tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326716962024-03-07T05:04:00.315-05:00Candidly SusanWherein Susan tries her hand at blogging, with a commitment to candor and integrity.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-383040167111837412017-12-28T20:16:00.000-05:002017-12-28T20:16:31.711-05:002017 Is In The Books<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel I owe a big debt of gratitude to my sister-in-law,
Janet Beasley. Last year at this time
she was posting about how she was furiously reading to hit a specific milestone
number of books for the year that she had set as a personal goal. That got me to thinking. I’m an avid reader, but I had never been
particularly intentional about it. I
couldn’t have told you how many books I read in a year. I mainly just went to the library each
weekend and took out whatever caught my eye.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her enthusiasm intrigued me, though. So I decided that in 2017, I would keep a
record of what I read. Not only that, I
also decided I would try to break out of my rut a bit. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d bet 90% or
more of what I read the previous year would have been classified as either a
cozy mystery or a procedural. Some were
more literary than others, some perhaps more humorous, but in general mysteries
are my favorite books, and I tend to gravitate to those two types. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thus inspired, I started a spreadsheet and recorded every book I read in
2017. And while I still read plenty of
mysteries, especially cozies and procedurals, I made it a point to read other
types of books, too. I started literally
keeping a “to-be-read” list, fed by reviews I read in the <i>New York Times Review of Books</i>, NPR,
recommendations from friends and from the<i> Jungle Reds</i> authors’ blog (which I
HIGHLY recommend!), and other random sources.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of this definitely led me to up
my reading game! I have about 170 pages
left to finish my last book of the year, and I am absolutely confident I will
make it. When I finish that one (and I’ll stay up late on the 30<sup>th</sup> if need be to ensure I do) I will have read
60 books this year. I’m not sure if that’s
more than the year before, but I am sure the variety was greater and that I
challenged myself more.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Drumroll, please: here’s the tally. This year I completed 15
procedural mysteries, 14 cozy mysteries, 11 contemporary novels, five spy
novels, three historical novels, three religious books, three short story
collections, three thrillers, two memoirs, and one business book. I enjoyed all
of them really. Still, a few that I probably would never have read had I not
decided to be more intentional, yet that stand out in my memory, are Bel Canto,
The Hearts of Men, A Man Called Ove, and A Gentleman in Moscow. I recommend
them!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I end where I began, thanking my sister-in-law for
drawing my focus to my reading. I plan to continue tracking what I read. And while I will never lose my love of
mysteries, I hope to also expand my reading variety even more in 2018. In fact,
it is one of the things that makes me feel really hopeful about the New Year!<o:p></o:p></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-71406469432101086412017-11-11T22:21:00.000-05:002017-11-11T22:21:49.735-05:00How may roles can I play in one day?<div class="MsoNormal">
Today was an interesting day. First I went to a testing center and took an
exam. It was for a professional certification – something I’ve worked toward for a long time. It was a 200 question exam that took about 2 ½
hours, and it was the culmination of a long, difficult climb. It means a lot to me professionally.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My husband was at an all-day training event today, so when I
passed it, all I could do was text him the good news. I also let my boss know and called my son.
Then I was pretty much out of celebration opportunities.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I scrubbed my kitchen floor, cleaned our master bath, and
cleaned some spots on my dining room floor and a bar stool, all in preparation for having family to my house for Thanksgiving. After that I made a
grocery list and went grocery shopping. Then it was time to meet Bob at a
Scout-related dinner. It was a pleasant
enough affair, with lots of great people at it, but I was pleasantly surprised
when Bob suggested we leave at the earliest polite opportunity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since then, we’ve been relaxing at home with a plate of
cheese and crackers, him enjoying a beer, me a glass of wine. We’ve watched a couple of our favorite shows
from Acorn TV. It’s not necessarily the celebration I would have chosen, but it’s
been nice. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I can’t help but reflect on what an odd day it has
been! From professional heights to
scullery maid to dutiful wife to comfortable old married couple. Wow! <o:p></o:p></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-2535929157229182042017-01-09T16:34:00.000-05:002017-01-09T16:34:31.210-05:00What a long, strange trip it's been<i>I just came across this post that I had started and abandoned in June. Even though the triggering event is less timely now, it still feels worth finishing and posting.</i><br />
<br />
A few days ago I went to the memorial service for a woman I had known most of my life. Except, as so often happens, it turns out that I had known only one little portion of her. Grayce was the mother of a childhood friend, and though I had always been aware that she was an accomplished woman, I had never grasped the extent of her accomplishments, nor the complexity of her life. It was very moving, and it triggered waves of introspection.<br />
<br />
One of the things I had been unaware of was her difficult childhood. Grayce's mother had died before she was 3, and her father left her and her siblings with relatives and went off to make money to support them. They were raised by various relatives, and I gather they did not have an easy way of it either emotionally or financially. I had experienced Grayce as an extremely generous person, and suddenly it all made sense: someone who knew what it was like to do without would be likely to watch out for others and try to prevent anyone else from having that experience.<br />
<br />
There's a lot more I could write about Grayce, but since I was really friends with her daughter and only tangentially with her, I don't feel that her story is mine to share. But it did really make me think about some of life's big questions. The main thought I had as I left the memorial was, "If someone came to a service and heard my life summarized, what would suddenly be explained?"<br />
<br />
For my early childhood, my family was kind of nomadic. After years of my mom and siblings living in one place while my dad traveled through the week to earn a living, my parents decided to try moving all of us to follow his work. I'm kind of a second family for my parents, so when we started moving --just as I was starting school -- my brothers were already out of the house and my sister was in high school. Then she graduated and moved on, too. But the whole business of following Dad's work never really worked -- we were perpetually one move behind, so he was still away throughout the work week for most of my life, with us living someplace where we had no family or old friends. I wonder what parts of my character is explained by that narrative -- the constant uprooting, always being the new kid in school, spending so much time with just my mom. Hard to say. I'm sure it contributed to my love of books, as they were faithful friends. And my ability to strike up a conversation with almost anyone. I wonder what else.<br />
<br />
My dad died when I was 13, and it's a little easier to see the marks that left on me. My mom had been a housewife, very good at keeping a house and raising children, but totally dependent on my dad financially. She didn't even really know what bills there were. She just knew he paid them, and gave her an allowance to run the house on. So when he died, she went through a very rough time. I took on a lot of adult responsibilities and tried to take care of her as much as she took care of me -- to shield her from things that would upset her. Even I can see how that made me a little crazy over being in control of my own life and feeling unduly responsible for everyone and everything. I'm sure there's other residue as well.<br />
<br />
And that just covers the first 16 years or so of my life! There have been so many chapters since then, so many different kinds of experiences that have left such a variety of marks on me. College. My six-year first marriage. Graduate school. My successful almost-30-year marriage. The twists and turns of my career. Twenty-three years of child rearing. In the immortal words of the Grateful Dead, "What a long, strange trip it's been!" <br />
<br />
Guess I'll leave it there for today. I am dead-set that I WILL post this time. But I feel like there is fodder there for further thought. Perhaps some of it will make its way to publication later.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-72569419398731839032015-08-22T12:22:00.000-04:002015-08-22T12:22:15.206-04:00TransitionsHaving long had a motto that "I'd rather burn out than rust out," I sometimes run into real danger of doing just that -- burning out. I've always felt like there was just so much good stuff out there to do, and I want to do it all!<br />
<br />
But occasionally, it feels good to pause a moment and catch my breath. This is one of those times. Sam left for college last night, and Bob is fully booked with activities today. Warren will be around once he wakes up, but for the moment, I have a little quiet time to myself. Even after that, the whole weekend is pretty much unscheduled and stress free. And I want to really relish it, because after this weekend, my calendar sends me off and running again pretty much nonstop until the second week of November.<br />
