Lessons Learned

Here are the things I've learned since coming to Chicago (we're here, visiting my sister for the week, in her tiny apartment in Des Plaines, Illinois, about a ten minute train ride from downtown):

1.) I love cities, but couldn't handle that kind of traffic. It may have to be small-town life for me, after all.

2.) I have a serious, SERIOUS case of library envy. The Chicago Public Library is four stories and in an old brick building that looks like something straight out of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the Olathe (or Lawrence) public library just doesn't hold up in comparison.

3.) Books are heavy. And when you only get one suitcase total, its possible to wear the same shirt more than one day in a row if it means packing The Fountainhead.

4.) Never underestimate the love you have for tea until it's suddenly not available every morning.

5.) Insurance actuarial science is really, REALLY boring. My sisters boyfriend is giving a presentation tomorrow, and has picked me to practice on. Sweet God.

6.) Family is priceless. In the way of a diamond, or an old garbage dump.

7.) I love, love, LOVE Vitamin Water. It gets me through those long, sickening car rides (I would reccommend XXX or Strawberry Kiwi)

8.) I love reading on the porch in the early morning. I do wish we had a porch.

And, mostly, the two things I realized the most are

9.) I LOVE VACATION!!!

10.) My niece is THE CUTEST little girl I've ever seen. EVER. EVER EVER!!!!!

And now, back to the last few pages of The Poisonwood Bible with a review to follow! Yay for Chicago!

Vampires and Forests and Lust...oh my!

EDIT (Again with the spoilers. Don't come crying to me if you ignore it!) :: I finished reading Eclipse, the final (so far) book in the Stephanie Meyer saga of Bella and Edward. The next book is due out in August with the last book due out after that. Hopefully I'll have the whole series by Christmas. Anyway, I was a much bigger fan of this book than of New Moon, mostly because Edward was finally back in this book. He was back to being devestatingly sweet, overwhelmingly neurotic, and just a tad too overprotective for my taste (thats right, I said it, I found a flaw with Edward. A small one, but still - its a flaw). Jacob was just as sweet as ever, making it even harder to choose between the two. Unfortunately, some pretty underhanded manipulation in the later half of the book made it just a little bit easier to cheer for Team Edward (not that I wasn't already there, anyway). All in all, I loved all three (obviously) but I also kind of wish that I would have spaced them out a bit. Not only would I then have had time to really absorb all the books, but all three got to be a bit much back to back. That immediate satisfaction was awesome when reading the books, but I kind of like the suspense being built up by not having the fourth one quite yet. Anyway...its off to Chicago with The Poisonwood Bible and about a dozen other books from the local library!

EDIT (Possible spoilers. You have been warned.) :: So, I finished New Moon as of yesterday, and I feel a little slighted. I mean, the book was, again, excellent, but I wish that there had been more Edward. I know, I know, Stephanie had to do what she had to do for plot purposes, but still. I missed the fact that he was gone for probably a good 3/4 of the book. Every time Bella heard his voice, I heard it too and felt almost as bad as she did when the voice went away. I guess thats just a testament to the fabulous characters Stephanie has created. I'm just saying that as much as I liked Jacob (and believe me, I do like Jacob) I'm just so glad that Edward is back and ready for action. I just can't believe that after ALL they've been through, when Edward proposed she actually said no. Crazy bitch. Anyway...so far so good on Eclipse, but I'm going to be pissed if Bella isn't turned in to a vampire by the end and we have to listen to her whine...more.

***

So, I just finished Stephanie Meyer's must-read Twilight and am, like, 100 pages in to the sequel New Moon. Let me just say that I originally had NO intention of reading this book. My mom brought it to me, set it down on my desk and said, "Read it. You'll like it." The following conversation ensued:

"Read it. You'll like it."

"What's it about?"

"A teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire and has to fight between the two worlds."

"..."

"Just read it."

"Its about vampires."

"It's hard to put down. You'll love it, and it's really well written."

"It's about vampires."

Yep. It is indeed about vampires. But, after realizing that I had NO intention of doing any of my summer class reading (who wants to read Socrates and Virgil at the pool?) I was left with few options (being flat broke and all) other than the vampire-romance book. Now, I haven't always been against vampire books. I used to love them. And now I remember why.

This book was FABULOUS! Like, at a loss for words kind of fabulous. Not only did I blast through its 500-some pages in about a day, but its just a good book. Although not a mythical character, I too have had times when my head tells me one thing and my heart tells me another. Its logic versus passion, essentially. And the main characters, Bella (I love that name!) and Edward (I love that name now) deal with that general argument every day. Bella longs to be with Edward (who, despite the list below, has immediately become the number 3 guy on my list of most attractive fictional male characters. He has the hotness of Marcus Flutie, and the brooding quality of the pre-confession of love Darcy with the tortured soul of Cassandra Claire's Draco trilogy and Heathcliff). Its just a beautifully written story of love and passion and TRULY star-crossed lovers. It's brilliant, and I just wish that there were more books!