaking love--this book. I read it more than once a year. Fiction. Medium brain candy.

-The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill. One of my all-time favorite books, this is a humorous short novel about a historical war that never occurred. Pretend-Historical Fiction (yeah, figure that out!)/satire. Medium level Brain Candy. Lit Love Maxie Hammerman and Morris the Florist.

-The Pyradain Chronicles beginning with The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander. Based on Welsh mythology, these books tell the archetypal story of a boy, his friends and associates, and their quest(s) to save their world. It's been a while since I read them, but I'd say they're just a few notches below J.R.R. Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings series.

-Watership Down by Richard Adams. I have a confession to make--I have yet to ever actually finish this book. It's really long. But I really like it as far as I've read! It's very dark fyi. The story of a group of rabbits (led by the prescient rabbit Fiver) as they are fleeing an unknown and horrifying threat. It sounds mystical and silly, but really it's a social commentary and it's beautifully written. Once you get past the fact that they're rabbits, it seems pretty human. (Ha.) This is adult-level writing, not something to be breezed through, sneezed at, or handed to your eight-year-old. But I do like it a lot. (also, please love the juxtaposition of brEEZed and snEEZed. Tee hee.)

-A Wrinkle in Time and the following series by Madeleine L'Engle. Books involving magic, scienc, Christian faith, and a some beautiful insights. Fiction/Fantasy/SciFi. Teen. Many Waters is a tiny bit sketchy. My personal favorites in the series are A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet.


Authors of note:

Orson Scott Card--author of a whole bunch of science fiction works very few of which I have read. I strongly recommend the Ender series AND the Shadow series. Absolutely worth your time. (Lost Boys is creepy but very well done as well.)

Beverly Cleary--author of books in several young age ranges, she writes cheerful, funny, real-life stories. Especially notable are Fifteen and The Luckiest Girl, both of a medium teen brain candy range, romantic (not dirty.)

Eoin Colfer--see Artemis Fowl. Multiple series on a similar level.

In Which I am Giddy

Dear Void,

If you've ever lived somewhere with Namornese winters, you'll understand. (If you caught that incredibly obscure reference, I'll be amazed.)

I live in Utah. Northern Utah. Somwhere around mid-September, a frosty wind will blow in. We put on our jackets and head out anyway. Once October hits, we get frosted (and brown) grass and the trash cans freeze shut. By November, the snow starts.

Snow.

Thanksgiving.

Snow.

Christmas.

Snow.

New Year's.

Snow.

Valentine's Day.

Snow.

St. Patrick's Day.

Snow.

Easter.

Snow.

May Day.

Sunshine?

Snow.

Then, out of nowhere, a blazing hot summer will hit. But after months of shivering in our snow coats and wearing fleece footie pajamas under our clothes (that might have been hyperbole ;) ), we don't mind.

However. Today was one of those days where it doesn't matter what happens, we'll all be happy as clams--well, happy as happy clams. I don't know how happy your average clam is. And who thought that was a good cliche anyway? Why not happy as daisies? Dasies seem happy. Or happy as monkeys? Monkeys seem happy most of the time too...

But I digress.

I walked out of school. I got in my car. And--are you even ready for this?

I TOOK OFF MY JACKET.

And then.

I TURNED ON MY A/C.

And then.

I TURNED OFF MY A/C AND ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOW.

It was miraculous. I love sunshine.

Over&Out

In Which I combine Tidbits to Make a Post

Dear Void,

Sometimes in my life stuff happens and I say to myself, "I should blog about that." And then I don't. Here are a few things I meant to post about:

The Prom Problem
I know what I want to wear. I know there are people I would certainly wish to go with. But fate doesn't seem to like me just now, so I asked my brother if--should I not be asked--he would take me to Prom.

He said NO! Sad face.

But this was at Sunday dinner, so my brother's roomates were there. One of them piped up with an, "ooh! I love Prom! I'll take you!" End of stress. I can now look forward to going with someone from school, or if not, going anyway.

Thanks Jason!

Oreo Friends

"Friendship is like an oreo. You and I are the chocolate cookies, and the white creamy stuff is the love that holds us together." --My friend Anna

One Cup of Complaint?

My mom was looking through her recipies the other day and stumbled across an ingredient list which included,

"1 c. white whine."

I know what they meant... but all I can picture is complaining into a saucepan. Smiley face.

Darn that Stan

Recently a young boy expressed to my sister that he had learned in Church that Jesus has a mean brother named Stan. Probably the best decription of Satan I've ever heard. Not that I've been keeping track. But still. In all seriousness, kind of--avoid Stan. He's real mean.

