Thursday, May 17, 2007

Tagged again!

Entropy tagged me with this meme:

Grab the nearest book.

Open it to page 161.
Find the fifth full sentence.
Post the text of the sentence along with these instructions.
Don't search around looking for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.


Interestingly, the first book next to me doesn't go up to p. 161. It's Hugh Kenner's The Mechanic Muse, about the influence of the typewriter on Modernism. It's one of the only books in the living room that isn't packed at the moment, and this meme has reminded me that I need to cite it in the dissertation so I can get it back to the graduate student who has it checked out and graciously lent it to me! (It has 131 pages.)

So, to compensate, I will refer to the next 2 closest books:

"Not only are today's maternity clothes a lot more interesting and practical to wear, but pregnant women can supplement and mix-and-match these specialized purchases with a variety of other items that they can continue to wear even after they get their shape back."
(I suppose that's their collective shape? Don't multiple pregnant women have more than one shape?)

and

"He led the sheep up the stairs, and then step by step he tugged and boosted her upward."
(No, really, it's a children's book--Farmer Boy, actually!)

Pretty funny stuff!

I tag both Darwins, who, I assume, sit in different places when they blog, and Chris, who had better post the answer before he leaves for Mexico! Also, Academama, who should have something interesting to add to this meme! I would have tagged "C," who posts under the tag "john," but she does not have a blog!! (dare I add, yet?)

Thanks, Entropy!

5 comments:

Melanie Bettinelli said...

Funny, I just finished re-reading Farmer Boy. I'm working my way back through the whole series which I haven't read in about 20 years. I'd forgotten how much I loved the Little house books and can't wait to read them with Isabella.

John said...

Here's my sentence:

"Friends are the whipped topping on the ice cream sundae of life, with a few nuts thrown in for good measure."

This book _Before You Leap: A Frog's-Eye View of Life's Greatest Lessons_ by Kermit the Frog was sitting next to my computer when I read this post. This was a fun little exercise.

BTW, I have no blog because I have nothing interesting to say :(. I'll think about it though.

-C

AcadeMama said...

I've got 2 books, equally close. The first:

"Far-off voices, like those heard in a dream. He felt warm." (from Trapped in Death Cave, the book my daughter is currently reading & one of my favorites from childhood...partly because the author, Bill Wallace, is from my hometown).

The second:

"The interactive workbook approach fosters pride in their roots and addresses unique challenges they may face...[next entry] This collection of stories about women from diverse cultural backgrounds in all walks of life, from jodge to coal miner, gives girls an inside look at the rewards and challenges facing working women in our society..."
This excerpt from the List of Resources in the last section of Barbara Littman's _Everyday Way to Raise Smart, Strong, Confident Girls: Successful Teens Tell Us What Works_ The two sentences above refer to the following resources respectively: Mariposa: A Workbook for Discovery and Exporation for Young Latinas and Women and Work: In Their Own Words. I actually haven't finished this book yet, but it's okay so far. Unfortunately, all of my *really* interesting books are in my office on campus :)

Unknown said...

As luck would have it the two closest books to me at the moment are the NRSV Holy Bible and The Catechism of the Catholic Church. The book case they belong in is right next to my computer desk and for once there are no books cluttering up my desk. So here we are.

"And when you look up to the heavens and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, do not be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has alloted to all the peoples everywhere under heaven." Deu 4:19

and

"Christ's whole work is in fact a joint mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Normally, there would be a murder mystery or a romance sitting beside me but I am between books at the moment.

Anna

mrsdarwin said...

Yay, an idea for an easy post! My eternal gratitude... :)