For all of you readers out there...and I know you are few and far between...the reason that I have not updated recently is that I am just too darn lazy. I should probably be more embarrassed to admit that, but no. In some sort of defense of myself, things have picked up a bit more lately and promise to even more in the coming weeks. This cheers me as I enjoy being busy, as much as I may complain otherwise.
(Sidebar: if you are a fan of Amy Winehouse, come down to the library at the Lethbridge College immediately because she is sitting right beside me....oh, that hair...)
There are a few things that are keeping me busy.
1. I have learned how to correctly use a colon: it is important to have an independent clause preceding it, and it generally sets off a series or summary after. Thank-you to Braden for peaking my curiosity about this much maligned and misused punctuation mark, and thank-you especially to the Google for always answering my questions, no matter how big or small.
If you liked that, a quote from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. regarding the semicolon.
Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.
2. I participated in a Lethbridge Stake rite of passage -making Elephant Ears at Whoop-Up Days. I was very hesitant to participate; however, it was brought to my attention that the money goes towards the Youth programs and so I felt a sense of obligation. Luckily, we had the opening night at the fair, and so it wasn't overly busy. It was a lot of fun to work side by side with some of the people in the ward that I hadn't really gotten to know before. The weather was quite cool as well, and it wasn't too hot inside the booth.
3. I am now the Young Women's President in our ward, and while I am very nervous to take on the responsibility, I am so excited to be a part of the girl's lives. I had a first meeting with my presidency, and we all shared the same vision for how we want the direction of Young Women's to go. We have a lot of great goals, and I hope to win many a Ward Council in the upcoming months.
4. I have been reading voraciously as of late and here is a list of my latest books -
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. This was an absolutely delightful novel, written entirely in letters. The characters are engaging, and the story is sweet with moments of humour and intensity. Read it, you will not be sorry.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I wouldn't describe this novel as delightful, rather creepy, Gothic and absolutely engrossing. I read it all in one night, and about 2/3 of the way through, I was so scared that I envisioned myself laying awake all night in sheer terror. Thankfully, the creepiness abated with the resolution of the story and the explanation of the mysteries, but there are some fantastic final twists that kept me hooked right until the very end. If you do not like Gothic literature, you may want to either avoid this book, or read it during the day times only.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This is ostensibly a book written for teens, but the themes of death and selflessness resonated with my (very few) adult sensibilities. The story takes place in Nazi Germany, and it gives an interesting perspective on what it must have been like to be a German under Hitler's regime. It is absolutely heart-breaking at times, and I cried for my last hour of reading the book. If you like books about the holocaust, read this one. If you are looking for something both sad and triumphant, read this book. Read this book.
I will end this grotesquely long post with a poem by John Updike that I think captures my feelings about Leita's death. It has been almost 2 months, but I still think about it almost every day.
Perfection Wasted
And another regrettable thing about death
is the ceasing of your own brand of magic,
which took a whole life to develop and market —
the quips, the witticisms, the slant
adjusted to a few, those loved ones nearest
the lip of the stage, their soft faces blanched
in the footlight glow, their laughter close to tears,
their tears confused with their diamond earrings,
their warm pooled breath in and out with your heartbeat,
their response and your performance twinned.
The jokes over the phone. The memories packed
in the rapid-access file. The whole act.
Who will do it again? That's it: no one;
imitators and descendants aren't the same.
5 comments:
Grotesquely long? Not long enough! We are always begging begging begging for more. I'm also having a hard time seeing the computer screen after reading Updike's poem.
Woops. That last comment was made by me. I just didn't know I was signed in under Jessica.
That poem - it says it just how I feel it. Where do you find them?
That poem - it says it just how I feel it. Where do you find them?
That poem - it says it just how I feel it. Where do you find them?
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