2013 Wrap

Wrap-up of 2013…Leia Brooks style!

The Christmas lights are starting to come down, the gluttony of holiday eating has passed, and now New Year’s Resolutions are being decided upon.  Yep, I have waited an appropriate amount of time to bombard you with one final end of the year highlight reel about my life.  I have finally accepted the reality that this is not my Christmas newsletter, but my end-of-the-year wrap up.

 Purple Cow 2013 featuring selections from "Wop", "We are Never Getting Back Together", and "Hot Cheetos and Takis" - I'm in the blonde wig

During 2013 I completed my 13^th year teaching at Hickman High School and began year 14.  Fortunately I was able to continue team teaching World Studies with my great partner teacher Lindsey Troutman.  I am also teaching one section of Humanities this year and two sections of English 10.  Because I have so much extra leisure time when I am not planning and grading (ha!), I have added on some extra duties.  This year I am one of two faculty sponsors of the Hickman Review, which is an art and literary magazine created by high school students. I am also continuing to sponsor Trireme, an honors organization for senior girls who commit to volunteering 4 hours a month.  One of the great joys of working at Hickman is seeing the incredible altruism these high school students exhibit.  Every year the student body raises over $40,000 for charities including the True Life Film Fund, the Red Cross, Special Olympics, and the Voluntary Action Center of Columbia.  And, we find awesome ways to raise these funds, like our Purple Cow lip sync contest.  In 2013 my group members and I were unable to retain our title as champions, but another teacher group proved that HHS teachers school the students when it comes to making an idiot out of ourselves on stage while lip synching!

My travels this year were not as expansive as years past, but I did get to move about for work and for my own leisure. I have continued working with the Missouri Writing Project, specifically with the Scholastic Art and Writing awards and I got a chance to introduce author Matt de La Pena at the annual Write to Learn Conference at Tan-Tar-A.  This was a great honor and my students were very excited to know I got to meet the author of so many books they enjoy (We Were Here, Mexican Whiteboy, and Ball Don’t Lie).  I also got to travel to the East Coast, presenting at NCTE (National Council for the Teachers of English) in Boston right before Thanksgiving. Though I didn’t get to do many “touristy” things, I did get to experience the original Boston Cream Pie at the Omni Park Hotel and I was able to walk part of the Freedom Trail.  There were also some great meals spent with colleagues at Durgin Park and Mr. Bartley’s.

I was also able to indulge in some non-nerd down time.  In July I road tripped with 10 friends (Danielle and Josephus Johnson, Ryan and Jayme Pingrey, Matt Foster and Carolyn Chipley-Foster, Dana and Brian Sleeth, and Susan and Grant Elliot) to Seacrest, Florida where we rented a beach house called “My Blue Heaven”.  With the ocean a 5-minute walk away and the 60,000 square foot pool a 4-minute walk away, we didn’t spend much time at the house.   On our last night we chartered a boat for a 3-hour sunset cruise where dolphins frolicked around us (and we participated in the mandatory “I’m on a Boat” reenactment).  This was the epitome of a relaxing vacation with great friends, good food, and the creation of a new drink (Sunrise on Seacrest). 

The Seacrest Crew on our Sunset Cruise

This was my second group trip with Matt and Carolyn (we went to Dauphin Island, Alabama in 2011) and they proved to again be great travel companions.  Matt suddenly and tragically passed away in October, which has made the memories of the trip bittersweet.  I am grateful for the wonderful times we had on vacation, at tacky Christmas sweater parties, and on the softball field. 

I wish you all joy, hope, peace, and happiness in 2014.  And of course, I wish you a year full of good reads.  Here are my 10 recommendations for your to-read list.                (* indicate book club selections)

1.   Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple:  A beautifully written, heart-warming and hilarious story of an agoraphobic, her husband and daughter, and a fateful trip to the Antarctic.
2.  Gulp by Mary Roach:  From the same woman who wrote Spook, Gulp chronicles the ins and outs (literally) of the digestive system.  Sounds ridiculously academic and boring, but it is incredibly fascinating and written with an appropriate amount of levity.

