"Guest Post" from "Dutch" on the State of the Economy

"Dutch" is an American ex-patriate living in the Netherlands for the past seven and a half years. He is well-read on many topics, boasts an IQ of 151 (and just as proud that MENSA rejected him, since they require a 161 IQ), and is a keen observer of his surroundings. "Dutch" was blogging before it became "cool" (he paid out of pocket for the name rights to a URL back in 2002) but is quite selective of which writings end up in cyberspace. The American obsession with consumerism (despite impending depression) fascinates him as well. 

Background Info: In the Netherlands, the "big gift day" is Sinterklaas. It's regarded as a "secular" day and it is my understanding that some very assimilated Jews will observe it since it's "not actually Christmas". December 25, on the other hand, is reserved for religious observances. 

Sinter Klaas Goes to Wall Street

Sinter Klaas visited New York City this year.
This rhyme is about his visit.

As his birthday approached in 2008,

Sinter Klaas visited the Empire State,

in order to witness America's fate,

and how it affects the low and the great.

 

He sailed up the East River in his sloop,

and was welcomed by an enormous troupe

of Santa Clauses working the strip.

They approached him as he alit from his ship.

 

"Who is that guy, some kind of Santa?"

shouted one Saint Nick, just in from Atlanta.

"No," cried another. "He's like our brother.

I heard about him once from my Dutch Grandmother."

 

Old Sint looked for a place to make his speech,

from where the most people could be reached.

He chose the steps of the City Hall

Where a crowd gathered to hear his call,

his warning of a Great Moral Fall.

 

"I am Sinter Klaas. I come from old Spain.

I am not Santa. Please let me explain.

Santa Claus showers kids with candy canes,

lives up north, and summers with the Danes.

But I know what the hearts of people contain!

 

"I'm no Ricardo or John Maynard Keynes,

I've never had short-term capital gains.

But I have come here today to explain

what has happened on Wall Street, and on Main.

And hopefully soothe your emotional pain. "

 

"At the root of the problem lies a monstrous greed.

Unscrupulous lenders have taken the lead,

promising people their home values would double,

blowing up a giant housing bubble."

 

"And after so many workers have gotten the axe

Here comes this guy from Soldman Gax,

saying all is well and just to relax,

But is he one of those financial quacks?

Who doesn't really know all the facts?

Such as that inflation is a hidden tax? "

 

"All around me I see real need.

More people should subscribe to a higher creed.

The ancients taught us lessons we should heed

about the spiritual dangers of so much greed."

 

"Although Sinter Klaas knows just who to blame

We cannot abuse our powers and name names

And subject even loathsome persons to ill-fame.

I come in peace; to instruct is my aim. "

 

"For some CEOs I've brought lumps of coal,

and warned them to keep off the dole.

Greedy bankers get cash smeared with fake poop

And vats of loose change and gunky green goop."

 

"And others get old T-Bills shredded to bits,

and old army scrip mixed together with grits.

And junk-bonds wrapped with small meaty bits.

If you love money, that is all you will get!

But this love of money you will learn to regret!"

 

"Because we've suffered some unfair shocks.

I shall leave such gifts in shoes and in socks,

I'd always thought of Wall Street as a rock.

But mortgage-based assets became a crock,

just a Great Pyramid of worthless stock,

so I knew that Chance had come to knock. "

 

"Not to make cash, but to turn back the clock.

to give people a chance to take stock.

Americans want change; they voted for Barack.

More investors to the dollar have flocked,

despite the billions spent fighting in Iraq,

and the houses for sale on every block. "

 

"(But Our house is in order, truth be told.

Old Sinter Klaas has saved his gold!

So We've never had capital losses to compute

and an ounce has always bought a new suit,

despite the ravages of hyper-inflation,

taxes, world wars, or debt monetization.)"

 

"The wheel of life turns on, endlessly.

And while we are tossed about like ships at sea,

by the ups and downs of the S&P,

the NASDAQ, DAX, CAC and FTSE,

Some years there’s just no growth in GDP. "

 

"Perhaps this crisis is heaven-sent,

showing our moral values have been bent,

by the desire to see every last cent,

yield returns of more than eight percent."

 

"Laying waste to nature is no guarantee

of endless growth of  the economy.

