I start every semester assuming that my students don’t like to read and don’t like to write. I figure it is good to have low expectations, that way they can only go up. Most semesters my students pleasantly surprise me with a smattering of interest in reading and rather average writing. However this semester I’ve seen outright anger at reading. I’ve had students say that reading is for those with nothing better to do with their time. That fiction reading is for those who lack true imagination. Ironically, while I was having these conversations with my students I found myself falling into the love pit with a book (“Twilight” see the review below). And all of this made me think about how I came to love books and why I so passionately love them.

My first true love was with “Alice in Wonderland”. I’m sure I had read other books up to this point but this was the first “grown-up” chapter book I remember reading. I loved Alice. I loved her logical approach to life and yet her willingness to go with the magical things that happened around her. Mainly, I remember the feeling of disappearing from the world. I eagerly jumped down the rabbit hole and I’ve never really returned.

After Alice, came thousands of adventures. I solved murder after murder with Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. I traveled into the future with Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury. I cried with Jane Erye and I fell in love with Elizabeth Bennett. Then a whole parade followed of Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Dickens, Wordsworth, Petrarch, Steinbeck, etc. I’ve spent endless hours with my nose stuck in a book and not once did I think I was wasting my time. Could I have found a more practical use for my time? Certainly, but never a better use of it.

People talk about drug addicts going on “binges” where they sit in a house somewhere and do drugs for 24-36 hours straight and nobody can find them. Although I have never done drugs that is the closest I can come to describe what it feels like to lose yourself in a book. Your reality disappears around you and the only world you really know is the one in that book. That is true escapism, it is the perfect drug. It is selfish, it is passionate, it is addictive, it is expensive.

When I finish reading a long, tasty, delicious book I emerge in a haze. The book world is somehow inextricably intertwined with mine and I’m left confused. Where does my world end and the other world begin? And like a drug addict it may take me a good 24 hours to “come down from my high”. When I reengage with the world around me I’m instantly looking for the next great book with which to fall in love. I could go on and on about the feeling of the pages in my hand, of the anticipation I feel in my stomach with each new page, the sound and look of the words on the page. It is glorious. It is the mark of a true bibliophile. My books are the security blanket that encircles me. Because for every problem, for every challenge, for every question I can find a book to meet it, to beat it, to make it seem common.

And now for the truth — I teach to support my habit. My book habit. My name is Beth and I’m a bibliophile.

Even though we live in Dallas, which is pretty far north, we get inquiries regarding our safety during hurricane season. As Ike approached we were told it would still be an official Tropical Storm or a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reached Dallas. This is pretty big news for us so we did what most normal Americans would do – nothing. Oh, I did pick up all the backyard toys and toss them into the garage so they wouldn’t blow away and I did casually ask David if he thought I should go buy water or something. He looked at me like I was crazy. And indeed the only part of Ike we got were light rain showers.

However, our family in east Texas didn’t fare so well. My in-laws were without power for three days and are still cleaning up the downed trees and debris in their yard and around their business. David’s aunt Mary, who lives in downtown Galveston (in a beautifully restored Victorian home), has not been able to return to her house yet. We are still waiting to hear if she has a house to go back to or not.

Thanks for all of your questions and concerns. We’re all good here. And you?

One of the professional hazards of being an English teacher is that people give you books. If you’re a doctor people always want to share their illnesses with you. As an English teacher people constantly start conversations with; “oh, have you read ‘so and so’ book? It was fabulous”. Yeah, don’t care. So, one of my students brought me a copy of “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer and insisted that I read it. Well, normally I wouldn’t have even bothered looking but my bloggy buddy, Jane, over at “What About Mom” had recently done a review and said it was good. Well, I trust Jane’s opinion – a BYU grad and fellow English major.

Well, I’m going to take the easy way out of this review by just linking to Jane’s review because it is much better than anything I could say.

However, I will add my two cents. Although I loved this book enough that I read all 600 pages in one day (yes, I have an addiction). I do have a couple of criticisms. First of all I didn’t think it was as well crafted as a “Harry Potter” or “Pride & Prejudice”. Although the story is interesting, a page-turner, intriguing the writing itself is rather bland. My second criticism is that I thought Bella’s eagerness to accept Edward as a vampire seemed unrealistic. I don’t know, it seems like a person would at least pause before accepting this fact. It seemed she was almost instantly okay with it. Similar to Jane’s comments I too felt it could have benefited from a better editor than whomever she has. I hated the Prologue and thought it was completely unnecessary and felt like an editor’s suggestion.

Having said that, I’m planning on buying the sequel this weekend and I expect my kids will once again be feeding themselves off of the food they find on the floor.

Part of the “What’s On Your Nightstand” Carnival.

