Waiting for snow
Jan. 22nd, 2005 09:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
charliesmumWe're supposed to be getting The Big Snowstorm starting sometime this morning. Unfortunately I really needed to go to the grocery store last night, having run out of things that I really needed, so I was forced to endure the hordes of people who, when told of snow, have the irresistable need to go buy loaves of bread, eggs and milk based on some collective memory, I suppose, of not being to get out of one's house during the winter months, or something. It's amusing, really. The bread shelves were empty and it took me over 1/2 to get deli food.
We live in an old house with hardwood floors, and not being the world's greatest housekeeper by any stretch of the imagination, I probably don't care for the floors as well as I should. Last night I was running around in my socks getting Charlie ready for bed and somehome managed to get a 3 inch splinter of oak in my foot. Seriously. It was huge. It took my husband, bless his soul, a really long time to pull the thing out. It bloody hurt. Now my foot is all sore. Whine whine.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
junediamanti had a neat meme thing on her lj - recommend 10 books and say why. Kind of like bookyoucrew without the pretentious snobbery and snide remarks. Illusions, by Richard Bach I may have outgrown him as I got older, but I've always liked his philosophy - it's very Buddhist, really, which is probably why I like Buddhism so much. I first read this book as a Freshman in High School, and it really changed my life. One of my favorite quotes from it is this Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.
Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand If you can get past the very many tedious sections in this book, where she basically reiterates what she just spent several chapters telling you, you will find a fascinating idology. I don't agree with her 100% but she did change my thinking somewhat, made me slightly more pragmatic. It's an interesting story, too.
We the Living, by Ayn Rand Yeah, I went though this whole Ayn Rand phase. This is a good book because it really gives a first hand view of life in Russia after the Communists took over. Sad ending, but interesting.
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens Okay, maybe not quite so philosophical, but it is a brilliantly crafted story, the last one he ever completed. The thing I truly admire about this story, though, is he created a Jewish character who was a good man, in response to a letter he'd gotten from a Jewish woman who told him that he wasn't doing any favours for the Jewish people with his Fagin. She pointed out that people are too ready to believe the worst, and characters like Fagin just fuel the fire. In OMF he had his Jewish character point out to the reader that in all races there are good people and bad people, but with Jews, people are too willing to point to the worst people in the Jewish religion and say they are the best. It is a very good speech.
Happiness in Exile by HH the Dalai Lama This is the book that got me totally into Buddhism. He speaks so matter-of-factly, and has a great sense of humour. Plus, let's face it, he had a very interesting life.
I have to stop now, because Charlie is having a meltdown. His cordless controller isn't working for some reason and he's Not Happy. More later.
We live in an old house with hardwood floors, and not being the world's greatest housekeeper by any stretch of the imagination, I probably don't care for the floors as well as I should. Last night I was running around in my socks getting Charlie ready for bed and somehome managed to get a 3 inch splinter of oak in my foot. Seriously. It was huge. It took my husband, bless his soul, a really long time to pull the thing out. It bloody hurt. Now my foot is all sore. Whine whine.
junediamanti had a neat meme thing on her lj - recommend 10 books and say why. Kind of like bookyoucrew without the pretentious snobbery and snide remarks. Illusions, by Richard Bach I may have outgrown him as I got older, but I've always liked his philosophy - it's very Buddhist, really, which is probably why I like Buddhism so much. I first read this book as a Freshman in High School, and it really changed my life. One of my favorite quotes from it is this Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand If you can get past the very many tedious sections in this book, where she basically reiterates what she just spent several chapters telling you, you will find a fascinating idology. I don't agree with her 100% but she did change my thinking somewhat, made me slightly more pragmatic. It's an interesting story, too.
We the Living, by Ayn Rand Yeah, I went though this whole Ayn Rand phase. This is a good book because it really gives a first hand view of life in Russia after the Communists took over. Sad ending, but interesting.
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens Okay, maybe not quite so philosophical, but it is a brilliantly crafted story, the last one he ever completed. The thing I truly admire about this story, though, is he created a Jewish character who was a good man, in response to a letter he'd gotten from a Jewish woman who told him that he wasn't doing any favours for the Jewish people with his Fagin. She pointed out that people are too ready to believe the worst, and characters like Fagin just fuel the fire. In OMF he had his Jewish character point out to the reader that in all races there are good people and bad people, but with Jews, people are too willing to point to the worst people in the Jewish religion and say they are the best. It is a very good speech.
Happiness in Exile by HH the Dalai Lama This is the book that got me totally into Buddhism. He speaks so matter-of-factly, and has a great sense of humour. Plus, let's face it, he had a very interesting life.
I have to stop now, because Charlie is having a meltdown. His cordless controller isn't working for some reason and he's Not Happy. More later.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2005-01-22 03:06 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2005-01-22 06:03 pm (UTC)Happiness in Exile is a good place to start because it isn't about Buddhism so much as it is about him. :)
no subject
on 2005-01-22 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2005-01-22 06:04 pm (UTC)I thought of you this morning because I had a dream last night with Locke in it. Weird, huh?
no subject
on 2005-01-22 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2005-01-22 03:10 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2005-01-22 06:04 pm (UTC)Did you adopt that grey cat?
no subject
on 2005-01-22 03:38 pm (UTC)Funny how everyone goes all frantic like that.
no subject
on 2005-01-22 04:27 pm (UTC)Oh that had to hurt. Brrr.
Yowch.
no subject
on 2005-01-22 06:23 pm (UTC)Yeah.. we got "big snow" here too. -_- And I wanted to go get my dvd that just came in.
no subject
on 2005-01-23 12:15 pm (UTC)I have two of his books and one by his mother. I started "The Art of Happiness" but I got sidetracked and never finished it.