Friendship

Friendship is a funny thing. I read an article that mentions friends are around for certain parts of our lives when they are needed. Some friends come and go and some friends have those certain characteristics that make them lifers. I have been friends with a particular woman for six/seven years and we know practically everything about each other but I find myself wondering lately if our friendship time is up, that it is time for us to move on. I have had my fare share of friendships that ended for one reason or another but I am having a hard time letting this one go. We have been through quite a bit together and she is one of the few people that has been there no matter what through some nasty things but . . . she has also turned and walked a way from me on a few occasions. I am told that I am a loyalist, maybe too much. Without airing things all over the place we have both made mistakes, heck, last week I wasn't a big enough person to allow certain things to roll off my back and I walked out of her "open house." I thanked her for inviting us and then told her that we had to go. We haven't spoke since. I owe her an apology, I know that, and I will give it, but once the apology is said there will be an awkward silence between an explanation and acceptance. The hard thing about this is that somewhere between the explanation and conversation I will feel like I am turning my wheels, like I am not really being listened to and at some point we are going to this whole dance again. I am old enough to have learned to admit my hand in certain things but there isn't a mutual return. I am a firm believer in accepting people just as they are for who they are but with that said there is always room for acceptance of pet peeves, acknowledgement of our wrongs, and maybe an attempt to grow. I will get there.  

The Amazing Spider-Man

Having boys I have to admit I am a little super heroed (I know, it;s not really a word) out. For a second time in a week I am surprised at one of the newest super hero movies. The latest super man, I think, will divide people. There will be people attending the movie as loyal super man fans, those who are attending out of curiosity, and those who are going because someone else wants to go and they are being supportive. This is where the divide will begin. This Spider-Man does not follow the pre-designed plot created by the comic books. The creator of this Spider-Man took creative liberties to change a few things while still hanging on to some key ideas and concepts. The actors along with the a few changed elements make the story more human, and dare I say, even more relatable.  Andrew Garfield who plays Spider-Man is less awkward in his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man which allows for a more believable character. Emma Stone as always does a wonderful job as Gwen, you can definitely relate to those awkward high school moments and the right versus wrong. I would give this movie three out of five spiders.

Every Breath You Take

My latest book is (was) Every Breath You Take by Judith McNaught. I haven't read anything by this author before and if it hadn't been for a bag of books given to me by my grandmother I probably wouldn't have. With that being said, it is a typical love story with the complications intertwined. It is very different from the books I have been reading lately and enjoyed the change of pace. The words flow easily and the book is written well. The book is easy to follow with many different plots intertwined between two people. I enjoyed it as a easy light read with the romance that many woman readers enjoy. It reminded me of another book that I have read before, although for the life of me I can't remember the title. I would give it three books out of five. It was a good read but it won't make it onto my shelf as a keeper for future re-reads.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

So, it's confession time. After I saw the last Batman with Christian Bale and Heath Ledger I swore I wouldn't go to another Batman while Christian Bale played the part of Bruce Wayne. The reason being that there is something about his deep scratchy Batman voice that does just that, scratch at my nerves. Christian Bale himself is a good actor but as Batman I could care less. I have to admit though, Ann Hathaway (who is one of my favorite actresses, of many) playing cat woman intrigued me. Combine that with the fact that I have two boys who are still in the idolize super heroes stage I sucked it up and told them I would preview the movie first because of the rating and the darkness of the first movie. Depending on how the movie seemed I would then allow or not allow them to see the movie. I am about to admit that I was surprised, in a good way. The Dark Knight Rises was a pleasant surprise. As a viewer you saw more of the "people", than necessarily the "part they play." The movie focused more on the story and the why of what was happening instead of just dark imbalances brought on by people who were terribly done wrong. Don't get me wrong, this is Batman we are talking about so there is  definitely the bad guy who was wronged that has to get even, and the bad guys who need a leader, but the story has a more human side to it which I greatly enjoyed. I feel like the movie was done well and each character was excellent. Let me just say, I would not want to run into Bane in a dark ally (Tom Hardy does a great job), that's for sure. I know there are people who see the movie because they are loyal Batman followers, for those who are not and are just going to appease a friend, family member, loved one, or just need something to do I think they will find themselves pleasantly surprised.

