Color Me Cultured // Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend & The Art of Racing in the Rain

You know those stories that captivate you? The ones where you find yourself in someone else’s shoes, where their life becomes yours for a few hours as you read? Matthew Dick’s book Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel is a story of that capacity. I’m not sure if any of you have read Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel but this book too has that ability. So in some sense you are getting a twofer here today. Both books put you into the driver seat of a completely different life. In Memoirs it’s the life of an imaginary friend, one who just wants to save the autistic boy who loves him and dreamed him into being. In Racing the life and never ending love of man’s best friend is told, from the perspective of man’s best friend.

Neither book has a complete grasp on reality as we see it, but that is what makes both of them so endearing. All throughout life we strive to get perspective, to understand the world and life and how things become the way they are. We want to get into other people’s heads, to figure out why they love us or hurt us. What makes them happy or sad and why; because maybe then we can understand ourselves a little better too. 

These books are told from beings that are there for no other reason than to love us. They see our faults and deficiencies and all the ways we fall short, and they are there at the end of the day to bridge the gaps where we can’t. They help us find our strength, to conquer our fears, to rise up whenever the world feels as though it is beating us down. From an imaginary friend to a dog, there is one thing in life that these books remind us of…we are always loved.

Review by Meredith Rachek of Write Until There is Nothing Left & images via Amazon

Color Me Cultured - The Great Gatsby - Part 2



"If there is anything you, want just ask for it, old sport." | Image via Facebook

 The Great Gatsby hits theaters on Friday so here is the final installment of our book club responses.

Contributing to the book club discussion this time is Pat, my mother, Sue, my mother-in-law, Katie C, my sister-in-law, Katie G of Dream Till Green and our in-house literary expert, Meredith.

The gals answered 4 questions last week which you can read here: Color Me Cultured - The Great Gatsby - Part 1

I know a few bloggers out there are reading the book right now (Sara and The Everygirl) so I've put in a jump break so you don't have your opinions spoiled. But please come back and answer these questions for us too so we know what you think!

Color Me Cultured - The Great Gatsby - Book Club Part One

Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan (image via The Great Gatsby on Facebook)

I know it hasn't exactly been "reading weather" lately but we must focus up nonetheless. The Great Gatsby is coming to theatres in a couple of weeks! You could go into it not knowing the story at all, or just knowing what you remember from junior high, or you could read along with us as we explore the depths of this American classic.

Contributing to the book club discussion this time is Pat, my mother, Sue, my mother-in-law, Katie C, my sister-in-law, Katie G of Dream Till Green and our in-house literary expert, Meredith.

I also asked John, my father-in-law, if he wanted to read along and here's his review of the work.

"The Great Gatsby is a story about love, deception, greed, lust and unbridled enthusiasm. You see, Erin, Jay Gatsby was a simple country boy… some might say a cockeyed optimist, who got mixed up in the high stakes game of world diplomacy and international intrigue. That’s what led to Jay Gatsby’s downfall." 

If you haven't read it yet and want to read it before hearing our opinions the questions are on this post here: The Great Gatsby - Questions for Reading

And now, to our panel of ladies who read the novel and have shared their take on each question.

Q1: Who is Jay Gatsby? What are your first impressions?

Pat: My first impression of Gatsby was that he's a " rich social misfit"

Sue: Jay Gatsby is a complete mystery man...lots of money, but very unapproachable....and frankly, as a reader, I never really connected with him at all.  You know he has a super fantastic home and puts on these wild parties, but he doesn't even seem to even partake in he parties..he likes to observe other people (many of whom were not even invited by him)  enjoy all of his money...very odd.

Katie C: a Mystery. Capital M. A mystery to his readers, a mystery to his guests, a mystery to his neighbors. First impressions, of course. An obviously wildly wealthy man, who throws gigantic parties but may or may not have any close friends. But his house is beautiful. And so is his car. And his lawn. When I pictured him in the beginning, I pictured Robert Redford... then after we got to know him a bit, I pictured Leonardo DiCaprio. Hmmm...

