Finished Hamlet-- what a ride!! Jenn and Kareni, thank you for the article! I will read that with great interest! I've read Return to Laughter and enjoyed it very much. Eliana, I take my hat off to you-- I made a concerted effort to read Ulysses last year and managed exactly one chapter. Now that you've read it, do you feel it was worth it, and did you enjoy it, and why? I confess I need some motivation to try it again... Reading Tennyson this week-- a bit less exciting that the other poetry I've read lately, but still likeable.

In general, CR, I would agree with you, but in this case, with this coach, I think that it is so likely that her DS would face some retaliation, and I would not want him to have to face that. OP feels that it is obvious that she is the one who complained, and her DS is only 6. The director seems to be on top of it now, so I would feel comfortable taking him out.

Reading Hamlet: I was very surprised to realize that I've never read it straight through... it is really compelling! and so well-written! I mean, of course, it's Shakespeare! Also surprised to recognize so many quotes I recognize from reading Dorothy Sayers, and the influence the play has on CS Lewis' The Silver Chair-- both at the beginning when Rilian is obsessed with the serpent who killed his mother, and later on when he is all in black and 'looked a little like Hamlet.'

I would want to meet her parents/family.

I think it's possible to challenge people and make them think, while still participating in a civil discussion.

I think it is very interesting that (so far) BU has chosen to keep her, while making it clear that such statements are not appropriate. I read elsewhere that she had apologized. So BU seems to say that this is a person they can work with. I'll be interested to see how it plays out.

Re the 25 Novels list, I've read Kindred and thought it extremely good-- she brings you into the world of slavery in the American South in a very compelling way.

My mom taught me French when I was little by reading to me a little textbook from her childhood called Totor et Tristan, Deux Soldats du Bois. She felt sorry for Totor because one line was [something like this, but French speakers please excuse the errors] "Tristan est inteligent, mais Totor est stupide!" Poor Totor! I can't speak French beyond a couple of words, but when I hear it spoken i can follow a bit... I never studied it formally. This week I've finished up my reading of the poet Adrienne Rich-- very interesting and strong. I've continued my series of plays-within-plays with Sheridan's The Critic. I think this book was mentioned somewhere in Jane Austen but I can't quite remember where. It is funny! I enjoyed it very much... but in the end it did not really go anywhere. The playwright and the critic have some good discussion, then they go see a rehearsal... then it just kind of ends.

I would tell my daughter, if he seems too good to be true, he probably is.

((Hugs)) Did I understand correctly, that the Rx comes from the walk-in clinic? At that kind of clinic they will be looking at what they can do for a person in the short term- he needs a Dr who can get to know him long term, and try various options if needed. Also... You know there's nothing wrong with modifying the vegan fast in times of illness or stress. Could it be that more meat might help him?

I liked Ursula Le Guin's The Wave in the Mind and also PD James' book about writing detective fiction. I've read the first part of The Portable MFA and enjoyed it.

Reading Adrienne Rich's collected poems this week. Here is canto (?) 5 from her poem "North American Time. V Suppose you want to write of a woman braiding another woman's hair— staightdown, or with beads and shells 50 in three-strand plaits or corn-rows— you had better know the thickness the length the pattern why she decides to braid her hair how it is done to her what country it happens in what else happens in that country You have to know these things ... I really like Adrienne Rich. Somehow her poems inspire me to write mine. Why? Why are some poets inspirational and some are not, no matter how good?

Our neighbors JUST did this-- went on a trip to show their kids their new town, and the house sold on the first day they were gone! It was nice for them especially because they did not have to worry about keeping the house clean with little kids.

Since I've had an idea that the next script I write will be a play-within-a-play, I decided to read a bunch of plays-within-plays. I read Noises Off and thought it was hysterical. So clever and well put-together! Hope I can see it in the theater someday. Also started the collected poems of Adrienne Rich. It's so interesting to hear what you all are reading. :)

The issue here doeesn't even need to concern the wife being present during confidential discussions with the pastor. If she is the pastor's wife, women will come to her on their own, thinking that she is a person they can safely confide in, especially when it is something they are uncomfortable sharing with a male pastor. If she isn't that safe person, that's a big problem. --Unless you can make her wear a sign that says Don't trust me! and I don't think you can do that. :) However, can someone call her on it? How would she react to that? Is she someone who can learn from mistakes and improve herself? So I wouldn't dismiss the idea immediately-- but I would definitely want more information.

It's way over the top.

Thank you, Loesje! Very interesting!

Super video!

Congratulations! I would be careful not to invest much money in publicists, etc, because I think this kind of fame is very fleeting. If you can make some money for DS, great!

Loesje, can you say more about the differences in the views of slavery?

I have never read Lolita, or wanted to, but Reading Lolita in Tehran made me think it might be worth it. She places it within the stream of western literature in a way that made it seem interesting & valuable.

I'm trying to read some work from a different poet each week. Some are new to me, some not. Recently I've been looking at Akhmatova, Brodsky, and Frost. This week I was inspired to look into James Dickey, who wrote a poem about cancer that was referenced in the NY Times this week. I am not sure I like Dickey, overall, even though I do find an echo of Gerard Manley Hopkins in his work. But I do like this poem, The Bee: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/bee It's about how, when he had to rescue his young son from a bee, he felt the voice of his long-dead college football coach urging him to greater speed than he thought he was capable of. Enjoy! I'm hoping to be able to contribute to this thread in future weeks. Thanks for starting it!

hugs & prayers.

((hugs))

Yes, not just tears, but coughing and choking and wheezing. it seems to get worse as I age. No other substance has this effect on me and I don't have asthma. To me it seems worse if the onion is old, though.