ocean reads

So today's the day and here I am waiting at the library for my sister to get off work and then we're headed south towards the ocean. As I'm waiting I thought I'd share some of the books I'm lugging along for the way. Also sharing their first sentences as a sneak peek of what's to come. Excitement ^-^ Here we go..

The Help • "Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August, 1960. A church baby we like to call it." 

I can't even tell you how many rave reviews I've heard of this book. For a while I wasn't allowed to read it but already had a copy patiently awaiting it's turn on my shelves. It was painful but now it's time has finally come, to be opened and read and felt and filled with memories of tears and laughter and all my heart achings. I can't wait.

The Sun Also Rises • "You are all a lost generation." - Gertrude Stein

"One generation passeth away and another generation cometh; but the earth abide the forever... The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and haste the to the place where he arose... The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.... All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again." - Ecclesiastes 

And finally the first words of Hemingway himself, "Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton." 

Those first two quotes are actually on the page before Chapter 1 but Hemingway chose them for a reason so I felt the need to list them. This is an interesting choice for me. I mostly chose it because I've been wanting for some of his writing recently. Absolutely no idea what it's about but I love the title. So I'll let you know how it goes ^-^

The Grapes of Wrath • "To the red country and part of the gray country of Olkahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth."

As some of you may know from my recent "summer to do list" post, I've just started this one rather recently. I'm only four chapters in in fact. It's pretty slow moving [slow moving as in there was an entire chapter dedicated to the efforts of a turtle trying to cross the road], but I'm intrigued. I want to know more about who this character is [not the turtle] and what his heart is made of. My interest was piqued when my lit teacher [see previous post] mentioned it and my sister started it and loved it. I also read The Pearl by Steinbeck a year or two ago and was floored by his writing style. We'll see how it goes anyway.

Well guys. I actually feel kind of close to crying because I typed out this whole post and it took me almost an hour and then I tried to define a word and it left the app and literally deleted the entire thing. After I had written it all out. On my iPod. *groans* I feel like I have a headache from being in this thing for so long. So this post is very hard won. I realize the the formatting and font may be slightly off as well since I'm not able to adjust it on my iPod but I'll be sure to fix it when I come home Saturday. Hope you guys enjoy it though and happy almost weekend to all of you ^-^

out of print

MY SHIRT FROM OUT OF PRINT CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY AHHHHH.

So, I'm assuming most of you don't know what Out of Print is. I actually can't remember how I stumbled upon it, but I've been wanting to buy something from there for a long time and FINALLY they had a great sale and I had some money and here we are. The great reveal:

Isn't it just beautiful??? They have lots of shirts like this [for example: Gone With the Wind, The Great Gatsby, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Pride & Prejudice, Call of the Wild, Fahrenheit 451, and lots more including children's books]! Here's what is written on the back of that card in the picture^...

What We Do:

We scour library stacks and dusty bookstores to find the classics and curiosities that end up on our products. Everything we make is printed and treated to feel like your favorite book (that one that you have read eleven times).

Our Mission:

Help us to share the gift of reading. Each Out of Print purchase makes possible the donation of one cook to a community in need through our partner Books for Africa.

Is that not the greatest thing you've heard all week? So, if you're interested now [and I know you are], then go visit www.outofprintclothing.com. Just do it. I decided to go for the men's t-shirt and I've decided that it's one of the best decisions of my life so far. They really meant what they said, because it actually feels like that one book that I've read eleven times. 

SEE HOW IT MATCHES THE COVER OF MY COPY? SEE?! AHH. Fangirlinf over my own tshirt.

Have any of you read The Old Man and the Sea? What did you guys think about it? Clearly, I loved it, but I want to know what you guys think. Also, I read it in my literature class with literally the best literature teacher on the face of the planet. She is my favorite. So that's part of what helped me learn to understand and appreciate it. And if you have read it or any of his other books, what do you guys think about Hemingway? I just love hearing different opinions about this stuff.

Anyway life update: my sister and I decided just yesterday that we're going to the beach tomorrow. Yay for spontaneity. The problem is that I just finished a book and I'm looking for a nice beachy read for the drive down and on the beach and on the drive back and basically the whole trip. So, please throw out some ideas for me [I'm not too picky]!!!! I'll be at the library before we leave, so I should be able to get my hands on whatever book you propose [not to mention my expansive book collection]. THANK YOU GUYS!!

summer to do list

Today was a summer-y day. We went to the pool. We played outside. We ate homemade ice cream. And we watched home videos. So, now that I'm all inspired, here's a summer to-do list.

• eat popsicles outside with friends
• sketch on a quilt in the grass
• build a blanket fort
• wear ball caps
• do finger paint
• read thousands of books about anything and everything in this huge tiny massive sprawling universe
• wear bright lipstick
• cook full meals lots
• chop my hair off
• do a handstand
• go exploring down the river
• jump on some hay bales
• drink iced green tea (or just about any tea)
• pick some wildflowers
• let the sun highlight my hair
• play kickball
• eat popcorn and watch disney movies
• exercise 3 days a week
• wake up early
• bake bread from scratch
• swap favorite books with a friend
• donate old clothes
• ride to handy andy's in the back of the truck
• hang fairy lights in my room
• do some yoga / stretch daily
• acquire a succulent
• have a water balloon fight
• hand write notes to people i love
• find more good music and listen to it close
• write lots and lots and lots
• grow / learn / love more deeply

"and at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty,
your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling"

Today is also memorial day, and I wouldn't have any of these things if it weren't for those who cared, really, deeply cared, enough to sacrifice their lives fro the freedom and incredible privilege of mine. So this post is also a thank you for a debt I could never repay and a sacrifice I could never forget.