Review:One Hundred Years of Solitude

One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This is from the novel list in The Well-Educated Mind. I had heard this book contained some unpleasant and weird things in it. When asked why he wrote the book, the author said, "I just wanted to write about incest." He was being sarcastic. The book does have plenty of incest but that wasn't why he wrote the book.

No one is really too sure what the point of the book is. Marquez hasn't helped with interpreting it's meaning. But it is very obvious when reading it that there is something deeper going on that you can't quite put your finger on. There is so much imagery.

The story is of the generations of the Buendia family living in Macondo. The village is utopian in the beginning, as all newly founded places are. Slowly the world starts causing mayhem on the inhabitants of this isolated village. Each member of the Buendia family feels stifled in his/her own solitude. Throughout the novel Melquiades, a gypsy who has left undecipherable parchments with the family, is always present, whether in the flesh or in spirit. He is often a ghostly figure that only some can see and talk with. No one in the family can figure out what the parchments say but they are all driven to try.

I thought the novel strange at first but by the end I found I kind of liked it. After examining it further I have come to like it very much. I still can't say I know what it's all about but I have a few ideas. Man is driven to fulfill certain ideas in his life. These ideas are different for each person. But eventually we all end up unsuccessful and disillusioned. We all suffer from a personal solitude that prevents us from truly connecting with others, perhaps because of our differing ideas. And all will be forgotten anyway in a generation or two. No one will get the chance to learn from the mistakes of previous generations.

What a dismal view of the world! Whether I agree or not I find these views sad. But I can see how one could come to view the world this way. I dream of an ideal world that many others would hate. Fortunately the Theologian and I agree on what is ideal for us. But what do you do when your ideal is different from your spouse? Divorce? Grow bitter? Give up? Beat the other into submission?

I do believe the world is a dark and dismal place. I find myself agreeing most with the authors who write about how cruel the world is. But I always return to an inner feeling of hope. While the world is harsh and ready to beat us down, God offers a hope of something better. I am a christian. I believe in a separate world of bliss where the truly ideal is a daily reality. This life we lead right now is the dream. Someday I will be living the reality in the heavenly realms.

So do I recommend the book or what? Sure. If you like reading books with great writing, loads of imagery, and a mental exercise then you will enjoy it. What about the incest? It's not very detailed or horrific. I was a lot more offended by Running With Scissors(which I most vehemently do not recommend). I liked One Hundred Years of Solitude. It's not for everyone but I don't regret reading it.

What an adventure!

As we drove to the library today we played a little game in the car. Dragon Slayer started a story. "There once was a Princess named Goldilocks." Then Goldilocks added to it. "She lived in a treehouse." Then Monkey Boy. "And there was a Prince named Dragon Slayer." And I got to participate as well. "And Goldilocks was madly in love with the Prince."

As the story went on we found that the treehouse burned in a forest fire set by an evil dragon. The Prince, who was secretly in love with the Princess, was not free to express his feelings because of a feud between the two kingdoms but he was able to slay the evil dragon for what he had done. In the meantime the Princess had moved to the sea where she made friends with a seahorse. The Prince slowly got his family involved in charity work and then convinced them that the best charity of all would be to forgive the Princess' family and help him to find her and marry her. It took him four years but he finally found her living in a cave in a dune on the beach. By then she was so attached to the sea that she couldn't leave it so they built a castle made of pink ice next to the sea and planted a forest off the coast where they could rebuild her beloved treehouse.

Can you tell we are a family that loves fantasy stories? What I loved the most from this was that my youngest could participate. He followed the storyline well and added some of the greatest details. It was a fun exercise of the imagination and used problem solving skills as well. And when an idea was added that didn't initially make sense we just asked for elaboration and it was explained in more detail and added depth to the story. Perhaps tomorrow we can write it all down and each illustrate one or two pages.

Another fun variation on this game is to write down about 12 things(a red car, a field of butterflies, a worn old book) on separate pieces of paper. Fold the papers and put them in a bag. Start telling a story but every once in a while take out a paper and incorperate it into your story. To make it more of a learning experience make the elements different parts of speech. Think Mad Libs here. Let each child have a turn making up stories.

My Friend, SuperMom

I have the coolest friend in the world. Last night she calls me to tell me she has been worried about my family sitting in a hot apartment and has come up with a solution. She has another friend whose house flooded a few weeks ago. While the house is under repair her swamp cooler is not being used. So my friend picked up her friend's cooler and several box fans and delivered them and even set them up for us last night. She even brought us a couple of Starbucks Tangerine Frappacinos to cool us down immediately.