3.   *The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman:  I was moved to tears by this book.  A lighthouse keeper and his wife live on an isolated island off the coast of Australia, struggling to have children.  When a dead man and an infant wash up on their shore, they struggle with telling the truth or accepting the child they have tried for.

The Light Between Oceans - Book Club selection for November 2013

4.   *Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn:  If you haven’t read it yet, do so before the movie comes out.  This is a thriller you cannot put down.  On their 5^th anniversary Amy goes missing and her husband Nick is the prime suspect.

5.   Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan:  Disclaimer - John Green is my nerd crush, so I love everything he does.  This book tells the story of two high school boys (both named Will Grayson) who fortuitously meet in Chicago.  Poignant, hilarious, and resonating with truth.

6.   Fall of Giants by Ken Follett:  Follett is not known for his brevity (this book is around 900 pages), but he begins his Century trilogy by exploring the lives of families throughout the globe in the early 1900s.  From Russia, to Wales, to D.C., to Germany Fall of Giants shows us the historical causes and impact of World  War I by setting it within fictional families.

7.   World Without End by Ken Follett:  The second part of the Century Trilogy centers around World War II.  A second generation of characters introduced in Fall of Giants show just how interconnected we all are.

8.    *And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – From the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns comes another beautifully written book.  Chronicling a family through 50 years, switching perspectives throughout, Hosseini proves he is a master storyteller. 

9.    Frankenstein by Mary Shelley:  I teach this to my World Literature class and every year I am amazed by it.  Shelley was only 17 when she began this work and it still resonates 180 years after it was written.  If you think the monster’s name is Frankenstein, read the book.  And then come see me and an amazing cast in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein at Columbia Entertainment Company in February. http://www.cectheatre.org/

10. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling:  Mindy has become my hip, Hollywood alter-ego.  She is smart, funny, and ridiculously adept at pop culture.  Be prepared to laugh out loud with this collection of creative non-fiction.

Leia

Resisting the pull of the tide into a sea of depression

Preface:

One of the many reasons I am a writer is because it is free therapy.  Through writing I can articulate my hopes, fears, struggles, and conundrums.  Yet I find that most of the time when I feel compelled to write it is because I am facing a struggle and I don't know how to deal with it.  Sometimes this manifests itself in ways that make it seem like I am just a self indulgent writer who is always "depressed".  Contrary to the evidence, this isn't true.

Yes, I am depressed in the sense that I struggle with depression and anxiety issues.  Yes, I tend to write when issues arise which provide fuel to the fire of my chemically imbalanced, though behaviorally modified, brain.  This isn't a snapshot of me, but a snapshot of one part of my life.  And in an effort to make it more understandable for those who may get depressed, but don't suffer from depression, I thought I'd try and explain what that experience feels like.  Here's my attempt...

*********************************************************************************

As someone who suffers from depression, I don’t need any help feeling bad about myself.

No, I’m not a self-mutilator, or even a self-hater.  I think I am a pretty cool chick, happening in a far out way.  (Or at least I am goofy enough to pay homage to The Brady Bunch movie in my description of myself.)  My form of depression manifests itself in a different type of insidious, pervasive thought process of being alone forever.

Certain times this feeling is harder to combat.  Weddings are glorious celebrations, but I have no desire to participate in the tossing the bouquet tradition.  As I have watched more and more friends marry I have also watched the median age of the single ladies plummet beneath my age bracket.  After about 11 unsuccessful catches in the metaphorical game (and many years of not dating in the real-life game) I decide I wanted to not have a constant reminder of my singleton status.

I have an incredibly talented friend who takes extraordinary pictures of families, especially little ones.  I marvel at her skill and joy in the beauty she captures.  But I also sometimes break down into tears because I feel that a family is something I will never have.  I think “I will never have a need for her services, never have a group of people to know I had a hand in creating or raising.  My Christmas newsletter will never need a photographic representation of my partner in life, because I don't have one.”

