Books I'm currently reading

Because I'm not reading Facebook status updates 24 hours a day, I've rediscovered my freedom to read, you know, actual books.  Brilliant.  Here are a few whose pages I'm turning these days:

I totally dig Augusten Burroughs.  Friend A introduced me to him a few years ago, and this book arrived in my life at the perfect time.  I'm reading it slowly, savoring each chapter/essay, and I know I'll go back and read it again when I'm done.  If you've read Burroughs before, you're asking yourself (as I did), "Um, Augusten Burroughs giving advice? Are you serious?" Read the book.  The guy has some seriously profound offerings gleaned from his life of trauma.  You won't be disappointed.

I know, it's shocking. I've actually read this before--I've read the first 3 books of the Dark Tower series...but I've never read books 4-7 and, if I'm going to call myself a King fan, this is a serious hole in my fandom.  So, I'm starting the series over again and, as always, loving it.

Written by a good friend of mine (and I will never tire of saying that!), I'm ashamed that I'm just now getting to read this amazing book.  My only justification is that I wanted to read it during the summer when I would be able to do so uninterrupted.  It's totally delivering as promised--amazing characters (the kind where you find yourself thinking about them during the day and then you're all 'oh, that's right, she's from that book I'm reading...'), great story....totally lovely. 

So, that's on my plate right now.  What are you reading??

Deep breath...

Okay, the next plan of attack with Operation: 50% is my books. I counted today...excluding textbooks for my current classes, my Norton anthologies, and my first editions/signed/valuable books, I have 788 books. Eeeks.

Now, to be fair, I'm an English teacher. And a writer. Every job I do revolves around the written word. Plus, I love to read and I'm also, as you may or may not know, somewhat enamored with Stephen King. All of these elements have led to me becoming something of a book hoarder.

So, I need to get rid of 394 books. This will be both easier and harder than my clothes...easier because the emotional attachment isn't as strong, but harder because while the "ohh, I might wear this someday!" is weak compared to my "ohhh, I might read this someday!!"

The goal is to have it done this weekend. I'm nervous.

Ahh...summer vacation...

In the midst of grad classes and teaching summer school and teaching yoga, once in awhile, I'm able to put all of my obligations aside and fully enjoy a summer day.

Yesterday BFF Erica and I went to the pool in the morning, a movie in the afternoon (The Kids Are All Right...*extraordinary* movie), then shopping, then out for cocktails, then to the bookstore, then to Trader Joe's. Ten hours flew by faster than either of us imagined possible, and when I got home--at 8pm--I was exhausted. (And sunburned..ouchy.)

A few years ago, that description would have applied to every summer day. But, Erica and I have both moved on with a little separation between us. We scheduled yesterday almost a month ago. The nice thing is, we're equally busy, so neither of us feels abandoned, and we both, as we discussed yesterday, are confident enough in our friendship that we don't need to see each other all the time. It's nice to know that we can pick up right where we left off. Friends like that are rare and good to have. I'm very fortunate to have several of them in my life.

How did the shopping and bookstore figure into Operation: 50%? Well...I bought stuff. But, I didn't buy any clothes (I had decided that if I did buy any clothes they would need to replace something in my "keep" pile...that kept me from buying anything.) or shoes. I bought underwear--which I hadn't gone through yet as part of the project.

And I bought 8 books. Well...technically 7 because I got one for my mom. But still...bought 7 books. They were all on my list of "books I want" and I got 9 books (one I bought for Erica) for less than $25. But, buying that many books will definitely contribute to a future problem of tackling my book collection with Operation: 50%.