What I Read for Book Club

I read two coming of age books this month...

This first was this month's book club selection, The Red Tent.

Although inspired by a tiny mention of Dinah in the Old Testament, you don't have to be a Bible scholar to enjoy this pick. In fact, it's probably better that you aren't...

It's a fictional account of Biblical characters and events told from the point of view of a woman and can be summarized in one word: CHILDBIRTH...

Maybe three: Menstruation, sex and childbirth. Each is repeatedly described in all manner of detail that by the first few chapters, I was over it. DONE! We get it! Men are pigs. Women are competitive and petty. Childbirth suck. Yea, Girl Power!

I kept reading anyway, but only because there was NOTHING else to do at my in-laws house. (Well, except for watching the grass grow.) There were some compelling parts, but in the end...was not worth it.


The next book was The Teahouse Fire, which starts in a frenzy, but quickly slows down as the main character (and the reader) tries to understand the new world around her.

Brought to Japan by her missionary uncle at the turn of the century, nine-year-old Aurelia finds herself orphaned in this strange, weird place after a fire. (NOT the one of the title) She is taken in by the Shin family, masters of the ancient and honored tea ceremony, and befriends the teenage daughter, Yukako.

From there, the daily life, rituals, and customs of 19th century Japan take precendce as each is described in such fascinating detail as seen through the eyes of a young foreigner. Just as Aurelia, renamed Urake, is beginning to grasp the mysterious world around her, pressure to westernize and modernize threatens to destroy it.

I won't lie to you. It's a rather sleepy read... and DENSE. I would have given up on it much sooner than I did, expect that my husband (once an East Asian Languages and Culture major) could give me insight into the history, language, and customs mentioned in the book. Frankly, I like that it gave us something to talk about other than "what to eat for dinner" and the baby...

If you're interested in learning about the intricacies of Japanese culture, I recommend that you lose yourself in this book.

What I Read for Book Club

When I saw that this is what we would be reading for book club I was in disbelief! I thought the library had made some sort of mistake.

This can't be the book we're reading... can it?

I mean check out this cover... It has sappy romance novel written all over it. It was a romance novel, but not at all sappy and not at all what you would expect. First of all, it was a Christian romance novel.

I once had a roommate who kept a very prolific collection of trashy romance novels and would frequently make me read excepts and chapters out loud. While it was good for a laugh, I never really got into the whole "romance novel thing". I just didn't see the point. She, on the other hand, didn't understand what I saw in Emma, so to each her own...

Oh, and the idea of a Christian romance novel... How would that even work?

It's not a book I would have chosen to read on my own, because, yes I do judge books by their cover. Giving in to peer pressure (in this case, "my book club made me do it"), I read it anyway and was glad I did...

I could not put it down! I hadn't stayed up all night to finish a book since I read Gone With the Wind and its lesser sequel, Scarlett in seventh grade and that was a looooong time ago. I kept turning page after page just to see what happened!

Does she ever go back? Why won't Michael go look for her? What can't she just let him LOVE HER? Ahhh, why am I still awake reading this?

Redeeming Love retells the Biblical account of the prophet Hosea and Gomer, a prostitute God called him to marry. The story takes place in the midst of the excitement and bustle of the California Gold Rush. The heroine, Angel, is a stunning, high-dollar prostitute in one of the many mining towns sprouting up on the left coast. Michael Hosea is sent into Angel's life to draw her closer to God's redeeming love. Sold into prostitution as a young girl, it was difficult for her to accept Michael's unconditional love and tenderness, which prevails even when she turns back to her old life... multiple times.

It's a good summer read. You don't have to be bible scholar to enjoy it. I certainly am not. It can be frivolous and fun, but has some heavy reflections should you choose to take them to heart.

By the way, this book club is a new one that just started with some ladies I know through church. As I mentioned before, the mommy book club was dull and I didn't care for the books they chose. This one was very lively and I'm actually looking forward to reading our book for next month!

Here's something new...

