The other day my friend Beth handed me a book asking if I was currently reading anything.  Since I was bogged down in a non-fiction book that I wasn’t particularly enjoying, I took the book.  Recommendations are always good.

The book was Zeitoun by Dave Eggers.  I went into it not quite sure what to expect.  A real life story written as fiction.  About a family going through the Katrina disaster.  A muslim family going through the Katrina disaster.

Three days later I was done (despite being awfully ill).  This book broke my heart.  So incredibly well written.  Made me so angry to think that this had happened in the US.  Americans treating Americans as if they were dogs.  People denying one another’s humanity.  And a true story.

I’m sure there will be more stories that come out as the years go by, but it would be hard for them to have the emotional impact that this one has had.

You must read this book.  The story needs to be told.

Just reading an amazing article on Rob Bell on preaching.

Here’s his quote on pulling from the vastness of creation, rather than just commentaries:

Rather than shrinking our vision, the text should become a pair of eyes with which we are able to see even more. There’s a great big world out there with quantum physics, and architecture, and economic theory, and the thread count of clothing, and the fact that refrigerators in Europe are smaller—all of these seemingly random events and occurrences and happenings are all connected and help us see how this really is God’s world.

I’ve got an ear infection, which is a little gross.  I’ve been dealing with pain, ringing ears, dizziness and nausea.  So I’m not really going anywhere.

Today I desperately needed to prepare for teaching on Monday and couldn’t very well do research, reading, or much else.  Instead, I listed to 6 hours of Rob Bell sermons on the Beatitudes.

And then I realized that I was being paid to listen to Rob Bell speak.  Not too shabby.

The idea of cheering for your home team is a great one.  Community spirit.  Standing side by side with your neighbours.

This morning as I was trying to simultaneously eat my breakfast, cheer on Andy Murray and hold my breath, I started to see that this might not be such a good plan for someone who’s collecting homes.

You see, I started out in Canada in a city that didn’t really have any home teams.  I cheered loudly for the Canadians in the Olympics and any other international event.  If pushed, I probably would have said I supported the Montreal Canadiens (mostly for the name, if I’m being honest).  I loved baseball and basketball, but didn’t really have a true (lasting) loyalty.

Then I moved to Boston and my sports horizons opened.  I loved the Boston Red Sox and went to many many games.  I supported the New England Patriots when the occasion called for it.  Supported the Celtics (and even went to a few games).  Can’t say I could get all that excited about the Bruins though.

Now I live in the UK and have new teams and new sports to follow.  The English cricket team.  Manchester United for football.  Andy Murray in tennis.

I have lots of teams to cheer.  My true colours will come out with the Winter Olympics though!

The first book I finished in 2010 was Andy Stanley’s Communicating for Change.  What a great and helpful book.  It was easy to read and gave so much good information.  Personally, it affirmed a lot of what I knew instinctively, but also gave lots of good reminders and guidelines.

The second book I finished was Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller.  I was disappointed in the book (though it was very good), as the last book I read by Heller was so good.  Similar to the last book of hers that I read, you have a constant suspicion (or even dislike) of the narrator.  Risky approach.  I’ll be interested to see the movie of this.

I’m currently slowly making my way through two books.  The first is on Wales and I love it.  However, it’s a very dense book, so I’ve been reading it on and off for over a year.  The second is also non-fiction and is on Christian leadership.  I think it’s the opposite of the Wales book – it’s non-dense and badly written.  Most of the book feels like the author is dragging out the content (and adding stories with little relationship with the content) just to stretching a few week ideas to a full book length.  And the writing….  ugh….  The name of the book?  I’m not saying yet, but it’s sure to show up on my my reading list at some point.  Well, hopefully I’ll finish it one day!

I can’t believe it’s already Saturday.  I guess I shouldn’t be.  It’s been a very full week – catching up from my sick week, finishing up writing a course, dealing with doctor stuff, dealing with visa stuff, welcoming a friend who moved to the UK, and then the usual work stuff in a week.  By Friday night (community pub quiz) I was wiped out.

Today is going to be a ‘quiet’ day.  Walk in town.  Latte.  Journal.  Library.  Maybe a camera with me.  Time to re-energize.

I wasn’t feeling up to cooking much last night (and we didn’t have much in the house), so I decided to try a new but very easy looking recipe.

Tomato sauce with butter and onions

I didn’t believe it could be as good as Smitten Kitchen said with so little effort.  I was wrong.  It was really good.  I put it over a filled pasta.  The recipe made lots extra to freeze or use as the base for another meal this week.

My only adaptation is that a few bits of the onion came off of the main pieces (and I used chopped tomatoes), so I pulled out the hand blender and gave it all a little whir.

Yum!

If you’ve been listening to Louie Giglio and have been following the story of Ashley, you must read his blog entry.

If you don’t know who I’m talking about, still read this blog entry.  It’s a story of mission, hope, pain and power.  Amazing.  Have tissues ready.

I feel like I’m on day 4 of a hangover.  My head is pounding and my stomach is constantly queasy.  I’m not sure the stomach is a reaction to the pain or separate, because I can actually eat.  Two of my housemates have the same thing (one is currently at the doctor’s so we’re hoping for a group diagnosis).

I haven’t had a headache this bad in years and you forget how awful a headache is!  I’ve been trying not to read, but I’m realizing that I constantly read.  Books.  Magazines.  The internet……  Watching this much tv is making me batty, but what’s there to do?  I can’t bake – the clanging of pans would kill me.  Plus, since this seems to be an illness, I’m not sure anyone would want my baked goods.

I miss reading!  Hopefully this headache leaves soon.  It feels like my brain is trying to claw it’s way out of my head.

Since I now have two books for the “books I’ve read in 2010″ list, I guess it’s time to take the 2009 list down.

For posterity, here are the books of 2009.

Eat Pray Love – Elizabeth Gilbert*

Daring to Live on the Edge – Loren Cunningham*

Chocolat – Joanne Harris*

The Reader -Bernhard Schlink

The Shack – William Young

Bel Canto – Ann Patchett*

Patron Saint of Liars – Ann Patchett

Saturday – Ian McEwan*

The Welsh Girl – Peter Ho Davies

Twilight – Stephenie Meyer*

New Moon – Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse – Stephenie Meyer*

Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer

Darcy’s Story – Janet Aylmer

On Chesil Beach – Ian McEwan

The Beach House – Jane Green

Notes From a Small Island – Bill Bryson*

The Piano Teacher – Janice Lee*

Testimony – Anita Shreve

Organic Church – Neil Cole

U2 by U2*

Your Mind Matters – Chris Seaton

Sanditon – Jane Austen

Barefoot – Elin Hilderbrand

Bread and Chocolate – Philippa Gregory

19th Wife – David Ebershoff

The Believers – Zoe Heller*

December – Elizabeth H. Winthrop

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

Comfort of Strangers – Ian McEwan

The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger

The Magician’s Assistant – Ann Patchett

* highly recommended