I can trace all my books [December 2011]

Here's this.

December
187. Unnatural Issue by Mercedes Lackey
188. Bad Guys in the Book of Mormon by Dennis Gaunt
189. Kat Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgie
190. Genesis by Bernard Beckett
191. Flint Heart by Katharine and John Paterson
192. Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver
193. Dragon's Tooth by N.D. Wilson
194. Variant by Robison Wells
195. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
196. Dragon Castle by Joseph Bruchac
197. Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines
198. Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemmon
199. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
200. Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
201. States of Wonder by Ann Patchett
202. The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell
203. Possession by Elana Johnson
204. Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly
205. The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Eileen Cook

Bible in the nightstand drawer saying "Go on, open up"

Well, that was typical.

Back in October, we had a RS training meeting where we each got a new Book of Mormon and the recommendation to read it, looking for certain phrases.  I thought, "Why not read the whole thing by the end of the year? I'll be all ready for us to start it again for Sunday School." We'd been given a 90-day schedule and I figured in order to finish in time I started reading two or three days at a time (I only had like 72 days, which is tons harder than 90).

And then I stopped being in the habit of finding this new Book of Mormon and reading from it. It wasn't in a convenient place. I had other things to do during the day, and at night I wasn't going to leave my bed and go find the special book to read from (I had a different one by my bed that I would choose a chapter or so to read instead, on those days that I hadn't read already...which became more and more frequent).  It got to the point where I was halfway through December and only halfway through Mosiah.

Kind of like last time we read the Book of Mormon on a schedule.  I was still valiantly skimming in the evening on Dec 31, wishing that I'd kept to my goals better.  I did perform slightly more admirably this year; I totally could've finished yesterday, but there's been something else going on at my house.

Appropriately, it's a Book of Mormon readathon.  It's really distracting to try and read in Mormon when people in the other room are reading in Mosiah. So I gave up and joined them.  I've had to find some quiet minutes the past two days to do my own reading.

And I finished; that's what matters.  Actually, what matters is I need better self-discipline. If I treat my final projects like this I'm going to be in a sorry state.

But I am glad I finished. I like that book a lot. I hope that I can remember to open it up and read it every day.


"Homecoming (Walter's Song)"

want me you never will

So, once upon a time I accidentally started something by posting the following video to my Facebook:

Maybe you've seen it; if you haven't, it's not long--feel free to watch it.  If you have, you're wondering what I accidentally started since there have been no flaming discussions in my comments.  No one has a strong opinion about whether this is right or wrong.

Well, I started a couple things.  A bunch of my Facebook friends (I think I've seen like 6 or 7 now) also posted the video, after me.  It's possible they got it from one of their other friends, but it could've been me, right?  It's been interesting to follow those conversations (not very interesting, but more interesting than my post).

Also I started myself thinking about this situation in my life.  Part of my ponderings have been about how the video can't be accurate.  There was definitely some editing involved, and the editing could've excluded some less savory responses.  ("Savory" meaning, I guess, "What the filmmaker intended to portray.")  There's certainly some guys out there that count girls as their friends.

What does "friend" even mean?  What would "hook up" imply in my case (or in the case of most of the people interviewed)?  How do these girls know that these guys secretly like them?

So the definitions aren't clear.

Now, as far as my life goes.  Off the top of my head I can think of two guys I would unequivocally consider my friends, currently.  If I called them in dire straits, they wouldn't hesitate to do everything they could to help.  And they'd probably do the same for any other girl they know; they're pretty solid.  Awesome friends to have.

(I do know more than two guys, I promise.  The others are either fellows I'm "actively" pursuing, or fellows that I get along with just fine in our business-related interactions but have no real interest in seeing socially, or fellows that I'm not getting along with very well.  Does that about cover it?Oh, there's also the fellows that aren't my friends anymore because we don't go in the same circles.  Makes it harder for me to call them in dire straits, especially if they're in the subgroup of "married". Edit: I also forgot the generic acquaintances. I know them too.)

Anyway, these two guys I'm thinking of.  I'm pretty sure they have no interest in dating me, and here's why:

Neither have asked me on a date.

Here's where people can start complaining, "But maybe they want to!  Maybe they've been secretly pining for you all these months, Leslie, just waiting for your word.  And don't forget that them asking you out doesn't indicate any more than just a basic amount of interest, anyway, so why are you making a big deal out of it?"

(Okay, that last part is my own personal soapbox.  I doubt that my naysayers would bring it up at this juncture.)

The only answer I have to these complaints is: They don't want to.  *shrug* Is there anything else I can say?

Also, I know lots of girls with married or otherwise-engaged (oh, I'm funny) guys as friends, and there's no reason to look for anything more than friendship.  It's no good to say that "under no circumstances" it can happen.  It happens in my life, it happens in other girls' lives.
I still laughed at the movie!  It was interesting to see a guy's perspective and for girls to admit that they're often suspicious of their guy friends' motives (is that not what they said? Trust me, that's what they were implying).  I guess it's just the sweeping generalization that bugged me.

Let's be friends!

("Unwritten Letter #1" -- full of applicable lyrics)

I can trace all my books [November 2011]

Happy December!  I think it is, anyway.  The class that I've been way concerned I couldn't get into because "it's complicated" looks like it will finally go through!  I'm wearing a "new" sweater (it's Jennie's; I took the tag off though).  I get to hear an Apostle speak tonight.  And I didn't read very much in November; at least it felt that way.  I've been going days at a time without reading any new books, with flurries of "productivity" between.


174. Sammy Keyes and the Night of Skulls by Wendelin van Draanen
175. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
176. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
177. Michael Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
178. City of Lies by Lian Tanner
179. Secrets at Sea by Robert F. Peck
180. Conspiracies by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
181. Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
182. Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby
183. Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
184. Pumpkin Roll by Josi S. Kilpack
185. Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
186. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

If I can keep up this "not reading" thing maybe I will keep to within 200!  But probably not, because there are already like 4 books from the library I haven't read yet.