Heathcliff Notes

When my friend Adam and I mapped out our second year of our virtual Book Club, we strategically incorporated a variety of themes, categories and types of literature into our reading list. For February, we considered it all too appropriate to read a classic love story to recognize Valentine’s Day, ironically a completely over-hyped and commercialized holiday that I fail to care about. Upon cursory research, Wuthering Heights topped several “Best Love Stories of All Time” lists, hence our decision to tackle Emily Bronte’s most esteemed novel this month.

Initially, I will admit that the plot moved deafeningly slow, perhaps a symptom of the mundane lives of the handful of incestuous characters.  Also, virtually the entire tale is told retroactively from the first person point-of-view of a secondary character who turns out to be quite charming and arguably the most likable character in the whole book. If there was an equivalent for “Best Supporting Actress” for the loyal female who narrated the majority of Wuthering Heights, I’d definitely award Ellen Dean for her strong principles, sense of humor and talent for compelling storytelling.

Though the plot crept slowly in the beginning, I caught myself surprisingly engaged amidst several extensive reading sessions – reading for hours on end about the Lintons, Earnshaws and Heathcliffs, ultimately finishing the final half of the novel in one three-hour sitting this evening.

I certainly enjoyed the tale, especially nearing the conclusion when the plot accelerates considerably. The relationships and love triangles in Wuthering Heights were not at all as I imagined, but I definitely extracted an element of romance from the gloomy, isolated moors of the English countryside. I couldn’t escape comparisons to Downton Abbey with the horses, estates, fanciful dialogue and lippy servants. I also kept thinking of Luke Wilson’s infatuation with Gwenyth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums, you know falling in love with family members and all.

The love lines in Wuthering Heights were dysfunctional, unhealthy and tumultuous to say the least – but aren’t all good love stories? Why else do we watch dramas or romantic comedies? Isn’t infidelity, passion and irrationality what attracts us to these fictional couples? I’d say the results for many of the characters are tragic and the characters you’d expect to champion and cheer for don’t necessarily end up following the paths you originally want them to. But I consider that a good thing – Bronte’s plot twists and unexpected conclusion make Wuthering Heights one of the most iconic books in English lit.

In fact, by coincidence I discovered this article about the moors of Yorkshire that originally inspired Charlotte and Emily in the prime of their literary careers. The stark, but beautiful countryside was vividly described and a major component of Wuthering Heights. Apparently, developers wanted to populate the land with garish wind turbines, but ultimately, Bronte enthusiasts campaigned to perserve the land’s beauty because of its literary significance. Don’t get me wrong – I’m a fan of renewable energy, but I consider the decision to preserve the integrity of the land terribly romantic. It’s incredible, really - a place that inspired a novel in the mid-1800′s has decidedly been left unadulterated to sustain the legacy of Emily Bronte and her timeless novel over a century later. I’d love to visit the moors that inspired Wuthering Heights in the same way that I’d love to visit Martha’s Vineyard and Platform 9 3/4. The significance of these literary settings transcends time and culture, and that in itself is so special, historic and dare I say romantic?

Do I agree that Wuthering Heights is the best love story of all time? Probably not. Off the top of my head, I would argue that the relationships in Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby and Their Eyes Were Watching God were more compelling than that of Heathcliff and Catherine. But do I agree that Wuthering Heights is a classic tale worth your time of day? Yeah, I do.

On an Amazing Adventure with Kavalier and Clay

via Willco

via Willco

At approximately 4:30 am on Saturday morning, I finished one of the best books I’ve ever read. The usual disappointment that overcomes me when a story I love comes to its inevitable close was deepened by the fact that all of the subsequent books I will read this year probably won’t meet the lofty expectations and standard this book has set for all of my future literary conquests.

The Pulitzer-winning novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon certainly lived up to its embellished title and revered accolades. Though I’m over a decade late in discovering this terrific work of fiction, I’m so glad I discovered Chabon at arguably his best and certainly look forward to delving into the rest of his repertoire.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay was as daring and provocative as it sounds; though the title almost comes across as childish or campy, it perfectly encapsulates the two equally likable protagonists – the kind, charming man-of-many talents, Josef Kavalier, and his impossibly smart and quick-witted cohort Sammy Klayman. These two young Jewish heroes tirelessly work in the business of superheroes at the height of its popularity – the Golden Age of comics, a time when political sentiments were especially sensitive as the U.S. remained anxiously neutral while other nations were in the midst of the second World War.

