Yes, I realize that it's March, but I just finished my January book. This is a reflection on me, not the book. Clearly I've lost the challenge, but I will post my review as planned and then move onto the March subject from there.
January's Theme: Time
The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger
Fiction, Adult
This book is about Henry, a man with the ability to travel through time. Unfortunately for him, he can't take anything with him when he time travels, including the clothes on his back which puts him in precarious situations as he pops up naked throughout time. He also can't control where or when he travels. But he has found that he continues to visit Clare, his future wife, throughout her childhood. And so the story is of these two people who are connected through time for their entire lives.
It's a sweet, touching and inventive story that weaves different parts of their stories together from different parts of their lives. It's interesting that the author removes the entire idea of the space-time continuum that Star Trek is so fond of screwing with. In this story, time is static. It's already all been done, and nothing can change. It certainly simplifies the concept of time travel and and the story ends up being not about changing the past, as so many of these stories are, but about just living a life.
My only criticism is that the story is written from both Henry's and Clare's perspectives alternately, and while this works for the story I don't feel that the author made their voices distinctive enough. Henry sounded like Clare, and Clare like Henry, no matter what their ages, so sometimes I had to go back to see whose section I was reading. But apparently this was the author's first book and therefore was really impressive in how a complicated story came together and had real emotional impact.
Now on to March: Craft
So last night I performed in a show in Dixon in a theater. It's interesting doing these kinds of shows for me because of the very different environment. I'm used to day shows, causal atmosphere etc. whereas last night we were in a theater with lights and makeup and such. A little strange for me. You can't really see the audience and it feels more like *performing* rather than dancing. I know I'm always performing, and I am aware of that, but with a theater environment it really *feels* like performing. So I was more keenly aware of my feeling that I was not performing up to par. I think the show went well and I did fine, but my dancing doesn't feel as strong as it once did. I feel like I'm getting worse rather than better, which is kinda sad. Don't know if it's just that I need more practice or more exercise or what, but I like to feel like I'm improving and I don't feel that way right now.
So last month I got some bookshelves and some storage shelves and baskets so that I would have places for my stuff and my apartment would actually start to feel livable. My apartment feels good now, although I still have a bit of work to do. Also there are several more things I want to get that would make it even better and more comfortable.
1. A new couch
I like my couch a lot and it has served me well. I got it probably around 10 years ago and it's held up fairly well except for one thing. The cushions are foam and you don't have to sit on them long before you start sinking. I bought it as a cheap pull-out, but I don't use it for that purpose anymore so there's no need for me to sink any longer. A less bulky, more stylish and more comfortable version would be good.
2. A real mattress
I feel like I'm almost to the point of being a real adult with real furniture, so the last thing I must do is get a real mattress. Right now, I'm like the princess and the pea, sleeping on multiple futon mattresses piled on top of each other. These also have a permanent sink and are really not that comfortable. The price of a mattress is a little off-putting, but it must be done
3. A countertop dishwasher
OK, so this is a luxury item, but one I'm really interested in. I just found out these things exist, and I think it would really like one. It's not that I dislike doing dishes, but they pile up so quickly and many nights I'm not home to take care of them. Also, and this is only a minor rationalization, but I do have extremely dry skin and eczema so hand dishwashing is just not good for me. yeah, I could use gloves, but they're a pain and water always gets in them anyways. So I don't know what brand I want yet...the Danby and the Edgestar both seem like good models, but I don't know and don't know yet where I could actually go take a look at one. So does anyone have any experience with countertop dishwashers they'd like to share?
