Katie's Top 10 Books of 2011

Since all these publishers have come out with their “BEST OF THIS YEAR’S READING” lists and I have been offended by their shameless self-promotion of their own books, I decided to review my reading list from 2011 and share MY favorites with YOU! Granted I’m no publisher, but I am opinionated, especially on the subject of “favorite books”, and also I’m not good about just picking books that came out this year.  Who cares when the books came out if I never read them before and they are awesome good, right? I figure I can pretty much do what I want since I’m not getting paid for it.

Here goes (in no particular order, I might add):

1. Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie.  I have recently discovered the great Agatha Christie’s mystery novels. They are short and sweet and rock on. I still want to roll the r’s like a Scottsman in “murrrrrdeerrrr.”  I can’t quit, they are addictive!!

2. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.  I got hooked on the HBO series, and then I totally got sucked in to this written series, and boy was it a time commitment, but who cares…the books are totally awesome great stories and I really enjoyed comparing the different ethnic groups/peoples to the ancient Asians and Europeans I learned about in my Western Civ class.   My favorite character is Arya.  She is one cool little chick.  Does anyone else think Mongols = Dothraki?

3. I, Claudius by Robert Graves.   This was a wickedly awesome look at Ancient Rome.  I loved the satirical attitude of the narrator and learned a lot about Roman civilization.  I was totally there, in the story, and could smell the smells and taste the foods (and of course the wine…)

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.   YA Lit?  Yeah, I loved it.  The story captured me from the get go and I was pissed that I bought the first volume in soft cover and then had to go and buy the rest in hard back because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.  I’m looking forward to the movie and hope to God they don’t blow it.

5. Little Bee by Chris Cleve.  OMG! This novel has some hard situations and it made me cry, cry, cry. Little Bee overcame extreme odds, and her voice and the language used in this book were absolutely beautiful.  I listened on audio book, and the book actress who performed it was OUTSTANDING. 

6.  Dark Lover by J.R. Ward.  Naughty, naughty, naughty…but I loved it.  Oh Wrath, where are you now???? (Thanks, Danice for turning me, ugh, um, ohhh... "on to it.")

7. The Magicians by Lev Grossman.  I hate saying this, but it’s the best way I can describe this story…. The Magicians is like Harry Pottery’s older, meaner, more serious older cousin.  There’s a magic school (college), and the characters are actually flawed and realistic (not like Harry and the gang who seem all goody-goody and squeaky clean. I mean, there’s no sex there at all for heaven’s sake…)  Some of the characters aren’t even likeable, but the magic is fantastic and I enjoyed the story very much.  I’m up for reading the Magician King soon, Grossman’s recently published sequel. It’s on my “to read” list.

8. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.  Wow. Just Wow.  This book is like a really dark Alice in Wonderland.  I loved it. I can’t wait to read more of Gaiman’s stuff. American Gods is on my list.

9. Cleopatra by Stacy Shiff.  This is the only non-fiction book in my Top 10 and it was an awesome biography.  I wish someone would do an historically factual fiction movie acting all this out.  It would rock on. Cleopatra was an amazing character and I totally loved learning more about her. Get Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleo outta my head, will ya??

10. The Last Werewolf by Glenn Duncan.  I know, I only gave this book 3 stars on my list, but I just can’t seem to get it out of my head, so here it is on my Top 10 list for just that reason.  I still think about it and that guy’s voice who performed the audio book…he must have been HOT!!

So, there you go. Katie’s Top 10 of the books I read in 2011.  Go read the ones that interest you and let me know what you think.  Send me some of your favorite book recommendations and I’ll add them to next year’s reading list.   Maybe you’re recommendation will make the Top 10 for 2012…if so, I’ll share the credit with you.  ( I know, smashing, right???)

I'm not just getting fat....

So being knocked up at 40 is a bit intimidating.  We had hoped it would happen a couple years ago because 37 or 38 seems a lot younger than 40, but there it is.  It didn’t happen then and I really had gotten used to the thought that it wouldn’t.  I was sort of planning a ski trip this winter (well, they can ski, I’d shop, sightsee and drink hot cocoa), and toying with a scuba diving excursion this fall or early spring.  Those plans have gone right out the window, right along with our sanity. 

My boys are 16 and 12 respectively, and that’s a long time in between siblings, not to mention a long time since I changed a diaper, had to get up every couple of hours to nurse a baby, deal with bottles, diaper bags, teething rings, belly gas, spit up, stepping on toys and all that jazz.  Derek’s never done it, so we’re both in for a bit of a shocker.  The kids’ reactions were priceless.  I got a, “holy shit, mom….oh, uh, sorry…wow” from my 12 year old, Nigel, followed by an incoherent “uhhhhhhhhh, ohhhhhhhhhh, hmmmmmmmm, uh, that’s great, Mom” from my 16 year old son, Jacob.  Nigel then told me he would teach him how to skateboard “really good.”  When pointed out his brother might actually be a sister, he said he’d teach her anyway and he was happy about it.  He was all grins as he was sheepishly and tenderly handling the ultrasound pictures.