Katie G: He's a mysterious wealthy man. My first impression is that he is misunderstood. Everyone thinks he's a murderer, but I like to give characters a chance, so I never believed that. I just thinks it's weird that no one really knows anything about him.

Meredith: Jay Gatsby is almost too good to be true when you first hear about him, and then upon first meeting him (prior to Nick actually meeting him) he seems like a man whom despite having everything actually has nothing as he stands out in his backyard away from the party going on at his house, reaching across the lake to a light on the other side. 

Erin: He is a man who tries to create an atmosphere of busy, amusement in hopes that his planning and party throwing will distract his singularly focused mind. He wants to be the talk of the town but remain a mystery because he as a person isn't incredibly interesting.

Get the rest of today's questions by clicking the "Read More" link below.

Color Me Cultured - The Great Gatsby

Hopefully you've had a chance to pick up your copy of The Great Gatsby in the last week and if not, no worries you still have time.

This classic American novel is difficult to break into sections so instead of doing several sets of questions we're sharing the items to consider now and as you read along make note.

Leave comments below or on Facebook and let us know what you think! The first round of responses will be collected and posted in two weeks.

The Great Gatsby : Questions to consider while reading

Q1: Who is Jay Gatsby? What are your first impressions?

Q2: What is Nick Carraway's role in the novel? Consider Nick's father's advice in chapter one: "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." Does telling the story from Nick's point of view make it more believable? What are our narrator's motivations? Why is he telling us this story?

Q3: Whom do you think the characters in The Great Gatsby represent? Do they seem like real people? Which characters seem the most real to you? 

Q4: What are your emotions towards Daisy throughout the story?

Q5: Think about the two worlds, the Midwest and the East, as Fitzgerald describes them, and what they represent for Nick and for Gatsby. Compare and contrast Gatsby's social class with that of Tom and Daisy Buchanan. How does geography contribute to the definition of social class in The Great Gatsby?

Q6: Has your opinion of Jay Gatsby changed since the beginning of the novel?

Q7: What is the American Dream? How does Gatsby represent this dream? Has the American dream changed since Gatsby's time?

Q8: What do you think gives this book its longevity? What makes "The Great Gatsby" a classic work of fiction?

Can't wait to hear what you think!!

Color Me Cultured - Book Club Announcement!

image via Pinterest

It is back by popular demand! Well, not really, but it is back.

Next week we are kicking off the next book in the Color Me Styled Book Club. And we will be reading The Great Gatsby in preparation for the movie coming out in May.

This week get your hands on the book and next week we'll post a few of the discussion points. Check back each Tuesday over the next four weeks for updates and insights.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on this book and the characters and we are dying to see how they're depicted in the upcoming movie. Be sure to let us know you're reading along in the comments below and on Facebook.

This American Classic is a quick read at under 200 pages in most issues. In fact, you should be able to read it a couple of times. How we never managed to read it all the way through without cliff notes in high school is kind of surprising now that we look at it.

Target has several versions of The Great Gatsby on sale (large format and normal text) and of course you can snag it for your kindle.

So be an old sport and join in the gaiety. 

Color Me Merrier - Cyber Sabbath

image via Pinterest

Technology is everywhere and it is constant. TVs are smarter, tablets are featherweight and phones are barely used for calling anymore. Information is at our fingertips.

But there are benefits to putting the devices down and stepping back slowly.

After a four-day hike sans tech, according to SELF Magazine, people did 50 percent better on a creativity test. University of Utah researchers say even an hour of nature time yields some benefits if you unplug. AKA you're smarter without a smartphone.

Forbes has compelling reasons to unplug as well. You'll manage stress better, actually get more done, sleep better and just be nicer overall.

If you are new to this idea try just leaving your phone at home while you grocery shop or run other errands. Eventually you'll build up to leaving it on silent in your bedroom for a whole weekend afternoon. 

If you commute via public transit to and from work read instead of obsessively refreshing your twitter feed. (Kindles are acceptable but only just. If it is an internet capable reader try just getting an actual book because you'll be tempted to check other apps). And turn off your iPod, unless a newborn baby is next to you on the train it is not necessary to listen to JT's new album, again.

