2011 Reading List: Book #1

Big Cherry Holler by: Adriana Trigiani

This book was written as a sequel of Big Stone Gap but it was also meant to stand alone. Because of this, things were mentioned in the book as if you should already know what had happened but then it would be explained later in the book. OR the book would give you a little random detail that had nothing to do with anything. I'm going to put out there and just say it; I didn't enjoy this book. It wasn't until the last 20 pages that I actually had a chuckle out loud and I was able to enjoy the book without feeling the anxiety and the disconnect of the main character.

This book was about a lady who didn't get married until her late thirties and said that she loved her husband but acted like she had settled. The setting of the book was in old hick miner town in the Appalachian mountains. I felt claustrophobic while reading the book; as if my life was stuck in the mud as this lady seemed to live hers. It was routine and monotonous. She lived in a town where the energy of gossip is what kept this people living. And her husband was quite and shy and they could NOT communicate. She would be upset with her husband and he would ask, "What is wrong?" and instead of talking to him she would say in her head what was wrong but then out loud she would smile and say, "Oh nothing, I'm just tired." Or some other lame excuse. Everytime this happened I just wanted to yell, "OMG Talk to Him!" I'm not married but I figure that is how a marriage works... talk it out.

Then this lady and her husband decide to take their daughter to Italy where the main lady's family is from and still lives. Well the night before the are to go, the husband decides not to go and puts words in his wife's mouth, saying she doesn't really want him to go AND you need this time to decide if you really love me AND she just sits there. THEN when she returns it's some how her fault that she didn't fight for him to go with the family to Italy.

I did love when they were in Italy though. The descriptions were so viid and beautiful. I would love to go there someday.

Also, the books revealed a lot of affairs. The husband, the wife, the people in the town. It was like the book was showing all these people who had settled for what they thought was love, (and some really were in love like the husband and wife but had just forgotten it), and they were finally going after their true loves or what they thought was love. Luckily the husband in wife didn't end up actually cheating... but they had their romances with other people.

Overall... with the limited time we have to read, this book was ok but not one that I would recommend. Might as well use your pressure reading time on another book worth being recommend.

2011 Reading List

Google: (Insert Your Name Here)

Have you ever "Googled" yourself? It's quite interesting and kind of fun. When I google myself I am of the following:

Actress
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1290424/

Interior Designer (Love this website, this girl's got style... oh wait... apparently it's me)
http://www.amydmorris.com/amydmorris.entry.3.html

Purse Designer (Way over priced... what can I say... (dramatic diva voice:) I'm a designer
http://www.handbagsandgladrags.co.uk/acatalog/Amy_Morris.html

Federal News Reporter
http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=30&sid=739110

Flutess, Flautest, Fluetest... whatever; the most thing I'm concerned about is that I need haircut that fits my age
http://www.amy-morris.com/

There are 724 people in the US with my name... wow... we're original aren't we

Ice Snowboarding

I went snowboarding over the weekend. I was really excited to go; I'm slowly catching on to new things and loving it!

It was so great with sunny blue skies and great company... but the snow was awful... in fact... non-exsistant. The runs were literally a half inch of snow and then ICE. Not just like hard packed snow but actual ice. I half expect to go boarding by an ice patch and see a frozen person underneath it. Haha, can you imagine that, looking down as you pass an area and there's a frozen person reaching out for help trapped in the ice... BAH!

Well, because of the ice I was supper cautious... I didn't want to practice anything new and fall... No way jose... I'm old and feeble now. I'm not like these little kids who are like rubber and fall and bounce back up as if they're covered in flubber! Nope! It hurts and makes you aware of joints... one of these days I'll probably hear my hip rattle from the disbelief of a fall.

Dear Snow Gods... I'm ready for some fresh new snow... amen.
(Funny thing... I wrote this post on Sunday but wanted to wait a few days before I posted it... I can't let you readers think I have the time to write multiple posts... well I wrote it Sunday and it SNOWED Monday... Crazaaaah!)

Follow up

In reference to my last post, Patient History, it's time for the follow up.

Highlights of the appointment:

I'm healthy... woot

The nurse told me the numbers to my blood preasure;
My response: "Umm, I have no idea what those numbers mean."
Nurse: It's good.
Me: Oh... ok.

Didn't have to have my lady business areas checked... can you give me a big woot woot! The doctor goes; really you don't need to be checked until your your mid-twenties but you can if you would like.... nope! I've got two more years thank you very much.

Lowlights:

I had to get a tetanus shot... apparently they have updated the adult one to include a vaccine for whooping cough. I told the doctor, "I really hate needles" He brushed it off by saying, "Everyone hates needles." Me, nervous laugh, "Haha true." But inside my head, "No, REALLY, I'm the 1 in 100 person who is legit on this!"

I got an order to go get my blood drawn (Ok fine! I take it back... I'll get the shot but don't make somebody suck my blood out)

Finale:

Yesterday I went to go get my blood work done; see I had to "fast" before it was taken from me so the doctor just said to go when I could work "Starving" (not his words... mine) into my agenda. My mom said she would go with me, so we decided on a Saturday morning.

Yesterday morning I literally was acting like a teenager not wanting to go to school. "Hey mom, you know, you're really busy, we can go do this another time, we don't need to go today. Really, no biggie!" My mom just smiled and sweetly said, "No no, we're going." How Can She Be So Calm!

We went to the hospital... my heart is racing. I checked in and then I had to wait. As we're waiting I turn to my mom and say, "I'm going to throw up; I'm am that nervous! I literally want to vomit!" She just smiles and says, "It's alright, just take some deep breaths." Easy for you to say... though she was actually really great.

The nurse came in... and we went to go commit my greatest fear. Luckily the nurse was this really cute sweet but put together girl; she asked me if I would like to sit or lie down. All pride has left me, in fact, it checked out when I checked in; so I immediately admit to wanting to lie down and then proceed to tell her that I really hate this! She asks if I have my blood taken a lot... now I realize I'm the worlds biggest wimp because I have to tell her only once before and it was only a prick on the finger and I passed out and I've been traumatized ever since, to the point that talking about blood and needles makes me lightheaded. As I lie down and tears start to well up in my eyes... SERIOUSLY! How embarrassing but the nurse was good... she got in the vein quickly... got what she needed and I was done. The ironic/hilarious part was the curious part of me wanted to watch to see how it was done but the practical side was like, "I don't think so sista!"

Now I'm like this little kid after nursery who is so proud of their art project... I did it... I had blood taken out of my arm... I didn't faint... Success... gold star for me!! I am literally so proud, haha but also realize how ridiculous my fear is. I will probably be just as freaked out the next time I have to do this!

Disclosure: You may think I'm pathetic... that's fine... but talk to me when you are conquering your ridiculous/wish--you-weren't-afraid-of fear... I'll have a gold star for you