Julie 2014

[Alexi]

Hi Julie

 

Happy reading for 2014! Hope your new approach works wonders for you

 

I'm too scared of the pain to get a tattoo!

[julie]

Thanks , Alexi

  Yes, I hear it hurts . I'm still undecided . So many people I know have them now, most just a small one someplace . My daughter in law has 2 kids, so got their name  put one on each wrist . I've had other people tell me not to put names on , or you'll regret it, because sometimes you lose those people (whether by illness or broken relationships) and it will be a constant reminder of them if it is tattooed on your body . Some people choose flowers, or sayings . I have no clue what I'd want . I keep asking other people that have them trying to decide .

 Thanks for the well wishes for next year's reading . I wish the same for you !

Edited December 16, 2013 by julie

[Athena]

Happy Reading in 2014, Julie! I love the approach on your thread, it made me giggle.

[julie]

Thanks Athena

  I love reading about other people's TBR piles, Challenges, Goals , etc . I have attempted them repeatedly myself . I guess I don't do well with lots of Rules for Reading . The older I get, the more I like to read whatever I want ,whenever I want ,therefore , my new idea will be just that .     

 Thanks for dropping in !

[Devi]

I've always wanted a tattoo, I even designed one myself. Only problem is I don't know if they would do one on me because of my illnesses/medications.

 

Happy reading in 2014 Julie!

Edited December 16, 2013 by Devi

[julie]

Devi

 What picture did you have in mind for the tattoo ?  If you still want it , you could ask the doc the next visit .

[Signor Finzione]

Hi Julie,

 

Since you're considering getting a tattoo, I just have four little pieces of advice.

 

1. Know exactly what you want.

2. Wait a while until you're completely sure, even if it's only a small one - keep looking back at your design again and again, just to be sure.

3. Have it somewhere you can easily cover up (no worries about sagging!)

4. Check out different studios and chat with the tattooists. It really helps having it done somewhere you know is clean and professional, and by someone who you feel comfortable with.

 

I have three tattoos, each of which I chose a full year before actually having them done. And it doesn't hurt as much as people say.

[julie]

Thanks very much for the advice. I'll definitely consider all you said carefully. That's why I have asked lots of people , trying to get their opinions. I'd say a fairly large number of people in our area have tattoos of some sort ,but the majority would be younger than me . I have a cousin who designs tattoos for people ,so I'm sure he could come up with a drawing if some sort .

 The only one so far that struck my fancy was one that is on a girl's forearm and all it says ( in very pretty writing ), is 

 

You Only Live Once

 

Very fitting for all of us I guess .

 

Most people I know have small ones on their writs, ankle, shoulder ...one even behind their ear, which sounds like it'd husrt like heck .

 

Can you tell me what any of yours say or any of the pics you chose ? If you'd rather not, it's ok, just curious .

[Signor Finzione]

Sure. They're not deep or meaningful or anything, they're just pictures, but I like them - as you say, you only live once! 

 

I have a tiger covering my upper left arm, an aboriginal lizard design on my right calf, and a blackbird silhouette on my right shoulder blade. All three are in black ink with no colours, which suit my style. I have a lot of people saying they don't like them (including my dad - he thinks they're 'unprofessional' and 'unladylike'), and lots more saying that they do. The only thing that matters is what I think - it's my body, after all.

 

Also important is that all three can be easily covered up - I know plenty of workplaces don't allow them. I had a friend who had one on the inside of her lower arm, and she had to wear a bandage for work every day because she wasn't allowed to show it. 

 

I've been considering having another one - it's a bit addictive! - something more dainty, like a quote from a novel written in delicate script, but I''d probably end up with the elvish script from the ring in the Lord of the Rings, or something like that. 

 

Behind the ear does sound painful, I agree, although anywhere that's bony is more painful that others. So, the foot, the ribs, the shoulder blade, the hip, would all hurt more than other places.

