Stop Answering My Questions!

My husband is very sneaky. He doesn't look like he is. You wouldn't think it if you met him. But he is ever so patient and he plots.

My husband is also a reader like me. He doesn't naturally gravitate towards a wide range of genres as I do, but he reads as voraciously. It is in fact, one of the very first things that drew me to him. He owned a book I wanted. But that is another story.

My husband reads fantasy first and foremost. We pooled our collections when we married and there are still series's from his collection that I haven't read. One in particular was the Wheel of Time series. Why wouldn't I read it? I don't honestly know. Maybe because it was so big and daunting. Maybe because it is popular. Maybe just because he wanted me to. (I can be ridiculously perverse.) I do know that I had tried 3 times before and while I have never had a problem breaking into a fantasy series before (I read fantasy first and foremost also) I just could not crack the introduction of The Eye of the World.

This did not bother me. Not even with the lure of a local author (whom I love and have read most of his work) taking over the completion of the series would I budge on this issue. (I said perverse and I meant it.)

Back to the sneaky husband. We were on a car trip returning from my parents' home in northern California and I needed to drive. It was late and dark and I required something to listen to in order to stay awake. (I did not want to resort to caffeine because it would keep my nursing baby awake!) I had listened previously on this trip to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, probably my favorite HP, and wanted to resume. Unfortunately, Dear Husband claimed that he couldn't return to my place because of...yaddah yaddah...phone malfunction. I would have to listen to the whole book over - and I was to the point to all the messy time travel!! (Was he lying? I don't know.)

"But here!" he said, "I have The Eye of the World."

"Grumble grumble....No!"

Three minutes later, "Okay fine."

And I was trying to understand the introduction for the fourth time. And the fourth time was a charm. Probably because it was being shoved down my throat and I wasn't allowed to stumble over names or phrases I didn't understand. Probably because when it is professionally read out loud, the story shines through and no micro-reading takes place.

By the time we stopped for the night I was all the way to the trolloc attack (which is very scary in the middle of the black desert!) and was hooked.

Sneaky husband.

Over the next week as I finished the first gargantuan book I made several more token complaints.

"These books are so big and there are so many, it will be forever before anything actually happens and any of my questions are answered!"

"No," he says, "They're big because SO MANY things happen.

"I don't like this Egwene person very much and she obviously gonna end up with Rand and I don't like it. I don't want to read any more!"

"No," he says, "You'll be happy with how it goes.

"A lot of these people are brats. Why am I reading about brats? And Moiraine has a serious Allanon complex!"

"One of the best things about this series," he says, "Is how much character development there is."

"Is there ever gonna be any romance? I can see two of these people should get together but I think they are both too stubborn!"

"One of the reasons I've wanted you to read them," he says, "Is because of all the romance. You'll especially like book 3."

And later, while on a date with Dear Husband, we were discussing the books and I was asking rhetorical questions. Occasionally he answered my questions thus revealing plot points and in frustration I banged the table with my first and said, much too loudly for a restaurant, "Why are you answering my questions! I'm not asking questions for you to answer them!!" I was loud enough to get the attention of the waiter guy (alright, I might have yelled a little) who bothered me the rest of the night, asked me questions, and was severely disappointed that my questions weren't 'personal.' Ack!

This has been an emotional ride.

I am now half way through book 3. Would I consider stopping now? He** No! But I also haven't hit the promised romance yet! :P

*Please tell me if any of you understand my Allanon allusion....

My Holy Grail...from a Used Bookstore Perspective

Aren't they beautiful!! Old and worn AND shiny and classic. Ahhhh. I want them all!

Welcome to Cal's Books in Redding, CA. I shopped here whenever I could a get ride when I was in high school. Things have changed a little since then. The place was bought from its hippie owner (No disrespect intended. I totally liked the guy.) and the hazy back room of 'herbs' and such has disappeared. Now it appears to be some sort of alternative religious section. And the Fantasy section has doubled. And they now play catchy jazz music - like suddenly-find-yourself-bopping-along-while-scanning-book-titles catchy. Fabulous. Otherwise, everything is still the same.

(The Fantasy/SciFi section. Well, 1/3 of it.)

These two pictures don't quite capture this complete section of the store. I tried. And this section is only 1/3 of the store. This place is the BOMB! You can find everything here - from old national geographics (like I needed for a school project), YA (drool), political, romance (a massive section), maps, music, cookbooks, classics, to really old stuff. I used to bring in bags of books for credit to buy new ones. Maybe next trip we will plan well enough to bring out the stuff we don't want for trade.

Scott and I had a blast. We only wished we had a hours instead of minutes!!

How I Know...

...these are my children:

• They cleaned the house for a promised trip to the library.
  