Try doing a crossword puzzle or soduku. Grab a book of 'em ala Stanley Hudson on The Office at the local drug store or 7-Eleven.

If you drive to and from the office you shouldn't be on your phone anyways... but if you find yourself tempted in stop and go traffic put your phone in your trunk for the drive. You'll be able to access it if you get into a fender bender. 

Also if you drive try listening to NPR instead of the top 40 hits station or even turning the whole radio off and just listen to the sounds of the freeway. The white noise is calming and you'll have time to let your thoughts wander which will make you feel more refreshed by the time you get home.

This week try taking some Cyber Sabbath time and see how you feel! 

Color Me Cultured - Lone Wolf Book Review

A popular new year resolution is to read more books. It isn't too late to start reading more this year... it is only the 3rd week of 2013 after all. If you need a book suggestion Meredith, up and coming author, blogger and treasured CMS contributor is here today with a review of Jodi Picoult's Lone Wolf.

Lone Wolf By: Jodi Picoult

Every artist at some point or another will be asked who in their field has been a role model or idol of sorts, a standard to live up to.  While I haven’t gotten published and am unsure whether or not I ever will, my answer to this question was determined prior to ever writing one sentence of my book.  Before I get into what makes this book by Jodi Picoult so great, I should say that if there was one author whom I desired more than any other to live up to, and earned accolades from later in my career, it would be her.  She dedicates such attention to the details in her book that this goal seems impossible to someone with the limited attention span which I possess.  The first book which I ever read by her was entitled The Pact, and frankly is still one of my favorite books to this day.  Since then I have read everything she has written.

Her stories, centered on families and the daily trials and tribulations which make our lives seem more complicated than they actually are; make us question whether we are doing the best we can.  Her characters are flawed with realistic handicaps and relatable personality traits.  And most importantly as a reader, you walk away having learned something; understanding better how our careers, passions, and downfalls play intricately into who we are as people, and how the rest of the world perceives us. 

In Lone Wolf, Picoult integrates the dynamic of a wolf pack to explain the basic deficiencies a family unit is forced to deal with because of human nature.  As tragedy befalls the Warren family, four persons who have banished themselves to different corners of the globe are brought back together to decide the fate of one.  Unlike in a wolf pack, where a member who cannot carry their own load will slink off in the night to relieve the burden they have put on their pack, this family is forced to determine the outcome of one on their own.  In a passionate and moving tale of family, the worst of our flaws are put on trial and unlike the wolf we learn that we can’t actual unburden the ones we love of our baggage by disappearing in the middle of the night.  

Go and get your copy today! With the chilly temps and winter weather slamming half the country it is a perfect time to snuggle up with a book.

Color Me Styled - Book Club - Gone Girl Part 1

Here is the Q&A for the first section of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. There are some spoilers in the questions so if you haven't finished the first section come back to this post when you do! 

In this book club with me are Meredith (friend, aspiring author and CMS contributor), Sue (mother-in-law), Katie (sister-in-law) and Pat (mom). Everyone brings a different life perspective to this story which was really fun to pull together. We did a mostly virtual club with the ladies answering questions via email.

Please let us know what you think! Answer the questions in the comment section at the bottom of the post or share them with us on Facebook. We'll have a discussion about part 2 next week and the final section the week after.

Gone Girl: Part 1 - Boy Looses Girl

Do you like the way the story was written?

Meredith: It grew on me. Originally I couldn't stand it, which is why it was so hard for me to get into.  However as time went on I realized there was no other way to tell this story than from the minds of these two screwed up people.

Sue: Yes-easy to read and kept you guessing.

Katie: I loved the way the book was written. If it wasn’t written that way, I think it would have taken me longer than 48 hours to read it. It was such a page turner. Both characters were so intriguing (as was the plot, obviously) and I literally couldn’t put it down. While I didn’t necessarily connect to the characters, this style of writing definitely allowed for that opportunity.

