Musings

I've been sick for a while--probably more than I've ever been in my life (but that's not saying a lot; I've been blessed with good health)-- and in my inability to move around, I've been able to think. Sometimes these thoughts have been odd. For example, after reading lots of fantasy novels, a head clouded with pain, medications and residue from fever can really conjured up odd images (and songs) of dancing pixies. Scary.............................. But I've been in good spirits and I realize that maybe I have reached my own limits, maxed out in the "I can do anything/everything" department. So that's good. And I've read two books worth noting below:

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life (by Wendy Mass--- I also love her novel about synasthesia and her coming of age novel "Every Soul a Star")
I am impressed at how she is able to develop a mystery/excitement about a boy's trying to find the keys to open a box that his deceased father left him, containing (supposedly) The Meaning of Life. The people he meets and the conversations he has on the way are just priceless....philosophical but not preachy.

A Hat Full of Sky (by Terry Pratchett--who can't go wrong by me, but this was unusually profound).
I love the coming of age of this young witch, and the bumbling characters she meets. I love the idea of a witch with two bodies (who was her mentor). I also am very touched by the subtle anti-commercialistic messages that Granny Weatherwax teaches, leading to the young witch's letting go of her need for a store-bought starred hat, and needing instead to find her own natural hat full of sky.

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