• When we asked Kyra if she knew where Daddy's spine was, she said, "Of course!" and drew a line from his armpit to his hip. ?? On the side, like a book.
• Xander will get ready for bedtime in record time (while off his meds) for a single page from Septimus Heap.
• Jadyn decided she wanted her allowance paid in books.
• Kyra has been as excited as I've ever seen her about the Kindergarten take home books, and she can't read yet!
• When I told Xander how I have a whole library filled with adventure stories like Septimus Heap, he replied, "I know, Mom." In that insufferable voice.
• Jadyn told Santa to surprise her. Santa brought books. Jadyn said it was just what she wanted.
• Aspen has been reading Fifteen Animals by Sandra Boynton out loud to everyone for days.
  

Tagged...Why Not?

For you Brandy:

Five Things I Don't Leave the House Without

1. Life

2. Keys

3. Shoes

4. Baby

5. Diapers

Five Cartoons I Watched When I Was Younger

1. Ghostbusters
2. Ewoks
3. Care Bears
4. Muppet Babies
5. Rainbow Bright

Five Things That Terrify Me

1. Worms

2. Car accidents

3. The Government

4. Pregnancy

5. Child predators

Five Things I Hate/Dislike That Everyone Else Seems to Like

1. Mayonnaise

2. Cherries

3. Dogs (especially punt dogs)

4. Being startled

5. Dresses/skirts

Five Things I Want to do Before I Die

1. Write a novel

2. Get published
3. Travel

4. Be an amazing Grandma

5. Go on a mission with my husband

Reading Recaps

Ever not blog in so long that you're embarrassed to post again? Yeah, me neither. :)

Books for April:
(Which turned out to be as bad as The Month of Upheaval. Perhaps for the frantic last minute preparation. Perhaps from the misery. Whatever.)

1. Fablehaven: The Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull
   
2. Fablehaven: The Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull
3. Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull
4. In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms by Laura Schlessinger
5. Revenge of the Cheerleaders by Janette Rallison
6. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Books for May:

1. My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
2. Dave Barry is Not Taking This Sitting Down by Dave Barry
3. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
4. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
5. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
6. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
7. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
8. Searching for Dragons by Patrician Wrede
9. Princess Ben by Catherine Murdock
10. Calling on Dragons by Patrician Wrede

Now to put up a post that requires thought and effort...

March Reading

Books I read during the Month of Upheaval otherwise known as March:

1. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
2. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings
3. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
4. It's a Mall World After All by Janette Ralliston
5. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
6. Loser's Guide to Life and Love by A. E. Cannon
7. Fablehaven: The Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull
8. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid

Weekly Geeks 2009-10 Bad Movies

Worst movie adaptations: The recent release of Watchmen based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore got me thinking about what I thought were the worst movie adaptations of books. What book or books did a director or directors completely ruin in the adaptation(s) that you wish you could "unsee," and why in your opinion, what made it or them so bad in contrast to the book or books?

I tend to remember the good ones and dismiss the bad, but a few popped into my head. The first was the third installment of the Anne of Green Gables movies. I didn't watch the whole thing, but I didn't need to. It had a bunch of crap about Anne and Gilbert living at Green Gables and Gilbert getting lost at war. It had nothing to do with any of the books. It just stole the characters. Seeing as it didn't follow any book, I don't see how a "movie adaptation" could get worse.

The second bad movie I thought of was The Black Cauldron by Disney. This one did attempt to associate with a book, but it was pathetic. Not only was it very different, but it was way too scary for the intended audience. I don't remember too many details because I saw it a long time ago and immediately banned it from my house. Go read the Prydain Chronicles if you haven't, and stay away from the animated movie!

My World

As I was getting out of the car to go into the store this morning, I looked over at the beautiful pile of books on the passenger seat. I had just borrowed them from a friend and had placed them in the cleanest and most secure spot in the car. Now I was suddenly nervous. I couldn't leave such tempting things right in the front seat! Someone would surely see them and break into my car. (This is not an idle worry for me - my father's, brother's, and husband's cars have all been broken into.) I didn't want to move the books to the floor or the backseat where they could get dirty or stepped on. Then I spied the solution! I pulled a blanket from the back and covered them up. Good enough. I pulled the little girls out and waddled into the store.

On the way it occurred to me that books might not be a huge draw for car thieves. Quite likely they look for purses, stereos, and things that will fetch a price. Hmmm. Well, all you book readers should be glad I'm not a car thief, because in my world books on the front seat would be a terrible temptation.

