I didn’t know what this book was about, it was on my 100 classics list, but I started to read this yesterday and I was totally blown away. THIS book I get; I understand why THIS book was on the list. The first part of the book, about the grandparents, was intriguing but the story of Ursula was the one that touched me. I kept looking to the front of the book to verify that it was indeed written so long ago (1915). Her internal struggles are so real and relevant. The passions and pain are so beautifully written, they draw you into the characters. You’re no longer on the sidelines as a voyeur into these lives, you live it as they are living it. You feel the frustrations, you ache for the unsaid, and you cheer when a connection is made. Although it is not on my classics list, I am eager to add the sequel “Women in Love” to my wish list.

Don Quixote is a regular man with a fascination for Knights. He becomes a little off-balance mentally and believes himself to be a knight-errant. He gets an assistant and sets out to fulfill his calling. We get to read the personal stories of the people he meets along the way, and see how each person plays a part in keeping his own adventure alive.

Exciting read. A man hires “Death Angels” that will, in the event that he reaches a point of pre-determined physical or mental impairment, kill him. But when he crosses that threshold before he’s ready to die, he ends up in a fight for his life and a race to finish what was left undone before the death angels complete their contract.

I’m not a big Diaz fan, but I will watch anything with Toni Collette in it (she’s just fabulous). Surprisingly, I thought Cameron Diaz did a great job in this. It was a sweet movie about two sisters who just don’t seem to ‘connect’, even though they both desparately want to. It was also great to see Mark Feuerstein (I’ve had a wee crush on him for years). I’m confused as to why Anson Mount is billed above Toni, though, as he was just a guy barely seen in the beginning of the movie. Overall, its a nice movie that I’ll definitely watch again.

this is the first book selection for the new bookclub.

Chapter 49:
“There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody’s expense but his own.”

I already knew what was going to happen in this story, and yet Toni Collette STILL made me weep.

This ain’t just a dainty tissue-flick, oh no, it gets a full snot-rag rating.

its a unique French thriller that I rather enjoyed.

This morning I made tri-colored pasta salad with red/green/yellow peppers and red onions. I mixed up olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, parmesan, and a touch of pesto for the dressing. Left it cooling in the fridge all day, then came home and added the chicken and voila, dinner is served.

another good reading by Dick Hill! I was listening (on my mp3 player) to the “dramatic” conclusion yesterday while I cooked dinner. I had the headphone cord drawn through my shirt to help minimize catching the cords on the drawer handles and ripping the buds from my ears; except just as I was listening to the whole things with the snakes, etc I leaned down and the cord brushed against my body inside my shirt and scared the living hell outta of me.