The Week in Review (April 24-30, 2023)

I’m finding myself in the mood to write again, so I’m here on my neglected blog once again. I’m not really sure what this will become.  It might be the beginning of a new start, or it might be a one-time posting.  I guess we’ll all find out together.

Hits and Misses got to be a challenge for me because I sometimes found that there weren’t enough “Hits” in the week to post.  That became really depressing, so I didn’t find myself looking forward to writing each Monday.  This was further made evident when I realized that the weekly post was just a recapping of my daily journal entries.  Who wants to write the same thing twice?  I certainly don’t want to repeat the same activity if I don’t have to. So I put my blogging away and just focused on my journaling. It was the right decision for the time.

So instead of separating things into the good and the bad, the “Hits and Misses” of the week, I’m just going to write a review of the week. Sometimes there will be highlights. Other times, it might just be a purging of negative feelings. That’s fine. I don’t want your feedback or your suggestions to improve my situation, dear reader. Just be a silent observer. I have enough people who feel the need to comment on my life as it is….and quite honestly, they normally just end up pissing me off. So, keep your thoughts to yourself.  If you can’t handle that, then you can just exit my page now.

Whew….

Now that the ground rules have been established, let’s get on with the weekly review for the last week of April 2023.

Baseball season is here! In case you haven’t noticed, the boys are swinging the bats again. That gives me some kind of routine in my life again that is badly needed. Not entirely sure that I am a huge fan of the pitch clock; I get that it makes the pace of the game move along, but I kind of appreciated the calm, languid pace of the game. Now I don’t feel as though I can look away for a moment or I’ll miss something.

Recital hearing success. I’m not playing for many students these days – yeah, that’s a whole different frustration – so I don’t have as many recital hearings in my life as I used to. Thankfully, this year’s single hearing went off without a hitch on Tuesday night.  Now we just keep moving toward the big event on May 9.

Senior moment. I’m such a creature of habit. However, if something doesn’t appear on my calendar, it isn’t going to happen.  Last Wednesday, I played the weekly characterization class for opera workshop. One of the students left a few minutes early because he had rehearsal at the church.  Ok…that’s a pretty normal occurrence around here.  After class, I headed back to my office and sat down at my computer.  I had a nagging feeling that I was supposed to be somewhere else, but my calendar didn’t show anything. I just marked it up to being over committed and needing to rest after several busy days.  Around 8pm, it hit me that it was WEDNESDAY NIGHT….and I was supposed to play choir rehearsal beginning at 6:30! It had completely slipped my mind and there was nothing I could do about it except apologize and make sure the rehearsal appears on next week’s schedule. Getting old is the pits!

Weekend Getaway. Life in Plainview can be stifling at times. It’s a small community with not a lot to do. When I moved here 8 years ago, I found great joy in staying busy with collaborative opportunities and interacting with a thriving community of music students. Now, I have 2.5 hours of fulfilling music making each week (opera is over for the semester!) and the music building is a desolate and depressing barren space. Why? I have opinions about that, but I’ll keep those to myself for the time being.  I needed to get away from Plainview for a little while to find out if the problem was really centered around being in this city or if it’s just me in general.  (For the record, I don’t have a firm answer to that question yet, but I have a better idea now.) I decided to slip away on Friday afternoon and headed south to Midland for the weekend.  I reserved a small condo through AirBnb and got out of town.  Why Midland? It’s a slightly larger place than Plainview – which I like – but there’s not a lot to do and I don’t have any personal connections there.  This was just a time to get away and allow myself to refresh and recuperate. That’s exactly what I did too. I stocked the refrigerator with soda and deli meats. I got some really nice bread from HEB and a package of mini cupcakes. I shut the world out for the weekend and enjoyed the peace. There was time to watch baseball, catch up on some television, do some reading, and lots of writing and meditating. I’ve got to do this more often….for my sanity and my mental health.

