Happy Anniversary, darling.
Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts
An Anniversary
30 October 2014
Four years ago, I stood up in front of my friends and family and promised to love this man for the rest of my life. Four years in, I still promise the same.
Happy Anniversary, darling.
Happy Anniversary, darling.
Book Review: Spousonomics, by Jenny Anderson & Paula Szuchman
04 January 2012
But no. It's not like that. Spousonomics is witty and fun, and even though some of the econ-to-real-life-in-your-marriage examples can be a stretch, the principles (both the econ ones and the marriage ones) are absolutely understandable. At times, in fact, the book can actually be too simple, boiling down complex economic theory into vocabulary less stimulating than that to be found in the "For Dummies" series.
Despite the tendency to over-simplify, though, and the subject's predisposition to be dull or unexciting, Spousonomics is, actually, engaging, at times funny, and mostly relevant. Of course, the recommendations would be more applicable if my husband read the book too, but I'm not holding my breath on that one. Regardless, Spousonomics is a quick read, the kind that can be taken chapter by chapter or bit by bit, and while the advice contained within is not life-altering, it is, at the very least, eye-opening to know that I am not alone in any or all of the insanities that make up a marriage.
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Thoughts from other bookworms:
5 Minutes of Books
Devourer of Books
2 Kids and Tired Books
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You might also like:
The Spousonomics Blog
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Note: Spousonomics is being re-published in paperback as It's Not You, It's the Dishes in May 2012.
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Spousonomics | Jenny Anderson & Paula Szuchman| Random House | 9780385343947 | $26.00 Hardcover | 352 pgs. | February 2011 | Buy from an independent bookstore near you
Don't Marry a Girl Who Reads
18 February 2011
If you haven't already seen it, this article from Thought Catalog is not to be missed: You Should Date an Illiterate Girl. A well-written and thought-provoking article on the impact of reading on our lives, our love lives, and our outlooks.
"Don’t date a girl who reads because girls who read are the storytellers. You with the Joyce, you with the Nabokov, you with the Woolf. You there in the library, on the platform of the metro, you in the corner of the café, you in the window of your room. You, who make my life so god damned difficult. The girl who reads has spun out the account of her life and it is bursting with meaning..."
On the Compatibility of Bookworms (Because It Is Valentine's Day, After All)
14 February 2011
Love it or hate it, today is all about love.
So what better time to talk about the role of books in relationships?
When I first met the man who is now Mr. Bookworm, I despised him. No, really. I believe the adjective I used to describe him was "frat-tastic" (which, to be fair, he was), while I prided myself in thinking I was anti-establishment and therefore anti-Greeks. Then he lent me his well-loved copy of Love in the Time of Cholera. I have it on my shelf still (well, I suppose they are our shelves, but I have a hard time relinquishing possession), complete with the scrap of purple cardboard he'd been using as a bookmark when he finished it and passed it my way. Though it is probably an overstatement, I'll refuse to budge on my claim that this book is what turned our uneasy friendship into a relationship.
And look, five years later (has it really been that long?), we're married.
Is it too much to contribute our entire relationship to one book? Probably. I'll admit I no longer despised him by the time he lent me the book; I'll also insist that knowing that he'd spent his summer reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez painted an entirely different picture of him in my mind. But even more than that, this book provided a starting point, a launching pad, if you will: we both loved books, and we both loved talking about books. From Love in the Time of Cholera to the Wheel of Time series, we'd found a common ground.
One of our very first dates - you know, the all-day kind spent with no true plan in mind - was spent at the Strand, which was a major test for me. I hate to be crowded in a bookstore, followed, hurried, or generally interrupted in anyway. In hindsight, it was probably a stupid place to go on a date. But realistically, I could not spend my life with someone who did not know and appreciate my bookish habits, whether it be the books I read or the way I pass the time in a bookstore.
I lucked out: we were (and still are) compatible bookworms. He even took me to see the original manuscript of A Christmas Carol right before he proposed. Outside of classics and science fiction, our reading tastes vary greatly: he reads science books, fantasy novels, and casually flips the pages of Milton on the beach, I read primarily literary fiction with a smattering of memoirs and historical novels here and there. But when our reading does overlap - whether because I've begged him to read something new or by pure chance - we slip right back into the conversation we had that first summer in Washington Square Park.