<br />
Bob and I have been talking a lot lately about how we're right on the brink of a new life phase. This is Sam's senior year of college and though he does need three semesters yet to finish, he has made it clear that he is unlikely to live here next summer. So barring the always possible change of plans, he has effectively lived here for the last time. His future presence will be just visits, which I suspect are different in nature. <br />
<br />
Warren is moving out in just over a month. He has finally gotten his act together and worked steadily for the last six months, saved money, and reached a point where I think he stands a fighting chance of making it as a self-supporting adult. Now he just needs to spread his wings and fly.<br />
<br />
So soon, Bob and I will be empty nesters. We're really looking forward to it at this point. We envision it as being almost a return to the early years of marriage, where we could follow our own whims and schedules without really having to worry about anyone else's needs. Of course, it won't be exactly like that. These two young men aren't going to just disappear and never show up with needs. And we each have an aging mother who wasn't a concern back in the newlywed years. The two of us are blessed with excellent health, but even at that, our bodies certainly let us know we aren't the same kids we were then. So we know it won't really be the same -- but it's the closest analogy we have.<br />
<br />
We're also at an age where people get serious about their retirement plans and decisions. We have been working with some professionals to consider those options, and have decided we prefer to stay in the workforce for another ten years or so, given the choice. (I know all too well that often, those decisions become not a matter of choice. But we plan for what we can control, and deal with what we can't control if and when it comes along.) <br />
<br />
So realistically, we're probably about to embark on a ten-year new phase in the journey of our life -- the empty-nest, pre-retirement phase. I don't really know what to expect, but I am confident of two things: I have the best possible traveling companion, and it will never be boring!<br />
<br />
<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-90982741671783068452015-04-16T21:18:00.000-04:002015-04-16T21:18:39.853-04:00Those Were the Days, My Friend<div class="MsoNormal">
Tonight I am feeling old, in a way I have never experienced.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It all started yesterday morning, when I learned that a high
school classmate of mine had been killed in a tragic bicycle accident. He and
his wife were just out for a bike ride when a drunk driver crested a hill left
of center and mowed him down. His wife
saw it all happen – in fact, she had to take evasive action to keep from being
hit herself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, this classmate was someone I don’t think I had
communicated with since our 10<sup>th</sup> high school reunion, so I certainly
couldn’t say we were close. And even
back in school, we weren’t super close.
But I knew him reasonably well, and he was a very likable guy. One of those all around good guys that everyone
likes because he really didn’t give them a reason not to. I remember that the
first boy-girl party I went to was at his house. His parents let him hire the
garage band of a mutual friend for it, making him the coolest guy in the 8<sup>th</sup>
grade, for a while.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe all that’s why it hit me so hard. I feel true grief over this loss. The loss of someone I haven’t spoken to in
over 25 years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because of this grief, I became nostalgic and pulled out my high
school yearbook. I graduated in a class
of something like 435 or so, but of course I didn’t really know all those people. My guess was that I really knew about a
quarter of them. So I went through my
senior yearbook and sure enough, that was about right. The ones I really
remembered, could recall some personal item about, added up to about 125. But as I wandered through the pictures, reminiscing
about the people I was looking at and the occasions where the pictures were
taken, I was overwhelmed by how many of those faces are already gone. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My alumni page on Facebook lists 27 known deceased members
of my class, and an even dozen of those are from that subset that I really
knew. I can’t really say why Kelly’s death hit me so hard. I’m sure it was partly the immediacy of it. This
time I knew within hours. And the tragic
nature of the accident makes it unspeakably worse. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All I know is, tonight it seems I am feeling this loss and
all the others. Looking back at high school pictures brings moments of joy
interspersed with moments of great sadness at the faces I can never see again. And
it makes me feel old, down deep in my soul.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-6546633401970507242015-02-21T15:05:00.000-05:002015-02-21T15:05:37.120-05:00On Life Balance<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Today, for about the 1,000<sup>th</sup>
time, I ruminate on life balance.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For as long as I can remember, I've had
a “go for the gusto” bias. I've always perceived life to be full
of opportunity for new experiences, with the challenge being how to
fit as many in as possible. I often claim as my life motto “I'd
rather burn out than rust out.” For the most part, this has served
me well and I have no regrets about acting on that bias. I am
blessed to have married someone with the same bias, so we are both
very busy all the time. We do a lot together and we do a lot
separately, which allows each of us to bring new and interesting
things into the relationship all the time. It is a satisfying life.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem with this approach, though,
is that from time to time I get overextended. While I like being
busy, there has to be some time for reflection and regeneration, too.
Every once in a while, I find myself feeling like a hamster on a
wheel. Run, run, run, without feeling that I'm actually getting
anywhere. Lately, I've been getting close to that point.
Fortunately, even before the snow came, I had claimed this Saturday
as a day off.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm a practicing Catholic, and the
Catholic church actually promotes a period of reflection and
regeneration this time of year. It's called Lent, and there have
been a lot of years where what the church offers at Lent has nicely
aligned with my personal needs. Those years, I have had a good Lent
and felt a lot better at the end.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I approached Lent this year, it was
a little different. Some of my current over-extension is at church,
so it's hard to see taking on more church as the answer. In fact,
today was the day of the annual Catholic Women's Conference in
Columbus, but I had opted not to register this year. While I have
found it a lovely experience in the past, I couldn't get past the
feeling it would be just one more have-to-do this time around. I
knew I wouldn't benefit from it if I couldn't get past that. So I
decided a day in my own home would do me more good this year.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was a good call. It is lovely
sitting here, watching the snow, knowing I have nowhere to go,
nothing I have to do. I've accomplished a few little tasks I wanted
to get done, but at a leisurely pace. And now I think I'm actually
going to go curl up with a book for a while.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What about you, readers? Is balance an
issue for you? How do you cope? What trips you up? What have you
learned along the way?</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-52201706035514359032015-02-16T22:11:00.000-05:002015-02-16T22:11:49.154-05:00Random Musings from a February State of Mind<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm sorely tempted to write a blog post
complaining about February – bringing, as it does, the beginning of
Lent, today's Level 1 Snow Emergency, and many consecutive days of
temperatures too cold to walk outside any farther than from the car
to the door. It is not a lovable month.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But I strive to rise above that.
Instead, here are some random thoughts/observations/musings:</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My mother gave us a big scare last
week. She quickly went from being active and outwardly focused to
bed-fast and non-responsive. But as I've said before, that little
lady is a lot stronger than everyone thinks. She is bouncing back
beautifully. She has been moved to a nursing home for continued
rehab, but my sister says she is walking with good posture again,
fully aware of her surroundings and interacting in ways that sound
like her. She's making 90 look good.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Over the course of last year I let
my weight get a little out of hand. I decided to do something about
it in the fall, and I lost 10 pounds in about two months. About mid
January I picked back up where I left off, and I have lost two more
pounds. I have a physical coming up March 13, and my personal goal
is to finally, for once, fall within the recommended range for my
BMI by that time. I believe it will be a close thing whether I make
it or not!</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My laptop was dying and my sister
had a nearly new one she HATED because of it running Windows 8. I
was pretty sure I could fare better with it, so I bought it from
her. I'm using it to write this blog entry. All things considered,
it was a mutual win. But that said, Windows 8 is kind of hateful.
