23 October 2007

what's your hourly rate?

ps (that stands for PRE-SCRIPT it's the note before the real thing starts)
i want so badly to put a picture at the beginning of each post
but lately someone won't let me
i'm not naming any names
but it's in the website address of this blog
& it's not emily or ruth
they are always very accomidating of my pictures
though not so much of my spelling errors all over the place
& truth be told ruth can't stand the all-lower-case-letters thing
she was a grammar champ you know...
but i still love them
both of them
thanks, girls!
could you talk to blogspot for me, girls?
see if he could let me post a picture
just a little one?
& i promise
no headless children
promise)

so i'm re-reading one of my most favorite books ever
encyclopedia of an ordinary life
i only just read it last year i think it was...
& it is my pick for my book club book
i think it's scheduled for may or something...
i like to read
i love to read, actually
but i have a hard time reading new books
or books that aren't like all of the books i like or something
i have been in this book club since it started
it was my idea to start it, in fact
i had been reading oprah's book club books
(remember when she recomended one every month?)
& i was feeling like
i wanted to talk to someone about them
& i mentioned it to my darling angie
& she was off like a shot on that track
she makes flyers
& schedules the meetings
& collects ratings of each book by each reader
& sends out emails detailing what our group thinks of the book
& each email is written in the style that the book was written
just go back & read that last bit again
i am so serious about this
she really does that
& it is the funniest thing ever
i don't even read half the books but i always read the summeries she sends
& i am so happy that she does all of this
God knows i would have made some cute flyers
& never scheduled a thing
& sent an email full of spelling errors & lowercase letters
in the syle of crazed stay at home mom
every month
(emily & ruth would have dropped out immediately on principle)
anyway
angie
she is a firecracker that one
don't suggest anything to her unless you want it done up right:)
so
that first year
i read one book
the one i got to choose
the secret life of bees
i gave it the highest rating of anyone
& then i never read another book again
EVER
:)
okay so i didn't read another book club book again until the next year
& i don't know where i'm going with this
except to say that
i have a new book to read right now
it's whatever our book is for this month
& technically i don't actually HAVE it
but it is available for me to go find
if i choose
& yet i am rereading a book that i will most likely again reread in may
why?
i do not know.
it is familiar
& i know it doesn't take a lot of concentration?
perhaps.
because the unknown books that i have read
like bel canto & blindness made me feel icky & bored or both?
most likely.
when i don't read most of the book club books
i say it is because
i have no time to read
but of course i do.
i have time right now
but if i stopped writing
then you wouldn't have anything to read
& i am nothing if not your loving friend
bringing you things read daily
okay weekly...
your welcome
:)

i know you are readers because
when i listed my three favorite books
you all flooded my comments with your favorites
(& i loved it)
unlike when i listed my favorite tv shows
to which i got one comment.
from my sister.
okie dokie
anyway
any ideas?
should i disguise a new book with the cover of an old book i have?
sleep with a new book under my pillow until it becomes familiar?
make little copies of the cover of the book
& have them pop out all over the house at unexpected moments...
'just going to make some toast...'
shazzam! out pops 'cane river'
& i shake my head & look into the camera as if to say
'oh, that zany pop-up book cover got me again'?
or just leave myself the h alone & read whatever i want whenever i want
without feeeling the need to analize it to death?
that last one actaully seems like a nice option...
thank you, doctor
this has been a very productive session
see you next tuesday...

12 comments:

Left Coast Sister said...

love you love you love you.
I say, read what tickles your fancy, although I have to say, being adventurous from time to time is a good thing. You might discover you like something you didn't know you liked, like historical fiction or science fiction or cookbooks, I don't know. On the other hand, I LOVE to read, but don't have a ton of time for it, so I say, don't waste it on depressing books (White Oleander comes to mind) or books you just don't like . (This is why I'm the last remaining american who hasn't read Harry Potter... I'm just not interested, and I can't make myself be.) Read a few chapters (force yourself that) and then leave it if you don't need it. THere. My 2 pesos for the day.

Lydia said...

