Book Review | The Underland Chronicles (Book 2)

Hey hey.  This review is for the second book in the Underland Chronicles.  To read the review for the first book, clicky click right here.

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane:

(I’m going to break this up into two parts – one without any spoilers, and one quick paragraph with a few.  I’ll give a warning when I switch ;)

Let me just start by saying that most of these books end in such a way that you feel a desperate need to go get the next book right away.  (If I’m exaggerating, it’s only slightly.)  After finishing Overlander I was just a tad upset because Barnes and Noble is 40 minutes away – not exactly something I can just do on a whim.  I considered just getting the second book on le Kindle, but I apparently have a sickness and I cannot have some books from a series electronically and others in the physical realm.  Nope.  Can’t.  It has to be one or the other.  (I’m okay having some different books by the same author in both formats, though, so maybe I’m not completely insane?  Maybe?  Someone?)

So yes, despair.  It didn’t last long, though, and I was finally able to get the next book.  Collins doesn’t give a ton of updates on the condition of Gregor’s family after the whole Underland affair, which was a little bit of a letdown.  Nothing necessary to the plot, but I think just a pinch more of detail re: Gregor’s family and friends would have made the book (and whole series) more endearing – it’d make them feel more like ours.  But okay, moving on.  Pretty quickly, Gregor and Boots, his baby sister, are back in the Underland, once again facing a prophecy that will require a thrilling quest. 

This book is much more violent and graphic than the first (though I think it’d be fine for 8+ as long as they’re not very sensitive), but it’s also more gripping.  We learn more about the characters – what moves them, what makes them tick, how they respond to difficult situations.  We’re also introduced to several new characters and to a whole new part of the Underland – a massive waterway with many a dangerous beast. 

Gregor, the Warrior mentioned in many of the Underland’s prophecies, is told to go and kill the Bane, a giant and fearsome white rat.  He and several others set out to do so, but in the end only Gregor and his bat bond (in the Underland, humans and creatures can become “bonds,” swearing to protect one another’s life as if it were their own), Ares, can actually meet the Bane.  The events of the journey have made Gregor almost eager to kill the rat.  Now and at several times throughout the series, Gregor wonders at his ability to kill.  

This meeting is the climax of the book, but really, the whole thing was just so action-packed.  I couldn’t put it down.  The third book is really where the best themes come into play and the larger questions of the necessity of war arise, but this book is great for a few reasons.  It starts to really display the hate and distrust that some species hold for the others (namely, the rats and the humans).  Gregor emerges as an opponent of the rampant disregard and discrimination, sometimes yelling at his fellow humans despite being closer to them than to the other creatures.  (A good lesson for anyone, but especially for kids – sometimes you need to challenge your friends.)  More than in the first book, we really start to see a tug of war going on in Gregor’s mind and in the Underland over Machiavellian tactics.  It’s really engaging to read along. 

Now I want to dive a little deeper.

wat? this is me diving deeper.

*This part has a spoiler.  I’m not going to share the ending or the specific characters that die, but there is a plot spoiler.  Don’t read this part if you are the type to lose interest in a book when certain plot points are shared.

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Last warning.

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Okay.

Like I said, Gregor is sent to kill the Bane.  From the prophecy, it sounds as though the Bane will lead an army of rats to kill all the humans in the Underland.  Gregor is their only hope. 

Unfortunately, it turns out the Bane is just a baby.  A wee pup.  Gregor’s heart is a tad hardened at this point in the story, but still, it is difficult for him to decide whether or not he should kill the Bane, regardless of what the prophecy says, since he’s only a baby.  I’m not going to reveal what he chooses to do, but I will say that “Is it worth it?” is certainly a question we’ll ask several times during the series.  Remember, the Machiavellian philosophy that the end justify the means plays a prominent role in these books, and it’s something Gregor struggles with often.  This book does a solid job of exploring those ideas and the repercussions of merciless, preemptive action.  

It’s really fantastic. 