My experience is that it isn't as good as either the old Windows or
the touch screen technology of my Android phone and tablet. It's
some kind of unholy hybrid that trips on itself in odd and vexing
ways.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Our church has added a program
that will meet every Tuesday evening for ten weeks. I agreed to be
a facilitator for it. Then as I went through the training, I also went
through a period of intense second-guessing. Ten weeks of having
every Tuesday night committed? In addition to my usual commitments?
What was I thinking?!? But the first session occurred last Tuesday, and
already I feel a little better. I think I just need to put the
ten-week commitment out of my mind, and live it one week at a time.
In the moment, it is very enjoyable. And that is all I need to
think about.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Our added-on son, Warren, after a
lengthy stretch of unemployment, started a new job the end of last
week. He has five consecutive days of work in now and I am feeling
cautiously optimistic. He is getting good feedback from his
supervisors and they extended his shifts a couple of those days,
including bringing him back in for essentially a double shift one
day. Perhaps this will be the one that gets him on the path to
independence.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I feel like my actual son, Sam,
has turned a corner in growing up. He's still my son, he still
loves me and I still love him as much as ever....but he is
undeniably an adult now. It is a beautiful but strangely
bittersweet thing.,</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The things that are happening in
the wider world scare me to death. I remember no previous time in
my 56 years when there were this many hot spots in the world. And
with social media, I find the responses to each new atrocity almost
as frightening as the atrocities themselves. And it all makes me
feel so powerless. I spend a lot of my time just trying to NOT
think about it, since I see nothing I can do. And I find that
response puzzling in itself.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Enough musings for one night. Mainly,
my goal was to break the long drought in blogging. I have
accomplished that goal.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-30202563552924244442014-10-09T13:35:00.000-04:002014-10-09T13:35:01.217-04:00Judge a Book by its Cover?<div class="MsoNormal">
I have recently noticed how dichotomous my reading life
has become.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since my day job has me in the car for about 20,000 miles
each year, I am always listening to audiobooks.
In an average month, I check out six to ten of them from the
library. Though my library is part of a
larger library consortium and I can get virtually any book I want by simply
reserving it online, I do this infrequently.
I prefer to walk into the library, browse the extensive collection of
audiobooks on the shelves, and make my selections. I give priority to authors whose work I know and like, but if I don’t find something new by a familiar author, I am happy to
start browsing the blurbs on the covers until I find something that feels like
I might enjoy it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Physically reading a book, on the other hand, is a bit of a
luxury to me. I don’t find time every
day or even every single week to sit and spend quality time with a good book,
either on paper or on my Kindle. So when
I do, I want it to be a great experience.
Thus I am much more likely to splurge and buy the newest release from one
of my favorite authors in that format, even if it means it might be a week or
two before I shake loose the time to sit and enjoy it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hadn’t even been aware of this until I read some comments on a blog about how strongly people are affected by the cover of a book. As I thought about it, I realized I exhibit this
dichotomy. Since I am always on the
prowl for new audiobooks, the write-ups on the covers of those are really
important to me. But the lovely artwork
that graces print books is less so, because I am usually selecting those based
on the author or a good review or a word-of-mouth recommendation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s a system that works for me. I have discovered many new authors whose
works I thoroughly enjoy by sampling one of their audiobooks first. Since the personal investment seems so low, I
find that if I listen to the equivalent of the first few pages and I find I
really don’t like it, I have no qualms about giving up on that one and putting
in the next. And it is nice to be able
to ensure that those golden times when I can sit and read uninterrupted long
enough to get lost in the pages always give a high return.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I’m curious, my reading friends: how random are your book choices? Are you driven by known authors and reviews
and recommendations, or do you do random selection, literally “choosing a book
by its cover?” Is there a difference in
how you approach different forms of books?
Do other people out there even DO audiobooks? Do some treat their Kindle reading different
than books printed on paper? Inquiring minds want to know!<o:p></o:p></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-41005786531139140652014-10-04T20:52:00.000-04:002014-10-04T20:52:22.899-04:00Book musings<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Much as I love reading in the
traditional sense, I actually do a majority of my reading on
audiobooks. That's because I have about a 25 minute commute each way
every day, and my day job involves frequent drives of as much as two
hours each way. Years ago, I realized that listening to a good book
in the car drastically reduces the stress of driving. So I read, on
average, four to eight books a month in the car, via audiobook.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This week, something very unusual
happened. I bailed on a book because of the voice actor. And it
wasn't that she was reading badly. I just found her voice singularly
ill-suited to the book. So ill-suited, in fact, that I decided it
was going to ruin the book for me.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Normally, I am amazed at what a great
job these voice actors do. And really, this one wasn't doing a bad
job. It was just the quality of her voice. The protagonist, in
whose voice the story was told, was supposed to be an experienced,
nationally known broadcaster. This actor's voice had a sexy, almost
purring quality. It sounded absolutely unlike a trained broadcaster.
After about two chapters, I decided the incongruity was going to ruin
the book for me. And since it was by Kate White, an author I always
enjoy, I felt it was in my best interest to wait until I get time to
read this one the old fashioned way.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In other book news, I've had a minor
quandary. I've been working on re-reading Kincaid and James series
by Deborah Crombie, and writing reviews of them here. But life got
busy and so far, I'm only through book seven. Now she has released
book 16. I had hoped to get through all 15 before this one came out,
but I didn't. There is some part of me that feels like withholding
the treat of the new book until I re-read the rest. But I am going
to overcome that urge. I absolutely love these books, and care about
the characters like they are real people. As soon as things calm down
enough that I have the time, I will devour the new one. In fact, I
can hardly wait!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-26100379688902475982014-09-01T12:13:00.001-04:002014-09-01T12:13:56.090-04:00Labor Day Means New Beginnings<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
New Year's resolutions are OK, I guess.
But as a product of the American educational system, it is Labor Day
that always makes my mind turn to new beginnings. Hey, I figure
between my own education and that of my son, this makes the 36<sup>th</sup>
fall I've gone through the “back to school” drill. So not
surprisingly, I find myself gearing up to make some tweaks in my
life.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It started off with the realization
that once again, I have let my weight drift upward. I probably need
to take off between 10 and 15 pounds, and this feels like a good time
to do it. But then someone challenged my thinking about what I was
going to do, pointing out that even though I really know how to take
that weight off, I have yet to find a path that keeps it off. I
really couldn't argue with that.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So I am finally following in the
footsteps of many of my friends and trying to focus on a diet based
more on whole foods. I'm not ready to go vegan, as some of my
friends have, but I am going to try to focus on vegetables, fruits
and whole grains, cut out processed foods as much as possible and
minimize my reliance on red meat and even poultry. And actually
increase my fish intake. The funny thing is, if you had asked me I
would have said that I had been moving my diet that direction
already. But the truth is, I had been f<i>or my main meal of the
day</i>. I cook lots of great dinners that are full of vegetables and
whole grains. But breakfast, lunch, and snacks? Without realizing
it, I had slipped into patterns of way too many processed foods.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So today I did my weekly grocery
shopping and also stocked up on beans and nuts and whole grain
products. I figure it will help me if, when I find myself faced with
an unplanned meal or snack, I have healthy ingredients on hand to
choose from. I spent close to two weeks' grocery budget, but I don't
think that supports the old saw that eating healthy is more
expensive. It just means I stocked up on a lot of things that will
be “amortized,” so to speak, over coming weeks' budgets.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But as so often happens, once I started
thinking more positively about changes in one area, I began to get
inspired in others. I have observed over the years that when I feel
like I'm taking good care of myself, I find myself more competent in
every area. How do I keep letting that lesson slip away, having to
be discovered over and over again? Anyway, I was able to identify
some other areas, little things that maybe only matter a lot to me,
that I can also improve. So I'm feeling pretty upbeat.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thank God, Bob is wonderfully flexible
and supportive and willing to go along with these whims. (Truth be
told, he's probably been doing better than me lately at trying to
make healthy choices for himself.) Sam is off at school where my
food and daily lifestyle choices don't affect him, and while Warren
does live here, he joins us for meals less and less often as he
discovers his independence. So I don't foresee any systemic
impediments to staying the course.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thus it is that even though we are
coming into a very chaotic, busy work season for me, I am setting out
to maintain some sanity and control through wise lifestyle choices.
