I am very fortunate in that while I do work for a large corporate-giant-retail-store, the store itself isn't very "corporate." Yeah, we set things to planograms et all and have corporate policies, but we do seem to have fewer of the latter than most stores and the majority--not all, but the majority!--make some kind of sense. I have, however, worked in places where this has been the case:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/retail.asp
I love this comic strip. It isn't nationally syndicated (yet), but it is certainly a favorite. It is, in fact, the only one I check daily.
When was the last time you surprised someone else?
Now that I'm looking at that question, I've decided it's been way too long since I surprised someone. Hmm.
My sister started college last fall. She decided to decorate her dorm room in electric pink and and equally electric orange. (No, those weren't her college colors and no, I don't know why. Just go with it.)
She goes to school at a small college in an equally small town (first college town I ever saw that didn't even have a Starbucks or any other type of coffeeshop) in Michigan. It gets FREEZING up there. Actually, let me rephrase that: it is freezing up there and it just warms up to the 60s for a few weeks a year. Maybe it isn't that bad, but I've never been there when the weather hasn't been just plain nasty. I went up in June (June!) last year, and about caught pneumonia. It was pouring rain most of the time and I don't think the thermometer went over 60. Ugh.
Anyhow, when I heard what her color choices were, I went into action. I found electric orange fleece easily enough; the electric pink was surprisingly difficult to find. I eventually found it somewhere on clearance. With these two, I made one of those tie-blankets that were really "in" when I was in high school. But it wasn't the standard 5'x6'ish size; I made it more like 8'x5'. This sucker was BIG. And warm.
I folded the blanket with layers of tissue paper throughout. Inside the folds, I put various college "necessities": study food (trail mix, dried fruit, chocolate), tea, gift card to the local drug store, funkily fuzzy socks, etc. I then wrapped the whole shebang up in yet more tissue paper and mailed it.
In my family, most of the women have died of ovarian, uterine, or cervical cancer. The men die of colon or pancreatic cancer. Three of my four grandparents died of some type of cancer, my uncle is currently battling it (which reminds me: wear some sunscreen, people! Melanoma ain't sexy), and my mother has had several pre-cancerous moles removed.
Breast cancer isn't one of the types that seem to run in the family; the only relative I know who had it was a second cousin of some sort. I do realize that that doesn't make me immune, but it does (from what I understands) lower the odds.
My "adopted mom", on the other hand, has a mother and sister who've had it. Needless to say, when she was called back for another set of films after her yearly mammogram a couple of years ago, I was terrified. It turned out that she was fine. (Thank You.)
I found this song so moving and powerful that I got on YouTube to find a video of it. So, if anyone out there knows someone with breast cancer or affected by breast cancer, consider passing this video along. I think that if I were to be "told about it," I'd like to hear something like this.
Women: Do a breast self-exam every month. Mark it on your calendars, if you have to (I do). The week after your period is best, as you may tend to be a bit tender the week before and during. If you don't know how, this site will show you, or your doctor (or a nurse) would be more than happy to show you. And if you're embarrassed to say you don't know how or haven't done so before, don't be. No one ever taught me this stuff, either. Just do it.
For those of you who don't know, I grew up very close to the ocean in New England. Connecticut, to be exact. Gorgeous beaches; while not exactly white sand (with the exception of a few white-sand beaces), the scenery changes almost daily. The sky can be blue, grey, blue-grey, cloudy, gusty, what have you. The waves can be anywhere from HUGE to a gentle lapping. There are wailing gulls and sailboats. The flowers near the shore are just stunning: everything from these wild roses that grow all over the rocky soil (and smell wonderful) to this creeping vine-y flowering plant that has these dark pink strands of flowers. There is an endless variety of shells and sea-glass for the beachcombers (me, me, ME!). You'll find these beautiful little tide pools on the breakwaters that stand alone as little lagoons--complete with shells, tiny crabs, even a few small fish--at low tide. Don't forget the historic lighthouses and the in-freakin-credible seafood. Clams, lobsters, clams, bluefish, clams, mussels, clams, and clams all come to mind. (Did I mention the clams?)
The last time I was back for a visit to the beach, it was the summer before my senior year of high school. I spent two weeks walking all over the beaches and beachcombing, walking in the shallows, watching sunsets, hiking over long-forgotten beach paths, soaking up the bright sun and salty breeze. I went sailing with friends just as Hurricane Frances was coming in; we had to tack all the way out, but on the way back we flew over the waves with that stiff wind behind us. I sat in the prow of the little sailboat (it sat four if one or two of the people were small and/or flexible) and was soaked by the spray. It was absolutely glorious.