__

Charlotte

link love

First and not really foremost, check out the new tabs up there.  I re-did the pages so that they are a little sleeker and more reader friendly (hopefully!).  

I also feel compelled to let all you readers (hey, Liz) know that I'm watching the season premiere of Once Upon a Time right now and Regina just called Hook "Guyliner" and wow, do I love this show.

Pope Francis is here and I'm loving it.  I'm going to share Pope-related links first.  The stories of him have made me both cry and laugh.

Also, The Onion is having fun with the visit and I'm loving that, too.

If you're into politics/economics/Pope Francis, I'd suggest giving this a read.  To me, Catholicism fits in really well with progressivism - for the most part.  But really, democrats and republicans should stop claiming Francis as their own.

And now for the non-Pope-celebratory links: 

I'm just slightly obsessed with personality tests (I usually get INFJ or ISFJ) and so I thought this list of versions of Hell for the different personality types was pretty spectacular.  

I have friends who don't want to get married and I'm cool with it.  Super cool with it.  Really, no one should unhappily wed just because society tells them to.  But I also think that society paints marriage as a really awful, constricting thing, and that annoys me.  I really enjoyed this article on Verily about her idea of marriage and how that plays with the common themes of bachelorette parties.

Liz sent me this article highlighting a woman's first taste of soda and it's perfect.  Even more perfect is the comment someone left that asks, "What would happen if she had tried Coke?" 

Loved this list of signs you're addicted to Harry Potter!  I (sadly?) don't show all the signs, but there are many I do.  (And I've been seriously thinking about getting a HP tattoo - we shall see!)

The Dalai Lama said that if he came back as a woman, he'd have to be attractive for people to take him seriously.  People got pretty mad at him, but my guess is that he was commenting on the sad state of society.  He's probably right.  Women are taken less seriously in general.  (Also, we should all keep him in our thoughts as it seems he is sick.)

I can't understand any of the words in this article, but the pictures, THE PICTURES!  I want to vacation there, man.

Dreams come true.  

Ah, how to differentiate between men and boys!  Kinda wanna put this in my pocket to save for later.

Speaking of boys, can everyone stop referring to women as "females" please?  It's dehumanizing. 

I seriously need to learn how to do my hair and makeup.  While I'll never be quite this fancy, I can't help but swoon over these red-carpet looks.  So glamorous!

This.

Eating up reviews of Mindy Kaling's new book.

Parenthood isn't death.  I'mma save this read for later. 

I need, um, all the dating tips I can get.  As we all know.  (Also, yes or no?)

The world is good and so is pizza!  Best of both.  I loved this story.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm always gracious about my perpetual single-hood.  I should read this every now and then for le gentle reminder. 

I loved this post about what makes the Harry Potter books so great!  And I loved this related post, as well.

Please don't tell me there is anything okay or normal about capitalism.

Yo, politics, satire, and neurosurgeons.  Doesn't get better.  Thanks, Ben Carson!

I liked this little prompt about our happiest moments.  I probably will never share my happiest moment with the www, but I did share some happy moments right here.   

Men and feminine beauty.

And I think that might be it for this week's links.  

Off to watch Netflix. xo. 

__

Charlotte

Book Review: The Underland Chronicles (Book 1)

There are five books in this series - I wrote up an entire review of all of it, but this is a blog, not a massive Wikipedia page, so methinks it best to break the reviews up into books.

Book 1: Gregor the Overlander 

Book 2: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

Book 3: Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

Book 4: Gregor and the Marks of Secret

Book 5: Gregor and the Code of Claw

First, a quick intro to the whole series:

Alright, so.  These are children’s/YA books, making them very easy reads for most adults.  It only took me a few hours to finish each of them.  I imagine they wouldn’t be hard for kids who are proficient readers, either.  The reason I only gave the books 4/5 stars is just the writing itself.  It’s good, but it’s simple.  I know some people love this!  My own preference, though, is that it’s a little challenging.  Of course, it’s a children’s book, so I’m not holding this to my own standards of difficulty – but it would have been easy-peasy for my 11 year old sister.  My go-to comparison series is Harry Potter (of course!), and I think even Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets would challenge my little sister a bit more than these did. 

