Cutting for Stone

“Call me unwanted, call my birth a disaster, call me the bastard child of a disgraced nun and a disappeared father, call me a cold-blooded killer who lies to the brother of the man I killed, but that loamy soil that nurtured Matron’s roses was in my flesh."

It's taken me a few weeks to finish reading, but I devoured the last couple of pages of Cutting for Stone (560 pages) this afternoon. From the publisher:

Lauded for his sensitive memoir (My Own Country) about his time as a doctor in eastern Tennessee at the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s, Verghese turns his formidable talents to fiction, mining his own life and experiences in a magnificent, sweeping novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in New York City over decades and generations. Sister Mary Joseph Praise, a devout young nun, leaves the south Indian state of Kerala in 1947 for a missionary post in Yemen. During the arduous sea voyage, she saves the life of an English doctor bound for Ethiopia, Thomas Stone, who becomes a key player in her destiny when they meet up again at Missing Hospital in Addis Ababa. Seven years later, Sister Praise dies birthing twin boys: Shiva and Marion, the latter narrating his own and his brothers long, dramatic, biblical story set against the backdrop of political turmoil in Ethiopia, the life of the hospital compound in which they grow up and the love story of their adopted parents, both doctors at Missing. The boys become doctors as well and Vergheses weaving of the practice of medicine into the narrative is fascinating even as the story bobs and weaves with the power and coincidences of the best 19th-century novel.

Let me begin by saying that I haven't had a love/hate relationship like I did with this book since the last time I put on a pair of Spanx (and no - I will not tell you when that was!). Vergheses jumps straight to the point with the novel, opening with the doomed Sister Praise, bloody and dying, in the middle of labor with her quickly-arriving twin boys. I was both amazed and frustrated at his ability to thrust me into the bedlam and chaos of the operating theater, forcing me to feel the confusion and panic that the characters were enduring. I hated how he jumped from character to character and from setting to setting, and I foud myself angst-ridden, grinding my teeth and mentally pleading with him to go back to the hospital and deliver those damn babies! Only an extremely clever writer is able to make the reader feel the madness, the anticipation, and the confusion that the characters are experiencing - without even knowing it! This is Vergheses' talent... and he is indeed a master.

CTS is a story with strong characters whose lives are affected by the events of revolution, and it does a tremendous job of portraying Ethiopia. Unfortunately for me, I am completely ignorant of African history, so I spent quite a bit of my time merely skimming the chapters detailing the revolution and the politics of the era. If I had a complaint about the novel, this would be it. I lost interest several times, and nearly stopped reading the book completely. But I'm not a quitter (when it comes to books, at least!), so I dug in my heels and vowed to finish, and boy, am I glad I did! What the middle section of the book lacked, it more than made-up for toward the close. Perhaps it was because I had nearly given-up and thought the book was a lost cause, but the last several chapters completely trapped me, and I found myself fighting-off droopy-eyes and Ambien late on several nights, just to read a few pages more.

Cutting for Stone is a sweeping novel, broad in scope and with deep characters. Marion (one of the twins) recounts his life story, and the stories of his parents. There are a ton of side stories and what initially appear to be meandering reflections, but Verghese ties everything together. And not in a neat, organized manner. If he includes the most random detail, you can be assured it’s for a darned good reason. This book left me teary-eyed and week at the knees, despite my early disinterst. It was a heck of a ride, and I’m bummed that it had to end. If you're not a patient reader, stay away from this one. But, if you're looking for something to challenge your grey matter and tear at your soul, here it is, my friend!

The 5000 Question Meme Part II

Cheers to all us thieves!
26. Who has done something today to show they care about you?
Dylan thanked me for the tater tots?

27. Do you have a lot to learn?
No. I know it all.

28. If you could learn how to do three things just by wishing and not by working what would they be?
To play the guitar, fly an airplane, waltz

29. Which do you remember the longest: what other people say, what other people do or how other people make you feel?
What they do.

30. What are the key ingredients to having a good relationship?
Trust, humor, and money!

31. What 3 things do you want to do before you die?
Have a scandalous romance with Jimmy Fallon. Three times?

32. What three things would you want to die to avoid doing?
Trying on bathing suits...isn't that enough?

33. Is there a cause you believe in more than any other cause?
Education and literacy

34. What does each decade make you think of:
You ended this sentence in a preposition, so I am refusing to answer.

35. Which decade do you feel the most special connection to and why?
Definitely the 90's...it's the one I remember the least, but the one in which I'm sure I had the most fun!

