Monday, July 28, 2008

Bloggy Book Club Week #3

I can't believe none of you caught it, but there was a fourth bottle of salsa on the refrigerator door last week. I just noticed it yesterday. This whole exercise in cold storage investigation is starting to remind me of those picture games in Highlights magazines. You know, the ones where they ask, "Can you find 15 [whatever] in this picture?"

4 bottles of opened salsa. Sometimes, I amaze even myself.

Well, it's taken over 16 years; but I finally had to take a kid to be fitted for eyeglasses today. I'd begrudge Theo the expense, but he never did require braces; so I'm still getting off fairly inexpensively with him, I believe. Also, he only required 10 minutes to pick out a set of frames. A teen girl (any teen girl) would have required at least 3 hours of agonizing deliberation before settling on a pair of frames that she would later claim she "looks ugly" in.

Larry has persuaded me to try a family camping trip (tent, no camper for us) for a few days this month with all the kids. I only agreed for 2 reasons: we can't afford anything else, what with fun items like root canals and eyeglasses clamoring for a piece of the household-income pie; and we're making Anna come along, which should provide quite a bit of amusement.

Well, 3 reasons, actually; let's face it, the trip will be fun to blog about. Only, I don't have a laptop to take along. And I strongly suspect that buying one for the occasion would negate any money-saving aspects of this particular family vacation.

So I'll just have to take copious notes. Or maybe there will be a public library with internet access that I can sneak into from time to time. Air-conditioned, of course.

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Book Giveaway #3 - Leave The Building Quickly, another book of memoir-type essays by Cynthia Kaplan. What can I say? It's great. She does have one essay in which she defends her atheism; but it is more shallow than offensive to any God-fearing reader. The other essays all entertain with her trademark sense of self-deprecating humor, and I guarantee you'll be looking up a YouTube rendition of Brown-Eyed Girl after reading Chapter 2. That's what I did, and here it is:




Rules are as always: Leave a comment telling me you are interested in the book. The winner gets to review the book on his/her blog and then pass it on to one of their readers.

Oh, wait - deadpan, not self-deprecating. The Amazon review describes Ms. Kaplan's humor as "deadpan." What the heck does that mean, anyway? Whatever - it's a good book. I'm going to reread it before I have to give it away.

36 comments:

  1. Ohhhh, well have fun camping! Everyone seems to be coming up with interesting stay-cation ideas this year!

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  2. i would loooove to read this book. can't wait to see the camping pictures. ;)

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  3. AnonymousJuly 28, 2008

    Isn't blogging without a computer the same thing as keeping a diary?

    When we're somewhere sans laptop, I write notes in a little notebook I always have with me. Ten days of that in England let to lots of pieces of people to go through later and cryptic notes to decipher.

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  4. "Deadpan" is definitely one of those expressions that make absolutely no sense to me.

    And just wanted to say, I'm trying to clean my house and give away stuff, all in one fell swoop. So feel free to stop by:
    http://www.houndrat.com/2008/07/28/the-great-purge/

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  5. AnonymousJuly 29, 2008

    Pick me and I promise to over analyze the book until I am able to pick out grand themes which illuminate the nature of the human condition in contemporary society. Plus, I pledge to write a review of the book using enormous, grammatically complicated sentences and vocabulary which is both extensive and precise. ;p

    BTW, the above would be "self-depreciating" humor. Deadpan would be when you say something outrageous and hilarious as if you were simply explaining something ordinary unexciting. See? Never let anyone tell you that a degree in Literature isn't useful for anything! :)

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  6. AnonymousJuly 29, 2008

    Ooooh , is it OK to enter just because I Love Van Morrison!! So now I HAVE to read Chapter 2 at the very least. I also love to read, never can tell if it's supposed to be 'self-deprecating' or 'self-depreciating', and sometimes write sort-of reviews on my blog.

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  7. Camping? No way, I believe that humans have been through thousands of years of technological advances so that I can have indoor plumbing and A/C.

    Oh, I love books too.

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  8. My husband does deadpan like nobody's business. It's one of the reasons I married him.

    Pick me, pick me.

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  9. I love the idea of camping with kids.

    Not the reality, just the idea. The reality kind of sucks.

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  10. Not interested in the book, thanks; just wanted to say how great the video was, and I can't believe that song is 40-some years old. [His delivery? Deadpan, with a side order of self-deprecation.]

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  11. Pick me! I'm an atheist so i definately won't be offended :) Incidentally, i'm 21 now, but i've worn glasses since I was 11 and never required more than 10 minutes to pick frames. But then, without my glasses on I can't see them anyway......

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  12. The word is "self-deprecating," though I would assume it possesses the same etmology as the word "depreciating."

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  13. So, with all that salsa did you still make more with all those tomatoes?