That said, the books were amazing.  The stories are the exact kind of stories I want my siblings to read and that I’d want my own kids to read one day.  They’re about war, morality, oppression, and justice.  (I guess I should also include that while my own favorite part of the books were the themes, I imagine any kids reading this book would love the respect the author gives to children and their feelings/emotions/challenges/abilities.  I expect it’d make them feel a bit empowered.)

The author is Suzanne Collins of Hunger Games fame.  It’s the reason I bought the first book (Gregor the Overlander) to begin with.  I loved the themes Collins explored in the HG trilogy and I wanted more.  The books did not disappoint.

Gregor the Overlander:

(There are no major spoilers in this review.)

Like I said, I picked this book up because I saw “Suzanne Collins.”  I didn’t flip to a random page and read, I just… bought it.  So when I went home and started reading about a world with giant cockroaches, rats, and bats, I may or may not have rolled my eyes and thought I had wasted $7.  I felt certain it was going to be really stupid. 

Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit; I was pleasantly surprised.  I couldn’t put the book down.  While the themes weren’t quite as developed in this book as they were in the following books (fair enough – it really is an introduction), it’s an action-packed adventure.  We get a good idea of some of the characters, and it does a great job of laying the foundation for the rest of the series while still telling an exciting story itself, which is an admirable feat for any first book in a series. 

The climax of the story establishes Gregor, the boy from NYC who falls into the Underland, as a Christ-like figure, something all the best fantasy stories have (Aragorn, Frodo, and Gandalf in LOTR, Harry in HP, etc.).  It was my favorite part of the book and it was an important beginning to the development of Gregor’s character throughout the stories.  My favorite kind of character in fantasy is the one who struggles and is tempted by evil, but who is virtuous.  A lot of the other characters are wonderful, too.

Alternative title: white men with blue eyes. more diversity, please, authors/movie makers*

The next few reviews will be more detailed since the stories are more complex and we learn more about the characters, but I'll say that the first book has stories of sacrifice, tolerance, peace above war, and justice.  

Overall, it was great.  Collins managed to write an exciting and interesting novel while setting the stage for a great series.  Of the five books, it probably was my least favorite, but only because I thoroughly enjoyed the moral questions posed in the next four books, and we don’t get as much of that in the first book.  I’d recommend it to anyone, but especially to my adult friends who question war, oppose ideas of ethnocentrism, and love fantasy.  (In fact, I’ve already badgered a couple of my friends and repeatedly insisted that they must read it, now.)  As for kids – I think most kids will like this, but especially kids who are into riddles, adventure, and folktales.  I’m planning on getting a copy of this for my siblings for Christmas. 

Go read this book!

*As far as I remember, Collins didn't give a ton of physical description for Gregor or his family.  Here's hoping that maybe, if they ever make a movie, they cast poc.  It's important. 

__

Charlotte

pssst: Check out my Goodreads profile here.  (It's still a slacker prof, I'm working on it.)

Sorting Hat - Grey's Anatomy Pt. 1

Sorting Hat time!  Everybody's favorite!  My favorite!

(Check out other installments here.)  

Grey's Anatomy returned yesterday and the only way to celebrate is to sort the characters into Hogwarts Houses.  

Gryffindor: bravery, nerve, daring, and chivalry

Slytherin: ambition, cunning, and resourcefulness (evil optional) 

Ravenclaw: intelligence, knowledge, and wit 

Hufflepuff: hard work, dedication, patience, and loyalty

Here we go.  (First, put on How to Save a Life.)

(Also: spoilers)

1. Meredith Grey

Me too, Mer, me too. 

Meredith is kind of hard to sort!  Over the years she's displayed traits of all of the houses.  She's definitely been cunning and manipulative (usually to advance at work and sneakily get good cases - something most of them did as interns and residents).  She shows hard work and loyalty more than many of her colleagues.  She's very smart, and she's obviously very brave.  