When I initially heard of Kavalier & Clay, I immediately thought of a hero of some sort and his trusty best friend or sidekick. This certainly aligns with the comic book plot line and overarching themes of camaraderie and teamwork that’s woven through the pages of this book. But I wouldn’t say either Kavalier or Clay takes more of the spotlight in the novel – their characters – cliche as it sounds – were quite the dynamic duo. Both possess different talents (powers, if you will) and share equally tragic personal experiences that define who they are. Despite their conflicting talents, skill sets and personalities, the combined power of the two was a force to be reckoned with. In addition to that, the relationship between these two characters is one of the most heartwarming and touching friendships in all of fiction.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot because this action-packed novel was such a joy to read. There were certainly a handful of other significant characters and as one would expect, this book about comic books was quite frankly, about much more than comic books. The lighter subject matter regarding comic books and magic made Kavalier & Clay a deliciously fun book to read, but since it takes place during the worst World War of our time, the story was equally sobering. Painful even.

As you can tell from this shining review, I highly recommend The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. You don’t have to be a comic book aficionado to appreciate that component of the book; it’s more of a history lesson about the industry at its pinnacle in the 40′s. As I was reading, I kept thinking, “Why haven’t they made this into a movie yet?” Turns out they’ve tried and failed a few times over the years, but there are talks about a potential HBO mini-series, which would be badass. In the meantime, I’ll be catching up on lost time and exploring more fantastic tales that originated from Michael Chabon’s beautiful mind.

via Etsy

Best Books of 2012

As a follow-up to my Year in Live Music infographic, I created a similar graphic detailing my reading activity over the course of 2012. I’m ultimately pleased by the number of books I read (29), but was also disappointed that my reading activity declined over the second half of the year. The usual excuse always involves a shortage of time – there’s just never enough time to read, but what New Years resolutions have taught me is – there will never be enough time to read. Nor will there be enough time to exercise, reorganize your closet, redecorate your home or keep in touch with friends. You have to make time for it, and in 2013 I plan to do just that. Reading brings me so much joy, and it’s frankly silly to deprive myself of that. In fact, to ensure that I continue reading this year, my friend Adam and I devised a book club for the year, strategically planning our selections based on variety and our personal preferences – feel free to join!

Without further a do, my literary year in review:

via Society 6

Longest Book: Moby Dick at 608 pages

The novel was terribly slow, difficult and took me about a month to finish, but I’m ultimately glad that I conquered one of the most iconic books in the Western canon. It’s totally a book that can be read over the course of a year – the chapters are short and digestible, but they don’t detract from the epic nature of the story.

Most popular author: Jonathan Franzen, 3 books

It took me two years to finally pick up Freedom, which dominated all of the “Best of” lists in 2010 and boy, was I missing out on a terrific piece of fiction. It was such a beautifully and creatively written novel and I fell in love with several of the characters despite their overt flaws and shortcomings. In addition to Freedom, I also read Franzen’s short and charming memoir, The Discomfort Zone, and The Corrections (which turned out to be quite appropriate since a large portion of the novel takes place on a cruise ship and that just happened to be my selected reading for the cruise I went on in August-complete coincidence)

via Etsy

Best Classic: To Kill A Mockingbird

The first and only time I read this classic was in my 9th grade English class when I was more concerned about memorizing vocabulary words than I was with simply reading and enjoying a literary, Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece. In 2010, one of the most intelligent and well-read friends I know told me To Kill A Mockingbird was her all time favorite book; she even named her dog Harper. I gave it a second pass a few months ago, and the charming, humorous and touching novel was totally worth the second shot.

Best Non-Fiction: Friday Night Lights

For a non-fiction book about sports, this one was incredibly human. In Friday Night Lights, H. G. Bissinger combined sharp journalism with elaborate storytelling and I can’t wait to read his follow-up tale, After Friday Night Lights, that details the unexpected friendship that blossomed between him and one of the football players that resulted from his time in Odessa.