Lights Out

My most recent book, just finished last night actually, is Lights Out by David Crawford. Another book that caught my eye while at the library and glad that it did. The book is wonderfully written in a fashion that you can't help but wonder what happens next. From the first paragraph your attention is grasped and held right up until the very end. The book discusses a topic that is at the heart of who we are, the possibilities of what we become in the face of adversity, and how hard it is to hang onto our ideals while changing them to fit our current situations. For some readers who do not care for violence it maybe difficult at points but given the basis the book is written on it wouldn't be a book with out it. As a person who tends to put emphasis on the ending, I can say that I wasn't disappointed, in the slightest. I will be waiting with many others to to read David Crawford's next book Lost and Found.

Books

I love books! I love to read! I tend not to be too picky about the age group or topic. Having kids of my own I read what they read, read what I read, and try to read what is suggested. So, I decided with as much as I read, and as much as I wonder about whether or not a book is good or not I will write about each book I read. With that being said I am a little behind . . . I have two for today.

First thing is first . . .  I have to say, I tend to love Jodi Picoult books. I love the way her writing is fluid, easy to follow, and easy to read. She takes books written with tough moralistic dilemma's and writes them well. Each character is easy to relate to, her books always make a movie in my head and I love it. With that being said curiosity itself drew me to read her newest book Between the lines. The book is co-written with her daughter and is done so seamlessly. Yes the book is considered a tween book, but it is still written in that easy to read Picoult style. Who hasn't had the feeling that they are meant for something more, more than what they are doing or going through at this moment can be all there is to their life? Between the Lines addresses these thoughts in a way that tweens, who am I kidding, anyone, can relate to. The ending was an ending, it fit the story, but I found myself wanting more. I am sure there will be many readers out there that will disagree. The other wonderful thing about this book was the wonderfully drawn illustrations. They were a beautiful and welcomed change.

The second book is written by Anna Davis and is titled The Shoe Queen. This is the first time I have read anything from this author and it caught my eye while in the library. The basis of the book is a woman in 1920's Paris, married but never having ever really been in love, and as the title indicates has a  passion for shoes. As you read it is easy to see the pictures develop in your head do to the wonderful use of descriptive and visual words. The story itself is easy to read. There are so many dynamics to the book that you are left unsure of which characters you are pulling for.

Decisions, Decisions

Life is full of decisions. Some larger than others. I decided to go back to school for my masters, six months later than I had planned. I scoured the internet for the right program, a program that I could participate in online, and after setting my sights on a university that required a GRE score I settled in and began studying.  I have my own difficulties with certain aspects of the GRE. I can understand certain schools wanting to uphold a best of the best face but, as argued by educators across the country, how does one test show someone what kind of student I will be, show whether or not I can learn, show that I have all the right stuff. The answer is, it can't. As I struggle to continue to study for the GRE, specifically the math portion, I find myself wondering why I am not looking for a school that will look at my proven academic record, my proven skills, instead of what a piece of paper from an exam designed to push someone to their mental limits says about me. I am by no means an unintelligent person but looking at this test I see my limits, my boundaries. Yes, it is good to push our boundaries, but sometimes our strength comes from knowing what we are and are not capable of. I graduated from my bachelors program with a 3.6, it's not a 4.0, but you know what, it is still pretty darn good. My focus I find is changing. Some people, most people laughed, and had there fair share of jokes about where I chose to obtain my bachelors but I worked had for it, extremely hard. Believe me, the 3.6 did not come easy. Thinking back on this I wonder is this GRE and elite school really that important to me? The more I think about it I learn towards no, what is important is that I continue to educate myself. I think that sometimes being the best of the best is knowing when to hold'em and when to fold 'em.