Filed under: Books, Doses of Cynicism, My Weekend Pillows, Triumphs & Heartbreaks | Tags: Mitch Albom, Sundays, Tuesdays with Morrie, Morrie Schwartz, Self-help, life lessons
Sundays are depressing. They are even more depressing when I know that the next day I have school from 8-12, and then work from 2-830. And to top it off, I read the ending of Tuesdays with Morrie. Yeah, I could cry right now.
After finishing the book, I was curious to see if Morrie Schwartz’ interviews with Ted Koppel would be on Youtube. And they are. But I don’t think I can watch them right now.
The book didn’t really impact me the way I know it was supposed to. Maybe if I had read the book 5 or 7 years ago, I might have reacted to it properly. I have become more jaded than a 24 year-old should be with all the Wayne Dyers, and the Jack Canfields, and the Rhonda Byrnes of this world. I’ve conditioned myself to scoff at books that are supposed to better my emotional well-being.
Tuesdays with Morrie talks of love, relationships, life, death, and everything in between. It teaches forgiveness, compromise, and honesty. Most of which are true and well-meaning. The one thing that resonated with me the most was when he talked about social/cultural norms, and how you have to create your own sub-cultures if what’s out there doesn’t work for you.
All in all, I would say this book was worth the read.
I reject anything that is spoon-fed to me, even if it was a spoonful of truths and mantras to live by. I prefer my life lessons buried in ironic metaphors, sad stories, and regretful nights out at questionable bars.
But that’s just me.
Filed under: Books, My Weekend Pillows, Work Life | Tags: Mucha, holiday, Chapters, retail, skiing, Mark Haddon, Daniel Clay, Justin Evans, Mary Swan, Richard Dawkins, Mitch Albom
As I’m settling into my holiday, the snow has been comfortably settling onto the ground. The temperature has dropped over night below o degrees celsius. Time to break out the big puffy jackets.
It was a circus as Chapters yesterday. Working at a retail environment, Christmas is a time I don’t look forward to. The overload shipment of books never fit properly on the shelves. Every customer thinks they are the most important priority in the world. Where have all the manners gone? I believe everyone should be required to work at a retail environment so they can realize that no, the world does not revolve around you. Wait your turn for question/service like everyone else.
The line up at cash, despite the eight tirelessly working cashiers, never ends or even lets up a little. I was placed on cash since we desperately needed help there. I nearly lost my voice after the 7-hour-straight predetermined dialogue. I definitely feel for the cash team.
This morning, I saw Pillows off on his annual ski-trip. I will miss him, but at the same time I’m really looking forward to my own quiet, perhaps solitary weekend. (Weekend in the sense that I don’t have work in the 2 upcoming days.)
Maybe I’ll curl up in bed with one of the eight books that I’ve purchased yesterday as a result of the Chapters employee discount day.
Alphonse Mucha Masterworks by Rosalind Ormiston
This is just something decadent that I decided to get. It is 200 pages of visually stunning paintings and illustrations with brief bouts of text chronicling Mucha’s life. Alphonse Mucha is one of my favorite illustrators of the late 18th century to early 19th century.
Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
I read his debut novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It was a charming little book about a boy with autism. The synopsis of this newer novel sounded intriguing, and I couldn’t resist the hardcover format for 5$, when its tradepaper contemporary is being sold at 30$.
Broken by Daniel Clay
I don’t know much about this book except that it’s supposed to be a modern To Kill a Mocking Bird on steroids, and it’s supposed to be somewhat similar to Heather O’neill’s Lullabies for Little Criminals which I enjoyed.
Little Book of Big Packaging Ideas by Catharine Fishel
I have his friend The Little Book of Big Promotions which I found to be quite inspiring. And I find the format of this series of books to be quite pleasing. At roughly 7″ by 8.5″, it is easy to handle.
The Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans
This is a horror novel, a genre I rarely venture into. Actually I rarely venture out of fiction. Anyway, I’m looking to change that, and expand my reading horizons. To be honest, I just thought the cover looked attractive.
The Boys in the Trees by Mary Swan
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book. I’m quite excited to read it.
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
I watched his documentaries The Root of All Evil? and The Enemies of Reason. I enjoyed both of these films and I would recommend everyone to watch them. But really it was the shiny cover and the die-cut circle that sold me.
Tuesdays with Morrie By Mitch Albom
I’ve always wanted to read this book just to see what the fuss was about, but being somewhat of a self-proclaimed non-conformist, I’ve resisted and wanted to explore novels with less hype. I finally purchased this book as Pillows says he’s interested to read it as well.
I think I’m done with book purchases for 2009, and it’s not even 2009 yet.
