Reading Rainbow

The bf and I strolled to Left Bank Books [one of my faves]  this evening to get my mind off my sad, sad Volvo's possible last day on this Earth... [At some point I'll probably dedicate a blog post to ranting about that lemon of a vehicle I love to hate and hate to love.] We were several feet apart from each other in one of the "aisles" and both snickered at a question we overheard someone ask: "Did you know that it's Shakespeare's Birthday today?"


Uhhh. We did not know that. Two things we did know:


1. There was some super cool "GET YOUR READ ON" event planned for noon today. According to this picture [courtesy of Alive Magazine] only giant people were invited, and using books as furniture was recommended.


2. Even though it's "World Book NIGHT", every related event I came across was for toDAY. I guess that's not a huge deal. I should get over it. 


Well, after we snickered, I asked Željko if he was going to Willie's party. I mostly think I asked that to be sure we were laughing under our breath at the same thing. We were. He told me he wasn't sure because he hadn't RSVP'd yet. To that I replied, "Really, Z!? You got the e-vite two weeks ago!" So that was a fun conversation. But seriously, is it William's birthday today or not? And if so, why doesn't the Google Doodle I've grown to love and expect great things from tell me it is? In 2009 AND 2010, there were doodles. What happened in '11 and this year?! 

  

I think to celebrate WBN* & WSB*, I'll do some reading & sonnet-writing. Happy 400th, William!

[William Shakespeare Self Portrait. Not a painting or drawing. It's really him.]

*WBN:  World Book Night
*WSB:  William Shakespeare's Birthday


P.S. Remember Reading Rainbow? Snap, I loved that show! "I can go anywhere! Take a look .... it's in a book .... the reading raaaaain boooowwwww....."

Inspirin'

3 Things That Inspire Me:

1. Married people who work through seriously rough patches together. Maybe the possibilities of divorce, maybe infidelity, maybe losing a loved one, maybe severe illness, maybe financial hardship. Maybe any number of problems ... I just think it's really one of the most beautiful displays of humanity - when two people actually show what they mean when they promise each other unconditional love, commit forever to one another, forgive and truly care through thick and thin.

2. When someone goes out of his or her way, really inconveniences him or herself, actually makes a sacrifice to do something kind for someone else. To take that extra step, to go above and beyond, to give 110% when 95% was probably plenty. When it's frustrating that nobody cares to notice, or that no one will rise to the occasion. But when someone works extra hard anyway, gives 110% because even though no one may notice or care if you settled for 95%, you know what you gave, and you know you're a better person because you didn't settle. Because you won't settle. And there's something just so deeply engrained in you to give your all and then push harder. Whatever that is, it's what does the reaffirming you won't usually get from others. It gives you that pat on the back the 95%er won't ever even realize you need. It keeps you in a constant state of motivation and almost always ready to burst at the seams with passion and joy at any moment.

3. People having fun. Not promoted fun they were paid to pretend to have. Not photographic fun that highlights your fancy new sweater or shinier / whiter teeth. Not forced fun you tactfully embrace during a work outing. I'm talkin' serious fun. The sort of uncontrollable, genuinely epic fun you have when you just let yourself delight in what you're doing, in the people around you, in the moments you're so lucky to have.

Wahoo for inspiration. Go Obstacle-overcomin-lovers! 110%ers! and Fun-Havers! Hip hip hooray. Happy Sunday :).