Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Happy Birthday Subby!

Happy Birthday Subby!  Jean Pidgeon
1996
Weight: 5.6 oz
Method of Disposal: Donating

I really cannot tell you where this one came from, though it has to be somehow related to my overwhelming fear of submarines.  I am always afraid they will emerge while I am swimming above them.  Talk about creepy.  And they carry nukes.  And their are some, with nukes, off the coast of Savannah.  Terror.

But other than that, it is also a cute squeaky toy cartoon guy.  Holler.
 

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language
2001
Weight: 8.3 lbs
Method of Disposal: Donating


This dictionary is HUGE!  I bought it off the bargain rack when I use to work at Waldenbooks.  It reminded me of the ones my father cherished when we were growing up.  They were used to challenge less-than-adequate Scrabble foes.  I keep not getting rid of this final large dictionary.  Everyone tells me that with Google I really do not need it, but I resent that idea.  It has pictures, origins, and everything.  What if the electricity goes out?  Then, I probably won't be looking up a word in the dictionary you say?  You never know!

Despite all of that, I am letting it go and keeping a couple of the baby sized ones for now to ease the transition.

Women Before 10 a.m.

Women Before 10 a.m.  Photographs by Veronique Vial
2001
Weight: 1.7 lbs
Method of Disposal: Donating


Tomorrow is my 28th birthday.  I have not made any grand plans and fully intend on it being the least celebrated birthday yet.  That does not mean it will be a bad one...well, other than having to deal with work junk for the first 8 hours.  After I knock that out, I will go home to find the woman I love on Skype, and we will probably chat about nothing and everything, as we do, before falling asleep together, as we do.

Being in a long-distance relationship makes you miss all sorts of things.  One thing would be seeing the person you love "before 10 a.m."  Such a beautiful time.  That time before you go out into the world, when there is no make up and the hair is not done to perfection.  Don't get me wrong, I love the killin' em look.  It puts me in a daze.  But I also love the sleepy smile, so glad to see you, do we really have to leave this bed, first thing in the morning look.  I miss that.
 

Monday, July 29, 2013

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn: A Life in Pictures  Carol Krenz
1997
Weight: 2 lbs
Method of Disposal: Donating


I guess that I should get rid of another book about another lovely lady since I just let go of Grace Kelly.  Most people I know agree that Audrey Hepburn is one of the most beautiful white women of all time.  Every once in awhile I run into someone in real life that has that look, though completely different and just reminiscent, and I am always in awe for a brief period of time.  My dear friend Sarah is one of those people.  I remember her getting compliments everywhere we went and a server at Waffle House telling her she should be in the movies.  There was also a woman I went to college with named Megan, who did some modeling and was a lovely person--not just in appearance.  And very recently, a tiny little baby named Geniveve with beautiful eyes and a slight curl to her hair.
 

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures  Jenny Curtis
2002
Weight: 1 lb
Method of Disposal: Donating


I remember the first time I really noticed Grace Kelly.  I was in high school and working at Waldenbooks.  I had made a friend there named Kristal.  She was very into classic movies, amongst other wonderful things.  One day she was swooning about Rear Window, and it sparked my curiosity (she was great at doing that).  On my lunch break, I marched right down to Suncoast and purchased it for around $30-35.  I cannot imagine paying that much for a movie now!  I had no rent payments or utility bills then though and Netflix did not exist.  I guess I should have gone to Hollywood Video, but I was impulsive.

Anyway, I took the movie home, and I watched it.  I fell in love with Grace Kelly and thought she was absolutely beautiful.  Of course, for my friend, it was Jimmy Stewart who was the draw and, of course, Hitchcock.  With three big names like that you are going to have a popular movie!  It was really a fantastic introduction.

I, of course, still think she is beautiful though not at all my type...whatever my type is.

 

Sunday, July 28, 2013

The Fall

The Fall  by Albert Camus
1991
Weight: 1991
Method of Disposal: Donating

 
There are mixed reviews about this book, though overwhelmingly in favor of Camus being a genius.  Some say it is too philosophical, too intellectual, and tedious to read.  Others claim that Camus' other books are brilliant and well worthy of praise, but this one is his worst.  Of course, there is the other side of that being that this is his best.  The love letters written for this book are the best reviews.  They hail it as a masterpiece and show a disturbed enthusiasm about being able to relate to the detestable main character that exists to bring out the worst in all of us.  The truth is that all of these reviews are accurate.  I enjoyed the purpose of the book, but I did start to find it dull to get through.  Sometimes, I would drift off for just a moment while reading it and then would feel lost, just to come to the realization that I was right where I left off, just further into the chatter of a laywer who was "selfless" for the most selfish of reasons.  Had I skipped pages I feel I would have gleaned the meaning and received the message of the book, but I powered through.
 