But if you have life and limb and are free,

If you treat all persons with dignity,

you can become who you were meant to be. "

 

Book Review...When Organizing Isn't Enough: SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life

Like most people, I am constantly on the search for the next "big thing" that will fix my problems, to which I have no problem admitting. For years and years, it would be diets (a topic for another blog post). Another area I have felt a strong need to work on has been my organizational/time management skills. I have read literally dozens of books on the subject. I would take their suggestions, work with some of them for a while, and it would fall by the wayside in short order.

Last week, I attended a Ladies' Night sponsored by CYM/LOML's school Parent Council . There was a speaker discussing how we can bring balance back into our lives followed by a yoga session. One of the books the speaker recommended had the above title. It intrigued me because I had read other books by this author (Julie Morgenstern) and loved her idea in Organizing from the Inside Out that the best organized space we should aspire to creating would be like a kindergarten classroom. There are "zones" for various activities. Morgenstern has tackled similiar issues in subsequent books: Time Management from the Inside Out and Never Check E-Mail in the Morning (which is next on my book pile and focuses on those habits which drain our time).

This current book admits that NO organizational/time management system is successful without addressing what needs to be accomplished. A lot of us make space/time in our lives only to fill it with "more". Until we can address our goals, we will go through a constant cycle of decluttering. Our lives center around a theme, which can change whether we choose it to or not (new job, divorce, moving, children). If we look at the process as SHEDing, it allows us to create our space and time around that theme and move on from there.

To illustrate her point about SHEDing, Morgenstern tells the story about her decision to become a professional organizer. It was shortly after her divorce and she had to raise her daughter on her own. Until this point, she had worked in the theatre and realized the need for something more reliable. When she started her business, it was reasonably well for several years, until it plateaued. Meanwhile, she had stored under the dining room table of her Brooklyn apartment, 6 boxes of theatre production books (from every show she had ever done). She truly no longer needed them and they were taking up space. One day, she had enough of the wasted space (the books were "organized" and "safely containered" but were still anchoring her somehow) and she tossed all but the books from her two best productions. After this happened, her business stagnation left.

Separate the Treasures
Heave the Trash
Embrace your Identity
Drive Yourself Forward

This book inspired me to finally accept some facts about myself I've been wrestling with for a while. For example, I've been holding on to a bunch of boxes in my basement from my many years as an afternoon Hebrew teacher. When I packed up my classroom at the Talmud Torah, I simply threw the boxes in the basement. I figured when I have a classroom again, I would use some of this stuff. Needless to say, in the meantime, I opted to downgrade Jewish education as a "sideline" while I work on my credentials to become a "general studies" teacher. In reality, I may never use a lot of this stuff again. A step in the right direction for me has been to stop blaming the "majority" of the mess on the kids' toys in that basement area.

I am still working out a theme for the next chapter of my life, but at least I'm starting to face facts.

I'm BAAAAACK!

Over the next few weeks, I'Y'H, I will be re-vamping my blog to focus on my myriad of interests, all of which reflect on my many facets: mother, educator, and observant Jewish commentary on the absurdity of chumrot. A few updates on my life since the last time we "spoke":

* Both the "cool yiddishe maidel" and the "light of my life" are going to school. CYM is in first grade at the local MO/RZ school and "LOML" is in pre-school at the same place, but on a different campus.

* I spent last school year exploring my next step on my career journey. Previously, I was a "career" Hebrew school teacher and was given an offer I could easily refuse when the administration changed a year and a half ago. I happily accepted an offer to be a Hebrew specialist at a medium-sized Reform congregation. Surprisingly, no one there has been the least concerned about my observance level, cementing my original view that we are all "just Jews". Synagogues are part of movements but people are more fluid.

* As part of this exploration, I worked as a teacher aide at a day school. Despite my background in Judaic studies, I spent more time working with the General studies teacher. This gave me an amazing opportunity to see the other end of a dual curriculum. Taking all things into consideration, I opted to enroll in a post-baccalaurate program at my local college for a teaching certificate in Early Childhood Education (Pre K-3). To make this happen, I put myself on "sabbatical" with my Master's studies in Jewish Education.

* To meet the basic economic needs for my family, I am working quite a bit. I work as a shadow for a special needs student at the local charedi school (the one that does not check for TVs in the house) in General Studies. In addition, the Reform congregation is working to place Hebrew as a larger component of their curriculum and asked me to come on board for their emerging mid-week Hebrew offering. In addition, I have been offered an opportunity to tutor home-schooled children. I am still exploring the third option to see if my schedule (and my sanity) can accomodate it. [B'H, cool yiddish papa is still working quite steady within the federal government but my income covers our "frum" expenses, like living in a specific area, buying over-priced kosher meat and cheese, and day school tuition.]