I vacation with friends and have an incredible time.  I don’t have to worry about the sleeping arrangements – I am going to get the “kiddy” pirate bed that isn’t actually in a room, but an alcove.  I don’t have to worry about the lottery in choosing amongst a wide range of bedrooms – from secluded King, to a Jack-n-Jill bathroom with a bunk bed arrangement.  But I don’t get to cuddle with someone as we take a nighttime walk on the beach.  I am in awe of the stars, mesmerized by the ebb and flow of the ocean, and feel the force of a higher power as land and sea roll into one.  Amidst observing the hand of God in action, I am shaken from my reverie.  I fold my arms around me, trying to contain the aching sadness as I stare into the ocean, trying to avoid watching those around me marvel at the beauty of the sea, just like I did, while holding hands with their partner.  The only hands I have to hold are my own.  Unwillingly and brought upon by nothing I do, I feel jolted into a lonely reality where I can't even enjoy the beauty around me.

It doesn't take a majestic site for me to experience this sense of isolation, and it doesn't always happen when you'd expect it.  I don’t have a problem being a 3^rd or a 5^th wheel when dining out, or dining out alone.  I love sharing meals with friends and I love having the chance to read, work, or people watch at my own pace when I am by myself.  When out with a large group - the 7^th wheel or higher – that is when it becomes painful.  We aren’t being counted anymore individually, but by couples.  And I am always left out of that arithmetic.  “I’m on my own check,” feels like another twist in my heart, yet another reminder that I am adrift alone while everyone else seems to have a double occupancy flotation device.  

Like everyone who suffers from depression, I can physically see the reality of my situation.  I am not alone.  I have friends, coworkers, family, and countless compadres who will help me, no questions asked.  I know this cerebrally, but my emotions do not experience the same thing.  I ache for what I don’t have, and my skewed biological make-up wants to tell me that it is something I will NEVER have.  I don’t want that to be true.  But wishing won’t make it so.  Hoping doesn’t make it happen.  Not focusing on it doesn’t change anything.  Actively seeking a partner has yet to provide any fruitful results.  So what is left to do besides despair and feel that this is my reality – a reality I am not content with?  Today, I am struggling with that answer, feeling like it is almost pulling me under.  

And then the "Hallelujah" chorus can begin, because putting these thoughts on (virtual) paper has helped me exorcise these demons (at least for a little while).  I don't feel as helpless as before.  It doesn't always happen this way - many times I write what I am feeling and all I feel afterwards is worse.  But eventually, sometimes weeks or months later, I am able to to look back, and look ahead, with less feelings of dejection and sadness.  Looking forward doesn't always give me a glimpse of happy sunshine, birds chirping their happily-ever-after tunes, and promises of a rosy future.  But I can recognize the hope a new day can bring.

If you have never stumbled across the blog Hyperbole and a Half, do yourself a favor and check it out.  The writer (Allie) chronicles her own journey with depression in a way that is hilarious, insightful, and spot-on.  Check it out here:  http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html.

(Also, if you, like me, take great joy in absurd responses to ridiculous errors in communication, you'll love Allie's blog entry about the "Alot" monster.  This is her way of control the visceral rage that befalls many of us nerdy English people when we see sentences like "I play alot better than my teammates." http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

"The The-a-ter, the the-a-ter, oh what has happened to the the-a-ter..."

Five bucks if anyone can name the musical the post title comes from.

My ubber-talented theater friend Adam McCall once said that being in a production together bonds cast-mates because you experience a trauma together.  While "trauma" might be a bit of a hyperbole, it is also a fitting moniker.  There are tears, struggles, times you want to quit, times you really just want to be able to skip rehearsal and sleep, and times of profound connectedness with the rest of the cast (and if you are lucky) the audience.  

I am missing the connectedness of my theater friends.  I just might need to dust off my character shoes and prepare a monologue for a show sometime soon. 

