Summer/Fall Reading List

I've been reading young adult series this summer. There's something nice about reading a series--after figuring out which one you want to read, you don't have to deliberate about the next book until you're finished with the entire series. There's less thought involved, which can be a boon in the summer.

This spring I read (again) all of my Robin McKinley books. They aren't exactly a series, but they all take place in marvelous other worlds. I highly recommend any and all of them! She's a fantastic author, and her ability to create Other Worlds is remarkable. I read:

The Blue Sword

The Hero and the Crown

Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

Spindle's End

Deerskin

A Knot in the Grain (short stories)

The Door in the Wall (short stories)

Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits (short stories by RMK and her husband, the fantasy writer Peter Dickinson)

Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits (more short stories by RMK and PD)

Then I decided to read L.M. Montgomery's "Emily" books. I've read them before, but only once, and I didn't remember them very well. Emily inspires me. Looking at the brief bio of L.M. Montgomery's life, I believe that she put much of her experience as a budding authoress into the Emily books. Emily wrote--and wrote--and wrote. And then she started submitting her writing. And, after a great deal of persistence, rejection, and doubts, she began to become successful. The path is quite clearly laid out: hard work, writing writing writing, and putting one's work out into the world. Unfortunately, I haven't done much of any of those lately . . . so. I must allow Emily to continue to inspire me.

Emily of New Moon

Emily's Quest

Emily Climbs

And, most recently, I have read the six books of Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy. I love trilogies that end up being non-trilogies because the characters or the world or the story continues in the author's mind . . . and then, delightfully, in ours. The first three books, A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, and The Farthest Shore, were all written in a similar tone and style, and are excellent. The Farthest Shore, with its long sea voyage to distant islands, reminds me a great deal of C.S. Lewis's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Well-written as the first three books are, however, it is the final three that are sticking with me. These were written some years later, after Ms. LeGuin had recognized some missing pieces in her original trilogy. Tehanu is beautifully written, and, beyond that, it is a marvelously, refreshingly feminist book. Some of the lines made me shiver. READ IT. Read them all. The fifth book, Tales from Earthsea, is a series of short stories from various points in Earthsea's history; the last story bridges the gap between Tehanu and the final (as yet!) book, The Other Wind.  Ms. LeGuin turns Earthsea upside-down in this last book, in a brilliant and inspiring way.  The final chapter held so many profound and powerful insights I'm still mulling them over in my mind, still glimpsing the brightness of the images that flooded my inner eye as I read it.  I love books that turn their worlds--and, by extension, my world--upside-down.  If you're in need of something new and refreshing, read this series!

Now that it's fall, I've been delving into new books, ones that are, perhaps, a little heavier.  I read three of Geraldine Brooks' novels:  March, Year of Wonders, and People of the Book.  All excellent, all thought-provoking, all historical fiction, from Civil War America to a plague village in England in 1665 to the modern day (with glimpses of medieval Spain and WWII-era Bosnia).

Another new author this fall has been Mary Doria Russell; I've read The Sparrow and Children of God (which picks up where The Sparrow leaves off), and if you want additional world-shaking reads, these are for you.  The story is fascinating--think life on other planets, the questions of faith that this raises, the life of a Jesuit priest and his friends:  fantastic.  Both of them were books I couldn't put down.

Most recently I went to the library and checked out three books by Jane Goodall.  There was an excellent article in the latest National Geographic in honor of her 50th anniversary of going to Gombe, Tanzania, to begin her research on chimpanzees, and it made me curious to learn more.  So I've just started Through A Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe, and I'm looking forward to reading Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey and Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink.

I need to read about some hope, especially with the elections coming up with support for a few too many Tea Party candidates.  I listen to some of the blatantly false things that too many Americans believe (that there is no scientific evidence for climate change/Obama is a Muslim/Obama is a socialist/Republicans want small government, etc.).

???

Seriously, have people lost their ability to think critically and search out multiple information sources for at least an attempt at a balanced viewpoint?  Then again, thinking for one's self is dangerous; I suppose I understand why many people simply prefer to adopt the opinions of others rather than take the time to research an issue and reach an informed conclusion.  It's just so much easier.  URGH.  I wish there weren't such a fear of . . . of what?  New ideas?  People who are different from ourselves?  What might happen if we let our comfortable worldview get shaken up a little?

So yes, reading about Jane Goodall's reasons for hope should be heartening.  She is such an amazing woman, and has done incredible things not only for our understanding of chimpanzees and for the preservation of great apes and their habitats, but for women in science and beyond.  I'll let you know how these books go.

