AuntieClio Reads in 2014 - Page 3

This is my second year with the 75ers and am really looking forward to getting to know more of you. I live in Silicon Valley and am a photographer with an online shop and write an advocacy blog called Party of One for empowering girls and women. You can find lunisea.photography on Facebook too.

These threads are where I'll keep lists and slice and dice the data said lists generate.

It is the middle of February and here I am with #3! Thank you for visiting and keeping me company.

Counters:
ROOTS - aiming for 50 read and out of the house



Last year I read 104 but I'm keeping my goal to 75 in 2014.



Emptying and reshuffling some of the many boxes of books I own

Mysterious Box 36 - Done


Mysterious Box 38:



And as they go out, so too do they come in.

Proposed Rules of Engagement

1. To read what I already own


2. If acquiring new books they must fall roughly into the following categories:
   
   
   
   • Tudors (especially Elizabeth I)
   
   
   • Beats
   
   
   • Psychedelic 60s (mostly 1967-1970)
   
   
   • Women (a rather large category, but in spirit, means women who fit into other loosely defined categories)
   
   
   • Religion/spirituality (particularly early religions)
   
   
   • If fiction, must be by someone I have already read (trying to avoid starting new series by new authors)
   
   
   • Politics (but mostly in terms of other loosely defined categories)
   
   
   • History (most non-fiction will be history, meant to be collective for books which don't fit in other loosely defined categories)
   
   
   • photography
   
   
   • business/marketing
   
   
   
   
3. 75 in 2014 is the main goal, not TIOLI


4. Books cannot be purchased simply to fit a TIOLI challenge.

2014 Running Total
(updated at the end of each month)

2014 Total Books Read: 20
2014 Total TIOLI Books Read: 20
2014 ROOTs: 9

2014 Digital Read: 2
2014 Goes: 9
2014 Loaner:
2014 Stays: 9
2013 Undecided Status:

2014 Fiction: 11
2014 Non-Fiction: 9

2014 New Book Categories:
Tudors: 1
60s: 1
Beats: 1
Women: 2
History: 1
Politics:
Religion:
Spirituality:
Photography/Creativity: 2
Business/Marketing: 1
Fiction (Familiar Author): 15
Non-Fiction (Familiar Author):
Thingadingy: 1
Other: 5

2014 Books Bought: 20
2014 Gifts: 10
2014 Downloads: 7

Monthly reading lists:
January reading list
February reading list
March reading list

Best:

Best of January:
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Most Fun of January:
Aloha From Hell by Richard Kadrey

Best of February:
Dust by Hugh Howey
after the quake by Haruki Murakami

Most Useful of February:
The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists by Eleanor Payson

Most Interesting of March:
Who Am I This Time? by Jay Martin

My thingadingy is coming up in May. 5 years! And to think a hacked book blog brought me here. I want to explore writers from other countries for my thingy and would like suggestions for non-US writers to explore.

There are no rules here, the writer could even be an expat. Help me pick six books for my Thingaversary!

Mysterious Box 36 - DONE

Joseph Campbell - Primitive Mythology (Goes) (Feb)
Ed McBain - Cinderella (goes) (Jan)
Plato - Euthyphro, Apology, Crito (goes) (Feb)
Carl Sagan - Contact (goes) (Feb)
Robert Hans Van Gulik - The Monkey and the Tiger (goes) (Jan)
Alice Walker - The Color Purple (stays) (Jan)
Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House in the Big Woods (Goes) (Jan)
Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House on the Prairie (goes) (Jan)
Herman Wouk - Caine Mutiny (goes) (Jan)

Mysterious Box 38 - 31 books

Adams, Douglas - Life, the universe, and everything (goes) (March)
Adams, Douglas - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (goes) (March)
Adams, Douglas - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (goes) (March)
Allende, Isabel - Eva Luna
Allende, Isabel - The House of the Spirits (re-read)
Aristophanes - The Acharnians, The Clouds, Lysistrata (re-read)
Atwood, Margaret - Alias Grace
Atwood, Margaret- Cat's Eye
Atwood, Margaret - Robber Bride
Buckland, Raymond - The Witch Book: The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca and Neo-Paganism
Chaikin, Andrew - A Man on the Moon (re-read)
Coel, Margaret - The Shadow Dancer (re-read)
Herbert, Frank - Dune (re-read)
Herbert, Frank - Dune Messiah
Herbert, Frank - Children of Dune
Herbert, Frank - God Emperor of Dune
Herbert, Frank - Heretics of Dune
Herbert, Frank - The Jesus Incident
Herbert, Frank - The White Plague
Herlihy, James Leo - Midnight Cowboy
James, P.D. - The Children of Men (re-read)
Kinnan Rawlings, Marjorie - The Yearling
Lane, Roger - Murder In America: A History
Le Mee, Katharine - Chant: The Origins, Form, Practice, and Healing Power of Gregorian Chant
Orwell, George - 1984 (stays) (March)
Peters, Ellis - Hermit of Eyton Forest
Pipher, Mary - Reviving Ophelia (re-read)
Steinbeck, John - Cannery Row
Tannahill, Reay - Sex in History
Thurston, Carol - The Eye of Horus (re-read)
Turow, Scott - Presumed Innocent

February reading list:

13. (G)(NF) Primitive Mythology by Joseph Campbell - TIOLI #13 Read a book you share with a LT Legacy Library - (e. e. cummings) (Myterious Box 36)

14. (D)(NF) Crossing: A Memoir by Dierdre McCloskey - TIOLI #15. Read a personal book of non-fiction: letters, diaries, travel writing, memoir, etc. (memoir)

15. (G)(NF) Euthyphro, Apology, Crito - Plato - TIOLI #4. Read a book that has an older person as a main character (Socrates)

16. (S)(F) Dust by Hugh Howey - TIOLI #21. Read a book you got free with no strings attached (gift, Kevin) (also, Fantasy February)

17. (G)(F) Contact by Carl Sagan - TIOLI #7. Read a book and then remove it from your physical presence

18. (S)(NF) The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists by Eleanor Payson - TIOLI #7. Read a book and then remove it from your physical presence

19. (S)(F) after the quake by Haruki Murakami - TIOLI #3. Read a book of short stories

