Water for Elephants

Well, I'm late to the party but glad I showed up.

Water for Elephants, authored by Sara Gruen, has been in bookstores for a few years.  It topped bestseller lists but I never picked it up until last week.  It is exceedingly well-written, engrossing, funny, sad, horrifying, sensual, and the most satisfying read I have experienced in a very long while.  It hits theaters next year starring Reese Witherspoon, Christopher Waltz and Robert Pattinson.  

I'm usually disappointed by the movie version of any book; the only exception to this was Stephen King's Shawshank Redemption which rocked in print and on the big screen. I hope my new fave, Water for Elephants, makes as wonderful a transition from book to film. 

Since discovering this gem it seems that everyone I've mentioned it to has already read it, leading me to believe I've been living under a rock for the last few years.  It somehow slipped past me, but I'm thrilled I found it.  Even had I not been hooked by the story---and I was hooked from page one, make no mistake---I would read for the exceptional writing alone.  Ms. Gruen, originally a technical writer, creates a world the reader can see, taste and feel; no word is wasted, no scene unnecessary.

The writer in me is scrambling to get my hands on Ms. Gruen's other novels, to absorb more of her quality and technique, to learn from her pacing and presentation.  The reader in me wants to hop on the train with her again, to be carried away to wherever she leads. It will be an engrossing ride; I'm sure of it.

If you have read Water for Elephants I'd like your opinion, even if it differs from mine.  If you have not read it, you're missing out on fantastic writing and a wonderful story with multi-faceted characters, not all of them human. The story will draw you into the world of a depression era circus, and the characters will abide in the corners of your mind long after you turn the last page.

Sara Gruen and a link to her website has been added to my list of favorite authors.  Check out my sidebar list for other Authors Who Rock My Socks!

Happy reading -

Lisa

Butter Lovers (not so) Anonymous

My name is Lisa, and I'm a butter-a-holic.

There is no reforming me as I admit my vice with no remorse and only scant shame.  Over the years I have slathered butter on everything from Pop Tarts to ham sandwiches, doughnuts to pizza crust.  I have even put butter on steak and used it as a dip for pretzels. Yum.  Haven't tried it with ice cream, but I bet if mixed up just right it would taste heavenly.

Don't worry. I don't eat like that all the time. I temper my butter consumption with a rabid fear of acquiring thunder thighs and a rotund rumpus.  Also, I can't afford a whole new wardrobe, so if my derriere exceeds my size 6 Levi's I'm in big trouble.  This is motivation to keep my butter loving ways in check, but occasionally I go on a bender.

Last Thursday was one of those days. I took my youngest to the movies and treated myself to buttered popcorn. I usually don't buy popcorn at the movies, because if I don't have to rescue the kernels from drowning there isn't enough butter in the bag. I don't know how many Weight Watcher points comprise a bag of popcorn after it has been Lisatized, but the number would render me unconscious, so avoidance is my usual action. Not Thursday.

My young 'un and I moseyed from the snack counter to the condiment bar where "butter flavored popcorn oil" is available, "butter" being the operative word. My daughter had a large Icee and a bag of Sno-Caps, but she knows the drill so stopped with me while I prepared my popped corn.

"What are you going to do with that?" She asked when I pulled a gallon size zip-up freezer bag from my purse.

"Behold, buttercup," said I.

I dumped half the bagged popcorn into the plastic bag and then buttered the bejeepers out of both bags, stopping to add salt and shake up the two bags to distribute the yellow delight evenly.  I dumped the popcorn from the paper bag into the clear plastic bag, added more buttery stuff for good measure, zipped it up tight and gave it another good shake.


"Uh, I'm going in to find us a seat," she said, backing away. "This is embarrassing."

"What? I just want my popcorn evenly buttered."

"What a great idea!" A woman behind me declared. "I hate when you get halfway into the bag and the popcorn isn't buttered.  This idea is a keeper! I love buttered popcorn. Love. It.  I am so going to do this next time."

Clearly, this woman possessed great insight and taste, and I beamed at her.  It isn't often I meet a fellow butter lover of such grand proportions.

Since my Thursday binge I've dodged the scale and ignored the butter dish. I'll be good for a few months and then, heaven help me, I'll fall off the wagon again. I could try to act guilty about it, but that's hard to pull off when I'm doing the shake-up-the-butter-and-popcorn dance.

Til next time, buttercup -
Lisa 

Clip art courtesy of hasslefreeclipart.com.

Movie Madness

Yikes! It is back to Blockbuster for me. Viewing a movie from the comfiness of my couch has never looked so good.

My youngest daughter wanted to see The Proposal and I, being a Sandra Bullock fan—and having recently seen a very buff Ryan Reynolds on the cover of Entertainment Weekly (check it out, ladies)—said, “Let’s go!”

Well! How much did that little evening out cost, you may ask? It was a whopping $19.50 for two tickets (including my daughter’s student discount) and another $8.75 to buy an Icee and a box of Sno-Caps. I opted to forego the small popcorn as that would have been an additional—gulp!—$6.00. All total, kids, that adds up to $28.25. For a movie! With no popcorn!

My daughter was nonplussed until I explained that the cost of our 90-minute movie could have purchased her a new outfit at Kohl’s, or nine Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supremes. Her teenage brain practically shorted out at the thought. I mean, like, OMG! Who wants a movie when you can get new clothes or a mountain of fast food?

Back in my teen years, I used to go to the movies every Wednesday with my Daddy. The tickets were less than $3.00 each and the popcorn was $0.50. Yeah, those really were the days, back when you could take your kid to the movies without hyperventilating or having to take out a second mortgage to afford it.

It will be a long time before I go to the movies again. In the meantime, I’ll make my own popcorn, brew some sweet tea, and watch DVDs in my PJ’s. And if I want a second look at Ryan Reynolds, Johnny Depp or Hugh Jackman I’ll employ judicious use of the rewind button.

Now that’s entertainment!

Til next time,
Lisa