Ok, enough sappy stories about me and my booklovin' husband. What about you? Could you or do you maintain a steady relationship without some common interest? Without a common interest in books? Is there one book that has such strong memories associated with it for you?
So what better time to talk about the role of books in relationships?
When I first met the man who is now Mr. Bookworm, I despised him. No, really. I believe the adjective I used to describe him was "frat-tastic" (which, to be fair, he was), while I prided myself in thinking I was anti-establishment and therefore anti-Greeks. Then he lent me his well-loved copy of Love in the Time of Cholera. I have it on my shelf still (well, I suppose they are our shelves, but I have a hard time relinquishing possession), complete with the scrap of purple cardboard he'd been using as a bookmark when he finished it and passed it my way. Though it is probably an overstatement, I'll refuse to budge on my claim that this book is what turned our uneasy friendship into a relationship.
And look, five years later (has it really been that long?), we're married.
Is it too much to contribute our entire relationship to one book? Probably. I'll admit I no longer despised him by the time he lent me the book; I'll also insist that knowing that he'd spent his summer reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez painted an entirely different picture of him in my mind. But even more than that, this book provided a starting point, a launching pad, if you will: we both loved books, and we both loved talking about books. From Love in the Time of Cholera to the Wheel of Time series, we'd found a common ground.
One of our very first dates - you know, the all-day kind spent with no true plan in mind - was spent at the Strand, which was a major test for me. I hate to be crowded in a bookstore, followed, hurried, or generally interrupted in anyway. In hindsight, it was probably a stupid place to go on a date. But realistically, I could not spend my life with someone who did not know and appreciate my bookish habits, whether it be the books I read or the way I pass the time in a bookstore.
I lucked out: we were (and still are) compatible bookworms. He even took me to see the original manuscript of A Christmas Carol right before he proposed. Outside of classics and science fiction, our reading tastes vary greatly: he reads science books, fantasy novels, and casually flips the pages of Milton on the beach, I read primarily literary fiction with a smattering of memoirs and historical novels here and there. But when our reading does overlap - whether because I've begged him to read something new or by pure chance - we slip right back into the conversation we had that first summer in Washington Square Park.
Ok, enough sappy stories about me and my booklovin' husband. What about you? Could you or do you maintain a steady relationship without some common interest? Without a common interest in books? Is there one book that has such strong memories associated with it for you?
I'm glad this isn't what my vows were like...
03 February 2011
Yesterday marked the kick-off of the Age of Innocence Read-a-long, hosted by bookworm meets bookworm, and this dutiful little bookworm started a-readin'. A mere 20 pages in, I stumbled across this passage that defines the roles and expectations of husband and wife in the late 19th century.
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*They don't say "I do" in most traditional wedding vows. The things you learn.
"The knowing people said it was Beaufort himself who trained the servants, taught the chef new dishes, told the gardeners what hothouse flowers to grow for the dinner-table and the drawing rooms, selected the guests, brewed the after-dinner punch and dictated little notes his wife wrote to her friends. If he did, these domestic activities were privately performed, and he presented to the world the appearance of a careless and hospitable millionaire strolling into his own drawing room with the detachment of an invited guest, and saying: 'My wife's gloxinias are a marvel, aren't they? I believe she gets them out from Kew.'"I'm going to like this book, I can already tell, but I sure am glad that isn't what I was signing up for when I said "I will.*"
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*They don't say "I do" in most traditional wedding vows. The things you learn.
Great Photo Friday: Books as Centerpieces
10 December 2010
Planning a dinner party? Don't want to shell out on massive flower arrangements? Consider using books as a colorful way to brighten a white tablecloth - and raise small flower arrangements to a more suitable height for a large table. All photos courtesy of Don Bryant Photography.
And She Returns... as a Mrs.
09 November 2010
Sorry to have disappeared this past week or so. I had every intention of posting an "I'm-Going-Away" post, but completely forgot. So consider this the "I-Got-Married-And-Now-I'm-Back-Post."
