Memoirs of a Geisha

This is a book that you do not want to bring with you to work if you have actual work to do, because you won't want to do your work, you will want to read. Let's just say that my grading fell a little behind before I learned that I needed to just leave the book at home! Yet, I still didn't, that book went with me wherever I went, because if I found myself with even a few moments to spare, my nose was stuck in it.

My students have begun to pick up on the fact that I love to read. They love to make fun of me because let's face it... reading is just "not cool." Oh well, I haven't been "cool" my entire life and look at me, I am a good member of society. More importantly, I am happy. Oh well, back to books I go. I mention this because I had a student tell me yesterday that because I had forced him, he was actually beginning to enjoy reading. I told him that I could die happy now. It really meant a lot to me, I think that reading is really important and it is something that will help him in his college career or even if VoTech school which is where he is planning to go. It just goes to show you that good modeling is important. I am not saying that if you don't read then you are stupid and won't amount to anything. I am saying that it can help!

Back to the original point to this blog post... Memoirs of a Geisha. I was pretty excited to read this book. It was first published when I was in high school and became a movie a short time later. I never saw it and I never read the book. I had actually forgotten about it for a while until I saw it on the BBC list and I was excited to give it a try. I tell you, this book didn't disappoint. There were a couple of places where it was really awkward (I mean she is a geisha and sometimes they are expected to do.... certain things) but it was a very enjoyable story. It was interesting to experience WW2 from Japan. We have spent so much time in school talking about the home front here in the States so it was great to read about it from Japan's home front. Especially after the war and the occupation by American soldiers and how the geisha reacted to them.

What I really loved about this story was the detail it went into describing what a geisha is and how young girls became geisha and the process that it takes to become one. It is not easy, you have to be chosen, you have to be charming, you have to be able to make a lot of money! You usually do not get to act on your feelings, you have to do what is expected. Our main character tried to do what she wanted, and almost ruined her chances of becoming a geisha and being a maid for her entire life. Then she "played by the rules" long enough for her to become famous, make a lot of money, defeat her nemesis, and be adopted. Then she promptly did what she wanted again. She made some friends and many enemies. But she did what she felt that she needed to do in order to make herself happy. No matter what. Isn't that kind of like real life, where you make some friends and you make some enemies, but you try to do what you can to survive?

Poor Pumpkin. If you have read the book, you know what I am talking about. She was another young girl that the okiya (or geisha home) obtained at the same time as Sayuri (our main character with the startling eyes) They became friends when they were younger, then as they were assigned to older sisters, Pumpkin to Hatsumomo (Sayuri's nemesis) and Sayuri to Mameha (another nemesis of Hatsumomo). Pumpkin helps Sayuri and while Sayuri defeats Hatsumomo, she also crushes Pumpkin. Pumpkin tries to get her revenge but she is clearly defeated. Pumpkin was just trying to create a life for herself and Sayuri (maybe unwillingly) crushed her dreams and lowered her status. Pumpkin is  the nice girl who got caught up in other circumstances and never really recovers. Sayuri endured some hardships, but she ended up inflicting some on Pumpkin.

Love or duty? A geisha's life is full of duty. She has a duty to her okiya, to her tea house, to so many others except for herself. Our geisha, however, took time for herself and did what she had to do in order to get the man of her dreams, The Chairman. She crushes the hopes and the heart of one man who had a huge part to play in her rise to fame, he was then burned by her but came back when she needed help the most and gave her a place to stay through the most difficult part of the war. Low and behold she finds a way to burn him again to get her man. I was a little sad at that. He did so much for her and she was willing to sleep with a man who was really disgusting in order to get away from him. He was a gruff but a kind man at heart. I have to admit I felt a little bad for him.

It feels like you should be reading this book with a nice cup of green tea in a sunny room, but to be truthful, after a few minutes of reading, you won't care where you are and that tea will become cold. You will be transported to another time and another world. A great book, and a great read!

Next up, I move from Japan to the South for Gone with the Wind. 

"Rhett, oh Rhett!!!" 

