I survived The Valentine's Day Blizzard 2010

I Survived

The Valentine's Day Blizzard

2010

I did survive The Valentine's Day Blizzard, if anyone cares. I'm getting t-shirts made up. I don't care if the snow only lasted for two hours and may not have technically been a blizzard, it felt like one and I made it through alive. Last night was the worst carriage driving weather I've ever been in, in five years. It was so bad, it was funny. The streets downtown that dead end into the river are absolutely brutal on cold days, but last night, with snowflakes the size of my palm and 20 mph winds, I couldn't help laughing. It was unreal! But I survived with no lasting injuries, just bone tired and worn out. Writing this blog entry and reading are the only two things I am doing today that are book related. Or horse related, for that matter. Oh, and this entry has nothing to do with books other than the fact that I am reading several of them. Started Where Angels Fear To Tread by E.M. Forester even though I am am the end of Cape Random by Bernice Morgan, which has taken an interesting turn in the last quarter of the book. I suppose I will have to muster the energy to turn pages, but that is all the work I am doing today. And dehydrating Eggplant Bacon. I know, eggplant what?? I am very excited about it and since it's my day off, I don't have to explain anything to anyone. Feisty, huh? Did I mention it was my day off?

She Loved Words

That's what a friend of mine told me is going to be on her tombstone when she shuffles off this mortal coil. I thought that was great and have decided to copy her. If she is dead and gone, I figure, then she won't be able see that my tombstone! I love words- It's great! Faith is a new favorite of mine. It is supposed to be the antidote to fear and the only effective way, actually, to combat fear. Fear that I might not win Powerball, that's a legitimate fear, right? Well, then, I will just have faith that I will win and that will be that.
At the store, wow, I have had a massive amount of help shelving books- there are many, many new books on the shelves. I am still accepting applications for Thursday- Sunday nights, 4-9 p.m., commission only (but a substantial commission, based on experience). You won't be required to do much which will offer you plenty of time to get to know what books I have which will, of course, increase your sales. That is the job in its entirety- let me know if you are interested.
What else? Reading a book called Cape Random by Morgan somebody- sorry, I don't have the book in front of me- and am enjoying it. It's set in the early 1880's and concerns an English family who had to leave England and arrives in Newfoundland and what they experience during their time there. It is kind of Little House on the Prarie-ish, except with a little more death. The amount of thrift and plain old hard work that went into survival for them makes me look at the easy-peasy life I live. When I want clean clothes, I just go wash them. I don't have to be sure I work all summer and fall in the hopes of being able to trade enough fish for detergent. I thought about putting the book down when I was about 100 pages into it, but am glad I didn't. I was slightly boring, but has picked up since then.
Raw food potluck is tonight at Whole Foods- 7 p.m. Bring or buy a dish there worth $5. Usually, there are amazing foods and wonderful people.
Other than that, I would have to say, everything else is same ole, same ole. As a carriage driver, this is the slowest time of the years, January and February, so every day that brings us closer to Spring is a good day!
Take care.

Help Wanted at The English Major Bookstore!

Well, I guess they weren't kidding about this icy rain and snow. I listened to Drake and Zeke at night last night and they were speculating that we might not get anything at all, bad weather wise. But there is snow and ice all over the place. Another thing I wanted to note today was that I finished my first John Grisham novel, The Brethren, and really enjoyed it. I am reading a book now called Man is The Prey by James Clark about how vulnerable (wo)man is to he animal kingdom. It was written in 1969, but, for instance, Mr. Clarke claims that before 1966, 50% of all deaths in Vietnam were from insect bites and that over 40,000 people every year are killed by snake bites. I have been wanting to read this book for a while, but am finally getting a chance to.
Not sure if I have mentioned this yet ( I am pretty sure I haven't), but the store is going to be open late starting sometime in February. I am shooting for Thur- Sun, noon till 9 or 10 p.m. In that same vein, I am officially putting out a Help Wanted sign, although I am doing it via the Internet, so I am not sure how official that is, but you get the point. I need people from about 4-9, all four nights and if you are not available all the time, maybe you want to sign on for every other Friday night or something. I am very open to time sharing. Please give me a call if interested or know someone who is.
That's all I've got, folks. That and the night off, thanks to the weather. Third weekend in a row that we carriage drivers have gotten the short end of the stick. I believe we have angered the Carriage Gods somehow, but am unsure exactly how. Will be at home, tonight, contemplating that very issue. Take care all.

"English majors in college show up in my writing workshops years later, after trying a career in another field, because a dream was born in them back in school when they read Dostoevsky, Thomas Mann and Virginia Wolf, and they can't get it out of their heads. So after a few years as computer programmers, they see it doesn't give them that kind of hard rain in the afternoon outside the window. They know there is something else and that it's in their own brain. I honor English majors. It's a dumb thing to major in. It leads nowhere. It's good to be dumb, it allows us to love something for no reason. That's the best kind of love."
-Natalie Goldberg, Wild Mind - Living the Writer's Life, p. 140

Writing Workshop Tonight!!!