My fiancé and I made it official on October 30th in beautiful downtown Annapolis. The ceremony took place at St. Anne's, right on Church Circle, and then we walked over to the Governor Calvert House for our reception. Many thanks to our amazing photographer, Don Thompson* (and his wife, Jill) for the excellent work and providing a sneak peek of some of our photos:
And then we went to Mexico, where I proceeded to sleep 12 hours a day, drink too many piña coladas, and read 5 books: The Great House, Road to Bedlam, Shadow of the Wind, The Reapers Are the Angels, and Warbreaker. Reviews of all 5 to follow, plus a few more of books I'm finally finishing.
For now, I'll leave you with the lovely beaches of Mexico to mull over. You know you want to go on vacation. Go for it!
*In all honesty, if you or anyone you know are getting married in Maryland, I cannot recommend Don and Jill enough. They were wonderful to work with, accomodating, quick! (we had our pictures done post-ceremony in under an hour) and surprisingly creative with the failing light post-ceremony. At least check out the work - http://www.dbryantphoto.com/.
My fiancé and I made it official on October 30th in beautiful downtown Annapolis. The ceremony took place at St. Anne's, right on Church Circle, and then we walked over to the Governor Calvert House for our reception. Many thanks to our amazing photographer, Don Thompson* (and his wife, Jill) for the excellent work and providing a sneak peek of some of our photos:
And then we went to Mexico, where I proceeded to sleep 12 hours a day, drink too many piña coladas, and read 5 books: The Great House, Road to Bedlam, Shadow of the Wind, The Reapers Are the Angels, and Warbreaker. Reviews of all 5 to follow, plus a few more of books I'm finally finishing.
For now, I'll leave you with the lovely beaches of Mexico to mull over. You know you want to go on vacation. Go for it!
*In all honesty, if you or anyone you know are getting married in Maryland, I cannot recommend Don and Jill enough. They were wonderful to work with, accomodating, quick! (we had our pictures done post-ceremony in under an hour) and surprisingly creative with the failing light post-ceremony. At least check out the work - http://www.dbryantphoto.com/.
Help! Honeymoon Books Recommendations Needed
21 October 2010
Ok, book-loving readers. The question of the year is upon me. I leave for my honeymoon on Nov 1. One week in Mexico, two six-hour flights (in first class!), and that means plenty of time for reading.
Keeping in mind that I always overpack (I shudder at the thought of being stranded somewhere without a book - or a bookstore), I've made a long-list of 12 which will probably be culled down to about 3-4 paper books and 1-2 e-books to take along. Here's what I have so far:
The Great House
Our Tragic Universe (halfway through this on my Pocket Reader)
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Bad Marie
The Historian (which I've started but haven't had time to finish for this month's readalong)
Love in the Time of Cholera (re-read)
Wheel of Time #8 (I'm trying to catch up in my re-read for Vol 13, which comes out while I'm away!)
The History of Love (re-read)
Matterhorn
Packing for Mars
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
The Corrections
Wow, that's incredibly fiction-heavy, and clunker-heavy, so if anyone has any suggestions for rounding out my choices, I'm open to suggestions.
Any thoughts? What would you take on a week-long trip to Mexico? Do you read the same kinds of books on travels as you do at home (I do, but I like my books to be fitting for the trip, so maybe Matterhorn isn't the best match for a honeymoon...)?
Keeping in mind that I always overpack (I shudder at the thought of being stranded somewhere without a book - or a bookstore), I've made a long-list of 12 which will probably be culled down to about 3-4 paper books and 1-2 e-books to take along. Here's what I have so far:
The Great House
Our Tragic Universe (halfway through this on my Pocket Reader)
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Bad Marie
The Historian (which I've started but haven't had time to finish for this month's readalong)
Love in the Time of Cholera (re-read)
Wheel of Time #8 (I'm trying to catch up in my re-read for Vol 13, which comes out while I'm away!)
The History of Love (re-read)
Matterhorn
Packing for Mars
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
The Corrections
Wow, that's incredibly fiction-heavy, and clunker-heavy, so if anyone has any suggestions for rounding out my choices, I'm open to suggestions.
Any thoughts? What would you take on a week-long trip to Mexico? Do you read the same kinds of books on travels as you do at home (I do, but I like my books to be fitting for the trip, so maybe Matterhorn isn't the best match for a honeymoon...)?
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