I miss the beach every summer, but lately I've been positively aching for a good walk along the ocean. So...
I turn 21 in August. When I was a kid, I'd spend my birthday at the beach. Never got tired of it. This year, I think I'm going to head for the beach for a few days around my birthday. I'm thinking South Padre; I've heard that it's beautiful, and it is within driving distance. The Atlantic is not. :P
Now to figure out how to save for it. I think I'd rent a car to drive down and back, as I'd rather not push my Geo for that long a trip. Off to do some research and math on how much it would cost, etc. I'm thinking about 3-4 days or so, and would like to go with some friends. Hmmmmm...
I FINALLY went out and ran/walked again today. Between that bug I picked up, the allergies, and the sports-bra-and-running-shoes-dying thing, I hadn't been out (aside from a 5-mile walk last week) in...let's just say way too long and leave it at that, shall we?
I am tired, but I felt so much more energized post-run than I had for a while. I need to remember that while I might be busy, I am less tired and can concentrate much better when I exercise.
I finally got running shoes. Nothing fancy; they're Nike Airs. I don't think they'll be my all-time favorite running shoes, but they still feel much better on my feet than the tennis shoes in which I had been running.
I also came to the conclusion that it is virtually impossible for me to run while listening to opera or classical music. My problem is that I want to keep stopping so that I can pay better attention and listen more closely. I also tried listening to girl groups from the 50s/60s (yes, I have somewhat eclectic taste in music), and while that was better, I wanted to dance/sing along and not run to it. I also tried disco and country ONCE each. I found both to be very annoying during a run. On the other hand, I don't listen to either of those groups very often, so maybe that's just me.
After asking themaureencorps, who is in much better shape than I and exercises accordingly, what she listens to while exercising, I went to work and got two CDs. One was Pink's can't take me home, and the other (hat tip to carapiccoladiva, without whom I would never have discovered this musician) Melissa Etheridge's Greatest Hits/The Road Less Traveled. I can run while listening to both of these. Sometimes I'd rather just enjoy the sounds around me, and so I'll pull out the earphones and carry them while I run. Today I listened to Pink, and while I didn't necessarily enjoy that as I do Beethoven, it kept me going more than the Pastorale would.
Then I indulged my latest fad and went and got sashimi for dinner. Immediately post-workout, I am never hungry. After I take a shower and get changed, I am usually starved for some kind of protein. Ergo, the sashimi. Incidentally, I just learned this: sashimi is what most of us think of when we hear the word sushi. Yes, it is raw fish. Sushi (if I remember correctly) is vegetables (or is it cooked fish?) wrapped up in a style similar to sashimi. In any case, give me some sashimi and wasabi and I am happy. If you're in the FTW area and like sashimi/sushi, I cannot recommend highly enough this sushi place at Hulen and Bellaire in FTW. The sashimi is incredibly good. The customer service is really fantastic; I walked in there and ordered two take-out orders of sashimi with lots of wasabi. I was seated in front of the chefs and offered something to drink as I watched them make the sashimi. The sashimi was ready to go in about five minutes (at 8:30 on a Friday evening!), was (as I said) very good, and was quite reasonably priced. For two servings of sashimi, the total was $11. I had never been there before, but I intend to go again and actually stay for the meal. It is a small place, but lots of atmosphere. Really beautiful ceramic-ware dishes (don't know the proper names for these) and sake glasses, nice decor, etc. If I find the receipt, I'll post the name of the place.
PS-I am about one third of the way through Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. I never read it before, but after being reminded of its existence during vocal rep a few weeks ago I thought, "Hm, another 'great book' I've never read. Maybe I should." All I can say is that if you loved The Count of Monte Cristo (I did), read Les Mis. I'm having a hard time putting it down, to the point where I'm reading it in the recital hall during rehearsals (not while I'm supposed to be on stage, of course). It really is fantastic. Yes, it is abridged, but apparently it is only missing the history of a religious order of some kind. It is the B&N Classics edition, which came to about $5 with my discount. Even with the abridgement, it is 830 pages without the footnotes. As far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing: I can enjoy it longer!
So (as usual) we had rehearsals for A Grand Night For Singing for much of the afternoon. I eventually went back to the practice room to work on piano while waiting to be called to rehearse scenes in which I am, and just had a friend in the recital hall call me when I was needed. It worked beautifully, and I got lots of practice in, so the piano teacher should be happy. I even managed to work on some songs I'm doing outside of the musical, and yes, such songs do exist. ;)
Anyhow...where was I?