And shed some weight in the process. I guess after posting this,
I'll have no choice but to check back in near the end of the year and confess to
you all how it worked out!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-58583901421157954162014-08-03T08:04:00.000-04:002014-08-03T08:04:08.291-04:00Reunion Thoughts<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well, I said I was going to start
blogging on midlife, and surely there is nothing more midlife than a
40<sup>th</sup> high school reunion. I attended my husband's reunion
with him last night. I was not a member of the class of 1974, but
close enough that the kids in his yearbook look interchangeable with
the kids in mine. Same hair and clothing styles, same cultural touch
points. Since it wasn't my class, there was absolutely no stress on
me – I had no memories to reconcile with present day reality, no
concerns about what anyone would think of me,no past to live down or
live up to.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course one of my observations is
that by a 40<sup>th</sup> reunion, most of those petty concerns fall
away anyway. As one of Bob's classmates put it, “At this point
we're just glad we're alive!” I suspect for any class at a 40<sup>th</sup>
reunion, the reality is there is a large enough contingent of
deceased classmates to bring home that reality. But beyond that,
there just seems to be a realization that shared history is a
precious thing. It is exciting to meet someone who remembers the
same things you do. I would see Bob's face light up as some old story
was told that he hadn't thought of in decades.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Several hours into the party I was
standing chatting with another wife of a class member, and nearby
someone was updating a friend on his mother's recent health issues.
I pointed out that I had been hearing variations on this conversation
all night. Sadly, this was probably the greatest shared reality of
people 40 years past high school graduation – that our parents'
health is failing, and we are suddenly thrust into the role of caring
for them or making sure care is provided.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course there was conversation about
kids and grandkids, but I notice that the tenor of those
conversations was a lot different than when we were younger, too.
There was a time when parenting could quickly become a competitive
sport – my kid is so good at this and that and has won these
awards, blah, blah, blah. But that wasn't the way people were
talking about their kids this time. They tended to be much more
real, while no less loving. It was more like, “My kid is here or
there, does this or that....wasn't sure I liked the choice, but I
just want her to be happy.” Or, “He's still wandering but we
think he's going to be OK.” I guess it just feels like by this
point, we've finally figured out that our kids are separate from us,
they are who they are, and their choices aren't a reflection on us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We had a great time. One of his
classmates said as we were leaving, “Tonight seems almost less
about finding old friends than making new ones.” There was some
truth to that. There were people at that party that we would enjoy
going out with in another context, and it just might happen.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-78617554054746640402014-07-05T11:23:00.000-04:002014-07-05T11:23:06.269-04:00And Justice There is None by Deborah Crombie<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj69DO91-bKfk7gaeUio7epWTweiBw69ZDjmx5iIaEkO4Xk6em-VbxeOx-gZOjDykN3iNkuoaMLrDR-L0Hpb7LhGxaRVlR3U67ujoq7TxFntaPJFmMieKIlbGquULmb1YYXvP/s1600/And+Justice+There+Is+None.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj69DO91-bKfk7gaeUio7epWTweiBw69ZDjmx5iIaEkO4Xk6em-VbxeOx-gZOjDykN3iNkuoaMLrDR-L0Hpb7LhGxaRVlR3U67ujoq7TxFntaPJFmMieKIlbGquULmb1YYXvP/s1600/And+Justice+There+Is+None.jpg" height="320" width="194" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In this, the 8<sup>th</sup> installment
of the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series, Gemma has just assumed her
new role of Inspector at the Notting Hill station when the wife of a
prominent antiques dealer is found murdered outside their home.
Unfortunately, the manner of death looks very similar to an unsolved
case of Duncan's, so before she knows it, he is working with her on
the combined case -- both blessing and curse.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As always in Crombie's writing, the
case is full of well-drawn, three-dimensional characters who have
complex, intertwined lives that it takes a while to figure out. But
this time there's a wrinkle: Duncan has arranged for himself and
Gemma to sublease a house in Notting Hill, thus combining their two
families and moving forward in their life together. But that means
that the interesting characters in this case are not just suspects
and persons of interest – they are their new neighbors, people with
whom they will need to interact over the long haul.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I found this case particularly
intriguing. It involves a very complex back story that slowly
unfolds, and even though it is complex, it is believably so. I
didn't figure out “who dunnit” until the big reveal, and as tends
to happen when characters are well written, by the end my heart ached
for many of them – so much suffering for events that transpired
literally a lifetime before.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At this point I want to discuss another
big part of the ongoing subplot of the title characters' life, so I'm
issuing a SPOILER ALERT. Don't read on if you don't want to know the
next major plot twist in Duncan and Gemma's life together. Just stop
here with my recommendation that this is definitely a book worth
reading.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Seriously, I mean you – don't just
peek at the beginning of the next sentence unless you want to know!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the end of the last book, we learned
that Gemma was pregnant. Throughout this book she comes to terms
with that reality. It is the catalyst that leads to Duncan and Gemma
combining households (that plus the fact that Kit finally comes to
live with Duncan full-time) and it impacts her work relationships
and pretty much everything. But in the final pages of the book,
Gemma loses the baby. I think that this was a wise choice on
Crombie's part. The introduction of the pregnancy allowed her to
break through Gemma's stubborn reserve and accept moving in together
much sooner and more easily than would have been plausible. It made a
lot of good things come together in this one book. But
realistically, having the baby would have been really, really
challenging to incorporate into future stories. I know that brave
policewomen everywhere DO go back to work and put their lives on the
line again with an infant at home – but I think having Gemma do so
would have fundamentally changed the flavor of this series. The
choice that was made is a better one, and it set the stage for the
many good things to come.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-34415942867798921122014-06-24T21:52:00.000-04:002014-06-24T21:52:36.664-04:00On gray hair and email and new direction<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The other day my boss, a lovely
30-year-old I like a lot, was surprised to learn that I have a blog
and asked me if I write about anything special. The sad part of this
story is that I kind of stammered and muttered something like, “Not
really. Lately it has mainly been book reviews.” Which was
absolutely true. Any of my few long time readers could tell you that
I have long lamented not having a passion to drive my writing. So my
blog has tended to be a little of this, a little of that.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But I feel like that might be changing.
Increasingly, I find that my age is kind of a big deal in my life.
I'm 55 years old. Somehow, 55 feels really a lot different than 50
did. I mean, 50 kind of felt like an extension of the 40's. I was
still interested in all the same things, and people didn't seem to
perceive me differently. But in the intervening five years, that has
changed. Admittedly, I may have accelerated the change by allowing my
hair to go natural. Meaning, gray. Which makes a surprisingly big
difference in how strangers treat you. I'm beginning to understand
the old cliché about how older women become invisible. Plus my son and my added on son have reached their 20's, so I'm not mothering in the classic sense any more. I feel more like a coach or something.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Also, I changed day jobs. I went from
a fund raising position at the Girl Scouts to a similar one at the
Boy Scouts, both organizations I respect tremendously, just because
there was a higher level position available and hey, I'm paying
college tuition right now, you know? I didn't expect it to make as
big a difference as it did. But at least in my particular council,
Boy Scout professionals are young. I am surrounded by 20-somethings
most of the time and honestly, I feel like Methusaleh. It is amazing
how often things come up in conversation that highlight the
difference in our ages.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But today, I had a win. Overnight the
national organization migrated our email from one server to another.