36. What is your favorite oldie/classic rock song?
American Pie

37. What country do you live in and who is the leader of that country?
USA - Obamason!

If you could say any sentence to the current leader of your country what would it be?
Give me a raise.

38. What's your favorite TV channel to watch in the middle of the night?
E! I can't get enough of Carrie Bradshaw and her friends

39. What Disney villain are you the most like and why?
Tinkerbell on a bad hair day.

40. Have you ever been a girl scout/boy scout?
I was a brownie scout when I was younger.

41. If you were traveling to another continent would you rather fly or take a boat?
FLY!

42. Why is the sky blue during the day and black at night?
I put in a request for paisley and pink, but the universe denied me
43. What does your name mean?
I'm pretty sure it should mean Princess of the World.

44. Would you rather explore the deeps of the ocean or outer space?
Neither...I'm more of an explore 5th Avenue kind of girl.

45. Word association

What is the first word that comes to mind when you see the word:

Air: head

Meat: brisket

Different: Amanda

Pink: yes, please!

Deserve: dessert

White: vanilla

Elvis: bedazzled jump suit

Magic: fake

Heart: replacement valves

Clash: Titans

Pulp: Fiction

46. If you could meet any person in the world who is dead who would you want it to be?
I hate these questions...

47. What if you could meet anyone who is alive?
City Correspondent, Stefon!

48. Is there a movie that you love so much you could watch it everyday?
Several... The Breakfast Club is at the top of the list. Pretty much anything by John Hughes

49. You are going to be stuck alone in an elevator for a week. What do you bring to do?
My kindle - I would need to read

50. Have you ever saved someone's life or had your life saved?
I once performed the Heimlich maneuver on a friend who was choking on Teddy Graham's...does that count?

A Rock and a Hard Place

The month of March is flying by far more quickly than I had expected. I've lost interest in the NCAA Tournament bracket and have started looking forward (with much excitement) to opening day for the Yankees and for my kiddos' soccer season to start.

I've also noted that there are only 40 days of school left...38 if you count the two I'm taking-off to go see Lady Gaga in Tulsa, but who's counting??

I cannot wait for summer.

I adore summer not only because it's a much-needed break from the insanity they call middle school, but also because I get a chance to catch-up on my reading, lie by the pool, spend quality time with my boys, attend countless baseball games, travel with the family,go camping and jet-skiing, and keep-up with the multiple summer camps that the kiddos attend.

Wait, I thought this was supposed to be summer "vacation"?

Until these next 40 days come to an end, I will be spending the last few weeks with my middle school kids, enjoying them before they take that giant leap into high school and the teenage angst that accompanies such leap. We are a little behind schedule right now - we'll start reading The Outsiders on Monday. State testing will take place in April, and we'll finish-off the year with our Holocaust cross-curriculum unit.

I probably forgot to mention it before, but a few weeks ago I took my g/t class to see a presentation by Aaron Ralston. If you've managed to miss his story, you should really rent the movie 127 Hours to learn a little about him. I will say this - hearing his story first hand was much, much more interesting and gut-wrenching than watching the film. Although his accident happened in 2003, Ralston still speaks of it with extreme emotion and intensity that Hollywood simply wasn't able to capture.

His presentation was held in Weatherford, and since we live in the armpit of Oklahoma, we had to drive over an hour to see him. For most people, this wouldn't be a problem, but for a girl who can barely see at night and has no idea how to get to Weatherford, it was slightly tricky. (FYI-I only got lost once, and we got out of that by doing a little clever cross-country driving through rocks and mud. No big deal.) Keep in mind, this was with a vehicle full of middle school students...

After the presentation, Ralston took time to visit with the audience and to sign books. He was kind enough to sign our books, visit with us briefly, and take a few snapshots with the group. I was very impressed with his emmaculate handwriting (with his remaining left hand), and his friendly nature.