I think I'll narrow it down to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff.  It's got to be one of those. 

Since Meredith grew up with abandonment issues, she's very loyal.  (I think that usually happens in real life with people who grew up in a negative situation - they continue it or they become a 180 of it.  Meredith develops into the latter.)  She and Cristina are inseparable.  She is always there for everyone, even if it means breaking rules (like, um, giving Adele meds instead of the placebo).  She gave part of her liver to her father, mostly out of love for her sister.  She's fiercely loyal.  

But she's also brave.  "Nerve" is something Meredith Grey does not lack.  I mean, she grabs a bomb while it's in someone's body cavity ffs.

She definitely displays traits of Hufflepuff, but I think her fondness for breaking the rules and her sometimes reckless bravery put Meredith in Gryffindor.

2. Cristina Yang

Slytherin.

I love Cristina, but there is no denying that she's a bit manipulative when it comes to her career.  And she's hella ambitious.  She definitely goes to Slytherin.  It's okay!  There are good people in Slytherin.  She can be Professor Slughorn's pal.

Ah, I wish she'd come back to the show.

3. Dr. Bailey

         

Dr. Bailey is my favorite, pretty sure.  I <3 her.

Of course, that makes me want to put her in Gryffindor.

BUT.  We've got to be fairrr.  She's brave, sure, and ambitious, and smart.  But more than anything she is loyal and hardworking.  She rivals Richard as the backbone of the whole hospital.  No one doubts her reliability.  Sometimes she's scary (she was nicknamed "The Nazi"), but even when she's goin' a little crazy, it's out of a desire to help her residents and colleagues do better.  Or to keep her patients alive (and she's cried with/over patients many times, a nod to her devotion).

From all that, I think it's clear that Bailey goes to Hufflepuff.

4. Derek 

You won't.

Sore spot, I know.  I know!  But it feels wrong not to include him here.

I don't really know where to put him.  He's brave (I mean, he disregarded his own safety to save people from that accident.), he's smart.  He'd do fine in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw....

but I think he goes to Hufflepuff.

Dude is the definition of loyalty.  You know, after he cheats on his wife.  No, but really, while that wasn't justified, it had a complicated backstory.  But yeah.  He doles out hugs and advice to people who need it, he's incredibly friendly and charming, and he really just wanted to build a good life with good people.  In the last episode of the latest season, Meredith says Derek wanted his home filled with people and memories more than anything else.  That seems Hufflepuff-like to me.  He was a hard worker, he was devoted, and he loved fairness (remember how pissed he was when Meredith messed around with the trial to benefit Adele?).  I think he'd place people above everything - daring acts, smarts, and his career.  Def Hufflepuff.

5. Richard Webber

    

Ah, Webber.  Everybody's dad.

This is another tough one.  Of the three houses that aren't Slytherin, I guess I'd eliminate Gryffindor first?  Yeah, let's go with that.

So it's down to Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.

Richard is devoted to the hospital and to everyone who works in it.  He's the guy everyone else goes to, and he's always working hard to help everyone else and get his own work done.  That makes me lean toward Hufflepuff but...

Maybe those are traits that have come with age and wisdom, which is great, but does that mean he should go straight into Hufflepuff?  I don't know.  It's hard!  (And while he repented, he did cheat on his wife - not very fair or loyal at all.)

I get the feeling that he actually belongs in Ravenclaw.  It's not like dedication and loyalty are found only in Hufflepuff.  Webber loves spending time on research, he helped Ellis look for treatments for HIV/AIDS, he's always doling out wisdom to everyone, and he seems to be incredibly open-minded.  He's got a worldly, intelligent thing about him.

Yep, Ravenclaw.

Next time... Karev, George, Izzie, Callie, and Mark.
__
Charlotte   

link love

Wow, am I a slacker.  

Not one other post this week!  Not one!  I've been busy reading these books and driving back and forth to Georgia and being ill.  Totally neglecting the blog.  

Hopefully this week is better. 

On to the links, though.  

