Whatever it Takes: A Review of Pride and Prejudice..

As many of you know, (or possibly none of you know), I have long avoided Jane Austen. I like the idea of her books, but have always been unable to commit to them due to (what I percieved as) their excessive wordiness.

I like to read books that carry you along from page to page, rather than making you backtrack and reread, because of unfamiliar words or phrasing.

However, I am trying to read the 100 greatest books ever written and Pride and Prejudice has been on that list, glaring at me for the last several years.

With determination to finish, no matter the suffering, I applied myself to reading every hour that I could over the last two days.

The first couple of chapters were sheer torture..so much dialogue and I kept getting characters confused and I would look at the page number and think "Oh my gosh, I've only read to this page?"

The next couple of chapters were a little bit better....

By midway through the book, I was hooked! I could scarcely put it down!

I wanted to know what was going to happen with Jane and Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and even Lydia and Wickham. (I could never have had Jane and Elizabeth's restraint..I would have smacked her the second she walked in the door!)

I loved the humor that Jane Austen wrote with, and how it translates through these hundreds of years. I love Elizabeth's relationship with her father, and the crazy, flighty character of her mother and her various sisters. I felt every character was relatable to someone I know in real life.

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is amazing.

It's a little bit slow at the beginning, but keep reading, and give it a chance...you won't regret it.

Now, on to Sense and Sensibility..

(14 out of a hundred books down, 86 to go...)

Lolee

It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star..

Kiss This

Today, in supervision, I had to explain to my boss how I plan to make "making your own lipgloss" a therapeutic activity for the girls I work with.

As if anyone could question the therapeutic value of making your own beauty products:)

Seriously, I'm going to invite him to come. Having his own peachy mango lip gloss, with sparkles and melted pop rocks for taste, is going to change his life!

Lori Ann

Took your soul out, into the night

Have you ever recommended a book to someone, only to find out later that they never read it? 

Doesn't it burn you, just a little? Especially if it is a book that you LOVE??

(I am not speaking out of bitterness related to my recommending Harry Potter to my dad AGAIN only to have it rejected by him AGAIN!)

Anyway, thanks Jess and Allison!! I read THE BOOK THIEF!!!

And you were both right..it was amazing!!

I found myself thinking in a disjointed fashion, after I had read it, due to the writing style (it took me less than 24 hours to finish it).

And so...as it was recommended to me by some smart girls, I am going to be smart and recommend it to you:

 

Lori Ann

Happy Fathers Day, old man!

the old man calling my mother to report on me!

I wrote my mom four mothers day posts. I have been thinking and thinking what to say for
 

  Fathers Day.

I read a book called "The Shack" recently. It is the story of a man who encounters God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit one weekend. In the book, God is portrayed as a woman. The man asks God why; in all the scripture and history, she is portrayed as a man.The woman portraying God says that it was done because He (God) knew that there would be no shortness of mothers and mothering, but the world would always be short of fathers.

So many of the kids I work with have never met their father. About 1/3 of them don't know their fathers name. 

A lot of times, my clients will say to me "You dont know what I'm feeling or going through" and I reply with "Well, I've never been abandoned by my mom, but I know what its like to feel rejected or alone, or whatever".

However, I cannot relate to their experience with fathers.

I am lucky enough to have a father who cares about me.

Every memory of my childhood is narrated by his voice, every song I hear reminds me of him. I spent 6 years in school and 3000 hours in clinical practice towards becoming a licensed therapist and yet, the majority of the counsel I give my clients, all of group therapy sessions I run, are based on lectures my father gave me or our discussions about life.

My dad makes the best oatmeal you have ever eaten. There is nothing he can't fix. He isn't scared of anyone or anything. I've never seen him back down. I've never seen him cry. My father has some of the best insight into people I have ever seen. If I ever got lost, he could find me. My dad has the funniest laugh, and nothing makes him laugh more than the jokes HE tells. 

To me, he will always be larger than life. 

So, to my dad, I want to say: thanks for watching 3 hours of Harry Potter with me on Fathers Day..I didn't want to make you do it..felt I owed it to you:) 

Love,

YOUR FAVORITE DAUGHTER!! 

Paint your palette blue and gray

One of my summer goals has been to learn 5 photography skills. I've had the same camera for about a year and all I really knew how to do was the classic point and shoot.

So, the other night I spent about an hour online learning a little about my camera. 

I feel so empowered! I, at the very least, understand the different settings. 

You just got some competition, Annie Lebowitz!
 

Not my best picture, but I loved this twilight sky! 

Lori Ann

I'm trying to tell you something about my life

I wish that I were at home

I know you have all been enjoying having me blog every thought that comes into my mind...let's hope this keeps up..there is no telling how much inspiration and joy I have brought to the lives of my readers with these daily blog updates:) 

Here is what has been going on in my life..in no particular order.

1. I was going through caffeine withdrawal tonight, so I went to McD's to get a large coke. Which, upon arriving home, I spilled all over the floor. Ahhhh!!!!! Needless to say, it was the McDonalds workers lucky night, getting to see me twice in a twenty minute span. :)

2. Speaking of exotic foods, I got Danielle and I some Japanese the other night. That's right, I am branching out. And honestly, if you are looking for quality, authentic Japanese..look no further than the rural South. 

3. I have been making progress on my Summer Goals. I learned how to use my camera, which I am counting as 1 photography skill. Also, I had big plans to get a tan this weekend, but there was a graduation party at my sisters neighbors house, so I couldn't lay out. (well, I could have, but I didn't want to take the attention away from the graduate and have it focused on my hot bod)

4. My dad is coming down tomorrow, to help Danielle work on finishing up the repairs, painting, etc in her house. I wish wish wish wish wish wish that I could have him come in as a guest speaker at the alternative school I work at. At least 75% of the group discussions I do with my therapy groups are formatted around lectures he gave me growing up. 

5. I am trying to plow through Pride and Prejudice. What is it about Jane Austen I just don't get?

Lori Ann