The Book-On-Tape

So about a month ago, one of my coworkers came up to me and said, "I have something for you!"

Let me preface this story by first telling you that I am not particularly close with any of my coworkers, and that the thought of one of them having something other than more work for me to do would never cross my mind. We don't share a cubicle, we're not in particularly close quarters, so it's not like any of them would have any idea of my hobbies or favorite foods, or really ANYTHING at all about my life. So excuse me if I don't get absolutely thrilled when one of them comes running up to me saying, "I have something for you!"

But anyway, this happened. So I look over at her, and I muster up enough fake enthusiasm to say, "Whatcha got there?" And she says, "It's a Book On Tape! It's great! And it's for you!"

I'd like to point out that I have NEVER listened to a Book On Tape, nor have I EVER had the desire to do so. I like to listen to music while driving, that's just the way it is. I have made my throat sore many a time by belting out No Doubt, Lady Gaga, Alanis Morrissette, and the Bee Gees while driving down the road. Yeah, I said it. Bee Gees.

So I look at her and say, "Oh wow... thanks." I didn't have the heart to tell her that I couldn't be less interested in something she obviously enjoyed very much. So I asked her what the book was about, and she proceeded to tell me that it was called The Lovely Bones. It's based in the 70's about a young girl that gets killed in the Chester County area. The premise is the events surrounding her death, and the years after her death. She tells the story from Heaven. They apparantly had just made a movie about it, but I hadn't seen it since I'm a boring ass loser face.

I accepted the Book On Tape (which was actually on CD, not tape), and left work for the day and put it in my car. I wasn't quite sure how to proceed from here. Should I just tell her that I listened to it when I didn't? What if she asked me questions about it, or wanted to discuss it like we were in a book club or some crap? How would I fake it? Could I get cliff notes? Or should I just suck it up and listen to the damn thing, regardless of my disinterest?

I thought about it for 2 days. Everywhere I traveled I took the Book On Tape with me, but didn't listen to it. It was 10 discs! How could I commit to something like that? I can barely commit to give my time to the things I already do, like go to the gym, hang out with friends, make that outstanding dinner I keep telling myself I can make. But then as I thought about it some more, I realized that if I really wanted to, I could listen to it on my drive from work to my boyfriends house. I do this drive about 4 days a week, and it takes me about an hour to get there, and then when I leave there it's 40 minutes back home. That's if I REALLY wanted to.

So I did it. I put in disc one and prepared to be taken over by the Book On Tape everytime I got into the car. And you know what? I loved it. I loved the story, and I loved the narrator. It took an obnoxiously long time for me to get through the whole 10 discs, but I did take a break from the Book On Tape every few days or so just to refresh myself with some musical entertainment.

I think it's a nice alternative if you don't have time to actually sit down with a nice hardback book (I prefer hardbacks to paperbacks for some reason). Of course, nothing will ever replace the idea of reading a book and seeing the characters in your own light, and letting you imagine how they would act or sound. But if you don't have the time for good old fashioned reading, give it a try. It's your classic case of trying something new, for the sake of trying something new. Or because you didn't have the guts to say no to your pushy coworker.

Love Muffin

I can't believe it's been a whole year since I've last written a blog. How is that possible when I have so much to say? Today I would like to discuss everyone's favorite (or not) four letter word: love.

Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking. "Another blog about love, Gretchen?" Yes, my friends. I have learned a lot about this topic over the last few years, and I'd like to share this semi-new knowledge with you.

I want people to know that love doesn't show up on a white horse on Valentine's Day holding a bouquet of red roses. I mean, it CAN, but usually it doesn't. It shows up in smaller, less flashy ways. Sometimes it shows up in the form of a smile, or a slow dance, and sometimes it even takes the form of a delicious home-made breakfast muffin. There are many subtle ways that love can manifest itself in, and sometimes you just have to open your eyes to see it.

There are many different types of love. There is a kind of love that hits you automatically, like a freight train. There is best friend love, there is family love, there is snuggle-with-me-at-3 am love. There is unspoken love, and there is shout-it-from-the-rooftops love.

I love my family, not just because I'm stuck with them, but because they are awesome people. I love my friends because they are not only loads of fun, but they are also rocks to lean on when I need them most. I love people who are amazingly strong, like my high school sweetheart who is now dealing with cancer. Or like my cousin, who barely knows I exist, who just lost both parents AND her sister. Or people like my boyfriend, who works so hard to better himself every single day. And I love people who follow their dreams, no matter how crazy their dreams may seem to other people.

Be aware, however, that love doesn't always conquer all. Sometimes love itself isn't enough. Sometimes you have to kick love in the ass in order for it to see you.

Why do I feel a little less sunny now than when I started this blog? I guess love will sometimes do that to you.

I love you, my friends! Let's rock the shit out of 2010 together!