Piles of Books and Clothes

So, I walked into my room last night and looked at my bed and thought, What the heck? Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s always the same issue.

My mornings look like this:

I stare at my closet trying to figure out which type of a mood I’m in.

I settle on something and put it on.

It feels wrong.

I remove it and toss it onto the bed.

I try on something else. A skirt and shirt this time. Ugh, looks weird together. Not what I imagined. Off. Toss. Repeat.

Then there’s the other problem completely unrelated to my clothes. Books. For some reason, my books keep snuggling up on my bed, and they’re crowding me. Just yesterday I found these four sneaking about under the sheets. I wonder who was hooking up with who (whom?) They all seem so different.

I’ve just picked up this book after a few years away from it. It’s so well-written and humorous and helpful. Words Fail Me by Patricia T. O’Conner

There’s so much room to grow as a writer, and I haven’t begun to master the craft. I love learning new techniques. I love getting advice on grammar and word choice, avoiding common pitfalls. Writing is a passion of mine, and I always want to make sure that I’m growing. I highly recommend this book.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

It’s impossible for me to get over how hideous this book jacket is, but what’s inside are tons of anecdotal accounts of mainly everyday situations told with Tina Fey’s tongue-in-cheek humor and straight up honesty. The beauty of memoirs such as this is that I can meander through it slowly, set it down and come back to it when the mood strikes, without that feeling of being lost in a fog of, Who are these characters again?

The Prophet by Khalil Gibran

One of the greatest books I’ve ever experienced in my life. I say experienced intentionally. You can’t just read it. Khalil Gibran has, in this small book, such an incredible well of insight into life that one has to wonder how it’s possible. Each chapter is on a different aspect of life such as: Love, Work, Joy and Sorrow, Children, Reason and Passion, Freedom. These themes sound simple and he explains his ideas in a strikingly simple yet poetic way. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity. You will stop, reread, sigh and put the book up to your chest many, many times.

Horace’s Compromise by Theodore R. Sizer

I found this recently and took it under my wing. I haven’t cracked it open yet, but the writings on the cover have made me curious. To be honest, I used to devour books on education. Now, I’m more than a little jaded. I’m sick of all the talk, all the meetings, all the theories. It just doesn’t seem to me that much change actually happens. The pendulum swings left; the pendulum swings right. I don’t know, though, something about the approach of this book got my attention.

Side note: I’ve written a piece on literature in the classroom that I’d like to share soon. Don’t you love the irony of me saying I’m growing tired of “education writing” while I’m preparing to thrust my own addition into the world. Maybe tomorrow? I’ve been posting some long pieces lately. I should give it a day or two.

Anyhow, tell me, Dear Reader, when your bed is a mess, which of your possessions are usually the culprit? Because, of course, it’s not your fault. They put themselves there, right?