Banned (?) Books

Really?

The Wall Street Journal

I'm not dead ...

just really busy. School starts in two weeks. I am enjoying every minute with my boys. Enjoy your last days of summer.

Training Week 3

Last week was a tough week ... golf camp, art school, husband out of the country, husband's truck in the shop ... I missed a day. An important day. I was too tired. Hopefully this will be a good week. It is supposed to cool off in Houston. Temp down to a high of 95 and rain. If I get out early I can run from home. If not, I can run inside at the Y.

Sun 40 min
Mon 45 min ( or 4 miles I missed from last week)
Tues off
Wed 40 min
Thurs off
Fri 5 miles
Sat off

So this is what happens

when you don't watch anything but the Tour de France for a few days. I completely missed the news that Walter Cronkite died. Here is the link to the story on CBS news.

Are You Going to Run?

Registration opens today ... I got my number, but the race is quickly filling up. As of 2:00 this afternoon there were 13,200 registrants.

Check out this WSJ article on how the economy is affecting race registration. Apparently race number are up and times are faster because more people are unemployed.

The God Divide

I read a hilariously touching book in one sitting this weekend and knocked out another book on my Summer Reading Challenge list. (I have been reading quite a few books in one sitting lately. I guess that is what happens when your husband travels to another continent for two weeks.) I am afraid, however, that I will find it much more difficult to write about than it was to read. Kevin Roose's The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University challenged me.

The Unlikely Disciple is the story of Brown University student and Quaker Kevin and the semester he spent at Liberty, Jerry Falwell's shining University on the hill. I have to admit that I read this book with a "but for the grace of God go I" attitude. Years ago - twenty-two to be exact - I came under enormous pressure from leaders in my church and friends of my parents to attend Liberty. I didn't go, but it was interesting to see what my life would have been like if I had.

I've been a Christian for most of my life, and yet my Christianity has run the gamut of belief from hard-core evangelical to someone who believes that Jesus might just be a Democrat. I am not going to use this post as a place to enumerate my views, but I think your views will define how you see this book.

Some of you will think Kevin is an unsaved heathen. Hopefully more of you will see him as many of us really are, a good person struggling to find what he believes. I think that is what I loved about this book ... he was a reporter writing a story, but he really became part of the story.

Here are some of the great reviews I found:

Roose went to Liberty as an undercover writer, not as a seeker, though much of his book’s considerable charm comes from the fact that he liked a lot of what he found...[a] vivid, sunny and skeptical portrait of life among the saved.
— New York Times

The Unlikely Disciple serves as a refreshing cease-fire in the wearying culture wars, likely holding surprises for anyone — theist, atheist, or somewhere in between — who gives it a chance.
— The Onion A/V Club

Kevin Roose is a delightful writer, and this is a humane book. Read it and I predict you’ll have less paranoia, more exposure to ‘the other,’ and a larger dose of Roose’s generous and hopeful faith.
— Brian McLaren
Christian activist and author of A New Kind of Christian, A Generous Orthodoxy, and Everything Must Change

And yes, before I forget, Kevin Roose is a very good writer. I look forward to more from him.

Percy Jackson Movie Trailer

Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Click above to see the first trailer for the new Percy Jackson movie. I know where I will be on President's Day 2010.

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Word of the Week

fet⋅ter  [fet-er]

–noun

1. a chain or shackle placed on the feet.
2. Usually, fetters. anything that confines or restrains: Boredom puts fetters upon the imagination.

–verb (used with object)

3. to put fetters upon.
4. to confine; restrain.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME, OE feter; c. OHG fezzera, ON fjǫturr; akin to foot

Related forms:
fet⋅ter⋅er, noun
fet⋅ter⋅less, adjective

fetter. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fetter

re: Buzz Aldrin

After rewriting this post in letter form, I sent it to the publisher of Dr. Aldrin's new book and the PR department of his website. Here is a response from one of Dr. Aldrin's employees.

Your email was forwarded to me by Buzz Aldrin’s publisher in regards to your experience at the book signing at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston last week.

First of all I’d like to send an apology for the person who you described as a bodyguard/assistant who was rude to you and, as you said, “slammed the book shut” on your 9 year old. I can assure you that that was not anyone in our employ. The only person traveling with Dr. Aldrin was his 79 year old wife Lois and she’s extremely charming and gracious to all people who approach Buzz at any events. I’m not sure if it was a museum employee or volunteer but I’ll see if I can find out.