* Since Pesach, I have been (essentially) gluten-free. In September, the doctor requested that I "re-test" since she had a difficult time believing that I'm gluten intolerant. Shortly before Rosh Hashanah, I had a couple slices of my friend's honey cake and some cookies. While the honey cake was delicious (thanks, Barak), I spent several days recovering from the effects. I have essentially decided to keep myself gluten-free. (As a side effect, we discovered LOML has similar issues. After I banned gluten from the house, CYP would take the girls out to eat. LOML would be sick for a couple days, like I would be. Positive result, for the first time in years, LOML has been putting on some weight where before her stomach would bloat up and her limbs stayed skinny.) Celiac disease may run in my family and possibly led to my father's (a'h) colon cancer.

* I'm spending a lot of time on Facebook and when I get "brave", I'll link this blog to my Facebook page since it exposes my "real identity".

More on Shmirat Ha-lashon

B'H, cool yiddishe mama now has two new jobs, when a little over a month ago, I was seriously worried about my parnasah. I resigned from the Talmud Torah where I had worked for eight years because 1) I was not happy with the changes he had made to my schedule and 2) he hired as his assistant someone who I KNOW is not a good person for me to work for because she tried to ruin my teaching career six years ago (however, there's more tongue-wagging about an alleged affair between herself and a rabbi, while they were still married to other people). During the week, I'll be working as an aide at a day school every afternoon. Sundays, I'll still be teaching Hebrew, at a Reform congregation known until recently as being the most "classically" Reform in their outlook. All this changed, when the new rabbi and his wife, the religious school director, came on board. Both places have nice, professional people and I am pleased to call these people my colleagues. However, recently, I have heard a couple "slips of the tongue" by people that are bound by confidentiality in their jobs.

1) My mother-in-law is a receptionist in a local doctor's office (and it should be said that we do not have the best relationship, but that is another story). One day, she was checking in (or out) a patient and randomly asked the mother ("Lisa") if she works. It turns out that "Lisa" works at my Sunday job and this was mentioned to her. Later on, she told cool yiddish papa (her son) that she met someone at the doctor's office with kids the same age as ours who will be working with me on Sundays. Sure enough, "Lisa" approached me at the teacher orientation after seeing my name on my name tag (we have a very unusual name) and told me that my mother-in-law told her to look for me. On the surface, this could seem like a cute story of people playing Jewish geography. To me, though, I wouldn't want my doctor's receptionist discussing me with her family. All of us sign that paper when we go to the doctor, assuring us that our privacy will be assured. (Of course, it is an entirely different thing when one runs into another person in the waiting room and they start schmoozing.) I guess it reminds me of going to the mikvah...there's an unwritten rule that we not talk about who we see there (perhaps alluding to knowing what will happen later at home) and being discreet about it with others.

2) This second case pains me even more as this was a teacher ("Miriam") in cool yiddishe maidel's class. Last Sunday, she was in one of our restaurants and started speaking to a friend of mine, currently a server there and formerly a janitor at the school before he injured his back. "Miriam" started telling the most horrible things (not clear if it was true or untrue) about one of her students and their family (and using real names), thinking that my friend cared. When he said that he was not interested in hearing it, she found his boss' wife (a friend of hers) and continued the story, loud enough for friend (and several patrons) to overhear. I told my friend that she was not allowed to do that. Teachers, also, are bound by confidentiality, which includes not discussing students with non-professionals. [Of course, I can report abuse if I know about it, but I can't talk about the tzarot of a friend of mine whose son happens to be in my class at the day school. I could lose a friend and a job...not worth it on either count.]

What bothers me even more with this teacher is that a teacher is bound to uphold school values in their daily conduct. It's an easy stretch to say that a school which promotes Torah values should expect their teachers to do the same. [Since this teacher is not teaching limudei kodesh and is not frum, I am not expecting adherence to kashrut and Shabbat, just sh'mirat ha-lashon.] Sadly, when friend informed the director of the school (and this teacher's supervisor) of this indiscretion, he was told that the director spoke to the teacher and since the teacher said it was a "private conversation", he's to blame for overhearing it. [He showed me the e-mail and all he said to the director was to tell her teachers to maintain professionalism even outside work.]