Food finds. I couldn’t just stay in the condo the ENTIRE weekend though.  I ventured out Saturday morning to find breakfast and stumbled on Mulberry Café. It is a quaint little café nestled in the back corner of a strip mall. The aromas from the bakery case were wonderful, but I managed to resist their call. (I’m so proud of myself! Even if that slice of chocolate cake was calling my name…) I had a lovely ham and cheese omelet with a side of melon. I arrived at Mulberry Café just before the end of breakfast service and the place was packed! The customer who ordered just before me had found the last empty table in the room, a lovely large square oak table with seating for 10.  I did something very unusual for me – I asked her if I could join her at the table. She was very gracious and laughingly told me that it was far too much table for her to use alone. Another gentleman noticed my request and asked if he could take another corner. Even though we didn’t have a conversation together, it was very refreshing to be in a space where people felt a sense of community. It’s not something I always find when I’m out and about, and I deeply miss it.

Bookworm returns. I am finally finding joy in leisure reading again. Sometimes it just takes the right setting and the right book to snap me back into my reading. This week, I had a finish and made progress in another novel. My finish this week was To Sir Phillip, With Love.  The novel is the fifth installment in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. I don’t read a ton of romances, but I have found these books charming, fun, and humorous. Sir Phillip focuses on Eloise, the spinster sister of the Bridgerton clan whose journey to love begins with a series of letters to a botanist who recently lost his wife. Little does Eloise know that Phillip is really looking for a mother for his two 8-year-old twins (who are regularly described as “monsters”) and someone to manage his neglected homestead.  I am also reading The Stepford Wives on my Kindle.  One of the prompts on my reading challenge is to read a book published in the year you were born. I’ve heard the novel referenced throughout my life and am familiar with the basic premise, so I decided to read this short one that I’ve heard so much about.  I must say that I am really enjoying the book thus far.  I’m only about a third of the way in (Thanks, Kindle!), but I am finding the satire very amusing and an enjoyable read.  When I have a moment, I’ll start a new paperback.  Up next is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I don’t know why I’ve always avoided this one that has received such high praise. I guess this is the time to find out for myself what I think about it.

Relaxation

Feb 13 – What is something you like to do to relax?

Relaxation has not always come easily to me. I thought that I had to work, work, work in order to be considered worthy. When I finally learned the error of that philosophy, I began to find ways that I could relax. There was never just a single activity that brought me relaxation. Instead, I learned to mix it up and enjoy life in the moment.

So what are the things that I like to do that help me relax? Most people know that reading is a major source of relaxation for me. By now, it should be pretty clear that I also enjoy writing. Blogging and journaling help me get my feelings out and begin to deal with things that I tend to keep bottled up inside. There are a few other things that really help me to relax that fewer people know about. I love puzzles of all sorts — word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and logic puzzles. I’m not terribly good at them, but the process of solving them forces me to breathe deeply and relax. When I’m in a position where I can stop everything and fully relax, I enjoy working with needle and thread. I’ve been a cross-stitcher since I was a child. There’s just something about mixing colorful threads, following a pattern, and creating a picture that is so rewarding and fulfilling.

Joy Bringers

Jan 5 – What are three things that bring you joy in life?

Okay, let’s start with a few disclaimers before I launch into my answers. The question clearly asks for “things” that bring joy — so that disqualifies people from my answer. Obviously being with my Mom brings me great joy as do my “chosen family” of people that I chose to do life with on a regular basis. I’ve also decided not to include the obvious answers that most people would expect. If you know me at all, you know the role that music and books play in my emotional health and joyfulness. So there’s no need to share those details. Now, let’s get down to the three things that bring me joy.

1) Chocolate. This might not be a surprise, but I do think it needs some clarification. Not all chocolate qualifies. I prefer milk chocolate, but not all milk chocolate is the same. Joy comes with REALLY GOOD chocolate. I don’t find it very often, but when I do I am in a very happy place. The performers that were with me on November’s Midland Opera tour saw me enjoying good chocolate and finding a VERY happy place. If the good chocolate is covering really good caramel, I’m in Heaven!

