Thankful

This is the first Thanksgiving I've had with my family in two years and though absence makes the heart grow fonder, I found that this year I was even more aware of how much I have to be thankful for. I am thankful for:
1) My parents laughing together, just the two of them
2) The fabulous cinnamon cucumber pickles it took the neighbor two whole days to make and seconds to enjoy (she's in her eighties too--we bought six jars from her this year and she nearly burst with pride)
3) The fact that the English language is ever increasingly accepting of the sentence that ends in a preposition "I have a lot to be thankful for."
4) Spontaneous home manicures with my little cousins
5) That cars provide a tropical microclimate against the single-digit temps outside as we go over the hills and through the woods
6) Not finding any spiders bigger than a dime in my room all year long
7) Family members who zone out the conversation because the pie is so good
8) Overhearing my aunt trying to make a legitimate case for "team Edward" to another adult
9) Memories of last year's urban family thanksgiving in Cali where the mixed group of bohemians shared tofurky, gluten-free rolls, and home-brewed beer
10) Family and friends who love me better than I deserve, mean more to me than they can possibly know, and the great God who supplies them

Fall Reading

Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
This, my fourth Steinbeck novel, was recommended by a dear friend—I’m so glad he suggested I read it because I feel sure it’s about the last of the Steinbeck novels I would’ve gotten around to. It’s about Danny, a poor, former soldier (WWI) who returns to Monterey to an unexpected inheritance: two houses. Danny uneasily slips into the role of a landed man and inadvertently is given a chance to reconcile his new station by the fact that his friends—each a bum in their own way—begin to matriculate first into the spare house, then into Danny’s own home. The plot tracks various episodes in the paisanos’ lives and their forays into love, theft, scheming, camaraderie, religion, all soaked in the men’s dipsomania.

I found the story really slow initially but realized it was me, not the book that wasn’t measuring up. Once I began to examine the unique personalities of the friends and read into some of the symbolism of the book, it began to come to life. Three quarters into the book the reader unexpectedly starts to feel the pull of the ending and begins to regret that some dramatic conclusion looms, as they always do in Steinbeck novels. The end hits hard, not just once but twice. The plot resolves poetically and the only way it can and would only be considered simply a “sad” ending if the reader has missed the point of the climax entirely.

Currently reading:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Jackson is the famous author of The Lottery, a short story published in The New Yorker in 1948 that evoked such a strong response that many unsubscribed from the magazine entirely, sending Jackson hate mail by the boatload. Even my Mum, renowned at our Lutheran school for her liberal literary tastes said of the story, “it’s not the sort of story you want to be known for teaching, sure I would recommend it to some of my students but I never taught it.” Despite its macabre theme and unsettling ironic points, the piece is one of the most anthologized short stories in American literature.

I started We Have Always Lived in the Castle yesterday over my lunch and when I physically returned to my desk, mentally I remained behind in the pages of Jackson’s eerie novel. I was singing its praises to Peter over coffee last night and, as he’s a writer, I asked him how an author manages to engross the reader when a) the protagonist is unlikable, b) the action is practically non-existent, and c) the passage of time is slow. He explained that the author has somehow made me care about the main character without my actually knowing it and is thus able to interest me in every move she makes. Whatever it is, I’m hooked and I can’t wait to get off of work today so I can be alone with my book.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
I’ve taken up another cinderblock of a book in Atlas Shrugged. Peter and I read The Fountainhead this time last year simultaneously (which means he started it and I followed close on his heels like a little sister) and we’ve opted to do the same with Atlas Shrugged this season. It’s good for our friendship; he’s a hermit and I’d rather be living in a commune so we’re able to discuss Rand’s philosophy on society heatedly (and we love any excuse to argue with one another). I can’t wait to dig in. I found her very surprisingly readable last year.


Want to read:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott—it’s time to finally read this, don’t worry, I’ve got the Kleenex ready. Besides, I am named after one of the characters (albeit, the most boring March sister…oh well, the name “Meg” is prettier than “Jo” and I can only hope I meet a better end than Beth).





Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy


Possession by A.S. Bryatt—I will always associate this book with my overnight stay at the Denver airport last year trying to get home for Christmas and Alison’s wedding. It’s dense and I’m worried I’ll have to restart the whole thing, but it’s really well written so it’s worth it.

Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen—Mum and I are reading this one together whenever we get around to it.

The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck—I’m ready to add a sixth to my Steinbeck collection.


A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller—don’t tell Mom, but I’m 99% sure it will be under the Christmas tree this year and I can’t wait to devour it; I’ve heard good things.













The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver


The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender—the plot is about a woman who
can detect the emotions of whomever is cooking for her (her mother feels certain discontent when she makes lemon cake) and her brother and father have equally unusual gifts as well. It’s a magic realism book which could either be genius or completely awful but I’m optimistic.

Great House by Nicole Krauss—who also wrote The History of Love, which was so sad but very good, I will give her one more chance in this one. It intrigues me.

Fall Flicks

Long ago, I did a post on Essential Summer Movies, well this time I have a list of fall films. Autumn is when I gear up (i.e., buy up a ton of used books) for winter reading season and since it's such a busy time of year, my impatient mind demands more movies than it does novels so I grab a blanket, warm up cider, and curl up with Daisy to watch a good movie.

Disclaimer: many of these films are not for the faint of heart—I'm not proud of my penchant for scary movies, but these are relatively tame compared to the vast majority of scary movies—these picks are plucked perimeter of the horror genre but be aware that they will make you jump.

1) Diabolique (or Les Diaboliques)—1954
My first choice comes from The Criterion Collection and was acknowledged as influencing Hitchcock's Psycho. This classic thriller is not as overacted as some of its 1950's constituents and more than most foreign films, this French piece has real "je na se qua" that soon makes you forget you're reading subtitles.

2) The Ghost and Mrs. Muir—1947
In terms of scares, this movie is positively child's play but I love it because it's a sweet little love story set by the sea and done in all the cheesiness and predictability as one could hope. However, Gene Tierney is absolutely gorgeous and would be as coveted an actress today as she was then for her flawless beauty and ease on camera. Probably not one for the boys, but if you loved old romances as a little girl, try it out.

3) The Haunting—1963
Director Martin Scorsese placed The Haunting first on his list of the 11 scariest horror films of all time and for good reason. This film pioneered some scare tactics no one had seen before which I will not enumerate so as not to spoil them.

4)Fargo—1996
"You doin' okeey there, Marge?"
"Yep, I just think I'm goin-a barf!"












The Coen Brothers added "based on a true story" at the beginning of the film despite the fact that the crimes detailed in the film are a very loose adaptation of two, unrelated Minnesota crimes (neither of which involved a certain piece of heavy machinery). Why a film taking place in North Dakota that comprises over 75 uses of the f-word and has a body count of seven works I don't know. It just does.

5) When Harry Met Sally—1989
A break from scary films, this makes the list because any script written by Nora Ephron is exquisite—it's autumnal and one of the best romantic films of all time. Fun fact: in the museum scene, Harry ad libs, "But, I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie." Sally laughs and looks to her right where Rob Reiner silently prompts her to go with it.

6) The Village—2004
In my humble opinion, this is last good movie M. Night Shyamalan did. I know many were disappointed by the explanation of the monsters but I thought that there was enough psychological depth to make it work. There's something that really works about Shyamalan's idyllic, homey setting being disrupted by unpredictable monsters; this dystopia piece just works. Fun fact: the movie was rated PG-13 when it came out into theaters only after Shyamalan agreed to omit a single sound effect that had taken the film to an R-rating right before release (wouldn't you love to know what the sound was?).

7) School Ties—1992
Not a scary movie either, this one's for the girls starring Matt Damon, Brandon Fraiser, Ben Affleck, and Chris O'Donnell. 'Nough said.

8) El Orfanato—2007
Guillermo del Toro is a genius and this thriller proves it. There are so many little details and elements this Spanish director includes that reward the observant viewer. It's kind of scary, not going to lie, but it's not over-the-top frightening and unlike so many other scary movies, this one actually has a plot. The thing I love about Spanish films is that you're guaranteed to see something you've never seen before on screen.