This meant we had to jump through some hoops this morning to get our
email activated again, and then there were a bunch of instructions
that had to be followed to get our phones and other remote devices to
sync again. I am proud to say that I was the first person in the
office to get my email working again and, once our IT support person
came in and told me that getting the phone working again would entail
deleting the old account completely and starting again, I was the one
who figured out how to accomplish that for the Android phones, too,
and ended up getting to talk several younger colleagues through the
process. It felt great to NOT fit the stereotype!! </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I realize that mid-life blogs are all
over the web now, so I don't get any bonus points for originality.
But I don't think I care. I'm just going to try to put it out there,
talk about how this age feels to me. If people like it, that's great
and I'll enjoy knowing I have some readers. If they don't, that's
probably OK too. I think I will feel better just having a place to
vent and a chance to process some of this stuff. So let the mid-life
blogging begin!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-18116520744391669872014-06-23T22:20:00.000-04:002014-06-23T22:20:31.006-04:00A Finer End by Deborah Crombie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.idoc.co/files/5d6e699b4a80555858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.idoc.co/files/5d6e699b4a80555858.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just finished <i>A Finer End</i>, Deborah
Crombie's seventh book, continuing the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. It is set in a small village that has a long
tradition of mystical experiences and other-worldly communications.
One of the residents of the village just happens to be Duncan
Kinkaid's cousin, which makes it convenient for Duncan and Gemma to
be called in when the mystical happenings begin to take on some
all-too-physical manifestations in the form of an attempted murder
and a successful one.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have a soft spot for mysticism and
religion, so I enjoyed the main story line. But I can't help but
feel that more than any of the first six, this book might not be everyone's cup of tea. From the
early introduction of automatic writing (where the writer is
completely unaware of what he is writing, just serving as a vessel
through which a spirit can communicate) to ending up in more or less
of a quest for the Holy Grail, there's a lot that is metaphysical.
Which is not to say that there isn't also a basic mystery, with lots
of characters to sort out and evaluate and care about. So there really is a lot
there for the average mystery reader, too. And of course, Deborah
Crombie's writing is as evocative and compelling as ever. I feel
like I've really been to the location and met the characters in real
life.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story of the protagonists' personal
lives continues to develop as well. Moving the focus away from the
introduction of Kit, which has been the central point of the back story
for several books, we find Gemma facing a big personal challenge in
this outing. By the end she has made a decision and shared it with
Duncan, but there's lots of angst in getting to that point. And lots
of unanswered questions about where it will lead moving forward.
(Which, as I've said before, is why I enjoy series like this one. I
like the juxtaposition of a freestanding mystery in each book against
the ongoing story of realistic, messy, three-dimensional character
lives.)
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am still enjoying the exercise of
re-reading this series, and am excited to see that a new one, <i>To Dwell In Darkness</i>, is being
released in September. If I haven't made it through them all by
then, I will probably have to take a break from this process to read
it. I mean hey, I have to check in on my friends, you know?</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-41025232325544456492014-05-29T22:01:00.000-04:002014-05-29T22:01:16.158-04:00Kissed a Sad Good-Bye by Deborah Crombie<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As part of my ongoing project to
re-read all of Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kinkaid/Gemma James series, I
just finished <i>Kissed A Sad Good-Bye, </i>her
sixth book. It's been a hectic couple of months for me and I had trouble
making time for extended reading periods. I had feared that this was
going to put this book at an unfair disadvantage, but I needn't have
worried. It was far too good a book to be ruined, even by frequent
interruptions.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike the previous entry in the
series, here the ongoing back story of the main characters stays well
and truly in the background. Yes, we see moments in each of their
personal lives, and the relationship with Kit that was introduced in
the previous book moves along, but slowly and never as the central
focus of the book. Gemma's inner life and private side probably gets
more of our attention than Duncan's, and certainly more than usual.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Early in the book Duncan and Gemma are
called out on a murder case, and that case is the meat of this book.
In many ways it is just a very good, standard police procedural. But
one thing that makes it different is that interspersed with the story
of the case, there are short installments on another story, set in
World War II. We follow a young boy as he is evacuated from the East
End of London and sent to live on an estate in Surrey. Though the
snippets make good reading, the author takes a long time to reveal
that there is any connection between these historical snippets and
today's case. Even after we begin to see some connections, the real
significance of the World War II story doesn't come through until the
very end of the book. Then, at last, the pieces all come together to
form a satisfying picture and we realize that today's action could never be understood without knowledge of those long-ago events.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As always with Crombie's writing, the
characters we meet are wonderfully three-dimensional, fully formed
and human. From the dead woman who was either the perfect daughter,
employee and fiancee or a promiscuous, disloyal, overly ambitious
schemer to the beguiling clarinet-playing busker, with the shattered,
ne'er-do-well bereaved fiance and the professionally competent but
socially insecure female colleague – to say nothing of the
frustrated detective inspector they are forced to work with, little
though she may want their help – these people live and breathe and
surprise us. And speaking of surprises, when we finally get to the
inevitable “who done it” moment of the mystery, it is surprising
indeed!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Deborah Crombie has done it again. Even
though I've read the whole series before, even though I decided to
read them again because I have loved them so much, I still find it a
bit surprising how well they have held up and how much I am enjoying
each installment the second time around. I can't wait to re-read the
remaining eight. And I'm so excited to learn that this September a
new one will be released!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-70991372793252665432014-03-27T21:11:00.000-04:002014-03-27T21:11:07.723-04:00Dreaming of the Bones by Deborah Crombie<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my continuing project of re-reading
Deborah Crombie's entire Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series, I just
completed <i>Dreaming of the Bones</i>. I remembered this one more
vividly than I had the first four. Now that I've finished, I'm
convinced that the reason I remembered it so well was that this one
marked the spot where Crombie's already-good writing really ratcheted
up a notch.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lJMPugpIOYIWElU6iz9d00rKe6Aq-dWK_Ongs_xMWyK8r4Bo3qLnjj3shD69o0dveIMXwBv6a3ZulSImOcll5YDisbSMzif5vVkTsf_Sym06PMZ3xECpeY8MCrWSWLpt-qw_/s1600/Dreaming+of+the+Bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lJMPugpIOYIWElU6iz9d00rKe6Aq-dWK_Ongs_xMWyK8r4Bo3qLnjj3shD69o0dveIMXwBv6a3ZulSImOcll5YDisbSMzif5vVkTsf_Sym06PMZ3xECpeY8MCrWSWLpt-qw_/s1600/Dreaming+of+the+Bones.jpg" /></a>To discuss any of her books one has to
address two aspects. There's the free-standing story of the book,
and there's the ongoing character development in the back story of
the protagonists. Honestly, given the strength of both those
components, I'm amazed that these books haven't been made into a TV
series by the BBC or PBS. (Though I may be glad they haven't, as I
don't always appreciate their interpretations of books I've enjoyed.)