Also, I’m very surprised to hear that Buzz wouldn’t shake your kids hands or look at them as that is extremely out of character for him. As a matter of fact, Dr. Aldrin usually gives far more time and attention to kids as he knows that they are our future. I have often been with him at signing events and he never hesitates to shake someone’s hand, especially a child’s or take a picture with them. He won’t sign other memorabilia and will only sign books he’s written but he’s usually very gracious about it. The only thing I can think of that would have made Buzz seem at all aloof is that he was likely very tired after a long day of appearances. He had flown in from LA to Houston that morning arriving on a redeye at 6am and had to go straight to events at Radio Shack, then to NASA for CBS Evening News then to the book signing at MFAH. It was a long tiring day for him to say the least and this would be hard on someone my age of 36, much less Dr. Aldrin who is almost 80.

At any rate, I just wanted you to know that this is far from the standard type of email we receive from people who’ve attended the book signings. Usually we get bombarded with thank you emails and so I wanted to address this one personally. One thing I can tell you from my own experience of being a girl who grew up in South Dakota, one of ten kids with a father who was in the Air Force and is now a truck driver, is that considering all that Buzz has done in his life and considering he does hobnob with celebrities and kings and queens is that he is one of the most down to earth, nicest people I’ve ever known. And I don’t say that just because he’s my boss. I truly mean it and I consider it an honor to work for him.

Anyway, I hope this will at least give you a little insight into Buzz and those who work for him. I know it doesn’t make up for your experience but I wanted you and your boys to know that Buzz is really a great man.

Thoughts on Lance

So it's a rest day on the Tour de France and I have been thinking about Lance and his comeback. For a long time I said, "Get over yourself Mr. Armstrong." However, after watching the first 9 days of the tour I am impressed. I believe him and this commercial.

Of course, I would be o.k. with either a Lance win or an Alberto win. My loyalty is split, but the more I watch and read about Lance and his comeback, the more I know It's Not About the Bike.

Visit Livestrong.com for more info on the tour and Lance's crusade.

Training Week 2

Last week was a good week. I forgot how much I enjoy running. I love the camaraderie and the solitude. Are you are runner? You'll understand that statement. My muscles were sore after the first day, but then they started to remember the ease of the stride and the simple repetitive motion. It felt good. I feel better.

Sunday 30 min
Monday 35 min
Tuesday off
Wednesday 25 min
Thursday off
Friday 4 miles
Saturday off

Buzz Aldrin's Fatal Flaw

We went to the Musuem of Fine Arts, Houston last night for a talk and book signing by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. You know, he is the guy who was SECOND to walk on the moon.

My boys were excited. They watched From the Earth to the Moon
the night before. They gathered up all of their space books to read on the way down to the Museum. During a quick stop at the library to pick up some books on hold, they checked out more books on Apollo 11. They told the waiter in the restaurant that they wanted to ask Mr. Aldrin if he still likes to fly ... they love to fly. They were prepared.

They didn't complain that they had to wait in line for an hour to see Mr. Aldrin. It didn't matter to them that the microphone was malfunctioning. They didn't care that they had to wait another hour to get their book signed. This was one of their heroes.

Mr. Aldrin's assistant/bodyguard was rude. She was ugly. She snapped Boy-oneder's book shut and told him Mr. Aldrin would not sign his book. She interrupted a conversation I was having with my son. She made him cry.

Mr. Aldrin didn't even look up from the books. He didn't interact with the people. He wouldn't shake my sons's hand. He didn't even smile.

How sorry I feel for Mr. Aldrin. He is not one of their heroes anymore.

On the way home, Boy-oneder said he knows what Mr. Aldrin's fatal flaws are. As a matter of fact, Boy-oneder thinks Mr. Aldrin has two. (1) He thinks he is better than anyone else. (2) He is so obsessed with fame that he can't see anything else. He wants more and more and more.

"Dosen't he know, mom," said Boy-oneder. "Being famous doesn't make you a hero."

Oh, what words of wisdom. How right you are my son.

Mr. Aldin is working on his legacy. That is plain to see. He wants to explain away the years of alcoholism and mistakes and missteps. He wants everyone to see how important he is. He has met Presidents after all. He has met kings. He has walked on the moon.

When you are gone Mr. Aldrin, no-one will care about all that. Your vision is just that, a vision. And a vision is defined as "an experience in which a personage, thing, or event appears vividly or credibly to the mind, although not actually present." Don't you know, Mr. Aldrin that in the end, the only ones who will carry on your legacy are the children. Just not my children.