I'm going to try and make this later in the week.  I need to learn how to make healthier things (aka use vegetables), and this happens to look delicious.  One pot meals are my favorite!  So little work! 

Hey look!  Football and feminism, two of my favorite things.

Thoughts on immigration from the perspective of a Catholic father right here.

Not surprising but - emotional pain and physical pain are connected.  

My friend shared this list of dates that do not include watching Netflix and a lot of them sound great.  My favorite would probably be #3. Of course.

I'm excited for Pope Francis' visit, and I really, really, really hope he talks about race.  This article makes it sound like there's a very good chance!    

Oh man, I loved reading this!  It's a post about Catholic fiction and lessons we learn from certain kinds of characters.  Things to remember while writing my own book.

Is there anyone who doesn't love Joe Biden?  I doubt it.

I laughed my way through this tampons vs. pads debate.  But then along comes this!  Period underwear..... sounds gross, butt after reading it, maybe not too bad?

I love Kim Cattrall and I'm so annoyed at the hate she's receiving after saying she's experienced a sort of motherhood even without having children.  You don't have to be a parent to be motherly.

Mercy vs. Libertarianism.  Pretty interesting.

My friend sent me this list of jokes for history lovers and it's hilarious.

Facebook is making a dislike button.  This is a terrible, terrible idea.

I think I will love Disney movies until the end of time.  Did you see the trailer for Jungle Book?  So excited.

Because it's stupid to be pro-birth and then not pro-life, check out this list of schools that make pregnancy (planned or unplanned) and parenthood (and adoption, if that's what's desired) possible for students.

I still have to explore this some more, but if it's true? ....swoon.  Jokes & popes. 

Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy!

It really does take a village (and other things) right here.

How and why the Eucharist is everything.

The Onion never disappoints.  Heyyyyy, global warming.

Best way to pray based on personality types!  Most excellent! 

__

Charlotte 

link love (new format!)

These posts, while I love the stuff I link to (obviously), always feel a little tedious to write.  So I've decided to try a new format - maybe a little more conversational?  

I mentioned a few days ago that I love September and that I am absolutely looking forward to the return of Grey's Anatomy and Once Upon a Time.  Check out this article that tells us a little more about Emma as the Dark One.  (A lot of the sneak peaks show the characters in their Enchanted Forest costumes and I'm so excited!  There is nothing so wonderful in the land of TV as the Evil Queen's outfits.  She is something fierce.)

My longtime readers (hi Liz) know I've been diving (more like wading but whatever) back into religion and I've mentioned before how much the internet has helped.  This remains true as ever (I really don't know how or why I just spoke like that?), and there have been so many great posts lately.  Of course, Stephen Colbert is taking the world by storm - I wonder if he knows he's doing so much joy-driven evangelizing... anyway, I enjoyed both the GQ article about him as well as this sneak-peak interview.  (Also, I was happy to see the Bishops stand up for labor rights in their statement.  I also enjoyed this article, which urges leaders and societies who claim to be Christians to allow refugees to enter their/our countries.)  And I particularly loved this post from Meg at His Pierced Hands about praying in churches. 

Fall = best season for clothes, and I think I need this sweater.  Swoon. 

I'm moving back to NY soon and.... let's be all sun shiny and call the room a "fresh slate" (aka it's literally without baseboards and I can see the outside world from the inside and I have no furniture at the moment but THAT doesn't sound as nice as "fresh slate").  I'm probably going to have to be there for at least a year, so I'm going to slowly try and make it a nice place to live, so as to be less depressing.  I've been watching Friends a lot lately and I'm kind of in love with Monica's apartment.  I like this (old!) post about reasons to love it, and I'm going to keep it in mind while decorating.

As much as I kind of hate politics lately, I was super relieved to hear we'll be allowing 10,000 refugees (though... probably should take more?).  Politickle me pink.  

Some more political fun right here.

Anyone else really sick of police brutality?  You don't just tackle people.  I don't understand why cops can't understand that concept.  