20. (S)(NF) Demon Lovers by Walter Stephens - TIOLI #16. Read a book about love, or that has a "love" word in the title and/or author's name (lovers)

---

New to the Stacks
16. Visions of Cody by Jack Kerouac
Category: Beats, Fiction by Familiar Author

17. Witches & Neighbors by Robin Briggs
Category: Women, History

18. Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey
Category: Fiction (Familiar Author)

19. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Category: Other

20. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
Category: Other (wishlist)

21. Maus I by Art Spiegelman
Category: Other (graphic novel)

22. Maus II by Art Spiegelman
Category: Other (graphic novel)

23. Grab a Hunk of Lightning by Elizabeth Partridge
Category: Photography

24. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
Category: May Thingadingy

25. The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists by Eleanor Payson (because the one I read was a loaner)
Category: Other
READ

26. The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy
Category: Fiction Familiar Author (completes series in one of the Mysterious Boxes)

27. The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy
Category: Fiction Familiar Author (completes series in one of the Mysterious Boxes)

28. Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert
Category: Fiction Familiar Author (completes series in Mysterious Box 38)

29. Executive Orders by Tom Clancy
Category: Fiction Familiar Author (completes series in one of the Mysterious Boxes)

30. Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy
Category: Fiction Familiar Author (completes series in one of the Mysterious Boxes)

---

February Total Books Read: 8
February Total TIOLI Books Read: 8
February ROOTs 3

February Digital Read: 1
February Goes: 3
February Loaner:
February Stays: 4
February Undecided Status:

February Fiction: 3
February Non-Fiction: 5

February New Book Categories:
Tudors:
60s:
Beats: 1
Women: 1
History: 1
Politics:
Religion:
Spirituality:
Photography/Creativity: 1
Business/Marketing:
Fiction (Familiar Author): 6
Non-Fiction (Familiar Author):
Thingadingy: 1
Other: 5

February Books Bought: 15
February Gifts: 5
February Downloads: 7

March:
planned reading

1984 by George Orwell - TIOLI #14. Read a book by an author from a Commonwealth country (UK) TIOLI #10. Read a book you consider a classic (Mysterious Box 38) - Complete
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #10: Read a book you consider a classic (Mysterious Box 38) Complete
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #2. Read a book with a word in the title or author's name suggesting the end of something (Mysterious Box 38) - Complete
Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #3. Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel (Universe) (Mysterious Box 38) Complete
Who Am I This Time? by Jay Martin - TIOLI #3. Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel (a) Complete
Dune by Frank Herbert - 11. Read a relative "chunkster" (507 pages, my average 320) (Mysterious Box 38)
Nation by Terry Pratchett - TIOLI 4. Read a book with a predominantly green cover
Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert - TIOLI #21: Read a Book for a Rolling Challenge by Number of Syllables in Title (up to 9) - (4 syllables) - (Mysterious Box 38)

---

21. (S)(F) 1984 by George Orwell - TIOLI #14. Read a book by an author from a Commonwealth country (UK) TIOLI #10. Read a book you consider a classic (Mysterious Box 38)

22. (G)(F) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #10: Read a book you consider a classic (Mysterious Box 38)

23. (G)(F) The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #2. Read a book with a word in the title or author's name suggesting the end of something (Mysterious Box 38)

24. (G)(F) Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #3. Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel (Universe) (Mysterious Box 38)

25. (G)(NF) Who Am I This Time? by Jay Martin - TIOLI #3. Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel (a)

---

New to the Stacks:

---

March Total Books Read: 5
March Total TIOLI Books Read: 5
March ROOTs: 4

March Digital Read:
March Goes: 4
March Loaner:
March Stays: 1
March Undecided Status:

March Fiction: 4
March Non-Fiction: 1

March New Book Categories:
Tudors:
60s:
Beats:
Women:
History:
Politics:
Religion:
Spirituality:
Photography/Creativity:
Business/Marketing:
Fiction (Familiar Author):
Non-Fiction (Familiar Author):
Thingadingy:
Other:

March Books Bought:
March Gifts:
March Downloads:

Stephanie- Congrats on the new thread! Good luck with your various challenges.

#13 Mark,
You're the first on my new thread! PM your mail address to me and I will send you a limited edition signed postcard of a photo from my private collection.

And thanks for dropping by!

Well now. I have gotten the itch to clean more book boxes. So out came the "history reference" box and all the old textbooks and some other "not taking classes anymore, don't need it" books went into the out bin.

This allows me to rearrange some of the stacks into boxes. The History Reference box is now filled with history books I know I will read again.

Which gives me space to put the unread books into a large bin and the read but no space yet stacks into a smaller bin. I think this means I won't be knocking stacks over with my butt in the middle of the night getting to the bathroom.

Stephanie - Great to see a new thread just nicely in time for the weekend. xx

You're so organised, Stephanie. Happy new thread!

I am first! I am first! A handstand like Snoopy.

Yippee for no-butt-knocking midnight pee runs!

Talk me through your mystery boxes...I am intrigued (and sorry if you have talked through them earlier and I missed it).

The only one you haven't read from #38 is practically the only one I have read!

Ha! What Richard said.

Congrats on the new thread, Stephanie.

Hey there Stephanie -- I'm new this year to these 75er parts. Saw your lovely posts around on some people's threads. Wanted to stop by and say hello. Hello!

Am now all caught up on your thread. Count me with the crowd of people amazed at your organized thread/reading!

Am also intrigued by discussion of feeling the need to plow through books. I have penchant for that myself. I recently went through the kind of life assessment one has when encountering one of those hallmark birthdays counted in multiples of ten. Determined I probably have another twenty years of reading left, with God's grace, good health and strong eyes. Multiplied that by my average reading per year to calculate the number of books I likely have time left to read. Ouch!

Now, if a book seems a real slog, and I'm debating if I should continue, I try to decide if it is life time worthy. I only have so many books left, right?

Went onto your site and checked out your photos. Lovely.

#20 Megan,
I have 42+ boxes of books on shelves in my butler's pantry. This year, I decided to start going through them and actually purging as I read. The contents aren't really mysterious since I have them all catalogued but it really is like opening a mysterious box when I pick one and pull it out.

