Winter.
Here in Rochester, we continue to endure this winter. There is no enjoying at this point, not when it's -26 degrees outside and when you walk to the mailbox the inner walls of your nostrils freeze together so that you are forced to breathe through your mouth (true thing that happened). Just enduring.
However, we are having a bit of a heat wave (highs in the 20s yesterday and today!), so I celebrated by going for my first outdoor run in about 2 weeks. The roads were completely unplowed, and I was trudging through snow drifts with every step, BUT GODDAMN IT I WAS OUTSIDE. It was glorious.
Hair.
Anyway, in order to spice up this winter, I did an exciting thing on Friday (at least, for me). I've never colored my hair before--nope, this redhead was au naturel. However, The Grays started to invade a few years ago (kids will do that), and I finally took drastic measures to do away with them. Thus, we now have the new-and-improved Well-Read Redhead:
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| Awkward closeup selfie because it's the only one I did that didn't seem completely awful. I take horrific selfies. This one makes me look like I have a huge nose, but we're going to roll with it. This picture actually makes the color look a little lighter than it is in real life. This is a long caption. |
I am loving my new darker shade. Something fun to keep things interesting during this loooong winter.
Reading.
As for what's new on the reading front: I have a tiny lull between tour books, so I'm smooshing in some library reads right now. Just started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent this week, and I am intrigued. I've also go Summer House With Swimming Pool by Herman Koch on my nightstand. And yes, I plan to finish Moby Dick sometime...soon-ish.
Confession: the way I have been choosing my library reads lately is to pull up the "Best/Favorites of 2014" lists from some of my favorite bloggers (like Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall, Words for Worms, The Relentless Reader, Book Hooked, River City Reading, and Books Speak Volumes, to name just a few) and check out the ones they recommend the most from last year. This method rarely fails me. Rock on, bloggers!
What are you up to this week, reading pals?
Oh, I love your hair!! You look like a real life Ariel :) I really enjoyed Burial Rites and have been wanting to read Summer House, since I loved The Dinner - hope your reading stays good!
ReplyDeleteSuch a compliment! Ariel has ALWAYS been my favorite Disney princess, of course! :)
DeleteBURIAL RITES is on my wishlist because I, too, have read so much praise for it from book bloggers. But whoever put SUMMER HOUSE WITH SWIMMING POOL on her best-of list was leading you toward a loser. I read it.
ReplyDeleteFor the first 220 or so pages of this book, I was terribly bored. After about 220 pages, while I wasn't bored to tears, I still wasn't pleased.
Marc, the narrator and main character, isn't just unlikeable; he's detestable. But his character isn't what makes me dislike this book. It is the author's fault. He didn't stick with the story. Most of the book involves having Marc think about other things. Ho hum.
Koch could have at least cleared things up in the second half. Instead,I'm more confused. Why did he bring up so many different points but go nowhere with most of them? What was the point? And maybe most connfusing: the end.
Sorry to hear that one didn't work out for you. Have you read The Dinner? A lot of readers told me that if I liked that one (I did), I would enjoy Summer House as well. But The Dinner is certainly an acquired taste.
DeleteLove the hair. I say experiment as much as you can now, because later you may just decide as I did to stay gray -- and wish you could look back on a variety of hues.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take a look at Burial Rites. Sounds good.
Thanks for the advice! :) I'm sure I will embrace the gray one day. Just not ready yet...haha.
DeleteEnduring this winter is right! I'm not as far North as you (Westchester County), but it's been a horrible one. Especially with little kids. I'm jealous of your backlist break - I desperately need one right now (have been in a slump pretty much all year - except for My Sunshine Away) and might just have to take a self-imposed break from 2015 books for some backlists I've been meaning to read for awhile now.
ReplyDeleteI read thought Summer House with Swimming Pool was ok - a bit uneven, but there were def moments of brilliance.
I went into a big slump last year because I had NO time for backlisted books, and it was killer. 2015 has been much better, because I'm making a lot of time for some whatever-I-want reading. Such a relief!
DeleteAnd yes about this winter being killer with kids. My 3 year old is climbing the walls. SEND HELP!! haha.
Pulling up my fave bloggers' faves lists is killer! Awesome and sort of overwhelming. You're rocking that deeper red!
ReplyDeleteAgreed on the overwhelming! I trust all of you so much...I end up wanting to read EVERYthing you rave about! :)
DeleteFrom a fellow natural redhead, I love the new color. I didn't start to color my hair til I was past 40, and now I have let it go natural grayish. Although, it is not really gray. I'm just over the cost and time involved in coloring. But you go girl! Whatever makes you happy, cause "if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" hahaha
DeleteI hope you enjoy Burial Rites, this is such a great book!
ReplyDeleteI just finished it! Still trying to process my thoughts, though they are overall favorable.
DeleteI love your hair!!! Looks beautiful! I feel ya on the grays peeping through. I used to pluck 'em, but eventually that got to be too much. ;) Hope you enjoy your current reads! Glad to help with the book decisions (I do the same thing when I need to find something to read).
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, I went through the plucking game, but that was a battle that eventually became futile. :)
DeleteI love your hair! And I'm so excited that you're reading Burial Rites :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! And yes, it seems many are delighted with that choice! :)
DeleteYup. I'm so over the cold. I get excited when it's double digits when I take my son to the bus stop in the morning...
ReplyDeleteThat's a great method for picking books. You know right from the outset that you are dealing with good reads. :)
It's nice to have so many trustworthy bloggers to choose from!!
DeleteI started reading Burial Rites a few days ago and I'm nearing the end. It's incredibly interesting - once I'm done, I want to google the real Agnes and see what I can find out about her. I don't want any spoilers in advance though.
ReplyDelete(P.S. I'm dealing with the horrible cold right now, too...I live in Buffalo!)
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Ah yes, Buffalonians completely understand my pain!! I'm writing my Burial Rites review this week, it's an interesting story for sure.
DeleteI love this. And I love the new direction you're taking towards storytelling in your paintings. Instead of words and vignettes, you are zeroing in on a single moment... and doing it beautifully. The warm/cool color choices and the composition are great. And each person is a distinct individual.
ReplyDeleteoomnex
I love this. And I love the new direction you're taking towards storytelling in your paintings. Instead of words and vignettes, you are zeroing in on a single moment... and doing it beautifully. The warm/cool color choices and the composition are great. And each person is a distinct individual.
ReplyDeleteoomnex
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ReplyDelete