2) Museums. I have absolutely no skill in the traditional visual arts. I cannot draw anything other than a stick figure — and those are not very good! Painting is an abstract effort for me. I don’t like getting my hands dirty, so sculpture and ceramics are out of the question. Still, I have an artistic spirit and I enjoy viewing the visual expressions of talented artists. I have fond memories of visiting MOMA and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Whenever I travel to a major city alone, I make it a point to check out the art scene. But it’s not just an appreciation of major works that I enjoy. I also enjoy seeing the work of local craftsmen and artisans who may not be well known, but still bring excellence to their work. I don’t know what is technically good, but I know what speaks to my spirit and evokes an emotional response within me. Those are the pieces that I most enjoy and find myself wanting to return to over and over.

3) Travel. It doesn’t matter whether I’m going by car, plane, or train, I just like to go! The destination is not as important either. I love exploring metropolitan areas, but I can also spend a quiet weekend in a quaint berg with a few books and some local restaurants. Sometimes I want to be alone and see what I can find. Other trips are meant for companionship. I have stayed in lush hotels in the best areas of the city and crashed on the floor of a mountain cabin with a group of guys (although I doubt there are many more “floor crashes” in my future). There’s always something interesting to do, too. Shows and concerts are always a hit. A visit to a second-hand bookstore and an antiques shop can be a welcome diversion from the norm. So….who’s ready to pack a bag and join me? It’s time to hit the road!

Summer Reading Project

Summer is a relaxing down-time for me. My performance calendar is less active and I get to have a much more relaxed practice routine. That means that I have more time to devote to one of my favorite activities – reading.

I’ve found that summer is the perfect time for me to begin reading larger novels that I have avoided during the school year. Part of the problem is that the books are so long. Often times they are classic works and require more brain cells than I can spare while teaching. I enjoy approaching these works during the summer months because I find it easy to escape into the setting of the novel without worrying that I am neglecting other responsibilities.

Some of my past adventures have been some of my favorite reading adventures. Last summer, I finally got around to reading Jude the Obscure as well as beginning the Harry Potter series. The summer before was the beginning of my reading of Ken Follett’s Century Trilogy. Summer was also the time for great sagas like Gone with the Wind as well as modern beach reads.

So what do I have in mind for this year? I’m going back to the classics and reading Middlemarch by George Eliot. I first encountered Eliot in my undergraduate survey class with The Mill on the Floss and fell in love with her style. Middlemarch has always intimidated me because of its reputation and its massive size. I picked up a copy of the novel just before finals began and spent some time getting started last weekend. Now that finals are over and the lazy days of summer are about to begin, I think it’s time to dive back in.

Now, where did I put that book? It’s time to get in some reading.

Stressed Out!

Life can be stressful sometimes. Issues pile up, we find ourselves completely unable to change things, and our head feels as though it could explode at any moment. A family member faces illness, problems occur at work, and nothing seems to be going right. Those we love turn into cranky monsters and people that should be helping are nowhere to be found. You feel powerless, deserted, and hopeless. Your stress level has reached it peak and you simply have to find ways to cope.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? While we all experience stress daily, these situations are not as common for most of us. We are totally “stressed out” and can’t fathom having to add anything else to our already overloaded plates. As I write this post, I am coming down from the heights of being stressed out. While the experience is so fresh, I want to document some things I’m learning and want to make sure I remember the next time I’m “stressed out.”