Somewhat related (but not entirely): this post about a proposed police training facility in Wilmington.

I'm constantly reading Harry Potter.  Constantly.  And I love it, but I want to read other books, too.  So I've put them nice and high on my bookshelf to try and deter myself from read HP and only HP.  I'm almost done with The Wizard of Oz (more on that later) and I'm not sure what I'll read next.  But I always love adding books to my must-read list.  I've only read one of these books, so maybe that's why my life is currently in shambles?  And YA isn't normally my favorite genre, but some of these sound great.  

Speaking of Harry Potter, I'm not fond of this ranking of HP couples.

And in case you too are looking for a little guidance/self improvement, I've been mulling over this and this.  

That's all for this week, I think.  (And I think I do prefer this format to the dreaded list.)

Off to finish watching this too-close-for-my-comfort Notre Dame game.  xo. 

__

Charlotte  

Weight a Minute

Award for worst title goes to me. 

Everyone who reads this blog (wassup Liz) knows I've been trying to lose weight for a long ass time.  (Wanted to somehow make a "wide ass" joke in that sentence but I'm just not too clever today.)

Well, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm making substantial progress.  I've lost weight before, but I usually put it back on.  I've never tried hard enough to change my habits in a way that would make me reach my ideal weight and then stay there.  (I say "ideal weight" but it's not a specific number, and I think it's mostly bad for me to aim for a number.  So instead I aim for a range - for me, it's 155-175.)  For the last couple of weeks I've been putting a little more effort into the whole thing.  I've been reluctantly (very, very reluctantly) changing my eating habits and I've been working out.  

I've been doing a couple of different things to "work out" every day.  I have been sedentary for such a long time that I physically cannot do many things, so I've had to start small.  My daily minimum is using these tiny 3-5 pound dumbbells for at least ten minutes, doing ten half push-ups, doing 10-20 squats (WORST WORST WORST), and doing some leg lifts.  I realize that sounds like nothing, but it's a *big* step up from my previous routine of sit, sit, sitting all day.

Usually, I try to add to that.  For example, I was watching a baseball game on tv the other day and I decided I'd use the dumbbells until the end of that inning.  (This has been a good way for me to stop eating out of boredom, too.)  I've been doing this kind of thing a lot now, especially when I'm watching tv.  Commercials, the boring stretches in baseball games, halftime, etc.  I feel like it's likely useless when it comes to losing weight (because it's such a short amount of time) but I figure it might be making me slightly stronger or more flexible or whatever.  I also have started lying to myself and saying that working out is a treat.  I imagine I actually will enjoy working out once I'm not so out of shape, so it's not a complete lie.  But I'll read or write and then be like, "wow, I deserve a quick work out."  (smh.) 

Annnd I've been trying to either play basketball or go for walks.  I've been pretty successful.  (Ironically, I have not done so today.  But I'm sick, so...)  

I've been walking between half a mile and a mile every day, and I'm going to try and increase that distance a little bit.  I also have a weighted vest, and I think in a week or two I'll actually be capable of wearing it while I walk.  Right now it's just a mostly-flat (a few small hills and steps) path, but as I get more fit I plan on throwing in the occasional difficult walk.  oooo.  

I've also discovered that everyone is a liar.  Everyone says that working out feels great.  Working out does not make my body feel great.  Working out makes my body feel like it wants a percocet followed by a glass of wine. 

But hey, that's just me.  

The really difficult part for me is the eating.  Since increasing the amount of vegetables I eat, I do notice myself craving healthier stuff more often, but... if I'm craving a banana split, two grapes is not going to satisfy me.  Also, I live with family and for the most part, I have to eat what they eat.  (All good meals, but it's hard to cut back on certain things when I'm not in charge.)  Just.... changing eating habits is much more difficult for me than changing exercising habits.

So this is kind of where I'm at.  I put a lot of weight back on a little while ago when I had (ahem) my period and endo symptoms for a month, so I've had my work cut out for me.  But I've lost over 15 pounds since then, and one of my goals for this month is to lose at least seven pounds, so we shall see.      

