Catch-up

So, I don't want to break the rules or anything, but since I didn't post yesterday, I'm going to share quickly a couple books I have read lately that I really enjoyed. There is an author named Malcolm Gladwell and I just read two of his books: The Tipping Point and Outliers. His third one is called Blink and I would really like to read that at some point too. They are really interesting, and I don't want to really get into it now, but you should definitely check them out.

Now for today's subject. Actually, I will tie in my previous book recommendations with this part. Malcolm Gladwell defines the following as such:

tipping point: "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point."
outlier: (roughly) people who do not fit into our normal understanding of achievement

That gives you a vague idea of what the books are about, but basically he goes into detail, in the first one, about how a small thing can set off a huge trend or social/economic/etc. "virus" as he refers to it. The second is about the different natures of people and how we all function contribute differently to society. A lot of cool research and studies involved.

Christie's Word for Wednesday

From Where Angels Fear to Tread:

curate: a person authorized to conduct religious worship
fatuous: devoid of intelligence; obnoxiously stupid

From Flags of Our Fathers:

burgher: a member of the middle class

cindy- word #1

From my Child and Adolescent Psychology text in reference to how parents find themselves adjusting their parenting style during their child's teen years.:

egalitarian -
asserting, resulting from, or characterized by belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social life.

Compliments of Dictionary.com

Kathy's Treasure Trove

Even though this post is very late on Tuesday, I knew immediately what quote I would use to share today. It is from the book "Gift From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The book is filled with memorable quotes but I wrote this one down when I first read the book several years ago.

"To ask how little, not how much, can I get along with. To say--is it necessary?"

Anne Morrow Lindbergh left her husband and children at home to take some time by herself to write at a beach house. She reflected on being a woman, wife, and mother in a book that has become a classic. When I read this quote, my mind was transformed. How little can I get along with? The older I get, the more pared down I become in my desires. I ask myself more often if something is really worthy of my time and energy.

Cindy's treasure trove #1

Ah, quotes from a book...
Hmmm, will I recall a good one?
Let me try...

If I must choose one, this week, it would be from "Running With Scissors". Int he first few pages, the author, Augusten Buroughs, is recalling a time when his mother is dressing up and going out. She has on high heels and he says "...it's like she borrowed some other lady's feet."

Now, i know that is a weird quote to consider, but you must realize that around here shoes make a difference in our day to day life. Going with out them is something that I recall even when we lived in Enfield and Dad would try to tell me I would get worms from going into the barn without them. Or when I would run out to the mailbox, even with snow on the ground. It made me recall days of Alice trying to get me to understand how expensive socks are (when you must by them for 9 people), and brought to current life when I try to tell Ruth the same.
I know that if I put my shoes on, Sam gets excited. the other day, Debra noticed I had a pair on and asked me where I was going.

I guess for me, the idea of wearing shoes is the idea of conforming. For Deidre, the mother, I wonder if it was the same. That she should wear a certain item to try to signify what she was doing, and where she was going. Sometimes, in life we must conform to a certain standard, whether we care to keep it long term.
It makes me consider this: when I choose my shoes, I have very specific ideas about them. they have to feel a certain way on my feet, they should be just enough to show I care about myself, and yet they need to be practical and comfortable.
If I am wearing shoes that do not show who I am, then it would I appear I an "borrowing some other lady's feet".
Did that make sense?

Christie's Treasure Trove

I just finished Where Angels Fear to Tread this past Sunday and this was a quote from the book that I liked and wrote down:

"... human love and love of truth sometimes

conquer where love of beauty fails."

I like it because, to me, it says that loving something beautiful in appearance is not always (and probably rarely) the way to go. You have to love a little deeper- find the things that make us human, that make us real and sincere.

The Secret Language of Film

Hey! Technically it's Tuesday now, but only just. And I do want to participate in this new format, so I'll just give a quick post. I am currently reading a book called The Secret Language of Film by Jean Claude Carriere, who is a writer/playwright/screenwriter. Basically the book is a look into Carriere's extensive opinions and insights about modern film and how it has evolved and adapted since its emergence in the early 20th century. So far it seems to be a pretty negative view on film today in terms of the techniques being used and the approach to telling stories on screen. It is interesting, but so far it has been a lot about how unrealistic film is, though I can't quite get the feel of whether or not he is complaining about that or just stating the fact. He is making a lot of observations that most people notice about movies, but he also makes connections and conclusions about various things that I would never have thought of. What is nice is that he has made references to things that I never would have known about except that I took an International Cinema class last year, which I wasn't crazy about but it is nice that I have some basic knowledge of some of the things he is talking about. I am really hoping to expand my knowledge about film in as many ways as possible and I have another book about it lined up to read next. It is something I am so interested in, but have very little knowledge about and am going to really try to get more familiar with the prominent players in film as well as the history and the process. That's it! Glad to see what everyone else is reading and I look forward to seeing what you all have to post for the rest of the week.

Kathy is reading "The Creative Call"

I've read "The Creative Call" by Janice Elsheimer before but I am working on it again. The author's website describes the book this way:


"Many of us long to live more creativity— to use our God-given talents— but don’t know how to begin. We know we’re missing out on an important part of who we are meant to be by not practicing our art, but our lives seem too busy and exhausting to make room for any kind of artistic practice. By seeing our gifts as a spiritual connection to God, and by looking at the practice of those gifts as part of our spiritual growth, we can make the time to become the more creative people we were born to be." (www.jelsheimer.com)

As my job has become more stressful, I have become more keenly aware of my need and desire to take on the creative life I believe God has intended for me. "The Creative Call" is this Christian author's response to "The Artist Way" by Julia Cameron.

Cindy's First Manifest Monday

I suppose I could post about the wonder textbooks that I HAVE to read, but I won't. :)

I might post about the several books I am reading to increase my success as a Home Visitor. Nah.

I could post that I am reading, slowly, but surely, my way through Midnight's Children. But, I won't.

This is my current favorite reading book:

My last book of the summer was "Wolf at the Table", which was also written by Augesten Burroughs. It captured me.

I guess I knew he had other books, but didn't take the time to find them. Then, last week, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, and this guy's brother was highlighted. Then, of course, I went and read the brother's blog. Long story short, I realized that I was missing out on this book, and wanted to check it out. So, I did, from the library. :)

This is a memoir about a boy's life with a crazy mother, and how he copes with her crazy psychiatrist. The writing style is easy to read, even when the content is not. The author describes his thoughts and the fine details of his memories. Things like certain smells, and behaviors that made him feel "normal".

I guess there is a movie by the same title. I may check it out sometime. But, for now, I should get some more school stuff done so I can read my book this afternoon.

Christie's Manifest Monday

Today I am going to start Flags of Our Fathers. (I finished Where Angels Fear to Tread over the weekend).

Flags of Our Fathers was written by James Bradley, with assistance from Ron Powers. It delineates the lives of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima from the time they enlisted in the military to the time they raised the flag, and all the struggle in between.

James Bradley is the son of John Bradley, who was one of the six who raised the flag. John Bradley had kept many mementos, such as photographs and letters, from the war and his son used these documents to create this tribute.

This book was recommended to me by several people and I'm looking forward to learning more about the truth behind the flag raising at Iwo Jima, which because of that famous photograph has become of the most memorable moments in war history.