Pat: I did NOT like the way the book was written. Two contrary styles 1st person and diary entries was hard to follow. It did add to the differences in their personalities so I guess it added to the underlying instability.

Erin: I did like it. I love being inside the character’s heads. Even though Amy’s was diary entries it was still her opinion and her perspective. We got to hear both sides of the story, for what that is worth.

Did you feel any super strong feelings for either character? Or feel connected to them in anyway?

Meredith: For the first part of the book I hated both of them. Amy cause she was fake. Nick because he was an ass.  Honestly that is all I can say about it.

Sue: No I never connected with the characters... More of an observer.

Pat: I really like Nick. Amy was distant because she was presented indirectly via diary entries. But you do want to choose a favorite from two very imperfect options. I wanted someone to root for... I picked Nick. 

Erin: I connected with both of them at different points. I really connected with Amy’s diary entries about being a new wife because I feel some of those feelings being a new wife myself. But I also identified with Nick and trying to solve the scavenger hunt on his own before the police. I’m very independent and do things on my own all the time.

Do you think Amy and Nick really loved each other as people or did they fall in love with the idea of what they each represented?

Meredith: Honestly I thought her love was fleeting from the beginning. Oddly enough I found his love truer even after the affair was revealed.  She was too wrapped up in becoming Amazing Amy that she couldn't act on her true emotions.  Deep down her parents constant disapproval of who she turned out to be in comparison to who they wrote her to be, prevented her from ever doing something for herself.  She married the guy they would have wanted her to marry.  I do think Nick loved Amy.  I think that he saw her to be Amazing and then as her faults were shown in her uncaring indifference to his family problems he realized that he didn't actually know her.  He was an ass and down on his luck due to the lack of a job but her hatred towards him went much further earlier on I feel.  In her diary she was loving and supportive in those moments after arriving in Missouri however she contradicted herself earlier on when she talked about her lack of desire to leave NYC. 

Sue: They definitely fell in love with what they represented. It was the dude and the cool girl.

Katie: I think they fell in love with each other, but at the same time I don’t think they were being themselves when they fell in love. In the beginning they did make a pretty picture perfect couple. Especially being married now, I was shocked at Amy's reaction to Nick telling her they were moving to MO (I think at first she may have been sympathetic? But then I think she turned resentful). Like, if one of Ben’s parents was sick, or one of my parents, or something big happened like that...it would be no question. Family is so important to us that we would compromise and work it out. It seemed like Nick and Amy were "keeping score." With their jobs, relationship, family....everything. That is the worst thing for a long-term, successful, relationship.

Pat: Hard to say if they really loved the real person. The "idea" was what attracted them to each other.  Hard to know who the "real" people are. But neither has true feelings we don’t see real emotion from Nick. He had to pretend the he is concerned and thinks about playing the part and how he is supposed to react. Because the marriage has declined and has to present it vs. what he feels (because he doesn’t know how he’s feeling).

Erin: I think that Amy was looking for her Able Andy when they met up again after their first meeting. So she changed what she wanted to fit Nick. Then when Nick needed her to really support him she wasn’t able because that isn’t who she is as a person. I agree, Danny and I would drop everything for each other, no second thoughts, no hard feelings.

When he said "My 5th lie to the police" did you try to figure out what the other 4 were? Did you lose trust in Nick at that point?

Meredith: For some reason when I read this line I immediately thought that Amy was framing him.  Nick's uncaring nature leading up to the discovery of his wife's disappearance made me think he was a liar and that nothing he said could be trusted, however he also didn't have the panic stricken nature of a man who has committed his first crime of this magnitude.  Something about his level of laziness made me think that he wasn't proactive enough to actually pull off a successful crime.  There was an erratic nature to Amy's diary entries that made her seem off to me from the get go.  She was too flighty, too care free, too forced at being this melodramatic diva.  Plus she had an ego and therefore sitting in Missouri being bored was not going to appease her. 

Sue: I was intrigued but kept going and didn't try to figure out the other lies.

Pat: My first thought was "What? You lied!"  It surprised me. I didn't lose total trust but it made me wary.