[Side note to readers of this blog whose children attend the same school as cool yiddishe maidel: it was one of the assistant teachers, not the one that is frum.]

This is hard for me because up until now, I have loved just about everything about this school. It scares me because it could have been my child she was talking about, in this way. It's not that I have so many skeletons in my closet (at the same time, I am not an open book). I feel that if certain people are bound to maintain confidentiality, then they should act that way, even when off the clock.

Parnasah Update

For those of you who know me "in the real world", I have been having job tzarot for some time. After a rather stormy transition of directors, I decided to walk away from the Talmud Torah I have called home for eight years. In a nutshell: Reform rabbi who rents space in the school for her congregation led a campaign to have me removed for my "influence" over the students. With no just cause to not renew my contract at all, I was transferred to another branch. Received contract in mail, but returned a resignation. Later on, a former supervisor, "Oketz", (in the midst of her own rumored scandal) has been named as the assistant director of the Talmud Torah. [I had considered asking to withdraw my resignation until I found out that she was going to be there.]

I am taking graduate classes at the local Judaics studies college. They have a cooperative relationship with the local bureau of Jewish education to cover 2/3 of the tuition for each teacher enrolled in a class there. The future of grad school hinges on my having a teaching position in a bureau school. Last week, I told them that I can't continue studying if I don't have a position (they also rely on Jewish Federation dollars connected to enrollment numbers). Today, I made a tally of all the places that I contacted and what happened (identifying details have been changed, of course):

4/26/2007 Large Conservative Congregation (S) [replied right away]
not looking for anyone right now
Position desired: teacher, tutor, or aide (cold contact)

4/26/2007 Other Large Conservative Congregation (T) [last e-mail from her: 6/20; last correspondence: 7/18]
she attempted to set up meeting in June but nothing materialized; I repeatedly attempted to reach her without reply
Position desired: teacher, tutor, or aide (cold contact)

4/26/2007 Chabad Hebrew School (M) [interview: 5/21]
interested in talking to me when she saw that I was from Talmud Torah (her strongest competitor), but told me in the interview that she has "two married ladies" already and "only" hires "seminary girls" for the teaching
Position desired: teacher (cold contact)

5/31/2007 "Congregation Sinat Chinam" (R C) [reply: 6/xx]
keeping me on file should anything come up
Position desired: teacher (cold contact)

6/19/2007 Community Day School (L) [reply: 7/20]
does not have any openings
Position desired: tutor or aide (cold contact)

6/19/2007 CYM's school (RJ) [reply: 6/20]
"already filled the aide position"
Position desired: aide (response to e-mail that he sent out)

6/29/2007 Jewish/multicultural school (S) [notified: 7/18]
got called in for interview right away, references checked out, but job went to someone else ("not enough experience")
Position desired: teacher (response to ad in paper)

7/19/2007 Haredi school (C)
calling her tomorrow
Position desired: early childhood aide (received a lead from former teacher)

7/26/2007 Small Reform Congregation (R M) [gave me my first teaching job]
just sent him an e-mail today and awaiting further information
Position desired: teacher (cold contact)

7/26/07 Another Small Reform Congregation (D)
sent resume today
Position desired: teacher (referred by former academic advisor)

I also had a job interview today with an insurance agency, not my ideal line of work, but it fits one of my "nine rules": Be humble.

[What does that refer to? In the spring, I found a book at the library whose title intrigued me, 9 Things You Simply Must Do. In some future posts, I will talk about these rules. Right now, here's the synopsis. The author (a psychologist) has noticed nine "deja vu" traits that repeat in successful people.

He also wrote a series of books about setting boundaries in personal relationships, aptly named, Boundaries. At first, I shied away from this book because he uses a lot of quotes from the Christian Bible (he happens to be a devout Christian). Then someone suggested that I read what he has to say and substitute wisdom from TaNaKh or rabbinic literature that runs along the same theme. (Easy considering that 1st century Christians were essentially Jewish except for that whole "Yeshke is Messiah" thing.)

Will keep the blog world updated as things progress.

MEME part deux

The Rules:

Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged.

8 FUN FACTS/ HABITS ABOUT ME...

1. I AM ADDICTED TO THE WRITTEN WORD. I will read anything I can get my hands on. Currently, I am in the midst of several books: one in the car (in case kids fall asleep), one in the living room (for when I need down time), one in my totebag, and two stacked on my nightstand. Whenever I go to the library, I clean out the section that I need. I even picture words (with complete punctuation) over someone's head when they are talking to me. Someday I hope to funnel this passion into a writing career.

