Things I'm Reading/Watching/Listening To...

It's been quite a while since I did this...so for the 3 of you still reading, here's what I'm into this summer...

What I'm Reading: "Thirteen Reasons Why" & "A Song of Fire and Ice" Series



"Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher was a quick, good read. The basis of the story is this: a young man recieves an anonymous package of cassette tapes. As he listens to the first, he realizes it's the final words of a friend who had taken her own life recently. As he works his way through all thirteen of them, he finds out she had left them behind as a reminder to those that she felt had driven her to this point. The telling of the story alternates from transcripts of her tapes to the perspective of the main character.

I finished it in about 4 hours. It was riveting and well-written, and the subject matter was very personal to me. As one who grew up getting picked on and bullied, then one who became one of the pickers, the story resonated with me deeply. Though there is some language and some uncomfortable scenes, the story and lessons behind it are something that should be required reading for teenage students everywhere. From harsh and thoughtless words and deeds, to things we may just forget about, our words and actions affect those around us deeply...and this book was a reminder to be careful with my own tongue...and to do my best to teach my children to harness theirs as well, and to truly treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. I highly recommend this one.



I'm in the midst of the "Song Of Fire And Ice" series by George R. R. Martin. I got into this series while watching the "Game Of Thrones" mini-series on HBO. It reminds me of the epic scale and fantasy-based story of the "Lord of The Rings" series, but is told from the point-of-view of a number of different characters. Long story short, it's about a country with seven kingdoms, and the intertwining narrative follows the many people and families striving to be the rulers over it all. Martin has a way of being very descriptive on multiple storylines without being confusing...and with each book in the 6 book (so far) series averaging around 900 pages, it'll take up most of the rest of summer for me to make it through. It's been a while since I've found a book hard to put down...but this series has captured my imagination.

What I'm Watching: The Glades



I've stumbled on to all kinds of shows and books lately...some by accident, and some by recommendation of one of my favorite magazines, Entertainment Weekly. They led me to "Thirteen Reasons Why" and to this show, "The Glades". It's a police show following a transplanted Chicago homicide detective now in Florida on murder cases. The casting is very good, and the writing often leaves you guessing until the very end who actually did it. It's a fun watch, and it's on Sunday nights at 10 on A&E, in place of my favorite show of the spring, "Breakout Kings". I'm also still into last year's summer faves, "White Collar" and "Royal Pains" on USA.

Listening to: People

This summer I've been making a concious effort to not fill my listening time with music, podcasts, or books on tape. In the past few years, I'd been tying myself to my phone, computer, and Ipod...partially to limit the interaction, and partially to isolate myself from the problems I knew I needed to deal with. I'm trying to disconnect from electronics a little more, and reconnect with those around me. I'm spending much more time in conversation with my wife, and being reminded of her sharp wit, sense of humor, and wisdom. I've enjoyed listening to my kids, even when the conversation doesn't make any sense (which is fairly often). I'm listening to those around me more, and even listening to the sounds of nature...which means I'm finally taking time to slow down and appreciate it. I'm also trying to listen to God more, instead of just talking and making requests. I'm spending time just in the quiet, and more time reading His word in longer stretches. Don't make me out as a saint just yet...I still often forget to do this, or make other things more important...but I'm trying...and He shows up when I do.

So, that's what I'm reading/watching/listening to...and if any of you would like to share yours with me, I'd love to hear them...always on the lookout for new stuff!