9) The Birds—1963
First, Tippi Hedren, one of Hitchock's famous icy blond leads, is absolutely stunning. I love the scenes she's in opposite Suzanne Pleshette, a feisty, warm-blooded brunette, as they make a perfect foil. Maybe that's why Hitchcock used the famous split-focus technique to capture both beauties in the scene where Mitch is on the phone with Melanie and Annie's character listens in. Tell me what you think about the musical score of the film when you finish it, I'd like to hear your thoughts (veterans to the film know what I'm talking about).

10) Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?—1962
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, only two of the most powerhouse women ever to grace the silver screen star in this thriller about the two reclusive sisters. The very best part of this movie? Crawford and Davis hated each other with a passion that made their onscreen tension so fabulous. For example, during production, Bette Davis had a Coca-Cola machine installed on the set to anger Joan Crawford, whose late husband had been CEO of rival Pepsi-Cola and who herself was on the board of directors of that company. During the kicking scene, Bette Davis kicked Joan Crawford in the head, and the resulting wound required stitches. In retaliation, Crawford put weights in her pockets so that when Davis had to drag Crawford's near-lifeless body, she strained her back.

The Life and Death of a Pumpkin

Poor lil' fella.

Fall-La-La-La-La

Fall is here and I can prove it:
1) First Husker game (and win) of the season was on Saturday. Sorry we wiped the floor with you, W. Kentucky, can't say you weren't warned!
2) Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Salted Carmel Hot Chocolates are at Starbucks. I've only indulged in the first so far but the second promises to be almost as heart-stoppingly delicious and bad for me as the first so it will happen soon.
3) Squashes are starting to show up at the Farmer's Market and the first crop of apples is sneaking into the grocery store and consequently being swarmed by apple loves (I got the last two honeycrisps on the stand last week).
4) I'm already getting the "winter reading itch" and plotting the books I'll read in Winter 2010/2011
5) The weather has necessitated runs back into the house for cardigans and sweaters
6) My favorite clothing Web sites have been advertising shooties (booties + shoes)

7) Peach pies are beginning to give way to apple pies soon (though, the peach pies were fantastic, if I may say so myself—I acheived a lattice top this year too).












8) I've revived my ghost story I'm writing and it's coming together plot wise—now I just have to write the dang thing.
9) Previews for scary movies are coming out; I tell myself I'll go to all of them but really end up just renting one of the not-so-scary ones six months later.
10) Halloween candy is out and I bought my mother a bag of mallowcream pumpkins yesterday.

Five Great Things Friday

Today I'm recommending five great Halloween reads. I feel I'm especially well suited to do this as I am a weenie when it comes to the scary stuff and, therefore, won't be recommending anything too errie or dark.


1) Dracula by Bram StokerI just finished this book and I am obsessed with it! It was so very different than I thought it would be and even hotter than I expected. Recommendation: read "sex" into pretty much everything that transpires between the humans and the vamps and you won't even believe this thing got published at the turn of the century! Well done, Victorians, well done. NOTE: If I'd had my choice and a little extra cash to burn, I would've read Jae Lee's illustrated version of the book, (its cover is seen here in the picture); it's magnificently done.



2) Frankenstein by Mary ShelleyPrepare yourself, this is a slow read but the rewards are great. You have to wade through a lot of mental meandering (not all of which is absolutely necessary) but you'll notice as you're wandering around the rich, well-written prose that all the sudden stuff starts happening. This is a wonderful science fiction piece, in its essence that was so far ahead of its time it's not even funny. If you want to really do your homework, check out the circumstances under which this story of a modern Prometheus was written.


3) In Cold Blood by Truman CapoteWhat's spookier than a true story? This is the story of a cold blooded murder of the Clutter family in Kansas. Super, who wants to read that? Consider the author. Truman Capote had just had raving success with his short novel Breakfast at Tiffany's and wasn't being taken seriously by his cohorts in the NYC literary society so he and his bestie Harper Lee (of To Kill a Mockingbird) headed to the midwest so Capote could write his harrowing piece about the grisly murder that forever changed the town of Holcomb. The book is spooky on many levels, the stories of the murderers before they committed the crime, the crime itself, the town's reaction, and Capote himself as he observes the whole event cooly, envoking emotion at will and arguably exploiting the murderers (they're just a couple of killers, right? What else are they good for besides wringing the story out of them, it's not like they're people...).