Ah, yes. Right. Rehearsals. This thing pulling together. Et all.
Today was the kind of rehearsal day where things just pulled together beautifully. I mean BEAUTIFULLY. We got SO much done, and virtually everyone was there, and everyone "got it," and I FINALLY hit a particular entrance correctly on the first bleeding try (wonders really never do cease). It CLICKED. I wasn't shy or embarrassed onstage as I had been until now, I felt at home, I instinctively knew how and what to do during the choir rehearsals, and I just felt...good. It's hard to explain.
Suffice to say, all is well with the world. Oh yeah, and I have tomorrow off from work. How cool is that? :D
One of the things I actually enjoy about customer service is watching the wide variety of people who pass through my store. A few touch my soul in a way that I remember for years; many make no lasting impression; some others are just. plain. WEIRD. I think that this evening displayed a slice, if you will, of all of the above.
- First, I had the African (as in, had a heavy, possibly Nigerian? accent) gentleman who clearly remembered me from a past visit to my store. I don't remember him at ALL, but hey, he was obviously positively impressed with the last visit, so I wasn't going to object. :D He picked out a few cds that he'll be getting with his next paycheck, and then went on to catch the bus. As he left, he mentioned that he'd be getting his new stereo system next month, and that he was really looking forward to it because of the quality of the sound. He even knows which cd will be the first he'll play, and then said, "When I set up the stereo system and hear this music, I must cry. It is just so beautiful. My friends, they look at me and they say, 'For what do you cry?'. I do not think that most people understand this, but I have to cry. It is so beautiful." I smiled and assured him that I understood. I rarely (okay, virtually never) cry, but when I have in the last five years or so I would have to say that it was due to some achingly beautiful piece of music.
- Then, I had the really strange guy who yacked my ear off about the movie Luther (which I will never, ever, EVER see), started to get a bit innapropriate and personal with a customer who I knew who he had never met ("Why did you leave your country of origin? What school do you go to? What is your major? Why did you pick that major?). She was clearly uncomfortable (actually, once he left she said, "WHAT a horrible man! Do you have to put up with many of these?"), but he was not getting the hint to leave her alone. I rescued her and went to wait on another customer; he went away, but (le sigh) returned after a bit. As I rang his purchase, he told me that a) the dresses in Pride and Prejudice were too "antebellum" (yes, you read that correctly), b) that he liked how I wore my hair ("very Victorian,") and that c) he would "like to see how I'd look in Victorian period dress, and he knew just the seamstress if I was interested." I said, "I think not." He left at that point; one more remark and I was going to call a manager to ask him to leave. She would have, too, as he had already bent her ear on various subjects for almost forty minutes. Yuck.
- Next, there was the couple in their late 30s/mid 40s who purchased American Gangster and some Sting cds. She was in a power wheelchair due to (my guess) MS or something similar. As they looked at a display, she unconsciously leaned forward to get a better look at something. He leaned down and gently rubbed her back (nothing innapropriate, just gentle). You could see how much they were in love. Brightened my evening.
- Of course, my full-moon-with-an-eclipse-coming evening wouldn't be complete without the herd of guys in their late teens-mid-20s who set off every loss-prevention bell in my head, but (aside from making a ghastly mess in Pop Rock) were not caught doing anything. There were six or seven of them (and they all were together) back in Music at one point; kept milling around, distracting me, asking unnecessary questions, etc. The one with the mohawk (which was, incidentally, glued on) was particularly annoyed when it turned out that we do not regularly stock the Insane Clown Posse's albums.
- There were also the spawn of Satan (oh, excuse me, I mean younger customers) whose grandmother had me hold a few DVDs (which she was getting for these imps) while she went and got a couple of books. I was in mid-transaction with Victorian-period-dress dude when these little wretches came back to Music, pounded their fists on the counter, and said, "We want our stuff NOW!" I looked at them icily and said, "When I am finished with this gentleman's transaction, I will be able to wait on you. Kindly give me a few minutes" before resuming the transaction with the other customer. While in "real life" I don't like that I seem to terrify small children, I must confess that it is remarkably handy in retail. They both shut up and waited politely until I finished.
