Life under the quill

I've been steadily reading books this year, enjoying the time that I have to devote to them even though it is smaller than previous years. And I'm trying to both choose more wisely (based on recommendations) and write up reviews so that I remember those that I have read. But I should write a caveat about my reviews...

I read many a book and I have reasonably high standards. By that I mean that there are very few books that I cannot put down, that engulf me in their world. I read about one or two books of that sort a year. This year it was Catch-22, with the discovery of the Patrick O'brien novels somewhat further behind. Last year it was One Hundred Years of Solitude and the Grapes of Wrath. Other books I still enjoy. I may even read several books by an author whose skills lie in one area of story-craft (world creation, character development, creative use of language for imagery) but whose weaknesses keep the book from excellence. Thus, my reviews can seem harsh. In the same way, I'll go to a gourmet restaurant, have a fabulous meal and say "That was fabulous, but I really think it was the marinated mushrooms that excelled and the other dishes were merely very satisfying." So, please don't take it to heart if I merely enjoyed and did not rave about a book. I may still recommend it. I just keep my great books, just as I keep my close friends, to a limited number.

I should have taken the cue. Everyone I know is moving. Everyone is reorganizing. This is the perfect time for me to reorganize my space. I can do moving-lite, cleaning out my closet, rearranging the furniture in my room, finally buying those shelves. I currently don't have a space that I want to spend time in. My room is still full of foreign furniture, clothes I can't or won't wear, and scattered papers everywhere. The kitchen, my other refuge, has been for the most part too hot this summer, the piano less appealing when I'm spending 3+ hours a day on music. True Grounds (my adopted cafe)has been a godsend, but I can never be quite as productive there as I'd hoped.

So my new tasks must be:
Making my room not only liveable but pleasant.
Listening to music again. My surroundings are made richer by it.
Reconnecting with my roommies after this summer of extended travels.
Balancing. Thinking. Collecting. Connecting.

I can find peace.