Rah Goddess' Guide to Life

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
~ Joseph Addison ~

I tried, I really did. I mustered up enthusiasm, I bought the book and yet couldn’t open it. I was paralysed with hard cold procrastination and reading was put aside while I actually did my work. I love to read and so was genuinely confused, why couldn’t I complete the reading group task? I will tell you what I discovered. The book didn’t appeal to me, it fell flat against my expectations. I haven’t read for pleasure in a long time, my everyday work means tons of reading, this book sat in my hands wasn’t doing it for me. I read the blurb, handled the cover, hell! I even smelled the new pages. It was lost to me and so I hid it under my bed and left it there whilst I journeyed home.

However, I am reading again. Tentatively, nervously. Hoping to fall in love with books again. So I have five books, one old favourite (I love Tolstoy), three cheesy books and one that looks like it requires far more brain power. I have just finished reading “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan and am contemplating ordering his others. It is our class book this term. It is fun Try it, rewriting the Greek Myths channelled through modern day America, his writing is funny and accessible. My class are loving it.

What of the book club book I hear you ask? I hope I will read it one day, until then I may pass it forward, send it to a friend, I know someone will enjoy it! I am slowly making my book lists as well - so I think I will put them up in groups of ten.

First ten are -

1. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
2. Sucks to be Me - Kimberly Pauley
3. Skulduggery Pleasant, The Faceless One - Derek Landy
4. A Hollywood Ending - Robyn Sisman
5. The Wedding Day - Catherine Alliot
6. The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai
7. The Girl Next Door - Elizabeth Noble
8. The World’s Wife - Carol Ann Duffy
9. A Gate at the Stairs - Lorrie Moore
10. The Girl with Glass Feet - Ali Shaw

Some classics there Hehe! Some bought for me for Christmas (I love books for children btw)and others bought but not read. If you feel like reading any of the above with me, let me know!

“Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted;
nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed,
and some few to be chewed and digested:
that is, some books are to be read only in parts,
others to be read, but not curiously, and some few
to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”
~ Francis Bacon ~

Happy book hunting and reading!

xxxxx

I love reading but have done very little for pleasure in the last few months. Longer than that even, probably. I have done reading for work, reading of the news online, and the occasional blog surfing but not the curling up with a good book variety. So I am taking Alicia’s Book Club quite seriously indeed, found the book and now about to start it. I am hoping that this leads to me finishing my rereading of War and Peace and allows me to put together a phenomenal book list for my bucket list. So if you have any reading recommendations - just leave a comment!

The book we are reading this month is “Too Much Happiness” by Alice Munro. Not read any of her work but read lots about her, she won the Man Booker International prize in 2009 and is lauded as one of the gems in Canada’s literary scene. I like to know a bit about the writers of the books I’m reading, and so found a couple of interviews for you guys to peruse with me. Got me excited about reading. So if you want to join us, there’s still time to read the book quickly Just pop on over and put your name down - here.

Reading can help with depression, relaxation, and above all joy. So I shall endeavour to make time for it, to prepare for it - I must go get an eye test, busy eyes = tired eyes, and to enjoy it again.

Happy reading xxx

Howday hope you are all having a creative Wednesday I am kinda, today has been such a weird one filled with crap feeling and restlessness. So to try and order myself out of verging towards negativity (read mardiness) I decided to make a few lists and plans - first of all my to do list for the rest of the year. Yikes! I cannot believe it is almost December.

Bucket List work in progress…

4. Grow my hair long
My hair has gone from short bob to grazing about 2 inches from my shoulders. It is a messy though, the condition is rubbish, I really need to do something to improve it. However, I am already feeling better about the length, it has more versatility this way. I should think about going to see the hairdresser though, it’s in dire need of a cut.

5. Get in shape – be a comfortable size 10
Already written a post about this. Fat photos from Halloween have been my catalyst. Eurrgggh. Sick of hiding in pictures and taking sooooo long to get ready. I want to be comfortable, so new exercise regime is being worked out as I type - brilliant multitasker me!

6. Try ice-skating outdoors
Whoop whoop! Finally doing this at Somerset House on my December weekend jaunt to see my Feltham Laydez. Cannot wait! So excited about this one

7. Complete my NQT year, and 32. Get a MA
Still applying for jobs, working around starting the MA with my teachers union ATL. I will update when I make a decision or I hear it about it further.

10. Make gorgeous handmade presents for Christmas
Working on giving everyone at least something handmade - one thing - I will take pictures as I work and post them post Christmas.

16. Play Fur Ellise on the piano
Just! I just started practising again and it feels really good to play, although it’s on my keyboard and not my lovely piano!

19. Research and make a family tree
I hoping to to start ordering all the information into books so I can chop and change genealogy sites without subscribing, yep I’m a tightwad!

25. Organise all my video and photo albums
A must before Christmas!!!! I am determined to start this, will post a project to do list, sorry if I’m boring you all with my lists

35. Be able to do a headstand and touch my toes in Yoga
Part of my getting into shape is to start Yoga again! I own quite a few dvds, my plan tomorrow is do one of them. Then maybe I will try and find a local class.

36. Learn how to make the perfect cosmo
Note to self, get Dan to teach me! He made the nicest cosmopolitans over the weekend

39. Finish and publish my book
Started writing again, doing Nanowrimo, really enjoying it!

40. Organise, sell and donate unused clothing, and items I own
Begun the massive task of sorting, filing, cleaning my spaces. Already filled one bag - going to do a car boot sale with my sister and then donate the rest to charity. The leftovers will go into the bin. Result.