- My final customer of the day was a...large...woman of about 60 years in an unfortunate red-and-white Hawaiian-style shirt and some applied-with-a-spatula pancake makeup. As I finished ringing her transaction, her cell phone began to blare a ringtone of which I had been previously (and happily) unaware. The refrain seemed to be along the lines of "She thinks my tractor's sexy; it really turns her on." I kept a straight face, and mentally thanked my father for teaching me how to keep a poker face at a young age. (edit: out of curiousity, I Googled the lyrics. This song really does exist. I don't know why.)
The tally? One customer who I'll remember positively for a long time, two who just brightened my evening by being themselves, one guy who I will probably have tossed from the store if he ever approaches me again (okay, that's a bit unusual; I don't usually have them quite that weird), some peculiar come-out-at-the-full-of-the-moon types, some kids to whom I may or may not have taught the bare minimum of manners, and one just laugh-out-loud-after-she-leaves-the-store funny customer.
C'est la vie in customer service!
I dropped off my car at the body shop a week ago today to have the bumper, headlight and front right panel replaced and the paint fixed due to that crash I had the day after Christmas. As I hadn't heard from them (and it had been a week), I called and asked for a timeframe on when it would be finished. Apparently they're having a hard time getting the new bumper in, so I won't get the car back 'til a week from Wednesday at the earliest. The guy apologized several times. I assured him that it wasn't a problem. Really. And I meant it.
Why, might you ask?
Well, it is true that I practically live out of my Geo. Need blank score paper? In the trunk. Granola bar for energy? Ditto. New cassette tapes to tape a practice session or lesson, some spare batteries (size AA or AAA) for the tape recorder, or some deoderant? Glove compartment. Heels for an unexpectedly dressier occasion? Floor behind the passenger seat. Mascara, lip balm, or earrings? Ashtray. Book to pass the time if i get somewhere early (hah!)? Back seat, passenger side. Notebook and pens of various colors for taking notes if I forget my school bag? Floor behind drivers seat. SEE WHAT I MEAN? I'm actually having to plan ahead and be somewhat organized. Egads.
However, there are...compensations.
I'm driving a rental at the moment. The rental is a 2008 Nissan Sentra (small four-door).
I ordinarily drive a 1995 Geo Prism named Aberforth (irritable, coarse exterior, comes through in the end. If you don't read Harry Potter, you won't get it.). While Aberforth gets from point A to point B (most of the time), it is VERY loud (particularly when I drive over 50 MPH), has only a cassette player (handy for lesson tapes, not much else), looks a bit grubby no matter how often I clean it (good gosh, anything should look clean after you STEAM it), manual locks/windows, and the heater and AC work only after about twenty minutes of driving. (note to self: get AC fixed by summer). Oh, yes, and I realized over the last week that the brakes need some SERIOUS work, judging by how quickly the rental stops versus how long it takes my Geo to do the same thing. But I digress.
So, this 2008 Nissan. Reeks of cigarette smoke (I have a bowl of vinegar sitting in there which is supposed to absorb the smoke smell), but otherwise a luxury vehicle, as far as I'm concerned.
You see, it has a CD player. I've been listening to Cosi Fan Tutte during my drives. This I could get used to. And when I tire of Cosi, I listen to Renee Fleming (incidentally, get her Diva CD. Brilliant.).
AND power locks/windows. I haven't been cranking the window up and down while driving, and I can TOUCH A BUTTON to lock the doors.
Even the cupholders are cool: they hold my water bottle AND my coffee travel mug perfectly.
Plus, it takes less than five minutes for the heater to go full blast or the AC to really kick in. (What can I say? Texas weather. I've used both in the last week.)
It stops the second you touch the brake. (Again, note to self: TAKE GEO STRAIGHT TO BRAKE PLACE WHEN IT GETS OUT OF THE BODY SHOP. THIS CAN"T BE GOOD.)
It has a very nice pickup. 0-60 in about 6 seconds. Yes, I tested that. :P What can I say? I was first in line at a stoplight where the speed limit is...slightly less than 60. :D
It's an automatic. It is also the first automatic I've driven that I've liked; I usually prefer a standard as I've found with the automatics that I've driven before that I think (listening to the engine) that I shift better than the automatic transmission. This one, no complaints. None. Whoever designed this transmission knew what they were doing. It sounds (and feels) beautiful.
In short, I'm getting very spoiled. Very, very spoiled. And enjoying every second of it.
Things I should be doing:
a) sleeping
b) homework
c) tidying the house
d) doing laundry
What am I doing?
