Fan with a tan

[generaljanuary]

Things that were fun:
-The cabin is actually right on the lake so I was by the water
-I got to know my cousins and their kids better

Things that were less fun:
-The kids pestering me when I wasn't in the mood
-The actual awkwardness of not even knowing your own family

So it's like this:

Mom + Dad's family = blah blah misunderstanding blah blah dislike dislike.

Therefor:

Me + Dad's family = not close, very awkward.

So it was a bit, well... awkward. A lot of me *wanting to please* and a lot of them *wanting to make me comfortable*. And a lot of me *feeling inadequate* and a lot of them *what the hell is wrong with that girl*.

Obviously it invoked thoughts about my deceased grandmother.I feared she might have shared her own opinions with them and that they might dislike me already. Blah.

So yeah. I had a few lonely cleansing fits of tears on the dock and was mostly soothed by the calming sound of the water. (Ooh... this makes me sound so zen. teehee.)




I was able to finish "Larry's Party" by canadian author Carol Shields. These days I read a lot of stories about middle-aged man. (I'm still coping after the death of my favourite HP character in the latest book, so smite me.) What I liked
-The structure, narration and chapter division was one of the best I've read.
-It was terribly *real* and funny and touching, but most of all, very believable.
-It's charged with "manliness", being from the perspective of a man, obviously, but it was beautifully done. Equally sensitive and awkward and always surprising.

What I disliked
-Well guess I should re-read the last chapter to look deeper into it because it baffled and disappointed me... Nothing to ruin the book, though.

Also, I finally got the chance to crack open William Burroughs's "The Wild Boys", I haven't read much yet, but up until now it's (if you'll pardon my french) crack like whoa. But good crack though. I mean, forget about punctuation and just outright sense, the beat writer is in the place. ^_- Kidding aside, I will *have* to read that one more than once if I even hope to analyze it in its literary context. What I can say about it at this point is: Yay, I got to brush up on some of my Spanish in the very first chapter! and... Mostly I feel very dirty when I'm reading it in public. Yup. That is *not* kiddie reading. .