February Recap

Here are the books I read in February:

1. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
2. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
3. Laura Ingalls Wilder Country by William Anderson
4. On the Way Home by Laura Ingalls Wilders
5. Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
7. A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
8. Blue Willow by Doris Gates
9. Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass
10. West From Home by Laura Ingalls Wilder
    
11. With A Single Spell by Lawrence Watt-Evans
12. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Favorites for the Month:

1. Elantris
   
2. Twisted
3. Every Soul a Star
4. Hitler Youth

Weekly Geeks 2009-08: Rewind - Political & Social Issues

Here is how to play:

1. Choose a political or social issue that matters to you. If you were a Weekly Geek last May and already did this theme, pick a different theme than the one you did at that time.

2. Educate readers about your topic by telling us a little about it and any involvement you've had in this issue.

3. Find books addressing your issue; they do not necessarily have to be books you’ve read. They can be non fiction, fiction, poetry, etc...Give a little synopsis of the book or a link to the description.

4. Use images which you feel illustrate your topic.

I seriously considered not doing anything this week since I have strong and not mainstream political views which I tend to avoid on my blogs. But I came up with a "social" issue!

ADHD

I have a son with ADHD who is on medication and I will readily announce it from the rooftops. It is nothing to hide or be ashamed of. My son knows what is "wrong" with him, he swallows his pills like a little man, and is learning that self-control is something you work on every moment of the day. (Something many adults have yet to accept.)

I know this approach is far from normal, and before my experiences I bought into the media frenzy that ADHD was over diagnosed and exaggerated. I know that many people, from celebrities to talk-show hosts, will deny the existence of ADHD entirely. And I will stand up to any of them (all 5'3" of me while I shake from the confrontation which I hate) and fight it out. ADHD is real.

ADHD is the impaired executive fuctioning skills related to abnormal dopamine levels in the frontal lobe of the brain with well-documented diagnostic and treatment guidelines. ADHD has been recognized as an impairing disorder by: US Department of Education, National Institutes of Health, US Congress, US Cneters of Disease Control and Prevention, US Surgeon General, and all major medical, psychiatric, psychological and educational associations. And then there is the appeal to logic - if we acknowledge the existence of such conditions as down syndrome or severe autism all the way down to seasonal depression, there is obviously room for other mental disorders in between.

It would be hard to accurately describe life with my son before his diagnosis: how I thought I was going crazy and it was all my fault since everyone else seemed to be doing just fine with their children, the pain from watching him alienate all potential friends, living moment by moment repairing the drastic and often disgusting damage to our home, and even saving his life from his own hyperactivity and impulsivity. The understanding I have now brings such peace to our home and has changed the outlook for my son's life.

While searching out education opportunities, I found the wonderful organization of CHADD - Children and Adults with Attnetion-Feficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. This is an international organization with local chapters for easy access. I was able to find a seven week course to take in just the next city over. It changed my life! This is a picture of the course manual. The course went through everything from diagnosis and medical intervention to education laws and behavior strategies. I'll never forget the slide that read, "We MUST see the individual as IN trouble, not the CAUSE of trouble." After learning what was really going on in his brain and what the "evil medication" was really doing, all my fears evaporated. Medicine was the right decision for my son and he has blossomed at home and at school because of it. It gives him a few more moments to think before he acts.

His ADHD is an explanation, NOT an excuse. He will have to learn to control himself and function in society. But he WILL. Being open with him about his own disability is the first step. He knows he has to work harder on the things that come so easy to most people. He knows I am here to help and support. He knows his meds help him. He know he can do it because God made him this way because God knew he could do it.

Is our path with ADHD smooth now? Of course not. We have daily struggles with getting his shoes on, behaving in school, and adjusting his meds according to his growing/changing metabolism. But life is 100% better. Are there ever cases of misdiagnosis by, among other things, parents who don't discipline their children? Of course. The occurence just isn't as common as the media argues. I know from experience - from HOURS and DAYS of tests and questionaires and interviews - that diagnosises are NOT just handed out.

I googled ADHD images and quit pretty quick since the first few pages contained only comics negating ADHD. I have not read many books outside of my manual, but Amazon turned up 12,365 results. Here are a few that looked fun to me:

ADHD & Me: What I Learned from Lighting Fires at the Dinner Table by Blake E. S. Taylor and Lara, Ph.D. Honos-Webb

How To Reach And Teach Children with ADD/ADHD: Practical Techniques, Strategies, and Interventions by Sandra F. Rief M.A.

Learning To Slow Down & Pay Attention: A Book for Kids About Adhd by Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ellen B. Dixon, and Charles Beyl

But the second option on Amazon was, Dr. Bob's Guide to Stop ADHD in 18 Days by Robert DeMaria. *Sigh* ADHD isn't curable. This book would only help for one of those misdiagnosed cases. It does make me wonder what would happen if the media decided to dismiss depression, post-partum, or autism.... Would everyone just take it and start shoving their real problems under the bed?

Well, my 7 year old boy is as beautiful, inelligent, loving, and fun as any boy you'll ever meet. And he has ADHD. And I'm so proud of him.