Composing a list of the ten books that have most influenced/impressed me. Or the most important books (for me) that I've read. Or something along those lines. It's a list that has been brewing in my mind for a while, so maybe if I write it down I can concentrate on other things better! :P I was inspired to do this by a thread on a website that I visit frequently, which asked each person to post the three most influential books of his/her life. I can't possibly list just three, so here are my ten.
This is in no particular order, though I'd say that the Iliad would rank higher on the list than most.
1) Homer's Iliad. Everyone should read this. EVERYONE. Best line: "I have done what no other mortal man has done; I have kissed the hands of the man who killed my son." Graduating from college without reading this (no matter what the degree plan) should be illegal because of how much this book makes you think. It's about refusing to fight a war for the wrong reasons, going into battle for the right reasons, forgiveness, the sorrow and grief caused by war (however just it may/may not be), the importance of philosophy, and so much more.
2) The Time quartet, by Madeleine L'Engle. These books are about doing the right thing (however difficult and frightening), drawing closer to the Divine via the Aquinian idea of beauty+goodness MUST come from the Divine no matter what the apparent source, time/space/dimensional travel, family, the good kind of feminism (women can be both brilliant Nobel-Prize-winning scientists and still be fantastic wives and mothers), the importance of love, and (again) so much more. I reread these about twice a year (usually on school breaks). The best kind of children's book can be genuinely enjoyed by adults and kids more than once.
3) Heart and Hands, by Elizabeth Davis. This is a very entry-level midwifery textbook. Every woman ought to read it for a better understanding of her body, femininity, fertility, women's health overall, etc. It is extremely readable.
4) A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. While this is not considered a children's book, I first read it when I was about 12. I didn't understand all of it, but I enjoyed it generally and appreciated it as a whole. Three or four years later, I read it again. I finally bought it and reread it about a two years ago, and I loved it even more. Womanhood, love of books and music, the importance of great books in children's education, growing up/coming of age, poverty, the importance of imagination, delight in small pleasures--all of those are covered. Oh yeah, and it's a REALLY fun read. I've reread it twice in the past two years, and intend to continue.
5) My Name is Asher Lev and The Gift of Asher Lev, both by Chaim Potok. These aren't as well known as Potok's The Chosen, but they spoke more to me. A Jewish Hassidic boy with an incredible and uncanny talent for art (particularly Impressionistic) comes of age (and, in the second, is married and a father to his own children) in New York in a fictionalized Ludivicher (sp?)-style Hassidic community. This is a brilliant book just in the attention to the details of what it is like to grow up in such a community, though that is a sideline in much of the book. The community in which Asher Lev grows up is not one that approves of much of his kind of art (everything from nudes to crucifixions to portraits to impressionistic landscapes/still lifes et all); the less judgmental tend to think of it as a waste of time, while the very critical consider parts of it to be an abomination. Unusually (and this is part of what makes these books great) the Rebbi (the leader of the Hassidic community) is not portrayed as cruel or even unkind. Instead, he is thoughtful in his dealings with Lev; he does not give approval to certain aspects of this art, but he does not judge, either. His concern, as a truly great and wise man, is for the well-being of his community, of which he clearly considers Lev a part. Lev gives (particularly in the second book) excellent (yet gentle) rebuttals to the community: he goes to the childrens' school and, upon being criticized openly by a young child, turns to the board and draws a masterpiece in chalk: a portrait of the Rebbi. Now, to this community, the Rebbi is much like the Pope is to Catholics, but he is (due to the size of the community) more like Peter (first Pope) would have been to the early Christians: closer, and therefore draws God closer to them. Lev explains that by depicting that which is uplifting and good, art can draw us closer to the Divine, and that by depicting evil, one can understand it better (and therefore avoid it). I know that these are technically two books, but they really should both be read if one is read.
6) Shoeless Joe, by W.P. Kinsella. This is the book from which the movie Field of Dreams was based. It is NOT just about baseball. It is about baseball, the love of the game, the "thrill of the grass," following important ideas if they feel right and even if they seem absolutely crazy, dreams coming true, broken hearts being mended, and souls finding peace. Even if you aren't a baseball fan (and I'll admit, I pretty much grew up on stories about the old-time Yankees, the Black Sox, et all) you should read this.