Erin: I agree, I considered for a moment going back to try and pick out things I thought were lies, and maybe now I wish I had but it made me question everything that came out going forward. I couldn’t trust anyone.

When you found out about Andie…

Meredith: I was very disappointed with myself when I found out that Andie was the person on the other end of Nick's disposable phone.  Before learning that she was his mistress I thought that it was Amy on the other end, that it had something to do with the treasure hunt and her framing him, which was part of the reason why he was not worried at all about her disappearance.  I thought it was some kind of game that would return the success of Amazing Amy, get them money back, and restore the passion in their marriage.  However once he started screwing Andie in his sister's living room I lost all respect for him.  There was a part of me that wrote him off as a man being a man but really who can have sex with their mistress when their wife is missing.  No matter the scenario of what happened to Amy nothing made up for what he did in that capacity.  When the story unfolded the way that it did I definitely had to laugh and think that Nick got what he deserved.  Amy may have had a LOT of screws loose but frankly in the end I wish more women were vindictive when it comes to cheating spouses. 

Sue: Lost trust in him then and stopped feeling bad for him

Katie: I was disappointed in Nick for cheating.

Erin: I wasn’t surprised but I totally hated him. And I hated Andie for continuing to pursue him… she knew the pile he was in and if she really loved him like she said she did then she would have stayed away and come back into the picture further down the road when all the Amy dust had settled.

Amy's version of the year in Missouri vs. Nick's

Meredith: I guess I didn't really recall Nick's perspective of Missouri.  Amy's version didn’t seem very convincing given her lack of desire to be there.  Nothing about her character development leading up to Missouri came off as one day accepting her fate.  She would have fought it tooth and nail. Plus Nick's aggressive nature, knowing that he was screwing his mistress didn't make sense.  If anything he would have stopped sleeping with Amy because he had Andie and he enjoyed Andie.  He got it whenever he wanted so why "rape your wife" in your drunkenness.  Her diary was a bit extreme when paired with Nick's side of the story.  Despite his infidelity there was an honesty to Nick. As the reader you knew he despised his wife, that he wasn't in love with her, he wasn't even worried about her most of the time which were his true feelings.  The fact of the matter is only being in Amy's head didn't provide her with any credibility.

Sue: I realized they were really not on the same page.

Pat: Amy's version of MO and Nick's were so totally opposite. I thought they were disconnected.

Erin: I think the fact that they were so disconnected surprised me. Generally you have a similar outlook as your spouse and for Amy to say that she was really trying compared to Nick saying she resented him is a pretty giant difference. I blamed Amy for the disconnect. I mean, how often has a girl said “no, it’s fine” to a guy and he knows that it isn’t but takes her word for it!

How do you think each character’s upbringing contributed to the decline of their marriage?

Meredith: Nick had divorced parents, a nasty father figure, doting mother and an extremely close sister. Go’s life path was always one step ahead; Go lost her job first, moved home first  and she acts more like a big sister than a twin. Amy is an only child with the Amazing Amy psyche. She had perfect parents who kind of forgot that they needed to raise a kid.

Sue: They were both very self centered.

Katie: I think Nick resented Amy because she had money. I think Amy resented her parents because they created this fictional "Amazing Amy" that she was constantly being compared to, and that she could never live up to- which was probably why she wasn’t herself when she met Nick. They both had such f-ed up childhoods, but in exact opposite ways. Nick came from an abusive home (perhaps he was becoming the same way with Amy?), and Amy seemed to be constantly looking for attention.

Pat: Both portrayed as unusual and in Amy's case weird.  "Only child Amazing AMY“ and “Twin with Demented or Terminal parents”.  Who thinks of those 2 coming together?  I guess it adds to the dysfunction. Their marriage never had any depth; they only went through the motions. Amazing Amy would drop NYC life and head to MO she expected to emulate her parent’s relationship. Amy goes through the motions and plays the role and hopes that it all just mirrors what she is supposed to be feeling. 

Erin: They’re both incredibly self centered which doesn’t work in a relationship. Nick, even though he is a twin, has never had to share or sacrifice for another person. Amy was an only child who never wanted for anything and never had to consider anyone else’s needs before her own.

