What's currently on my bookshelf..

Waiting to be grabbed up and set on my curled up lap for a long read...

1 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

A young woman finds, in her father's library, letters that lead her to the discovery that Vlad the Impaler, the basis of the legend of Dracula, might actually still be around. She follows to tale to

Adventure, world travels and mystery with a little bit of actual history mixed in with the fantasy. My favorite kind of book.

2 Heroines of the Sky by Jean Adams and Margaret Kimball
copyright 1942.

I found this book on the shelf in my parent's basement. It was no doubt my grandmother's and I noticed a library marking in the front form Aurora, Missouri. Haha, "Books may not be kept longer than two weeks without renewal. A fine of two cents a day shall be paid on each book which is not returned according to the rule above. An additional fee of 25 cents will be charged on overdue books for which it is necessary to send a messenger." Uh oh, my grandmother is in trouble. lol

Discovery of the book aside, I'll give you a preview of what it's about. The foremothers of flying. Amelia Earhart was not the only woman to fly from 1911 to 1942. There were about 20 women who truly set the standard for the rest of us. I've only read a few pages, but so far it's very inspiring and it's neat to see early photographs of an organization of which my grandmother, my mother, myself and even Amelia Earhart were members. The Ninety Nines.

3 The World's Greatest Letters edited by M. Lincoln Shuster

What a great discovery this book was! My husband and I were searching around in his grandparent's basement as they had requested we take a few old books off of their hands. They are well aware that the pair of us adore reading. I just picked this one off the shelf and it's worn but beautiful. Copyright 1940. It was published at the Rockefeller Center!

It gets better...The letters are classified by subject: Love letters, Letters of courage and adventure, letters or irony and satire, letters about turning points of history, etc.

And even better, it includes letters from the greats: Beethoven, Poe, Voltaire, Twain, Dickens, Di Vinci, Bryant, etc.

4 A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

The story of a boy who fled attacking rebels in Sierra Leone only to be picked up by the government army and forced to commit terrible acts. He tells his story.

5 Kabule Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

A woman retells her story of moving to Afghanistan with a degree in cosmetology. She joined the Kabul Beauty School and inspired women to support their families as cosmetologists. She really dips into the culture and ways of the Afghan society. She even ends up falling in love with an Afghan.

6 The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

A reclusive author has spent the last six decades writing different lives for herself. In every book that she publishes, she writes a different life story. Finally, she uncovers the ghosts of her past for a young biographer. However, she doesn't make it easy.

7 Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Hirsi Ali writes about her upbringing in a strict Muslim family in Somalia. She survived civil war, female mutilation, brutal beatings, and a forced marriage.

I just really like to read about different cultures. Nonfiction books from which I can actually learn something.

Beginning Anew

My goal is to talk about something new and different every day. Here goes.

First, my daily update:

I am a week away from being done with summer school. I just heard from my husband today for the first time in over a week. He's deployed right now, so it pretty much makes my day to hear from him.

Other musings:

In my Individual Learning Differences class, I was assigned to a group project with the purpose of discovering the history, treatment and classroom strategies to help those with hearing impairments. My group became so interested in the topic that we even learned a bit of sign language to aid our presentation. Unlike in my presentations in high school, I actually found the information useful. I had no idea what a big world that of Deaf Culture is.

When I heard about the Cochlear implant I thought that it was a great opportunity for someone who is deaf to be able to join the hearing world. I was unaware how biased that assumption was. Apparently those in Deaf Culture think of the implant as a tool of ostracization. If a child receives a Cochlear implant, that child is no longer a member of the allusive Deaf Culture but yet is not a member of the hearing world either. When the device is turned off, the child is still Deaf. Therefore, the child is ostraziced from both the deaf world and the hearing world.

Something else I learned: there is a difference between "Deaf" and "deaf". Deaf with a capital "D" refers to someone who was born deaf. Deaf with a lower case "d" implies that someone who was born hearing but is now deaf. "Hearing impaired" alludes to a person who has some loss of hearing or to a Deaf person who prefers to live in the hearing world. (i.e. attempting at communicating in verbal English.) I also did not realize that there is a huge reason for there to be a Deaf Culture.