I serve many roles in a cast, but one of my most favorite roles is the quote master.  These phrases may not make sense at all, and honestly I have forgotten the back story of some of these, but they remind me of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of last year.  So, here they are -  The Drowsy Chaperone Quotes.

Columbia Entertainment Company, Summer 2012

“Do you want me on top or bottom?”  Meg

“That’s what she said.”  Kate

“My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling”  Christopher

“I don’t even know what that means!”  David

 “What is your man-smell?”  David to Larry

“Jesus Christ”

“The C natural is causing problems…don’t let it.”  Robin

“SURPRISE!”

“That’s not going to get old.”  David and Leia in unison

“We’ve been exposed – that is the goal.”  Robin talking about music

“If your pee is yellow, you are doing it wrong.”  Robin

“Two measures – it’s always TWO MEASURES!!”  Robin

“I haven’t kissed a girl since junior year of high school.”  David

Kissing DeeDee for her birthday, “That’s it.  I’m straight!”  David

“Squeeze the nuts!”  Meg (oops!)

“That’s a tausty Toledo Surprise!”  Christopher

“Hold on to the “dong” for 6 beats.”  Leslie

“Gangster – don’t whack.”  Jeremy

“We’re gangsters – we have to whack.”  Tom

“It is really cold in here and it smells like boys.”  Ella (at First Baptist Church)

“Just be confident on that ding-a-ling”  Leslie.

“Bring your drill.”  DeeDee

“I was in such a hurry I forgot my pants.”  Jay

“I won’t complain”  Leslie

“We have to be funny because we can’t sing that high.”  Monica explaining bad behavior by altos.

“What????  Surprise!”  Monica while texting

“Each of you will grab something for Jordan”  Kristin

“I’ll grab the dildo.”  Monica

“Grab your business.”  Kristin

“I gotta stretch my cooter.”  Jordan after doing the splits

“You all will need to get off somehow.”  Kristin

“I can get them all off.”  Leslie

“There’ll be a lot of pulling out tomorrow.”  Leslie (talking about being pulled out by Robin for music.)

“Huh, huh, huh”  Monica

“I’m very in touch with my feminine side.”  Christopher

“He is – I saw him touching it earlier.”  Monica

Reflections on a snow day...

There is an eerie quiet when it snows.
The entire world has been put on pause
as we sit,
wait,
and slowly watch the
pot boil.

It is the depths of winter,
though the calendar may say otherwise,
and everything gets a blank,
clean canvas.

For just a moment -
the canvas has endless
possibilities.
A mountain of snow really can
be the impenetrable fort.
A solidly packed snowball can
be the deadly weapon.
A driveway layered can
be the workout for the day...and then some.

But the perfect blankness
never lasts.
The plows come, the cars attempt to traverse,
and life continues.
The rain, mixed with the dirt of life,
slowly melts it into a dull
grey - a pleading cry
for spring to release us from
the bland.
The pristine can only hold
for so long.

It's Been...One Week (please read while humming the Barenaked Ladies tune)

For an entire week, I have done the near impossible - at least for me.  I have kept track of everything I eat - portions, time, carb count, and everything.  I have also been keeping track of my exercise.  I didn't reach my goal of working out 4 times this week, but I came close.  This is a monumental feat.

I have felt my stomach "eating itself" (my euphemism for hunger pains) as I try to rationalize "No, you do not need a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's, even though it is Happy Hour."  I bravely staved off my need for something sweet by partaking in a very tasty (and very low carb) diet root beer and whipped cream treat.  (It tastes just like an ice cream float.)  And I have sabotaged myself by eating an entire bag of Valentine's Tootsie Rolls.  But I still feel pretty proud of myself.

No, I did not cure cancer, save a life, or even pick up my walking pace to a light jog.  But I did begin the grueling process of getting myself healthy again.  Part of the reason is vanity.  Let's face it - bumping up a size or two every couple of years has added up to a robust middle section which I have termed "the inner tube".  A few of my pants are not-quite-buttonable, but that wasn't the impetus for change.  That came from a tricky little devil called A1C.

