More Random Reads.. .

I'm pretty behind on entries about books I've read, so I'm going to do a quick catch up post. In the last two weeks or so, I've also read:

Amy's Answering Machine--I bought this at Goodwill yesterday for 20 cents and read it in about 20 minutes last night. Funny little book--totally lightweight, but made me laugh out loud! It is basically a series of transcripts from messages the author's mother has left on her answering machine.

The Highly Sensitive Person--I got this book from Bookins. I have read it before, but it has been several years. This book helps me understand why I'm so BUGGED by extraneous noises (ones that compete for space inside my brain. Not good at shutting them out) and also why I'm not a big fan of music (lots of HSP's are fans of music, but for me it is the competing for space issue). Also how it is possible that I feel like an extrovert and an introvert at the same time. I LOVE being with people, but I also get drained by it and HAVE to be alone and SILENT. The silent thing is hard to come by as a mother of little ones and this book helps me understand why I feel that need for silence and why I get frazzled without it.

The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide--Got this one from a friend at playgroup. Last year we started sporadically attending the local UU Fellowship. I've felt an instant kinship with the UU approach and philosophy and beliefs statements. I joked to M that UU should be the "official" religion of social work, since the "what we believe" statement from the UU church could practically have been lifted from the social work code of ethics (NASW). Then, reading this book I learned that one of the early UUs in the US was none other than Jane Addams, the "mother of social work." Hee hee! I KNEW it!

Secrets on 26th Street--This was another little AG "history mystery" that I got for Christmas (that I bought myself on clearance a long time ago). The mystery in this one was more engaging than in the other one I recently read, but no nursing of babies in this one!

Baby & Mom Prenatal Yoga--This is a DVD I bought at Goodwill. I read the reviews on Amazon before I watched it, which I shouldn't have, because it gave me preconceived notions. Anyway, the reviews were pretty evenly divided between "this video is WAY too new agey and I hated it" and "this video was so cool and made me feel so close to my baby." So, I was kind of excited to watch it because the negative reviews mentioned (and critiqued) things like "primal dancing" and "chanting" and I was like, cool! Then I watched it and was sad to agree with the bad reviews. This was too new agey for me. Plus, it barely resembled yoga at all. In small print on the box it says "simple and effective exercises for expectant moms." That was much more accurate. There was no recognizable prenatal yoga in the video at all. There was an interesting exercise where you alternately raised your arms in the air and back down (in rhythm) for 3 minutes without stopping. It sort of an example of coping with pain, I guess. It was HARD! I was surprised.