As you can tell #36 was mostly purged with only about half getting read. Only 1 book was a keeper. The last book to read from that box is Contact, it probably won't be a keeper.

Mysterious Box 38 got chosen because it had the missing Life, the Universe, and Everything book, so I could read the trilogy sequentially.

The plan is as I empty boxes to put the stacks of what I've already read and keeping into them.

#22 michigantrumpet,
Hi and welcome!

I'm a little ("little?" hah!) OCD when it comes to lists. And thank you.

This month has just been weird in regards to reading and slogging through. I was laid off on July 31st and have had a lot of time thinking and digging into what's important to me. I don't mind having to work for my reading but there's working and there's slogging. February 2014 finally taught me to just "give it up" if the reward of slogging isn't obvious. In fact, since I wrote that on my last thread, I gave up on two other books after a few pages. The other revelation I had this month is that my library should be filled with books I loved and would re-read. Not something completest or "should be", just stuff I like. When the time comes I want my nieces and nephew to go through it and find stuff they might like.

So, slogging now to a minimum and keep only what I truly want to read again.

Wait? What was the topic? :-)

Thanks for joining the merry band which graces my threads.

#16 Paul, I am truly amazed I'm on #3. That's more than I had all last year!

#17 Diana, Thank you and hi!

#18 Mark, *applause*

#19 #21 Richard and Joe, Yeah, I especially like the no butt knocking.

Busy day. Breakfast with a friend who pays and says it's his investment in lunisea.photography. We brainstorm about things I could do to grow sales.

Then an appointment with She Who Listens to talk over parent bs. She loaned The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists to me which, serendipitously, has been on a wishlist for a couple of years. I'm looking forward to digging into that one.

A grocery run for both Don and I. And now I'm home catching up on threads and email and Facebook, etc. Spending Valentine's Day (also known as just another day) at home enjoying my own company and doing nothing more special than reading. :-)

Stephanie - Fully deserved are the three threads. I am quietly a little chuffed that some of my pals are being recognised in the threads more this year, it is great fun to see the posts more evenly spread.

Happy Valentine's Day my dear. Give my best to Don. What has he decided about the guitar?

#27 Paul,
I think he's procrastinating on making a decision, because deep down he doesn't want to admit that he might never play again. A band he's played with is losing their current bass player soon and I think he's hoping he'll be able to at least practice with them. I am not going to disabuse him of this notion. He probably sees admitting that he can't play any more as giving up, something he is loath to do.

He had scans this week and says that the tongue and mouth are getting worse while the rest of his body remains about the same. He was a couple of pints of blood low today so was in for a transfusion. I took pictures a couple of weeks ago and he is just so .... skinny ... and frail. I am so blessed that he and I have had over 30 years of friendship and am thankful for every day extra he has on this earth.

Thank you for asking. I will ask again soon.

Just got back from the office Stephanie and your post put a lump straight in my throat.

I repeat what I said some time earlier - he doesn't have to sell it we'll club together and buy it from him and give him it straight back.

Hi, Stephanie! Happy new thread! It is very impressive, all those lists in the first !!!!12!!!! posts!

And I'm so sorry to hear about Don's health. I'm guessing he is your significant other? So sad to see somebody struggle and trying to hang on. My thougths are with you both!

{{{Stephanie}}}

#29 Paul,
Thank you. As I said, I will bring it up with him again soon.

#30 Connie,
Don and I have been very good friends for over 30 years now. What once started as a romance turned into a deep and abiding friendship. Once we were roommates, but no longer, although I still sometimes slip and refer to him as my roommate. He has been fighting cancer which started in his tongue and his vocal chords 5 years ago (suspected as HPV) which has spread all over his body in the past year+. We thought we lost him last May when he got unceremoniously admitted to the hospital. He's quite the fighter and has retained his independence.

#31 {{{Richard}}} Thank you

Well, quite the lovely day today. Had lunch with a friend at a Middle Eastern restaurant. Not only did he buy lunch, he sent me home with leftovers and ordered a couple of dishes to go home as well.

Then we encountered Girl Scouts from whom he bought a box of cookies for me.

Then we went across the street to a new (to me) used bookstore and he proceeded to tell me to pick a few and he would pay for those too!!!!

Here is my haul:
Grab a Hunk of Lightning by Elizabeth Partridge
Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This was a particularly interesting bookstore expedition because they also sell new books and there were some you have all talked about, but I had never seen. It's rare that I go to brick and mortar book stores, and even more rare to one that also sells new books. I kept pointing things like The Luminaries and The Goldfinch out to my friend and say, "Oh! My Library Thing friends are reading these."

Have you read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks? Probably not the right time to do so, if you haven't - but the cancer cells which were taken from her without her knowledge/consent were instrumental in the development of the HPV vaccine.

To return to the conversation about when to stop slogging and just toss the book, this was something we talked about as we sat outside after our book buying expedition.

It basically came down to if I wasn't getting the information I wanted from the book (a la Primitive Mythology) there are other ways to get that information and so shouldn't be wasting my time on a slogger.

We also talked about reading "classic" books like Thoreau and Emerson. He said that those were good books to have read at a younger age, in college, but if by now I haven't read them, they probably weren't worth wasting my time on. (Which helps since I just purged a book of essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson.)

#34 Lois
Yes, I've read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and found it utterly fascinating.

Nice friend to dine with! And such a lovely book haul. Have Mr. Penumbra on my wish list for quite a while now. Will be interested to hear your thoughts.

Hi Stephanie! Good book haul. The Maus books are outstanding. One of my absolute favorite GNs. I also enjoyed Mr Penumbra & The Historian. Enjoy!

#37 Marianne, he usually pays for my meal, but the extras to bring home were unexpected. As were the books. I have lovely, generous friends. He even bought a card and wrote in it in the parking lot before we parted ways. The nicest compliment I've ever received was today when he said, "I'd wish you'd been in college with me."

#38 Mark, I am quite happy with my haul today. I'm especially looking forward to Maus.

..."I'd wish you'd been in college with me."

aaawww! So sweet!

