... really ...

hummmmmmph.

A great friend of mine often reminds me that 97% of women are crazy.  I don't know where she came up with this stat - if she read some form of scientific report stating something even closely related to women's unstable/irrational behavior - or if she looked at a select group and did her own math.  Either way, the more women I meet, the more I believe this to be fact.

It is because of this large majority that when you do find a dependable friend falling into the 3% that are worth your time - you hang on tight and thank your lucky stars!  A great friend is a friend for life.  You can go months without talking to these women, and pick right back up.  When you have an unpleasant encounter with one of the many - you can call upon one of the few and ground yourself.  Every single day, you should remind yourself how fortunate you are to have found one of these gems!

... Reading List ...

Book Club... FAIL!

Searching for a new book club... check!

My 101 in 1001 reading list... not going well.  I've gotten a few chapters into Emma.  Which means I have 6.75 Jane Austen Novels remaining, and all of Malcolm Gladwells books.  Need to pick up the pace!

Then was tagged in a friends Note on FB - I've read more than 6, so there BBC!  Although now I feel like I should have read more.

**********************************************************************************

The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here.

Instructions: Copy this into your NOTES. Bold those books you've read in their entirety, italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read an excerpt and underline the ones you’ve seen the movies of. Tag other book nerds. Tag me as well so I can see your responses!

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien

3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte

4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling

5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

6 The Bible

7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell

9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman

10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare

15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger

19 The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch – George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald

23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Graham

31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis

34 Emma – Jane Austen

35 Persuasion – Jane Austen

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis

37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Berniere

39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne

41 Animal Farm – George Orwell 

42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving

45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery

47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding

50 Atonement – Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel 

52 Dune – Frank Herbert

53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez(this is the worst book I have ever read.)

61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding 

69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens

72 Dracula – Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses – James Joyce

76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath

77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal – Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession – AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks

94 Watership Down – Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl

100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo 

... False Fan ...

I've come to the conclusion that you can tell a lot about a person based on their team trend.  Deep routed questions can be answered by this often overlooked character flaw.  -- Are they a glory seeker?  Will they be there for you when you are down?  Will they be humble?  Will they move on to the cool kids with the lunchables when you show up with a bologna sandwich? --

As an England girl, and having lived in Italy and Spain... I think it's absurd that anyone would "fan" a team for reasons other than they were born into them.  My family, for instance, regardless of the number of times the home team is relegated into lesser division... disgraceful losses... disappointing sportsmanship... etc. etc. etc., they'll never wear a scarf that isn't blue and yellow.  (Football - real football- reference).  Why?  Well obviously because "we are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds!"  Traveling across Europe (and the World minus America), you'll notice that it is very rare that someone actually supports a team other than the one right down the road.  Of course, it's acceptable to support a team in a different league than the home team just so you have someone to follow in said league... but you still don't buy their jersey.  Why is Football loved so dearly around the world?  Well simply because of patriotism.  It's amazing.

With this sort of an upbringing... it sticks out like a sore thumb when I meet a Cowboys Fan with a New York accent, a Southern Belle with pink Chicago Bulls jersey, a South Dakotan "hook 'em".  The beauty behind sports is the bond between neighbor, the comrade at arms cheering in the stands, the group frenzy that lies behind every basket, goal, run, touchdown.  Think back to high school.  The excitement in the stands.  Everybody you knew (for the most part), everyone you loved, your friends, your neighbor, teacher, mother, father, brother, classmate... they all sat on the same side and cheered beside you, rooting for the home team!  What could be better?

... the answer.  For some: the glory, the popularity, the bragging rights, the win.

It's with great wisdom that I warn... beware of all who cheer for the team that has no geographical connection to them at all.  Unless there is a valid explanation - went to college there, was stationed there, my state didn't have a such and such team (and in that case they had better pick the team of the next closest state), parents were born there and it's in the blood, family member plays for them, the entire team once attended my birthday party, you're catholic, I am a girl and cheer for them because my husband does... beware.  Beware.

(Note: the one and only exception to this rule is Hillary Clinton)

... Kindle, my love ...

The girls new best friend...

I can not say enough about my Kindle.  Upon hearing about the "e-reader" I knew that one day I would HAVE to have one.  I waited patiently, found other items that were a higher priority, and continued reading good old paper backs.  I told myself that I was vintage, a precocious reader like myself need not go electronic.  As much as I knew the little voice inside was screaming out for a Nook or Kindle, I convinced myself that a true fan of the arts would never trade in the smell of a freshly opened page for the new age - go green - nonsense, and the year went by.  However, when my mother-in-law called to get the details on the Kindle from the hubby, I thought it was too good to be true.  The lie was up!  I waited everyday, counting down for the new release of the wifi-only Kindle 2, and going online to make a wish list.  