This was definitely a highlight of my school year, and I know the kids will remember it for a long time. Driving home, we talked a lot about Aaron's experience, and discussed points in our lives when we'd been in difficult situations. It's times like these when I am reminded why I became a teacher, and why I specifically chose middle school. The kids are amazing. In their early teen years, they still have an endearing innocence that seems to vanish in the next few years. They are highly curious, moldable, and have a positive outlook on life. They are much more experienced in tragedy and turmoil than I was at their age, but they look forward to each day with an eagerness that captures my heart. They drive me crazy, but I can't imagine my life without them.

March Mayhem!!

Other than October, when the leaves are changing, and the fall air is crisp and fresh, March is absolutely my favorite month of the year.

Yes, my birthday is in March (I turned 28 again this year), so that's a big part of it, but there are so many exciting activities that happen in March, that I am already growing morose at the thought of the month coming to an end... :(

So, a quick recap of March...
March 8th- Mardi Gras
While I didn't do much this year to celebrate Mardi Gras, I remember with incredible fondness the Mardi Gras celebrations of my younger years. While in college, and for several years after, I made it a point to celebrate Mardi Gras - food, beads, beer, and amazing music. What's not to like?? I have always wanted to actually be in New Orleans for the celebration, but timing has never been a talent of mine...

March 9th- My birthday, yeah!!! I didn't do much this year for my birthday, mainly because it was in the middle of the week and my students had to take the state writing test the following day. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the purgatory of state testing, let me just say that for a teacher, this is a stressful time. It's worse for English teachers because we have TWO tests to deal with - reading and writing. Of course, they can't be scheduled in a normal manner - the writing test is usually at the end of February, with the reading test at the end April. Because of the snow days, the writing test was postponed a bit this year, thus all but ruining my birthday.

March 17th- St. Patrick's Day (pretty much a ditto on the above entry about Mardi Gras, but with a focus on Ireland and a desire to be in Dublin instead of N.O.)

SPRING BREAK!!! For a teacher, spring break is actually better than Christmas. Not only do we get an entire week off from school, but spring break also means we are only 8 short weeks away from the end of the school year. Many teacher families go skiing over spring break, but not the Whitewater clan (I despise snow skiing - but that's for another blog, another day). We typically save our vacation for the summer, and this year we plan on taking the boys to Dallas and/or San Antonio for a holiday. I'm sure they are bursting with excitement to visit the grassy knoll and the Alamo....

For spring break this year, we followed our beloved Woodward Boomer baksetball team to OKC for the state playoff games. This is two years in a row that Corey Miller and our boys have made it to the state playoffs, and the second year that we've had to face Goliath (aka Douglass) in the first round. Douglass is an incredible team - they haven't been beaten in Oklahoma in two years and have won the state title the past two. I had hoped to avoid playing them until the championship game, but it wasn't to be. I will say this - our boys SHOULD have won that game. It was a complete nail-biter from start to finish, with a last-second three point shot that would have won the game for us. Unfortunately, Douglass won 58-56, but our boys played like gods, and I couldn't be more proud!

After the games, we stayed a couple of days in OKC to visit some family, shop, dine, and catch a movie. I wanted to go see Gnomeo and Juliet, but the boys picked Rango. It was a cute film, and we all enjoyed it, but I still want to see the other...

I finally made it to a girls' night last night, and now I know why I only attend these things 2-3 times per year. Seven or eight women in one room with alcohol and food is almost like an episode of Wild Kingdom. The cackling in the room was so loud that I was choking down Tylenol by 9:30, and I was incessantly tormented and teased about my adorable Hello Kitty koozie (fun haters). However, it was all in good fun and I really had a great time. We are all so busy these days, that it's hard to find time when we can all stop and catch-up. At last night's gathering, I met a couple of new friends, and reconnected with a few who I hadn't seen in quite some time. I also ate entirely too much quesidilla cheesecake and nearly ruined my favorite Beatles shirt (not that!). From last night's fiesta, I learned a few things...1) Some people should not be allowed near a dolphin tank during vacations 2.) Everyone loves Colonel Angus and 3.) There is nothing "easy" about washing Easy Cheese out of your hair. Good times.

Last but probably the most important thing about March - you know...March Madness!!!