November is for Birthdays and Thanksgiving

Repeat after me America, "It is not Christmas." good, and again, "IT IS NOT CHRISTMAS!!" Ok now, can we get the Christmas music to stop playing in the mall, the decorations back in their boxes for another couple of weeks. Let's give Thanksgiving its due month. Now don't get me wrong, I like Christmas. In fact, I LOVE Christmas. Christmas has it's own smell, it's own excitement and it's own meaning. But I really like Thanksgiving and I like taking the time to be thankful for the things that are around us.



One of my old professors from college, who I want to be when I grow up, started on November 1, posting everyday one thing that she has been thankful for. So I decided to follow suit. I have a lot of blessings in my life, and I want to make sure that I acknowledge every one of them. That is what this month is for. That and gorging yourself on food, and celebrating birthday's and other special events.

November is the month of birthday's, my father's, my best friend's and several other close friends have their birthday's in this wonderful month. Not to mention my own birthday. So add cake to all the other things that make this month great. :-)

November also brings my wedding anniversary. One year ago, my husband and I were officially married. We both agree that it didn't bring about the difference that we thought it would, mostly because we really had been married for several years before. We already made our life together and while it was fun to have a day where I get to wear a great dress and marry my best friend (I know that is cliche, but true) our marriage began a few years before. That doesn't make me any less grateful for today. I get to wake up next to the best man I could ever wish for, I get to come home to his hugs, I get to talk with him when things get rough, and I get to laugh with him when things get funny (and they do!) He is one of the few people in this world who actually knows me, and still loves me. I love him more than I can express and I love knowing that he is by my side and I am by his. Happy One Year Anniversary! I love you!

I like to see lists, so in order to bring this to a close, I am going to add to my list everyday. Here are the things that I am thankful for this month:
Day 1: I missed this day (way to begin, eh?)
Day 2: I am thankful for big, encouraging hugs when my day doesn't go as planned.
Day 3: I am thankful for High 5's!
Day 4: I am thankful for caring co-workers.
Day 5: I am thankful for awesome clocks that sit on my mantle and dutifully chime every 15 minutes!
Day 6: I am thankful for my husband. (That one was easy! Happy Anniversary!)
Day 7: I am thankful for rain, thunder and lightening.. Even if it makes the students crazy!!
Day 8: I am thankful for my car. She starts at the push of a button and has never let me down! I have had her for 6 1/2 years and am hoping for a lot more!
Day 9: I am thankful for my big brother! He is always there when I need him!
Day 10: I am thankful for my home. I love my little place!!! It is a great place to come home to when it is clean and comfortable!!
Day 11: It's a two-for!! I am thankful for all the men and women in our armed forces. I am also thankful for a break!

Ask Alice, when she's 10 feet tall

Psst. If you want to bulk up your belief in yourself and your reading, read a children's book! I flew through this book in no time flat because I could take out a huge chunk at one time! Look at me GO!

The truth is that I am really far behind in my blogging but that is ok, no one is reading it anyway. It may sound like I am whining but do not let that confuse you. I really could care less. I am reading these books and blogging to make ME happy. I got sent home from work yesterday. No really. My head of department took one look at me, asked me what was wrong and after I completely exploded all of my crazy all over her, she told me that my health was paramount and that I have seven minutes to exit the building, go home, make some tea, go to bed and sleep. I was so grateful that of course I started crying all over again. But I did, I went home and went to sleep. I tried to get some reading of Gone with the Wind finished but my headache wouldnt' let me. I had my cats, I had some tea and I slept. I realized something. I cannot take care of everyone and I need to take some time for myself. Remember those summer resolutions that I did, well I am doing ok on those. I am going to do better and I am adding one more. I am going to take at least and hour every day for me. Go to the gym and read on the treadmill, ride my bike, ANYTHING!! Or I am  going to go crazier then I already am.