Contact by Carl Sagan - TIOLI #7. Read a book and then remove it from your physical presence (Also, last of Mysterious Box 36)

Ellie Arroway goes from smart, questioning girl to brilliant radio astronomer in charge of Project Argus, a large telescope array in New Mexico being used for SETI.

One night, something comes through the air which turns out to be a communication from space. This communication is quickly dubbed The Message and carries instructions on how to build a machine. No one knows what The Machine will do after it's built but all governments want in on the technology.

When The Machine is finally built and the five scientists, including Dr. Arroway, enter something odd happens. To The Five, it's mystical experience which lasts over a day. They encounter people important to them who have died. Among them, Ellie's dad Theo, who gives a rather complex explanation of what it all means and how they got there.

To the crew members waiting for their return, only 20 minutes has passed when The Five jubilantly come bounding out of The Machine and start to tell their story. Only thing is, of course, the data that had been recorded is gone so there's no proof of what really happened. Accusations fly, The Five are told never to speak of this again and basically, given any job they want so long as they keep their mouths shut.

Contact is technologically dated but kudos to Sagan for even trying to guess from 1988 what technology would look like in 1999/2000. He missed, by a lot, but he tried. There's also political and romantic intrigue, religious quackery, and useless subplots.

It's not hard for me to suspend my disbelief when I'm reading, but what happened after The Five returned was so full of shenanigans I kept thinking, "Just stop talking Sagan!"

The worst of it was a US Government official who had been opposed to the building of The Machine to begin with threatening The Five, while conjecturing the whole thing was a conspiracy to bilk governments out of billions of dollars, especially between the US and Russian scientists. Lots of people being mean for no reason other than they could, I guess.

And then there was the thing about Ellie's dad and stepfather not being who they appeared to be that made me wince.

No ... just, no.

>33 AuntieClio:: I really enjoyed The Historian - I hope you do, too!

>33 AuntieClio: I did a little snooping because I had a hunch about which bookstore it might be (weird, too, because there was no particular reason to think of this one except that it was the last one I visited before leaving the country last year) - and I was right! I went there with my husband and daughter. We had a great time looking around and both Emily and I picked up books.

What a great friend. Does he have a brother?

I enjoyed Contact when I read it, but I wasn't even 30 yet and I suspect I'd be less enamored of it at 54. Like your friend, I suspect there are books you should read before X age or forego...like Look Homeward, Angel. If you haven't read it by your 21st birthday or college graduation (whichever came first), it's not likely to make a great impression on you.

Good Sunday, Stephanie! Congratulations on thread 3.

You are a good friend, obviously, and so you have good friends. Sometimes karma works in immediately identifiable ways, doesn't it?

>32 AuntieClio:: thanks for explaining, Stephanie. I always feel a bit awkward asking about things that seem obvious to everyone else. I'm rather new in the 75-ers (but loving it) although not that new on LT.

And I can feel the pain it causes to see Don in such pain. My friend Vera and I are really very close and it would be awfull to see her suffering like that.

I love De historicus and I need to buy Mr Penumbra when Peet (my husband) and I will visit London in april.

#42 Amber,
Thanks! I do too.

Also re: comparative mythology. Never mind, I have several books in my library from various cultures. And, if I get really curious, my lunch friend will be able to make some recommendations. He had the same view of Joseph Campbell as you do, which led to a discussion of celebrity psychologists we know and who we also consider "bubblegum." We bemoaned the fact that we know many who deserve more attention for what they have done (we both know the guy that basically invented Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) instead of these pop culture flashes.

#43 Ursula,
oh how funny! We decided that next time we get together for a meal, we will just go to Murphy St. and pick a restaurant. The food at DishDash was so good I am afraid I will get stuck!

I really liked Leigh's, it's very different from the one I go to in Mountain View (Bookbuyers on Castro St.)

#44 Richard,
Nope, he's an only child.

I really had no idea he was going to spend so much on me! And when we were in the bookstore, he kept saying, "Get the hardbacks! Get the hardbacks!" He caught me comparing prices between the hard and paperbacks. I had a big ol' crush on him when we first met at that awful place, he's the reference librarian there. And I LOVE our free-ranging conversations about all sorts of things.

#45 Gail! *HUGS*
Awww, thank you. Having recently received an influx of money, it was going to be my splurge at a new bookstore but he beat me to it.

#46 Connie,
I understand. You can ask anytime, even by PM if that makes you more comfortable.

Oh fun! I'm looking forward to reading them both, but they will have to wait their turn because I have a few others all lined up. I don't like to break my promises, even if they're to inanimate objects like books. ;-)

Happy Monday! Have fun finding homes for your new babies.

Hi Richard, you know I will!

Just passing through and waving as I attempt to catch up threads.

#54 Juli - Hi! ... Bye

I call shenanigans on Carl Sagan and Contact. I'll explain when I get back and have time to write my review.

Lovely dinner last night at a friend's. We got take away Chinese and chatted.

Off to help Don do stuff at his place, always thankful when he asks.

okay .... going up and down the 4 steps from home to driveway multiple times is tough going for Don so I went over and put the trash and recycling in the appropriate bins as he handed them down to me. Then shoved said bins to the street. Oh, and helped clean out the refrigerator.

He has at least one more round of chemo and then more scans. They are already talking about hospice care for him. :-(

I asked round about about the guitar. He's going to have to tell the band that he just doesn't have the stamina to play for long periods of time any more. A full gig would probably do him in for several days.

He has a warehouse/shop full of stuff that needs to be gone through and gotten rid of, so I have made him promise (again) to call and I will drive up and help for however long he has the energy.

I'll have to just keep telling him that I don't care when or for what he calls me. If he gets a jones for ice cream in the middle of the night I will go get it for him. Nothing is too much for him.

That's a wonderful gift, Stephanie, and one that no one can ever hear often enough.

You are a wonderful friend!

The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists by Eleanor Payson - TIOLI #7. Read a book and then remove it from your physical presence

... the NPD (narcissistic personality disorder) person's complete self-absorption results in an insidious tendency to devalue those within his or her sphere of influence, either subtly with condescension, or openly with criticism. The inevitable impact on the individual in a relationship with an NPD person is a dangerous erosion of self-esteem. (p. 1)

With an inner wound that disables the narcissist, compassion and a deep longing compels the child to repeatedly strive for acceptance and love from the NPD parent. (p. 57)

This is the story of my life told through the lens of people who do not see anyone but themselves in the world. The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists gave me so much insight into my entire life; parents, friendships, romantic relationships, co-workers, and that nasty place at which I used to work.