This presidential campaign has been particularly distasteful to me. I suppose part of it is because I’m not all that excited about either candidate but part of it is all the voices I hear. With the blogosphere wide open and the ability for people to voice their opinions so easy my ears are bleeding. People’s political opinions really should be kept private. I’m saddened by the fact that half the blogs I normally read I no longer read because we differ in political views and they just can’t stop talking about it. I don’t mind that we have different views I just wish they’d stop reminding me every day. It’s kind of like having a big nose and your best friend telling you every day “you know you have a big nose?” After day three you really just want to scream “shut up about the big nose already!!” Somebody asked me the other day if I was a Republican or a Democrat. You know what I am? An American. I don’t choose parties. Never have and never will. Sometimes I agree with the Democrats and sometimes I agree with the Republicans but I never agree with both ALL THE TIME. I suspect that most Americans feel the same way and yet here we are arguing like the Hatfields and McCoys. Around November 7th we are all going to emerge from this political drunken stupor and like a bad night at the bar regret things that we said to each other.

Consider this a warning, a public service announcement, I warn you that when the urge to talk politics among your friends and family arises just walk away, keep your mouth shut. I wouldn’t want you to end up with that awkward tatoo on your bottom and feelings of regret and embarrassment come November.

Being married is all about compromise and learning to live with the other person’s idiosyncrasy. All the little things that you thought were cute when you were dating and that have slowly become bizarre behaviors that you cannot believe that person still continues to do. Over time these things follow a distinct cycle of ;”isn’t that precious that he does that?” to “I cannot believe he does that” to “well, that is just the way he is. I ignore him most of the time”.

I have a certain way I like to load the dishwasher. I know it makes no sense. I recognize that in the great scheme of life this is hardly an important issue. I also understand that it shows some sort of deep seeded compulsion that I would prefer not to acknowledge. David understands this and as a result hasn’t done the dishes in 8 years. I would LOVE for him to help me with the dishes but I have slowly trained him not to help because I inevitably go back and rearrange the dishwasher. Yesterday I was desperate. I had spent the entire weekend reading “Twilight” (which I will post about later) and I didn’t do any dishes for about 24-36 hours. I truly needed help. David happily stepped in and as he began to do the dishes and load the dishwasher we had the following conversation:

Me (quickly approaching the dishwasher to rearrange as he went)
David: STOP!! BACK OFF!!
Me: I’m just….
David: BACK OFF WOMAN! I’m doing some unconventional things here that I don’t think you would agree with.
Me: (nervously) okay, but if you are thinking of putting my new pots in the dishwasher please don’t. I’ll just hand wash them later.
David: Why? They ARE dishwasher safe
Me: Well, they say that, but I just don’t think they hold up as well after being in the dishwasher. (In a very anxious voice) Really, don’t worry about it I’ll wash them.
David: STAND DOWN WOMAN! I WILL LOAD THE DISHWASHER.

He did load the dishwasher. I had no defense. He was right. My compulsion over the dishwasher is absurd and I know it. He’s helping me why should I care? And yet, later that evening when I put the kids dishes from dinner in the dishwasher I guiltily rearranged the dishes.

David needed some cupcakes for work the other day. He said they needed to be “gross” looking but not gross tasting. Well, we scoured the Interweb and I found this great recipe from Kraft Kitchens (one of my favorite resources for last minute recipe ideas) and came up with these darlings. They were very easy to make and looked cute. With Halloween around the corner these seem like they might be a good idea. You can find the recipe HERE:

I’ve written here before about David teaching the kids Photoshop. It’s great that the kids are learning a trade so early in their lives. David and I will never need to worry about our future. Well, during the most recent Photoshop tutorial the kids discovered another training that they might want to start. I’d like to introduce you to the young Jedi Padawan learners Lucy & Max:

brought to you by blog o’ beth

#10 It’s nice to have someone who thinks all your jokes are funny – even when you aren’t making one

#9 You no longer look like a weirdo when you talk to yourself in the grocery store. Everybody thinks you are just mumbling to your kids

#8 No more questions about your clothing choices. Everybody assumes you are too tired or too busy to care about fashion

#7 Tax Deduction, Tax Deduction, Tax Deduction

#6 No more need to justify why you own three video game systems, a gameboy, and an entire collection of Star Wars action figures.

#5 Once again you can dress up for Halloween for absolutely no reason.

#4 The opportunity to secretly whisper your Christmas wish to Santa Claus – just in case

#3 A standing ovation every time you return home from doing anything — even if you just ran to the gas station

#2 Getting the opportunity to experience life all over again from a fresh beginning

#1 Little kisses from little lips that are wet, sticky and filled with an unabashed love of YOU.