Speaking of crazy, let's talk a bit about Alice. I really didn't like the movie when I was growing up. The cat really gave me the creeps. and I refused to watch it. In fact I am still surprised that this book was written to be a children's book. Some of the things that happen are a little strange. Reading now, as a "mature" reader was kind of interesting, I knew what was going to happen and it wasn't very exciting but it was relaxing! Plus, it had pretty pictures which made the time fly!

I teach this book at the beginning of the year when I am always waiting on supplies for the program that I teach. They have readers for it that take the reading level down and make it easier for them to understand. Many of them still didn't get it. They could not imagine what it would be like to fall down and not land for a while. They cannot imagine talking to a dormouse. In order to help them with this, I have them do a lot of assignments where they must draw what they think it looks like, This helped them a lot.

I really don't have much to say about Alice, I am sure there is a deeper meaning planted in the story but I didn't get it. honestly I didn't try. I wanted it read and crossed off my list. There, my confession is now complete. I have never really enjoyed this story, I am glad that I read it, but my life is not enriched by a story that a man dreamed up while on some drug induced stupor. It never grabbed my attention.

So, sorry Alice, but I was more than excited to move on to my next adventure, Memoirs of a Geisha.


( I know, no pictures with this one, I really am not trying hard! lol)  

The Secret Garden

So here is my confession. I was supposed to read this in my British Literature class in college but (oh the shame) I never did. I tried to read it when I was younger but abandoned it for more exciting pursuits. I found this particular attempt to be really relaxing actually. The meaning of the story is laid out for you and there really is not guess work, you can lay back and enjoy a good story.


With this author, you don't have to think about the deeper meaning or what she is trying to say, she just lays it on out there for you. Children should be children and all things can be cured with nature, especially if there is a robin thrown in. Isn't it nice to know that all you need to do to heal a child that is sick is to take them outside and let them garden? I will have to rewrite my lesson plans. 'but sir, I read a book that told me that you can cure both a child's mind and any bodily issues by letting them play outside! That is why we haven't read anything in two months!"

All cynicism aside, there is a good point being made here. So many children do not play outside. They have their video games and they have their tv's. Not to sound like a complaining older person, but I played outside all the time when I was growing up. I may not have had my own garden but I was outside a lot. That is something that many kids cannot or choose not to do. Sad.



My perfect pairing for this story is up a tree on a warm spring day. However, if you have to enjoy it in bed before you crash out for the day on a cool fall evening, that is ok too.

 

This is a lovely story that can get a little preachy but is enjoyable none-the-less. There isn't much to say about it without giving it all away. I had some fond memories of my childhood while reading because of how often she talks about the benefit of being outside. I rode bikes, wore sheets that I pretended were long flowing dresses and got into all manner of mischief. I have scars on my knees and elbows from when I fell, and I know how to climb a tree. And I survived. Oh look at that, now I am getting a little preachy.



The message that this book leaves you is a resounding, GO OUTSIDE!!!

Next, Alice's Adventure in Wonderland

The Help

Are you a Hilly or a Skeeter?

This book needs to be in the BBC Top 100 books, so get on it BBC. Truth is that I know that I am behind the times. This book has already been turned into a movie (a large honor placed on a book now days!) I had been told to read this book by many people but I was in the middle of my list and could not be disturbed. Well it was worth the break and I am really glad that I did it.

So back to the original question, are you a Hilly or a Skeeter? I hope that I would have been just like Skeeter but the truth is, would I have that much guts? I am nowhere near the level of Aibileen or Minny, I definatly would not have been able to do what they did. I struggle to be comfortable with the people around me. They put their story out at one of the most dangerous time for a maid to do so.

Nature vs Nurture. Is Skeeter who she is because of Constentine? Skeeter was raised by her and she grew up to become someone who could give up what she thought she wanted in order to serve the greater good. I have hope for Mae Mobley, becuase of Aibileen she could have respect for all people, not just the ones that have the same skin color as her. She loved Aibileen, and her mother didn't show her any attention. That may have made a bigger difference in Mae Mobley's life then any novel could have done. That love and that bond will hopefully last for a very long time.

I am not going to tell a lot about what happens in the story becuase I honestly want you to go out and read it if you have not already.

