Let the Fun (Reading) Begin

While it is true (oh, so true) that I spend hours a day grading, this new schedule feels downright leisurely. I run errands. I take breaks. I take naps. I turn up the Christmas music in the living room and dance around while Lucy scowls. I prepared our Christmas cards. I made chicken chili. I've watched a couple of movies and read a couple of books (more on that in a minute).

It's lovely.

Yesterday I took a break and bonded with The Russkie and my nephews (her adorbs cats). I bought her a souvenir from the MinuteMan Missile Silo in South Dakota and couldn't wait to give it to her. She loves being called out on the Cold War. It's super fun for her.

Anyhoo we had a fun (foodie) time:

Caesar Salad with seared ahi? Um, YES.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cream ice cream? YES.

Other than our food excursions we hung out at her place and caught up and then exchanged piles of books. We are on this continual cycle of borrowing/returning/borrowing and it is marvelous.

Plus, I got to cuddle with this baby! GAWWWWWW look at these pics! If Lucyfer cuddled with me like this, I would never leave the house! I would eat bon bons on the couch all day and watch the Bravo channel and just love away.

Then I went home to this.

But! I've been able to read some books for fun!

The first was for our latest Lit Society a couple of weeks ago and this is legit literature and it's lyrical and beautiful and it's definitely worth the read:

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

The Hours was Virginia Woolf's original title for her novel, Mrs. Dalloway. I'm not sure why she decided to change it. Anyway, this book is a modern slash post-modern retelling of Mrs. Dalloway in the lives of three separate women: Virginia Woolf herself in the 1940's; a 1950's American housewife in Los Angeles; and a modern-day lesbian New York socialite with famous friends.

It is clear that Cunningham studied many of Woolf's works - not just Mrs. Dalloway - in addition to her essays and her biographies. His descriptions and wording and phrases and insight are spectacular, and, as we discussed, rather ballsy. :) But if you're in the mood for literature, pick this! Full disclosure: it will make more sense if you have read VW's Mrs. Dalloway.

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

Switching to books that are not literature but are highly entertaining and well-done: Harlan Coben's Hold Tight. I've been in the mood for mysteries: stories that, you know, have a plot. Oh, how I've missed the plot! And this book does the trick. It's about traditional, middle-class New Jersey parents who decide, due to a recent teenager's unexpected suicide, to put spyware on their son's computer. Things spin out of control and about 75 different story lines culminate in the end. So good!

This was a recommendation from The Russkie, and I borrowed two more of his books from her yesterday. His books would be great for plane rides/beach/vacay.

Aaaaaaaand. Back to grading. These pesky students with their pesky college goals.