Grab the Lapels

Sunday Lowdown #293

It’s not so much that the official Sunday Lowdown (which was regularly scheduled) is back and more so that I was going to share a bit, but it’s not all Uncle Ralph’s Carrots (positives).

a tale of two cities read-along

Recently, I finished a read-along with Biscuit and Lou. Well, finished isn’t the right word because I did not finish our book, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, but I did complete the online meetup where I asked questions and learned more about the novel from my companions. Oddly, Lou struggles with most Dickens novels but loved A Tale of Two Cities, and I was the exact opposite. I typically enjoy Dickens, and he is definitely my favorite author from that time period, but I just couldn’t follow along with the sentences. I paused to ask, “Do those words go together??” I’m sad that I wasn’t able to finish because when I read the detailed plot synopsis on Wikipedia, I came away knowing that Dickens wrote an exceptional, exciting story. Biscuit was too determined to quit, claiming this was her “next Beloved” (referring to how the two of us struggled through Toni Morrison’s novel and gained bragging rights to claim we finished).

summer reading: june – august

Recently, I posted an update with books that I’d like to get through this summer, though I’m not formally participating in #20BooksofSummer. Here is what I’ve been up to:

completed & reviewed
  • So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison: a action-filled novel about best friends with unconventional vampires and vampire lore.
  • All this Can Be True by Jen Michalski: when a wife and mother must face her husband’s possible death, she also explores her romantic feelings for another woman, a stranger with a past that connects them.
did not finish
  • Big Man with a Shovel by Joe Amato: this novel is too experimental for where I am in life, though I found the core story about employees of a snow removal company interesting. It’s more the metafictional aspects that I didn’t like, which included two editors pouring over the story of the snow removal employees because it sounds too familiar, making them wonder if it’s plagiarized. Then, there were the huge sections during which the author listed big events in American history.
currently reading
  • Best Laid Plans by Allison Brennan: this Lucy Kincaid novel is about the speed that my brain will allow right now, and I’m grateful that such a series exists.
coming soon
  • Goodbye Earl by Leesa Cross-Smith: the first book Biscuit and I are reading together post-internship. While we used to meet on video twice per week, we’re starting slowly with one book per month/one meeting per month. Besides, we’ve both got other book clubs going on.

interpreting work

So far, I’ve had some setbacks with getting started as an interpreter, and I’m working through them. Those setbacks are emotionally devastating to me, and as a result, I was quite behind on visit other people’s blogs. I tried to hit as many posts as I could, but just know that while I value the work you’ve put into your posts, I’m dealing with a lot right now. While there are some solutions in the pipeline for interpreting, I’m not exactly thriving as a person right now.

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Published by Grab the Lapels

I'm a graduate of the MFA fiction writing program at the University of Notre Dame, which inspired me to follow along with trends in teaching, publishing, and reviewing. I also have an MA and BS from Central Michigan University. I used to teach composition, creative writing, and literature in higher education, then did a brief stint at a civic theater, followed by two years at a references desk at a public library. I'm now working toward my ASL Interpreter license.

29 comments

  1. Oh, Melanie, I’m so sorry about the setback re getting started as an interpreter. I don’t know what the issue is of course, but hang in there. Everything I see and know about you tells me you’re great at the job so I hope it’s just a blip, and you’ll be on your way soon. Just know that there are people who love and believe in you.

    As for A tale of two cities, I’m fascinated by the fact that you couldn’t get into it, but love other Dickens. I’m more with Lou – or, should I say, I understand Lou. When I was at high school, I could not read Dickens, until I tried A tale of two cities. That was my entrée to Dickens. After that, I did get into him, and I do like him a lot.

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    • I think Lou said they made her study Hard Times to death, which left her feeling sour on Dickens to begin with.

      I’m coming up with a plan of action regarding work stuff. I definitely considered just quitting, but if I quit, that means I did not see it through all the way.

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  2. I’m so sorry to hear you’re facing setbacks. That must be so frustrating to have to deal with just as you’re ready to get out and begin. I hope some solutions begin to come about.

    Funnily enough, Peter just read A Tale of Two Cities (though I don’t know if he ended up finishing). He said it was too hard for where his brain was at the end of the school year. But it’s my absolute favourite Dickens. I do, however, loathe Great Expectations.

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  3. I don’t know why I don’t read Dickens, but I don’t. I have Bleak House in my Audible library so I suppose I’ll get to it one day (I can see now I could have got the Charles Dickens collection – 10 novels – for one credit, a much better bargain.)

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    • Bleak House is all about the futility of British courts, and I enjoyed it with just a bit of background knowledge needed. Basically, the courts take so long to do shutting at this time because they’re searching through files of YEARS of cases looking for precedence. Some families have waited generations for a ruling about money that’s supposed to come to them, which can destroy families. That’s one of the main themes.

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  4. I hope your setbacks will turn out to be like getting my grandson to learn to sleep–often it’s one step forward and two back. He’s sitting in my lap as I type this, rubbing his eyes.

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  5. Too bad about Tale of Two Cities, I really enjoyed that one.

    Sorry to hear about your setbacks. I know it is probably hard to not get discouraged, but keep at it, things will turn around!

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  6. I’m sorry to hear the interpreting stuff is such a struggle right now Melanie, but it sounds like you see some light at the end of the tunnel? I think I detected hope in that last paragraph?

    What made me LOL in this post was your question “do those words go together?” because I honestly can’t think of a worse burn for a writer hahah

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    • Some writers are proud that they write sentences in which the words don’t go together because they think they are challenging the status quo. However, if your goal is communication of something, anything, you can’t put together a mishmash of words and hope everyone just “gets it.”

      There was probably some hope in my post, and I’ve reached out in a few places to try and get something going with interpreting.

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  8. Having read your more recent post, I know things are starting to look more promising with interpreting. So that’s good! I’m rooting for you. I’ve been mostly absent here this summer, but I hope to get back into the groove of posting and reading blogs. I’ve been doing some good reading but also didn’t participate in 20 Books of Summer. Just following my own whimsical reading star – and trying hard to read what I own and not buy anything new!

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    • I like making lists, like many of us do, and I like that I picked out titles for me to choose from, especially since I have decided to not finish a few books so far. The list helps me rebound and pick a new title faster. I’m going to do a list for the fall, too. It helps me navigate those plastic totes and e-readers full of books that might not live in my top of mind.

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