Easy to read and understand, Eleanor Payson writes of the many ways NPD harms us and offers help to minimize the harmful swipes at our self-esteem and confidence. As I read, I began to understand why I had felt so confused and adrift my entire life.

Highly recommended.

Question for discussion:
Eleanor Payson writes that the Wizard was a narcissist because he made Dorothy jump through all sorts of hoops before she caught him out as a man behind the curtain, forcing him to face himself and show her the way to get home in his balloon.

That's certainly one way to look at it, although it was Dorothy herself through Glinda's guidance who found her own way home.

I see "Wizard of Oz" as a quest story and, as with all quests, one must face difficulties while discovering our own character and becoming the person we were meant to be. Dorothy's search through Oz for the way to get back to Kansas and her family is more a quest for self-discovery than learning how to deal with a narcissist.

Thoughts?

Stephanie
I'm so sorry that your friend Don is fighting the cancer battle. I lost a very special friend three years ago. Sitting by her bedside at Hospice was one of the saddest, yet spiritual things I've done in my life.

I'm holding you and Don in my thoughts and prayers.

Your latest read sounds fascinating.

#58 Richard, he has given so much and been such a terrific presence in my life I really would do just about anything for him. Although I draw the line at walking across broken glass and other weirdnesses.

#59 Lois, thank you!

#61 Linda, it's not for the weak that's for sure. And I do know what you mean about it being spiritual. My lunch friend is an atheist and I have a "unorthodox" view of spirituality. He finds my beliefs fascinating and will ask deep searching questions so he can understand better. I don't see things as "either/or", I usually see them as "both" and I'm more than willing to say I don't have an answer or hadn't thought about something. We've both read a lot about early religion and politics and he's visited some fringe churches which just fascinates me.

And I do believe that Don and I have been put on this path for some higher reason. I refuse to believe that this is being done "to" us (as his girlfriend does) but rather as something that is happening and all we can do is be the loving people we are. I see my place in all this as loving and helping Don as much as I can without judgement or expectations. If my going over and taking out his trash or buying groceries will help him, then I'm willing to do it.

I'm only about 20 pages into my current read and have already found it very interesting and very reassuring. I recognize so many of the assholes from my life in this book.

Chiming in to let you know that you and Don are in my thoughts every day. And to add my thoughts to the pile - what you are doing for him is wonderful - what a great friend you are.

>60 AuntieClio:: Yeup, sounds like my MIL...

I recognize so many of the assholes from my life in this book. I'm laughing out loud at this comment. Thanks for the spot of cheer before I head out the door to work.

My father, my eldest sister...oh my yes...so many folks I've known.

Harvard Book Store's Top 100

It's an interesting list with a few unexpected items. I think it's the first list I've seen which had The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster on it.

I've read 23 of the 100.

#63 Amber
Thank you.

#63 Linda
Oh I'm glad I made you laugh.

#64 Richard
It's amazing to me how many there are in the world.

after the quake by Haruki Murakami (re-read)

"So what you're saying is," Katagiri said, "that you and I have to go underground together and fight Worm to stop the earthquake." (p. 98)

Since this is a re-read for me and the review I wrote previously still works, I'm just going to copy it here:
"Recommended by a good friend, Murakami’s Japanese magical realism collection of short stories is a really good read. As with all good magical realism, things skim below the surface that would make everything make concrete sense, if only we could get our minds to accept it. What’s above the surface is beautiful and quirky and interesting, and somehow always makes sense even when you know it shouldn’t. Who ever heard of a large frog enlisting a small man to help save the world by going underground and having the fight of their lives against an angry worm? But Murakami’s language and storytelling ability make it seem utterly sensible. As with Kerouac, I fell in love at the first sentence and was sad when this small volume was completed."

Oo, I loved After the Quake, Stephanie. That's what started me on Murakami.

I'm not one for prayers, Stephanie! But you and Don are in my thoughts! It's a friendship like yours that inspire me!

#69 Joe,
Mine too :-)

#70 Connie,
Thank you.

Demon Lovers by Walter Stephens - TIOLI #16. Read a book about love, or that has a "love" word in the title and/or author's name (lovers)

Witchcraft was necessary to explain the potential shortcomings of Catholicism. If witchcraft energy was imaginary, then so were the energies of the sacraments. (p. 206)

By mobilizing Christian hatred of outcasts, stories of desecration betrayed a hope that Christians were not condemned to remain eternally in doubt about the reality of the sacraments. (p. 216)

When faith is impossible, doubt is incarnated as the Devil. (p. 341)

The basic thesis of Demon Lovers is that when Catholicism began to confront the many inconsistencies of the Bible and theological dogma, proving that demons and, therefore, angels existed in a physical form would explain away these inconsistencies.

Stephens' writing is academic and often surprisingly humorous. He goes back to the original source of witch craft theory, the Malleus Maleficarum and traces the reasons for witch hunts which had to do with the matters of faith than the sinfulness of those accused of witch craft.

All "proof" of demons and their horrific works were, of course, second hand accounts obtained through specious means. Yet this "proof" fueled centuries of witch hunting.

Women were not targeted specifically because they were women, but because they were considered less strong mentally and more passive than men, making them easy targets for demons. It's easier to accuse the old woman next door with unorthodox views and behaviors as being in league with the demons than to the face a reality which includes a natural explanation for her oddness. Mental health was not a "thing" then, and was dismissed as the work of the devil.

Many things struck me as interesting, one of them the obsession with sex and genitals. It was women who copulated with demons, and the size of the demon's genitals and the depth of pleasure experienced by women were discussed in great detail. One wonders if this was an unintentional (or intentional) reinforcement of the trope that larger penises give better orgasms? Or is this an excuse for why women can't/shouldn't be pleased by their husbands?

One truism remains today as it was then, if something is repeated often enough and with enough authority, then it becomes true.

