September 26, 2019 ONLY A FOOL WOULD SAY THAT

In the merry land of Trumpville, all is NOT well. The English language is taking a beating.  It's being twisted and turned so much that most SANE people don't understand what the HELL is going on. Trump rants-- raves-- stretches the truth from here to Hawaii SO often that we have to turn him OFF or lose our sanity. He creates euphemisms--that only he understands--and THEN just when we think we get it--he changes the meaning again. UGH. I get the Republican idea of the trickle down effect but I thought they were talking about money--the economy--NOT words. Just check out a few new ridiculous job titles that are so convoluted--like 90% if what Trump says-- it would take a POLYGLOT to figure out exactly what THESE PEOPLE DO. Went for a physical a few weeks ago and found out that the receptionist I've seen many times is now called  an ENGAGEMENT AMBASSADOR--that's a serious title. I  had NO idea either that my paperboy is actually a MEDIA DISTRIBUTION OFFICER. Not kidding. Got a card in the mail the other day from an insurance salesman--OOPS--I mean FAMILY PROTECTION  CONSULTANT. It's Crazy. I'm just a teacher and I'm sticking to it. 
 Something else that's a little crazy is the book I just finished called My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. Set in Lago, Nigeria, Korede is a responsible nurse who is overlooked by everyone in favor of her younger sister Ayoola, who is drop dead gorgeous and clearly the favorite daughter. Because, Korede is the older sister, she feels responsible for Ayoola, even when called to help Ayoola clean up the mess after she kills her boyfriend Femi. Ayoola has killed before--three times to be exact and Korede has helped her cover up the crimes. When Ayoola sets her sights on Dr. Tade, Korede is clearly upset. She has fantasized about him for years. Will Dr. Tade falls for Ayoola too or will he realize Korede is the sister for him? Find out the answer to that and many more questions when you read this dark almost absurd story for yourself. The writing is good but the story is clearly just for entertainment. It's about 240 pages--a very quick 2.5 miles--that is CRAZY.

September 22, 2019 FOR ALL WE KNOW

There's a difference between knowing and understanding?? What?? I'm serious. We all know that we should be thankful for.......... We know THIS but we don't really understand it until we gain wisdom from experience. Make sense?? When we are younger we think we understand things we can't possibly comprehend. We think we appreciate......but again we have to experience to truly appreciate. I can honestly say that I NOW appreciate every day--where I live --the people in my life--because I know that in the blink of an eye it could be gone. It happens every day. And it's random. Take a walk --bask in the sun--dance in the kitchen. Smile and say thank you. Rowan Caine, the main character in Ruth Ware's new book The Turn of the Key, could have been very different if she had learn these things. 

Rowan Caine is a twenty-something year old woman from London. When she's turned down for promotion at a day care center, she decides to find a new job. After reading an ad for a live-in  nanny in Scotland with great pay, she applies for the job. When she arrives at Heatherbrae House for the interview, she is overwhelmed with the beautiful home and seemingly perfect family. She accepts the job even though several other nannies have left under mysterious circumstances. So begins the nightmare that ends only after one of the children is dead. The story is told in the form of a letter. A letter from Rowan, who is in jail awaiting trial, to Mr. Wrexham, the lawyer she is trying to persuade to take her case. This ghost story has many twists and turns with a shock at the end you will never guess. It's 334 pages--3 mile run--that's hard to put down. It's not my favorite Ruth Ware book--but it's definitely worth the read. BOO.

September 12, 2019 WE ARE THE WORLD

 9/11. Elvis' death. Pearl Harbor. Assassination of JFK. Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The Beatles first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Titanic sinking. Bombing of Hiroshima. Michael Jackson's death. Lennon Assassination. Sandy Hook. Columbine. Princess Diana's death. MLK assassination. Can you remember where you were when any of these events shook the world? I can remember exactly five. It's funny how these and many other events become a part of us. I thought about this yesterday because it was 9/11. It's hard to believe that it's been 18 years. AND yes--I remember exactly what I was doing when the first plane hit-- as do most other Americans of a certain age. What's really mind blowing is that most of my students don't really know much about it. It's just another day in infamy to them. Violence and wickedness are commonplace in the world they live in.  Every other day there is a mass shooting of some sort. Innocent people die and we are helpless to stop it. The world has definitely NOT become a better place since 9/11. So disheartening. UGH. That's why I read books--the great escape. And what better way to escape then in Rebecca Makkai's kooky novel The Borrower. 
Lucy Hull, the main character of this outlandish novel, is a 26 year old children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri. One of her most dedicated  patrons is 10 year old Ian Drake. Ian is a precocious, insightful, avid reader whose reading list is limited because his mother is an extreme religious fundamentalist. Because she feels sorry for him,  Lucy helps Ian hide and borrow the books he wants to read. Lucy's concern for Ian grows after she meets his strange mother and learns that Ian has to attend anti-gay classes at his church. One morning when she gets to work, Lucy finds Ian camped out in the library. He has run away from home. Although she should bring him home, Lucy finds herself torn and the next thing she knows they are on a road trip together. This quirky book is about two "odd balls" who essentially kidnap each other and end up finding themselves. This clever novel with interesting characters and many hidden literary references only add to the fun. It's about 350 pages or a 4 mile run that will keep you guessing and shaking your head.