Now all of this is enough to make me very grateful in itself but when you add in that she has 8 kids(one is 3 weeks old) that she is homeschooling you can see why I call her SuperMom. I have never met a nicer person in my life. She does this kind of thing all the time. She would bring a stranger the moon if it would make their life easier. She puts me to shame.

So thank you SuperMom, from the bottom of my heart. You inspire me to change in the best of ways.

AC still out

My AC is still out and it may not be fixed until monday. Oh joy. We spent the day at the library, park, and pool before coming home to 91* inside the apartment. And just to throw a glitch in it all, the apartment's owner doesn't believe it is as serious as the first AC guys said it is(they say it's a bad compressor that needs to be replaced) so he sent someone else to check it out. The second guy said the same thing.

I'll post something more interesting later. Right now I need to soak my feet in an ice bath.

Aaaahhhhh!

It started as a slow downward movement I didn't even notice; but as it creeped it slowly picked up others just like it along the way. It picked up speed until I reached back and wiped it away. That was the lifespan of the drip of sweat running down the center of my back. My air conditioner has broken. Again.

It is 90 in my little home right now. It's 100 outside. My good friend, SuperMom, picked up the kids to take them to the pool while I sit here melting into a pool of my own, waiting for maintenance to do something. I can't nap. I can't shower. And worst of all I can't read. The pages of my book stick to my fingers leaving a brown smudge on each page.

And even when the darn thing is fixed it will take all night to get the temperature down to a livable level of coolness. I can't wait to move.

Oh, and my email is not working either. Great.

What Kind Of Book Is That?

I've just started reading a new book again. I'm not even 2 chapters into it but I can tell I will like this one very much. If on a winter's night a traveler is the name of the book and Italo Calvino is it's author. In chapter 1 there is this list that your mind goes through as you walk through a book store. Here it is:

*Books You Needn't Read
*Books Made For Purposes Other Than Reading
*Books Read Even Before You Open Them Since They Belong To The Catrgory Of Books Read Before Being Written
*Books That If You Had More Than One Life You Would Certainly Also Read But Unfortunately Your Days Are Numbered
*Books You Mean To Read But There Are Others You Must Read First
*Books Too Expensive Now And You Will Wait Till They're Clearanced
*Books Too Expensive Now And You Will Wait Till When They Come Out In Paperback
*Books You Can Borrow From Somebody
*Books That Everybody Has Read So It's As If You Had Read Them Too
*Books You've Been Planning To Read For Ages
*Books You've Been Hunting For Years Without Success
*Books Dealing With Something You're Working On At The Moment
*Books You Want To Own So They'll Be Handy Just In Case
*Books You Could Put Aside Maybe To Read This Summer
*Books You Need To Go With Other Books On Your Shelves
*Books That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity, Not Easily Justified
*Books Read Long Ago Which It's Time To Reread
*Books You've Always Pretended To Have Read And Now It's Time To Sit Down And Really Read Them
*New Books Whose Authors Or Subject Appeals To You
*New Books By Authors Or On Subjects Not New (for you or in general)
*New Books By Authors Or On Subjects Completely New (at least to you)

Is this a great list for a book lover or what? I can see myself walking through B&N murmuring to myself, "That's a book I could maybe read this summer. That's a book I would read if I had more than one life time." I'm happy with If on a winter's night a traveler to be marked down in the category of Books I Am Glad I Bought In Hard Cover Since I Am Enjoying Them So Thoroughly. Happy reading!

I'm Not Eating That!

I get a box of locally grown, organic vegetables once a week. I'm never really sure what I'm going to get. We do get a lot of things that we like, like tomatoes, potatoes, corn on the cob, zucchini, lettuce, and bell peppers. But sometimes we get something we are unfamiliar with. The sweet potatoes were a treat to me. I'm sure I have eaten them before but these were fantastic. I was the only one who ate them.

When we got our first eggplant the kids marveled. I don't know what they thought it would taste like(grape flavored perhaps?) but they didn't really like that one either. We tried it roasted with olive oil and salt, and then I made Eggplant Parmesan. Again I was the only one who enjoyed it.

