Weekly Wrap-up for August 1, 2010.

This week started out super promising. I had some posts written and every intention of getting a few more done throughout the week. Then work happened.

One of our jobs this week was to rip out an old fence at a playground and put in a new one. The tearing down of the old rails was fine. I went a little crazy with an axe and tore those babies down pretty quickly, but when it came time to ripping out the old posts, well, we failed. We took the sledgehammer to them, as well as digging around them. Eventually we managed to get them all out before putting in new posts and new rails. At the end of the day, it looked marvelous.

But, by the time I got home, my body was aching and I was exhausted. It took me over two hours to fall asleep that night since I was in so much pain. I am still not back to 100% and I feel like the mono is back to kicking my butt again.

Now that it is officially August, I am getting more and more nervous about job prospects for this coming year. I have had a handful of interviews this summer, but I seem to be out of luck. I have been passed over for lack of experience, which really just bothers me. I cannot GET experience if no one will hire me. But, the rejection is okay. I am growing and learning from it. I am a stronger person for it and I know that eventually someone will realize what a great find I am and give me a chance to prove that I am an excellent teacher.

In the meantime, I'll just keep reading and writing and searching for meaning in words. It has saved me this past year, so I will keep at it.

In reading news, I did get some of the posts I promised up. I also finished One Hundred Years of Solitude, which I really loved and enjoyed. I have Love in the Time of Cholera sitting on my shelf as well, but I'll have to get to it in another couple of years (eek).

I also accepted my first ever book for review. I am still a little wary of this. When I started this almost a year ago, I told myself to reject books for review until I am finished with my list. And I was doing a great job of that until a query came into my inbox. Unlike some of the others, it was a personal letter that showed a lot of thought on part of the publishing house and writer. I was curious and checked out the book and decided I needed to read it.

I'm not sure if this means I'll accept any more for review, but I am going to try this book out. I still want to read from my list solely until I get all 250 completed, but another book here or there isn't going to kill me or my project.

Anyway, I plan on reading the book sometime this month, so look forward to a non-classic review, and a review of something published within the last year (woooo!). Oh, and the book in question is In the Fullness of Time by Vincent Nicolosi.

Since I have a few days off this week, I have some big plans. I really need to finish An American Tragedy. I started it before I went on vacation, then took a two week break from it to finish up some other things. Now I am reading it again and while it certainly offers a lot to think about, it is a LONG book. I am about 400 pages in...and I am barely at the halfway point. It is a big, dense book.

I've also been craving some Greek tragedy, so I think I may give my pal Sophocles a read this week. I haven't decided between Antigone or Oedipus Rex, but both are old friends. Either one will be a good read.

I'm not sure what else this week will bring reading wise, but if I can get those two things checked off, I'll be doing okay.

Happy Reading Everyone!