The ultrasound we had on Tuesday really made this pregnancy real for us.  A picture is worth a thousand words, especially a moving picture showing a strong heartbeat, arms and legs and hands and feet, tiny little eyes and a great big head.  An ultrasound really is a miracle of science.  I kind of half believed this was true until I saw that little baby in making with my own two eyes.  It’s still amazing at 40. I’m glad I’m not that jaded, yet.

Everything is looking great. So far, so good!  I’m 13 weeks along and Baby Conrad, whom we have dubbed “the pickle”, will make his or her appearance sometime around April 6, 2012. I haven’t had any morning sickness; only some slight 4pm nausea, and I’m tired and draggy, but otherwise I feel fine.  I miss wine and sushi. My Weight Watchers/dieting is on hold for now, so don't think I'm just getting fat. I'm getting fat for a reason!

   

   

If I were INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY, I would….

There is nothing like a few vacation days off from work to make you appreciate the value of free time.  I love, love, love time off from work.  A home stay-cation over the 4^th of July is just what I needed. The slower pace, the relaxation, fun with friends and family,  reconnection with Derek, Nigel & Jacob, home-cooked meals; they are all a little slice of heaven. I sure do miss being home now that I’m back at work.  My stay-cation makes me realize that I just don’t like working. Having to get up at the crack of dawn, shower, fix my hair, get all dressed, drive to work, work, drive home and then fit all the good stuff in about 3 hours of the day before bedtime just isn’t enough for me.  I want more. I want to become independently wealthy like all those home investors on the Carlton Sheets infomercial.  And I only want to do what I WANT TO DO!

There are a few ways to go about this. I could hit the lottery jackpot, join Carlton Sheets for $199.95 and make my fortune in the real estate market (RIIIGGGHHTT…), slip and fall at Wal-Mart and sue for a bazillion bucks, rob a bank, invent something super-duper fabulous that nobody ever thought of before….I could go on and on with the hair-brained schemes, but in reality not one of them is fool-proof (or if it is, it’s not legal). Dang it, I was really having fun planning the next big Ponze Scheme.

If I were RICH (i.e. don’t have to worry a bit over money. Like, have so much I could never spend it all…) I would do the following:

1. PROTECT AND INVEST. Gotta make sure the future generations will all be fabulously, independently wealthy, too.

2. THE BOOK STORE. Open a coffee house/wine store/used & new book store and spend my days happily sipping joe (a.m.) or wine (p.m.) and discussing the merits of both along with my favorite read of the week with all my friends, clients and customers who come visit my awesome-fabulous-bookstore. I’d have book club discussions every day, great writers would come visit, speak and sign their books, we’d be the “IT” place for the ladies (and gentlemen) to meet and have a glass or two of wine with friends, clients would get great book recommendations, not pay exorbitant prices for books (i.e. cheap), and I’d be the super-star. Of course, I’d hire somebody to do all the work, but that would be my special place and I just know I’d love it. My hours: 10-2 and 7-10 daily, except when the husband’s and kids’ schedules conflict with sports and other fun stuff.  I can totally smell the coffee & cookies (and old leather bindings) right now.

3. DIVING. When I’m not at the bookstore, I’d be spending time with my husband and kids in fabulous locales around the world, pursing the perfect scuba-diving location.  I’d study coral, fishes and sea creatures and be an ocean environmental activist (I use that term loosely, as I’m not really the ACTIVIST TYPE, but would promote and financially support research and conservation efforts to preserve and protect the ocean.)

4. CHARITY WORK. My charities would be the Humane Society or other animal protection group, the American Cancer Society or other health research groups, and something like Habitat for Humanity to help under-privileged people live better lives. I’d be a foster mother for stray dogs/puppies and probably have a whole pack of dogs that I couldn’t part with.  Of course, they’d all be perfectly well behaved and groomed at all times.  And like cats (not to eat, but to play with). And like kids. And not bark at everything.

5. PAMPER MYSELF. Well, really – who wouldn’t?  I want a personal trainer to whip me into shape, someone to plan and shop for meals, (I’ll do the cooking, I like that part), clean my house, mow my yard, make pretty flowers grow, and give me a pedicure once a week. I know…I want an “Alice” like on the Brady Bunch. Plus a yard man/pool boy/gardener who knows how to grow good veggies.  He should be like the Dog Whisperer only better looking.

Hey, this is my fantasy. Don’t judge me too much on my self-absorbed dreams. I realize this isn’t going to pan out, but I am buying a lottery ticket for tonight. When I win, y’all know exactly where to find me. J 

You can't ever have too many friends....