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This story opens with Duncan getting a
phone call from his ex-wife, Vic. He goes to Cambridge to see her
and soon we are involved in her life at the college, meeting a
variety of academic types and artists so well drawn I could easily
see them and hear their voices. Vic is writing a biography of a poet
who died five years earlier and has become convinced her suicide was
really a murder, and as events unfold it becomes increasingly obvious
to the reader and eventually, to Duncan and Gemma, that Vic's
suspicions were well founded. Still, it takes them a long time to
pull at enough threads to untangle the relationships and mysteries
and begin to piece together events from the past that led to that
murder, and others. When it finally comes out it is so believable and
so consistent with the characters we've met that it is a very
satisfying reveal indeed.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is the ongoing back story that
provides the challenge in writing about this series of books, since
Crombie's characters really do grow and change over the course of
them. Thus it is almost impossible to discuss the developments
without including spoilers for those still on earlier books. So I
will just say this: a new, permanent character is introduced and by
the end of this book it is too soon to know if the effect on Duncan
and Gemma's lives will be for the better or worse. Yet the way they
react to the new character goes a long way to cementing for the
reader who they are, both as individuals and as a partnership. I
believe this book had stayed with me so vividly because it marked the
point where I moved from liking these mysteries to being in love with
them. For me, Duncan and Gemma stopped being another set of
detectives and became old friends. I have picked up each installment
since with the same eagerness I bring to letters from dear friends
who have moved away over the years.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know not everyone enjoys mysteries as
much as I do, but I would say that if you are a reader, if you enjoy
well-developed characters, then you will enjoy these books. Because
while they ARE mysteries, and darned good ones, they are also just
plain good novels.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-45193824365558447012014-03-24T13:55:00.001-04:002014-03-24T13:55:52.445-04:00Reflections on Lent<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those of you who have followed my off-and-on-again blogging
for a while will remember that for several consecutive years, I did my own
separate Lenten blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each day I would read the
daily readings assigned by the church, reflect upon them, and write a blog
entry about what they stirred in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I stopped doing that blog a few years ago just because it
felt like it was time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The joy and spontaneity
had gone out of it and it felt like drudgery or even worse, like a self-serving
exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I turned my attention to
other Lenten disciplines.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This year, I committed to myself that I would do a daily
Lenten devotion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first few days of
Lent I used some printed materials I had picked up at the Catholic Women’s
Conference in February, but then <strong>I
</strong>stumbled into<strong> some wonderful resources at the Creighton University Online
Ministries website</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (<a href="http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/index.html">http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/index.html</a>) </span>They have a
section called Praying Lent that leads one through a daily devotion built on
the assigned reading for the day, and I have found those devotions very
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reflection each day is written
by a different member of the Creighton University faculty or staff and I have
found them quite effective and thought provoking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is also a link to a Lenten Online Retreat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure to some that would seem like a
bizarre mixing of concepts – isn’t a retreat where you go to get away from
online stuff?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I have found it
extremely moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in all honestly, I
have probably given it only about 35% of the effort it deserves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even at that, it has made a difference
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gives you something to think
about and then tells you to try to hold that concept in your mind and heart and
focus on it in the in-between-times of your day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It talks a lot about letting these concepts
work in the background as your conscious effort is going into the regular
activities of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I feel
like I’m only having so-so success at doing that, I can still feel the
benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And today, after reading the daily devotion and the thought
starters for the Third Week of Lent, for the first time in a long time, I felt
motivated to blog about my journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t succeed at staying focused on Lent and all it means every single
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t even succeed at keeping my
Lenten discipline every single day, though I try and I don’t miss too many
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even with my failings, I feel
God reaching out to me, reassuring me that he is always there, hearing the
cries of my heart and filling my life with so much love and plenty that I am
awed and humbled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, this year, God’s
messages are pretty strongly about hands-on how to live my life, how to walk
the talk of my faith, how to see Jesus in the tangible, real-world needs of
those around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that message
varies based on who we are, where we are, and what we need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in Lent 2014, for me, that is the message
I’m getting. So I just rededicate myself to trying to look for Jesus in those
around me and to trying, in my own weak, humble way, to do what he would have me
do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-90509631162936634222014-03-09T13:39:00.001-04:002014-03-09T13:39:52.342-04:00Mourn Not Your Dead by Deborah Crombie<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my continuing quest to re-read the
entire Kincaid and James series by Deborah Crombie,(big tip of the hat to <a href="http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com/2013/11/duncan-kinkaid-gemma-james-reading.html" style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com</a> for the challenge that started this) I just finished
<i>Mourn Not Your Dead</i>. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Their relationship strained by events
of the previous book, Duncan and Gemma are called to a suburb to
investigate the death of a high ranking police officer. Both had
been acquainted with him in life, and they find that no one in his
village seemed to find him any more appealing a character than they
had. The plot unfolds with many questions, such as “Was his wife
having an affair? And if so, with which of a couple possible
candidates?” Or, “Was the deceased a dirty cop?” The
investigation follows a believably twisting tale, solving a series of
burglaries only to determine in the end that it was unrelated to the
murder, and sending the protagonists back and forth between Surrey
and London many times. The book is full of believable,
three-dimensional characters that I quickly grew to care about. And
as is so often the case in real life, the ultimate solution was
heartbreaking, revealing painful secrets that would have far-reaching
effects on many lives.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One thing I was immensely relieved
about the first time I read this book was that by the end, Duncan and
Gemma have resolved the strain in their relationship and the ground
is well laid for the future. Now that I have the foreknowledge of
what comes in future books, it was delicious to see the pieces begin
to fall in place.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
I have loved these books since I first
encountered them, probably well over a decade ago, and I find
re-reading only reminds me of the reasons why. Duncan and Gemma are
well developed, realistic three-dimensional characters who don't
always make the right choices but do always operate from a clear
internal logic. Each case is complex and interesting and occupied
buy people, not stereotypes. I strongly recommend these books for
anyone who likes character-driven stories. I would honestly say that
while they are great mysteries, that is secondary to their appeal as
character studies. To start down the path with Gemma and Duncan is
to make friends, and the more of them you read, the deeper the
friendship becomes. Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-67315904341274704572014-02-18T20:15:00.000-05:002014-02-18T20:15:49.523-05:00Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For anyone who has missed the previous
posts, I am re-reading the Deborah Crombie mysteries that I enjoyed
so much the first time as part of a reader challenge from another
blog. Last night I finished <i>Leave the Grave Green,</i> the third
book in the series.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The mystery in this one really
captivated me, and I'm pleased to say I really didn't remember enough
of the plot to take anything away from my reading pleasure. (I read
so many mysteries that I don't retain the details much. It is the
characters that stay with me. And that's why I choose the authors I
do!)