Last week we got figs. I've never seen a fig before. When the kids asked what a fig is I could only say, "You know, like in Fig Newtons." I didn't know they are a fruit. They look almost like plums and have a very mild, melon-y flavor to them. I bet you can guess what comes next. The little ones didn't like them. I fed half of them to my friend's children, who, BTW, loved them.

This week we have eggplant and figs again. I will be up all night scouring the internet for descent recipes that will transform these flavorful veggies and fruits into something palatable for my picky clientele. Can anyone share their favorites with me?

(Un)Fulfilled Dreams

While giving Monkey Boy his bath the other night I had one of those special mommy fantasies. You know, the ones where you wonder what would have come of you if you hadn't settled down and had kids. I try not to do it too often but it must have been a tiring day and I let myself dream just for a few minutes.

First, I would have gone to college. I watched my own mom go to night school. I always said that I'd go to college before having a family. But I had kids a lot sooner than I expected and it wasn't feasible to go to school at the same time. By the time we could afford it I had already decided that I was going to be a stay-at-home mom for the next 20 years. Perhaps I'll be ready around the same time as Monkey Boy.

Second, I would have been an interior designer. It was a dream of mine since I was 12. For christmas one year I received a drafting table and I used it frequently to lay out new plans for decorating my bedroom. I rearranged furniture about once a month all through high school. It must have driven my mother partially insane. Now I have mostly hand-me-down furniture and a huge pile of decorating magazines. I have yet to really decorate.

Third, I'd have owned a fun car. We have always had hand-me-down cars as well as furniture. Most of them we got rid of because they didn't pass the smog tests. Four years ago we bought our first brand new car, a Toyota Sienna. I love my van! It's the best gift the Theologian has ever given me. But if I didn't have kids I'd be driving a powder blue convertable Bug, one of the new ones. I could definitely see myself zipping around in one of those.

Fourth, I'd probably own a house. On land. With trees. In Washington. That's my biggest unfulfilled dream. We lived there(in WA in a house with trees and land) briefly and it was the best year of my life. Moving away was heart wrenching. But we felt the sacrifices we'd have to go through to stay were too much to put on the kids. And I believe we made the right choice. But it doesn't stop my heart from aching still.

Fifth, I'd be dolled up. I would have the hair, the nails, and the clothes. I'd look like a true Mall Chick. It's vane, I know, but darn it's so nice looking some days. It's what every girly girl wants. But I gave up all rights to my body and anything adorning it a long time ago. Women that have kids and look perfect at the same time aren't actually raising the kids. They are delegating that to someone else.

After spending my indulgent five minutes of bliss I said the same thing I always end up saying. "But you'd be unhappy." Materialism never satisfied anyone. And more than that, I always wanted to be a mommy, even before I knew what an interior designer was. In my simple childish head I dreamed of babies to take care of. I wanted to stay home and raise them with the help of my high school sweetheart. I wasn't going to be happy until I fulfilled that dream. And now when I look over my life I can see that is exactly what I have. It cost me everything else that I thought I wanted but it was well worth the sacrifice. I'd rather have my kiddos in CA than a VW Bug in WA.

So I enjoyed my baby a little while longer in his bath. I played peek-a-boo with the towel after drying him off. I put him in his dinosaur jammies, read him a story, and kissed him good night. And he rewarded me for coming to the right conclusions yet again. "I think you're the nicest mommy." If I'm sleeping, please don't pinch me. I want to live in this for a while longer.

Book Review: Life Among the Savages

Life Among the Savages
by Shirley Jackson

I read Mrs. Jackson's work discussed on a message board I lurk at occasionally. They were raving about how funny this and her other book, Raising Demons, are. So a quick trip to the library brought this treasure.

It is not a book about some scientist that communicates with a native tribe in Africa. It's a funny kind of autobiography about Mrs. Jackson's home life amongst her four children. It was written in the late 1940s, which is evidenced by Jackson's having a cigarette to calm her while in labor and her giving one child, age 5, brandy for a cold. Okay, so people probably still do that now but they never admit it for fear of being arrested for serving alcohol to a minor.

If you like watching some of the old family shows from the 50's you will definitely enjoy this book. It has Donna Reed written all over it. I loved the story about the son's classmate who was always getting in trouble at school for "being fresh" or saying bad words, only to find out it was the son who was actually doing the misbehaving. Or the story of the daughter who pretended she was a woman with 7 imaginary daughters that came with her everywhere and whose names changed from time to time. Even the Dragon Slayer(my teenager) read some of it and laughed aloud.