    Also, you are a brave, brave woman to agree to go camping. Oh, I am all for the outdoors. I love to hike and canoe and go white water rafting...but my adventurous spirit ends at bedtime when I want a bed, four walls, a roof, and indoor plumbing.

    But you go...I can't wait to hear all about it!

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  14. Dang. Everyone's a deadpan expert. Highlights: Ah, Goofus and Gallant. Good times. I do not understand this video. Is that Van Morrison, or an imposter who wants to sing the whole song in a monotonish high melody? And why does it sound like he's saying, "Jew Brown-Eyed Girl" instead of "You?" What is the weird synthesized flute-like music in the background? I'm so confused and upset over this vide. Sigh.

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  15. I think it's Van Morrison. But I'm with you, not a great video - just the only one I could find.

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  16. My family can go camping without me, thankyouverymuch. They've threatened to take me, but give me an air-conditioned hotel room with a TV and a working remote, a comfortable bed with lots of pillows and a digital clock so I can see what time it is in the middle of the night -- and I'm good!

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  17. I'm with Jackie and Bia on this one. But I'm also desperate to get out of town for a few days. And at least it will be interesting.

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  18. Camping with 6 kids? One of them a teenage girl?

    I can't wait to hear about it.

    We don't camp. Or at least I don't. M DH took our oldest to scout camp last week. I stayed home where we have air conditioning and indoor plumbing.

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  19. Hope you have fun camping. I'm safe for now because we have a few more years before I'd be willing to drag the baby out to go camping!

    P.S. Enter me for the book please!

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  20. Enter me for the book. And oh my gosh, I can't wait to hear the camping stories! This is going to be good, I am giggling in anticipation!

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  21. AnonymousJuly 29, 2008

    I always wanted glasses when I was a teenager..at 40 I got my wish.. I do look hot.

    PS...Enter me for the book!

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  22. Oh you will love camping with the kids. We have gone 4 times this summer. From the Beach to the Redwoods. I've blogged about them you can check it out. Let me know if you have any questions or need ideas.

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  23. AnonymousJuly 29, 2008

    Have fun camping, I haven't yet been brave enough to try with three kids though we did just get back from a 10 day 2500 mile road trip with the three. I promise to read and review the book if I get picked.

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  24. I tolerate camping. I hate the packing up and trip to get there, plus the trip back and unpacking. Everytime hubby suggests camping, what he means is "honey, I want you to arrange to board the dog, find a friend to come in and check on the cat, make the reservations at the campground, do all the shopping, make sure we have fuel for the lantern and stove, and pack everything in the bags and in the van. I'll pack my own bag." :)

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  25. OK, Van Morrison is one of my all time favorites and I can listen to Brown Eyed Girl without thinking of a trip to Santa Fe, NM, drinking coronas and listening to the guitar guy who was playing for tips, playing that.

    I can not wait to hear about your camping trip. We are avid tent campers over here and try to go twice a month. You should have a great time - the more the merrier, tucked into a tent.

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  26. I'd stay away from the public library for blogging. You'd be better off just buying the laptop what with your track record and all.

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  27. Have you thought about adding the extra salsa to your taco meat? Once it is browned, and you add the taco seasoning, dump the salsa in.
    Let simmer.

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  28. Camping will make great blog material. :) I will read and review. Looking for some good books for our vacation.

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  29. AnonymousJuly 30, 2008

    Most definitely interested!

    Evelyn

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  30. AnonymousJuly 30, 2008

    Hmmm. I distinctly heard someone we both know firmly declare, just last week, "Jews don't go camping." Now who was it, again? I have a vague recollection that she was knitting at the time.

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  31. AnonymousJuly 30, 2008

    I love a good camping trip, but like you I require walls and a roof. We're headed to the mountains in a couple of days and stay in a primitive cabin. It has beds, a stove, and a fridge but that's about it. Not real camping to some but plenty authentic for me. Last year we had snakes slithering throughout the cabin. Hopefully we won't have a repeat this year.

    I'd love a chance to read, review, and pass the book on.
    Thanks.

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  32. Sounds like something I'd like. I read her first book and it was very deadpan. Enter me in your giveaway/book club!

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  33. OK, I'll try for it...I can always use a good laugh! Deadpan like Buster Keaton...Self deprecating, like Charlie Chaplin..as if there's much difference.
    Pax

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  34. Van Morrison is my favorite. Though there's not much that is funny about him, so perhaps Chapter 2 is putting an interesting spin on things? I'm intrigued; I'll read it. Sign me up. Can't wait to hear the camping saga and... even tho a laptop is never a bad idea, going to the library all on your own is a good way to get away from kids.

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  35. BOOKS! I love books. I love to read books. I love to share books. PICK ME!

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  36. The Matron was born to review, much like Springsteen runs. Count her in!

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