These last few months, I've been tagged by readers for memes and I must extend a huge apology if I didn't acknowledge your recognition here---please know that I read your comments and tags but sometimes life does not allow me to pursue them.
Tara of Designonpost tagged me recently and I finally had the time and space to follow through with her challenge...
Here's the deal... Grab the nearest book. Open the book to page 56. Find the fifth sentence. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions: Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST. Tag five other people to do the same.
(Considering my lameness in following through with my tags, I just cannot tag another blogger in good conscience----though, I'd love to read your entries, so please do play along and leave me a comment, too!)...
Here's my entry from my closest book these days: East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Page 56, 5th sentence:
"He developed a love for poor people he could not have conceived if he had not been poor himself."
(Wow, how fitting is that sentence? Again, John Steinbeck is my man)...
And for the second portion of Tara's tag: Post some “sparklies” (bright spots in life in the midst of all the “bad news” out there).
Frankly, I find the bright spots in my life each and every day (I wouldn't have survived my divorce without this capability) but for this challenge I will extend my most heartfelt attempt to share the bright spots that are relevant here...
1) Fall colors. For me, the most distracted step outside my front door is interrupted by the flaming orangish-yellow colors of a crab apple tree in my front yard that has miraculously transformed to flames...
2) Music. I mentioned this weeks ago: my aversion to the news these days (even my beloved NPR). Yep, call me all the wimpy names in the book, I just cannot handle listening to dire news of late (and I've listened to the news since I graduated from high school some 20 years ago)...
3) The Library. There probably isn't a list of loves here on my blog without a mention of the library. I feel that the library is like a secret gift... Any trip to the library is a special one indeed, with all of the words, images, and information right at our fingertips for free...
4) Circumstance. I won't go into details but I'm thankful for the circumstances that allow me to work at a job I love that pays me very little money (for now). Whenever I finish a big project with beautiful and flavorful food as a result, I cannot help but feel so much grattitude for this short-lived opportunity...
5) The great state of Oregon. I've lived elsewhere but I've never felt at home there. Thank goodness for a state that provides the colors of fall; beaches of contemplation and creativity; intellect enough to consider; snow and coziness; wide open spaces and cultural distractions; piercings and tattoos; forward -thinking public school systems; hippies, hipsters, and yuppies; idealists; great colleges; food to savour and explore; eating local; chefs and upstart farmers; mountains that can kill you; and opportunities to grow into who you really want to be. I'm truly an Oregon girl through and through (though, I've long held a secret desire to move to Portland, Maine, but you'll have to convince me first). ;-)!
