Fashion Plate

My guy chose his own clothes for the first time! Big day for me people. Absolutely NO DRAMA getting this kid dressed this morning. Yee-Haw!

Book Reviews

I was unable to finish "The Vampire Diaries" trilogy of books that I have. After the first one I just couldn't do the second one. Somewhere along the line I saw an ad for the TV show and even though it seems to stray greatly from the book; it still had enough info that I just didn't have any zest for the reading. So keeping that in mind, I review waht I have read since returning to actual "literature.". However, it is very possible that I have been deceived and poisoned by my previous trash books. I am pretty sure that an Archie comic would have seemed substantial. With that, I will introduce two of them. The third book that I have read was "The Secret Lives of Saints: Child Brides and Lost Boys in Canada's Polygamous Sect." I had planned to write my seething review of it with these two books however a literary pal of mine passed along three more books of the same subject. I figure once I finish them I will prepare to go a few rounds with the Fundamentalist Mormons.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

I have to say that of all the three books this was my least favorite. It is not a bad book but the story seemed so implausible to me that I had a hard time "getting" it. The story itself hinges around this catastrophic event that sends the lives of the characters hurling in different directions and then finally together. I guess I just didn't see the catastrophic even in the same way that the author did. It was a tragedy obviously, life altering and heart breaking but I did not see it as a big "secret" needing to be protected. I also found some of the characters useless and the story ended a little abruptly for my taste. Speaking of abrupt endings....I gave James Frey a chance in his post-Oprah spanking, first fiction venture with "Bright Shiny Morning." What a load of s#*t and every book with an abrupt ending will now be held to this POS's standard. I digress....I actually would have enjoyed this book more if they had kept it in the detention facility that opened the book. There was a lot of potential story to be created within those four characters and I would have gladly read on. All in all, didn't mind it but I didn't have any "post book depression" that I often have when saying good-bye to well loved characters that I will never know again. So read it or don't read it....either way your life will be no different than it was before.

This is where I leave you by Jonathan Tropper

Now this book on the other hand was fantastic! I loved it! I loved it so much that I found myself fascinating about the movie it would make...then realized that it would,in fact, make a superior stage play. The characters were flawless, honest, unapologetic. The author created within them both strengths and weaknesses and used both soundly. There were surprise reveals, obvious "surprise" reveals and some predictability which made this a really even story. There were ups and there were downs. It really did a great job of illustrating how dirty family dynamics can really get. At least how I know families. It felt really honest to me while evoking feelings of sadness, compassion and joy. I really felt as though I was along for the ride with this family for better or for worse. I think that anyone can see themselves within the text and likely their own family members,too! I read this book in an entire day while driving from Saskatoon back to the Koots. I could not put it down and leave it for long. It was just so engaging. I honestly laughed aloud at times. This is by far one of the best books that I have read in quite some time. You know a story is good when you find yourself reminiscing about the characters as though they are actual people you just haven't seen in a while! Read it! I am just not lending you my copy because I don't want to lose mine!

Friendship in the time of Facebook

So....when I was at work last night I found myself composing the blog that I have meaning to get to for a week. Subject:books. I have read three good ones, one of them was particularly great! One of the other ones was about Polygamy so, needless to say, I have A LOT of material.

Then I saw a new friend walking up the hill by my work. We just happened to have dinner plans for this week and was just firming up our plans. She came over to chat and asked if this was where I work.....We talked about a few other things, finished planning dinner and off she went. It struck me later in the evening what I found interesting about that particular question and it came to me.....Facebook! Even though we have only met a couple times and have yet to hang out formally there is already a familiarity that you can only have with a near stranger in this day and age. It amazed me that you can know so much and so little about someone just by being friends on facebook. It goes the other way as well....how many of us have run into someone who we are "friends" with on facebook only to fine the interaction awkward and uncomfortable.....

I liken it to "dating" or "courting" new friendships. You meet somewhere..... your interest in each other is piqued. You ask the million dollar question "do you facebook?" Perhaps you actually remember their name when you get home (I very rarely do) and "friend request" them. Again, I liken that to being asked out on the first date... the casual "are you interested?" The once friendship has been confirmed you get to look around their page (snoop.) Pictures, videos. comments, groups, blogs.... then comes the commenting. And the reciprocal commenting until you are chatting back and forth like you grew up together.

Then comes the next step. Actually meeting and hanging out. This to me is the interesting part because there is already such familiarity...you have seen the pictures of them taken minutes after giving birth and if you are really lucky they have posted the video. Where do you go over coffee from there? "Well, uh....I just wanted you to know that from the looks of it they really did a great job piecing your episiotomy together."

I jest....but only a little. However you can have all the familiarity in the world and it will mean nothing without it. Chemistry. It is that "zip" that makes a relationship tick. It doesn't matter how much time you spend bantering with someone in the cyber world. It doesn't matter what you have in common or how much fun the person looks like they are from the pictures they post....there has to be some kind of friendly magic that brings these new relationships from being screen to being seen. I am always excited at this prospect. New relationships of any kind are fun. The getting to know you part....except....you kinda skipped because you got to know each other on facebook. Damn....did I just discredit my entire this entire post?

I feel the need to go back and proof read.... I must be going crazy or something. I think I might actually spell check this one just for fun!