Beastly

this is the book i bought, and read, today.  bret is currently reading it now.  it's amazing, and quickly earned a place as one of my favorite beauty & the beast adaptations.  most B&B stories are told from Beauty's perspective.  this is a departure, and is told from the beast's POV.  it's amazing, and i recommend it highly!  i can't wait for the movie based on this book - and i don't have to wait long as it's out next month!  : )  


i identify strongly with the "don't judge by the outside appearance" storyline.  


(i had a long, heartfelt something to post about that, but that was hours ago and now i just want to share my day and not think too much.  i'm tired and would like to go to sleep!  *laugh*)  


today was a very good day!  got up at 8:30, but then didn't want to be up yet, so went back to bed for an hour.  got back up & dressed & was out the door by 10:15.  went to the bank for some moolah, then kwik shop for diet pepsi & smokes & gas, hardee's for breakfast, and the post office for stamps.  didn't make any friends in line today - everyone was pretty much in a "stare straight ahead" kinda mood.  which was okay, as i wasn't particularly chatty either!  *laugh*  : ) 


i was supposed to do part II of payroll at 11, but the mail hadn't arrived when i called jan, and i'd planned to hang out w/ mom this afternoon.  however, when i called her she said she just wanted to go back to bed!  she's fighting a cold & all.  so we're going to hang out for lunch w/ leyton tomorrow & then maybe go to a movie.  


since i didn't need to head to jan's, i decided to go to borders & find a book i wanted to get for becca for her birthday (some of you may know of it?  Keep Calm and Carry On.  i want a copy for myself, as well!).  they didn't have it in stock, but of course it's a book store, so it wasn't a wasted trip... LOL  i perused the romances (buy 4, get the 5th one free!), but nothing sparked.  or, rather, a couple did but they were hardback, and i don't do those very often.  pricey, you know.  *laugh*  i did find a couple books on the buy 1, get 1 50% off table - Mennonite in a Little Black Dress and Lies My Teacher Told Me.  neither is my usual sort of book, but both looked very good!  i'm especially interested in Lies, because it's about all the misinformation in today's history texts used by our country's schools.  i've thought for years - perhaps even while i was still in school - that our history texts were rather ... uninformative.  


after i found those two books, i continued to wander around the store, still looking for the other book as i hadn't found an associate to ask yet.  i made it over to my favorite section, YA.  favorite!!  i had a rather interesting observation about the changes to the YA section over the years.  when i was in school, that section was full of SVH, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Babysitter's Club, covers of bright colors and pastels.  today, it's vampires everywhere!  Twilight, Vampire Diaries, Vampire Academy, etc.  all awesome series, btw!  : )  the covers are all dark, dark, dark, jewel tones and blacks.  vampires aren't the only books, tho - there are fairies, witches, wizards, magic galore!  


and then, of course, Beastly.  ; )  i was so excited when i saw it, little unexpected treasure!  i started it right when i got home, and read thru until it was time to leave for becca's dinner party.  : )  


now, this dinner party is the sort of thing that i know can induce a panic attack.  but i have been preparing for it for a month.  part of my preparation is to not think about the things that make me panic - such as not knowing any of the others who would be there, save becca; not knowing if becca would be there when i arrive... like, i think about the abstract, reminding myself of the party, so i know it's coming, but thinking only in terms of "i'm having dinner w/ my friend becca, which i do all the time, and it's going to be fun."  


this all worked for the most part, and carried me through all the way until i hit about 12 blocks before the restaurant.  then, suddenly, as is the way of these attacks, i got that feeling in my stomach and started to think about all the ppl whose names i'd seen on FB that said they would be attending the dinner, and thinking about walking into the restaurant and having to find the table and ... i texted a prayer request status to my FB.  (thanks to everyone for the prayers, btw!!)  i turned down a road a couple blocks before the restaurant to give myself a few more minutes - and another smoke!  i got some responses to my prayer request, and reading thru them along with constant praying and breathing and "i will be okay, i will be okay" chants... they helped!  thank You, Jesus!!!  


dinner was really nice, everyone was so sweet and hilarious!  most of the women were friends from becca's church, and it was really nice to feel the comradery they had together... and after a few minutes, i didn't feel uncomfortable with them at all.  again, i thank the Lord so much for that!!  i really, truly, enjoyed the evening.  : )  


after dinner, a group was going to a movie, but i was pretty well exhausted, since dinner was about 3 hours!  *laugh*  i came home, finished my book, watched some John Doe & Stardust, and ... here i am!  heh.  


i love stardust!!!  you know that, i tell you every time i watch it.  ; )  


i hope your day was fabulous and panic attack free!  i did just find out that 2 more of my cousins suffer from them, as well.  that knowledge is oddly comforting - tho i wouldn't wish these on anyone, ya know??  but to know i'm not alone - i mean, KNOW it, not just know it.  (that's a lot of knowing, sorry!)  


anyway... i'll leave you w/ a postcrossing from portugal.  : )  sending much love your way!  

ttfn!