"Witchcraft, Sex, and the Crisis of Belief" is the title of my second volume of autobiography. Count on it.

Hi, Stephanie. I've just been reading through your thread enjoying the reviews. I like it when reviewers tell the truth about books; it's something I struggle with sometimes.

So sad that hospice is already being talked about. I know what you're going through; it's very difficult, but you're right about the deeper rewards. You and Don are in my thoughts every day.
xo

#73 Richard
What's the name of your first volume?

#74 Gail
I know you do. :-( Thanks for dropping by.

"Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention: The Early Years of Richard Derus"

#75 Richard,
I can't wait to read them!

Volume three will be called "Cheeks on Fire: The Many Loves..."

#78 Richard
ROFL ... maybe I will skip that one

All of these are actual book titles, too! Amazing what people will call their books.

Richard: *snork!*

Happy Weekend, Stephanie!

Good morning, Stephanie. First of all, I love your Ode to Books at the beginning of your thread. My books are my friends, too. Always there when I need them. Speaking of friends, you have some good ones. They buy you breakfast…and other meals, not to mention books. And then there's Don. I have heard you mention him before but I had no idea that he had such a cruel cancer for a singer and musician. Your friendship with him is something very special, and I'm sure it means a lot to him to have someone he can depend on. How sad for both of you to be going through this together.

On another note, it has been awhile since I've read Murakami. He makes me scratch my head but I love his imagination and way with words. Maybe the short story collection will be the next foray into his world of cats and wells and eccentric characters.

I hope you and your friends have a good Sunday.

Stopping in to wish you a Sunday full of fabulous, Stephanie! Your day out with your friend sounds delightful, and you made a lovely selection of books. And what excellent care you are taking of Don - he is so lucky to have a friend like you who is there through good times and bad. I have a sister who survived cancer, and a Dad who did not, so I understand how very hard it is to see someone that you love so much deal with something that you just cannot fix for them. It's heartbreaking and devastating to travel that path, but oh so important for them to not feel alone on their journey. I am keeping both of you in my thoughts and prayers.

#82 Donna,
My friends are truly graces in my life. I haven't always had friends like this, and I am truly grateful.

Thank you for your kind thoughts about Don. It's truly one day at a time right now. He started another round of chemo last Thursday.

Murakami is very inventive and interesting. Magical realism is one of my favorite genres.

Thank you for dropping by!

#83 Mamie,
Thank you for your kind words. I'm sorry you've gone through this too, it's no fun. Don doesn't like people to fuss over him so it's been a lesson for both of us.

Stephanie- I also loved After the Quake. It was much better than my last Murakami.

BTW- I received the postcards. Thank you very much. Interested in seeing your work.

#86 Mark,
Oh good, it got there. You're welcome.

...Stephanie...?

Yes?

Oh good. Checking your Internet pulse.

Oh sorry. Didn't mean to worry you. I got busy doing zazzle stuffs yesterday. Thanks for checking on me Richard. *smooch*

A couple days' absence can mean busy or it can mean problems. I like to know if something's needed, beyond attention that is. *smooch*

Plus I'm really engrossed in Demon Lovers. I was thinking I should give my RL info to an LT friend in case problems arise and I can be sure to let everyone know what's going on.

It's not a bid idea. The more active one is in a group, the better the idea is.

So far today I've listened to the original Broadway soundtrack from JC Superstar and am listening to Swan Lake now.

Last night I finished ripping the second of two large DJ cases filled with CDs. There are a few more just sitting out that need to be ripped and catalogued. At least then I'll know what I have.

I'm also working on updating photos in my zazzle store and creating some new products. And .... I don't know something else probably ... besides reading that is.

Enjoyed reading about RDs projected series of memoirs. Will be enlightening if it can past the local censors.

Lunch with a friend (Wednesday) and then errands. Laundry, blech. If my butler's pantry was a TARDIS or a holosuite, I would conjure up, at the very least, a washer/dryer so I could stay home and do laundry.

If I had access to the TARDIS, the laundry would be the last thing on my mind...(David Tennant...)

Just dropping by to see how things are going.

Demon Lovers? I am presuming that is a book title...

I'd love to read Richard's memoirs. Just the proposed titles make me smirk.

Have a good Wednesday.

#98 Amber,
ahem ... yeeees

#99 Gail,
Demon Lovers is the name of my current read, it's about the origins of witch hunting in Europe and very interesting, if a little slow.

Don is going to San Diego for the weekend for a convention he's always wanted to go to. I have been worrying about him like a mother hen and I need to stop because it's wearing me out and not doing any good.

Had gyros with a friend today, blew off the errands and come home for a "nap."

And, it's raining!!!

>66 AuntieClio: I have read 21 off that Harvard List- and I always have great fun perusing the lists to see what else I need to add to the TBR /WL- so thanks for that link.

>95 AuntieClio: you are certainly keeping busy then! I am panicking about the lack of free time I will have from now on (with studying coming up)- I remember at once when I graduated from university, I was so relieved at losing that feeling that there was always something I should be doing.....

Rain rain rain *whammy* for ending the drought

#101 Jan ... Megan,
You're welcome, I think. :-) I like looking at the lists and comparing my reading.

Just remember to breathe :-) I think you will be magnificent at managing school.

#102 Richard,
Thanks! It's a pleasant day right now with more rain in the forecast for the weekend. Keep those whammies coming!

Don is flying to San Diego tomorrow morning (Friday) returning on Sunday for a convention. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried silly about this.

Happy Friday, Stephanie! Catching up over here - sending good thoughts your way and wishing for Don safe travels and a fun time.

Adding to the rain whammy and also good energy to Don...and you, as you worry about him. I hope all goes well and he has a chance to really enjoy the convention; completely understand your anxiety.

A good week-end to you.

Thank you Mamie! It will be fine, I'm sure. He's just so fragile looking to me.

Thank you too Gail. He will have fun despite my worries.

It's raining!

1984 by George Orwell - TIOLI #14. Read a book by an author from a Commonwealth country (UK) TIOLI #10. Read a book you consider a classic (Mysterious Box 38)

When Orwell wrote 1984 the devastation of World War II was fresh, as were the totalitarian states of Stalin and Hitler. He had personally watched the rewriting of history while in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. 1984 is the very bleak idea of what Orwell could see happening should those governments remain in power.