My perfect pairing for this book is in a classroom while you should be grading but cannot put the book down. To be honest that is where I read a good amount of this book. Confession complete.

The purpose of the book that was written by Minny, Aibileen, and Skeeter was to show that deep down we are all the same. There isn't a lot that separates us and people. It doesn't matter about the color of your skin or where you come from. Deep down, we are all the same. That is a message that can go beyond the story written in this novel, or even the message this novel gives it's reader. Deep down we all have our own joys, our own pain and our own happiness.

So the choice is ours, be a Hilly? A woman who is so afraid of others that she feels she must control everything? Who won't open her eyes to the wonderful things happening around her? Or will you be Skeeter, Aibileen or Minny? Will you stand up and fight for what is right, even if it means losing sometimes? Will I? It is a choice that we all make every day.

Next up is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Return to Reading

      Whew, it has been a crazy month. Taking on Anna and starting school again. I had honestly forgotten how much work it is to start school and how much time it takes and how engrossed I can become in my students. Last year didn't really feel like my first year of teaching. Sure I had some bumps in the road but this year seems a whole lot bumpier. I can't seem to get my feet underneath me. So I kept trying, I kept staying late and getting things done but no matter what, my list kept growing and growing. It has been getting to the point where all I do it go to school, then come home and do nothing. I am also taking classes so any spare time I have now is spent on that. It was pretty bleak!

      However, I have now come to the realization that I need to do what I like too. I was telling my brother that he needed to take time for himself and then the very next day, I went to school at 7 and left a little after 6. Take your own advice Mrs. P. So I am. Back to blogging and more importantly, back to biking and reading!

      Well on to Anna, I had read it a long time ago but I had forgotten a lot about what happened. It was really interesting to go back and read it again. I read it while I was in college and single, now I am in Graduate school and married. It is amazing how much a story can change based on the mindset of the person who is reading it. I liked it when I had first read it and now I still like it, just for different reasons.

      First of all, there is a theme, what happens when passion dies and you actually have to face living and being with each other. In some cases, a friendship will form and you will still compliment each other. In other cases, passion simply dies and you are left hating and resenting each other. Vroskey and Anna are carried away by their passion for each other, but in the end are left progressivly hating each other day by day, until one cannot stand it anymore. Pretty bleak outlook on life and love, but hey, there it is!

      As I was doing my normal search for pictures I saw that Keira Knightenly is going to play Anna in a new film adaptation. The same person that directed Attonement is going to direct this one. Jude Law looks like he may play Vronsky. Um, ok, I guess no one else has read the book. Anna is older than Vronsky, by not a little. Can Keira look old enough and can Jude look young enough? (oh who am I kidding, I love him) I always thought that Angelina Jolie would be a good Anna, but I got outvoted, darn!

      I love this novel. I like it even more now. So many other romantic novels focus on the chase and the winning of the girl or guy. This novel has this as well, in the story between Kitty and Levin. But it also tells an important part. The fighting and the changing that a person must do after they get married and give themselves to each other. As a newlywed, I really liked that. I can relate to it, the movies hardly ever tell you that after you get the guy, there is still a lot of work to do!

      I was going to read Pillars of the Earth now, since I have read Anna and can cross it off my list. I could not get into it. I kept drifting off and thinking about something else then I would realize that I had no idea what was happening. So then I would have to go back and re-read. I decided to go rogue and read something not on the list! (gasp, sigh!)

      On to The Help!

Dune

Ok, before I divulge into this novel I must say that I knew the story before reading it. I have seen most, if not all of the movies that have been made out of this novel. And to be honest, I actually liked them. I was really excited to read this novel because of that. It is not often that I see a movie before I read it's book and I was interested in seeing how they changed the events. The most recent one that was actually made into a TV series was pretty close. Some of the characters do not look like the book describes them but what movie is perfect? 