One complaint I have about it was that it only has 3 chapters. It's a 250 page book. That means the chapters averaged 83 pages each. I don't often get a big enough chunk of time to read 83 pages undisturbed. Stopping in the middle of a chapter seems so wrong. The neurotic in me likes to end at a chapter break. And there were plenty of chances for frequent breaks. I guess the author didn't feel the chapters could be broken up as easily as I did. Perhaps the chapter breaks were more significant than I'm realising. Well, if I ever write a book I will put frequent chapter breaks so my readers can refresh their tea, make potty trips and tend to children without breaking the flow of the story.

This is a minor problem that can be overlooked considering the pleasure I got from reading this book. I look forward to the continuing story in Raising Demons.

Family Time

A couple of weeks ago the Theologian was doing some work in the mountains where his employer had provided him with a cabin in the forest rangers' grounds. We saw this as a golden opportunity for a working vacation. So sunday morning we packed all that was necessary and enjoyed a day for tourist-y things: waterfalls, caves, big rocks in rivers. Then we headed for the cabin. Really it was a small house with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a fully functioning kitchen, and laundry facilities. There was even a playground next to a private firepit in the backyard. This is my idea of camping! Roasting s'mores in the bonfire and sleeping in a bed under a roof.

Monday morning found the kids running around outside while I read in the windowseat. After lunch we took a short jog to the horse stables. Did you know that horses stand side by side facing in opposite directions so that one horse's tail can swat at the flies on the other horse's eyes? Smart horses! When the Theologian got home we found a small bit of beach area near the river and splashed until the mosquitos had had their fill. In the evening I read Wind in the Willows while the kids played dominoes until bedtime. And a little later I got a visit from a neighboring forest ranger. She warned me that a bear was spotted near the laundry rooms, a meer 15 feet from our cabin. I watched from the safety of the livingroom but I never saw Smoky. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Tuesday the kids and I intermittently cleaned and played until the Theologian was done with all his work. We made the long drive home and enjoyed restaurant cuisine. We recuperated the next day with our friends at the pool.

What a refreshing time we had! DH enjoyed nature, the kids got to be wild and crazy, I had peace enough to read and nap, and, best of all, it was free.

A Petunia by any other name

I bet when you saw the name Petunia you thought of the flower right? It's a lovely thought to be associated with a beautiful flower. Unforntunately that's not where my name came from. I was named for a pig.

Yes, a pig. Porky Pig's girlfriend to be exact. See, I was the fattest baby my mother had ever seen. Fat and bald and colicky. Don't I sound pleasant?

I'd like to say I am no longer like that. I'm certainly not fat, or bald; though that will change with time. I never did outgrow the whole crybaby thing. Now instead of keeping people up all night with mind numbing wails I simply complain. About everything. Even if I don't really have a complaint. I'm working on changing it.

Now I'm not complaining about the nickname here(Honest!). I like it. It's a testament to my mother's spirit. She's patient and loving. She's kind and thoughtful. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to have a baby that couldn't be comforted, along with an active toddler, and a difficult marriage. And yet she found a way to be affectionate and playful with me. I love that!

So I gladly embrace Petunia as my nickname. When I get together with Brother BooBoo, Sister PeeWee and Mom(Nana) I know that I am one fortunate piglet.

Book Review:Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading

Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading
by Maureen Corrigan

With a title like that I had to check it out. A book about the favorite books of an obsessive reader and how they affected her life? I'm so there!

Ms. Corrigan is a book reviewer and literature professor. She separates her autobiography into three main areas of focus: female action-adventure novels, mysteries, and non-religious martyr stories. She discusses some of her favorite titles, sometimes with very long and detailed summaries, and then she explains why they are so important to her. She shares some of the most important parts of her own life that fit into each category: adopting from China, going to grad school, and being a skeptical Catholic.

I can't say that I agree with the author's political views or that she has led a fasinating life but I can say that I like her. Ms. Corrigan is unashamedly honest with her readers and herself. I feel as if I've been welcomed into a part of her life. We could meet at the coffee shop and chat like friends and discuss the latest books we've read. Overall, I'd say this was a fun read for when you've got a lazy sunday afternoon(or two) and need some new ideas for what to read next. (She even thought to include a Recommendations chapter at the end. Good thinking Maureen!)