What have you been reading lately?  I'm always looking for new recommendations!

Love to all!

Contra Dancing!

I had the most fantastic evening yesterday! It was a contra dance night, but instead of being held in the too-small space above the Union Club, it was in the University Center ballroom, a huge gorgeous space with high ceilings, great acoustics, and a smooth wooden floor, perfect for dancing. It was the best contra dance I've been to--all of the men I danced with were at least fairly good, and most of them were very good, and the music was fantastic. Such good energy! I keep recognizing random people, too--there was a man there from my yoga class, and one from my lit class, and then of course there were lots of EVST ladies. I danced with the cutest 17-year-old boy named Tor--shy, tall, courteous--and we laughed the whole time. It was like dancing with a little brother except that he was probably a foot taller than I. And then of course there are all the courtly 65-year-old men who have been contra dancing for decades and are fantastic at it. I admit there's a definite dearth of guys my age, but at a contra dance that's just fine. At any rate, I danced for three hours, ate carrot cake, and had a great time. I'll see if I can get some pictures for ya'll to enjoy!


Speaking of pictures, I promised to put up Halloween pictures. So here I am, cute as can be. Aren't I a convincing 6-year-old?? Notice the feet! Hee hee hee. I think this may be the most comfortable Halloween costume I've ever had.







































Awww . . .































It rained all last night and it's still going at it this morning. A good thing, I suppose, since I need to get my reading done. We read Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach for class last week--an intriguing utopian novel for those interested in a vision of an alternate, eco-friendly future, as written from a 1970's perspective. This week we're going for the other end of the spectrum with The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, a dystopian novel set in 2024. I haven't gotten very far, but the few chapters I've read are haunting enough. I'm wondering whether this will have a depressing or a cheerful ending. I'm hoping for cheerful . . .

Here's my funny story of the week, the story of a Sunday hike, mule deer, and bushwhacking up Mt. Jumbo:

Last week Sunday was a glorious day, the last real Indian summer day we had. Warm, sunny, full of golden sunshine and yellow leaves: I had to take a hike. So I walked east to the foot of Mt. Jumbo. My friend Jenny and I had hiked to the summit a few weeks ago, and I wanted to take the same trail. However, there are several trails, going to various spots, and I took the wrong one. Whoops. I was walking parallel to I-90, towards East Missoula, and the trail wasn't going up quickly enough. I looked up the mountainside, and, far above me, saw the trail that I wanted to take. Inspired by the beautiful day, I decided to bushwhack up the side of the mountain. It was horribly steep, and I tried to cut back and forth as I worked my way up, since going straight up was far too much of a challenge for my poor legs. Halfway up to the trail, I spotted three mule deer, casually grazing about 50 yards above me. As I came closer, they turned to look down at me, enormous ears pricked, watching curiously. By this time my legs were aching and I was out of breath, so I collapsed on the side of the hill to rest, and lay there, watching the clouds and the traffic on I-90, enjoying the view of Mt. Sentinel to the south. Suddenly, though, a chill breeze sprang up, and the sunshine vanished. I looked west, and saw a huge bank of clouds rolling into the valley, covering the sun and pushing a stiff cold breeze ahead of it. Time to get moving again, I thought. So I turned to look up the mountain again, only to see ELEVEN mule deer standing above me, all perfectly still, with ears pricked, staring straight at me, probably wondering what the heck this human being was doing sprawled out on the side of their hill. I lost it. I started laughing hysterically, flopped on the ground, while the deer watched with intense interest.

I didn't make it to the summit, but I did manage to get to the right trail, and took a far easier path back down the mountain. I wish I'd had my camera with me so I could share a picture of those mule deer, but that image will have to remain in my mind alone.

Hee.

Dancing the Macarena . . .

Last night Teresa, Christa and I did a dancing double-header, starting out our evening with lasagna, bread, and wine (mmm, wine!), and then going to the bi-monthly contra dance. Such fun! I love contra dancing, especially with gentlemanly 60-70ish-year-old men. One of the men I danced with reminded me of my Pake, and I just thought about how good Pake would have been at contra dancing, and teasing all the young women. It was lots of fun, and such good exercise! Afterward, the three of us headed over to the Elk's Club for the monthly salsa dance. That was fun, too, but I was really tired and didn't last very long. Right before we left, they played the Macarena, and it was soooo funny to see this huge roomful of people dancing the Macarena. I think the last time I've danced that is at a barn dance for youth group when I was in high school . . . say, a decade ago? Hee hee hee.