4) Wicked by Gregory MaguireI actually really enjoyed this book, for all its hype. It's a lot more twisted than its on-stage counterpart and it's an adult read with regards to language and vocabulary (keep the dictionary by your side!). This book makes you feel like The Wizard of Oz conspired to only give you part of a much richer, more politically charged story.


5) The Turn of the Screw by Henry JamesThis little read is freaky! It's short, so it packs a punch; one of the original psychological thrillers, this book is scary (or is it all in your head?). It was brilliantly interpreted for film and renamed The Innocents starring Deborah Kerr, HIGHLY recommended even if you don't make time to read the book.

Other good Halloween Reads:
For a shorty, read The Lifted Veil by George Eliot
The play, The Crucible is absolutely fantastic by Arthur Miller
If you want to play it really tame, check out Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and get wrapped up in this gothic romance.
The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter is a great collection of retold fairy tale stories that are quite twisted, don't read if you're not a little weird yourself.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is always good
Finally, read at least one Frank Peretti novel in your life; this Christian thriller author manages his craft if not brilliantly then at least with skill as a writer balancing spirituality with the horror genre. When you contemplate the spiritual world, the two are not so distantly related as we might like to think.

Five Great Things Friday

I'm never as homesick as I am in the autumn here in San Diego. The mornings are brisk but toast up to the 70s or 80s by noon, no cloudy days, no wind, few changing trees, and San Diegans generally revel in their still-constant fair weather (go figure).
I miss wind too. Big gusty, stingy wind that makes you grateful to be indoors with a hot cuppa.
So, today, I celebrate five great things about San Diego to remind me why everyone and their boyfriend wants to live here:
1) I love the military presence, although it is a grim reminder that we are a nation at war whether we act like it or not, I feel safe when helicopters hover, indestructable ships float in our harbor, and men in uniform guard the city.


2) The big blue bridge to Coronado is a beautiful feat of architecture and I almost can't keep my eyes on the road whenever I'm driving by it.


3) I love the Mexican influence in the city, only thrity short minutes from Tijuana, and I've never had better Mexican food in my life. Here's Alison from her visit last year, we were in a traditional tin shop where you find these glorious stars so indicative of Mexican decor.

4) I drive by the San Diego Mormon Tabernacle every day (it's simultaneously creepy and beautiful...doesn't it look like it's made of paper or foam board?), ironically, I don't have my own photo of it—I had to go to a mormon Website to get one and the site wouldn't let me go "back," "forward" or click out of it which I thought was pretty funny. Yikes!

This thing looks BUCK when it's foggy, it's absolutely haunting.
5) The sunsets here aren't too shabby. They're as beautiful as those in NE, but they're just totally different.



Home is where the heart is, and I left mine in Nebraska, but I guess I can stand San Diego a little longer.

What I Said I'd Read vs. What I Actually Read

Summer is gone and with it the season of summer reading. Let's see what I read versus what I said I would read. I said I would read:
Nocturnes by John Connolly

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman


Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen

The Thirteenth Tale Diane Setterfield

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

Well, I suppose the list was a bit ambitious. However, I managed to knock out a few of them (those bolded). I've already reviewed Rebecca and The Thirteenth Tale. In addition, I read The Stolen Child, which was a great disappointment. It was close to being good, but fell short; I don't recommend it. If you were looking for a good book on changelings (because who isn't, right?), I'd more highly recommend Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, but only if you must.

The other books I read this summer were not on my list at all and included:
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde—I'm giving this one 2.5/5 stars for its sheer creativity and ability to pull off an anachronistic romp even if the author's voice reads similarly to sub-par serial novelist Janet Evanovich. Its originality and British-ness reminds me of The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy sans the genius to support its plot.

Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain—this is an ironic novel that uses a turn-of-the-century setting to tell a Greek tragicomedy that has implications on identity, racism, and the American idea of a self-made man and the sometimes-false promise of always being able to start over. It's a shorty and worth a read; a complex and modernized Prince and the Pauper.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde—Beyond amazing, what a gift it was to end my summer reading on this gem. My friend Tiffany H. said (more articulately than I do here) of the book, "you can just hear how broken Wilde was as you read this." It's true. It's a fascinating study of amorality and consequences, homoeroticism and its subsequent masogonism, and the tragic coupling of time and beauty. Do not even try to read this without a pen by your side, if you're like me you'll be underlining the brilliant quotables Wilde deposits on nearly every page. I'll have to reread it again just to make sure I didn't miss any.