September 6, 2019 COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

Did you know that only 7% of communication is verbal?? That means 93% of communication is NON-verbal.  I'm talking about --body language--gestures--facial expressions. Sounds crazy but I'm here to tell you it's TRUE. First week back at school--I get some VIRUS--and CANNOT SPEAK AT ALL. Crazy because TALKING is a huge part of my job. No Worries. I worked around it. It was the QUIETEST week of my life. Students REALLY PAID ATTENTION AND HELPED ME. I learned to incorporate other teaching modalities--AND--they in turn --utilized different learning modalities. It was very cool. A WIN-WIN. I digress now. Parents. Now that you know the statistics (they are real) think about them when you talk to your OWN kids. THEY ARE ONLY LISTENING FOR TWO MINUTES. Say what you need to say--QUICKLY--THROW IN A LITTLE BODY LANGUAGE --BE QUIET--or you're just wasting your time. ENOUGH SAID.

Do you like historical fiction? Love stories? Time travel? If you do, then you MUST read Lisa Grunwald's new book Time After Time. Set from 1925-1948 in Grand Central Terminal, Joe Reynolds one of the main characters in the novel, is a leverman for the station.  He is in charge of pulling levers and directing the flow of trains in and out of the station. Nora Lansing is a Manhattan socialite who appears in the station one morning in 1937 dressed in flapper clothing, looking totally out of place. After bumping into Nora in the main terminal, Joe is determined to find out more about her. After searching for her for several months, Joe finally finds her again-- in the exact same spot--but it's  1938  and she's wearing the same flapper outfit. Don't want to say too much more other then Nora's comings and goings have something to do with a solar phenomenon known as the Manhattanhenge (this was real) and Grand Central Terminal.  Grunwald does a great job with the history of the terminal--Biltmore Hotel, Oyster Bar, Whispering Gallery--she really brings this city within a terminal to life. I am a sucker for this kind of book so I really LOVED it. It's about 400 pages or a 4 mile walk that I literally read in 2 days. Couldn't put it down because I had to know what would become of their love.

September 2, 2019 KILLING ME SOFTLY

ALLERGIES. If you've ever suffered through them--you're feeling my pain. I didn't get allergy problems until I was in my thirties. One day I was fine and the next thing I knew--I was getting 6 shots a week for 5 years. Between the months of April and June I suffered-- stuffed up-- horrible rashes around my eyes-- sinus infections every other week.  I've been  Allergy Free-- since my desensitization--until the other day. THEY'RE BACK-- I've got post nasal drip--headache--tingly ears--burning eyes --and my throat feels SO raw it's painful to swallow. What the HELL. Thought I was done with  this crap. The scary thing is that I've never had allergy problems THIS TIME OF YEAR.  Praying this is just an ANOMALY. The thought of going through testing again and ANOTHER 5 years of shots makes me want to CRY. Hoping a cup of hot tea will make things better.

Tea and soup make everything better in Marsha Mehran's International bestseller Pomegranate Soup.  Not sure how I missed this heartwarming book when it came out in 2005, but I couldn't resist buying it while I was in Ireland because the author's first name was Marsha. This lovely book is about three sisters, Marjan, Babar, and Layla, who escape Tehran during the Islamic Revolution for a better life. After seven years in London working and saving money, the trio decide to settle in Ballinacrough, a small Irish town,  to open the Babylon Cafe. While many of the residents welcome the girls and their Persian dishes, others including Thomas McGuire, who owns most of the town, try to drive the them away. One of the things I loved about the novel was  that every chapter began with a recipe that had been woven into the story. I'm actually going to try making one of the chicken dishes later this week. So, don't hesitate to read a great story that's well written--and get a good recipe. What more do you want?? This little gem is only 250 pages--or 3 miles--and a real treat.