As I read, I kept thinking, "Can you imagine?" The overall grime, the dinginess, the downtrodden, fearful people with mind numbing jobs. I can imagine. Torture, thought crime, constant surveillance, constant fear of doing something wrong while completely unaware what was wrong.

Then I thought, "Well, thank goodness we're not there." And yet:
Guantanamo
Jose Padilla
waterboarding
China
Korea
Syria
NSA
The Tea Party
Dick Cheney
Russia
Vladimir Putin
The Patriot Act
Corporate data collection

Reading 1984 actually gave me some hope. As bad as things are now, they're not completely hopeless and they're nowhere near as bleak as Orwell's Oceania. And we the people still have the power to raise a ruckus and try to change things. But still ...

Best wishes to Stephanie (and Don) this weekend and always.

Definitely playing catch-up. Loved your review of Demon Lovers. This:

Many things struck me as interesting, one of them the obsession with sex and genitals. It was women who copulated with demons, and the size of the demon's genitals and the depth of pleasure experienced by women were discussed in great detail. One wonders if this was an unintentional (or intentional) reinforcement of the trope that larger penises give better orgasms? Or is this an excuse for why women can't/shouldn't be pleased by their husbands?

I learned in my "Gender in Early Christianity" course that this trend goes back even further, e.g. early martyr texts that describe virtuous, chaste virgins getting slaughtered by Roman gladiators, but the slaughter is described in highly sexual terms. "He prepared to penetrate her with his sword... she cried out, groaning in pain..." Pretty weird stuff. If sex (especially with demons) is supposed to be lewd, you'd think they wouldn't dwell on the details.

Catching up on threads after finishing errands. In the background, I hear sirens which is not unusual as I live in a densely populated area near at least two centers for ethnic gangs. Oh, and the firehouse a couple of blocks away.

Don't get the wrong idea, my immediate neighborhood is working class and I've never really felt unsafe in the 7+ years I've lived here.

Anyway, I hear the sirens and don't pay any attention until I realize they are on my street! Lots of them. No idea what's going on, I'm not the poke my head out and see kind of person. But just realizing how long it took me to figure out they were nearer than usual was an interesting experience.

>111 JDHomrighausen:
Hi there!

Oh interesting. I have more thoughts but can't seem to communicate them well by writing at the moment.

Hi Paul!

Hi Stephanie! Now I'm curious what was wrong on your street... ;-)

No fatalities, one hopes, associated with the sirens?

Indeed, don't leave us hanging - what happened on Stephanie Street!?

>112 AuntieClio: Completely agreeing with everybody above. What was wrong?

And has Don returned safely?

>115 wilkiec:
>116 richardderus:
>117 scaifea:
>118 connie53:

Sorry to disappoint but I don't know what happened next. Pretty sure no fatalities. It's a rare occurrence for them to actually be on our street in the middle of a Saturday afternoon

>118 connie53:
Connie, Don is posting to Facebook today so it seems that he is safe somewhere. It's only 1130ish so he may be in an airport waiting. Nonetheless, I am pleased to see his activity.

Okay, that sounds good! I know it's in the morning overthere.

For the month of February, I read 7 physical books. Of those 7, 2 qualify as ROOTS (read and outta da butler's pantry). I bought/received 15 books.

This leaves me with a net "gain" of 13 books. I did not break even - that is, read as many books as came in.

Which brings my net gain for the YTD to 21 books.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #10: Read a book you consider a classic (Mysterious Box 38)

Okay, baby, hold tight," said Zaphod. "We'll take in a quick bite at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe."

That's the very last line in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, an absurdist comedy only rivaled by Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.

In this book, we learn who's really been in charge all these years on Earth. We also learn the answer to "Life, the Universe, and Everything,"forty-two,but we also learn that that's the wrong question.

Will Marvin the depressed robot ever cheer up? Will Arthur Dent ever catch up, catch a break and a shower? Will Zaphod Beeblebrox figure out why he locked himself out of part of his brains? Tune in for the next thrilling installment!

>121 AuntieClio: I have concluded that I will never break even.

That said, my new year's resolution was to purge some books, and I'm about to start that process. Again. Continually.

>123 Chatterbox:
Ever vigilant! :-)

Text message exchange
Me: Are you home? Did you have a good time?
Don: Yes and yes. I'll let you decide which question I answered first.

I think I like Don a lot!

>125 AuntieClio: Heh. I love that his humor is dry.

>126 connie53: & >127 richardderus:,
Don's sense of humor is one of the things I like most about him. Our weirdnesses grok each other.

Beautiful!!

I think I'm missing a leg!

Later today, off to help Don. It's trash day and he says he can barely walk. His hip is really sore, most likely from all the convention activity last weekend. There's a doctor's appointment today, so will find out what's going on later.

>111 JDHomrighausen:
Had dinner with a friend tonight and we got to discussing the witch hunts in general after I told her about Demon Lovers.

Her question was, "Why do Christians hate their penises?"

I laughed and we brainstormed over why, some of which I posited was from early Christianity's attempts to distance themselves from pagans and Paul's (or Peter's) dictum that if a man couldn't keep his hands above his own waist, he should marry but only for procreation. Otherwise, "Hands off your pee pee."

>112 AuntieClio:
Haven't seen anything on the police blotter about criminal activity on my street, so it's possible all the sirens were from the fire department. They send a truck first, and then an EMT unit.

Don is doing fairly well after his adventures in San Diego. He looked really good and was eating something of substance (chicken nuggets) when I arrived. He says his hip doesn't hurt all the time now, only when he walks.

So groceries restocked, trash and recycling out, and some plain ol' hanging out watching tv with him.

The landlord of the warehouse/shop space he's in right now told him that if he could get out by the end of the month all the partial back rent would be forgiven because there's someone who really wants in there.

"Oh, that sounds like a perfect opportunity to clean stuff up!"