 

ETA: the tiger looks like this, the blackbird is based on this, and this is the lizard (my grandad used to call me 'Laura the Lizard Girl' as I'd always go looking for lizards anytime we went abroad on holiday. )

Edited December 17, 2013 by Signor Finzione

[julie]

Singnor

(Could I ask what your first name is or would you rather not use it ? )

 

Your tattoos sound really neat and the pictures are nice. I think they'd look good in black & white. You can do them any way you want. As you said, it's your body .

 

I've also been told they are very addictive and once you get one, you will want more . We know a guy abut our age that has one whole arm with them now and is starting on the other . So if he wears short sleeves, it looks like he has a long -sleeve shirt on with decorations on it .

 

My dad had one ,done when he was REALLY young, newly in the Navy . It's not very professional looking , but it's a heart with Mom on it ,since his mother died when he was a young boy. He always said he regretted getting it ,but probably because it reminded him of something sad  .

 

I'll have to think on it some more. I'm not real sure yet .The older I get, the more I think about it ,so we'll see .

Thanks for sharing your tattoos with me !

[Signor Finzione]

No problem! My name's Laura.

 

I know a few people who had tattoos either quite young or just on impulse, and it's always these people who regret it. It must be really sad having one that reminds you of a tragic event.

 

I love full sleeve tattoos on men, very attractive. Unfortunately my hubby is a complete wuss and wouldn't even watch mine being done! 

 

It's a permanent decision so it's good that you're giving it a lot of thought. Whatever you do it or not, I'm sure it will be the right decision for you.

 

Thanks for chatting! I'm glad you like mine. It's good to talk about them with someone who doesn't immediately say "tattoos on women? Disgusting!" 

[julie]

Laura

That's funny that you called your husband a Wuss , being too afraid to even watch you get a tattoo ! My Hubster would never get a tattoo . He's VERY plain dressing and acting . I always tell him  he dresses like an Amish person ( not the suspenders or straw hat,) , but the all dark boring colors , nothing bright or noticeable . Never does anything wild or crazy . Luckily, he never tries to push his opinions off on me, and knows if he told me NOT to do something . I'd go do it ,so he learns to let me decide what is best for me . 

We are total opposites, but it has worked for 37 years ,so it doesn't seem to be a problem. We've learned to get used to each other and know what the other is thinking even before they do it .

 

I don't think women with tattoos are disgusting at all . I think it's pretty neat that people in the younger generation can express themselves in so many more ways. Wearing all black ,getting all the different things pierced, etc. They get to express their individuality more.

In my younger years ,everyone wanted to "look" pretty much the same, to fit in with the crowd. Now, it seems everyone can be their own person and use whatever they want to achieve that look .

 

It'd seem to be a more FREE type feeling I think . Thanks again for giving me advice and sharing with me .

Edited December 18, 2013 by julie

[Signor Finzione]

Wow, Julie, 37 years! That's amazing. It's good to hear that being opposites can work so well - we're opposites too (he's only ever read one book in his life!  )

 

You made me laugh with how you described your husband. Mine looks like the Milky Bar Kid.  (Ahh, we laugh at them, but only because we love them!)

 

It's been nice to share - I'm glad you're so open minded, unlike other people I know. Modern society is getting so much better in this respect.

[julie]

Laura

I looked up  the Milky Bar kid  . Wow, he must look like a young John Denver ! Does he have the glasses like that too ? How cute .

 

The Hubster never liked to read much either ,but in the last couple years ,he has actually gotten a Kindle and reads some in the evenings now too. He reads mostly nonfiction about  WW 2 ,but at least he reads .

 

The Hubster already knows I tell him he dresses like an Amish guy, because I buy all his clothes. I once in awhile try to slip in an emerald colored shirt, but it goes right back to the store ( green is my favorite color )

 

It's weird how OPPOSITE we are .There is NOTHING we agree on .Any subject, we both think totally opposite on it ,no matter what it is.  Foods, clothes , politics, entertainment, etc ...We don't argue about any of them . We both respect the other's opinions , and agree to disagree on them. It's actually pretty funny how we NEVER look at things in the same way ,but we are still married all these years later . We kinda act like friends more than married people so maybe that helps. because friends don't always shove their opinions down their friends' throats, they respect them . That's the best way to describe it I guess .

