Prince and the "Round Tuit": The Weekly Digest

Looking out the window....

 

The shrub roses in the church's flower beds are blooming.

 

The bunnies and squirrels are scurrying about the apartment complex.

A cool experience... Earlier this month I enjoyed two rather cool things.  First, the city of Lakewood's Heritage Lakewood offered a free "Rockin' Block Party" at the amphitheater.  Along with food trucks and a beer garden (whatever that is), the festivities included a Prince cover/tribute band called Paizley Park.  Oh, my!  I never had the opportunity to attend a Prince concert in my youth, but this was the next best thing.  They were excellent.  I found out that they are based here in Colorado and do both "civilian" and corporate gigs.  If I were ever to have a big blow-out party, I'd book them in a heartbeat.  I didn't get to stay for the whole event (I turn into a pumpkin after sundown), but it was so much fun.

The second cool event was something I briefly mentioned here.  I visited the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum just up the street in Golden, CO.  Note:  Out of respect to the artists, I'm only sharing a snippet of the artwork.  The exhibits this season are art quilts from the Montana/Idaho region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) and the Colorado Japanese American Women's Quilt Project.  These works of art are for display and admiration rather than for utilitarian purposes.  The theme of the SAQA projects was "Abundant Palette."  The quilts from the Colorado Japanese American Women's Quilt Project represent stories from several families about their experience in America including those who suffered in the internment camps during World War
II.  These quilts have inspired me to add making an art quilt to my list of crafts to try in the future.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

 

...studies show that the absence of feeling bad isn't enough to make you happy; you must strive to find sources of feeling good. - Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project, Chapter 5.

 

How are you 18 and look divorced already?  You've got a real 37 year old vibe to you. - Gabriel Rutledge, comedian.

 

He who slings mud will surely lose ground. - Jesse Duplantis

 

If the recipient is not going to value your effort, they are just not quilt worthy.  And there are many others out there that are [quilt worthy].  - Karen Brown, Just Get It Done Quilts YouTube channel.

I'm thinking about...

Summer.  Years ago I wrote a blog post about adopting the proper mindset for summer.  I know that technically summer doesn't start until June 20th.  However, I'm loosely basing my seasons on the academic calendar (and of course, Colorado's crazy weather).  The school children are out for the summer, my apartment complex has opened the swimming pool, and I put my snow scraper away and pulled out the sunshade for my car.  So, summer it is.  

One of the things that's helping me plan the enjoyment of this season is a recent episode of Happier.  The hosts talked about establishing "A summer of..."  The Gatekeepers group at work did something like this last year.  They called it "Summer Dreams."  We listed some of the things we planned to do for the summer and the things that we dream of doing.  The only thing was, we never revisited it in the fall.  It would have been fun to hear about all the adventures of the team.  Oh well.

 

I have a few themes for the summer:

• Summer of "Virtuous" Literature:  Last year, I read through Karen Swallow Prior's On Reading Well (Dr. Prior spoke on campus and gave the attendees free copies of her book).  The premise of the book is that good literature can provide lessons in the cardinal, theological, and heavenly virtues.  Each chapter discusses a literary work and how it is either a good or bad example of a particular virtue.  I found the book very interesting, but I didn't read the featured works along with Dr. Prior's commentary.  This summer I'd like to get through as many of the works as I can.

• 

  Image from Google

  Gym Rat '25:  Each year, the City of Lakewood's Recreation Department offers an unlimited summer pass to the city's rec centers for a very reasonable fee.  With Colorado's dry heat, working out indoors is a better option for me during the summer.  My goal is to get in the gym at least three times a week for the duration of the pass (it runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day).
• Getting Around To It:  I have several UFOs/Ps (unfinished objects/projects) that I've been putting off for way too long.  I need to put their steps to completion on my calendar--in essence giving myself a "round tuit."

What I since my last digest...

• The History of Tom Jones:  A Foundling by Henry Fielding  ✮✮✮1/2
  
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald  ✮✮✮ (Category: School Daze Needed Rereads)  
• Pauses for Pentecost by Trevor Hudson ✮✮✮ 
• Encouragement for the Depressed by Charles Spurgeon ✮ 
• How Should I Live as a Single? by Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley ✮✮
• Aesop's Fables by Aesop ✮ 

I'm currently reading...

• A World of Charity by Jonathan Edwards
• The Dieter's Prayer Book by Heather Harpham Kopp
• Mansions of the Heart by R. Thomas Ashbrook 
• Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend 
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• Faith's Checkbook by Charles Spurgeon
  
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
• Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
  
• On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior 
• Now, Discover Your Strengths by Gallup
  
• The New American Standard Bible

Recent Blog Posts...

• First Line Friday #34:  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is here.
• My previous digest:  Comic Relief is here. 

 I am thankful for...

