Saturday, January 14, 2006

Sevenses

Well elswhere (my daughter) tagged me with the Meme of Sevens, so what's a mother to do? I'm flattered that she wants to know stuff about me after all these years.

Seven Books (Or Series) That I Love:
I can't imagine living without at least 100 of my favorite books, so I'll just list the first seven that come to mind today.

Patrimony by Philip Roth
The honesty and love really touched me. Roth is not the best stylist in the world, but he tackles the most important themes and always teaches me something in the best way...through a story I can't put down.
My Voice Will Go With You: The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson, Sidney Rosen, Ed.
I was fortunate enough to have hypnotherapy with a disciple of Dr. Milton Erickson, and boy was that fun!
Ways of Dying, Zakes Mda
A scrumptious prize-winning fable-type story from South Africa. The title is ironic, but not completely.
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Just finished it. Thanks for the gift, Els! Looked for references to my son and found quotes from a student with his name, but I suspect poetic license on the part of the author.
A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz
The honesty reminded me of Roth's Patrimony, but the writing, even translated into English, is much better. Or maybe I should say more to my taste. His descriptions of Jerusalem as a young boy are vivid, and his memories are both funny and melancholy, sometimes at the same time.
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
The most beautifully-published book I own. It also has the most brain-tickling content for someone both visually and quantitatively communicative. To make this gorgeous book affordable, Tufte in 1983 founded his own publishing house, Graphics Press. They have subsequently published otherbeautiful books, but I'm still most fond of the first one.
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Just reading it is a spiritual experience, whether you're Jewish or not.
Favorite Movies
(I'm skipping this one. I listed some in my Blogger profile).

I Just Can’t (Or Don’t Wanna) Stop
Blogging
Reading
Eating salad for breakfast, usually tomato, cucumber, red onion, and avocado
Drinking café hafuch (latte) in Tel Aviv
Thinking about my kids
Thinking about my mother
Living

Things to Do Before I Die
Attend my grandchildren's weddings
Sort and organize all those photos
Read a published novel by my daughter
Knit a moebius strip
Get a video of the 1982 Goldie Hawn TV special "Goldie and the Kids" that my son appeared in
See just a tiny bit of definition to my abdominal muscles
Make peace in the Middle East (see below, Seven Impractical Things…)

Things to Do After I Die (I added this category...and why not?)
Blog
Watch over my children and grandchildren
Hang out with my parents, brother, cousin, aunts and uncles
Sleep late
Sing
Dance
Meet new interesting people
Bring peace to the Middle East

Things That Attracted Me to Blogging:
A way to find out how my daughter is doing on her novel (who's nagging?)
A way to find out what my granddaughter is up to
A chance to tell my children of their legacy
Redemption for having squanderedspent so many years working in the computer industry
The feedback, the feedback, the feedback!
A way to show callow youth that old people can be interesting (as if any of my readers were callow youth. Hah!)
Meeting new interesting people.

Seven Things I Say Most Often
You are the best dog ever!
Wanna go out for walkies?
Wanna treat?
Let's meet for coffee.
Send me pictures! Please!
Ya never know…
Without me?

Seven Impractical Things I Think Would Be Really Cool Anyway
Teleportation
Seeing my family at regular Friday night dinners (see teleportation)
A pied a terre on the Upper West Side. Or midtown. Or in the Flatiron district
A personal chauffeur
A personal maid (she could be married to the chauffeur)
Visiting the USA by ocean liner instead of airplane
Middle East peace

Seven People to Tag
Don't want to.

9 comments:

OldHorsetailSnake said...

If you have teleportation, why would you need a chauffeur?

(Oh, I get it. You need somebody to say: "Beam me up.")

TLP said...

Very interesting. I haven't read a single one of those books. Amazing.

I enjoyed all of your "sevens."

I really don't know how you bear to be so far from your kids.

Fred said...

Teacher Man. That one, of course, sounds interesting to me. I'll have to check that one out.

And yes, we all love comments!

Best part of yur post? You didn't tag anyone,

elswhere said...

I love the "seven things to do after I die" category. Sleep late! that's what I want to do!

May you not get to any of them for 120 years, though! (ptui ptui ptui)

Anonymous said...

Visiting the USA by ocean liner instead of airplane

Why did ocean travel stop?

Unknown said...

Hello! New here, am I welcome? *smile

I remember having an entry similar to this...in 7's instead of 3's...mind if I post as a comment?

Three names you go by:1. Maria 2. Lourdes 3. Solivia

Three screen names you have had: 1. Marisol 2. Sol 3. Teacher Sol

Three physical things you like about yourself:1. long straight hair 2. expressive eyes 3. long fingers

Three physical things you don't like about yourself: 1. Boy, I'm getting big! 2. I want my teeth to be perfect 3. I have skin allergies

Three parts of your heritage: 1. Filipina 2. Spanish 3. Ilocano

Three things that scare you: 1. I have "stage fright" (believe it or not) 2. Failure 3. Rejection

Three of your everyday essentials: 1. Compassion 2. Love 3. Optimism

Three of your favorite musical artists:1. Andrew Lloyd Weber 2. Lea Salonga 3. Celine Dion

Three of your favorite songs: 1. All I Ask Of You (Phantom of the Opera) 2. Sun and Moon (miss Saigon) 3. On My Own (Les Miserables)

Three things you want in a relationship: 1. Romance 2. Passion 3. Sincerity

Three lies and truths in no particular order:(lies) 1. Politicians are honest 2. Men are from Mars 3. Women are from Venus (truths) 1. Tough times never last but tough people do 2. Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in longshot 3. The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure much.

Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you: 1. eyes 2. height 3. X-factor (undefined)

Three of your favorite hobbies: 1. blogging/ writing 2. arts 3. crafts

Three things you want to do really badly now: 1. Acquire Wealth & Money 2. Buy a new cellfone (I lost mine last Sunday) 3. Eat (it's 10:00pm & I'm hungry)

Three careers you're considering/you've considered: 1. Being a Developmental Pediatrician 2. Teaching Special Children 2. Being a Clinical Psychologist

Three places you want to go on vacation: 1. Bahamas 2. Hawaii 3. Ibiza

Three kid's names you like: 1. Rhyss 2. Rae 3. Malory

Three things you want to do before you die: 1. Visit the pyramids 2. See an aurora 3. See my future grandchildren safe and secure

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy: 1. Toughie 2. Aggressive (in bed *joke*) 3. Always late

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl: 1. Softie 2. Passionate 3. Sincere

SavtaDotty said...

Hoss - for some trips I like to take the scenic route!

TLP - I'm sure you've read books I never even heard of. I don't know how I bear to be so far from my kids either. Could I enjoy suffering? Na.

Fred - I was thinking you especially would enjoy Teacher Man. Let me know what you think when you've read it.

elswhere - 120 sounds like there's a lot of blogging (and nagging) left to do.

anonymous - I think it has something to do with airplanes and economics. It's still possible to travel by ocean, but only on freighters, not on those great ocean liners.

Teacher Sol - anyone is welcome to comment, unless they break the rules of civility.

sirbarrett said...

This shows you as a sociable, friendly, introspective person who enjoys living and helping others.

I won't discount the possibility of you meeting new people and touching their lives long after you leave this place.

trelif said...

"Callow youth." (Heh.)

Nice sevenses.