 

Ultimate Favorite: The Art of Fielding

Runner-Up: The Marriage Plot

I know both of these books came out in 2011, but they’re neck and neck for best book I read in 2012. They were both considerably long, they were both told from different points of view, and they both made me cry. The characters and story lines in both novels were incredibly well-developed and as Jonathan Franzen candidly described The Art of Fielding, “It’s left a little hole in my life the way a really good book will,” I have a special place in my heart that only Henry Skrimshander and Mitchell Grammaticus can fill. I highly recommend both.

His and Hers Holiday Gift Guide

A few weeks ago, I was watching some terrible Food Network Thanksgiving special that featured an interesting trivia factoid before commercial break: Did you know during the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt officially moved Thanksgiving to every fourth Thursday of November to grant consumers an extra week of Christmas shopping? It sounds capitalistic, but the extra week actually boosted revenue for a number of struggling businesses and took the economy out of the red and back into the black (hence, Black Friday).

In spite of the strain on my checking account, I love gift giving and happen to be really good at it (my repertoire of satisfied gift recipients could probably attest to this). Therefore, I decided to share my wealth of knowledge for those of you struggling for ideas this holiday, especially if you’re buying for members of the opposite sex. As a disclaimer: I realize I’m single and by no means an expert on the male species. However, I do know these are gifts my male friends would probably like and if I were a guy, I would probably want these things too. The girls’ list was much easier to compile – jewelry and Ryan Gosling are fool-proof keys to a woman’s heart.

For Him

1. Stormwalking iPhone case via Society 6

2. USB Robot Flash Drive via USBGeek

3. Izola “To My Health” flask via Stag

4. Whisker While You Work Mug via ModCloth - Though Movember is over, this coffee mug can remind all the clean-shaven men that facial hair is not only a statement, but also a respectable look.

5. The Grantland Quarterly collection - Don’t be alarmed. These thick hardbacks are not novels, but rather cool compilations of articles and graphics from the sports and pop-culture blog, Grantland. These would make great coffee table books that double as more durable and collectible magazines.

6. Original Ray-Ban Wayfarer in “Music” Rare Print

7. Metallic Lego iPod Speakers via Speakhype - A rad stocking stuffer, but I don’t believe they’re compatible with the iPhone 5′s yet. Sorry, bros.

1. The Cats of Friends Sweater via ModCloth

2. Love Bunnies ring holder via Urban Outfitters

3. OliveYewJewels Gold initial necklace via Etsy

4. Feminist Ryan Gosling by Danielle Henderson via Barnes and Noble and

5. Colour Me Good Ryan Gosling coloring book by Mel Simone Elliott via Urban Outfitters - Hey girl, Ryan Gosling will make your Christmas wishes come true.

6. ”Man with the Golden Gun” nailpolish from OPI Skycall collection: In honor of the Skyfall movie, OPI released a series of James Bond themed nail polishes. The limited edition “Man with the Golden Gun” polish contains flecks of 18K gold leaf. Treat yo’self.

7. Donni Fly scarf in Tangerine via Donni Charm - Bitches love scarves. They’re versatile, inexpensive and trendy fall/winter staples. Its hard to go wrong with a scarf. Also, by buying her a scarf, you’re avoiding the potential disaster of buying her a garment that’s too big or too small. If it’s too big, she’ll be offended that you assumed she was bigger than her actual size. If it’s too small, chances are it will end in tears. Scarves are an easy one-size-fits-all all solution, so I’d recommend playing it safe.

Conquering the White Whale and Other Moby Dick Inspired Things

They call me Alison. I finally finished reading the monster, or shall I say the Leviathan, that is Moby Dick. Diving into this staple of the Western Canon was a challenge and frustrating at times, but retrospectively I’m so pleased that I finished reading about The Great Whale.

Upon finishing the novel, I was surprisingly sad. Granted, it was refreshing to finally finish what felt like an interminable book, but since I invested so much time and energy over the course of a few weeks – the bittersweet ending of the narrative coincided to my own bittersweet sentiments.