A1C is your three month blood sugar average.  A non-diabetic person will have an A1C of less than 6 - preferably in the 5.5 or lower range.  Since I was diagnosed in late 2005 my A1C has ranged from 6.2-6.9, which is roughly the equivalent of an average blood sugar reading of 140.  No danger of diabetic neuropathy or glaucoma with those readings, but I was headed down a bad path.  At my last visit in January I told my primary care physician my conundrum - I am a smart woman.  I read.  I research.  I pay attention to details, synthesize them, and put them together to create deeper meaning.  I can understand the physiological changes going on in my traitorous, diabetic body whenever I ingest carbs.   My logical brain comprehends these things and realizes the consequences of my actions.

My emotional side - that one is a tougher nut to crack.  This is the side that says "Hey, the bag of chips is already open - might as well finish it up."  Or it might tell me "You've had a rough day.  Why don't you treat yourself to Dairy Queen on the way home?"  Sometimes it even disguises itself as a seemingly-logical entity by entreating me to "Buy the most economical meal because then you will save money."

Keeping a log of my food intake, exercise outtake, and blood sugar readings isn't revolutionary.  It isn't even new to me - I did it for a couple of months when I was first diagnosed.  Yet, it took me awhile to admit to myself, and then admit to others, that I needed help on my journey.  I need someone to hold me accountable for my actions.  Unfortunately when it comes to my health, I haven't done the best job proving that I am the boss.  So, for now, the dietitians and nurses at Well Aware are my superiors.  On March 4 I will turn in my logs and attend my first class with them.  I hope to continue my brutally honest recordings and increase my caloric output.  Most of all though, I want to gain back my health, energy, and control.

Because I expect to post about my successes, and my struggles, with nods to other great songs.  I already have the title picked out for next year - "Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes" - the take back continues.

How Pintrest has awakened my sleeping writer's gene

I stumbled across this post from Pintrest.  In July I will be travelling with 10 friends to Seacrest, Florida for a vacation.  I absolutely cannot wait for some fun in the sun with some awesome people.  Danielle, my BFF and the guru of organizing all get togethers, pinned a link to this woman's website. (http://cherishinghopesanddreams.blogspot.com/2012/01/30-things.html)  Since we will be journeying via car to Florida, we are going to have a looooonnnggg drive, so this site has a list of 30 questions to answer.  Initially, it was posted for spouses to consider, but a commenter said it would be a fun blog post, and I concur.

So here is my first challenge - List 20 random facts about yourself.

1)  I was named after Princess Leia from Star Wars.  And yes, I pronounce it "Lee-a", not "Lay-a".  It was not until The Empire Strikes Back that the characters called the Princess by her name (and not just Princess), and by then I was already 2 1/2.

2)  I have never broken a bone.

3)  I have performed at Disney World with my Show Choir in high school.  We were there the same time Roseanne was filming an episode, so our originally scheduled performance was bumped back.

4)  If Hasbro ever needs a voice recording of a baby crying, I can do an eerily accurate one. With my mouth closed, so unsuspecting people don't realize where the sound comes from.

5)  My mom and I share the same birthday.  We are exactly 22 years apart.

6)  My favorite color has always been purple.  

7)  I have 19 first cousins.

8)  I ran myself over with my own car.  Her name is now Christine.  Please see Random Fact #2 for proof that I have a guardian angel, along with the ability to harm myself in bizarre ways.

9)  I have karaoked in 6 countries - Italy, the Bahamas, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Korea and 5 states - Missouri, Colorado, Texas, Nevada, New York.

10)  I had my first real kiss at 19.

11)  Before my current house, the longest I had ever lived in one place was 6 years in Canton, Georgia.  I am currently at 9 1/2 years and counting in my Columbia, MO abode.

12)  I have ridden an elephant.

