My son posted this on FB.
I had to look it up.
sassitude is everything
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
weekend reading
I just finished reading Colm Toibin’s novel, Brooklyn. It's a coming of age novel about a single woman named Eilis who leaves her working class home in Ireland in the early 1950's to emigrate to America. She emigrates not so much because she wants to but more because the rest of her family thinks it's a good idea.
The young protagonist takes a job in a Brooklyn department store and a room in a boarding home for single women. Lonely and homesick, she struggles to fit in with her motley crue of fellow boarders. Eventually she meets a man. A relationship ensues but is it love she is feeling or escape from lonliness? A crisis takes Eilis back to Ireland where she is forced to make a decision that will forever alter the course of her life.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this concise and finely tuned story. I love reading about immigrants, their years of transition, the origin of various customs and values, their contribution to America's ever evolving melting pot. And for some reason I'm drawn to the Irish culture, in part, I suppose, because of several close friendships with Irish Catholic girls during my high school and college years.
In Brooklyn, it's easy to root for the heroine, Eilis, and identify with her uncertainty in trying to decide between first love and friendly affection. At times she seems a little too passive, however. I felt frustrated and at times incredulous at Eilis' lack of self advocacy which builds into a potentially ruinous situation. It felt a little bit like watching the heroine of a scary movie doing all the wrong victim-y things. Don't answer the door! Why are you running deeper into the woods? Calamity so easily avoided, at least that's the angle from the cheap seats.
At the same time I could relate to Eilis' indecision, her naive hope that a sticky problem, with a bit of denial, will go away on it's own . I could also see how the central conflicts in this story were a product of the traditional female role and expectations placed on women throughout history. Women not in full control of their destiny or, at least, not taking control. Women who place the feelings of others above their own only to discover the flaw in this reasoning when it's too late.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice Recipe Blog: Index of Banana Recipes
Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice Recipe Blog: Index of Banana Recipes:
"Banana Date Smoothie Banana Maple Walnut Muffins Banana Pecan Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Banoffee Muffins: Toffee, Chocol..."
Monday, May 2, 2011
meet debbie on monday (with java...the person AND a cuppa, if you have it!)
Good morning, everyone.
Java is back with her weekly Monday Meme over at Never Growing Old....
it really is a great way to "meet" people.
Come on and join me...
here we go:
Questions:
1. What is your favorite kind of muffin?
Not too terribly difficult to answer..unless, there are also zucchini or poppy seed ones to choose from.
Blueberry, baby....give me the blueberry ones!!!
2. What was the first car you ever owned?
When I was 16, I baby-sat and cleaned offices and did whatever I could to pay for my
baby blue VW......she had a tan rear end and a green back, left fender...
her name was Besty....
and I loved her.
and I loved her.
(and she looked pretty dang close to this one!!)
3. Which TV Show were you sad to see end?
Oh...so many shows I have been sad to see end over the years...but (other than M*A*S*H, which had to end because, well...the war was over) , probably the one I hated to see come to an end most was
St. Elsewhere....I loved that show!!!
mmmmmMark Harmon!!
4. What is your lucky number?
Hmmmm....haven't really thought of that one....
I'm not even sure I have a lucky number.
I have other lucky things, but, no...no number.
5. Pretzels or Potato Chips?
Oh, Lordy.....chips.
And if you really want me to be happy....
give me some of these, please:
And if you really wanna show me some love?
These will work even better......
*yeah...i know...chocolate AND potato chips??
If you like both of these delicious things, then...really...
you need to try them together.
You'll thank me.
Have a great week everyone!!!
If you like both of these delicious things, then...really...
you need to try them together.
You'll thank me.
Have a great week everyone!!!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
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