(no subject)

[kcobweb]

Hmmm, it sure seems like there's been a lot going on. We had a playdate yesterday that was a real downer, mostly because the other mother spent a large percentage of the visit complaining about how difficult her daughter is. Her daughter is a little overwhelming and bossy, yes, but I have not seen the horrible horrible child her mother depicts. It was very depressing. I want to like this woman (among other reasons, because our daughters are friends), but she was making it a tad difficult.

Also, galagan is back, woooooooo! Elena was starting to get X-tra whiny, but with his return, she has once again become a mostly delightful child. Whew.

She has been telling me stories. Detailed stories with great narration. She uses phrases like "she said" and "he explained" and "he moaned" and "she wailed" correctly and to great effect. She gets really into dramatic voices too. Last night's story was about her and Ariel and a boy from the library who were all mermaids and then turned into humans, and then into princesses, and they were wearing a blue dress and a yellow dress and a pink dress. (E had the pink dress, of course.) Today's story started out with Owl and Rabbit and Piglet in the Hundred Acre Wood but expanded to include all kinds of other characters and had a dramatic plane crash and dinosaurs. (The stories are dramatic, but they don't necessarily make sense yet - give her a few years to work on her plots.)

My classes for the next quarter start today! In one of my classes is someone who lives here in Williamstown! (The closest classmate I've yet encountered was in Fitchburg, I think.) We may actually get to meet face-to-face, which would be a first for me in this program. Also, one of the classes is Public Library Service, in which we examine all aspects of public libraries. One of our assignments later in the course is to read a bestselling book, preferably in a genre we might not typically choose for ourselves. Which would you pick for yourself? For me? I generally will categorically refuse to read bestsellers because I am a snob they just don't interest me. I see a couple of options there - I refuse to read horror and I'd rather not read an action thriller type. My dad said to read the Grisham, but that seems like cheating, as I have voluntarily read Grisham in the past. Maybe The Host, for the giggles? The Picoult, though I think I'd read that voluntarily too? Decisions, decisions.... (This will likely end up hinging on which book I can easily check out first from the library. But it's still fun to ponder.)

I suddenly remembered last night that I had already bought a birthday present for galagan (turns 39 on Thursday) - but couldn't remember where I'd stashed it. Whew, I just turned it up. Now I don't have to tear the whole house apart.

Comments

[kouredios.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Do they have to be one of the top 5? Can they be of the nonfiction? What an intriguing assignment. But...oh, SMeyer, NO! I mean, for giggles, maybe. But it also might cause you to smash your head against things, and that would be bad.

The librarians at the Adams library are trying to make one of my students (who is interning there) read Twilight. And she protests, and they're practically forcing it on her. Like, teens must like Twilight? It's not as if she doesn't read other things, gladly. She had a running commentary about how bad it was on her facebook status. It was hysterical.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

It can be non-fiction, but I have to make myself follow through with non-fiction books I'm interested in, so I think it would be too much of a struggle to get through a whole book on a topic I'm not interested in..... So I'm opting for fiction, I think.

Yes, the Host would be purely for giggles. If you want to read something truly hilarious - look at the negative reviews it got on Amazon here (http://www.amazon.com/Host-Novel-Stephenie-Meyer/product-reviews/0316068047/ref=cm_cr_dp_hist_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar).

I haven't read Twilight, and I don't intend to. Like a good English major/librarian, I know what it's about in a general way, and that's enough for me. I don't Do vampires.

[kouredios.livejournal.com]

Oh, I do vampires. I just don't do thinly veiled Mormon screeds about the happiness that is young marriage and motherhood, complete with (vampire) Family you can Never Leave. Also, stalkeriffic behavior = twu love. And boyfriends removing parts of one's engine so you can't go see another guy... You get the picture.

However, if you want to read a good sporking of it... (http://cleoland.pbwiki.com/Twilight#Bookdiscussionentries)

[kouredios.livejournal.com]

Just went to go read the reviews. "Extraordinarily Lackluster." Hee.

[elklad.livejournal.com]

Today's story started out with Owl and Rabbit and Piglet in the Hundred Acre Wood but expanded to include all kinds of other characters and had a dramatic plane crash and dinosaurs. (The stories are dramatic, but they don't necessarily make sense yet - give her a few years to work on her plots.)

It sounds like she could be a writer for Lost already.

[ailbhe]

What happens when you correct her reassure her that her child is normal and lovable and displaying developmentally appropriate behaviours? which is what bossing around is, really, though it's very annoying.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

This was the first time I'd met her beyond a 2-minute introductory conversation, and I was too surprised by the overwhelming negativity to contradict her..... but that would be a good approach for next time. Usually, most people wait till they know you a little better before unloading all their misery on you.

[ailbhe]

If it backfires horribly, you can always blame me. But it sounds Freyaesque to me. I may be oversensitised.

[itgreyhound1.livejournal.com]

I'd go for the Host (because then you can say you've read Stephanie Meyer to all the teenagers you might encounter in your job) or the Shack, with a sense of humor. Everyone seems to recommend that book to me lately even though I think they know I'm an athiest.

I've heard interesting religious things about the Love Dare, too.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

Ooof, I just went and looked up The Shack (which I had not heard of) and I don't think I can do it. My head would implode.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

I put a few holds on bestsellers at the library, and I'm reading the first one that came through, which is Lisa Kleypas' Smooth Talking Stranger. I checked and saw that you have reviewed a few of her books in the past (and liked them)...... If you ever read this one, I'd be interested in talking with you about it, because I Have Issues with this book. Big-time. :)

[ltlbird.livejournal.com]

I'd normally recommend Picoult, but that's because I actually like her stuff. Yes, her work is sensational and "ripped from the headlines", but her novels are insanely well researched, from what I can tell, and she does a fabulous job of displaying complex relationships and ethical/moral issues. So, if your goal is to pick up something that is a stretch for you, and that you maybe won't like a lot, maybe picking Picoult is cheating...

I'd probably pick The Reader for myself, since I heard it was a very good book. Not sure what I would pick for you...

[tea-dragon.livejournal.com]

Drat, I clicked the link and it ate my comment. Grrr. I'd pick the Janet Evanovich (fiction paperbacks), if that's allowed. I have not read her romances, but her Stephanie Plum detective series is hilarious. Popcorn reading, but hilarious. Maybe the romances have some humor too. It will be no Jane Austen, but at least it won't take very long to read it.

Happy Birthday to Galagan! We're going to NJ tomorrow to visit R's relatives and I may not be able to e-mail on Thursday.

Per the bad playdate, for what it's worth, kids save their worst behavior for their families! Maybe she's feeling overwhelmed and venting and will, hopefully, stop soon. Try some sympathy and parenting tips. *Resolves not to act like her* I'm always venting so that I don't strangle Sarah, but she generally charms everyone she meets and is perfectly well behaved at school.

On a positive note (See me being cheerful?), I love Elena's stories! I did a round robin story with the kids at Sarah's preschool, and it went a lot like that. We had pirates, bunnies, palaces and pirate ships, sharks,superheros,and some kind of monster that ate everyone in the end. It was really funny :)

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

Ah, see, but I know you well enough (or, um, I feel like I do) that you can vent to me and I know there's more to your life than that!