13)  I once climbed 1247 steps in Thailand.  I literally thought I might die on the trek up, but the view from the top was absolutely astounding.  And I saw a Buddhist monk listening to his ipod which was fun.

14)  I have been Type II Diabetic since December 2005.  I now have to take two oral medications to control my blood sugar, but I do not have to do insulin shots yet.  Thank goodness.

15)  Every few months, I feel like I have to hold a baby.  There is something so therapeutic about looking at the world through their eyes, smelling that amazing baby smell, and seeing someone who will more than likely give you a smile.  Luckily, my friends have procreated profusely, so they can supply my habit.

16)  Though I am not sure if I will have children, I have had a name picked out for a daughter since I was 15.

17)  My oldest friend has been my aunt Liz.  She is 4 years older than I am, so I rarely call her "Aunt Liz".  

18)  I have owned only 2 cars in my life - a 1984 Honda Civic (named John) that I drove until 2000 and a 2000 Ford Contour (named Christine).

19)  I love real books.  Though I have read some electronic books, I don't think I could ever give up going to the library, scanning the shelves at Salvation Army for copies of books, or roaming the aisles of Barnes and Noble.

20)  I have two favorite words - prestidigitation and superfluous.

We will see if I can manage writing about the 29 other pieces of info on this list.  While it is fun for me to reminisce and figure out how I would answer these questions, I am not narcissistic enough to believe that everyone is dying to know more about me.  However, there is a connection that happens as people share and reflect on their own responses.  So please, feel free to let me know your own answers to these questions.  Because while all of our stories don't matter to everyone, some of our stories matter to someone, and that is what really matters.

2012 in recap

Happy New Year one and all!

So after all the festivities have ended I am sure you find yourself wondering “Where in the world is my newsletter chronicling all the details of Leia Brooks’ exciting, adventurous, envious life?”  Have no fear – I just wanted to ensure that my pears of wisdom did not get lost amongst all the other cards you received.  That, and I might have been a bit overwhelmed with the semester ending on December 21 and I didn’t get it done until the literal last second.  Take your pick on which scenario is true.

As always, my school life seems to be the most consuming part of my year.  I started lucky year 13 at Hickman High School this fall, teaching Humanities and returning to team teaching World Studies with the awesome Lindsey Troutman.  I am so very happy to be team-teaching again.  I think I am a closet History teacher who really loves literature, so team teaching is definitely my forte. This is my third year teaching Humanities (basically an introductory art history class including visual and performing arts) and I am finding new things to learn and love as I go along.  The entire school went through the challenge of switching to a block schedule that has definitely brought some unexpected kinks to work out. 

NYC:  The understudy for Bess – Alica Hall Moran - and I after the show    

Adrienne and I doing a champagne 
toast with our Brooklyn and Missouri glasses.

After a slight reprieve in my travelling jaunts last year, I was able to visit New York and New England this summer for 2 weeks.  My wonderful friend and fellow travel buddy Adrienne, along with her awesome husband Ed and their precious daughter Neva, graciously hosted me in their Brooklyn apartment.   I got to experience another dose of New York’s finest, from my first trip to IKEA, to scoring front row seats to Porgy and Bess, to visits to the Brooklyn Museum, MoMA, and the Guggenheim, to strolls on the beach of Coney Island.  I also got a chance to hook up with some of my fellow Korea travelers and my old CEC theater buddy Katie Jarman for a night of karaoking at a piano bar.  Plus I also was introduced to the incredibly fabulous Ample Hills Creamery (a must for anyone planning a trip to NYC), with its locally made ice cream.  Adrienne found these two glasses (one saying “Brooklyn” and the other saying “Missouri”) at the Swap-Mart at Ample Hills and it was an incredible omen for an amazing trip. 