Oh my gosh! You crack me up! You are so funny! I love listening to your thoughts in blog...totally makes my day so much better!!
My opinion on book clubs: they stink. Why be forced to read a stupid book that somebody else wanted to read when you could read something you know you will(or already do) love? It's like high school! reading all those dumb books that were actually really good books, but they were dumb at the time because somebody else said they were good....yeah. So let's form a book club in which you can read whatever stinking book you want to read and then we'll get together and talk about our books and give a synopsis and drink coffee and just have a nice time? What do you think? And if you like reading the same book on a yearly basis I think you should. That's how I read Pride and Prejudice or Lord of the Rings. Well, maybe not yearly, but at least three times in five years. Okay, so this comment is practically a book full of complete nonsense.
And they lived happily ever after.
The End

Lydia said...

Oh, yeah, I forgot: I'm really annoyed with Blogger too cause I want to post a bunch of pics from portland and I cant! WAAAAA!!!
Thanks for listening...
bye now.

jmb_craftypickle said...

What is up with the pic posting....
Grrr
I have started a new thing with books and netflix movies...if I am not interested in the first like 5% of it....GET RID OF IT. (I don't really know how much the 5% is, but it sounded better than I read/watch until I want to poke out my eyes and then I GET RID OF IT. That just sounds bad, or scary, and I don't feel like I am either one, really...)
Books, they are good, but lately my attention span tends towards blogs and magazines....must lengthen attention span....I like hot dogs...don't you?

Angie said...

Okay, totally random crazy, but....

I just started a blog of our book group recaps! Yes! It is FirstMondayReadingGroup.blogspot.com
Please go see it and comment.

I just posted my first ever recap of book group, from October 2003, and it is ... you guessed it! Secret Life of Bees!

Before you get too excited, I will tell you that this was in the early days of book group before my recaps were written in the style of the books. But eventually they are, and I will be posting historical book group recaps on a regular basis, so.... bookmark FirstMondayReadingGroup.blogspot.com. (Get it? BOOKmark it? ugh.)

And Emily, sorry for using your space to plug this, but the timing was just too perfect. And thanks for the kind shoutout :)

JMB, I love your idea of 5%! How many horrid movies have I sat through thinking, "It has to get better, right?" and no, it really doesn't. I have to admit, though, I am very rarely disappointed by sticking with a book.

Finally (sorry, I know this is getting long) but Lydia, I have to respectively disagree with your outlook on book groups... you're looking at it the wrong way! Think of it as making a group of other people read YOUR book so that you have someone to talk with about it. You can decide later about reading all of their books :)

Mrs.Kate.W said...

The TV lover here...I have to comment on books. I read about 5 books a year, ussually they are started on an airplane to somewhere and finished in the lunch room at work. I love chic lit!!! and I am not ashamed! I try to read heavy books...but based on the previous comment that I start them on planes which means vacation and thus cheesy chick books. Sis...I say read what you love! There is no essay required, no grade at the end so read what makes you smile or takes you away!

Iguana Banana said...

life is to darned short to read stuff you "think" you should read. Go ahead. Be brave. Read what you love, and stack the other stuff up in a corner of the den. People will think you read it, and that's ok, too. Or just give it away - that's kind of fun.
Love your blog. You make me giggle and I needed that! Thanks.

emmi said...

"Why read?" says the so-called reading specialist. You have so many things you are passionate about. You'll have plenty of time to read when you aren't chasing two little ones. I say focus on what you love. You are so good at what you do.

By the way, I'd still go to the book club meetings for good conversation and yummy snacks. I am all about the snacks.

Colleen said...

THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE! THE OFFICE!
Satisfied?
:D

Iguana Banana said...

Hi
I hope you don't hate me for this, but I tagged you. Thought you'd be an interesting ... candidate for this one.
Ahna

Patti said...

i'm late to the fav tv show, but here it is: friday night lights.

Courtney said...

Hey Emily! I would love information about your book club. I love to read also. I agree that Bel Canto was horrible, but her other book I read, The Magicians Assistant, was really good. Wierd huh?

Also, I use Picassa with blogger. http://www.picassa.com (i think) It makes it so you can just click on the picture and then click "Blog This" Picassa is a google product too and it's free.