• No one is intentionally adding to your stress. In most cases, the people we interact with know very little of what’s going on in the other areas of your life. They aren’t getting the full picture of what you’re dealing with in that moment. It’s important to take their cliched “just relax” comments with a grain of salt. Adding anger to the equation is only going to result in an explosive situation.
• However, it is important to be honest with others. When a co-worker attempts to calm you with promises of a solution, it is perfectly acceptable to truthfully and rationally express your doubt and concerns.
• Speak frankly with those who can offer support. Your supervisor wants you to perform at maximum capacity and knows you cannot do so if you are overwhelmed. After calming a bit, feel free to communicate your frustrations with your superior, outlining the steps you have taken to solve the problem to this point. By writing it out, you may see the solution yourself. If no solution is clear, ask for advice or support. Remember that your boss only looks good when you look good.
• Accept situations beyond your control. While dealing with one of my major stresses at the moment, I learned that Dad unexpectedly needed to go to the doctor to have some blood work  done in preparation for an upcoming procedure. My initial response was not good; my day was further interrupted and something else had now landed in my lap. Somehow, sanity prevailed and I just took a deep breath. This issue had to have my immediate attention, so I just began to reschedule things. While my stress level wasn’t immediately lowered, at least it wasn’t going higher because of the unavoidable interruption.
• Recognize the power of release. I had held things together (and held my tongue for the most part) while I was in public. Once I was alone in my room, I knew a release was necessary and I allowed myself the opportunity to let it go. Some people may need to throw a ball against the wall for release. Others may cry. Still others need to scream at the top of their lungs! The manner of the release is not the focus; it is simply important to let the emotions escape.
• Pull away and recharge! I find that one of the most powerful tools I have in managing stress is to just be quiet and take care of myself. Whether you take a quiet walk or just climb into a nest of pillows, find a way to slow your pace and prepare to battle the stress tomorrow. Don’t set a time limit for your escape either. If 45 minutes is enough, that’s great! But give yourself permission to recharge until the next sunrise if necessary.
• Slowly return to your work. Rather than diving into the deepest areas of stress, gently reintroduce yourself to the tasks at hand. I find it’s helpful to mark off a few of the easy items on my to-do list first. Often the momentum of accomplishment carries over into more challenging tasks.
• Accept offers to help. When people see our stress, they want to help if they can. Normally you also know whose offer is sincere and competent. Accept those offers when possible and get that task off of your plate so you can focus on another aspect of the job.

Time to Get Rid of the Noise

The weekend is coming and I am looking forward to relaxing a bit. My parents have also had a busy week; relaxation is on their agendas as well. Our definitions of “relaxing” vary greatly though.

My dad will plop down into a leather recliner with the clicker balanced on the wooden arm. Once he turns on the television Saturday morning, the square monster will continue to blare until he retires for the night. Mom will probably busy herself with various household chores that were left undone before gliding into the cushiony softness of the couch. While television is extremely entertaining (a glance at my calendar will reveal my prime time favorites), the noise that it brings is not always relaxing. Sometimes I really just want to shut the box off and escape the chattering of the talking heads. I just want to turn the TV off for a while.

For many in our society, silence and solitude is uncomfortable. When there is nothing outside of ourselves to hear, we actually begin to listen to our inner voice. That’s when we begin to hear gentle words of encouragement, reproof, direction, and challenge. When the noise is removed, our mind has to become our source of information and entertainment. We no longer are led aimlessly by an immoral society.

I’m not saying that television is evil. I just think that it holds too much sway in American culture. What would happen if we silenced the boob tube for a few hours each day and listened carefully? Our families would be strengthened as relationships were rekindled through conversation. Imagination and knowledge would regain the prized positions they held in prior generations. We would reconnect with the Spirit, growing in faith and love. 

I think it’s time to begin controlling the talking box rather than being controlled by it. It’s time to eliminate some of the noise and start to really listen. You just might be surprised by what you begin to hear!

The Art of Carroll Cloar

A few weeks ago, I made my first visit to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. I was less than thrilled with what I saw of the permanent collection and immediately thought there was a reason that I had never visited this museum. Since I had paid the admission fee (a very reasonable $7), I decided that I needed to at least check out the featured exhibit of the summer. I’m very glad that I did!

“The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South” will be on exhibit in Memphis through September 12, 2013. Cloar (1913-1993) was a native Arkansan who grew up in the rural farmlands of the state. Much of his work depicts the images he encountered while traveling throughout the state and working the land. Cloar studied English at Rhodes College in Memphis before heading to New York City to pursue a career as an artist. In his final years, Cloar returned to Memphis.

I’m not an art critic by any stretch of the imagination, but I know what I like. Cloar’s paintings are filled with color and amazing technique. I found it interesting that his style morphed throughout his life, embracing the various art movements as they made their mark on the American landscape. Not only are Cloar’s works beautiful, they also speak of the struggles faced in the American South.