My first weekend in New England I boarded a train for Massachusetts and met up with my Aunt Liz, Uncle Doug, and cousin Brendan.  We went to Newport Beach, Rhode Island and enjoyed the sun followed by a tour of the mansions.  I have to say touring an old mansion didn't sound like an amazing time, but I was very pleasantly surprised and it was one of the best museum trips I have ever had.  The second weekend of my trip Liz was able to come down to NYC and we rented a room via Airbnb, saw Potted Potter on Broadway, toured the High Line, shopped at a flea market in Hell’s Kitchen, and visited the 9/11 memorial.

Liz, Brendan, and Doug on the beach in Rhode Island 

I also had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas this past November to present at the National Council of Teachers of English conference.  Because of the arrival of my best friend Danielle’s third baby (Maggie Rose born on November 1), she was unable to attend after being accepted to present.  Fortunately for me, I was able to take her place.  While I did not bring home any Vegas winnings, I did see Kelley Gallagher walking the halls of the MGM Grand (English teachers know what an amazing guru he is) and I got to hear Sherman Alexie speak, which was truly awe inspiring.  If you haven’t read The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist-Fight in Heaven or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, you’ve got to check those out.

The maids of The Drowsy Chaperone. 
I am the very last one.

I had quite a successful theatrical year.  Yet again, my coworkers and I pulled out a win against the students in our annual Purple Cow lip-sync competition.  Our theme this year was Arena Rock Meets Parachute Pants, giving homage to Run DMC and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” video.  In case you are looking for a seven minute diversion from work, you can check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fcA70d7Dok.  This summer I also got to be on stage again (for legitimate reasons) as a chorus member in The Drowsy Chaperone at Columbia Entertainment Company.  This was one of the most fun shows to be a part of because of the hilarious script, amazing casting of Man in Chair, and the camaraderie amongst the cast.

As always, I have to give a top ten list of books to read. (* items indicate my book club’s choices this year.)

1.  The Fault in our Stars – The premise of the book sounds ridiculously sad – a girl with terminal cancer falls in love.  But the book is written so well and there is plenty of humor and humanity in a seemingly tragic story.

2. House Rules – A single mother raises her two sons – sounds ordinary, right?  Not when one of the sons has severe Asperger’s and has been charged with murder.  With four different narrators, you find out all the intricacies of what happened. 

3.  *The Night Circus – This Book Club selection got a thumbs up from everyone.  Some have called it a grown up Harry Potter with unique characters, unexpected plot twists, and a magical setting that is described so well it seems real.

Book Club June 2012 - The Night Circus

4. *The Dovekeepers – A friend told me that if I liked The Red Tent (which I loved), I would like this book and she was right.  Based on the events of the Masada where Jews held out against Roman forces two thousand years ago, the stories of four women who all tend the doves are interwoven.

5. *Firefly Lane – While some of the plot is contrived, the story of the thirty year friendship between two women is very relatable.  And the ending is very moving. 

6. *Little Bee:  A Novel – Though reviews were mixed in book club, I loved this story told by two separate narrators – a 16-year-old Nigerian girl in an immigration center and a 30-something suburban English woman.  Even though the story is fictional, there is some truth to the horrors that occur in Nigeria and immigration centers in general.

7. Sookie Stackhouse series – I freely admit it – this is total brain crack.  I love the TV series True Blood, so I knew I would enjoy the characters in the book.  Though plot points vary between the books and the TV show, the book characters are multi-dimensional and you never really know who the bad guy (or girl, or vampire, or shape shifter, etc.) is. 

8. Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour – A Gateway Award nominee, this was a great summer read.  Two teenagers embark on a drive from California to Connecticut.  Each leg of their journey is first introduced with a playlist of great tunes for a road trip.

9. A Bottle in the Gaza Sea – A must read about the need for humanity in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.  (Plus, it is an incredibly quick read.)  Told mostly through emails, it is the exchange of belies and ideas from two teenagers - an Israeli girl and a Palestinian boy living in Gaza. 

10. Funny in Farsi – This memoir by Firoozeh Dumas chronicles her life after moving from Iran when she was 7, to Southern California.  There is a hilarious section about a trip to Disneyland.

Here’s to a wonderful New Year and blessings to you all!                                                Leia