Amy translated every situation in her life into a quiz. Do you do this when you consider your options when you need to make a decision? Do you (and did she) answer truthfully or with what you think the right answer should be?

Meredith: Oddly enough...this only happens to me when I have been drinking (so I do it quite often).  I sit there with an alcohol induced haze and think "should I hook up with this rando?" and then rationalize this is what I will feel if I do it and this is how happy and proud I will be with myself if I go home alone and get some sleep.  Usually I don't listen to myself and I bring the dude home.  Sadly this is only a half joke.  I enjoy playing devil's advocate when debating people on topics and I guess you could say I do it in my own life internally as well.  I don't make it a multiple choice test in my head but I definitely mirror what Amy says.  However unlike Amy I don't find the RIGHT answer which will make me into Marvelous Meredith and then twist the facts of life to make it work for me and get what I want.

Sue: I do tend to answer these quizzes like I think the "right" answer will be...I think Amy would definitely do the same.

Katie: It’s funny....I was never truthful in those quizzes from magazines. I always chose the answer that I wanted to be, not necessarily who I actually was, or which answer was really me. Granted, these quizzes were like, "Are you a good flirt?", and I was taking them when I was a lot younger, but still. I obviously come from a family of over analyzers, so yes, I feel like I do think about all of the options when making decisions...specifically big ones.

Pat: I don't do the "quiz" thing. I do look at options but don't play the games she did. I don't think Amy EVER presented herself.

Erin: I act on instincts. I have learned to become more analytic but only because I know that I’ll have to answer Danny’s questions about decisions I need to make (see: Katie’s comment about a family of over analyzers).

Do you think Desi or that other girl had anything to do with Amy's disappearance?

Meredith: Nope. The story was about Nick and Amy, the fall guys were just that fall guys and I think that was obvious from the beginning.

Katie: No. But it’s a weird part of the story and it has to mean something.

Pat: I thought Desi and the other girl were peripheral I did not think they played a part in the story other than historical.

Erin: I didn’t think they were involved but I did want to know more about their interactions with Amy and why she had this terrible history with stalkers.

 Are you convinced Amy is dead?

Meredith: Not in the least.

Sue: No

Katie: I think she is dead....but it’s like an episode of SVU- if it’s too early in the episode and they already found the perp then you know there are definitely going to be some twists. The whole beginning of the story reminded me so much of the Drew Peterson story, that I thought she was definitely dead....but again, it was too early in the book!

Pat: I am not convinced she is dead but I am leaning in that direction. There aren't any clear clues as to what happened.

Erin: Honestly, maybe? I see the story going in a few different directions. And yeah, I have watched a lot of SVU and know that half the story is left so I’m not convinced but I wouldn’t be surprised if she is.

What do you think is in the shed?

Meredith: All I knew leading up to the shed was that Amy wasn't dead because there were two more sections. 

Sue: I didn’t know

Katie: Ahhh! I had absolutely no idea what was in the shed!

Pat: In the shed... I thought we’d find her body.

Erin: So, I know I just said that I think she might be dead but I thought that we’d find her waiting for him, alive, as the last piece of the scavenger hunt. Or that her body had been dumped there after the struggle at the house.

Color Me Cultured - Book Club Announcement

Hello Loyal CMS Readers!

One of my many interests include diving into a good book so I figured you all might enjoy diving into a good book with me!

I'm proud to announce the Color Me Styled Book Club

Here's how it will work.

Every other month (or so) a new book will be announced. Since each book reads differently and everyone has other things going on a reasonable timeline will be set for completing each section. On the deadline day I'll post a discussion had by myself and the few charter members of the club. And I highly encourage you to leave your own comments or answer the questions for us in the comments section of the post! 

The first book is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

The story is broken into 3 sections but the 1st section is about half of the whole book. With that in mind I'll give you 3 weeks to get the book and read the first section. Our first discussion will be on October 17th.

Mark your calendars, get your kindles or book lights ready!