One of the first techniques that caught my eye and amazed me was Cloar’s ability to create ghost-like figures (which he will also use to portray reflections in water) in the midst of the scene. I don’t recall the title of the painting that astounded me as I entered the gallery, but I can certainly describe it. The scene is of a train station in Eureka Springs, Arkansas that Cloar had encountered while traveling. In addition to the waiting passengers, ghosts of those who had travelled in earlier trips are also present. I loved the idea that our presence leaves a lasting mark on our environment and those we encounter.

The technique described above can also be seen in one of my favorite paintings in the exhibit: Charlie Mae Practicing for the Baptizing. Charlie Mae was a African-American girl that Cloar befriended in his childhood and she became a recurring subject in many of his pieces. In addition to the beautiful purples and greens along the river’s bank, I loved the faint reflection of the scene in the murky waters of the river.

Charlie Mae Practicing for the Baptizing, Carroll Cloar

To fully appreciate the significance of Charlie Mae’s presence in Cloar’s work, it is important to know that Cloar was a white man. Growing up in the country, friends were a luxury; the color of their skin was not of primary concern to children. Throughout Cloar’s career, he provided commentary on race relations in the American South, featuring both whites and blacks in his images; rarely did Cloar include people of both races in a single painting though.

The other painting that made a lasting impression on me was Halloween. In the foreground, a child is seen wearing a mask and carrying a jack-o-lantern through the autumn grass. Her joy and innocence is a direct contrast to the adult men wearing white hooded robes in the painting’s upper right who are leaving the home to reek havoc on the black community. The contrast between youth and adulthood in the piece is stark and speaks volumes.

Halloween, Carroll Cloar

Whether you are a fan of museums or not, if you are in the metro Memphis area, do yourself a favor and check out this fascinating exhibit before it leaves. Wear a pair of comfortable shoes, leave your driver’s license at the front desk to get the audio tour of the exhibit, and allow your mind to be swept away into the world of Carroll Cloar. I’m looking forward to returning to the exhibit to learn more about this fascinating man and his work.

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is located in Overton Park. Visit their website at www.brooksmuseum.org for hours and additional information.

P.S.   I plan to enjoy the rest of this week with my family as we celebrate our nation’s independence. Livin’ Life will return to its regular schedule on Monday, July 8.

Getting the Rest You Need

We all know that rest is important, but we sometimes find it difficult to insure that it happens in our personal life. I’m still learning how to make Sabbath rest a part of my routine, but here are some things that are proving helpful at the moment. Take these suggestions for what their worth….

• Schedule, Schedule, Schedule. The more carefully I plan what needs to happen each day, the less time I waste. The less time I waste, the more I accomplish. The more I accomplish, the easier it becomes to have a day devoted to rest each week

• Write it down. I have always prided myself on having a wonderful memory and rarely having to write things down. What I’m discovering is that the physical process of writing things down purges them from my mind and provides the comfort that important things will not be forgotten. My mind can slow down…and that brings rest to my body.

• Establish a Sleep Routine. Knowing that I’m rising at the same time each morning and going to bed consistently each night puts my body into a routine. It also allows for consistently knowing when my most productive periods of the day will occur. That is a positive in so many ways!

• Exercise. Have I completely fallen off of my rocker? Does the physical exertion of exercise seriously help us to get rest? Definitely! By regularly participating in some physical activity, the body relieves stress naturally and is ready to rest fully each night. Taking care of the body helps to take care of the mind as well.

• Feed your Soul. I cannot emphasize this aspect enough. It is absolutely imperative that you set aside time each day to care for your inner man. Include it in your schedule just as you would any other appointment and protect it at all costs! You decide what activity is most beneficial for you — study, prayer, worship, meditation — and make sure that you do AT LEAST that one thing each day. As we allow our souls to connect with the Creator daily, we will find that we are refreshed and able to be productive because of His blessing.

• Relax. You know when your body has reached its limit. In those moments, give yourself permission to relax. Your optimal work time may not fit with everyone else. That’s okay! While you still have to function, as long as you are having productive periods throughout the day, you’ll get it done. 