I am not a huge basketball fan. As a matter of fact, I may catch 2-3 college ball games during the regular season and zero professional games, but I LOVE March Madness (particularly if WVA advances and I can sing John Denver songs!). I know nothing about the rankings, but I love to fill out my bracket and watch the games with the hubby who typically pouts b/c my bracket destroys his! Ha!! Last year Kansas broke my bracket when they lost to Butler before even making it to the elite eight, but I've picked them to go all the way this year. We'll see if they can redeem themselves.

In other news...I'm reading a new book called Cutting for Stone, but it just hasn't hooked me yet. I'm trying to be patient. Tomorrow we'll start reading The Outsiders in my English class. This is by far one of my favorite units to teach, and I'm really excited to get it going. We'll do a group activity over social groups and stereotypes tomorrow, an Internet scavenger hunt about the 60's on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then start reading on Thursday. I can't wait...hopefully this year I won't cry when we hit chapter 12...

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 5000 Question Meme, Part One Cheers to all of us thieves!
1. Who are you?
Didn't Dickinson struggle with this question?? I am no one - who are you?

2. What are the 3 most important things everyone should know about you?
I should have been a professional golfer
Chocolate will open all doors
I am a sucker for blue eyes and dimples

3. When you aren't memes like this one what are you doing?
Curing blindness in llamas.

4. List your classes in school from the ones you like the most to the ones you like the least (or if you are out of school, think of the classes you did like and didn't like at the time).
Humanities
English/Literature
History
Math/science - this is a tie

5. What is your biggest goal for this year?
Find a bigger house for my family!

6. Where do you want to be in 5 years?
Really?? Why do I feel like I'm in high school?

7. What stage of life are you in right now?
The fun one?

8. Are you more child-like or childish?
Childish

9. What is the last thing you said out loud?
Waffles!

10. What song comes closest to how you feel about your life right now?
I was just listening to Simple Minds, so the only song that I can think of right now is "Don't You Forget About Me"

11. Have you ever taken martial arts classes?
I use to do kick-boxing
12. Does your life tend to get better or worse or does it just stay the same?
It just keeps getting better!

13. Does time really heal all wounds?
Most of them - but apologies help.

14. How do you handle a rainy day?
Reading or sleeping

15. Which is worse...losing your luggage or having to sort out tangled holiday lights?
Losing your luggage. I don't mess with tangled lights - this is why I have a husband.

16. How is (or was) your relationship with your parents?
Pretty good

17. Do you tend to be aware of what is going on around you?
Most of the time, but I am also pretty naive about a lot of things. These things get past me.

18. What is the truest thing that you know?
What comes around goes around.
19. What did you want to be when you grew up?
orthodontist, lawyer, professional chef, travel agent, writer, reporter, or public relations/promotions specialist for a professional sporting team

20. Have you ever been given a second chance?
most definitely

21. Are you more of a giver or a taker?
Giver

22. Do you make your decisions with an open heart/mind?
Right about now, I'm deciding that this meme is pretty lame.
23. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?
labor - is there any other option for a woman?

24. What is the most emotionally painful thing that has ever happened to you?
Must we really go there?? Probably the three days in which: 1 - I got divorced, 2- I had a miscarriage, 3- my grandfather died. That was a rough week...
25. Who have you hugged today?
No one - but after thinking about #24, I may need a hug!!

Sunday Stealing- The Burnt Toast Meme Part 2

Sunday Stealing: The Burnt Toast Meme, Part Two
Cheers to all of us thieves!
17. Who would you like to show up at your door to say they love you?
Johnny Depp is here right now proclaiming his love, so I'd have to wait for him to leave first...

18. Last furry thing you touched?
My kitty cat, Gatsby.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
I'm a pretty clean gal - all I've taken is Ambien to help me sleep on Friday night.

20. Do you miss film or does digital work for you?
That's like asking if I miss having chicken pox.

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
Without a doubt, 23 (in-between husbands is the BEST time of a girl's life!)

22. Your worst enemy?
cellulite

23. What is your current desktop picture?
Dylan and Dawson after Dylan was named MVP of his football team

24. What was the last thing you said that was funny?
I called Damon's current girlfriend "Number Four,"....was that out of line?

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
My momma didn't raise no dummies - a million bucks will fly you a long way!!