Hope that brightened your day!
Over&Out

In Which I Share a Smile

This is pretty. :)

I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day because I've never had cause to. Which is fine, my dear friend Zu and I watch Jekyll&Hyde the musical (with David Hasselhoff as Jekyll/Hyde) every February 14th and laugh until we almost barf. I LOVE J&H day, I look forward to it all year. So to all of you who, like me, are without a Valentine, HAPPY JEKYLL AND HYDE DAY!! :)

But I thought I'd share this cuteness. My best friend's boyfriend came up today, gave her a massive hug from behind, and exclaimed, "Happy Valentine's Day!" in her ear before running off to class. It made me smile. So whatever you celebrate, or if you just love flowers, happy February 14th.

For me it will be a truly perfect holday if people learn to pronounce "February" right. Just sayin'. :)

Over&Out

In Which I Rant Just a Wee Bit

Dear Void,

I am posting again. It is about twenty minutes after my previous post. I have been sitting here, reading blogs, doing nothing of real value.

Why?

Oh. Yeah. I'm supposed to be on a date right now.

Don't get me wrong, I adore this boy. He is great fun and we enjoy frolicking together and generally acting like nincompoops because we're friends and we can. I also thouroughly enjoy being dressed as a pirate, as I am now, in preparation for the school dance which is candyland themed.

But let me tell you what I don't enjoy (and my dear Yoseph, this is in no way a personal attack on you, so don't feel unloved):

Lateness.

I really really dislike when people don't show up when they say they will. For instance, my dancing-pirate date was supposed to be here... forty-five minutes ago.

Forty-six.

Forty-seven??

*sigh* Forty-eight.

And so I blog.

Let me give you another example. A week or so ago this other boy said he was coming over at seven. Great! I decided not to change into my pajamas.

Seven fifteen.

Seven thirty.

Seven forty.

Eight? I texted him. "Oh, sorry, I'm helping a friend with his car. I can't come tonight after all." I COULD HAVE BEEN IN PAJAMAS THAT WHOLE TIME!!!

Ironically I'm posting this later than intended because my date finally did show up yesterday. The dance was fun.

But seriously.... humanity... Einstein said that the reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once? I have to disagree with you on this, Al. I think the reason for time is so that people actually manage to meet up when they want to. I think we should probably work on this.

Myself, sadly, included. ;)

Over&Out

In Which I Make a Smallish Change

Dear Void,

I was thinking about this blog. And how it's called "Commentary On" because originally I was aiming to give enlightening commentaries on the world. But I've had this realization:

My posts aren't all that enlightening.

So, henceforth, I declare that the commentary referred to in the title is an expression of my ever-constant interior monologue. Which may not seem all that different to you, but which feels a lot less limiting to me.

Over&Out (for now)

P.S. "smallish" looks really funny when you type/write it out. Just sayin'.

In Which I am a Creeper

Dear Void,

Today I went to Red Mango with my dear friend Anna and my new acquaintance Bretton. I had a most delicious smoothie, not to mention fantisizing about eating a large bowl of berries; strawberries, blackberries, huckleberries (which admittedly don't mix well,) blueberries, raspberries...

Yum.

But I digress. So. Sitting in Red Mango slurping my smoothie through a straw (I love alitterations) when in walks what I assume was two sisters and a baby in one of those baby-carrier... things. Anyway. They set the baby on the floor (well no, they set the baby carrier on the floor, the baby was inside it not actually on the tiles) and went up to the counter to order. The baby started crying.

Sad baby sounds make me sad.

I walked over to the baby (abandoning my friends) and started making faces at him in order to cheer him up. It didn't help. Somehow (and please don't ask me to explain how, it's one of the great mysteries of the universe) I could tell that what he actually wanted was to be picked up. I called across the room to his mom and aunt, saying,

"Hey, I promise I'm not a kidnapper, can I take him out and see if I can get him to stop crying? I understand if that's not okay." His aunt chuckled and said sure, that was fine.

After struggling with the claspy thing for a minute, I freed baby from his carrier. The minute I picked him up, he stopped crying. He and I took a stroll around the room as I bounced him. He stared at Bretton for like a whole minute. When his mommy (that would be Baby's mommy, not Bretton's) was finished at the counter, I handed baby over to her (with some reluctance.)

The moral of the story? I have GOT to get a baby in my family. I am baby hungry. But it was fun! And that's my story. :)

Over&Out.