Think about it. Someone who is born deaf learns to "speak" ASL. (American Sign Language) which is a sort of slang. If this person never is taught SEE (Exact Signed English) then this individual can't decipher the written word. Therefore this person is exempt from, not only the world of music as they can't hear, but also the great works of literature. And without the understanding of the written word, this person cannot read subtitles so they are exempt from cinema culture as well. This is a shared culture of the majority of the inhabitants of the Earth. Music, movies, literature. So it makes sense that those who are deaf would find a culture entirely their own. It makes sense why they would ostracize themselves from the rest of society. I mean, without books, music, movies and the ability to communicate in a language other than ASL, what do they have in common with hearing society? Deaf Culture is also arguably the only culture passed down from child to child. The majority of deaf children are born into hearing families. Consequently, the first time they find someone to relate to is within the classroom of other children who are deaf. Something to think about.

A Prayer

So I feel pretty good today... I tried to sleep but I couldn't...so I'm going to write and try again.
I just prayed about something that was kinda frivolous and I just realized that while I was going through the cancer treatment, I never once prayed for cure. I prayed for all of those who were praying for me and for all of my friends and family to get through it, but I don't remember praying to get over it. Isn't that funny? That I can pray about something so little, but not about something that big? I guess it kinda makes sense. I knew that God was doing what He was for a reason and that He wouldn't have given me cancer if He didn't have something in mind for me later on. But the little things, sometimes I don't know if he realizes how much they mean to me, or how much I believe they mean. You know what? He usually answers them too. Whether it be what I wanted or not, He teaches me something through everything that I ask of him and everything that likewise results.
Our God sure is an awesome God isn't he?
-Just Live-
P.s. i know I've already used this picture, but it seemed to apply here.

The Wedding

"The Wedding" is a really good book, btw. I wish I had more time to read.
I am so blessed and it's funny how even after cancer, I find myself obsessing over little things. This book really makes me think about my parents and how they are drifting. I mean, I know they still love eachother, but they spend literally 24 hours a day together, without really being together. Working and owning a business together makes for a rocky relationship. All they talk about anymore is the car lot. I just wish they would realize that life is precious and sometimes short. You would think that your daughter getting cancer would snap you into reality. I only see my dad about once a week and we seldom eat dinner together as a family. My mom tries so hard to hold everything together, but it shouldn't be a one person job. I try to help, but there's only so much I can do. It seems like whatever I do seems to be the wrong thing. I love my dad when he is himself, but the only time he's himself is on vacation and the only time we are on vacation is during the flyins. I love seeing his eyes light up when he tells his pilot friends about my flying. I wish he could be that funny, lovable dad all the time. When we are at home, he turns cold, absorbed in the newspaper or the weather channel. He has a permanent frown on his forhead. I know I'm taking this all too seriously, because a lot of people are worse off than me, but I just wish my dad would realize that he has all he's ever wanted right infront of him. He needs to enjoy it while it's still there. I would rather have my dad happy and at home than sad and constantly working. I wonder if my dad thinks about these things...somehow I doubt it.