I am glad I read it, but I would now like to read something that is pleasurable without trying so damn hard.
 

Saturday, July 27, 2013

A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples

A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples  by Attorneys Denis Clifford, Frederick Hertz, and Emily Doskow (NOLO)
2007
Weight: 1.2 lbs
Method of Disposal:  I am not sure...should I recycle or donate it?


I am excited to say that this book is dated now.  I think there is still some helpful information so I am still thinking I might donate, but the laws around gay marriage have forever been changed in the United States and so many couples now have access to benefits they could never even dream of.  I love these books though, and I will absolutely buy a 2013 edition if and when it comes out.  They are very well done so that the laws and your options are easy to understand.  Seriously, I really cannot wait to buy an updated edition...even though I know I am not suppose to be purchasing any books...

I could actually really use a NOLO guide for the process I am going through right now or enough money to afford a lawyer!
 

Wildlife Encyclopedia

The Funk and Wagnalls Wildlife Encyclopedia
1974
Weight: 1 lb
Method of Disposal: Leaving at Joe's Coffee Shop in EAV


I have always loved penguins.  When I was a little girl, I would beg and beg and beg my mom for a penguin.  One day, she asked me where I would keep it, and I told her "the freezer."  Obviously.  I love that my little kid writing is on the cover of this Encyclopedia.  It is almost 49 years old.  I wonder how many children have held it.  Probably would have been a lot more if I had not hoarded it all these years!

How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  Dr. Suess
Year: Unknown
Weight: 1 1b
Method of Disposal: Left at Joe's Coffee Shop in EAV

 
I am a huge fan of Dr. Suess.  I hate to get rid of any of his books, but I have most of them memorized so, at this point in my life, I suppose I should let them go.  This one is amusing because I bought it for a girl I dated in high school.  We were together for maybe a month--if that.  We actually broke up before I could give her the book.  Despite our super brief relationship, we packed in the drama.  Her parents found out and, in fury, called my mother to inform her at 2am one morning.  My mom was pissed!  At them.  She already knew about my sexuality, of course.  Things spiraled out of control from there.  We had a lot of obstacles in our path, and we did not actually care a lot about each other.  I remember telling her that I was not over my ex, Heather, and was unsure is I would be a good girlfriend.  She said she understood and then two days later said to me on the phone, "What would you say if I asked you to marry me?"  I said, "I would say no."
P.S. She was NOT an adult.  She was a child.  As was I. 

Friday, July 26, 2013

The Homo Handbook

The Homo Handbook: Getting in Touch with Your Inner Homo: A Survival Guide for Lesbians and Gay Men  by Judy Carter
1996
Weight: 1 lb


This is a humor book that I am completely, and I am completely unsure how I came to be the owner of it.  A lot of it makes more sense in the 90's when it was published, but there are still some things that are so applicable it will make you laugh out loud.  Those moments are unexpected but nice.

 I read this book in the perfect way though.  I really do not think there is a better way than my way.  I had just started dating the woman I love, and she was in her first lesbian relationship.  She picked the book off the shelf and got into bed with me.  She might have shown more interest in this book than any other one I have seen her encounter before or sense.  We read it together and laughed and talked about stereotypes and truths and relationships and lesbians.  We actually were able to have a lot of serious conversations while flipping through this decidedly not serious little book, and we had a lot of fun doing it.  Who knew it would be so helpful?
 

TWEAK

Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines  Nic Sheff
2009
Weight: 10.4 oz
Method of Disposal: Donating


I recently picked this book off my shelf at random.  I did not read it all in one day like many people said they did.  I found it very difficult to get through.  It follows the life of a drug addict and at every turn things get worse and worse and worse and better and worse.  As a reader, you watched things happen and wanted to shout "no" or "stop" or "you know what he just did to you, right?" But the bad things happened anyway.  It made me feel sick and sad.  The desperation, the trying, the messing up.  This book was successful.  It gave you an inkling as to how painful addiction can be and how difficult it can be to overcome.  The relapses and the pain caused along the way.