Though the plot was slow, the prose was beautiful, musical even, and the thankfully short, digestible chapters were wonderfully descriptive. An added bonus is understanding the meaning and inspiration behind a sea of pop culture references, images, art pieces, tattoos even. In fact, The Art of Fielding, which is my favorite book I’ve read over the past 6 months, heavily references Melville’s masterpiece and it’s an obvious theme apparent in the setting, plot and characters.

If you’re on the fence about reading Moby Dick, don’t be intimidated by the sheer enormity of the novel or the level of difficulty because the catharsis and overwhelming feeling of accomplishment upon its conclusion is worth the labor. However, if you are one who can read multiple books concurrently (sadly, I never was) this is easily one that can be conquered chapter by chapter – a marathon more than a sprint. Alas, you will be grateful that you finally experienced the classic Great American Novel and more importantly, you’ll be grateful that you sailed along the Pequod and had the privilege of knowing the ever tortured Captain Ahab and the mysterious and elusive White Whale.

The Power of the Letter and Society’s Great Communications Shift

I feel very fortunate to have experienced a major shift in written communications in my lifetime. I was at a ripe age (approx. 12 or 13) when e-mail (specifically AOL in my household) revolutionized The Letter, and I wasn’t much older when the widespread adoption of text messaging ran up our nation’s phone bills and turned our adolescent population into a nation of lazy zombies characterized by poor grammar and spelling.

Furthermore, I’m glad I entered the workforce after this sea change in digital and mobile communications stormed society and became widely accepted as The Norm. I can’t fathom how inefficient, expensive and cumbersome calling, sending hard copy mailings or faxing documents would be in the current business model. Even attaching documents is becoming antiquated as cloud-based computing grows in popularity providing instant and remote access to virtually all material.

But I wasn’t born yesterday. I was born in an analog era where cursive was incorporated into our elementary school curricula and our phones and modems were hardlined into the wall. I grew up with pen-pals to whom I initially began every letter as such:

Dear xxx,
How are you? I’m fine.

I grew up before e-vites and happily licked stamps or hand-delivered envelopes containing critical details to my long-awaited birthday parties. I collected stationary. I loved using Wite-Out. I loved writing letters.

I rarely receive letters anymore. I doubt any of us do. With the exception of the occasional card signifying a holiday or important life event, the contents of my mailbox usually consist of credit card statements, pre-approved credit cards and a smattering a coupons.

But letters possess a certain charm, don’t they? Letters convey a sense of nostalgia and an embedded sense of thoughtfulness. Considering the high-speed digital age that I described, taking the time to compose and post a letter is incredibly meaningful to the recipient. I do believe lengthy e-mails can possess a diluted version of this romantic effect – it worked for Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It also worked for a few long-distance couples I have the privilege of knowing.

I just wanted to share some heartbreaking letters I’ve come across that brightened my day. Innovative and curious little Lily Robinson, revolutionized the term “Tiger Bread” by simply asking a grocery store manager why the product was named as such. And what a kind response from the friendly manager! I adore this series of letters Flavorwire posted from authors directed to their adoring fans. The appreciative nature of little Jim is apparent in the Maurice Sendak case study. The friendship and love J.K. Rowling communicated to the brave young woman who lost her parents is poignant as it is beautiful.

Though we’ll never see this drawing and note from Maurice Sendak to a young fan, it must have been especially good:

“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, ‘Dear Jim: I loved your card.’ Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, ‘Jim loved your card so much he ate it.’ That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.”

 From J.K. Rowling to 16-year-old Sacia Flowers, who had lost both her parents and wrote to Rowling about how much she identified with Harry:

19th September 2006

Dear Sacia (beautiful name, I’ve never heard it before),

Thank you for your incredible letter; incredible, because you do indeed sound phenomenally like Harry Potter, in your physical resemblance and in your life experience. I cannot tell you how moved I was by what you wrote, nor how sorry I am to hear about your parents. What a terrible loss.

I know what it is like to be picked on, as it happened to me, too, throughout my adolescence. I can only wish that you have the same experience that I did, and become happier and more secure the older you get. Being a teenager can be completely horrible, and many of the most successful people I know felt the same way. I think the problem is that adolescence, though often misrepresented as a time of rebellion and unconventionality, actually requires everybody to conform if they aspire to popularity – or at least to ‘rebel’ while wearing the ‘right’ clothes! You’re now standing on the threshold of a very different phase in your life, one where you are much more likely to find kindred spirits, and much less likely to be subject to the pressures of your teenage years.