As soon as he has another, smaller storage space to move into, we'll get going. It's far too complicated to explain why he needs storage space at all ... no wait, it's not ... he's a bit of a hoarder. If we can get rid of some more stuff and get him into a smaller space that will help. I plan on just going in and tossing/boxing/readying stuff for sale. There may be a lot of "Don, close your eyes" going on while I toss.

Finally, some forward movement on that!

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #2. Read a book with a word in the title or author's name suggesting the end of something (Mysterious Box 38)

Such absurd fun! Marvin the Robot does not stop being depressed and, in fact, disappears about halfway through the book. Will he return in the next one?

Arthur Dent does finally catch some sort of break, but it means traveling back in time by 2million years to an Earth just starting out.

The question to the Answer of Life, the Universe and Everything is possibly discovered but it's simply to easy to be believed.

And Zaphod Beeblebrox continues to be Zaphod, annoyingly so.

Our intrepid adventurers visit Milliway, the restaurant at the end of the universe with a completely stunning floor show, take an unwitting part in the flashy end to the galaxy's loudest rock band's show, and wander about searching for .... something, anything, to make sense out of what's happening.

Much like life on Earth, the answers aren't very sensible.

I think I got trolled. *shrug*

Anyway ....

After helping Don on Tuesday, I had dinner with a very dear friend whose father died less than a month ago. She is not prone to expressing her emotions so seeing her tear up several times was intense.

I am so grateful for all my friends and their willingness to place their trust in me.

Janis Joplin is singing the blues in the background while I do stuffs and contemplate lunch and chores. Oh, and reading.

>137 AuntieClio: Flagged.

Ah, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe! Such fun those books, such fun.

YAY for some out-cleaning while he's still here. It is harder to do once they're gone.

>138 richardderus:
I want no part of what happens after Don dies. His father and his (Don's) girlfriend do not like each other and his mother is passive aggressive (mostly passive). I am not interested in getting caught in the middle of anything.

>139 AuntieClio: Ick! So wise to vacate the premises, Stephanie.

Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams - TIOLI #3. Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel (Universe) (Mysterious Box 38)

This is the most absurd of all books in this trilogy. My brain said, "I have no idea what's going on here. Have fun!"

There's so much to'ing and fro'ing through time and space with inexplicable descriptions of things and actions and politics that I just went with it. What's a little fun and nonsensical reading from time to time?

Arthur Dent finally arrives on a friendly, Earth-like planet to make his home. Although he will have to find clothes, since he spent his entire adventure in the Universe dressed only in his dressing gown.

Trillian, for some inexplicable reason remains with Zaphod Beeblebrox who .... continues his ego-driven eccentric ways around the Universe.

Ford Prefect finally got the party he wanted.

And Marvin the robot? Still depressed, even more so since one of his legs was stolen to go into a symbolic key needed to annihilate the Universe, which Arthur Dent and friends saved again.

Oh, and of course, the answer and the question don't match. They're not meant to, as it turned out.

Re trolling; it happens to us all eventually; sigh...

Good for you for assisting with the cleanup. My idea of hell; I'm a bit of a hoarder and am trying to change my ways. Somewhat.

>142 Chatterbox:
I am too, but moving into 244 sq ft changed that a lot, although I still bring in more books than go out.

If it hadn't been for Don's illness I truly believe he would have happily gone on renting storage spaces to store his stuff.

Who Am I This Time? by Jay Martin - TIOLI #3. Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel (a)

Fictions are central to growth and creativity. But in the personality I am looking at, the identification has a completely different quality, seeming almost to amount to possession.

Who Am I This Time? was published in 1988, yet much of what is discussed seems only dated by the pop culture references, not by the insights provided into those who don't have a "real" self and use fictional characters and themes to make themselves "real."

While there is healthy narcissism, there are also healthy fictive personalities by which we assess who our self is by identifying with fictions and deciding if that is who we "are" or want to "be."

A fictive personality has lost the ability to separate "real" from "fiction" and has integrated personality traits from the fictions (e.g. books, television, movies, other people) around them in order to become who they think they should be.

Using his experience as a writer and literary critic, Jay Martin expands his psychoanalyst theories about the fictive personality. Many case studies are used; some include stories of real patients, others the stories of public figures with a certain notoriety. Entire chapters are dedicated to William Faulkner & Sigmund Freud, discussing how their fragmented childhoods were covered up by the taking on of traits from characters they encountered in literature in order to survive.

John Hinkley identified with Travis Bickle from "Taxi Driver" and determined that in order to get Jodi Foster's attention and free her from the prison of college life he should assassinate Ronald Reagan so she would see Hinkley as the romantic hero he longed to be. As history shows, it didn't turn out that well for Hinkley, or Jim Brady, who took a bullet meant for Reagan.

There are many tales like these in Who Am I This Time?, but Martin is also careful to explain that not all those who identify with fictional characters, or create them, are unhealthy, narcissistic psychopaths. A lot of discussion is given to creative types who must be able to identify with fictions in order to create.

All in all, I found this book thought-provoking.

Oh, I *love* the Adams books! I'd love to find a good audio version for a re-read...

>145 scaifea:
Amber, isn't there an audio version of Douglas Adams himself reading them?

Life, the Universe and Everything review updated in >141 AuntieClio:

Steph, you are a very good friend to Don.. a great gift. I wish him a soft and gentle transition when the time comes...

hugs to you

>148 mckait:
Thanks Kath. He will be surrounded by love that's for sure.

>146 AuntieClio: Oh, whoa. I *need* to look into that...

I think bookies do tend towards hoarding. I live with a lady with something of a compulsive disorder when it comes to being neat and tidy and it takes quite an effort for her to stay clear of my reading room. She does take offence a little at books taking over the place but it is usually compensated by regular handbag purchases which she doesn't seem to mind hoarding at all!

Have a lovely weekend, Stephanie. Can't help saying again what a lucky chap Don is to have such a firm friend. xx

This reminded me of someone else *cough*Mamie*cough*

It even looks like Mamie's handwriting *cue spooky music*

You mean, this?

Okay. You were right - I LOVE that!! Totally stealing it. And that does look like my handwriting and I love the spooky music and that the quote made you think of me!! The two of you just made my day!! Thanks Stephanie and BigDaddy!

>155 Crazymamie:
You're welcome Mamie :-)

New adventures await in a new thread