68. Create and read a 100 book reading list and 69. Create and watch a 100 film watching list
Will post these shortly

70. Make gorgeous bags and 81. Make jewellery
Going to make a couple in time for Christmas - so watch this space.

80. Learn to count to ten in ten different languages
Started got 1. Spanish and 2. French - will post videos soon Working on 3. Russian and 4. Japanese

92. Make ten new good friends and take the time to cement ten friendships already gained
Dan and I made a kinda pact to make more of an effort with the friends we have, so we have been going out, having people over and being social butterflies. I forsee busy times ahead as we have no free spare weekends in November, all booked out - will be shattered by Christmas!

Done for now, expect longer update posts for each item as I journey through the last two months of the year!

Time flies…

xxx

I like lists, you may have noticed

So here are my films to watch - Autumn/Winter 09/10

Motherhood starring Uma Thurman.

A Single Man - Tom Ford’s directorial debut starring the yummy Colin Firth.

Gentlemen Broncos directed by Jared Hess who made Napoleon Dynamite. It stars one of my favourite actresses Jennifer Coolidge (I just think she has great comedy timing). Let’s hope it is a return to form following the horrific Nacho Libre.

I adore Lukas Moodysson (Together and Lilja 4-Ever) and have crushes on both Gael García Bernal and Michelle Williams (both are incredibly compelling on screen) and so I’m so looking forward to Mammoth.

Peter Sarsgaard stars in An Education which I have heard and seen some reviews of. It’s a coming of age tale that focuses on the relationship of Sarsgaard’s character (unsuitable suitor, 30-ish) David with bright 16-year-old schoolgirl, Jenny (Carey Mulligan). Comments about grooming (in a predatory nature), glamour and the 1960s setting have been abundant, so it looks very intriguing. How to tell a story of a teenager and a Man in his 30s without lecturing? We’ll see. It looks very beautiful and with costars like Emma Thompson (another of my favourites), Dominic Cooper and Alfred Molina, it’s gotta be worth a watch!

And I am a little upset about this one, just a little. If you know me you may know I have a keen interest in the life and works of John Keats. I love his poetry and letters. He is one of the most quotable poets He died so young and spent three years of his formative years in love with Fanny Brawne. I have read so much, done so much research on this and now bloody Jane Campion (hmmmph! Like what has she ever done?! And before I get any emails, yes I know who she is, directing some film about a piano! Hehe!)has beaten me to making a film about them. Regardless of my greenness (jealousy is not my best colour) I am excited about Bright Star. It looks typical of Campion, so beautiful. So excited. Now. How to get Dan there without revealing it is about Keats

To leave you now, I want to watch that many films, there’ll have to be a part 2!

A word from Keats…

“You are always new, The last of your kisses was ever the sweetest.”

D xxx

“Halloween’s coming.
Halloween’s coming.
Skeletons will be after you.
Witches, cats, and big black bats.
Ghosts and goblins, too.
Flap, flap, flap go the big black bats
Ooooo. Boo!
“Meow, meow, meow,” go the ugly cats.
Ooooo. Boo!”

Ooooh be afraid, be very afraid! That time of year is almost upon us, all ‘trick o’ treat’ this and costume that. We have two costume parties to attend this year, two sets of our friends are hosting events (probably because this year it falls on a Saturday).

Last year we held a party at ours, Dan and I went as Mrs Lovett and Sweeney Todd - they were fab costumes I enjoy dressing up for Halloween, it’s a chance for everyone to be a bit silly and laugh with friends. Not that everyone agrees.

I came across this article in the telegraph written by Andrew Hough titled “Children ‘will go to hell if they celebrate Halloween’, says church leaflet”. It reminded me of American Christians disdain of Harry Potter and their censorship of the last book when it was released. I really do dislike churches who seem to proclaim these awful ultimatums. Do as we say or you’re finished in God’s eyes. These children dressing up as witches, ghosts or oh my goodness disney princesses are all going to Hell. Well that’s some bus load, as the world over children dress up to celebrate this popular American holiday.

Instead of lambasting and fearmongering, why not take the time and indeed the paper to educate residents and their children about the holy days around that period. Talk about All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Myself, I find this period really fascinating, both from a Christian point of view and also a World cultures and traditions aspect. Looking at film and pictures from celebrations, in Mexico and South America, of the Day of the Dead and reading about its origins with remembering ancestors and the dead, it is easy to see a correlation to old world practises and those implanted in today’s religions. Honouring the dead, worshipping saints, goddesses and ideology is shared amongst most, this pattern and practise should be talked about further. So instead of warned children that they will lose their souls to the devil, they will actually learn soem respect for the dead, for afterlife and for the holidays of the churches or religions they belong to.

It has encouraged me to go and read more, learn about different cultures right back to the Aztecs so that I will be more informed when I make my choice to dress up this year. To celebrate a certain now gone author I will be dressing up as Alice. Awh Lewis Carroll, king of all things creative and slightly dark, I can’t wait to see what happens when your words and ideas meet up with those of Tim Burton.

Happy trick o’ treating folks xxxx

I am a collector of books, and more so than this, children’s literature. I adored this book when I was younger and love to use it in the classroom. It is a gorgeously illustrated tale of imagination, love and the magic of learning and being with others.

“And now,” cried Max, “let the wild rumpus start!” - Where The Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak).

Dan, my husband, informed me today that this brilliant book has been made into a film, and judging by the trailer (which has excited me no end!) a beautiful one at that. So eagerly we await its release in the UK and urge you to buy the book for anyone you know, especially the young at heart who like making a rumpus.

Here’s to being a Wild Thing!

Dan x