A Thousand Splendid Suns

I thought the Kite Runner was powerful, and so is this novel. A Thousand Splendid Suns focuses on the lives of women in Afghanistan and how they were impacted with each take over of the country in modern times. The novel ends hopeful as Afghanistan rebuilds after the Taliban is forced out of Kabul, but the war is still happening, and their latest election is speculated to be rigged. This story was very powerful to me, and makes me grateful to live in a nation that sees women as a partner, even though we have a ways to go in America. It is nothing like life under the Taliban. It also made me see what extreme religion and beliefs can do to a society. The Taliban is an example of religion gone bad. They see the words in the Koran, but they do not see God behind them. This is a good read, greatly recommended.

Since my last entry, life has changed quite dramatically. In a few weeks, I'll be back in Texas, living with friends and trying to find a teaching job and obtain my certification. After my dad lost his job last week, we can no longer afford to stay here, and the 9% unemployment rate is not helping us find jobs. Since I've been here in May, I've had one substitute job and maid $80. In 6 months I've made $80 bucks. It's just awful. Arizona is not the place to be right now. The news always reports that the economy is looking better in other parts of the country, but not here. I think that's our cue to get out.

Just don't know what to think!

My recent posts have been about books and films that I've seen, which is what I want this blog to focus on. However, I also want it to be a place for me to vent, or voice my opinion on things. Since my life has been relatively boring as of late, books and news events keep me entertained.

I awoke to news that President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Although I voted for the guy and believe he will do good works, I asked myself, "Why did he win this award? What has he done?" Besides being the first African-American President of the free world, I don't get it. Bin Laden is still hiding somewhere in a cave, the 8th year anniversary of the war in Afghanistan just passed us and the outlook is still bleak, more soldiers are being sent to Iraq, Iran is making WMDs and won't admit it, North Korea is still a huge threat, and Darfur/Sudan/Congo are still a huge genocidal mess. So far, Obama has increased funding for stem cell research, for which I applaud him, but that's it. Maybe if he won this award after fulfilling his duties in four or eight years it would make sense. But now, it's anything but sensible.

I'm reading Scott Russell Sanders' "Hunting for Hope" and really finding it inspiring at this point in my life. I realize that I'm still young and can't know the answers to all of life's questions, but it's still weird to me how much people can change; morph into something that you have never seen before, nor saw coming. Maybe I'm still naive when it comes to love and loss of love, but it makes me sad to be on the losing end, still. However, the good thing about this change I've noticed is that I no longer can feel tied to that person, and the process of moving on is getting easier. I'm not there yet, but I know I'm in the right direction. Someone said, "You never really move on until you meet someone new." I think that's true, but I also know that I won't be able to forget my first love. Love is something truely special and amazing, and when you find something like that, it's hard to forget.

On a funny note, I remembered this afternoon that I had a dream last night about eating an entire bag of chocolate chips and it was AMAZING! Ha, at least I can indulge in my dreams if not in real life! :)

"A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey

This book is intense. I don't really know the specifics of the controversy surrounding it besides the allegations that some of it was fabricated, but either way it is a powerful story. Stylistically, it fits the mood and tempo and insanity of the story very well, and it is a very quick read. I read the first 100 in pages in the first sitting alone, which is a big deal since I'm a slow reader. I must warn, though: this book is not for the faint of heart and discretion is strongly advised. However, I do not feel that the need for discretion took away from the book in any way. It is worth the read, and worth the thoughts about our brain and addiction and how we treat our bodies and our souls.

Speaking of bodies... I'm still training for the Race for the Cure that is now only a week away! I got my time down to 27 minutes, which means a 9 minute mile- I haven't done that in years! I hope this week with the cooler weather I can finish a little faster. 8 minutes a mile would be great, but I don't want to push it and get frustrated and give up, like I usually do. This is something I want to stick with!

I'm now starting to read "Hunting for Hope" by Scott Russell Sanders. My friend Jenna read it for a class at TLU and gave me an extra copy after she lost hers and bought a new one, then found her original one! She loved it, and Sanders actually spoke at TLU, so I'm finally getting around to reading this book.

Also on my "To Read" list: 1) Blue Like Jazz [I liked "Searching for God Knows What" so I'm going to check this one out, too] 2) The Lost Symbol [Dan Brown's new Robert Langdon saga] 3) and a few Jane Austen novels, since I loved "Anna Karenina", maybe I can finally start to like English drawing room novels. (I do like "Jane Eyre", though, just to clarify!)

When did 82 degrees feel so cool? The desert must be driving me crazy...