Nic describes being raised with money and around money.  In many ways, this added to his addiction, as he could still money and housing from people who had it.  It also is what gave him a chance at survival, as his parents/friends/whoever could afford to get him into rehabs repeatedly.  I am afraid to Google his name, but I hope he was able to overcome once and for all this time.  I cannot imagine how difficult it would be coming from any socio-economic situation.

The Encyclopedia of Animals

The Encyclopedia of Animals  Harold G. Cogger
2002
Weight: 5.2 lbs
Method of Disposal: Donating


I am getting rid of this book for the same reason I got rid of the Sharks and Whales one from earlier today.  This one is only slightly more difficult to let go because it has all sorts of animals in it, including adorable baby hedgehogs and platypuses.  Who ever gets to see a baby platypus in real life?!  There is a polar bear on the cover, which makes my heart swoon.  It is so difficult to handle when one comes to the realization that polar bears may become extinct in our lifetime due to global warming.  They are such beautiful, big, strong bears.

It is really amazing to think about how many different types of life there are on the planet and, no matter how many times I look through books like this over the years, there is always one I have never heard of, seen, or imagined.  I hope someone who truly loves animals and the Earth finds this book super cheap and loves it as I have or more.
 

Redefining Our Relationships

Redefining Our Relationships: Guidelines For Responsible Open Relationships  Wendy-O Matik
2002
Weight: 8 oz
Method of Disposal: Gave to a Friend

I just re-read this book, and I really enjoyed its simplicity and message.  Oddly, I am in the position of doing the opposite.  I have entered into a monogamous relationship and have decided that I am ready to commit to one person for the rest of my life.  While this might seem counterintuitive to this book, I am a firm believer that guidelines from the world of polyamory are useful and very needed for people whether they are in a monogamous or open relationship.  The critical insight on jealousy and communication benefit us all.  These books expound on being thankful for what you have, allowing your partner to grow as a person, realizing that you do not own someone else, examining the jealousy you will inevitably encounter and finding ways of dealing with it in a healthy manner, and loving yourself and your partner(s).  I am thankful I got the chance to read it again.  I will always be respectful, thankful to, and happy to know that there are people out there in polyamorous relationships.  I will continue to learn from them, as I do from people and books on monogamy.

I am focusing now on building trust and respect in my own relationship, remembering to always work on communication and our mutual growth, and ensuring that we focus on the things that we are lucky for and not always the things we wish we could change--like distance.  I am grateful that I have an optimistic partner that gets me on the right track when I start to stray and who is willing to hear me out when I push her to think about new ways of being and doing things. 

I gave this book to a friend who is thinking a lot about the relationship she is in.  It may not help her like it has me over the years, but it is worth a shot!

 

I'm Back!

The Nature Companions Sharks and Whales
2002
Weight: 3.8 lbs
Method of Disposal: Donating

 
 
I have not written in over two months.  This is, by far, the longest I have been away from this blog since I started it.  I might have been a little distracted by the month and a half long visit from Harriet and making huge life decisions.  I had a fantastic time and now I have so much to plan and do.  I need to get back to getting rid of the old and making room for the new.  I am in the process of selling some items I have owned for some time in an effort to save some money (or possibly just pay the bills--which I am struggling to do this month!), donating items that other people might want but I no longer need since there will be another person living in this house (they should not have to move my clutter out of the way just to sit down, right?), and doing the paperwork and planning needed to make some big and very happy changes in my life.  It is all very exciting, albeit daunting.

It seems strange that I hold onto books like this one.  I mean, really, how often do you need an encyclopedia and/or guidebook to sharks?  I love sharks in general, though even after owning this book for almost ten years, I am not very good at labeling them.  Labeling sharks is not part of my career.  I do not interact with them on even an annual basis.  I have only been around a shark that was not confined by humans 5 times in my life. I guess I always thought I would teach myself more about them, but let's be real.  I flip through this book maybe once a year and probably not even that much.  I am more inclined to go to Google for a shark-related question than this book.  It is useful to open it and learn about something I never thought to ask, and I have done that enough.  I need more shelf space, more life space, and less clutter.  When I was a kid, I lived for books like these.  Maybe this one will find some like-minded child that believes they can change the world by saving the animals and, in the process, learning about every species of animal out there.