I feel sorry for you, Mr. Aldrin. You think you are a hero. However, last night you missed a chance to meet some real heroes. I know, I live with them every day.

A to Z and Love

I finished reading, in about an hour last weekend, CS Richardson's beautiful and elegant The End of the Alphabet. It is a story of travel and memories; however, as The Washington Post says, "Above all else this is a story about love, something longer than the alphabet and wider than geography." The writing is ethereal ... transcending the narrative to explain the relationship. And it is wonderful.

I have always had a list like Ambrose's. If I had a short time to live, I know where I would like to go. My list did not cover every letter of the alphabet from A to Z, but I have always known where I want to go before I die. After reading this, I decided to expand my list and include a place for every letter.

Here is my list:

Athens (on my original list)

Bhutan

Cairo (on my original list)

Denali National Park

Edinburgh

Fez (C for Casablanca and M for Morocco were already taken, so this part of the world gets F)

Galapagos Islands

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Istanbul (on my original list)

Jerusalem (on my original list)

Kenya (I would love to take one of these safaris)

Lisbon

Machu Pichu

Northwest Passage

Oregon Coast

Plymouth Rock (I have stood in the church where the men, women and children worshipped before leaving for a new world on the Mayflower, but I have never stood where they landed. I would like to complete that journey.)

Queensland

Rome (on my original list)

Seattle

Taj Mahal

Ushuaia

Venice

Warsaw

Xian

Yellowstone National Park

Zion National park

You might wonder why some rather obvious locations are missing from this list. Where, for instance, is The Great Wall of China or Bangkok. I have been lucky enough to live on 4 continents and have travelled extensively. A place that would have otherwise made my list - such as Paris - has already been checked off. That is also why there are a number of National Parks on my list. I have travelled the world, but I have not seen as much of my own country as I would like to.

I think my list looks like fun. However, as I was working on this post and dreaming of adventure I realized something. If I only had a month to live, I don't think I would really want to travel. I would probably spend most of my time planning for my boys life after me. I would write them letters and buy them presents for future events. I would spend every moment with them, and I wouldn't want to spend those moment stuck on an airplane. Boy-Oneder and Sonshine are my greatest adventure.

Now if there was a year ... I would stick to my original list. I would visit the centers of the great ancient cultures: Rome, Athens, Istanbul, Jerusalem, and Cairo. I would take them with me and take a million photos.

Where would you go ... from A to Z? Post on your own blog and let me know or post in the comments.

Books for Boys

I have read a number of articles lately about the dearth of books for boys, like this one in Education Week.

Authors Share Tips on How to Hook Boys on Books

Sorry, but I think these articles are missing the point.

There are some wonderful books for boys out there. Books with wonderful male main characters. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Nick McIver to name a few. We just finished The Call of the Wild and are quickly moving throughRobinson Crusoe. The books for boys are out there. I will admit they are not as numerous as books for girls, but part of me says, "Thank goodness." I don't need a boy's version of Twilight or How to Be Popular or The Summer I Turned Pretty.

In my opinion the problem is not that the books aren't out there. I think the problem is that we expect less of the boys and they meet those expectations. I will never forget the day my son came home with a choice from the library, selected just for him by the librarian ... Captain Underpants. This for a boy who had already finished The Chronicles of Narnia (in their original order he likes to say). I personally returned that book to the library and suggested if the librarian needed help in the library during my son's library time, I would be more than happy to come and volunteer (she never did call).

Why aren't we reading to our boys like we read to our girls? Why can't we send our boys off with adventure classics and show them that classic does not mean boring? Why don't we have mother/son book clubs just like we have mother/daughter book clubs? Why don't you take your son to a book signing?

I don't think the problem is a lack of books for boys. (But go ahead and bring them on ... if they are good we will read them.) I think the problem is that we read less with our boys and expect less of them. Let's be honest, the problem starts at home.

Are you in need of some great "Books for Boys" resources? Check out the side bar with some of my choices from Library Thing or follow these links ...

Boys Rule Boys Read!
Guys Read
Book Club 4 Boys

Texas schools get credit for kids who fail

Texas schools get credit for kids who fail

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And this is my state. Doesn't it make you proud to be a Texan? Remember the homeschool experiment I talked about in the previous post? Looks better and better every time I read things like this.