WRITING WORKSHOP TONIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 FROM 6:30 TO 8:30

Hosted by The Mid-South Writer's Group

$20 (Student Discount- $15)

Call for more information

(901) 833-3099

Life is full of challenges, eh? I have been reading a book called Your Freedom To Be about how people's lives can change when they see reality for what it is; namely, that we are all a part of One Presence, One God, etc. With my head in said cloud, happy, calm, content, I have fallen behind on my AT&T bill. As such, I have been temporarily cast out from the Internet community and, as such, am having to use my Carriage Driving Boss' Wifi ( I think that is what I am using to connect on my laptop). I debated revealing this little piece of information, as it is a little embarrassing, but am divulging in order that no one wonder," Why doesn't Karin ever blog anymore? Does she think no one cares, that perhaps no one reads the blog for The English Major Bookstore? Phooey!" No, I am just a lowly carriage driver with a bookstore and it is Winter and these things happen. I will be back up and running in no time. And, things being what they are, I can't remember the name of the writer's group my friend Valentine runs but she has a Phd. in Philosophy and runs an 8-week long workshop from her home several times a year. This group is for those who don't want to sign up for the whole course, but just for one night. You have probably seen her group's book for sale in coffeeshops around town- it's called 'Mais Oui'- Valentine is awesome and I'm sure her workshop will be spectacular. Call me at the store for more information directly from her flyer. (901) 833-3099. See you on Tuesday!

Lending Library at The English Major Bookstore

So many people have been coming in lately saying that they have been meaning to come in but that it has taken them until now to do it. To all, I say, Come On In!! If it is after 2 p.m., you can park in Old Zinnie's parking lot, across the street from the laundromat. I am also available by appointment, so, say you have a few free minutes, but the store is closed, feel free to call me and it is very easy for me to open for you.

Hope Christmas and all it's glory is sitting well with all of you. Personally, I've been reading a ton of good books; it seems the more I read, the more I read (actually, the inverse is true, too, the less I read, the less I seem to read!) Presently, though, I am watching a BBC movie called Fingersmith- it's awesome. Anyway, Happy Wet, Cold and Windy Holidays!!

Lending Library Up and Running- Come Sign Up!

Lending Library Up and Running! Definitely come sign up - lots of people are really excited about this- it's a great service to the community! I think one of the best deals is the three month plan- for $50, you can come into the bookstore anytime you want and take out up to $25 worth of books for the next three months! Even month to month is a bargain- it comes to $20.70/month, about $5 a week to come in and take out three books at a time. Jump on this!! This is a great deal- no more books clogging up your bookshelves, no more being stuck with books you thought for sure you would read but never did, no more neglected books! Every book you have will either be read or returned- everyone wins!!

By the way, I got to go to The Raw Food Potluck last night and it was beyond awesome. Had a great time and highly encourage anyone interested in The Raw Food Lifestyle to come to the potlucks on the second Thursday of every month at the Whole Foods on Poplar at 7 p.m. Cost is $5 or bring a dish ( you can usually buy a raw food entree in the deli on those nights- very tasty stuff!!) The people are great, the food will blow your mind and the company is sparkling!!
Have a good and warm weekend!
Miss Karin

The Lending Library Here at The English Major Bookstore

The All New Lending Library is now up and running here at the Bookstore. Firstly, however, I hope everyone reading this had as good a Thanksgiving as I did- I got to meet my nephew, Colin, and hang out with my brother, Mike and his wife, Amy- we played dominoes and Trivial Pursuit and I swear, if one more person tells me dominoes is a prison game- it's not!! (Or, more succinctly, if it is, it also makes a great Thanksgiving game as well.) It was a lot of fun and the whole visit did me more good than I realized. It was really, really nice to see my brother and his family, and of course my Mom and John, but I see them a lot.
Anyhoo, there is now a program at the Bookstore whereby, for a nominal and customizable fee, you can rent books for the month. There are several different plans, one of the most basic being $18.95/ month + tax to rent three books at a time. Or, if you wanted to avail yourself of the discounts that come with a multi-month plan, you could sign up for three months, three books at a time, for just $50!! (plus tax).
I tried to copy the whole plan on here, but my computer wasn't into it, at all (?!), but it is very simple. You borrow my books and bring them back on time and in like condition as when they left the bookstore and we will all be happy. If the books come back late or in bad condition, you are not allowed to be a part of the Lending Library anymore- unless you can make it up to me by paying for the book. Also, should you borrow a book and decide you cannot live without it, you can buy it for one-third off it's marked price ( The English Major Bookstore price).

How cool is all this??? I am excited about it and hope you are to. If it is not a problem, please tell your mother and father about The Lending Library at The English Major Bookstore as well as any brothers or sisters you may have and also, please let all your neighbors, coworkers, friends and acquaintances know as well. Thanks.