Tuesday, August 5, 2008

rumpus room

I finished the Katharine Graham autobio, Personal History. It was interesting. Her public story revolves around the fact that she took over the Washington Post after her husband committed suicide at their farmhouse, a very sad story. He was bipolar and saw a doctor who thought medication was evil, so he struggled to deal with his illness without this kind of crucial help. After he killed himself Mrs. Graham ( a single mother to four ) took over the paper and during her years as its publisher she walked it through an amazing series of events. The chapters on Watergate were fascinating, the reveals on Nixon's handling of the Washington Post were scary, what a secretive and manipulative man he was. Katharine Graham is interesting personally, how much she struggled with bias against women and her own low self-esteem and constant feeling of failure. Her reflections on her family and her own person were especially interesting, she spent a kind of strange and nannied childhood feeling lonely. At one point her parents left her and her siblings to be raised by their nannies for a few years while they lived in DC! She persevered through an enormous amount of both personal and public struggle and stress to accomplish so much. It's strange reading an autobio around reading so many biographies. I prefer biographies, with exception.

My son is back from his trip to DC with his grandma, to visit my Uncle R and family. He came back with all the requisite pictures ( Vietnam memorial, WH ) and a stuffed 'space' monkey modeled after the real monkey who went to space, for his sister.

Lola wants to take ballet and tap. I want to find a class for her where they don't have to wear three layers of makeup ( cheek lip and eye ) every time they put on a show. There is something just gross about putting all that makeup on little girls that is different from when she plays with makeup at home and slathers it on.

Ian got a horrible contraption wired into his mouth that widens his jaw, which is too small.
It's better now but at first he was pretty unhappy.

Harry Potter killed a mouse in the sunroom. Lola cried. We carried him out and Harry stood, all shiny black and yellow eyes, panting that red tongued pant of the hunter. Hermione peed on the couch. Hagrid did a complete flip in the air when startled. Kagome peed on the couch.
Did I mention I had just had the couch professionally cleaned?

Four cats, Two dogs, Three children, the math is clear.
Rena said...

This is a beautiful site. I love your graphics, and your posts are fun to read. The book sounds interesting. Katharine Graham was a facinating woman indeed.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Talia Reed said...

Yes, the make-up and ballet thing. I remember going to my cousins' recitals and they looked like 20-somethings. Good luck.

Valerie Loveland said...

I read Personal History when I was taking a journalism class in college.

I know it isn't nice to make fun of an animal for being scared, but when they do those acrobatic flips or leaps when they startle I can't help it. I also want to laugh when my cats are getting their checkups at the vet. I feel terrible about it, but they're such drama queens.

Chandini Santosh said...

Though personally I am not too much at ease reading biographies, I must say this read was wonderful.
Was that mention about Nixon based on Watergate?

Anonymous said...

Hi, Maggie. You have a great post today. My chihuahua thinks that when I steam the carpet that it means it is time for him to re-mark everything.
Take Care!

Anonymous said...

Hi, there.
Just checking for new stuff.
I've been having problems with someone stealing my poetry. I don't know if you have ever had problems with that or not. I hope not. Anyway, take care, and I always look forward to reading new things on here.

Collin Kelley said...

I don't know how you manage. I can barely keep up with myself.

Smitty said...

maggie may, thank you for reading my blog. i had stopped writing on it because it was only people i knew that were reading it. you have inspired me to continue writing.

congratulations on your beautiful family. and dont sweat the small stuff. you never know when you are making a memory.

thank you, maggie may

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