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Leave the Grave Green</i> begins
with a prologue scene that occurs over 20 years before the main
action of the story. I often find such scenes superfluous, but in
this case it is really integral to understanding the characters
involved when we meet them. Once we jump to the present, we also
jump right into the action. No long exposition here!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other than Gemma and Duncan, the
Sergeant and Chief Inspector who are the constants throughout the
series, this mystery is centered in the world of opera and of titled
British gentry. There are lots of nice scenes where stereotypes are
set up just so they can be knocked down, and lots of interesting
tensions among the new characters and the ones we already know. And a
mystery so well crafted that I never saw the solution until it was
being revealed.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here I run into a snag. The most
interesting thing about this book, to me, is the surprise twist in
the back story of the main characters. But since I anticipate that I
have readers who have not read these yet, and are still deciding
whether to read them, I don't want to include any spoilers. So all I
feel at liberty to say is that the end is a big surprise, and since
I've read the entire series before, trust me when I say that it all
works out well eventually. </div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-74722003731482168942014-01-20T12:17:00.000-05:002014-01-20T12:17:34.743-05:00All Shall Be Well by Deborah CrombieToday I finished <i>All Shall Be Well</i>, the second in the Kincaid and James mystery series by Deborah Crombie. I'm re-reading this series as part of a reading challenge at <a href="http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com/2013/11/duncan-kinkaid-gemma-james-reading.html" style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com</a>. I have already read and loved this entire series, so I considered this challenge a fun opportunity to enjoy them again and post reviews.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Having the perspective knowing how these characters will grow and change and how their lives will evolve, re-reading these early books gives me great respect for the way this author balances the mystery that is the current book with the slow, methodical development of the main characters in the background. She very cleverly sets the central mystery of this one in the apartment house where Duncan Kincaid lives, providing an easy way to pull in more of his personal life without detracting from the main story. Similarly, there are just a few scenes that involve Gemma James away from work, but they serve to flesh out her character a lot, too. It makes me wonder, idly, whether Crombie actually wrote them with an eye to a long-term story, thus taking her time with it, or whether at the beginning she just put in some background to add depth to the characters, and only after the books succeeded did she begin to chart a longer-term course for their lives. Either way, it works very well, proceeding at a wonderfully lifelike, unhurried pace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The mystery itself is engaging and the characters involved in it feel very three-dimensional and real. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the least likable character, the obvious choice for the murder, ended up being guilty of nothing worse than being a bad human being, and that some of the other characters clearly grew within the course of the story, ending up stronger people than when the story began. The ultimate resolution is completely plausible and heart-wrenchingly sad. My only tiny complaint was that, at the end, when Duncan got his flash of insight and "the pieces snicked into place in his mind with blinding clarity," I didn't feel like the author had given us quite enough information to have had the opportunity to have the same "snick into place." But it is possible, of course, that she did and this reader just wasn't perceptive enough to pick them up -- even on a second reading! (Though separated by many years from the first reading.) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have already picked up <i>Leave the Grave Green</i>, the next book in the series, and will probably start it today, though looking at my calendar I can see it might be a while before I can spend any time on it. Oh well, at least I have it to look forward to when time allows!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-31787209422605334142014-01-03T23:03:00.000-05:002014-01-03T23:15:03.793-05:00A Share in Death by Deborah CrombieI just finished re-reading <i>A Share In Death</i>, the first in the Kincaid and James mystery series by Deborah Crombie. As I mentioned earlier, I have read all 15 of these books, but am re-reading them in 2014 as part of a reading challenge at <a href="http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com/2013/11/duncan-kinkaid-gemma-james-reading.html" style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com</a>. They have this cool graphic for the challenge:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVL54z1qMcdy59ZSJ33w046Bpu8E9R9NdhDeMZiK4XsJm-a-zvo9AH5WZ0c71YCdo5sbRAdBCI0BgNuU41ko0tyB-Mgg-8AelZyaUMOd-grQuo3Zk31HGrvn6s8iWcmg6vZ7WJ/s1600/dkgj+challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVL54z1qMcdy59ZSJ33w046Bpu8E9R9NdhDeMZiK4XsJm-a-zvo9AH5WZ0c71YCdo5sbRAdBCI0BgNuU41ko0tyB-Mgg-8AelZyaUMOd-grQuo3Zk31HGrvn6s8iWcmg6vZ7WJ/s1600/dkgj+challenge.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
What a delight this was! Trying to avoid spoilers here, suffice it to say I have seen these officers' back stories grow through substantial twists and turns over the 15 books. It is a strange feeling now to go back and interact with them in this initial foray. The characters were consistent with who they become over the life of the series, but there was very little foreshadowing of the direction their lives would take and how strong and effective their partnership would become. Indeed, this first book is substantially about Duncan Kincaid, with Gemma Jones playing a very secondary role. <br />
<br />
The book also stands perfectly well as a free-standing mystery. Like many cozies, this one is set at a British country timeshare, (OK, the convention used to be a British country house, but timeshare makes it feel modern) where you naturally have a bunch of seemingly unrelated characters meeting for the first time and revealing little secrets about their workaday lives. And it follows the rather standard mystery formula (which I love) of having the first murder occur quickly -- in this case, at the end of the third chapter. Then it's a pleasant exercise in character development, clue-sorting, and logic, with a few well-placed red herrings. By the end of the book the mystery solution was plausible enough to satisfy but creative enough to surprise, and the characters so well rounded that I actually cared what happened to them after I closed the book.<br />
<br />
I can't wait to begin <i>All Shall Be Well</i>, the next in the series!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-41116057774948987162013-12-31T17:36:00.000-05:002014-01-02T09:36:15.005-05:00One-word Resolution<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The
wonderful Laura Lippman, author of the Tess Monaghan novels and others, posts
that she has a 7-year tradition of setting a one-word resolution for the new
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(In case you’re curious, as I was,
her seven resolutions to date were Stretch, Maintain, Venture, Be, Execute,
Repurpose and for 2014, Appreciate.) She challenged readers to come up with
their own one-word resolution and after some thought, I have done so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My
one-word resolution for 2014 is Integrate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The definitions, from Dictionary.com: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">in·te·grate [in-ti-greyt]; verb (used with object), in·te·grat·ed,
in·te·grat·ing. <br />
1. to bring together or incorporate (parts) into a whole. <br />
2. to make up, combine, or complete to produce a whole or a larger unit, as
parts do. <br />
3. to unite or combine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So
why is that my resolution?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For
as long as I can remember, I’ve had a wide array of interests and because of
that, a wide array of different people in my life, often with very different lifestyles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being the non-confrontational sort, I don’t
have much trouble living peacefully with these different groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I very much value the diversity they
bring to my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I often feel that
my life is very subdivided, with certain things shared in one place and others
shared in another, and never the twain shall meet. For example, it pleases me
that I have extreme conservatives and extreme progressives, straights and gays,
black and white, Christians of various sorts, Jews, a Moslem and a Druid as
well as some who are avidly anti-organized-religion among my Facebook friends,
and I quite sincerely “Like” a lot of posts from all, but it creates a real
quandary, a second-guessing, when I think about things I might want to post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Similarly,
for the past 20 years or more, I have always felt like various roles that I
play in life, while each very important to me, tend toward conflict with each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the very least, they live
together in some tension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only does
professional life conflict with wife and mother, but sometimes even wife and
mother coexist less peacefully than one might think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To say nothing of the balancing act between
mothering my actual son and my added-on son of the past few years. I have a
regular “day job” that provides much satisfaction as well as stability, but at
the same time I have the strong desire to do more with my writing. So I spend
most of my time feeling pulled between competing roles.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Finally,
I just had my double-nickel birthday and somehow much more than my 50<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
birthday, the number brought me up short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I let it, it makes me feel old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or perhaps more accurately, it makes me acutely aware that I risk becoming
old. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am aware that my body is
beginning to impose some limitations but at the same time also keenly aware
that the more I do physically, the more I will be able to do and the longer I
will be able to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same is true
in my thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One doesn’t live
55 years without amassing a great deal of experience, but it is always a