 He's a good guy .

 

As for being open -minded, I have always liked teens and young adults ,talking to them, and listening to their lives ,why they do the things they do, how they feel about issues they face,so I understand that they like expressing themselves in different ways than when I was a teen. We did then ,too ,but not as many broke loose from the "mold", so to speak. We all pretty much tried looking like the current style( bell bottoms, tie-dyed t-shirts, etc . ) .We had much stricter rules ,so the dating scene is a bit hard to comprehend . I was raised REALLY strictly ,so was pretty careful in my dating years and my mother would have skinned me alive if I wasn't .

My younger sister was rebellious and pushed the envelope a lot . I'm glad I was married and out of the house by then .She actually wanted to live with her boyfriend before marriage and my mother got so angry, she went upstairs ,opened the window,and threw ALL my sister's possessions out the window. All the household items she had been buying ,dishes, pans, pictures, etc.. everything she owned was thrown out and broken .  Sadly, they went to the mayor and got married ,but divorced a couple years later .If they would have tried living together first,they may have never married. ( ** It wasn't a HAVE - to wedding, she didnt have kids with that husband at all, but has them now, with her 2nd)

 

I often wonder if living together first is any more of a guarantee that a marriage will last  ? Waddya think ?  I never tried it ,so only know what some friends have told me, that it's not the same after marriage as it was before,but I don't know if that's true for everyone or not ,

 

Anyhow, we'd all get along much better if we weren't judgmental of others: looks, beliefs, lifestyles, etc ...  It's more fun to LEARN about people than judge them .

Edited December 18, 2013 by julie

[Signor Finzione]

Julie,

 

I totally agree with what you say about not judging others. I think it's sad how some people think that, because others are different, they are wrong or strange. It's the same thing with differences of opinion - the world would be a very boring place if everyone believed the same thing!

 

It's a shame about your sister and her first husband - I think living together is definitely a good way of making sure you and your partner are right for each other. If you don't mind me asking, was it because your family is religious, or just very strict?

 

I think perhaps that part of the reason the divorce rate is so high is because people either rush into it, or get married for the wrong reasons (like those people who do it just so they can have a big party and be the centre of attention for a day). Me and Dan had lived together for five years before we married this June, and I have to say I disagree with your friends (so far, anyway) - it pretty much still feels the same (which isn't a bad thing), except for the happy novelty of those moments where we suddenly remember we're married now (like when I forget my surname). I guess there's no guarantee for any marriage to work - I know some that have failed after 2 years and others that have sadly failed after 20. I just hope that mine lasts as long as yours!

 

(Yes, Daniel has the glasses and the blond hair and everything.   )

[julie]

Laura

No, I don't mind you asking anything .

My family attended church, but not on a continual basis . I went when I was a toddler, then not again til I was  16, so we had a big gap on not attending at all. I can't say they'd be termed religious by any stretch . More EXTREMELY strict .

 

It seems to be that lots of people we know get very wrapped up in the wedding plans, dress, cake ,flowers, dinners, and forget what comes next , which is living together for life . So they probably do rush things in the excitement of the wedding maybe ?  Not get to know each other better beforehand ?

 

We met when we were 13, so have more or less grown up and grown old together . Maybe that's why it's more like a friend situation where we respect each other's opinions and embrace our differences rather than try to change them ?

 

Not sure what the answer is. Sometimes we'll both just start laughing when we hear something on the news and we immediately take opposing sides .. It's actually pretty funny how often it happens .

 

Can your Daniel SING like John Denver ? If so, no wonder you chose him ! The complete package : cute, and he can sing .

[Athena]

We met when we were 13, so have more or less grown up and grown old together . Maybe that's why it's more like a friend situation where we respect each other's opinions and embrace our differences rather than try to change them ?

x

That's so nice ! My parents met at 13 too I think, and my mum's and dad's parents met their other halves in their teen years as well.

 

(EDIT: Just to clarify, when I mean their other halves, I mean to say that my mum's mother met my mum's father, and my dad's mother met my dad's father, when they were all young. Just in case that caused confusion.)

