New Year's Resolutions for 2011

At the end of every year I think rationally about what I could do for the upcoming year to make it better. I always come up with resolutions that I feel are attainable yet I am never able to follow through with them. It's always disappointing to me and makes me feel like my year was wasted.

So this year...let's just keep it simple!!!

Short term: Un-decorate for Christmas by 2nd weekend in January.

Long term: Have stupid lap-band removed and have DS surgery.

Throughout the entire year: Don't read a single book I've already read and try to read at least 10 new books total by December 31st 2011. (Per last post- 9 new books!)

That's it! Happy New Year!

Water For Elephants (1 down- 9 to go)

I bought this book a while ago because a friend of mine, who had recently joined the circus, had said it was very good. This friend and I have very similar reading styles and I wanted a new book so...3 clicks on Amazon.com later, the book was mine. As usual, things came up and I never got around to reading it. Then another friend of mine called me, quite hysterical, because her brother in law saw Robert Pattinson at a job he was called on. I looked up what movie he could be working on and saw that the title was in fact Water for Elephants. I immediately decided that I had better read my book fast or else I'll be grouped into those people reading it for the sake of "Robert Pattinson." Yes, I've admitted before that he sucked me into his charm like every other girl (of any age) on this planet, but I am NOT the kind of person to read a book or buy a movie just because someone I have a small insignificant crush on is doing something loosely related. Or maybe I am. In any case, I did not buy this book for that reason. Clear? OK.

So I've finally read it and I am SO glad that I did. Oh I cried tears of sorrow, tears of anger, tears of outrage, tears of joy, you name it. Actually I did not really cry that much, but I wanted to. This book is about a young man who loses everything and accidentally joins the circus. The story telling goes back and forth between him as a 23 year old man in the circus and him as a 93 year old man in a nursing home. Let me say right now, I vow to NEVER put my family in a nursing home if I can help it. This book, although it was not the point of the story, opened my eyes to how miserable, depressing, and degrading "assisted living" homes are. I'd rather my parents not live as long but have rich, full, exciting lives rather than sat forgotten about, thinking how their lives used to be, and counting down the days until they're put out of their misery.

This book also tugged quite hard on my "love of animals" heart string. I really hate to consider that animals might still be treated that way today. It's a fine line between entertainment and torture. I was not too sad when said elephant from the title, takes her revenge. Should I have been?

In conclusion, this was a wonderful book and a very enjoyable read. I finished it in a day and a few hours. Granted I was out sick from work today, but still. I guess my new year's resolution of reading more new books is off to a great start since it isn't even the new year yet!! But I'm still counting it as a 2011 book ;)

It's About Time...

Wow I had no idea that I haven't posted since May! Well I won't attempt to get caught up in one post, but I'll work on it. I hope you all had a GREAT Christmas! I sure did!

So what I have coming up is:

*My Aunt Mary's and my mother in law's birthdays on December 30th

*New Year's Eve

*Kristopher's birthday on January 9th

*Mini vacation to Northern Arizona with my mom sometime in January


My dad is leaving back to Washington today :( I'm very sad about it, but soooo happy that he was able to come down for Christmas at all. And hopefully it won't be too long before we can move up to Washington ourselves!

Well check back soon for updates!!

Marissa

Ok this post is for my BFFL, Marissa. She says I never post new posts (and maybe she's right) so this one is just for her :)

Marissa and I have been best friends since our Sophomore year of high school. Almost 10 years and 3 states and we're still as close as ever!

I love you Marissa!!!

Things That Make Me LOL (part 2)

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman, was absolutely wonderful! I didn't realize it at first, but it's actually a young adults/kids book. Of course that didn't stop me, a good book is a good book regardless of what age group it was written for.

This book tells the story of Nobody Owens, a kid whose parents were murdered and the mad who murdered them chased him into a graveyard. The inhabitants of the graveyard protected him from the murderer and ended up raising Nobody in the graveyard. It's a dark but inspiring book full of comedy and suspense.

Once again, Neil Gaiman has surprised me with a book that I wouldn't have thought would hold my attention.

I Finally Did It!

I have been so addicted to the Twilight saga that I have had a very hard time reading anything else lately. I was able to distract myself with a few of the Harry Potter books, but then went straight back to my favorite vampire.

About a month ago my mother and I went to a used book sale and I bought DOZENS of books! I love all of the books I got! Mostly travel books, coffee table books, art books, and a few classics. I also got a few books by author Neil Gaiman (wrote the children's book Coraline) at the recommendation of my friend.

I started out with Neverwhere. I didn't really love it at first but I got sucked in more and more as I read...which is actually, I could tell later, exactly how the main character of the book is with the adventure he goes on.

To me, this book is Alice in Wonderland meets Wizard of Oz meets Gothic underground London. It's very good and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Now I am reading a young adult book by Gaiman called The Graveyard Book. This one I seem to be having a harder time getting into, but it's still very good and the storyline is quite unique! After this I'm going to give Vanity Fair a try, since I love the movie so much (the newer one, I haven't seen the classic yet).

CHECK BACK TOMORROW

I know it's been FOREVER since I posted a new blog, but I have a few up my sleeve that need to be written. Check back tomorrow and I promise you'll see some new stuff :)