So, I totally have a new girlfriend! I love it when that happens!!  As I’ve grown older and realized the value of girlfriends, I’ve become so much more aware of how important and fulfilling girl-relationships are.  Going through a divorce brought it home for me, and I will never go back to “my man is enough for me.” (Or allow myself to be isolated and brainwashed, but that’s another story….)

Don’t get me wrong, I love my man and he’s “it” for me. I’ve found my “soul-mate” and all that jazz.  The thing is, girlfriends GET YOU.  Girlfriends are IMPORTANT.  And I am talking about REAL girlfriends. The kind that stick by you when you’re being an idiot, the kind that will tell you, “um, hey, maybe you should rethink that whatever…”, the kind you bounce ideas off of and will give you good feedback, the ones that celebrate the good stuff with you, and the kind that SHOW UP for stuff you wouldn’t want to show up for yourself. 

I believe I am one of the luckiest girls on earth, because I can count my REAL girlfriends on fingers AND toes.  I do not have a doubt that if I am in crisis, there will be a baker’s dozen there for me, offering me a place to stay, a comfortable bed to sleep in, someone to feed me, love my kids, love my pets, take care of my husband (unless, of course, he’s the source of the problem,) clean my house, wipe up the rest of the mess, cry with me, listen to me go-on-and-on, and in general BE THERE for me.  My girlfriends also show up for the fun stuff. And bring wine.  I am truly blessed.  You girls know who you are. I don’t have to name names.

Some of you have been around forever. Some of you have been around a really good, long time. We’ve seen a lot together, grown into the women we’ve become together and know that even if we don’t call each other on the phone all the time, we’re still friends.  I rely on you and trust in your friendship implicitly. 

Some of you are fairly new friends, but I know you’re the keeper kind. The ones that keep up with each other, make an effort in cultivating the friendship, reciprocate invitations, (you know...I call you...you call me....) and we genuinely like each other.  I love it that I’m able to continue to make friends.  Some of you I’ve found in unlikely places.  Some of you I’m delighted you were exactly where you should have been. Some of you I lost accidentally and then refound.  You gotta love it when that happens!

I love it when I make a new girlfriend, and I always know right away whether I’ve “clicked” with someone, or not.  Time flies by, conversation is easy, sharing comes naturally, laughs are abundant and satisfaction is immediate.  There’s a thread that is picked up, woven in with the rest, and the resulting tapestry is both beautiful and strong. 

Here’s a shout out to all my girlfriends. Again, you know who you are and you know I love you J  Thanks for being there for me and for being who you are.  You are the BEST at being you and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  And know this, I’m THERE for you, too. No matter what!

FSBO and other abbreviations

This real estate market totally sucks. That statement is from my point of view as a Seller.  From a Buyer's point of view, this real estate market is pure gold (if you have a job and can qualify for a mortgage.)  We've had our house actively for sale since January 2010. Actively is the magic word, because it's really been longer than that.  We need to sell, otherwise we wouldn't even be trying right now. It's a "buyers market."

It's like smashing a round peg into a square hole, or banging your head against the wall.  "For Sale" in 2011 is synonymous with BIG FAT LOSS. No offers. A few showings, regular open houses where nobody comes except nosy neighbors, abject critcisim for my housekeeping abilities (granted, they do have a small point there, but really - who vacuums walls anyway?)  Our baseboards are sometimes furry because we live there and we really love our pets. And kids. And friends.  Who wants to become a sterile, no-fun hermit for 18 months? Is that really what you have to do?

So, here is our house. We now have it FSBO. Fizzbo. (For Sale By Owner)  I made up some flyers using my amazing skills in Publisher and popped them in a info box that is bungee corded to the For Sale sign.

My remarkable marketing talents have earned us a showing tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. to some people who called on the phone.  I'm a little freaked out about this, because I've got total strangers coming to my house to look in all the cupboards and closets and find fault with my housekeeping. It's a lot worse than just leaving and hoping for the best. I have to witness it.  Also, what if they're axe murderers or serial killers preying on unsuspecting FBSOs. Should I have mace? A butcher knife? Use the buddy system? Sick the dog on them? That's probably not good salesmanship, but I digress...

Tomorrow night is also Book Club night which rocks. VLVBC. (That's Viva La Vino Book Club) because guess what??  We like to mix wine in with our discussion. As a group, we like WINE and not WHINE. Nobody likes that whiney female protagonist who can't make a decision. I'll give you a for instance. Bella. In Twilight. Ugh, hate her. 



Our selection this month is Little Bee by Chris Cleave. I gave it 5 stars.  This is my Goodreads review:

"I listened to Little Bee on audio recording. This is one of the most intellectually provocative, emotionally engaging, beautifully written novels I have ever read. The language was bright, vivid, beautiful. Perfection. For those who are squeamish about violence, beware, but know it is integral to the story."

And Laurie is serving African Wine! Wow! And we get to pick out our own "Little Bee" names. I think I'll be "Big Mean Dog", that way the strangers coming to the house beforehand won't be tempted to mess with me.  Think they'll make an offer?