2. I BEAT DEAD HORSES. (No, not literally.) I am never satisfied with an answer I am given and will instead re-visit it whenever a new angle pops up in my head. For example, my friend Rivka's BF Golda, seems jealous of my friendship with Rivka. So, every time I notice it, I log it into my head to build evidence. I feel like telling Golda (who I had classified as a "coffee friend" a long time ago) that I have my own friends and don't need to steal others...

3. I AM A WELL-REPUTED "FOODIE". As a BT who has gone "both ways" on the kashrut thing, I actually remember how food is supposed to taste and try hard to replicate on a kosher level. I am frustrated by people who accept poor-quality food as the price of being closer to G-d. I own over 30 cookbooks but read them more to get ideas than to follow them.

4. GOOGLE IS BUSY BECAUSE OF ME. Want information found? I'm the person to do it. Need to stretch a paper with extra information? That's me, too. I found my father's widow who dropped out of sight several years ago just by typing her name into stuff.

5. [wil fill in later]

6. [wil fill in later]

7. [wil fill in later]

8. [wil fill in later]

Ok, I tag...Chana and Hila (sorry, but I think you are my only readers that weren't already tagged).

Book Tag

My friend Barak tagged me...

Look at the list of books below: Bold the ones you’ve read. Mark in blue the ones you want to read. Cross out the ones that you wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole (or use red coloring). Finally, italicize the ones you've never heard of.

I've read some of these, hated some, and wouldn't touch some, but there aren't any on the list I'm planning to read...See below to find out who's been tagged...

1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) loved the BBC version w/ Colin Furth; inspiration for Bridget Jones' Diary
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) My 9th grade English teacher thought that we were too stupid to read so she showed us the movie.
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell) Read it three times
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) I liked the Little House books nas a child but sounds worse.
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling) [maybe when the hype dies down]
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) [maybe when the hype dies down]
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling) [maybe when the hype dies down]
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald) [sounds like the name of some bad porn]
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling) [maybe when the hype dies down]
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) Read it in 10th grade when my brother wanted me to know what teenage angst was.
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) Favorite book from childhood.
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) 11th grade English after I got switched to the honors class
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom) so that when I talk about someone's "Tuesdays with Morrie" friend, then I KNOW what it is.
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell) 12th grade reading project; too depressing
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant) One of my friends told me that its' poorly written feminist midrash.
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel) read after seeing the movie w/ Darryl Hannah on TV
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella) Aren't you sure that my mother-in-law didn't write this?
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom) looks interesting
45. The Bible read Christian version in a college religion course; and read Jewish one all the time
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) Hate Russian authors
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) 12th grade English. You're right, Barak. Long-winded, depressing book. [Why would people voluntarily move to California?]
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb) another depressing book
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) 11th grade English. Sealed the deal on my unabided hatred for Dickens. [I found out later that he was paid by the word, explains a lot.] Fondest memory of this book was when teacher accidentally called it A Tale of Two TITTIES. Entire class couldn't stop laughing.
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) 11th grade English summer reading [see Dickens tirade at # 52.]
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) 10th grade English
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) [maybe when the hype dies down]
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) Literature of Women class taught by A MAN
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) brother bought it for me Chanukah 1993...still sitting in book case unread
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) Mostly rememered by its Spanish title that sounded so cool: Cien Anos de Soledad
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares) I sadly admit that I read the whole series last summer, loaned to me by a teenaged friend of mine.
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo) [rather see the update RENT]
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) [will end up reading it when CYM sees a "prince" on the cover]
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding) Liked books better than movies, but some British guys are easy on the eyes...
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez) [can't Marquez write anything uplifting?]
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)...really, where?
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving) Movie w/ Robin Williams first, then book. Book much better, got more into back story.
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte's Web (E.B. White) Read to us by teacher in 2nd grade but hope to re-read with CYM.
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck) Depressing book.
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) 9th grade, read on own. Liked more than 1984 b/c of the decedance.
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) Strange book, completely grossed out by the whole pig thing.
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd) [Maybe it should stay secret...]
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton) Does the movie count?
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Bonus: The Princess Bride (William Goldman)

I tag...Chana and Hila.