Giggle

Wonderful Ghost Story

I finished reading the new Niffenegger novel, Her Fearful Symmetry Monday afternoon. It is a beautifully written ghost story, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The author explores the themes of love, secrets, obsessions and identity. I found the setting to be a powerful "character" in this book. The action takes place primarily in a three flat building that borders Highgate Cemetery in London and encompasses the lives of those who exist there, in various degrees of life and death. All of the characters are trapped by some combination of fear, grief, ill health, history, lifelong habits, inertia, or weakness and must decide whether and how to overcome these barriers.

The book is centered around mirror twins Julia and Valentia who inherit a flat from their unknown aunt Elspeth. The girls travel from Chicago to London to receive their flat with the stipulation that the girls had to live in the flat for one year and their parents could not step foot in the flat. The twins explore London and get to know their neighbors. There is Martin the OCD sufferer whose marriage fails due to his mental illness and Robert the ex lover of Elspeth, who cannot get over her death. Indeed the most fundamental journey is the girls’ own struggle to establish their own identities. Secrets are soon revealed as the ghost Elspeth makes contact. The stories of these characters unfold/overlap/entwine/converge and we end up reading an entertaining, if sometimes disturbing, modern ghost story.

There are moments of uncomfortable reading in this book. Characters do things you would really rather they didn't. Niffenegger cleverly pulls the right strings at the right time - there isn't too much sentimentality, the ghost stuff isn't overdone, you flip to another story thread just before you've had enough of the previous one.  The twists in the story are good - you probably will see one coming but perhaps not both. Well okay, now you'll be looking for it...sorry.

My only complaint is the ending. I wish Niffengger has spent an extra 20 or 30 pages for a more prolonged resolution. I was so swept up in the story and characters that I was left wanting for more at then end.

Love of Books

I have always had a fondness for books.  When I was a little girl, I would stay up late reading in bed by flashlight unable to put the book down.  Inevitably, my mom would poke her head in my room to check on me and would find me reading by flashlight.  My mom would tell me to turn the flashlight off and go to bed, but she always had a funny smile on her face when she said this.  Normally, I would turn off the flashlight and go to bed.  Sometimes I would wait for a while, turn the flashlight back on, and start reading again.  In the mornings, my mom always knew when I had stayed up all night reading.  You could not miss it, as it was written all over my face.

When I was in third grade, my mom brought up a box of books from the basement and sat down with me.  The box was filled with Nancy Drew mysteries that my mom and her sister Debi had read when they were young girls.  She gave me the books to read and told me that I would be tempted to stay up all night reading these books as well.  Unsurprisingly, she was correct!

The first Nancy Drew book I ever read was The Secret in the Old Attic.  I stayed up all night and read the entire book in one sitting.  I couldn't put it down.  I loved reading about Nancy, her boyfriend Ned Nickerson, father and housekeeper and how Nancy could always figure out the mystery at hand. Nancy is a tried and true character - smart, resourceful, and independent.  The Secret in the Old Attic was not the first book in the series, so I went back to the beginning and started with The Secret of the Old Clock and started making my way through the series. 

My mom was missing a few of the books; but the library and bookstores still carry (to this day) the Nancy Drew mystery series, all 175 books in all. 

The Nancy Drew series opened my eyes to the mystery & suspense genre.  I started reading Agatha Christie – the “Grand Dame of Mystery,” and other mystery novels.

As you can see, I love mystery novels.  I just finished reading, Beautiful Lies, by Lisa Unger.  Unger’s debut mystery/suspense novel is action-packed yet character driven.  Not only did I enjoy the mystery/suspense of the novel I also enjoyed the theme of choices throughout the book.  The choices you make lead you down different paths.  If the main character, Ridley Jones, had not made the sudden choice to save the toddler walking into traffic she would have never gone on the searching journey she did.  If she had not made the choice to find out who sent the mysterious picture and note, asking, “Are you my daughter?” she would have continued to live the life of a beautiful lie.  Wonderfully written and a fast read, if you enjoy mystery/suspense novels with substance you will enjoy Lisa Unger’s debut novel, Beautiful Lies.

I now can stay up late reading with the lights on.  Although, Dave does complain at times and gives me the look my mom would.  The look that says, "if you don't stop reading you are going to be TIRED in the morning."  He's right, just like my mom was when I was growing up.  But you know what, good books are worth it!

Book Review - "Girls are Weird"

I finished the book, "Girls are Weird" by Pamela Ribon today.  It was a rather quick read - only 4 days on the bus to work and home and the last 15 pages saved for my appointment at the salon this morning.

