My hand feels better today. Yesterday, I woke up feeling as if I’d been bowling all night long. My palm ached. Welcome to middle-age.
Speaking of middle age, my birthday is coming on Sunday. I’ll be 42. When I was a girl, my parents divorced and after my father remarried, my mother married a man who was 42. I still remember the outrage and skepticism that my mother was marrying this “older” man. My dad could not stop mentioning that this other man was 42, and he said it as if 42 were a dirty word. (She was about 35 at the time, I think.) And now I’ll be 42.
The birds have been raucous outdoors ever since the ice melted. Yesterday, I spotted the first Robin of the year, which is a sure sign of spring. I know! Spring! After Christmas ends, I am absolutely ready for spring to arrive and I don’t care that we still have to get through January. Sometime in February, the first green shoots of the crocuses will appear and I will start to imagine warmer breezes and sunny skies. False starts.
My day-to-day life has been very busy lately. I’m babysitting another baby, a 4-month old, during the afternoons. He is the sweetest baby ever with an easy-going temperament. All the kids are thrilled to have a new baby around here. Soon, I will no longer be watching the other two little ones, so the new baby will be our only extra kid around here, unless you count the parade of neighborhood kids who track Douglas fir needles through my house.
I finished “The Prince of Tides” and am deep in to P.D. James’ “Children of Men,” which is oh-so-much better than the movie.
I spent Saturday scrapbooking and finished up my album of pictures from 2002. I had a baby in 2002 and my life, as I knew it, came screeching to a halt. Although she is a delight, my daughter required me to hold and carry her close for the first two years of her life. I am only now regaining my equilibrium and saying to myself, “Okay, now where was I?”
Speaking of that daughter, she whistles now. Wherever she goes, she whistles a jaunty little non-tune, which is endearing and amusing.
I’m registered to go to a writer’s conference at the end of March. I am struggling with the decision to go, though, because it costs quite a lot of money, lasts for five days and it seems silly for me to invest that kind of time and money in something that very well may amount to nothing. On the other hand, why not me? Why not invest some time and money and see what comes of it? I’m so ambivalent . . . and I’m on the verge of talking myself out of going. I don’t know what I’ll do.
Meanwhile, I’m going to finish reading this novel.
What are you reading?
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What a fantastic opportunity Mel! I would love to go to a writer’s conference. Writing is such a solo activity (even if it’s public like on a blog) that it would be incredible to be with a group of like minded people who value this skill as much as I do. It would make me feel like part of something larger, validate the time I put into it somehow. Even nothing else came of it, at least there would be that. But I have a tiny baby and no chance of going, so if you go and then write about it I can live vicariously through you!
P.S. I’m reading Thunderstruck by Erik Larson, it’s very good.
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That conference sounds like a great opportunity.
I’m reading A Ship Made of Paper by Scott Spencer. It was on sale for 2 bucks at Barnes and Noble, so I couldn’t resist, but it is very well written and quite interesting.
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Ah, go!! Sounds great!
I’m reading Black Rednecks and White Liberals by Thomas Sowell, I think– just started it.
Mary
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Don’t you DARE talk yourself out of it — I’m forbidding it. Are we clear?
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Please go. You are already a natural writer and such a pleasure to read. It will be such fun!
I’m listening (on drives to work) to a book by Dorothea Benton Frank – since she has a blurb on her book by Pat Conroy. It’s … ok. Entertaining enough. With books on cd, there is no skimming – but I’m wondering if it’s worth 8 cds.
I’m also reading The Thirteenth Tale (in a real book form) by Diane Setterfield. I need some uninterrupted time to get moving, but so far it’s good.
Also – Prayer by Phillip Yancey. Very good so far.
Work really interferes with my reading, though. I need a day off. : – )
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Hey Mel,
I reckon the writer’s conference sound like a great idea – who knows where it could lead – if it is a passion and you think it could take you somewhere and financially you could give it a try then GO FOR IT 🙂
I am reading “Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel…when I am not too tired and don’t fall asleep as my head hits the pillow.
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Good for you on the writer’s conference!
I’m reading The Sparrow; a novel about Jesuits in space. That cracks me up every time I say it. A reader recommended it to me and I thought I should, if for no other reason than so I can say it when people ask what I’m reading. So thanks for asking!
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GO!!!
Oh, and I’m reading my Anatomy and Physiology textbook most of the time. I have started Bono, but probably won’t be able to finish it til my classes end in May, at which point I will have forgotten the first half of the book and will need to start over….
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You’ll kick yourself forever if you don’t go, so go! Enjoy! Learn!
I’ve been slowly working my way thru “Back When We Were Grownups” by Anne Tyler for the past month. Not because it isn’t good ‘coz it’s excellent, but I have a 10-month-old who’s on the verge of walking and keeps me running from 6:15 am to 4:15 pm every day, haha! Time?!? What is that?!?
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Go Mel. You never know what God has intended for you…
I’m just read Thr3e Dekker yesterday. It was twisting, suspenseful and well-written. Definitely worth the read. (I read Blink by Dekker on Sunday. I loved the bantering, storyline and adventure of it. Now I started The Secret History by Tartt, but I’m having a bit of a hard time getting into it. I’ll keep plugging though.)
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Go! Definitely go. It will do you the world of good.
I am reading Facing your Giants by Max Lucado, and also Friendly Fire by Patrick Gale.
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You should definitely go. Don’t let the money hold you back, unless you have to put a second mortgage on your house to do it, then I wouldn’t recommend it.
I’m currently reading “Why We Want You To Be Rich” by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki.
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I’m reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King – my husband just finished listening to it on his commutes to work (I think it was close to 100 hours!) and I picked up the paperbacks to read while I’m nursing the new baby. Since all the baby wants to do is eat (and not sleep – at all) during the day, I’m already on book 3 and almost into book 4.
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Go for it! I think it would be an awesome thing to do! You never know what might come of it – even if it is only a day for yourself!
I am reading “The Story of God” by Michael Lodahl. I much prefer fiction but I am taking a Theology class this semester 🙂
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Don’t go.
You should be TEACHING it.
Unless, of course, you know that ABSOLUTELY fabulous people whom you have already read and want to learn from are going to be there.
I learn better from books. Since it is WRITING that they are teaching, I’d rather read it. My guess is, you could buy many books with the money you would save.
And…I am reading “North to the Orient” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
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I’ve read exactly two pages of “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyers. It’s supposed to be great, but I haven’t had time to read any more. Also, GO to the writing conference. GO GO GO GO GO GO GO.
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Right now I’m reading your blog. Haven’t started a new book for a while but I have many older ones and I’m fond of going back and revisiting.
I’ll check out your P. D. James though.
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Good grief. My original intent was to wish you a very happy birthday. Senility is rapidly approaching.
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