Friday, February 22, 2008

Extra Ordinary Memes

I had never considered the possibility of doing memes since I started this blog because
A. I have so few regular readers and
B. My most faithful readers (and those that I read most frequently) don't seem to do memes very often

I am not even sure the correct pronunciation for the word meme or it's origin...probably should take the time to look that up. Anyway, here I am finding myself tagged for two memes (how exciting) within two weeks and then taking two more weeks to respond to them. They are both about books though and I love to read, so I will play along. Here goes:

First, Care at Care's Online Book Club tagged me for this Travel Reading Meme (on January 29th) which she got from Lisa at Books on her Brain:
  1. What book are you reading right now? Do you like it?

  2. What was the last book you read on a plane?

  3. What was the last book you read on a roadtrip?

  4. What is the most unusual place you found yourself reading?

  5. What books would you take to keep you occupied on a 2 week vacation to the beach?

* * * * * * * * *

1. I am a strange cookie because I typically don't read one book at a time per se, I rotate between reading several books simultaneously until one gets to the point that it "wins" out over the others and I then decide to stick with just that one to the finish. Then I go back to the group and start all over again. Right now I am rotating between "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi, "loved walked in" by Marisa de los Santos, "Winning with People" by John C. Maxwell, and "Praying" by J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom, having just finished "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion which was also in the pack until a few days ago when I decided it had won my undivided reading attention. So far, I like them all. I haven't read any honest to goodness fiction in a long time and was hoping that "love walked in" would be more engaging than it is, but it is still a good story. Anything by John C. Maxwell is engaging but he writes in a style that lends itself to reading a chapter or two and then taking a break to digest it all. The whole praying thing I am struggling with right now for many reasons, more on that in another post, so it seems that "Reading Lolita in Tehran" will be the next to break away from the pack as I often find myself drawn towards memoirs and biographies.

2. I honestly cannot answer this question because it has been so long that I am not sure exactly when the last time I flew on a plane was or what I might have been reading at the time. It has been more than a decade for sure. I can tell you the last time I went on a long train trip -- to Chicago -- I was reading John Grisham's Skipping Christmas and Janette Oke: A Heart for the Prairie by Laurel Oke Logan and a third which I don't recall.

3. The last book I read on a road trip was this past November when we went to the NC mountains and then I was also reading "Praying" by J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom. I got half way through it but with the whole job change and the holidays never quite got back to it so I set it down for a few months and now am picking it back up again.

4. I had to think long and hard about a good answer for this one, but I think I will have to say that the most unusual place I've ever found myself reading was on the marching band practice field when I was in high school. There was a fair amount of semi down time just holding your spot waiting for other sections to work on their moves (we had over 200 people in our band) so I would sometimes take the current paperback reading assignment for English class out with me and pull it out in between takes to catch up a bit.

5. Since I live at the beach (or ten minutes from it) this is a hard question because I don't really plan to vacation at a beach anytime soon. I like to walk on the beach and go take pictures there, but have never been one to sit and read at the beach. Current events though leave me looking at several trips to Florida in the near future to spend some time with my mom while she is getting treatments, so lots of potential reading time on the train and in waiting rooms...I'll have to find something good. Suggestions are always welcome.

* * * * * * * * *

The next meme I have been tagged for is from Dan Brennan at Faith Dance with the 1,2,3 Meme (on February 5th) that he got from Maria at Spiritual Birdwatching [BTW - Maria if you come to visit, I like your blog template ;o) hee hee]:

  • Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

  • Open the book to page 123.

  • Find the fifth sentence.

  • Post the next three sentences.

  • Tag five people.

So let's see what we get. I have picked up "Praying" by J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom, since the page starts midway thorugh a sentence, I chose to start counting with the first five full sentences, now here are the next 1, 2, and 3 --

"The fact is that we will all pray more honestly and live more safely when we learn to regard checkup as a necessary spiritual discipline, and give it its proper place in our lives. So let us look at it now. God calls all his people to be holy, that is, consciously, conscientiously and continuously set apart to live in his company and his glory, with all that involves."

My sincerest apologies to Carrie and Dan for seemingly ignoring and neglecting your tags for so long, I value both of you as my blogging friends and hope you will return to read again. I hope to sift through the reason for my absence in my next post.

Now for the tagging part, hmmm, I'm not sure who (if anyone) I can entice to play along, but here are a few bloggers who I'd love to know more about what they are reading. If you choose to play along, you can pick either meme or both, you choose, but I am tagging:

It is better to play than do nothing. -- Confucius

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for playing! These memes (rhymes with seems) give us a form of conversation, doncha think?

and how amazing that just a few sentences can be so heavy. That little bit sounds like it could have been on the back of the book as a "what's this about..."

You may not post every day but when you do, they are powerful. You gave lots of teasers in this one, too.

PS I'm also THRILLED that blogger has the openid for us wordpressers... very easy to comment. YIPPEE!

Dan Brennan said...

Hey Barbara,

Sweeet

Mark said...

I do not usually play with memes, however this one appeals to me. I will take up the challange in the next couple of days. Thanks!

Bop said...

Care -
Thanks for tagging me, it was fun! Sorry again that it took me so long to respond to it. I am glad that I can still impress you with what you call my "powerful" posts.

Dan -
Welcome Back and thanks for tagging me too!

Mark -
I know you don't usually do memes and because of that I was hesitant to tag you, but I am curious to know what makes your reading list. So, thanks for indulging me and playing along. I will be looking forward to your response!

Theresa said...

I don't do many memes, but I think I will do this one. Thanks for thinking of me.

Bop said...

Hey, Theresa!

Thanks for playing along with the meme! I don't usually do these, so there were no expectations for others either...but I think you are the only one I "tagged" who actually did it! I think you get a proverbial gold star or something for that! Anyway, thanks!

I continue to enjoy reading about your "Fairbanks Life", even if my blog participation has been more sporadic lately.