I recently signed up for a local mommy group via Meetup. I know, I know... what do I need with ANOTHER mommy group?!!!

Well, I wasn't looking to join another mommy group. I happened to be looking at join another book club. I decided that the other ladies in the mommy book club are boring. I never went back after the first meeting.

If you haven't heard of Meetup, it's a great place to find people with shared interests, causes, or goals locally. The groups are supposed to meet face-to-face on a regular basis in order to foster more personal experiences. They have some pretty fun groups, but, alas, no book clubs in my neck of the woods.

Unless you count The Dallas Romance Novel Book Club Meetup Group or the North Texas Objectivist Society? Uh, pass and pass.

They did, however, have a mommy group for my town. Although I really wasn't interested in joining yet another playgroup, I was interested bogarting their summertime ideas for me and my son. I simply had to sign up and get on their mailing list to access their list of events...

The past few weeks, I've received e-mails about trips to the park and story time at the library... All typical stuff... until I received THIS e-mail today.

Hi Ladies!

I know we tried to set this up earlier and it wasn't such a hit, but let's try again. Strollerskating! How exciting does that sound?! I haven't been skating in years, but it should be like riding a bicycle, right? :) Plus, not only will we bond and get to know each other, but we will be getting in some great exercise, too.

Every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. You bring yourself, baby, stroller, and skates--if you don't own any, don't worry, they offer skate rental.

So, what do you say...let's try and do this again because it sounds like so much fun.

We hope to see you there!!

It sounds so "Parenting X Games", I just may try it out. I'm just not so sure about the "bonding". I'm not that confident about me skating, maneuvering a stroller, and talking at the same time...

...and as I mention before, I DON'T need to join another mommy group.

Photo by moominmolly

Mom Jeans, I declare a war on you

I am the youngest mom in playgroup by about a decade, and my new book club is no different.

I attended my first meeting of the mommy book club yesterday evening... After a day of rough housing and changing diapers, I came dressed casual, but cute. I put on make-up and kitten heels, brushed my hair, and dabbed some perfume.

As for the other mommies... let's just say, I spied some "mom jeans" in action.

While I am okay with being the "young one" in the group, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with being the "young, hot mom" in the group. That just sounds like an aweful lot of pressure...

While no one actually commented on my outfit, I'm sure it just seemed like I was trying too hard... Oh well. I simply refuse to let motherhood cramp my style-- whatever that may be.

Of course, I've run out of the house wearing sweats and beat up sneakers more often than I'm willing to admit. There have even been the days when I totally meant to stop by the gym on the way home, but ended up running a bunch of errands looking like crap. Inevitability, those are the days I run into someone that I wish I hadn't. Eek!

Some days, I just enjoy dressing up and looking lovely again. I remember when I used to have all the time in the world to shop for clothes, shoes, and make-up... I would actually practice new hairstyles from magazines, instead of winging it at the last minute. I even used to starch and iron my clothes... These days my ironing board and iron are simply remnants of a bygone era.

Be prepared to gag as I reveal this to you... but I actually invested in matching underwear and by "matching" I mean to my outfits in addition to each other.

While I was pregnant, I asked my husband to make room for my maternity clothes by moving some of my old pant, skirts and fitted blouses from the "Size 4" days to the third bar of our closet. This was supposed to be a "temporary move" until my inner skinny girl emerged once more.

My son will be a year old in a month and they are STILL on that third bar-- collecting dust. I look up there occasionally and guesstimate that there is at least $1,000 in purchases and alterations hanging up there... IN BLACK PANTS alone.

Oh, cute pants and blouses how I miss you!!!

When I went back to work, I bought enough new (fat) clothes so that my co-workers didn't mistake me for a disheveled, homeless person. Again, when I started staying home, I invested in some more cotton shirts... but NO MORE!

I refuse to buy one more stitch of clothing until I can wear my old duds again. Although my personal trainer(s) claim that I can do it, I don't know...

I wonder if that's the reason why some women end up wearing their "mom jeans" forever. Double-Eek!