• I say this every year, but I'm thankful for a public library that allows adults to participate in their summer reading program.
• My therapist.  We are doing some good work together.
• The end of snow season.
• Teas that need no sugar or honey to taste good.
• All the sweet birthday gifts I received. 
• The living water promised by Christ in John 4 and John 7. 

From the Workshop...

"Happy Little Brushes": Acrylic on Canvas (16x20)

"Kalinda" #8:  This went to a raffle for an organization's fundraiser.

 

 

 

"Irish Chain": Went to Loving Stitches Ministry

"Tying Up Leftovers": Went to Loving Stitches Ministry

 

 

First Line Friday #34: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Thanks to Carrie at
Reading is My Superpower
for the Link-up

 

 

Title:  The Great Gatsby
Author:  F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre:  Classic Fiction
Category:  School Dayz Needed Rereads

 

  〰First Line〰

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In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since."Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────

Synopsis:  (From Amazon.com) 

Set on Long Island during the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s enduring exploration of wealth, desire, and the disillusionment of the American Dream. Narrated by Nick Carraway, the novel unveils the tragic pursuit of lost love by the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby, set against the backdrop of Jazz Age excess and East Coast elite society.

Recognized as a cornerstone of American literature and regional commentary, this classic novel captures the social divides, moral decay, and cultural shifts of post–World War I America. With its richly drawn characters and lyrical prose, The Great Gatsby remains a powerful critique of class, identity, and ambition in 1920s America — making it essential reading for fans of literary fiction, American classics, and modern literary criticism.

〰First Thoughts〰

I know that some literature leaves a lasting impression on some and not others.  I also know that as children, some of us loathed required literature that our not-fully-developed frontal lobes convinced us was outdated, irrelevant drivel.  In other words, our goofy selves would rather read Sweet Valley High novels and Tiger Beat magazine than books by old (or dead) people.  

As an adult who just turned 53, I see how stupid that sounds.  The older I get and the more books I read, the more I understand the value of good stories from the perspective of another class, culture, or epoch.  However, my 15- (or 16--I don't quite remember) year old eyes read the book for Dr. Rhodes' English class at Jacksonville High School and took a test on it that I assume I passed since I didn't have to take the class again, but I do not remember a word of the story, its plot, or its characters.  It's not age, since I remember other literary works from my primary, secondary, and post-secondary education (all the way from Curious George to The Tregedie of Macbeth.  No, for some reason, this story didn't make an impression on me.  Hopefully rereading the novel will be my way of rectifying the situation.  If I like it well enough, I may watch the movie adaptation later.

 〰Last Thoughts〰

Book completed 6/7/25
Rating:  ✮✮✮ stars
Conclusion (NOTE:  Contains spoilers): I gave the book three stars because of how it was written, not for the story itself.  Even after going through this tome, I still do not remember reading it in high school.  The nature of the story itself may be why I completely blocked it from my memory. 

Though articulately presented, the story arc got on my nerves.  I read this as part of my "Summer of Virtuous Literature" explained here.  According to the reading guide, Fitzgerald's volume is a case study in temperance (or that lack thereof).  While that's true, this is also a story about a group of people who didn't learn anything:

• Gatsby: His lust for wealth and a woman he wanted (though she was married) gave him the false notion that he could buy and control any and everyone.  His hiding the truth to protect his "property" cost him his life.  He learned nothing. 
• Daisy:  Her unwillingness to acknowledge or confront any negative situation cost (unbeknownst to her) the life of her husband's mistress.  At the end of the story she continues on in blissful ignorance and maintains the facade of her fairy-tale life.  She learned nothing.  Side note:  If anyone can explain why she was crying over Gatsby's shirt collection, I'd appreciate it.  
• Tom:  This man is an arrogant, abusive, racist control freak (those were the nicest words I could use that were fit to write).  With his secret lover now safely dead, he and Daisy just ride into the sunset.  He learned nothing. 
• Nick:  He opens the story with a bit of self-righteousness on his part.  The first line (see above) isn't advice from his father to be empathetic; it's permission to look down on those to whom he feels superior.  Even in all his supposed pity for Gatsby, he's judging him, plus he's the on who helps Gatsby hook up with Daisy knowing she's married.  He learned nothing. 
• George:  He is the dim-witted henpecked husband of Myrtle (Tom's mistress).  He figures out that she's cheating on him, but doesn't not know with whom.  After the accident (Myrtle is struck and killed by a vehicle), he murders Gatsby assuming that because it was his car, he was driving it.  His knowing only half-truths and making impulsive decisions cost him everything.  He learned nothing.
• Myrtle:  She is George's cheating wife whose indiscretions cost her life.  She learned nothing.

Even with all of that, I understand why this book is considered a classic.  The genre is an open window into the attitude of the time.  However, the assumption that the story is a slam on the rich opulence of the Jazz Age is ludicrous.  Take away the money and this same story can (and does) happen now.  It doesn't take money to be whoreish, greedy, and controlling.  The riches simply amplified character defects that already existed.

So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?