See Book Buy It!

I LOVE books.  I know there are 500 memes and posts about people who love books and have book problems but I have a new one.  At least, I think it's new... I have a disease: See book buy it!  I own enough reading material for the next 10 years and yet, I can't pass a used book store without stoping.  Now while this dangerous species of paper and ink continues to repopulate my bedroom, and push me out, I do manage to read my way through a great many of them.  I thought I would include a few of them here as I describe my vanilla life.

There is one series I return to again and again.  It is one of my favorite and will always be.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28541.Dragonsong?from_search=true&search_version=service



I will always and forever admire the way Menolly find the strength to be a friend and follow her dreams.  She hold no grudges and looks forever forward.  She put others before herself and works hard to overcome her shortcomings.  I wish to have her strength and her courage!  Maybe that would add some cookie dough to my vanilla ice cream!

An Inauspicious Beginning

Most of us have heard or used the expression "10 going on 20" or possibly "20 going on 10" to describe the gap between a person's physical age and their behavior.  Most of my life my mom has referred to me as "an old soul" and here's why:

At the ripe old age of 4, my blissful ignorance was brought to an abrupt halt.  Though I was a bossy little kid with a bit too much brain and no understanding of the real world, I lived a happy and selfindulged existence.  My father, one to always put the world into perspective with wisdom such as "just because" and "because I am the Dad," felt he needed to expose me to the realities of life before it was too late.  (That's right!  At four it was time I learned about the real world!  Though to be fair, it was probably in response to some smart-a@@ comment on my part.)  Well, my father did what any sensible dad would do,  he sat my four year old self down and explained to me that I had responsibilities. 

Even as an adult I can not say what "responsibilities" really are.  They seem to be self or society imposed obligations to do things we really don't want to.  Though I don't remember how this conversation went, I can well imagine it.  

A confused little girl with a deep furrow in her fore head:  "Why do I have them Daddy?"
A man regretting this decision at an increasing rate: "Because everyone has them."
Little Me:  "But where did they come from?"
Dad:  "The Universe."
Little Me:  "How do I make them go away?"
Dad: "You don't, they are with you forever."
Little Me: "But what are they?!"
Dad: "Responsibilities!  They just are!"
~ A dramatic, if realistic, interpretation of events I don't remember.

As you might well imagine, this didn't sit well with me.  The clearest part, in fact, was what happened immediately following this bizarre conversation.

A very confused little four year old me was wondering around my grandparent's house.  I came upon my Nona (my grandmother) and, in a state of great frustration declared, "Nona!  I have RESPONSIBILITIES and I don't know what they are or how I got them but I have them and they are important and I can NEVER GET RID OF THEM!"   

That was the day I discovered I had responsibilities and my Nono began saying, "That girl is 4 going on 40!"   Now in my 20s, my gap isn't shrinking!  My sister says I am a crotchety little old lady.  Odd, that even acting like I am 80, I only have 5 grey hairs and still get carded when I even look into a bar much less order a drink.  What does this mean?!  I am 80 at only 24!  Sigh...