Wednesday, March 19, 2008

And all that Jazz...





So if you remember back at the beginning of the year, I made some new years goals to help better myself. Well, I plan to do periodic check ups to see if I'm staying on track. But not today, we'll talk about that some other time. (How's that for procrastination)



Yesterday, me and the girls visited our local library. I don't know if I have mentioned this before but I really like the Clark county library system. They have plenty of activities for the kids and a large selection of goings-on for adults. The kids got to watch 'Shrek the third' yesterday while I perused the used bookstore area in peace. Also, starting in April they're doing an annual event called "Reading Las Vegas". It was developed, from my understanding, to encourage literary reading by asking entire communities to come together and discuss one book. This years book is F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It's set in the roaring 20's, during the "jazz age". I've always held an interest in that time period, with the Harlem renaissance, Women's suffrage, Prohibition....and wanting to get my hair in one of those flapper styles and wear the cute little tight fitting caps or wide brim ones that the ladies donned. Anyway, last year's selection was The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. From what I hear she came out and did two standing room only appearances to discuss the book and her life. It sucks that I wasn't yet a resident of the valley because I would have loved to have met her. It would have also gave me an excuse to buy a red kimono (I really, really want one). The Joy Luck club is amongst my top 20 favorites. This Year they will have various writers workshops that I will definitely find someway to attend, a interactive murder mystery, dance lessons for the Charleston, Lindy bop and other popular 1920's dance steps and a host of other activities to fill the month of April. No author visit because well...he's dead. Has been for a long time. Oh, but I'm forgetting the best part. They give you the book for free to read! I heart free things, especially books. So I'm adding The Great Gatsby to my 'books to read in '08' reading list. This is good because I needed a few more classics on my list. I picked up War and Peace yesterday also. 1386 pages. Jeez, I wonder if I can get it on C.D. But is that reading? Or is that cheating? I have never listened to a book on tape/C.D./MP3 mainly because if the persons voice on the audio isn't just right then I don't think I would be able to stand it. It does seem quite convenient though. I could "read" and do other things simultaneously. Like clean the bathroom, knit, change diapers and the list keeps on going.... But on the other hand did I actually accomplish anything by listening to someone else read a book. Does that do anything for my ever diminishing brain cells or is it just the easy way out. Heck, I might as well just watch the movie version right? So if I set the goal of reading 50 books this year but I listen to 5 of them on audio will you still hold me in such high regard, as I know you all do.




I would love to hear your opinion on this.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Girl...
You are officially certifiable! lol
I'm about to get in trouble at work for laughing so hard at this one. I feel you though, but yes, you should have left it alone and excepted 'Your beautiful'. Honestly, When you looked in the mirror, how sexy did you think you felt? Not to say that to him you were not still sexy, but I know I didn't feel liked I looked to sexy when I was pregnant. And Tre may have a point. Maybe its not that the don't find us still sexy and beautiful, (which we all know they better still do) its just what he said. You know, there's a baby in there listening to everything, and getting all hoped up on those wonderful sex endorphins and things. You know the men have to have at least thought about ("Hmm, does the baby know what we're doing? Does the baby here all this moaning and going on? etc.") Hell, I know I've thought about and some. But anywho. I thought I'd put my 5cts in. He's a good husband. He never actually said anything bad. You just took it that way because of the hormones and the fact that all you heard was vessel. lol That was a good one. Yes, sometime less is info is the best info. Your girl Shaneva

Anonymous said...

I prefer to read the books myself as well but on occasion I have been trapped in the car with my mother who always listens to audiobooks (usualy in the car) and been forced to listen to someone reading a book to me. I don't think I could do it on a regular but there certainly isn't anything wrong with it. I think it would really depend on who it was read by.

I would love an excuse to wear a kimono. I would also have to put chopsticks in my hair.

The Great Gatsby was the one book off of my reading list in high school that I absolutely loved and still to this day have on my bookshelf. I also ran across a book (on the plane) called Gatsby's Girl by Caroline Preston which is a fictional account of the life of the woman who F. Scott Fitzsgerald based his female characters on or so it is believed.

Ms.Erika said...

I will look for that book and add it to my list for the year.