26. Who can't you say “no” to?
Dawson when he smiles with his big blue eyes and adorable dimples.

27. The last song you bought or downloaded?
Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons

28. What time of day were you born?
Morning

29. What’s your favorite number? Why?
Nine - not sure why.

30. Where did you live in 1987?
The big Woo!!

31. Are you jealous of anyone?
No, people are jealous of me.

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
See question #31

33. It's been almost a decade. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
I was at home getting dressed for work and watching the Today Show. Where were you???

Sunday Stealing - The Burnt Toast Meme

Sunday Stealing: The Burnt Toast Meme
Cheers to all of us thieves!
1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
Damn, Mr. Whitewater is one lucky fella!

2. How much cash do you have on you?
$7.28 - but don't tell my kids

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
adore

4. Favorite planet?
I've only visited one, and I hate to be prejudice...

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
It's actually a blocked call - strange!

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
Fat Bottom Girls!! It reminds me of Brendy!

7. What shirt are you wearing?
University of Oklahoma t-shirt!

8. Do you label yourself?
Other than princess and diva? Not really.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?
Nike Impax

10. Bright or Dark Room?
Dark for living room and bedroom; light for kitchen and bath

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
Do I know the person who took this survey before me?

12. What does your watch look like?
I don't wear watches because they do not work on me. I am known as the Black Widow of the Rolex (and the Fossil, and the Swatch - you get the picture)

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Being massaged and romanced by my latin lover, Fernando...oh, wait - that was a dream! I guess I was sleeping!

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
No

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
You're joking, right?

16. What's a word that you say a lot?
Seriously?

The Jewel of St. Petersburg

I finally finished reading Kate Furnivall's latest novel last night. Notes from the cover:

In this prequel to her debut novel, The Russian Concubine (2007), about White Russian Lydia Ivanova, Furnivall focuses on Lydia’s mother, Valentina, during the years leading up to and including the Russian Revolution of 1917. When Bolsheviks bomb her family’s country estate in 1910, crippling her younger sister, Katya, 17-year-old title character Valentina is left with guilt and resolve. With a slim frame but steely character, she defies both convention and her father, who is the czar’s minister of finance, first by training and working as a nurse and then by refusing to marry for money (in order to solve the family’s financial problems). Instead, she chooses the man she loves passionately, Dane Jens Friis, the czar’s engineer. Through the years, her hatred grows for Viktor Arkin, a Bolshevik leader once in the Ivanovas’ employ who develops an emotionally complicated relationship with the family. Furnivall portrays a country in dreadful conflict, with the grinding poverty of the masses fueling rebellion against the privileged classes. A must for readers of The Russian Concubine and Furnivall’s The Red Scarf (2008).

I became interested in Furnivall's novels two summers ago when I read The Russian Concubine and the sequel, The Girl from Junchow. A historical fiction zealot, I was instantly captivated by the tales of Lydia Ivanova and the beldam of post WWI Russia/China. While I am highly educated in both US and European history, I know very little of the events that transpired between the Romanovs and the Bolsheviks during the Russian revolution and even less about early 20th century China (no wonder I had such a hard time grasping the events in Dr. Zhivago!).  Becuase of my ignorance, I found the need to seek out historical texts to help me understand the period and the life of Lydia and her family, and let me say - I was HOOKED.

The Jewel of St. Petersburg is a prequel to the other novels, and was nearly as fabulous as the other two books. I became absolutely captivated with the Danish hero, Jens Friis, and enthralled with the story's antagonist, Viktor Arkin. In Arkin, Furnivall has created a character whose outward actions are remarkably heinous and despicable, while his inner emotions are tormenting and tragic. I actually found Arkin's character far more intriguing than that of the "leading lady," Valentina. Arkin longs for a revolutionized Russia, void of the controlling Tsar Nicholas and his disgustingly rich comrades, but to achieve this goal, he must spill blood, ruin lives, and destroy much of St. Petersburg. His tragic connection to the Ivanova family provides the principal conflict of the story, and makes for page-turning tale. Several nights I sat up reading, only to discover that I had long passed my desired bedtime...and I paid for it the next mornings!

If you are a fan of Kate Furnivall's other novels, you will enjoy this one as well. Before you fire-up the Kindle, however, consider looking into the story's primary character - St. Petersburg. Familiarity with the city's history will no doubt be beneficial when trying to digest the events connected to the revolution and to Valentina's tale.