Unpredictable

He is soooooooo cute! State Fair

People are so incredibly predictable, yet so amazingly confusing at the same time...I was giving my presentation in English class today on Emerson's quote, "Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist." It's easy to say that being a nonconformist these days really is being a conformist, but I think that being a nonconformist is just being yourself. You can come to the same conclusion as everyone else, but it's the way you came to that conclusion that makes you a nonconformist, it's the steps you took or the things that happend to you that helped you make that decision which shows your individuality. I think it's time for me to make a list again. My lists are not the typical lists. I don't want a guy that says incredibly syrupy sweet things, or brings me roses every day. I don't want a best friend that I can gossip with. I'm kinda different.
Best friend
like Emerson says, "A friend is one before whom I may think aloud." I want my friend to actually listen to what I am saying and respond with an answer that contributes to the conversation topic instead of spending the time that I am talking, thinking about what they are going to say next.
Someone who can look at me and know what I'm feeling on the inside, no matter how I am protraying myself on the outside. They would give me a hug when I really needed one.
They may not be there for me 24/7, but they are there when I really need them.
This person knows who they are and doesn't change at the drop of a hat.
They stick to their opinions, morals, and values.
Mr. Right
Funny, but not stupid funny, witty humor. Makes me laugh about things and at myself. He can also laugh at himself.
Sweet but not corny.
Jealous, in a cute way, but not overprotective or obsessive.
Intelligent when it counts.
Self assured and confident, but not arrogant or concieted.
Creative with date ideas and presents.
Treats me like a lady, but lets me be a tomboy when I want.
Understands that even though I'm ditzy and late I have good intentions.
Understands and respects my morals and values.
Unpredictable enough that I occationally have no idea what he's thinking or doing.
Has his own life and his own friends.
Wants me to meet his family and friends.
Knows that he's lucky to have me and doesn't risk losing me. But if he does lose me, he would do anything to get me back as long as he knew that I still wanted to be with him.
Would come dancing with me and go till he learned how to dance regardless of how stupid he looked.
Find a different way to tell me that he loves me and say it at times when I don't feel very loved.
Understand that I have my own dreams and as long has he respects mine, I will respect his.
Lets me practice taking pictures on him.
Adds to my personality, doesn't take away.
Enjoys doing outdoorsy things. And is willing to try anything.
Lets me be me and loves me for who I am.
Wants to travel the world with me.
....................I wonder if I'm ever going to find the guy that's right for me.........................
I know he's out there......somewhere.

Walk the Line

I got these shoes at a vintage shop. I just watched the movie, "walk the line" with my mom. I think this shadow illustrates that phrase...

Just some thoughts...

Do you ever wonder why it is so hard to be happy? It seems like no matter what you do, you are always hurting someone. Being happy should be the easiest task. Somehow, everyone is out to get eachother. Someone's best friend can turn out to be their worst enemy. I've tried the, "Don't tell anyone your secrets and don't tell anyone else's" but it seems that is all conversations consist of these days, "Gossip". I hear even the smartest people trading stories on others. Talking about how much one group of people gossips, while doing it themselves. I do it myself. I can't figure out if it is just because I'm forced to participate or if it's the form of peer pressure that i so often claim to resist. Or is it taht we all have this burning desire to talk about others?
It's like fashion, I always try not to be trendy, I never like the fashion on the racks, then eventually I am forced to buy into it. It begins to "grow on me". Perhaps it is because fashion, like so many other things is forced on us. If the only item every store sells is a puke green sweater, no matter how much we all hate it, every one of us will eventually own one. It becomes cool simply because we are forced to view it as such.
Back to gossip, I feel terrible when I think about the saying I always quote, "Stupid people talk about people, average people talk about things, smart people talk about ideas." or "It's better to be silent and be thought wise, than to speak and be thought a fool." People also like to talk about themselves. i would think the goal in life would be to learn all you can about everyone and everything around you by listening. Rather than to tell everyone and everything about yourself therefore gaining no knowledge.
When guys start high school, they start thinking about girls (okay, before highschool). They do everything they can to get "that girl". If only they would spend less time thinking about girls and more time learning and doing things that they enjoy. Things that they would benefit from and things that girls would love about them. These boys would be more appealing to "that girl". Who wants to date someone whose life experience consists of what he's seen on T.V.? No one wants to date a guy whose interests are: T.V., girls, video games, girls, and uh more T.V. Wouldn't a girl rather date the guy that never had time for a girlfriend because he was too busy having a life? Same goes for girls, why not spend that spare time learning about yourself and making yourself a more interesting person. Ask yourself if you would want to spend time with you. If you wouldn't, there must be something you are missing. If you aren't interesting enough for you to be alone with yourself, why would you be interesting to anyone else?
If you don't agree with me, that's fine, because I'm not telling you how to live your life, I'm just telling you how I plan on living mine.