Poundcakes & Selfish Neighbors

2005 will go down as the year my neighbors turned on me.  It used to be during the holidays we would all wave at each other as we got in our cars each morning and call out "Merry Christmas!" if we passed on the street.  That's it.  Nothing more, nothing less.  This year, the bastards showed up at my home with homebaked goods, fresh fruit, and wrapped gifts.  I don't know that I'll be able to forgive them.

Of course, my anger is just a cover for my deep embarrassment.  They caught me unprepared.  I long to be one of those women who has a stash of pre-wrapped gifts at the ready for the spur-of-the-moment gift exchange but it hasn't happened yet.  However, my embarrassment this year might motivate me for the next.

The first to show up were our new neighbors, bearing the scrumptious and beautifully decorated chocolate-dipped apples I mentioned before.  And, they included some kitty yum-yums for our cats. "Well, they're new.  They just don't know the rules," I comforted myself.

Then our neighbors up the street showed up with a lemon poundcake and later that afternoon our next door neighbor--a single dad and cop--dropped by with the homemade poundcake he had found time to make for us.  Aaaugh!

From there it was like a bad dream.  Each time the doorbell rang, Blair and I shrank further and further into the couch.  How could we have been so shortsighted not to have gifts prepared?  How inherently selfish are we?  Suffice it to say, we felt absolutely terrible as we stuffed poundcake and milk down our throats.

The final blow came when our dear friends up the street stopped by with homemade walnut fudge and the most adorable Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a cat face I have ever seen.  So not only did they bring gifts, they put some thought into a gift that would really please us.  Can you believe the nerve of some people?

So I know now what I'm up against for next year.  It's a good thing too.  Given my lack of cooking skills, it will probably take me the full 365 days to learn to bake a decent poundcake.

Dark Days and Why I Love Them

I love dark days.  The type where thick, black clouds hang overhead and a sharp wind whips around corners and seems to come from all directions at once and the air crackles with electricity.  I've always loved wild weather that way.  Short, light rainfalls where the sun comes out afterwards do nothing for me.  I'll take a raging thunderstorm with howling winds and lightning and rolling clouds any day of the week.  Weather like this excites my spirit.

One of those storms looks to be moving in on us now.  Within the last 20 minutes the clouds have rolled in, covering the earlier sunshine of the day.  It looks like the skies may break open and pour rain any minute--I love the suspense. 

When Blair and I build our cabin, we want a tin roof so we get the full effect of the rain.  Part of what I like about violent weather is knowing I am warm and cozy, wrapped in a throw and sipping hot tea as I watch Nature rage outside my windows.

Here's wishing you dark days of thunderstorms to ignite the Spirit and make you grateful for all you have.

Movie Talkers

Blair and I went to see Narnia (fantastic--a must see!) on Christmas Day and the theatre was packed.  Families were having to split up to find a seating and, due to one family having to do this, I ended up seated next to Bob.

I knew his name was Bob because as soon as he sat down, he offered his hand and introduced himself.  Bob from New Orleans (had some flood damage but is back in his house, just here visiting family).  Bob had a deep booming voice and infectious laugh and even though I am not typically a "greet your neighbor" type of movie goer, his good nature was hard to resist and we chatted a bit.

Then the lights dimmed.  The previews included scenes from "Pirates of the Caribbean II," "Ice Age II," and a few other animated films. 

"Oops, hey, that's great!" Bob shouted during some of the previews, turning to me and grinning.  "Hey, are we seeing a kids movie or what?  Check out all these kid previews!" he called.

Bob's booming voice was not lowered a bit.   I threw Blair a warning glance.  I rank people who talk loud during movies right up there with sloths and other lower forms of life.  If you want to talk during a movie, go to Blockbuster and rent something.  The rest of us are not interested in your running commentary.

For the most part, my fears about Bob proved unfounded.  Once or twice he made a loud remark (like at the end when the grown kids stumble across the lamppost and Bob said, "Hey now! Watch--they're gonna find their way back!") but for the most part, we were left to enjoy the movie.

I feel bad for thinking even slightly ill of Bob.  He really was a fun, nice guy.  Two little boys, around age 9, were settled into the seats beside him, separate from their parents, and Bob leaned over and said to them, "Hey!  I've got Junior Mints so we can have us some when the movie starts. What's a movie without Junior Mints?"

I think it's more of a reflection of my uprightness than it is Bob's personality.  Not that I'm wound all that tight, but I expect certain niceties such as not talking in movies to be followed and I get more upset than the situation warrants when the rules aren't followed.  I was a little tense during the most of the movie because I kept waiting for Bob to talk and ruin it for me, which is nobody's fault but my own.

So Bob, should our paths ever cross again, I'll sit beside you in the theatre and learn to relax.  Hey now--we can even share us some Junior Mints.  My treat.

Nonstop Reading - A Rediscovered Treat

I've spent the weekend reading.  I started Thursday night and so far have made it through 4 books, my favorite of which by far is Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.  The book won the Hugo Award and Nebula Award and I see why.  Absolutely brilliant.  Blair said he had to the read the book in high school but somehow it slipped under my reading radar and the only reason I picked it up is because our little local library happened to have it sitting out on a front shelf and the cover caught my attention.

I'm not reading as much as I used to.  I've kept a list on the computer since 1994 of every book I've read.  I tally up the totals at the end of the year and this year I'll finish around 62 books read, compared to last years total of 84.  It's not the the numbers are so important--quality counts as well.  But what bothers me is that being a voracious reader has always been a huge an indelible part of who I am, yet it's not something I do much of anymore.  I'm lucky now to read one book every two weeks. 

It's not that I don't read. I'm reading constantly--but it's research and magazine articles and the newspaper and online... all every different from curling up in a ball on the couch with a good book and getting lost for several hours.

I truly believe e-mail (among other things) has shortened my attention span.  As I child and teenager, I could sit for 5-6 hours straight with a book and never look up.  Now, when I start to read, I'm fidgety. I get up and make tea.  I pet the cats.  I throw in a load of laundry.  I can't sit still and just read.

Or can I?  I've avoided e-mail and the computer this weekend and my concentration appears to have rebounded.  I started reading Flowers for Algernon this morning about 6:30 AM and finished it a little after 11.  I got up once or twice and took a 30-minute break to shower, but for the most part, I sat still and read.

I think part of the problem is I'm always pushing myself to do more.  I feel guilty reading a novel for pleasure when I have articles to write, or I should be working on my own novel, or I should be reading books  on plot and character development.  Plus, it's a stretch to say I even barely keep up with local, national and world news.  There's never enough time to take in all the information.

But reading books is part of my job as a writer.  It stimulates the mind and creativity, plus I learn from how others craft their pose.  As I writer, I pay close attention to how other writers introduce their characters, use dialogue, transition a scene and build tension.  For awhile, I couldn't read a book both for pleasure and to learn from it, but now it's second nature to be taking mental notes of "hey, look how she did that!" as I read.

So I'm placing "read more for pleasure" on my goals list for the New Year.  The other good thing about getting lost in a book is it takes me away from the brain drain of TV. 

Anyone have any book suggestions for me for the New Year??