Life has been so good lately. This past week has had a lot of positives--at work on Monday I got promoted from "The Intern Who Does A Little Bit of Everything" to "Full Time Employee Who Does A Little Bit of Everything"! Yay! This means an up in pay . . . health benefits . . . TRAVEL benefits . . . and a steady job for the first time in my life. And, for the first time in my life, I'm in a place (both geographical and mental), where I'm willing and even eager to have a steady job. I love my co-workers, which is a good thing, since it's a small office (it's actually a house), with only about 15 employees, so if we don't like each other we ALL have a problem. This week I get to move to my new desk, and it is MY desk, which means I can put up pictures and quotes and have it as my personal space. Yay again! My job right now is an amalgamation of Office Manager and Peru/Ecuador Operations Person, but I think that in the next couple of weeks I'm going to add "Flight/Travel Agent" to the list. Needless to say, I will be keeping busy!


What else? I went to yoga on Tuesday, and it was good, as always. My friend Jess and I went together and then had pizza at the Bridge afterward--I think it will be a Tuesday evening tradition, and a good one. On Wednesday Jess and I went rock climbing, and it was so much fun! I have only been climbing once, and that was two and a half years ago, so I'm glad to be able to do it again. I think it may be an activity I could really enjoy! Wednesday night was also the ROLLING STONES concert, so the University was swarming with people, and the smell of pot wafted through the air . . . hee.


On Friday I didn't work, so I ran errands and went to Old Navy and got some fun clothing (too many good sales . . . beware!), and just had a good, relaxed day. In the evening I went with my friend Francie to her three-room schoolhouse and helped her decorate her classroom for Halloween. We had so much fun! She hung up skeletons and spiders and bats, and I stretched cobwebby stuff in all the corners of the classroom, and we listened to 'Nosotros' -- an awesome Latino band -- and danced around the room as we decorated.


So . . . life is good, and I find myself in this strange place of contentment and enthusiasm. The semester did NOT start off well at all, and I admit to being stressed and sad and worried about how my life was going, but these past couple of weeks have been so rich. I know that God is constantly working in our lives, but I'm not sure we're always able to see it. I feel blessed to be able to feel God's hand in my life right now, blessed that I am open to it, blessed that I am so loved as to receive the richness of his grace. This grace and contentment are running like a river through my soul, deep and wide and strong, and no matter the pools and eddies, the tree branches and ice, the dams and obstacles, on the surface, the current is running beneath, and I know and feel that it is there.


And today has a little bit of sun, a little bit of cloud, a little bit of cold, and I think this afternoon I might walk down to Bernice's and drink tea and read Wind from an Enemy Sky, by D'Arcy McNickel, for my Lit class. Or perhaps I will look through my writings of the past year and try to figure out what I'm going to read at my (gulp) reading this Wednesday night (EEP!).


On to being productive . . . at least a little. Happy Sunday, everyone!

Pre-Birthday Jitters

Tomorrow is my birthday. My (gulp) 27th birthday. What's the consensus: Is this the official move from the Mid-Twenties to the Late Twenties, or can I still claim myself as Mid-Twenties gal?

I was looking at my hair today. I'm having a good hair day, which is nice since I'm partying tonight. My hair is brown, but has lots of golden highlights from the Montana sunshine. I like the color very much, I must say. But 27 is getting awfully close to 30, and 30 is getting awfully close to 40 (right?), and somewhere between 30 and 40 a woman can expect some gray hairs, right? When it comes down to it, I have a limited amount of time in which to enjoy non-gray hair. I don't think I'm quite ready for gray hair yet . . .

Don't worry, that's not the only thing I've been thinking about today. It's a smoky day today--lots of wildfires around the state, and the air is close and warm and hazy.


Yesterday Teresa and I wanted to take advantage of the warm weather to go for one last tubing outing of the summer. Unfortunately, the Blackfoot was FREEZING. We waded in, gasping, and by the time we got into water up to our knees we couldn't feel our feet. So instead of the two-mile trip we'd planned, we walked up about 100 yards, put our tubes in, and numbed our butts while we floated back down. BRRRR!!!! I suppose this means that summer is officially over, but what if I'm not quite ready for that?