7) Tolkien's The Hobbit. While many people will cite The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a favorite, I think I am one of about five people on this planet who preferred The Hobbit. I find it easier to identify with the main character, I laughed more while reading it, and the imagery/descriptions/scenarios were just beautiful and crystal-clear. Important themes? Well, not so obvious. Perhaps expecting the unexpected, finding hidden depths, not being content with a regular and comfortable placency but instead stretching oneself mentally and physically, etc. (and yes, LOTR fans, I realize that those and more are all in your beloved LOTR. I don't particularly dislike LOTR. I just never enjoyed it the way I did The Hobbit. Chill.)
8) The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery. Montgomery is best known for her Anne of Green Gables series, of course. Personally, I always liked The Blue Castle more than anything else she wrote. It is (I think) still in print, but it is rather unknown, particularly compared to her Anne and Emily books. In short, a girl (Valancy) finds out that she is dying, and is given about a year to live. In her late twenties, she is considered a hopeless spinster by her thoroughly unpleasant family. Upon learning she is dying, she determines to keep that a secret, and to really live life to the fullest. She leaves her mother's house and goes to nurse another girl who is dying of TB. No one else will take care of this other girl because she is considered "bad" after being knocked up, but Valancy discovers a gentle and innocent soul. She uses the money that the girl's father insists on paying her for the nursing and housekeeping to purchase pretty new clothes that she would never have been allowed to wear before. Eventually she marries a rather disreputable man who was kind to the dying girl, and enjoys every minute of the next year. There is a surprise ending, which I shan't post here. I know I've made all this sound very Victorian-novel-y, but this is really a well-written and enjoyable book. I probably identify a lot with the character (no, I'm not going anywhere! :P), but in all honesty anyone who feels pressed down or what-have-you should read this. Very liberating.
9) The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Beauty, magic, mystery; the smell of beautiful flowers and fresh air and rich dirt; the importance of nature in anyone's life. It's all in here. Oh, yes, and a wonderful story, too. This book more than makes up for that nauseating Little Lord Fauntleroy nonsense; in fact, it just stands on it's own as A Good Book.
10) Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. Again, I'd say that every college student should have to read this. Right now, the educational system (at least in this country) is such that few have actually read any of the great books from which great ideas come (I had a speech teacher once who had never read Thomas Paine's Common Sense or Aristotle or Plato or Homer and objected to my referencing them). Most college students could tell you who was on American Idol, and a heck of a lot fewer could tell you the great ideas in the Odyssey or why they are both important and relevant in today's society. Many spot-on quotes, including, "Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them so full of noncombustible data, chock them so damn full of "facts" they feel stuffed, but absolutely "brilliant" with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy....So bring on your clubs and parties, your acrobats and magicians, your daredevils, jet cars, motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex. If the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the theremin, loudly. I'll think I'm responding to the play, when it's only a tactile response to vibration. But I don't care. I just like solid entertainment." Bradbury's Coda at the end of Farenheit 451 shoul be read by every reader. A brief (okay, relatively) quote: "Some five years back, the editors of yet another anthology for school readers put together a volume with some 400 (count 'em) short stories in it. How do you cram 400 short stories by Twain, Irving, Poe, Maupassant and Bierce into one book? Simplicity itself. Skin, debone, demarrow, scarify, melt, render down and destroy. Every adjective that counted, every verb that moved, every metaphor that weighed more than a mosquito--out! Every simile that would have made a sub-moron's mouth twitch--gone! Any aside that would have explained the two-bit philosophy of a first-rate writer--lost! Every story, slenderized, starved, bluepenciled, leeched and bled white, resembled every other story. Twain read like Poe read like Shakespeare read like Dostoevsky read like--in the finale--Edgar Guest. Every word of more than three syllables had been razored. Every image that demanded so much as one instant's attention--shot dead. Do you begin to get the damned and incredible picture?"
I've intended for some time to send the whole of that Coda to my high school English teachers and the principal of that high school. We were given such readers. Yes, we did read a few, a very few, books in entirety, but so much of what we read was excerpted/shortened/abridged etc. When I hear at work of teachers actually assigning the "Shakespeare Made Easy" series, I want to reach through the phone and strangle them. Books are important. Ideas are important. One asks the student to stretch his mind to encompass new ideas; one doesn't condense and distill the new ideas to fit the student's mind in its present state.
So, that being said, I'm curious about what other people would put on their "Ten Most Influential/Important Books"/"Books That Made Me Who I Am Today" list. This isn't necessarily a "Greatest Books Ever Written" list; it's supposed to be more personalized. Consider this a sort of meme, if you will, and tag at least three people. Carapiccoladiva, katiebell, misskate, themaureencorps, and shewhomustbeobeyed, consider yourselves tagged! :)