challenge to keep the positive learning and not fall into complacency or become
a curmudgeon. And there are still so many new experiences I long to try! So many books to read, so many places to visit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So
my resolution is to integrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To try to
figure out what actually matters to me and do those things, and those things
only. To focus less on my roles and how I will be received by anyone else and more on just doing what seems right and best. To make sure I
continue to fill my life with new experiences while also retaining all the
lessons learned from the old ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
really bring together the various parts of my life into a complete unit, united
and whole, at peace with myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-27038445450641299892013-12-26T13:00:00.000-05:002013-12-26T13:00:17.114-05:00Deborah Crombie Reading ChallengeAfter a long hiatus, I had already decided it was time to resume blogging. Now I have a wonderful impetus to move on that resolution. <br />
<br />
The blogger JoAnne Isgro at <a href="http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com/2013/11/duncan-kinkaid-gemma-james-reading.html">http://litlequeenrules.blogspot.com</a> has issued a reading challenge for 2014. She has invited her readers to read (or in my case, re-read) the entire 15-book series of Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James mysteries by Deborah Crombie and comment upon them. Deborah Crombie has been one of my favorite authors for a long time, so going back and re-reading her entire series will be pure pleasure for me. I look forward to watching the growth of the characters over time with the omniscient view of one who has already seen many of the twists life will hand them.<br />
<br />
I know that series like this one aren't everyone's cup of tea, but they are actually my favorite type of novel. While I like mysteries because of the enforced structure (you start with a problem and end soon after the mystery is solved) I am drawn to series because in them, unlike some other mysteries, authors really can't cut corners on character development. If a series is going to be any good, the characters have to be multi-dimensional and they have to grow and change over time in believable ways. <br />
<br />
I don't own the earlier books in this series, so I had ordered the first two from my local library. They just arrived and are now sitting on my kitchen counter. I can hardly wait to dive into them! Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-76909632450292867022013-05-11T11:28:00.000-04:002013-05-11T11:28:36.206-04:00Wait: Summer break is here already?<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've taken a little break from
blogging. Not by design as much as by being too busy in the whirlwind
of everyday life. It seems like the last few months have been an
even greater whirlwind than usual. So today is a “catch up on the past few months” post.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a move that sounds to me like
something out of a sitcom, I changed my day job, moving from the Girl
Scouts to the Boy Scouts. It was just a career move – there was a
higher level position open at the Boy Scouts. I have had a long,
close relationship with the Boy Scouts because of Sam's Scouting
experience and Bob's long volunteer involvement. The work was very
similar. So it seemed like kind of a no-brainer.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But of course, change, even positive
change, takes energy. I've been there two months now and am just
beginning to feel like I'm getting my head above water. I finally
have a pretty good understanding of what needs to be done and what
it's going to take to do it. It involved more of a change to my
daily schedule than I might have expected, so I've had to learn (and
introduce to the family) a new set of routines around dinners, when
I'm available to help with things, etc. I travel around the state
more than I did before. None of these are negatives, just changes
that had to be absorbed and worked through.</div>
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Everyone who knows me knows that church
choir is my biggest “hobby.” (Somehow that feels like a
disrespectful way to refer to it – it seems so much more than
that.) In these few months away from the blog, we went
through Holy Week, with its five major sung services in eight days,
and Confirmation, where we provide special music on a Saturday
morning. Along with all the other little dramas that go along with choir – members with dying parents, medical issues of their own, our
ongoing saga of “who will be our permanent director.” So
while always, always a joy in my life, this has been another big part
of the whirlwind as well.</div>
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Sam has been home from college for more than a
week and except for the fact that he hasn't found a job yet, that
transition has gone surprisingly smoothly. I'm thrilled to
have him home, but I know many of my friends have had a rough time
the summer their child first came home from college. Add to that the
fact that Warren had been living here like an only child for the school year, and I was a little nervous. But so far it feels drama
free.
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Sam is hoping to get a job on a
painting crew this summer. I think he likes the fact it doesn't
require a lot of waiting on customers: he just has to show up and
work hard. He has interviewed, and feels good about his prospects,
but until there is an actual job offer, Mom is going to fret. The
one he is most wants said they are going to work four 10-hour
days a week, and he is really liking the idea of three-day weekends.
I'm liking the idea of a summer's worth of full-time income to refill
his bank account.</div>
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Warren is working full time or very
close to it at a new restaurant that opened near our house. I'm
almost superstitiously afraid to say this out loud, but since the
first of the year he has been doing really well. He had a job at
Wendy's and although he didn't much like it, he showed a lot
better self-discipline than he used to in continuing to do
what he needed to do to not lose the job. He only left it when he
landed this job, where he is getting more hours and therefore earning
more, plus tips, and actually doesn't mind the work. He's doing
better at home, too. I feel like he took a sudden spurt of maturing.
He seems to be trying much harder to be considerate, and is actually thinking about his future beyond just what he needs to get through the day. As I
said, I'm almost afraid to say anything lest I jinx it.</div>
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And of course, Bob proceeds steadily and full of good humor, as always. Very busy with all his Boy Scout and church volunteer work. Very happy that his golf league has resumed. Feeling somewhat thwarted and unappreciated at his work, but still grateful to be employed. He and I are looking forward to outdoor fun.</div>
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Overall, it feels like we are set up for a good
summer, though one unlike any we have experienced before. That should
generate plenty of fodder for the blog!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32671696.post-79115582922536735322013-03-24T22:28:00.001-04:002013-03-24T22:28:48.359-04:00I am so excited about Pope Francis!<br />
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I've been so busy lately that I just
haven't had the energy to blog. But instead of writing about any of
those things making me busy, now that I have a few minutes, I prefer to write about Pope Francis.
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As the conclave of cardinals was
setting up, Bob and I watched with sort of cynical interest. We read
the analyses and followed the handicapping and figured some Italian
cardinal who was a good administrator would be elected pope. If we
were lucky, he would clean out some of the people who had led to the
scandals in the Church. If we weren't, he would move the the Church
even further to the conservative side, making the changes implemented
after Vatican II more and more impotent.</div>
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Instead, the conclave did something
unexpected. They elected a cardinal from Buenos Aires, Argentina. A
cardinal who was best known for his humility and simple lifestyle.
And he did a bunch of surprising things. He took the name Pope
Francis, when there has never been a Pope Francis before. (And no,
major media outlets, that doesn't make him Pope Francis I. He will
be known as “the first” in retrospect when and if there is a Pope
Francis II.) He declined to sit upon a throne and accept the tribute
of the other cardinals, preferring to stand at their level and greet
them each that way. When he made his first public appearance, he
asked the assembled faithful at St. Peter's to pray for him. He chose
not to take the papal limousine back to his quarters for the night,
opting to ride the bust with the other cardinals. He stopped on his
way back the next morning to pay the bill at the place he had stayed
in the days leading up to the conclave.</div>
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And he continues to surprise. For
example, instead of performing the traditional washing of the feet at
St. Peter's or the main parish church there in Rome, he is going to a
juvenile detention center to wash the feet of those incarcerated. He
personally called the owner of the kiosk back in Argentina, where he
used to buy his daily paper, to cancel his paper order.
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I am not naive. I don't think this pope
is going to be the one who makes the big doctrinal changes in the
church that many liberals hope for. He's not going to begin to
ordain women, or even married men. He won't change the church's
stance on homosexuality. He is fairly conservative in his beliefs
and he won't be the one who makes any of those changes. But no one
else who was realistically likely to be elected was, either. Those
changes were not in the cards for this papacy. Period. </div>
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But I think this pope may make changes
that have far reaching effects. This is a man who views his
papacy...his ministry.....probably the entire world …..in the
context of the beatitudes. He is someone who believes in simplicity, in
meekness, in mercy; Who has lived his life dedicated to these
concepts and trying to integrate them into his own life. And I am
naive enough.....or idealistic enough....to believe that this world
view can make a powerful difference. I can't wait to see what new
examples he presents us, and how that mindset affects the decisions
he makes. I actually dare to hope that this pope could be such an
example of the Christian life that he inspires Catholics and
non-Catholics to think about their faith and how it affects their
life in a new way.
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It's like we've been given an Easter
gift. Alleluia!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08292993485984273172noreply@blogger.com0