THINGS that Matter

We surround ourselves with things, cars, furniture, clothing, electronics.  And if we are honest, we all probably have too many things, things that we don’t really need.  But there are things in our lives that matter, for various reasons.

Some of the things that matter to me have to do with memories of people and places.  I have photographs all over my home.  Photographs of my family and friends and places I’ve been, and all of these things matter to.  I have things that belonged to my father and grandparents that matter, a desk, a ring, a contact lens case.  Books are also things that matter to me and I have books cases filled will books I read when I was 12, signed books by my favorite authors, and classics that I read over and over again.

The window in the photo is another thing that matters to me.  It was given to me for my 40^th birthday by a very dear and close friend.  It hangs in my living room and it makes me happy when I look at.

The frames in the other photo are something I just recently started.  In those frames is sand from different beaches I’ve visited.  They hang next to my bed.  I look at them every morning when I wake up and every night before I go bed.  They remind me of happy times and that one day I want to live close to the beach and the ocean.

In the last couple of years I have really tried not to buy things that don’t matter and that I don’t need.  Yes, there are things that are necessities but what about everything else?  We all know we buy things to make us feel better; because we saw it in a magazine, or it’s the newest, trendiest thing, but do these things a really matter?

I recently saw an Nate Berkus interviewed.  He is the interior design who became famous after being on Oprah and who lost his partner in the December 2004 tsunami.  He wrote a book called “Things That Matter.”  He said a couple of things that stuck with me.  First, surround yourself with things that bring you joy.  Newest gadget may be entertaining but do they really brining you joy?  And second, stop a moment before you purchase anything, a piece of furniture, clothing, toys and think about whether you really need it.

Why do we hold on to so many things that don’t really matter?

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

As a child, didn’t we always seem to be waiting for something?  We waited for Christmas or summer vacation.  It seemed to take forever to arrive and then they were over before we knew it.  We waited for birthdays, especially the one that allowed us to see an R rated movie, get a driver’s license or buy a drink.

As we got older we still waited for things, things that seemed more important than movies, and over the years we developed patience as well the ability to deal with disappointment.  Sometimes that patience serves us well and sometimes it doesn’t, and some disappointment weighs heavier than others. 

I am waiting for something.  It is by no means a life altering event, just something I am hoping will happen.  I know, approximately, when the waiting will end and for now I just try not to think about it.  That is my way of being patient and not getting my hopes up.  If this thing I’m waiting for doesn’t happen, I will be disappointed but not devastated.  I know you can’t accomplish anything if you don’t at least try.  And if you fail you still learn from that failure.  I truly believe you can’t grow as a person if you don’t experience any failures during your lifetime.

My waiting will end sometime near the end of March and if the news is good I will share it.  In the meantime the waiting is the hardest part, and in this case, will be probably be harder to endure than the disappointment.

Hooked on a TV show

With some time off at the end of last year I've gotten hooked on a couple of new shows.  I say new, as they are new to me but have been on TV for a while, but without cable I don't get a chance to watch the original air dates.

Homeland - I know, I'm late to the party on this one.  Watched the first season on DVD over three days.  It's so good.  The writing is good, the acting is good.  The whole is "he or isn't he" kept me going along with other suspicious events.  Can't wait for the second season to come out on DVD.

Being Human - When I heard the premise for this show when it started a couple of years ago I was skeptical.  It's set in Bristol, England (yes, that's a draw) about a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf living together.  I kind of feel like the whole vampire/werewolf fad is coming to an end but I really like this show.  It's got some humor to it and somehow it works.

Lark Rise to Candleford - This a a BBC costume drama and I can't say no to those.  It ran from 2008 to 2001 (four seasons) and is about a girl from a small English hamlet at the end of the 1800s who goes into town to work with the postmistress.  It's very family friendly (think "Little House on the Prairie" but it's got some good actors that, if you've ever watched BBC or Masterpiece/PBS productions, you'll recognize.  Just first the first seasons and got season two and three from the library today.

Merlin - Okay, this may not seem like a likely show I would pick but I actually got hooked on it when the first season aired.  I just finished watching season four and am waiting for season five.  That will be the final season and the Internet has spoilers all over the place about how the show ends.  Of course, I couldn't resist taking a peak but I won't share what I found out. But I am still looking forward to watching the last season.

So it looks like I'll be busy for a while...

Book List - December 2012 & Year in Review

38. Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel. I ended the year on a fluff book about how lives have changed after an earthquake in San Francisco.  No a lot of drama, rather goodie goodie but okay read.

I watched more movies this month than I did the entire year.  And I didn't read as many books as I normally do but that is due to some lifestyle changes.