Cookies and pie, goodbye. 

__

Charlotte 

Moments

Whenever I’m feeling a little Scrooge-like, I try to fake myself into a good mood.  Does that sound horrible?  Wouldn’t it be better to be, I don’t know, an emotionally intelligent person and just actually change my mood, genuinely, on the spot? 

Prob to the lee.  

Alas, that’s not (usually) in store for me, so I stick with my tried and mostly true motto of fake it til you make it.  If I’m in a shit mood I’ll go watch funny Youtube videos or read one of the happier blog posts I’ve written or eat pizza rolls and watch Gilmore Girls while sending messages to Liz to tell her I’m eating pizza rolls and watching Gilmore Girls.  

And sometimes, it’s enough to trick me into a good mood.  Like magic.  Hermione Granger ain’t got nothing on me. 

(Okay fine, Hermione Granger could probably take me if not for her fictionality.)  

Back to the topic, Char. 

One of these tricks is thinking of some of my favorite moments.  

“Oh, won’t you please write down your favorite moments?!  We want to read all about your favorite moments!”
– None of my blog readers. 

But my word of the year was “persevere” so let’s do this thang: 

1. Olivia and I went out to eat a few months ago.  We were sitting at our table and could overhear the conversation at the next table.  Sadly (but beautifully), someone’s family member had died.  But being a horrible person, I suppose I thought it was okay to joke about.  They said, “Yeah, well, 101 years old, you can’t beat that!”  I texted Liv and said, “WATCH ME.”  And she kind of gave a stifled laugh (make the joke, yeah, but don’t be outwardly rude) and said, “102!  102!”  

This is all nice and good but what I remember most is O’s face when she got the text and then responded.  Liv and I are essentially family, and I don’t know.  Remembering her stupid sparkling eyes and genuine happy face makes me happy.  

I just called her eyes stupid because I felt like I was treading into the waters of “Too Sentimental for Emotionally Unintelligent People.”

2. I guess because I've known her forever, Olivia's going to go ahead and take another spot up here. 

Her family has this awesome blue house with an awesome porch and a big yard (at least for the area) and have had more parties than I can remember.  Her family is a big Irish family and some of them are ridiculous.  In the best way!  I vividly remember sitting there eating something during a bbq and cracking up because her dad and uncle were talking in absurd voices to each other.  And because they're the kind of jokers that find themselves funny AND each other funny, they couldn't keep straight faces.  So it's just two massive guys cracking up and making everyone else crack up.  This happens at basically all of their family gatherings, but every time I picture it again it makes me smile.

3. Olivia is here yet again.  What a greedy B. 

We were camping and it was her turn to do the dishes.  A guy who was at the spot next to us and had talked to us before said something like, "Hey, you're already done with dinner?  I haven't even started yet!  I'm envious."  

My main B replied, "...I'm Olivia."  

Then she asked me if "envious" was a word or a name and I'm dying laughing just thinking about it. 

4. In high school my friend Dana and I were a doubles team in tennis.  We were so good.  Our trick was eating Taco Bell before each match.  Our coach didn't know this, so the one day he walks by and sees us sitting on the sidewalk, each of us with two tacos and a Coke, he gave us the most surprised/angry look.  We explained that we always did this, and that we always won.  He was in disbelief. 

We won the match that day. 

5. When I went to have surgery, my asshole friend Lizette was there.  I was super paranoid about an air bubble in my IV so my much nicer friend, Alison, went to get a nurse.  Before they came back, Liz looks at me, looks at the air bubble, and starts saying, "tick tock tick tock" as it gets closer to entering my body.  IT WAS SO MEAN. 

But thinking about it cracks me up and usually puts me in a better mood.  

There are so, so, so many more of these!  But it just occurred to me that I can bunch them in groups of five, that way I can write a post like this whenever I need a little non-alcoholic pick-me-up.  (Also I'm getting lazy and don't feel like writing anymore.)

Cheers for years. 

__

Charlotte