I found it!

So a little irony in this story.  Last month I was traveling to Tampa, Florida for a PNCB board meeting (PNCB is who certifies pediatric nurse practitioners and pediatric nurses).  During that travel I finished a great book "My Life on the Road" by Gloria Steinem.  It was such a great book that I took tons of notes (I do that when I read books and maybe one day I'll write a book with all the great quotes I've read throughout my reading life).  So when I went to write my post on February reads I looked and looked for my page of notes and couldn't find them, so I wrote my post without those added words of wisdom from Gloria and moved on.

This past Wednesday I was headed to Washington DC for another PNCB meeting and I'm getting my journal out to write down a few words while on plane, hit a little turbulence and my book dropped and low and behold a piece of paper falls out.  There were the notes I'd taken from "My Life on the Road".  YIPEE!

So here we go...

Intro: "I'm also now immune to politicians who say 'I've traveled the length and breadth of this great land, and I know...' I've traveled more than any of them, and I don't know". 

pg 12- "I never had the courage to say: But you would have been born instead."- this was Gloria's response to her mother's comment "If I'd left, you never would have been born".  Her parents had a strained marriage and Gloria noted that her mother could have had a better life if she hadn't had her, but her mother recognizes that her daughter would have not come without going through this strained relationship.  Amazing what some people endure for their children.

pg 37 "Gandhians... If you want people to listen to you, you have to listen to them. If you hope people will change how they live, you have to know how they live.  If you want people to see you, you have to sit down with them eye to eye".

pg 57 "I began to see that for some religion was just a form of politics you couldn't criticize".  This line really struck me.  It reminded me of people who try to tell others what the Bible means- the literal meaning with no room for someone else's view or interpretation. 

pg 127 "Always look at what people do, as my mother said, not at who they are".

pg 129 "I myself cried when I got angry, then became unable to explain why I was angry in the first place.  Later I would discover this was endemic among female human beings.  Anger is supposed to be 'unfeminine', so we suppress it- until it overflows."... "This was my first hint of the truism that depression is anger turned inward; thus women are twice as likely to be depressed."   I'm a crier and always have felt that my crying is a sign of weakness, but I guess it really could be a sign that I'm angry. I think I'll just cry away and not suppress the anger/feelings- sorry in advance to family/friends.

pg 170 Flo Kennedy (a co-speaker with Gloria) "The purpose of ass-kicking is not that your ass gets kicked at the right time or for the right reason... It's to keep your ass sensitive."

pg 171 "Voting isn't the most we can do, but it is the least." - AMEN!

pg 176 "The voting booth really is the one place on earth where the least powerful equal the mostly powerful."--- AMEN, AMEN!

pg 177 "But we have to behave as if everything we do matters.  Because it might." 

pg 181 "Laughter is an orgasm of the mind".  Loved this.

pg 191 98 year old former Ziegfield girl talking to Gloria, "You're always the person you were when you were born"..."You just keep finding new ways to express it."   Thought this was so beautiful.

So glad I found these notes.  Writing these lines down again reminded me of how well written this book was.  If the above lines spoke to you I'd highly suggest picking up this book. 

February Reads

I've been trying to put off writing this post intentionally.  You see I had about two pages worth of notes I had taken while reading "My Life on the Road" by Gloria Steinem.  I was so excited to share so many good quotes, but then I couldn't find the notes.  I still can't find the notes.  I am going to call it quits on looking for them in hopes that they will reappear as soon as I put this post up.  I also like to wonder is someone trying to tell me "let them read the book themselves- don't give away all the greatness".

So here is the book list and the reviews, not very long because one book I already highlighted in the month of February because I just couldn't wait it was that good (no idea why I didn't do the same with the Steinem book).  Happy Reading- sorry I lost the notes Gloria!

Dead Man's Best Friend (A Dog and His Girl Mysteries, #2) by Jane B. Mason *     This book is the second in the series and my daughter loves the books, the girl Cassie is a great strong heroine any kid should be proud to read about.  Her dog isn't too shabby either.  This book was a tad bit darker than the first one.  The premise behind this book is Dodge, the dog, who just happens to be an ex police dog, is reliving his partner's death.  The partner just happens to be Cassie's Uncle Mark.  It is somewhat a reinvestigation of past evidence and crime. I have enjoyed these books, especially because my daughter is no reading every other page with me.  My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem Totally bummed I can't find these darn notes.  There was so much to share.  So many great stories, words of wisdom, quotes I just can't believe the notes are missing.  I can say that before this book I knew very little about Gloria Steinem.  I knew she was dubbed a major feminist, which that word for some reason has always sounded so negative to me.  However, I have a new appreciation for what that word means and definitely respect Gloria Steinem and what she has accomplished and spoken out for in regard to women, those of lower socioeconomic status, and different ethnicity.  Amazing woman!  Read it and let me know if you find any of my notes/sheets of paper in your book. Already talked about this one.  So far I've followed her instructions to organize in categories, not by rooms, and have organized my clothes, my daughter's and son's clothes and our books.  I'm obviously needing to move onto her next category- Paper- as I can't seem to find those papers that are important to me :). Life, Love, and Other Mysteries by Stone Fauks I'm slowly, but surely figuring out that poetry can be enjoyable to read.  I think you have to find the poetry that works best for you, or the words that speak most honestly to you.  This book did!  Here is one poem I just really loved... Dream and Do   Everything that has or will be accomplished starts out as a thought,   Then becomes an idea, then a vision, then an action.   Dead visions can be resurrected, revived and fulfilled.   The only hindrance is your willingness   to be diligent to see it through. to dream, plan, study and do.     Quick read with some life applicable poetry. I think if your are hesitant to dive into poetry this book would be an excellent place to start.