• Reward Yourself. I plan personal activities that I enjoy at the end of each day. When I have completed the tasks on my list, I get to enjoy something special. This allows me to look forward to finishing the day’s responsibilities and gives me an extra push of energy. Additionally, set aside time for larger rewards after a particularly busy season. This might include a mini-vacation or a “stay-cation.”

When I include these steps in my routine, I find that I can get most of my duties done in six days and truly enjoy a seventh day of rest each week. It’s what God has ordained for our bodies and provides the needed energy to tackle the challenges that the following week will bring.

On Friday, I’ll share with you a little about my most recent “stay-cation.” It’s actually much easier than you might think and worth the effort.

What tips would you add to my list to help get everything done in order to have a day devoted to rest and rejuvenation?

I Resolve….

Now that we are a week into 2013, I’m finally ready to commit to my resolutions for the year. I guess I had to take things slowly and thoughtfully since making a public announcement makes me more accountable.  Some of these will be observable by everyone who knows me; the accomplishment of others will be things that only God and I will know.  Here’s goes nothing……

1. Increase my personal reading.  Some of you are probably aware that I maintain another blog, Reading for Me, that details my path towards recapturing reading for personal fulfillment and pleasure.  The ultimate goal is to read 52 books in a single calendar year.  2012 saw the greatest number of books in a single year with 32.  My goal is to read at least 33 books in 2013…..but hopefully more!  The most difficult time of year to maintain my reading is when school is in session. Although I love the sensation of holding a book in hand, I am attempting to use my iPad as my primary reading device.  I hope this will enable me to continue reading even when I only have a few moments to spare throughout the day.
2. Lose 20 pounds.  This goal has caused me the most difficulty.  I want to set a goal that is achievable, but not too easy either.  In the summer of 2012, I began working with a personal trainer. With all of the ups and downs that the year brought, I have netted a total weight loss of 8 pounds.  Diet is a struggle when I’m on the road…..and keeping a consistent workout regiment is tough when I’m not at home.  To help with this process, I moved my gym membership today to Anytime Fitness;  Anytime also has a facility in Jackson, Tennessee.  Now I just have to get my mind in gear to workout when I’m working away from home.  You can follow my progress in my weight loss journey on my most sporadically published blog Just Have to Start Somewhere.
3. Write on a more regular basis.  Seeing that I have four blogs, it should be clear to most people that I enjoy writing. I don’t necessarily think I have anything of tremendous value to share….it’s just therapeutic to put my thoughts down and share with anyone that actually wants to read. Like my personal reading, I’ve struggled with maintaining a regular schedule when school is in session. I think I was trying to publish too regularly.  So I’ve changed my approach and am hoping for good things.  I intend to publish posts on Reading for Me and Just Have to Start Somewhere when needed….no regular schedule there.  This blog is the oldest of them all and the one that I think I owe the most writing to…..so I hope to write here 2 or 3 times each week.  I’m shooting for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  My professional blog is Collaborations and was dormant for much of 2012.  My goal is to have a new post on Thursday of each week.  You can be part of my success in this endeavor; your comments on the blog site reminds me that other people are reading them which motivates me to carry on.
4. Schedule times of rest.  Most workers look forward to the weekend.  It’s a couple of days to rest and revive their energy for the challenges that lie in the week ahead.  Since I’m piecing together several part-time jobs to make a living, my schedule rarely works out where I have entire days without any work.  I’m sensing the beginnings of burn-out and fatigue in my personal life and feel directed by God to correct the constant work-mode that I have maintained in the past year. Since taking a “Sabbath” day is not possible at this time, my goal is to allow myself to divide the “Sabbath” up throughout the week, finding chunks of time during the week that I can block out for rest and relaxation.  Since school hasn’t started, finding these days of rest has been easy so far.  (I’m actually enjoying one today!)  Once the semester kicks off next year, I’ll be looking for 8 hours (at least) each week to devote to me.  Given my mindset and work ethic, I know this will be a challenge for me.  I am committed to making it a priority, however.
5. Spiritual growth.  This will be the resolution that I will keep most private for obvious reasons. I am not satisfied with my spiritual condition and I don’t think that any growing Christian should ever be satisfied! As such, there are several things that God has placed on my heart to develop me into the man He has designed me to be. I’ll be pursuing these quietly behind the scenes and I pray that they will display themselves in my life so others can see the light and love of my Savior.  I would appreciate your prayers throughout the year as I pursue a more intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father in the coming year.

