Lonesome Dove

Dear Lonesome Dove,
You are one of the best books I've ever read in my life. I love (and hate) your characters and your plots. Reading you makes me happy. Please don't ever end.

The Shelf of Constant Reproach

I read a story on the NPR website this week that talked about the best books that you'll never read: you know, those books that we own copies of, know we should read, maybe pretend we have read, but just never read. Here's my shelf of constant reproach.
1. Heart of Darkness I've tried and tried to read this. I just can't do it. Last time I got three pages in before I had to put it down.
2. Catcher in the Rye I've tried to read this book over and over again. I always get to the exact same spot when I have to put it down, I just cannot read one more word. I just don't understand.
3. Catch-22 I've heard it's wonderful. Several of my friends have read it and loved it. It's supposed to be funny. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to get it. I've tried it a couple of times but I just can't get into it.
4. Anything by Hemingway. I've read many of his short stories and tried to read several of his novels. I just can't read it. I can appreciate the fact that his writing is innovative, but I just don't enjoy it. I confess, I am an English major/teacher who has never gotten through an entire Hemingway novel. (BTW, I have a theory that you can like either Faulkner or Hemingway. I'm a Faulkner girl. So far, I haven't found anyone who enjoys both. If you do, please let me know. I'd be interested to find out how the heck you can enjoy both.)
5. The Satanic Verses I want to read this book. I want to find out what is so controversial and outrageous that Ayatollah Khomeini decided to put out a fatwa on Rushdie. Surely a book that is so divisive has something important to say, right? I can't get past the first few pages.
I'm not giving up on these books. I will, on occasion, pick them up and try them again, as I have many times in the past. There certainly have been books in my life that I just didn't pick up at the right time. I avoided Tess of the d'Urbervilles for years before finally reading it and absolutely loving it. The same thing happened with The Poisonwood Bible. I'm a firm believer in giving a book a second chance. Or third, or fourth. However many chances they need.
(Sorry for the unfinished post before, I had to leave to go to the salon to get my hair cut. Yeah for new haircuts!)

GLEE!

Dear Glee,
I believe that you are my new favorite show. Teen drama, singing, dancing, one liners, what more could a girl ask for in a show? Please come back soon. I will be waiting (not so) patiently for you. At least I have the pilot saved in my DVR to help me miss you less. Hurry, Glee, hurry!
A.

Goodbye Bea

When I navigated to Yahoo just now to check my email a very sad headline greeted me. "Golden Girl passes away." Next to it was a picture of Bea Arthur. Now I'm not normally a girl who gets overly emotional over the lives or deaths of celebrities. Of course it's sad when another human being dies, and I pray for peace and comfort for their families, but I don't normally feel a sense of personal loss. That wasn't the case when I saw this headline. I don't know why, I but I feel very saddened over her passing. Maybe it's because I'm such a fan of The Golden Girls (who isn't? If you're not, I don't think we can be friends.), or maybe it's because I relate so much to the character she plays on that show (see my facebook page, I took the quiz, I'm a Dorothy). Whatever the reason, the passing of Bea Arthur has made me sad.
Dear Bea,
Thank you for providing me with countless hours of wonderful entertainment and for sharing your talent with us. Thank you for being my TV friend. You will be greatly missed.
A.

This will make you happy.

I love this video of Susan Boyle singing on Britain's Got Talent. I can't begin to describe it so you're just going to have to watch it for yourself to find out why it made me cry and smile and my heart happy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Movies that make me happy

I've been in a funk this week: moping around, feeling down in the dumps. It's now Friday and I don't want to spend my weekend doing the same thing. One thing that cheers me up is a good movie. Since I love lists, here's a list of movies that never fail to drive my blues away.
1. Sense & Sensibility: I love the scene when Emma Thompson realizes that Hugh Grant isn't married. It's one of the best scenes ever.
2. Love Actually: 5 words: "To me, you are perfect."
3. Steel Magnolias: I know, this seems like an odd choice for a cheer me up movie, but this movie is genuinely funny and who doesn't need a good cry every now and then? And I've learned that there is no circumstance in the world in which a quote from this movie isn't appropriate.
4. 10 Things I Hate About You: There are more than 10 things I love about this movie. It's sweet and funny, and it always makes me smile.
5. Never Been Kissed: Socially awkward girl falls for hunky English teacher who falls for her back. Love it.
6. Singing In the Rain: Who doesn't love a good musical? This is one of my favorites. Every time I watch this I'm singing "Good mornin', good mornin', we've talked the whole night through..." for days.
7. West Side Story: While we're talking about musicals, this one is another one of my favorites. I know, I know, he dies, but there are such good songs for singing along to..."I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright, and I pity any girl who isn't me tonight." Wonderful.
8. Pretty Woman: Isn't this every girl's fantasy? Well, maybe not the prostitution part, but definitely Richard Gere (or some rich handsome guy, possibly George Clooney?) coming to whisk you away from all your problems.
9. Little Miss Sunshine: This movie makes me laugh so hard every single time I see it, and I watch it a lot. She's adorable, her family is insane, and I love Steve Carell- he is playing the number one Proust scholar in the US, after all.
10. The Holiday: Two messed up girls find love and friendship. Who can't relate to one of these girls? (By the way, I'm totally Kate Winslet's character.)
11. Notting Hill: "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" and "To June who loved this garden from Joseph who always sat beside her." So sweet! So romantic!
Therapy is expensive. Renting a movie or watching one you already own is cheap. The weather is going to be cold and nasty this weekend. Curl up on your couch with a blanket, the dog, and the remote control and watch one of your favorite pick-me-up movies. If you're looking for me, that's what I'll be doing this weekend.