As I was looking for pictures to post on the blog Google Images kept pooping up with one of Robert Pattinson or Edward. I clicked because I was curious as to what he has to do with Dune. The answer is a little startling, rumor has it that Dune will again be released in 2014 and guess who is going to play Paul. A vampire (yeah, yeah, I know he is not really a vampire but be honest with yourself, when you hear his name, what do you think of? That is what I thought.) All of this is pure rumor of course. 

Why in the world would they remake it again? The answer is that the movie is still relevant. The political and social satire is still relevant and truthful today. The oil is the spice, whomever can destroy it, truly controls it. Sad and scary but true. In the novel there is only one planet that is terrible enough to support spice production, which in turn fuels all space travel (hint) and is more expensive and valuable than other resources available. Very important people rely on the spice as a way of life and will kill in order to control it. Since, "he that controls the spice, controls the universe." It is still amazing to me how authors can recognize the truth and place it into a novel to prove their point. I am not going to get into a debate about oil and gas and our culture but I am asking that you take a step back and see how the author does it. Identifies his or her belief and creates this world where he can make his beliefs paramount. Just look how it is done, and give it the respect it deserves even if you do not agree with it.

Religion is a very important part of this story. Are leaders made, bred or is it all one long and complicated lie? In the novel there it is a blend of it all. There have been people spreading rumors and making the planet of Arrakis ready for Paul and his mother. Both of them knew about the legend and allowed themselves to fit the profile. But along with that, both of them perform some amazing feats. So one has to wonder, are they really what they say they are? Or are they big fat liars? As for me, I am convinced, just because a way has been prepared for you does not mean that they are liars, maybe I am naive, wouldn't be the first time.

The character development is a big part of this story. The author goes so far as to describe the voices of each individual character. The idea is to pick your favorite and here are a few of mine. 

Well of course there is Paul. Who despite being a whiny child in the beginning and a little bit of a jerk as he grows up, still needs the respect and the cheers of the reader. Paul is only 15 at the beginning of the book and about 18 when it ends. That is very young to be taking on the desires, wishes and not to mention the future of an entire population. He becomes their leader, in more than just a Duke as his father was, he blends the line between religion and politics and becomes something more. He has a lot of power and he is a good and fair leader, depending on what side you are on. 

 

Chani. Chani is my personal favorite. She is the daughter of a leader, Liet. She is smart, and poised. She takes on the challengers of Paul and kicks some major butt. She stands by, for and with her man no matter what. She even allows him to marry the Princess so that he can be on the throne, knowing that he doesn't love the princess and by all rights, she is his wife. This brings up an interesting point. Is that strength? Or is it folly? I don't think that I could share my husband but then again, I don't share well. She was raised in a culture where strong and important men had many wives.I think it is important what the Lady Jessica says to her, that even though she must bear the name of concubine, history will call her wife. She knows her duty both as partner and member of the tribe and she stands and fights for what she wants.  She is at Paul's side through the uprising and stands next to him when he goes through his most dangerous trials. Isn't that what you do for your mate? Give them support no matter how bleak the outcome appears? Chani will kick your butt if you mess with her people and most importantly her "beloved." You go girl. 

The rest of the characters are so in depth that they become real people. The father, the mother, and their mortal enemy, Baron Harkonnen. I think Science Fiction  is a difficult genre to excel in. Your reader had to believe that the world that is being created is real. The author adds a sense of comfort when they make their characters so real that there is one thing that you can trust and almost take for granted. There are so many other things for the mind to wrap around, the setting and what is possible. When the characters are so real, it eliminates a potential problem. So there you go, if you are thinking about writing a Science Fiction  novel, make your characters real. 

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see it's path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." 

I like this. I think it is important to find a way to face and defeat your fear. As I say this, there is a spider walking across the wall and my husband gets up to kill it because I can't. So I guess that it has it's limitations. 

What else it there to say.. I read this book during a heatwave here in town which seemed fitting. I always felt a little guilty when I took a big swig of my water and the characters talk about how precious water is. So you want to read this book when it is really hot and you have a lot of water. 

My blog on Dune ends on

I couldn't resist. 

Now back to Anna Karenina