Edited December 19, 2013 by Athena

[julie]

x

That's so nice ! My parents met at 13 too I think, and my mum's and dad's parents met their other halves in their teen years as well.

 

(EDIT: Just to clarify, when I mean their other halves, I mean to say that my mum's mother met my mum's father, and my dad's mother met my dad's father, when they were all young. Just in case that caused confusion.)

 

 

Yep, it was perfectly understandable to me

[Signor Finzione]

Athena, that's so lovely to hear. My grandparents met when they were 17 and have been married for over 50 years. I think it's lovely when you see or hear about such great real-life examples of enduring love (wow, that sounded terribly soppy. Sorry.  )

 

Julie, it's great that you and your husband have the best friend thing going on, I'd say that's a large part of why Daniel and I get on so well together too. (He can't sing at all, no! Although he thinks he can, and makes up really loud and nonsensical lyrics to the songs on the radio. Which never, ever gets annoying. Ever. Honestly.  )

 

Totally agree about a lot of people choosing to get married and just focusing on the day itself rather than what comes after. Dan and I married because we were living together and knew we would forever, and simply wanted to quietly make it official. But others - particularly older women, for some reason - do it either just for the celebration, or because they believe that they should be married and are desperate not to be classed as 'single' (a bit like Bridget Jones!). It's these that tend to end unhappily, or so I've observed.

 

Anyway, I'm sorry, none of this has been about books at all! Sorry to sidetrack your reading log. 

[julie]

Laura

No worries at all about sidetracking my thread. I'm not strict with my rules about my book thread. Anyone can come in and post and talk about whatever they want.  I don't mind at all..

 

Daniel sounds like lots of fun . I like singing too, but am LOUSY at it . I sing to my grandson sometimes just to get a rise out of him .. He's funny !

 

It certainly sounds like you guys are off on the right foot and are definitely together for a good reason. It sounds like a good match that will last forever .

[julie]

 

The Book of Ebenezer LePage  is a magical story about a magical real life island called Guernsey . The interesting part of the story begins with the author's background. It's written as a novel, but the main character sounds very much like the author actually was in life .

Gerald Edwards was born in 1899 and lived his life on Guernsey .He wrote one book, and was 66 when he submitted it for publication . He died 2 years later. He didn't want to have any attention in his life regarding the book, and he also didn't want people trying to find out more about him after his death ,so very little information is available . One former acquaintance says that Gerald was a loner with no friends . Ebenezer , in his own way ,was also a loner in a lot of ways .Unlike the main character, the author does travel off the island and lives in many different places. It sounds as though he had a difficult personal life, and for many years his family lost touch with him. His final wish was to die in Guernsey, but sadly, he never made it back in time .

 

So the story is told by an elderly man, Ebenezer ,who lived his entire life on Guernsey . All his family were there too . He grew up loving the land , and the old ways of living . He lived a fairly solitary life ,considering he had such a large family close by . He saw them often, but seemed to enjoy his solitude . He had his charms, but also his flaws .

The story tells of his life and the many challenges faced living through both World Wars  .

It's hard to sum up an entire life in one short review, but the writing was superb .The book seems to have more than one goal . It not only wants you to get to know and care for Ebenezer , but also to learn of a time long ago on a small island that was paradise . Everything was done the old-fashioned way and the people lived through extreme difficulties especially when the Germans took over the island in WW 2 .

It also tells you of life when it was much simpler, then gradually change comes in the form of autos ,islanders renting out rooms for tourists, and almost a feeling of sadness that such a magical place was changed too much by progress .

 

This one gets a 5/5 . Excellent writing ,story and character . Well worth the read .

Edited January 1, 2014 by julie

[pontalba]

Great review, Julie!  Good start to the New Year.

 

Happiness and all that Jazz.

[Karsa Orlong]

Happy reading in 2014, Julie 

[julie]

Thank you , Kate & Steve !     

 

 

Happy New Year to both of you too .

[Marie H]

Happy New Year to you, Julie   .

The Book of Ebenezer LePage  is in my TBR list, and it was in our library reading group book in 2012, but I only managed a quarter of it then. It is a bit of a tome!