March Drawing – Ode to my book club gals

Well this is a record! I am actually announcing this month's drawing before half the month is over. Maybe one month I will announce it at the beginning of the month! In honor of my book club which just celebrated its anniversary, this month's drawing prize is a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble.

Anyone who talks to me for very long knows that I love my book club. I am the poster child for the "everyone should be in a book club" movement. I think book club are our generation's version of the bridge club. A time to get together, have an adult conversation and eat good food that we don't have to share with little people. Last Friday night, my book club got together to discuss Gilead, celebrate Jinny's birthday and the two year anniversary of our little group. In the past two years I have been mightily blessed by these four women. They challenge me to read things I would never consider such as Anna Karenina, reminding me that I haven't completely succumb to mommy-brain. They encourage me in becoming a better writer, healthier woman and happier mom. And once a month, they open their homes and give me yummy food and nice wine. J I love them!

If you want to be part of a book club, but don't know how to go about starting one, here is what I did. A few years ago, I was in a very large book club that was part of a local mom's club. The group was ever changing, infrequently talked about the book and met during the day with kids in tow. I knew this was not what I wanted in a book club. There was one woman in the group who seemed to be looking for something different as well. I didn't know Jinny well, but I wanted to get to know her. I called her and she immediately signed up. She knew her friend Lisa would also want to take part. The three of us met for coffee and laid out what we wanted – no kids, evening meetings, books that would make us think, and a small group of women (6 max) who would come every month. We each decided to invite one person so that we could broaden our circle of friends. Two years later, we have five in our group and I have made four amazing friends.

About once a year, our group sits down and picks our books for the coming year. We are just about to do that. So I wanted to share some of our favorites and hear about your personal/book club's favorites.

Snowflake and Secret Fan by Lisa See

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Ten Thousand White Women: The journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Posting a comment 101 …

Many of you have asked for a little primer in leaving a comment. I just changed the format for leaving a comment to make it VERY easy. Hopefully I will not get a lot of spam, but we will try it this way and see what happens. Here are the steps.

1. At the bottom of each posting it says a number and comments (for example 3 comments), click on it. This will open a comments window.
   
2. Type your comment into the comments box.
   
3. Type in the word verification as seen on your screen
   
4. Choose an identity – if you do not have a google/blogger/aol account, select Name/URL. Type in your name. If you do not have a URL (which if you are actually following these lame steps – let's assume you don't have one. J ) leave it blank.
   
5. Click on Publish Comment.
   

That's it – you did it! Okay, no more whining e-mails about wanting to be entered into the drawing but not knowing how to comment. I won't name names here – but you know who you are. I believe in you. I am going to post March's drawing tomorrow. So you have day to practice.

Happy commenting!

Every Girl Needs An Action Figure…

Last month for my birthday, my friend Jeanne left a little gift bag on my doorstep. Pete brought it into my office for me. He didn't stay to see me open it, but when I screamed (and I mean a big loud shrieking scream) he came running back to see what it was. It was a Jane Austen Action Figure. Yes, that is right, action figure – not a figurine! She bends, she poses and she comes with her own little writing desk, quill and copy of Pride and Prejudice. She is completely fabulous.

What I love most about her is her box, it says right across the top Action Figure. Figurines are made to be beautiful. An action figure is made to be a hero. Think of how little boys play with Spiderman and Superman. They run through the house, their action figures in hand, keeping the living room safe from evil threats and terrible villains. Now think of how little girls play with Barbie, they pick out her outfits and rearrange the furniture in the Barbie mansion. It's just not the same. While I have no problem with the girls playing with Barbie, I want them to have heroes to play with too. I realize that Jane Austen is not going to be a five-year-old's hero, but my little Jane has made me think that I need to have my eye out for some action figures for my girls. I want them to dream bigger than clothes and beauty and material purchases. I want them to grow up imagining themselves working with their heroes fighting evil villains and making the world a better place. Maybe if they play that way at five and eight and ten, they will imagine themselves growing up to save the world instead of just beautifying it.

As for my little Jane, I am keeping her all to myself. She has a perch on my office window sill. I'm looking for some friends for her. I'd love to have a little Harriet Beecher Stowe and an Eleanor Roosevelt. I could shut the door to my office and get them all out for a play date. They could debate presidential politics, our failing education system, and the AIDS crisis in Africa over a nice cup of tea. Maybe after playing with my little heroes for a while, I will start to imagine what I too can with my life at 35 and 48 and 70. Every girl needs some action figures to play with, thanks for reminding me of this Jeanne!