May 18, 2024 THE GARBAGE MAN BLUES

Belated Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there who hold families together, sometimes at great sacrifice. Being a mother is probably one of the most challenging jobs of all. When the kids are young--we face exhaustion--later teenage angst brings out the worst in parents and kids alike--then adulthood--where we worry that they are safe, happy and healthy. It's definitely never ending BUT I can't think of a more rewarding thing to do with my life. This was a special Mother's Day for me because I finally ordered a REAL bedroom set after 31 years of marriage. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true. NO worries, my kids always had the best of everythng BUT we kept putting off spending money on ourselves--til now. This "sacrifice" is absurd when compared to the daily sacrifices Sang Ly makes in the lovely novel The Rent Collector by Camron Wright. Sang Ly, husband Ki Lim and sickly son, Nisay, live in a waste dump call Stung Meanchey in Cambodia. Every day is a struggle as they make a living scavenging through the trash for metal, plastic or recyclables to sell in order to buy medicine for their son and pay the rent collector. The rent collector is a drunk woman who seems to be lacking in compassion until Sang Ly learns her secret after begging the rent collector for another day to pay their rent. As time marches on in the dump, Sang Ly and the rent collector form a friendship that ultimately changes both of their lives in many ways. This beautifully written story is a must read. It touches the heart in so many ways because it is a story of hope and the resilence of the human spirit in a world that seems doomed. This 288 page book is also full of life lessons that we all need to be reminded of at times. 

May 5, 2024 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

 

20 days left of school. It's that time of year when EVERY day feels like a week. I'm not even kidding. I actually have to WILL myself through each day. Talk myself into having a good day. Beg myself not to say the WRONG THING. Shake my head and take a deep breath about 50 times a day. YUP--that's what it's like at the end of the year. AND THAT'S JUST FOR TEACHERS.  Wonder if the seniors feel the same way? I bet they do. As for the rest of the student body.........they're just muddling through AP exams followed by FINALS. Like I said--It's an UGLY time of year. Stressful for all BUT a necessary Evil-I guess. See you on the other side. Until then, I'll leave you with a review of Alex Michaelides new book The Fury. I totally enjoyed The Silent Patient and The Maidens BUT this thriller/mystery did not live up to my expectations.  Here's the premise--Lara Farrar is an ex-movie star who owns her own island in Greece called Aura. Every Easter, she invites a group of close friends for the weekend. By the end of the weekend, the reader learns about old jealousies, anger, revenge, desire AND that one of them has been killed.  Sounds like an old Agatha Christie mystery right? This story is told through the eyes of Elliot Chase, a second rate author AND unreliable narrator. He introduces the reader to the cast of characters--unlikeable and whiny for the most part--who also spend the weekend on the island. Mix in just the right amount of red herrings and we have ourselves a mystery.  I have to admit that I didn't know what was really going on until the bitter end BUTmy problem with the book was that  I just didn't like any of the characters and didn't care who died. This novel has mixed reviews so I'm eager to know what you think.