The year 2010-in books

A copied this survey from Erin at Erinreads.com  You can read her survey responses here. 

Best book of 2010?

• Fiction: 
  
  Sarah's Key
• Nonfiction: 
  
  
  
  The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
• Young adult
•   The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

2. Worst book of 2010?  

The Metamorphosis, In The Penal Colony, and Other Stories

 I really disliked In the Penal Colony-and found the others just ok.  When I got together with my book club I actually liked the book better from their perspectives (but still hated The Penal Colony).

3. Most disappointing book of 2010?

The Year of the Flood

I may re-read this since I just read Oryx and Crake-a prequel of sorts-and liked it.

4. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010?

The Housekeeper and the Professor

This book revolves around math-and I found myself fascinated by it.

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010?

title

Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with His Wordless Daughter

and

The Help

6. Best series you discovered in 2010?

The Alex Rider Series (It's young adult-but I really like it 
  Stormbreaker (Alex Rider, #1)



7. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010?
 Karin Slaughter 

Blindsighted (Grant County, #1)

8. Most hilarious read of 2010?

Simon's Cat

Although you don't actually read this book-it's a bunch of hysterical drawings.


 9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010?

Never Let Me Go

10. Book you most anticipated in 2010?

A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents

 I love this author

and 

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) 

The finale-it was all I expected it to be!

 

11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010?

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)

 

 and

The Housekeeper and the Professor

 

12. Most memorable character in 2010?
Katniss  Everdeen
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
13. Most beautifully written book in 2010?

title

Oh My Stars

14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010?

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World

 

15. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read?

Emily of New Moon (Emily, #1)

 

I loved her Anne  of Green Gables series!

Your Turn!

What would your picks be?

Merry Christmas!

My Favorite Tree

This tree is one of 3 identical trees in my family.  No one remembers who made them.  Mine has the name "Pearl" on the bottom-possibly meaning my great (or great great) aunt Pearl.  I think my Dad's does, too.  They are passed from generation to generation.  My Dad has one (from my great-grandma), my Aunt has one (from my grandma's sister (?))...and this one was my grandparents.  It now sits in my bedroom so I can fall asleep to it's light.  Growing up, it was always my favorite Christmas tree.
It still is.

Where's Molly?

Growing up I knew I had a great-uncle who wasn't "right."  He is there in my early memories from when I traveled with my grandparents to see their mothers.  Uncle Bob was my grandfather's brother.  He lived with his mother.  I knew something was "wrong" with him...but I was a child.  I didn't really understand. When she died (I was 9) he went to live in some type of residential facility.  I don't know why, except that my grandparents were already caring for my grandmother's mother and I don't think they felt they could care for him, too.  I am sure, knowing my grandparents, this was planned out and agreed upon with his mother.  I visited him once with my grandparents a few years later.  My grandparents kept in touch with him through phone calls and as many visits as they could-at least yearly (we lived in Pittsburgh and he lived, I think, in St. Louis-or somewhere relatively nearby.)  They talked about him.  A few years ago I saw him in a picture, and pointed him out to my siblings. It was at that moment I realized he had Down Syndrome.  To my adult mind, it explained everything in an instant.

Working in special education you hear of how things "used to be."  That children with disabilities were routinely sent away to institutions, never seen again. I admire my family for refusing to do that to Uncle Bob.  They realized that Down Syndrome made him who he was-and that he was a part of the family no matter what.  I am sure it was difficult-in a time when a disabled child was a stigma. 

I knew my Uncle Bob.  My grandfather new his brother.  My Dad knew his uncle.

I can't imagine how I would feel if I didn't even know about him and then finding out years later he was institutionalized his whole life. Alone.

What would I have done?  What would you have done?

There is a documentary about this topic.  You can learn about it here.
You can read the story here.  (keep tissues handy)

www.wheresmolly.net

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a great day!  Eat all you want!
Take time to remember what you are most thankful for.

Memories

Funerals are never easy.
I have been to a few.  Not as many as some people.  Definitely more that I wish.

I went to my grandparents funerals in June and then September.  Because the funerals were held where they grew up (St. Louis) yet lived in Pittsburgh for over 50 years the family held a Memorial Service  in November for their friends and our family.
I am not going to lie-it wasn't easy.  Even though they lived full lives (93 and 94 years old).  Even though they both were not well for years.
But-is it ever?

There were bright spots amongst the sadness:
Family I had not seen in years came.  I'm the oldest grandchild so I knew them all (even if I was a child the last I saw them).
I got to revisit memories that had long since been buried.
I shocked some people at my memory.  I knew who neighbors of my great-grandmother were-and asked about their children (all my age).  I remembered the woman who helped take care of my great-grandma--even if she didn't remember me at first (I had grown-a lot).  I remembered many stories about her (she sued an internationally well known company because they continuously promoted men over her--men she trained.  She won.)  I remembered them and was able to tell my siblings and cousins all the info they ever needed to know  :)

The very best part, however, was something embedded in all of the services.  A time of remembrances.  Rather than have someone perform a Eulogy-a life story was read about each (combined at the Memorial).  Then, the people gathered were asked to speak up about their memories of them.  Stories, details, anything.  This was new to me--as I said, I haven't gone to many funerals-but none of them offered this.  My uncle, a minister, presided over all 3 services.  I know his family religion is the origin of this.  I loved it.  Friends, family and others spoke up.

I heard so many stories.  Some I already knew.  Many I didn't
Some that just reflected my grandparents personality so much we all chuckled because we could imagine the scene perfectly.
 3 men who used to work with my grandfather came to the memorial.
 I learned that my Grandfather created their pension from scratch-and made it 100% iron clad so the company couldn't touch or change it in any way. These men were so thankful-and said that he touched so many lives by doing this-even though those people didn't know him.

I learned my Grandma designed and (had) built a house for them-and the day it was finished-my grandfather got transferred.  She never got to live in her dream house.

I learned my Dad, Uncle, Aunt and their cousins had a tomato fight in the (finished) basement of my great-grandmother's house.

There were so many stories.  I need to document them.
They are gone-but memories remain.  Memories I don't want to forget.

I hope, when I am gone, there are wonderful memories of me to share.

Insanity

My husband thinks I am insane.  and maybe I am.
I peruse the pictures of kids in foster care that are potentially available for adoption monthly.  It's an obsession.  It's a huge obsession-I want right now to start the process.  Actually, I wish it was already started.  I have criteria established-basically age and what level/kind of (any) "issues" we could handle.

So, he was not surprised when I shoved the computer at him and said, "Look-I want to adopt them-and I am serious."

He was not surprised at that.  I have pointed out several children before.  Usually to get him thinking about starting the process-because it can take awhile to even get approved-and "those children" will most likely be adopted...or older than we want to adopt.

He was surprised at what I showed him-a sibling group.  Not of 2...or 3 siblings...but 4 siblings.  4 perfectly adorable siblings under our age criteria.  4 children with "issues" that appear reasonable (it's foster care people-there are always issues)  4 siblings who I know I would love.  1 stop shopping.  1 crazy adoption process.  4 beautiful kids?  4 beautiful related-look alike-kids!

He thinks I am insane- and I am.  But, we could do this, right?

Ok-I admit.  The dreaming side of me is insane.  The reality side of me is trying to comprehend housing, feeding and clothing them with our budget-- from zero to 4 kids overnight.  all at once? but the dreaming side has me-well, dreaming.  All night I dreamed of them.

I am insane.  But.....what if we could do this?

For now, I will dream....