The first purchase on the little gadget upon arrival was "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Then I went rummaging through the Kindle store to find anything free worth reading (tons) and anything for less that $2 that I had to have (I ended up cutting myself off after about 5 of those!).  I also chose a few free samples that I found intriguing.  Then, to stay true to myself, I ordered The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn... and crossed over into the e.  

What do I love the most?  Oh, I don't know.  The light weight.  The buttons on both sides allowing for comfortable control.  The fact that I can lay in bed and easily read a book without having to flip from side to side and figure out a way to hold the book without an arm falling asleep or random pages fighting me to lose my place.  I love that when I get to a word that I want to add to my vocabulary I can bookmark it in my Oxford dictionary with three clicks... aphorism, apropos, capricious, ennui... endless possibilities.  I love that when the ladies pick the new book club reading I can purchase it with a click of a button and not have to drive to Borders.  I love that I can throw the Kindle in my purse, and never lose my page.  I love that, if I have little time to read and lots of reading to do, I can turn on the voice feature - choose if I'd like a man or woman to read to me that day and at what speed - and ta-da... book on tape!  

It is amazing.  The quintessence of electronic upgrade!  GO GET IT. 

Whole Wheat Nutella Pumpkin Bread

Thanks to a FB post, I just found this recipe online.  So happy it's FALL!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 6 tablespoonsturbinado sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How-To

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix the dry ingredients (through turbinado sugar) in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients (wet).
4. Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan and spoon two 1 tablespoon drops of Nutella.
6. Swirl the Nutella around on the top with a knife.
7. Bake on a baking sheet for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Servings: 8-10

... skype ...

ahhh....

the wonderful world of skype!

Skype is an internet "bid deal" that I was far behind the curve on (much like twitter, and by far behind the curve I mean that I can't even see it).  In recent months I added this IM function to my laptop in order to keep in touch with Ms. Sarah during her deployment.  Although the deployment fell through (thank goodness) I soon convinced my family to all hop on board.  

Currently, I'm waiting for my sister to "call me back" as I grew tired of watching her reaction to the UK's X-factor and decided she needed to focus on one thing at a time.  Earlier today I spoke with my mother, as I did yesterday.  A few weeks ago my dad, having never met my husband or children before, met them via video thanks to skype.  I've sat with my friend and talked to her while she felt lonely in her apartment, and being able to watch her back for her obviously made her feel safe. ;)  I've had a tour of two homes in England.  Danica has chit chatted with her daycare buddy on a particularly cold and dreary weekend filled with boredom (the video call ended in lots of tears and tempers, and has yet to be attempted a second time).  The kids ate dinner one evening while cracking up their dear Uncle Lee and talking to him about all sorts of animals and Backyardigan adventures.  I soon hope to embark into a skype book club (see last post).  

ahhhhh technology!  

Hurry up X-Factor results... a sister SHOULD be more important!

If you don't have Skype already... DO IT! 

... Book Club ...

First successful book of the book club (we won't discuss the first month's reading choice)...

Liked it.  

I can't say that I loved the book, yet.  I feel as though I am very much incomplete with my Stieg date.  So far, Stieg and I have had coffee... dinner and wine are in the close future.  Those who have read the book would most likely agree that, while we feel complete with one Blomkvist mystery, we have only just begun another.  This trilogy could give Lord of the Rings a run for the money on "are you kidding me, that's it?" endings.  Unless you were to immediately put one cover down and pick up the next (or in my case direct yourself to the Kindle store post-haste), you end the story with the same satisfaction as turning off the lamp and pulling up the covers in the middle of a chapter. 

To be totally fair, keeping in mind that my dance Mikael and Lisbeth is still underway, I am certainly hooked.  I have always been a fan of mystery and of course love all things that remind me of the Eastern hemisphere.  I can't wait to begin Mr. Larsson's follow up.  As for the rest of the book club ladies... they are still slowly but surely making their way through the first.  (Winnie, if you are reading this, can we PLEASE start our own book club!  We can drink wine and call each other to discuss). ;)

I would certainly recommend the novel to all.  For me, the description of the Vangers and their eerie island living was fascinating.  I immediately began placing Daniel Craig in all my dreamy visions of Mikael running through woods and bedding various women (good choice Hollywood, good choice!)  I can not wait to see the big screen depiction.  Early on in the book I tied in the Biblical reference, already being the huge finger pointer when it comes to evil human doings being caused by radical religious beliefs that I am.  I really couldn't put the Kindle down for this one!

Tis the season to catch up on reading, and I give the thumbs up for diving into the first case of Mikael Blomkvist.  Good read!