It is an honour to me to know that somebody like you loves Harry as much as you do. Thank you very much for writing to me, I will treasure your letter (which entitles you to boast about this response as much as you like!)

With lots of love

JKRowling

(Jo to you!)

I personally love writing letters – the process is cathartic and healthy, but sadly, we don’t carve enough time out of our days to communicate to our loved ones in such an archaic way. I think I’ll make a personal goal to write more, or even to send more personal emails to my long-lost friends and family. From the examples I provided today, I think it’s apparent that letters are both personal and powerful.

Lo. Lee. Ta.

I just finished reading this novel last night.

A few years ago my uncle, who has been a high school English teacher for over 20 years, told me Lolita was the most beautiful book he’s ever read. Always intimidated by its controversial subject matter and distracted by easier, more current works of fiction – I always tabled Lolita.

My uncle was right; it was exquisite and shocking in many different ways. I’ve always been fascinated by the taboo nature of pedophilia, perhaps why I’ve followed the Sandusky case so scrupulously – How could people be so disgusting and deplorable? But what I learned from Lolita is that the main character is more frustrated than malicious. More self-deprecating than evil. How strange that a monster was the protagonist of this beautifully narrated story. As much as the world hates people like him, oftentimes, no one finds them more despicable than they  find themselves.

Impressively, Nabokov incited empathy with the reader. Who knew that I could have the capacity to feel sorry for a fictional pedophile and criminal? His lyrical prose was musical, humorous and dare I say, romantic?

For the record, I am not pro-sexual abuse in ANY capacity. I think Jerry Sandusky deserves a life of pain and suffering in prison. I’ve just learned that these psychological crimes are not necessarily fueled by hate, but rather by a disturbing, unbridled sense of love.

Some Summer Reading, Some Summer Movies and Some Summer Music

Ladies and gentlemen, summer is finally in full swing and I’m vigilantly taking advantage of the sunny weather, blockbuster films and beers by the pool – all excellent signifiers of quite possibly, my favorite season.

The past month or so has been a whirlwind, so this week, it seemed appropriate to categorize some recent activities and life updates into little digestible buckets.

• Books - I’ve made an executive decision to exclusively read Classic literature this month rather than the easy, lazy prototypical beach reads. I reasoned that if I spent my summer delving into Fifty Shades of Gray, the rabbit hole of poorly written, yet fun and salacious material would never end and I would never achieve my long-term goal of reading (or re-reading) novels that I should have read (or paid more attention to) in high school. I started with The Great Gatsby since I love F. Scott Fitzgerald and was inspired by the lavish trailer for the upcoming film. I adore the jazz age – the luxury, the fashion, the chain-smoking – I can’t wait to see DiCaprio smolder and exhibit Gatsby’s immaculate swagger and interact with the adorable and appropriately cast Carey Mulligan to breathe life into one of my favorite works of fiction.
• Movies - I can’t wait for summer blockbusters – Spiderman Reloaded, The Dark Knight, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – I can’t wait for the action and the soundtracks and loaded theaters. But I finally watched the long-awaited Moonrise Kingdom starring a slew of my favorite actors (Norton, Murray, Schwartzman). Wes Anderson never fails to amaze me with his understated humor, beautiful cinematography and clever scripts. The prepubescent main characters (Sam and Suzy) were also delightfully cute, funny and talented. Do yourself a favor and watch.
• Music - I attended my first “Blues on the Green” of the year. For you non-Austinites, Blues on the Green is a free weekly summer concert series that takes place in Zilker Park, which is conveniently walking distance from my house. This week, Rhett Miller from the Old 97′s performed to a vast audience of adults, kids and dogs.

  The Twilight Zone photos were captured at the Feed Me concert at ND 501 Studios, a sweaty, intimate venue where the dubstep and electronic dance music subculture came alive. For a tiny venue, ND certainly didn’t skip on production.

I will conclude with the best text I received all week. One of my best buddies who lives in New Orleans is clearly having a successful Friday – I hope you all do too!