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

I have never read Tolstoy before, but I read in several different places on the internet that "Anna Karenina" is a must-read in world literature. So, I picked up the book at the local chain bookstore and began the arduous task of reading all 923 pages. I am used to reading much shorter books, usually only taking me a few days to a week to finish. But I'm sure it took me a lot longer to get through this one. However, it's not because it is awful to read; it was just the opposite, but very long. I instantly felt drawn in to Russia, even though I've never been there. Tolstoy wrote like he saw it; I felt that I was looking through a window while reading this book. I also felt that the two plots were very nicely linked and did not cause me any confusion, but I believe it is because in this age, we are used to complicated plots and can follow them easily.
Also, I have to mention that I loved Tolstoy's view of the lives of women during this time. He shows what it was really like for a woman; to virtually be a slave to men, and if you were not married to one, than your life was difficult just based on the fact that women had no way of earning a respectable living then. If a woman fell in love, but not with her husband, what was she to do? I believe that Tolstoy feels that it is better to love, even in a scandalous situation, then to stay with the one you do not love. Anna's frustration can be summed up in this quote: "I don't want to prove anything; I merely want to live, to do no one harm but myself. I have the right to do that, haven't I?" (698). Bravo, Tolstoy!

3:10 to Yuma

Sorry for a long absence in blogging, but I'm still reading "Anna Karenina" and I'm about halfway through the 900+ pages. I'm really enjoying it so far, and it makes me want to pick up my Chekhov paper from a class I had in the spring and start the rewrite. I want to expand it for publication in a journal, which will definitely add sparkles to my resume.

My mom and I watched "3:10 to Yuma" a while back and I just haven't gotten to write about it. I must say that I really enjoyed this film, and it was refreshing to see a shoot-em-up, full-on, western. It takes place in southern Arizona, near Bisbee, so it was fun for us to watch, being new transplants to the area. Russell Crowe was great as the badass gang leader Ben Wade, and Christian Bale threw in a great performance as the hard-working, and sometimes honest, rancher. But what was most surprising to me was the performance of Ben Foster. Yes, that's right, Ben Foster: the nerdy kid from that television show "Flash Forward" years ago. Foster really proved himself in this film as a great actor because I had no idea it was him until I sat and thought about it a while. He played a great ruthless gangster and I generally felt hatred for his character. I'd buy this film... that is, if I had a job...

"House of Many Gods" by Kiana Davenport

I bought this book while I was in Honolulu for a conference. I've decided that when I travel, I will try to buy some form of literature/poetry that reflects the native people. In Prague, I bought a Kafka book and found a poetry book online that I read in a hostel. I had no idea what to buy, so I picked this one up. It was great at the beginning; filed with Hawaiian culture with every word. Then it started to get all over the place with a story line about radiation, and never really coming to a conclusion on that issue. It was a good read because it read fast and I was attached to the characters and the Hawaiian culture. Otherwise, I'd say it was average, and had I not traveled to Honolulu, I probably would not have read this book. Maybe if the story had stayed in the islands, it would have made it better. But, that's what the author was talking about: there is more to the world than the small islands, even though they are precious.

I have now decided to take on the task of reading Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" because I hear it's a classic love story that will forever be in the literary canon. It's been hard for me to read Russian literature, even Chekhov's plays, but once I get past the fact that each character has three different names, it becomes easy for me. I wish I knew more Russian history, but all I know of Russia is desolation and starvation. We shall see if I make it through this ginormous book.

I have also decided to run the Race for the Cure 5k here in Phoenix next month. A 5k is over three miles! What was I thinking?? I want to be a runner, so doing this will force me to get into it, and it's for a great cause. I asked my friend Jessica to go with me because I know she's at home with a small baby and might want some interaction with someone her age besides her husband. And I know she likes to run, so there's pressure on me!

Jeff got evicted from the Big Brother house this week. :( BIG SAD FACE! He was my favorite.

Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon- and the Journey of a Generation

"Girls Like Us" is a fabulously written biography of three trail-blazing women in rock and roll. Although I am young, I grew up listening to their music, called "Oldies" then, and reading this book helped me understand their lives and generation, and exactly what they did for women and rock music. They are the reason Britney and Madonna have music careers to begin with. I know Madonna stretched boundaries and knocked down walls, but Joni, Carly, and Carole set the stage for her to do so. Not only do I think these women are strong and beautiful, their music is timeless. I love "You're So Vain", "River", "Big Yellow Taxi", and "Natural Woman". This is a must read for women of all ages who are trying to find a place in a rough world.

Now I'm downloading and listening to Joni Mitchell, mostly, but "You're So Vain" is a great one, too! I think I read this book at the right time in my life. I need direction, and I feel lost, but so did these women and they found their way through. I just need patience, and I can never give up. And, it's okay if I don't get married, or get divorced, or end up without a husband. I don't need a man to feel complete; that idea is just ridiculous.

Ted Kennedy lost his battle with brain cancer. That's really all I have to say about that. I never really "knew" him, or paid attention to his career. I don't know why. Maybe my Republican parents had an influence on that.

It's still really hot. I can't wait for cooler weather. Lately I've been wanting to go for a run- OUTSIDE- but it's been so hot, even in the mornings. It was 90 degrees at midnight last night, so I have reason to believe it didn't get much cooler by the morning. So, I'm stuck inside doing the 30 Day Challenge on the Wii Active. Which, by the way, I think you should do first upon purchasing it, because the first workouts seem easy compared to the individual ones I've been doing separate from the challenge. But I'm guessing that by the time I get to workout #20 it'll be challenging.