My Goodreads Addiction

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I'm addicted to Goodreads.

I actually got a Goodreads account almost three years ago, used it briefly, and then kind of petered out and hadn't touched it in months. But I'm scanning books at work, and I needed something easy and simple to read while I did it. So I got on Goodreads. Now, several days later, I'm addicted to making shelves, adding books, looking for books I want to read, joining groups...my scanning work is almost complete so I won't be on it as frequently come tomorrow, but this site is GENIUS. I've never found so many books I want to read in one setting. I also enjoy reading the reviews of various books, even books I've already read. I find Goodreads reviewers to be, for the most part, more discerning readers than Amazon reviewers.

Plus, this website brings me hope. Look how many people are reading, thinking about reading, writing about reading! I read a recent article on Entertainment Weekly that said (jokingly, but still), "Who cares? No one reads anymore". I felt my chest tighten and thought THIS CANNOT BE TRUE! And now, I'm assured it isn't. Whew. That was a close one.

Plus, it's inspired me to read more and watch less tv, coming on the heels of my weekend revelation that tv is just too much work. It's hard to keep up with a series! But a book will start right back where it left off. (Although I do plan to keep some shows. You can't take away my Top Chef, now.)

On an unrelated but entirely felicitous note, BRIAN'S DOCTORAL APPLICATIONS ARE FINISHED!!!! (skies opening, choruses of angels singing). WOO! Of course, it is still 2ish months until we'll know anything at all. But still. It's something, and I'll take it!

I'm Not in the South Anymore, Ya'll

Sometimes, I forget that I have left the state I spent 25 years of my life in. For example, I grew up saying ya'll. Everyone I knew said ya'll. Even the out-of-staters in college quickly learned to say ya'll. But when I say ya'll here in conversation, everyone trades a smile of amusement. "Isn't that cute? She just said ya'll! I thought they only did that in movies where the girls where hoop skirts and drink mint juleps!"

Side note of irritation: Vivien Leigh, who played Scarlett O'Hara, was BRITISH. Not Southern. Her entire accent was made up and FAKE.

Ok, moving on. So today, I'm in a meeting where we are working on planning a dance. Various options are thrown around--swing dance? square dance?--and I mention that I'm used to having everyone just shag at dances. Cue bug eyes and everyone's faces going red. Finally one co-worker choked out, "SHAG? Like in Austin Powers?!?". I tried in vain to explain that it is a dance style, done to beach music (they'd never heard of that either) but everyone kept flinching when I said shag and asked "can't you come up with another word?". NO! It's a dance style, and is absolutely not sexual and has nothing to do with Austin Powers.

Florida is technically the South, and northern Florida may be, but here in Southwest Florida we are a joint colony of upstate New York and Michigan. The Crisco is ridiculously hard to find in the store (hidden on the bottom shelf!), when I made hushpuppies for a party no one had heard of them (what do they do when their dogs bark?) and no one can understand me on the phone (resulting in 2 different prescriptions, one under Battersey and one under Battersbvy. Battersbvy? Really??).

I never appreciated the small things about NC I would miss--the smell of the air, dogwoods, azaleas, leaves turning, square dancing, shagging, beach music at every wedding reception, men who hold open doors for you and call you ma'am, fresh seafood, everyone knowing about the UNC/Duke rivalry--things I barely noticed when I lived there. Sometimes I even watch Paula Deen's show for nostalgia. And I don't even like Paula Deen.

Is there such a thing as a Southern expat? Because I think I'm it.

Resolutions for 2012

I'm finally getting around to thinking about my goals for 2012. And, without further ado, here they are:

• Snack less. Ever since I was on a medication that lowered my blood pressure (I've now been off it for over a year) and had to snack almost constantly to keep from fainting, I've been an AWFUL nosher. I would love to lose 5 or 10 pounds, and when I took stock of how much I was snacking, it quickly became apparent why (or at least, one of the reasons why) I wasn't able to.
• Exercise more consistently. I used to be great about going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week, but in the past year I've been awful about it. Having no gym makes it hard, but I got some great new workout DVDs for Christmas so I am determined to at least try.
• Worry less and trust in God more. This year especially, I've been worrying constantly (will Brian get into doctoral programs? Where will we move? How will I find a job? Will we be able to have kids?). Honestly, this worrying does absolutely nothing. We've never been lacking for what we needed, and I have to trust in God that we'll be sent where we're supposed to go and given what we need.
• Watch less TV. This is aided by the fact that the majority of my shows are, in my opinion, no good this season. So it's not a sacrifice to watch less of them.
• Read a wider range of books, including the "classics". I especially need to get out of my English hole and read writers of others nationalities. 

• Be more positive.  Honestly, I think I put this down every year, but as I have yet to achieve it to my satisfaction, here we are again.  

Well, that's it for now--Brian is ALMOST done with all his doctoral applications (4 out of 7 are officially finished). He started his last semester on Monday, and is considering applying for a part-time job (which I would LOVE). In the next few months we should know more about the latter half of our year will look like.