I don’t remember when I first heard about Trevor Noah, but probably when he started hosting Late Night TV. I haven’t watched much of him, but a big deal was made of him in the news, and I think some of his shorts came up on YouTube when I was watching episodes of John Oliver, who is funny and educational, if a little crass at times. I enjoyed the few spots of Trevor Noah that I watched when I came across them. Then, the Chaplain got his audiobook, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood.
It took me a while to get around to listening to it. It has some language, so I couldn’t listen when the kids were around. But once I got started, I found ways to keep listening.
What a great story. Noah is a fantastic storyteller, and an amazing narrator. He seamlessly switches between accents and languages to become a one-man show re-enacting the story of his growing up years. His perspective is fascinating, the cultural narrative is fascinating, and the story itself was interesting and unpredictable. He provides historical information about apartheid in South Africa and even offers some perspective on race in America. He goes back and forth to tell different parts of the story, braiding the different threads to bring everything together at the end.
If you enjoy well-narrated audio, comedic writing, and good storytelling, this is an excellent choice for your next listen.
I have tried to get decent photos of the audio books I listen to, and I’m sure there is plenty of info on the internet about how to take good photos of screens. Unfortunately, that’s not something I want to be good at, so I’m trusting that if you find the reading recommendations you find here helpful, you will be able too look past my lack of effort in this regard.
I came across Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazzero, at my parents’ house on a visit over the summer. A year ago, I probably wouldn’t have given it a second glance.
When I asked my dad about it, I was a little surprised when he lit up and started talking. He sent me my own copy, and I started reading it. I think I was only a few paragraphs in when I started looking for a pencil.
What are your best sensory memories? What about it is the part that makes the memory special? Was it the company, that time of your life, or other sensations tied to the tastes, smells, or textures?
One of my favorite treats is Jelly Belly jelly beans, at least, the good flavors. I understand this “good” is different for everyone. For me, it’s pear and peach flavor, along with a few others. When I first bite into a pear Jelly Belly, I am taken to Amish Country in Lancaster County, PA.
I was there with my family as a teen. In an indoor market, one of the stalls allowed you to buy Jelly Belly jelly beans by the pound AND by the flavor. Which means you could pay the exorbitant price of Jelly Bellies, but not end up with any of the gross ones (I’m looking at you, popcorn, root beer, and black licorice). I left with a whole bag of the best ones – fruity ones, some tart ones. Just sweet, chewy goodness. And the weight of the bag shifting in my lap in the car as we drove away.
My mom always told me I had a sensitive heart.
As a kid I was full of raw emotions and felt other people’s pain as my own. I cried freely when I saw others hurting and was easily moved.
The movie My Girl came out in 1991. I think I saw it the summer I was 12 or 13 – it was on VHS by then. *smile* I remember settling down in the living room of my grandma’s house to watch it one day with my cousins.
Halloween and I have a difficult past. I lived next door to a church growing up. We were regularly subjected to smashed pumpkins, raw eggs, and sometimes toilet paper.
The year I was seven was the last year I was allowed to Trick or Treat. After that, we didn’t “celebrate” Halloween anymore. We would close all our blinds and hunker down that night. We watched old musicals and ate candy. It became a tradition, and two other families joined us. We’d rotate houses, eventually ending up at the house of the family who lived furthest out in the country, and therefore got the fewest Trick-or-Treaters.
I grew up and had kids. I didn’t think much about Halloween, and my kids were too little to care.
Except One was in Pre-K at a Catholic school. And they did all kinds of seasonal activities. At the time, I was kind of shocked. Why were Christians celebrating Halloween? By then, I thought we didn’t. Among Evangelicals, it had kind of become a thing.
My kid learned what vampires were from that school, and I was pissed. I remember having an uncomfortable conversation with his teacher about it.
We started our own tradition of take-out pizza by candlelight on Halloween. I would watch the Trick-or-Treaters go by. There were lights on up and down the block. It was the only night most of our neighbors came out and talked to each other. I found myself wondering why we were staying out of it.