Finally Free

The blogger realizes that the novel she is about to discuss is neither new nor noteworthy. Considering Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom was published in 2010, the novel has therefore lost its new and noteworthy qualities over the years, but none of its other commendable ones. In spite of these reasons, the novel touched and inspired the blogger so thoroughly that she felt the need to share her sentiments about it, notwithstanding her lateness in doing so.

This novel has always been on the blogger’s reading list seeing as Freedom received fantastic reviews and topped several bestseller and “must-read” lists in 2010. Intimidated by the sheer enormity of the novel, the blogger unfortunately delayed reading Freedom and opted in favor of shorter, newer and more noteworthy books.

Opportunity presented itself last week when Alison traveled to Boston for her older sister’s graduation from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Knowing that Alison would be spending at least five hours commuting to Massachusetts, sitting through a boring Ivy League commencement ceremony and spending ample time riding various modes of Boston public transportation, the blogger realized this short Memorial Day vacation would ensure abundant reading time to dedicate to Franzen’s heavy work of fiction.

Not long after cracking Freedom’s thick spine, Alison quickly learned why this novel received such critical acclaim from notable media (The New York Times, NPR) and notable influencers (Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama). The parallels to some of the bloggers’ favorite authors (Jeffrey Euginedes, Chad Harbach) became apparent too; reading Freedom reminded the blogger of reading The Marriage Plot and The Art of Fielding (though both were released well after Franzen’s book was published, they remain two of her recent favorite reads).

The narrative dripped of conflicted characters and their tangled love stories and relationships with one another. Heavy themes of love, lust, loyalty, competition, betrayal, forgiveness and of course, freedom were clearly woven into this artfully written novel. Whether they were manifest as sibling rivalries, political issues or marital infidelities, competitiveness was a strong, crucial theme that often defined the characters’ wants and needs. Additionally, various forms of liberation (physical, environmental, sexual, emotional) provided the characters with catharsis and freedom from whatever pressures (financial, emotional or mental) weighed upon their psyches. The style, like The Art of Fielding, A Visit From The Goon Squad and The Marriage Plot, was also poignantly written from the points-of-views of several characters – Patty Berglund’s autobiographies in third person being particularly long and captivating segments.

The characters in this novel were the blogger’s favorite element. Patty, tragic and unhappy as Anna Karenina, faced constant confusion regarding how she wanted to live, love and parent, but she told her stories with sincerity and wit. Contrastingly, portions of the novel expressing the Richard Katz’ and Joey Berglund’s perspectives were just as heartbreaking and illuminating. The blogger caught herself crying on several occasions because the love stories and strained relationships were so painful, sorrowful and universal that they reminded herself of her own personal failures and mistakes.

The blogger highly recommends this work of fiction; in spite of its 600 pages, Alison finished it within four days. The ending is unexpected and dare she say, happy? According to the novel, “There is, after all, a kind of happiness in unhappiness, if it’s the right unhappiness.”

Dirty Little Secrets

I first discovered PostSecret in 2005 when The All-American Rejects featured a multitude of the postcards from the project in their Dirty Little Secret music video. If you’ve ever browsed through the blog or flipped through the pages of one of Frank Warren’s published books, you’re likely familiar with how powerful, captivating and honest these works of art can be.

We frequently hear critiques about inserting emotions and feelings into the art we create – whether it’s writing a meaningful song lyric or merely singing a song lyric with meaning and passion. I think that’s the secret sauce to PostSecret’s success and popularity – every little 4 x 6 postcard, no matter how simple, is so painfully genuine and honest.

I’ve always considered Warren’s concept wonderful because the process of sharing information that you don’t want anyone to know is so relieving and cathartic. Reading through these post cards often brings me joy – oftentimes because the feel-good, funny secrets make me laugh, but mostly because the people sharing the darker, sadder secrets might have achieved a sense of release by telling someone what was bothering them.

I’ve never submitted a secret to the site, but I’ve entertained the idea from time to time. I honestly can’t think of a secret good enough to share, but when or if I do, I hope you enjoy reading it, learning something personal about me and being a part of this intangible, but universal sense of caring and goodness. I know I certainly loved reading your secrets over the years and hope you keep sharing them.