That is what’s motivating me as I step into the early days of 2013.  Now it’s time to get going and see how I can make these resolutions reality!

Book Clubs

Today was filled with lots of activity and appointments that simply had to be kept. Since I knew the day was going to be crazy, I got an early start, knowing that I needed to knock a few things off my to-do list before leaving the house for the morning. I decided I needed some incentive to get things done, so I made a deal with myself. Once I finished the first three things on my list, I could spend the rest of the morning reading until I had to leave. I didn’t even get to pick up a book. That made me very sad…..

And my sadness grew as I heard a radio announcer wishing everyone “Happy Read a Book Day” (honestly….it’s celebrated on September 6). On September 8, we’ll also celebrate International Literacy Day. I have been desperate to dive into a book all day long, but didn’t have the time to spare. I have been thinking about how much I love books and how I desperately desire to be a part of a book club.

One of the primary reasons that I have been a student for so long is that I really enjoy getting to interact with books. It’s not just reading the book that is so enthralling though. I love the conversation that ensues when a group of people come together and bring their various experiences and opinions to the table as they consider the implications of the written word. I couldn’t imagine not having time to read while I was in my undergraduate program. So what did I do? I declared a second major in English literature. I knew I wasn’t the best student in the program, but I knew that I was passionate about the material.

The social activity I would most enjoy participating in on a regular basis would be a reading group. I’ve had no luck finding one though. I’ve joined groups at the local library and area bookstores, but have always been disappointed because the members either didn’t commit to participate regularly or the group only dove into a single genre of literature. When I participated in an office reading group, things never got off the ground. We tried to meet during our lunch break, but the demands of work kept calling us back. We were all too exhausted to consider committing to an additional night during the week.

Some have suggested that I start my own reading group. I’ll admit that I have tried, but it still didn’t provide what I was looking for. A church book club limited material that could be included due to language and topics that might offend some members. A group of performing artists is a rehearsal (read social party) waiting to happen….and there was little discussion of the material read.

Oprah’s Book Club was the closest thing I’ve ever found. I enjoyed the wide variety of books selected and appreciated the passionate discussion that would normally occur. I missed the human interaction and building relationships though. Oprah has now reorganized her book club as version 2.0 which all occurs online. Everyone has the opportunity to communicate via Twitter and other social media, but the intimacy is lost.

I was intrigued by one of Oprah’s latest suggestions for starting a book club. She suggested reading as a family and discussing the book as part of your family get-togethers. I see how this could be really fun in many families. Probably won’t work for my situation though….while many in my family enjoy reading (and others do it just to keep their brain active), we’re not reading for insight as much as we are for the entertainment value. There’s only so much I can say about why I enjoyed a book without wanting to consider the moral, political, and philosophical implications.

So what is it that I’m really looking for? Ideally, I would find a group of 8-12 other readers who come from different backgrounds, professions, spiritual journeys, and education levels. I envision men and women who share a love for reading, a desire to think deeply about issues, and a willingness to listen and speak honestly without constantly being offended when/if they disagree. I don’t want to be forced to be politically correct….especially if my opinions are not PC! We might share food together….but the focus is really on the book.

And, oh the books!  How wonderful would it be to read a self-help book followed by the latest best-seller. Then we dive into the heart of a classic American novel. Throw in a little philosophical writing and maybe even some religious (possibly non-Christian?) texts and you have a recipe for exciting and intellectually invigorating conversation.

If any of you have suggestions about where I can find a book club in the area, I’d love to hear from you! Until I find what I’m looking for, I’ll keep dreaming about the day I’m able to participate on a regular basis and keep reading for my own pleasure and intellectual stimulation.  Now I suppose it’s time I give in and spend some quiet time with my book.  Scarlett and Rhett, I’m coming to Tara for a visit now!