Sunday Salon

I went to the chiropractor the other day because I am contorted into a shape more likely to be associated with a pretzel than with a human being. He worked as many of the kinks out as he could (I can walk upright again, so that's a plus) but he told me that if I didn't change how I read, I would have this same problem recur over and over again. Seriously? A dad-gummed reading injury? Completely ridiculous, right? Well, he got me to thinking and so I paid attention to my position and posture when I read. What did I find? It's bad. It's really bad. I slouch down and crumple up and hunch over. Not the best or easiest thing on my poor abused spine. Since I am not going to change the amount I read or the frequency with which I do it, I guess I'll have to be more mindful of my posture or risk another cracking, crunching, bruising session. (Mind you, I do love my chiro; I just prefer to be on the maintenance plan rather than the have to fix a massive problem plan.)

That said, I didn't read much at all this week because it's December and that means serious busy-ness around here. I cooked all day one day for holiday Bunko. I've been trying to finish shopping for Christmas plus wrap and send to those family members we won't be seeing on the day. I did my usual volunteer stint at the library and played a little tennis. I had a board meeting for my Women's National Book Association chapter as well as a conference call for the chapter presidents with the same group. I added the usual ten trillion miles to the car getting kids to and from their normal activities plus a few holiday extras. I went to two holiday gatherings (and even managed to be the mostly good corporate wife at my husband's company party--a role I take on reluctantly and as infrequently as possible so it's good his new boss is like an older fraternity brother of his). I sorted and organized the gifts I have so far for the family we will see on the day itself and have drawn up a plan to finish my buying this week. I've done round one of the holiday goodies for Christmas stockings so today I can do round two and maybe even round three (lots of chilling in the fridge time on both the Buckeyes and the Tuscan cheese straws). I walked with friends and dogs, all of us needing time out of the house and in nature. And I chaperoned a teenage party here at the house (which meant I couldn't really read as one ear needed to be open at all times for strange silences and I had to casually wander through the party every now and again to remind them of my presence). As you can see, not much time for reading or reviewing in here.

But I did snatch small bits of time between the pages of some books and I got a glimpse of the love life of a single writer in NYC, spent time with gifted slaves saving to buy their freedom, and walked a dog with a memoirist healing from a long ago trauma. Where did you go in your busy week this week, reading or otherwise?