However, there are some new beginnings right now, too. One of them is that Teresa just adopted a dog from the Humane Society! Her name is Sasha, and she's 83 pounds of sweet and mellow Keeshond-cross mutt. Today I took her down to the river, and discovered that she loves water. She waded right in, and took off after some ducks that were floating down the river on the far side. After several minutes of concentrated calling and whistling on my part, she came back. (The fact that the ducks were rapidly putting distance between may have had some small part in her return . . . ) She's quite the princess!

This past week was also the first week of school--yet another change I'm not ready for. I'm sensing that this will be a busy semester for me--two classes plus 30 hours of working. I'm more than a bit apprehensive, but I've given myself three-day weekends, so I'm hoping that will help. (However, throughout the course of this lovely FOUR-day weekend I have done only an hour's worth of homework, so obviously I'm going to have to work on things like efficiency and motivation. Plah.)


Life is good, though. I'm reading "Reaching Out" by Henri Nouwen, and finding that it has a lot of relevance at this point in my life. He talks about the distinction between 'solitude' and 'loneliness,' and I am constantly amazed by his wisdom:

To live a spiritual life we must first find the courage to enter into the desert of our loneliness and to change it by gentle and persistent efforts into a garden of solitude. This requires not only courage but also a strong faith.

Unless our questions, problems and concerns are tested and matured in solitude, it is not realistic to expect answers that are really our own . . . . A lonely person has no inner time nor inner rest to wait and listen. He wants answers and wants them here and now. But in solitude we can pay attention to our inner self. In solitude we can become present to ourselves. [In solitude] we also can become present to others by reaching out to them, not greedy for attention and affection but offering our own selves to help build a community of love. Solitude does not pull us away from our fellow human beings but instead makes real fellowship possible.

I love the paradox. I love also the challenge in Nouwen's words. Lately I have felt God showing me a vision of the kind of person I can be. I don't know exactly what kind of journey it will be; I don't know exactly what path I need to take. But the simple fact that there is a path, that God does have changes planned for me, is enough. I am girding my loins and gathering my oft-faltering courage, and am taking steps, tiny steps, and am mostly moving in the right direction. This is a good thing to do now, at the beginning of my 28th year.

Words of Wisdom

I seem to be so cheerful, always, on my blog.

Not that this is a bad thing, necessarily, but it makes me wonder if I'm trying to cover up the less-than-cheerful things in my life.

Words of wisdom from Paulo Coelho's Warrior of the Light:

When the master sees that the Warrior is depressed, he says:

"You are not what you seem to be in these moments of sadness. You are better than that.

"By now, millions of people will have given up. They don't get angry, they don't weep, they don't do anything; they merely wait for time to pass. They have lost the ability to react.

"You, however, are sad. That proves that your soul is still alive."


I take heart in this thought: I am sad, some days, and feel that there is too much darkness. But my soul is still very much alive.

Lately I have been feeling that the life I live is too selfish. I got an email update from a girl I went on MESP with, an amazing girl who has done and is doing so many things I envy--visiting Palestine, being deeply involved with and connected to her church, studying Arabic, working with a non-profit that helps children around the world--and I realize that it is not HER I resent, not really. Rather, it is my inaction, my selfishness, that I hate. Perhaps I do not need to do anything phenomenal, exotic, huge. But I want to start making changes on an incremental level, changes that move me from selfishness to selflessness, from living a life centered on only myself to a life that is aware of those around me.

It is a slow process, but it is one I have begun simply by recognizing that I need to begin it.


I have also been thinking about prayer lately, and God. I have told several of my friends that I will pray for them, which means I need to do it. I told them I would pray, knowing that it has been too long since I've prayed with any regularity, told them I would pray because I love them and am hoping that that love will encourage me to keep my promise.

More words from Paulo Coelho:

There are two types of prayer.

In the first type, the person asks for certain things to happen and attempts to tell God what he should do. This does not allow the Creator either time or space in which to act. God--who knows perfectly well what is best for each of us--will continue to do as he sees fit. And the person praying is left with the impression that this prayer went unanswered.

In the second type, the person may not understand the Almighty's intentions, bu he allows his life to develop according to his Creator's plans. He asks to be spared suffering, he asks for joy in the Good Fight, but he never forgets to add: "Thy will be done."

This is how the Warrior of the Light chooses to pray.


I wish it were easier. But any time I've tried to tell God what to do or who to be, I have been humbled. Which, I suppose, is good.

My heart has been sad lately. When my heart is sad, I find I want to tell God what to do, want to pray for certain things to happen. I feel as though I've been better at letting go this past year--letting go of me, of what I want, of what I think should happen, of my determination to have things my way--but I am still far from perfection in that realm.

