Sunday Salon, Feb. 21

A view of Mt. Rainier from the shopping mall parking lot. The profane and the serene are juxtaposed.

Weather: Overcast and raining today, but it was lovely yesterday.

Birthday week: My family completely spoiled me this week starting in Vancouver last weekend, through the week, and then for dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant, Marzanos, Friday night. Later today the girls and I will go to have tea together at a local tea shop. I am spoiled and love it.

Josh Groban and a memory: I purchased Josh Groban's Stages album this week as a birthday gift for myself. In this album he sings all show-tunes. This one "What I Did for Love" from A Chorus Line is a favorite among favorites. I first saw A Chorus Line in 1979 when I was attending a study abroad program in London with my friend, Anne Marie. What a revelation. When I heard Josh Groban singing this song it brought a lot of memories rushing back at me. I was 21 years old and exploring the world on my own with a friend. Everything was pure wonder in my eyes. We saw lots of musical events during our three month stay in London. A Chorus Line sticks out as a one of my favorites. Listen while you read the blog post.

 

A librarian dilemma: I started the library inventory this week during quiet moments here and there. I started over in the rarely read 000-199 sections of the occult, philosophers, weird phenomenons, psychology, and inspirational books. I moved on to the 200 section, or the religion and mythology books. Finally making my way halfway through the 300s or the social science books. Many of the books have never been read the whole time the school has been in existence. Since the school was new in 2005 many have 2004 or 2005 copyright dates, now feeling dated. Part of my job is to keep the library full of current materials but, and here is the dilemma, why order newer editions if they, too will remain unread? It fills me with sadness when I touch these books and think it is very likely they will never be replaced. Eventually they will just be weeded out and tossed away to make room for whatever new technology thing is around the corner. *Sigh. Double sigh.

Roses: We did it. Saturday we got outside and worked in the yard and pruned all 19 of our rose bushes. In the northwest we say the roses should be pruned by President's Weekend. We technically made it since Washington's birthday is February 22nd. Ta-da!

Currently reading: 

• Quiet: The power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain...an audiobook and a book club selection. We will have a lot to talk about.
• Vanishing Grace by Philip Yancy...I am making progress on this book, finally. My goal is to finish it by the end of the month to keep up with my mini challenge to finish books I started but didn't finish last year.
• War Dances by Sherman Alexie...another audiobook, (We listened to over half this book while in line to cross back into America from Canada on Monday. The wait was two hours!

Books finished this week:

• Flight by Sherman Alexie---another audiobook, this one we listened to on our way to Canada. Alexie's books are a mixture of humor and makye-you-squirm sadness.
• The Illuminated Rumi by Rumi and Coleman Barks---an illustrated book of Rumi's poems and thoughts, translated by Barks.
• Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng---an uncomfortable look at a family in crisis. It addresses issues related to race, communication, dreams and goals. This is for book club. We should have a good discussion.
• Sanditon and The Watsons: Jane Austen's unfinished novels by Jane Austen--- I would only recommend that extreme Austen fans tackle these unfinished manuscripts, not casual fans.

Harper Lee was a good Methodist: You may not know this, but now you will, my dad is a retired Methodist minister. I've gone to church my whole life. I am always glad to hear news of a positive nature related to churches. With the death of Harper Lee this week everyone is writing about the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, taking a look back on her life. Here, in this article, is an angle of Lee's life one might not have thought about. Lee wrote about her church in TKAM and was a good Methodist her whole life. Click the link, UMC.  Rest in peace Harper Lee. We are so grateful for your book and the message you gave us to be our better selves, like Atticus Finch.