Ribon's "Girls are Weird" is a fun, quirky and endearing novel about AnnaK, a girl who wrote emblished stories of her life in an journal online (blog) that becomes famous in the blogsphere and how this affects her life.  The book is fiction spiced with stories from her actual blog (www.pamie.com).  It's funny, sad, sweet, and a good read.  The book is a mix of the character's blog posts and what is happening IRL (In Real Life).  Her blog posts in the book are hilarious, sad, and giggle out loud while reading on the bus funny.  The opening 'post' in the book is HILARIOUS!  I think the guy sitting next to me on the bus was reading over my shoulder - because he kept giving me funny looks.  You'll have to read it - because I am not going to quote that part of the book.  My favorite AnnaK 'post' in the book starts on page 75.

By Request

(I Give You a Rack for a Day)

12 August

Small-chested girls and boys of all sizes: Today I give you a set of tits.  You wanted big boob your entire life and today you get to have them.  After you've spent ten minutes in the mirror playing with them, get ready to experience the real world of big-tittydom.  Here we go:

Your shoulds hunch inwad, just slightly - a result of trying to make your chest look smaller while you were growing up, embarrassed to have people staring at you.

The seat belt never stays across your chest.  It slides up and somtimes goes around your neck if you aren't careful.  You are terrified that you will one day be decapitated in an auto accident because of your 34Ds.

The cuter the T-shirt the great the chances it will not fit you.  If it does fit in the arms and length, the logo on the front will be stretched so tight across your chest that you look obscene.

The strappy/backless fad?  Forget it.  Where are you gonna be seen without a bra?  There's no way.  While you're at it, you can pretty much forget one-piece swimsuits.  They don't make any that fit and hold you in.  You're buying separates forever.

When you're cold, everyone else is going to know.  They won't tell you that you're high-beaming, but will enjoy the free show.  You might notice yourself, however; when you scratch your arm on your nipple.  Again, the protective hunch will develop in time.

People will "accidentally" brush into you.  They like to do this at bars, in tight hallways and on buses.  They will be all "Excuse me," but will raise or lower their arms so that they brush into your breasts.  They may even do the hard shove that presses their chest against yours.  They won't thank you for it either.

Your mother will talk about your chest more than your career.

No running.  Ever.  Invest in three sports bras and wear two at once, but you're still not going to run a mile.  Use the elliptical trainer, treadmill, or stairmaster.

The sight of speed bumps on the road may bring tears to your eyes.

Never close a hardcover book too quickly.  You could get a nipple stuck in there.  Yes, it happened, and no, I don't want to talk about it.

Babies grab your breasts.  They don't know any better.  It's only mortifying when someone jokes loudly, "He's looking for lunch!"

Lovers will try and name them.  Don't let them.  Keep your dignity.  Maybe one great name like "Fantasia." But not "Bert and Ernie." Pooh and Tigger," Lefty an Lopsy." Fuck that shit.

You wear bras all the time.  Constantly.  Underwires only.  No frilly-soft-lacy-pretty things.  Industrial strength.  Straps an inch wide.  You look like an 1950s nurse who's into S&M.

Women outwardly hate you because of your chest. Even your best friends.

There will be lines you can break, drinks that will be free, things that you can have, and tickets you might get out of.

There will also be friendships never had, clothes never worn, sports never played and pictures ripped to shreds in agony.

Your back hurts. Just all the time.  A constant state of hurt.

You have a terrible fear of catching a football.  It is completely understandable.

New boyfriends won't know what to do with them.  They will opt for a mix of lifting and lowering, licking all over the place, hoping to hit a spot you like.

Sometimes you accidentally drop food down there, like popcorn.  People think that's hysterical.

Sometimes you'll lean over a table to get the salt and will end up dipping your breast in somone's ketchup.  Yes, you'll be humiliated.  No you probably couldn't have avoided it.

You may catch yourself leaning on a table, resting only your breasts on it.  Stop.  You look obnoxious.  I know you didn't realize it.  It just happens sometimes.

Find yourself in a period play and act the shit out of it.  May I suggest Dangerous Liaisons?   

Did I frighten you or just make you want your own pair of big boobs even more?  No, boys, I'm not talking to you. I know what your answer is.  Even you gay boys.  I know you want a fancy pair for special evenings.  I'm just talking to the Itty Bitty Tittie Committee here.  All in favor of keeping your new knockers, say "Aye."

Hello? Hello?  Yeah, that's what I though.

Love until later, Anna K

You'll find more funny stories and about the life of Anna K if you read Pamela Ribon's book, "Girls are Weird."