Books I have read recently

  • Shirley by Charlotte Bronte — I'm reading a giant biography of the Brontes "Wild Genius on the Moors" By Juliet Barker (amazing!! but I'll post on that when I finish) So I'm reading each novel as it's discussed in the book. I loved Shirley. I have to agree with the critics that it is a slow painful start and it does take about 150 pages till we meet the title character Shirley. But besides that, it is so well written. Caroline Helstone’s angst is beautiful and poignant. And knowing that the last third of the book was written after Emily & Anne died explains so much about the change in the book. Charlotte likes to fix her world by writing about it and in her version the sick heroine recovers where her sisters did not. I definitely recommend Shirley for the Bronte fan. Don’t skip it.
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas --- It took me a couple chapters to really dive in but after that I was in love. I had read somewhere that it was based on Beauty & the Beast, which is great. What I did not know is that it is a retelling of one of my favorite fairytales: East of the Sun, West of the Moon!!! What a treat when I discovered that. I love that story. It's whimsical and the girl saves the day which I love love love. Sarah does a beautiful job of it and I can't wait for the next one!!
  • Miss Buncle’s Book by D. E. Stevenson —What a little treat. My mom gave these books to me for my birthday and there are so much fun. It’s a light easy read and it made me chuckle.
  • Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder— I adore her soul finder books. I’ve been reading them for years. She builds beautiful strong women and sweeping romance. Her magic system is unique and I want to live in her world.
  • The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E. B. White — A must read for every writer. Thanks to Stephen King for the recommendation. It has all those little things that I had questions about and answered them quickly and succinctly. It’s not the funnest read but it’s helpful.
  • Click of Titles to go to the book's Amazon page

Sunday, October 30, 2011

What occupies my mind while you are drilling Part 2

So ages ago, when my blog was just a new baby back in 2007, I wrote about the things that come to my mind when I'm in pain or discomfort.
What occupies my mind while you are drilling

So anyway, I have an addendum to that. When I am in pain or discomfort all thoughts leak out of my head in a rush. There is suddenly nothing in my mind but me and the pain. I am pulling at tendrils of memory. Please, something, anything to distract me. And eventually I find something. It is always the most bizarre things. Like in the past post where all I could think of was 1 Corinthians 13. I would repeat it over and over until the procedure was done and all the infection was scooped out of my wisdom tooth socket. Now that's a good thing to repeat over and over... But most of the time it's absolutely stupid things.

These are other things I quote to myself in times of turmoil.
1.Hope is the thing with feather by Emily Dickinson This poem has always meant a lot to me. I have a Pandora charm of a bird just from it. God always leaves a remnant of hope.
2.The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus The quote on the Statue of Liberty (funny as it is that I know that) I know you probably aren't surprised. "Megan the 'sensitive' middle child always liked 'poems' you say. Why did you put poems in quotation? You uncultured last born!
3. "I love you always forever, near and far closer together. Everywhere I will be with you... "(You know the song lol )
4. Jane Eyre Chapter 27. You may recall I have a obsessive fascination with this chapter. I can almost quote all of it now. Helpful in times like these. And this one most certainly falls in the category of "ridiculous". It's the saddest chapter in the book. Like how New Moon is my fav. twilight book. Before you argue that Breaking Dawn is the best, it's not. Jacob is all like "Yeah I know your child was just born but she's mine, Bella" Ugh! That makes me so mad!
5.Musicals (Les Miserables & Wicked) Thank you God for musicals.They take the most time to recite and I know them best.

So what are these awful times when I must divert myself with the written arts?
1. Dental Work (Yeah yeah I get the irony)
2. MRI (really as not fun as you think it is) I'm surprised I didn't blog about the whole experience... maybe another time.
3. Giving blood (I am a super baby)
4, Massages

"Oh you poor thing" you say sarcastically. "What a tough life you have that massages are on your list of 'awful times' ".
Oh my friend you have no idea.

So I'll back up a little bit.
Migraines>Me
Remember the intimate connection, we are like the octopus boy on "My Shocking Story" on TLC. He has eight limbs. The extra four are from his dead twin he absorbed. Gross Huh? so that's me and my migraines. Now that I finish writing it, it doesn't really make sense.
No, I've got it. Migraines and I are like tree man from "My Shocking Story" on TLC. He's got all these growths on his body that make him look like a tree. (They are really warts) So anyways the documentary follows him on his journey where a fancy American doctor is all like "I can fix this poor Indian man. He'll be as right as rain." End of story... they grow back. It's really sad.
Yeah we are more like tree man. And I may watch a little too much TLC but you watched "My Big Fat Gypsy Weddings" Right? So awesome
okay so massages seemed like a really great idea. I'm sure some "fancy American doctor" told me to do it. I can't recall ever subjecting myself purposefully to such intense pain.
Apparently, I'm like the guy who comes into my office and hasn't had his teeth cleaned in 5o years. The kind of patient that makes me sweat and scowl and say "bloody" in my head.
That's the kind of massage patient I am. My massage therapist feels really bad but like me she knows she has to get it out and fix it or I'll never feel better. So by the end of our first appointment she's got me lamaze breathing as she "squeezes toothpaste out of my neck". She made up the analogy not me. So to keep myself from shaking or pushing her off I try to occupy my mind with distraction, like those in the beginning of the post.
And I've been back like 6 times in the past two months. I'm sad to say the data does not agree with the fancy American doctor.
So there update #1
I've got a couple more coming.


3 comments:

Britt Watt said...

hahaha "uncultured last born" hmm you sure there's no little tendrils of resentment left in your big migraine brain? haha

The tree man was so sad.... I didn't know they grew back. Do I have that?!? Probably

Mae is really good at massages. Sometimes she will grab your hair but I'm pretty sure it's not on purpose!

Megan Erin Allen said...

haha just calling it like it is ;)
Yeah they came back isn't that awful.
Mae is good at everything. She's going to be more like Harrison than either of us.

Candace said...

I agree with you on the Twilight thing... it's better just to completely skip over any line containing the name Jacob. Blah!