Here have been some of my favorites:

The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesley
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My Mother was Nuts by Penny Marshall

Books I'm looking forward to reading in 2013

Three of my favorite authors will have books coming out in 2013.  Unfortunately, one will be the very last  book as Maeve Binchy passed away in 2013.  Here's what I can't wait to eat...

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes
Family Pictures by Jane Green
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

Happy reading!

Observations from the Gym

During the week I go to the gym after work.  On the weekends I go in the morning, usually 30-60 minutes after I get up.  Here are some observations I've had while I'm been there….

I’ve seen way too many butt cracks (male and female, but more male).  Yuck!  People, please pay attention to what is going on with your clothes.  Can’t you feel the breeze back there?

During the week six of the nine televisions are on news channels.  The remaining three are tuned to a sports channel, a channel showing 20 year old reruns of Seinfield (haven’t we seen them all at least 10 times by now?) and one that shows almost exclusively hip-hop music videos (enough with the Beyonce and Jay-Z already).

On the first Tuesday of every month they give away free pizza.  Boxes of pizza are stacked on a table for anyone to eat.  That’s just cruel.

I’ve seen women in full makeup wearing dangling earrings, several necklaces and they are almost always wearing designer workout clothes.  Honey, do you know where you are?

Even though there are several huge signs on the wall that say no cell phones, there is always someone talking on their phone (and it’s usually the woman who gets on the elliptical next to me).

The signs also say no grunting but almost always there is some guy grunting (yes, only the guys do this).

Monday is the busiest day of the week.  And with each passing day the crowds get smaller and smaller.

There are some people who don’t wipe down the equipment when they are done. Disgusting!

The New Year Resolutionaries will start filling the gym soon.  They usually last until March or April.

And lastly, if you don’t sweat you’re not doing it right and you’re just wasting time.

Book List - November 2012

34. When it Happens to You by Molly Ringwald.  This was a collections of short stories about different types of betrayal.  I really like it better than I thought I would.  All the characters are intertwined in the stories. 

35. Broken Harbor by Tana French.  This author writes murder mysteries set in modern day Ireland (mainly Dublin).  The mystery parts are always well written with lots of detail and main character, always a cop, has issues as well (mostly related to the mystery).  This was a good book but I'd recommend some of her other books before this one.

36. My Mother was Nuts by Penny Marshall. I grew up watching Laverne & Shirley and I knew a couple of things about Penny Marshall. She started out in front of the camera and then went behind it. This was a entertaining memior of her life.  She knows everybody.

37. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.  This a thriller about cryptology.  It was published in 2004 and reading it now in 2012 is dated.  If you can get past that it's not too bad of a read.

Book Signings

I went to my first book signing when I was in my early 20s.  I was working as a reporter in a small southeast Colorado town.  I drove over 1 1/2 hours to Colorado Springs to get a book signed by mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark (who I started reading in high school).  That's what started it all.

Authors, like rock stars and movie stars, have to promote their work.  Most don't go on TV talk shows but instead do books tours.  I am extremly lucky to live in a city that has an awesome independent book store, the Tattered Cover, that draws these authors.  In the last 20 years I've been to a variety of book signings that included Craig Ferguson (funny AND gorgeous), Sarah Ferguson (beautiful), Rick Steves (informative - he also runs a tour company and I asked if he was hiring - he wasn't), Jennifer Weiner (ranchy and funny), Jane Green (British delightful), and Jodi Picoult (this woman does her research), just to name a few.

Two book signing made a big impression on me.  The first was Judy Blume.  I don't know any women from my generation who doesn't know who she is and hasn't read one of her books. Back in May 1998 she came to town.  I was #19 in line to get my book signed.  She spoke awhile and read from her new adult novel Summer Sisters.  I got her to sign her new book and also asked her to sign my battered old copy of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, a book I had probably had in my possession for 18 years.  The price on the cover says $1.50.  She signed the book and the entire experience was trilling.

The second signing was Maeve Binchy.  She is the Irish author who wrote Circle of Friends which was made into movie. All her books are filled with wonderful characters.  She also came to Denver in 1998 to promote Tara Road.  During her talk she said she kept a notebook where she wrote down interesting names that helped her name characters, something I do as well.  When my turn came to get my book signed I told her I was an aspiring writer and also keep a book of names.  She asked my name and said she had a character in Circle of Friends named Heather (of course, I knew that because I read the book) and she made me promise that if I ever got published I would include her in the Acknowledgement.  I told her I would.  In my copy of Tara Road she wrote "Heather, I'll be waiting for your book! Maeve Binchy."

Sadly, Maeve Binchy passed away a few months ago at the age of 72.  She will be missed.  But she did leave us one last book to look forward to which will be released in February.  And if I ever get published Maeve Binchy, as well as Judy Blume, will most definitely be listed right there in the Acknowledgements. Until then, thank you Maeve & Judy!