How do I shift from asking God that certain things happen, to allowing my life to develop according to his plans?

I must remember to add "Thy will be done."

So I pray: Bring joy to those I love. Bring peace to the world, and to every heart within it. Make me a channel of your peace. Let me truly love those around me. Keep me from suffering. May I be joyful in each day.

Thy will be done.


It is very hard to say that.
It is very hard to say that and mean it.

A True Montanan

A True Montanan

This morning I woke up just after six to go fly-fishing.

That's right, I went fly-fishing this morning for the first time in my life.

I am on my way to becoming a true Montanan.

!!!

Jacob invited me to go with him this morning, and how could I refuse an exquisitely beautiful morning standing on the bank of the Blackfoot River? He was very patient in teaching casting to a person who hasn't held a fishing rod in 15 years, and who has never done anything like casting a fly-fishing line. The long, narrow pole felt very awkward in my hands, and the mosquito-like fly kept getting caught in the napweed behind me. But after an hour or so, my hands chilled in the early morning air and beads of ice forming on the rod, I started to get the hang of it. Swish and swish and swish, back and forth, arm moving in a swinging rhythm, don't let the pole flick downward, try to toss the line straight out, don't let it bunch up as the fly hits the water . . .

I am beginning to understand the allure of fly-fishing, and why it draws so many people in. I think I need to read David James Duncan's The River Why again, and watch A River Runs Through It, too. For those of you who don't know, A River Runs Through It takes place in Missoula, along the Blackfoot River. And now I have tasted the sweetness of standing in the shadow of the mountains, fly rod in hand, the line spinning out above me and flicking out over a river running swift with snowmelt.

What's homework again?

Finished . . . rested . . . home!

Finished . . . rested . . . home!

My first semester of grad school is finished! Woohoo, I am DONE! Final papers are written and turned in, portfolios are graded and final grades are entered, presentations are given and books are read, and I am now HOME in Iowa with my family. Oh, ilhamdulillah.

So life is good. I've gotten to see my adorable nephews, eat WAY too much yummy Christmas cooking, and sleep, sleep, sleep. That's the best part, actually.

Today I had coffee (well, hot chocolate) with my pastor here, and that was refreshing. He's a wise person, but beyond that he is simply kind and thoughtful, and he listens. So he listened to me today, gave me some good advice, and made me feel as though it's all going to be okay. :) As Lady Julian of Norwich said, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." After a wild and wonderful semester in Montana, I was glad for a quiet conversation in Iowa.

I'd forgotten how many people I know here. I went to Wal-Mart today (yes, Wal-Mart--honestly, it's almost the only place to shop here! At least, darn it, it's about the only place to get hair gel and contact solution--plah!) and ran into an old friend from high school who's just had her second child, and then I ran into an acquaintance from Dordt who knows some people that I know in Missoula, and then, of course, I still know half the people who work at Wal-Mart from MY days of working there . . . and then there's all the people I recognize as I walk down the street or through the mall--former profs, people from church, etc. It's good to be home; I've missed knowing every third person who passes by.

So I'm hoping to get some lesson planning done this break, as well as some writing, and some reading, too. I have about, oh, ten books that I've borrowed from various EVST friends that I'm going to try to read, starting with "Cadillac Desert" by Marc Reisner, a thus-far fascinating history of water in the American West. I'm starting with this one because I'm hoping it will help me to expand my water essay, which I'm excited to work on in the coming weeks.

Okay, I want comments from ya'll. :) So I'm going to give a prompt that I found on someone else's blog (and I think she found it somewhere else, too--let's pass it on!):

Make up a fake memory of us. That is, post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me. It can be anything you want - good or bad - but it has to be fake.

Hee!

Visitors!

My good friends Rita and Ruby drove all the way from Iowa to visit me this weekend. What a full few days we had! This also happened to be the weekend of the Festival of the Book here in Missoula, so we took in a few readings--I especially enjoyed Rick Bass and Sandra Alcosser. We ate lots of yummy food (always a necessity when one is with friends), had a game night (testing the limits of our small living room), and took some long walks along the river trail. The days flew by, and suddenly here it is Sunday afternoon, with Rita and Ruby on their way home and me sitting here realizing I have several hours' worth of homework to accomplish. But one must keep one's priorities straight. Updating one's blog, for instance. Doing so is especially nice since Ruby has a digital camera, so I now have some new pictures to post. Enjoy!