I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron—What can I say? This woman who brought us the script (with significant input from Ron Howard) for When Harry Met Sally, and You've Got Mail gives us a fabulous little memoir. Never verbose, and always funny, I loved this book except for the last chapter on death. It's heartbreaking to hear someone who's not a Christian try to rationalize the death of family, friends, and eventually, herself; supposedly a practicing Jew, she has little in the way of comfort in this area and I recommend you skip everything past her chapter "What I Wish I'd Known," which is great.

The Zookeeper's Wife Diane Ackerman—This is the One Book One San Diego this year, it was one of those that starts out brilliantly, settles into itself, then trails off at the end into obscurity in my memory. Worth a read, not worth a rave except to say that you will learn fascinating things about animals. Maybe 3.5 stars out of 5.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton—She is one of my all-time favorite authors. Like Wilde, it was a rare gift to read writing like this. The book is all sexual tension, romance, the importance of how others percieve you or lack thereof, and responsibility. I absolutely loved this novel. Also, I'm pleased to note that the movie (incredible cast) was one of the most true-to-form films based on a book I've ever seen.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey—is a fantastic read too for its symbolism and depth of characters; one becomes intimately familiar with the patients in the ward and I have to believe that Nurse Ratched is one of the most hated characters in modern literature. I found it moving, infuriating, and ultimately hopeful; a classic for a reason. Also followed up by a fantastic classic film with Jack Nicholson, Christopher Lloyd, one of Danny Devito's earliest appearances, and it was produced by Michael Douglas. Check out this cool backstory on how he got to produce it, "Kirk Douglas originated the role of McMurphy in a presidential stage production, and then bought the film rights, hoping to play McMurphy on the screen. He passed the production rights to his son, Michael Douglas, who decided his father was too old for the role. Kirk was reportedly angry at his son for a time afterward because of this."

Finally, I'm in the middle of Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. The book's pretty good, the movie was goodbut should NOT have been led by saccharin-sweet Amy Adams whom Nora Ephron seems to be grooming to be the next Meg Ryan. The Julie Powell who wrote this admits the same insecurities we sometimes have difficulty admitting to ourselves but, unlike Adams' character, fights back with f-words, hilarious self-deprication, fierce love for her urban family, and this mission to tackle Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I'm giving Adams one more chance to prove she's not a total one-note actress when I rent the movie Doubt sometime but thus far I'm pretty unimpressed with her performances outside the Disney realm.

Next on the list you ask? I'll tell you, but I won't promise I'll stick to it:
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay (Tiffany H.'s sister is reading it and I'm jealous I didn't get at it first)
Wives and Daughters Elizabeth Gaskell
The Beautiful and the Damned F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Fountainhead Ayn Rand
Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis
The House of Mirth Edith Wharton
Ghost Stories " "

Falling for Autumn Is Easy to Do

Theory: I am willing fall into existence in San Diego.

Proof: I have beautiful changing trees within the courtyards of my apartment complex so that I can look out my window and see bright red leaves against a brilliant blue sky. 'Tis a thing of beauty. Also, my parents are on their first visit to Niagra this week and I prayed VERY hard yesterday that my San Diego sun would be sent to them for the day (rain was predicted for most of their trip) and guess what? Contrary to all the weather reports Mom and Dad did receive sun yesterday and we have clouds! Amazing!

Truth: God is freaking amazing and no matter where I may or may not be in my faith walk right now--He still hears me and I really can't believe how good He is.

Other things that have brought me joy: the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, making a pact with myself that I will wear high heels at least twice a week, signing up for another 5k to support breast cancer awareness and forming a team to go with me, no joke--about 10 sightings of man capris in the past week, looking forward to seeing my dearest Sarah at the end of the month (!), compiling a new autumn playlist, a fantastic fall care package from my mom, two stories I'm working on, and a brand new beautiful leather journal I started Wednesday.