Strange Bedpersons

When I’m writing, I find that my reading often falls by the bedside (and I mean that literally as much as I do figuratively). I suppose this happens because my eyes need a break after staring at a computer screen all day. But lately, I’ve been trying to override that instinct and read anyway.

Because I want to. 

Anyway, I stumbled across today’s selection while haunting a nearby Borders. The cute little slippers on the front cover caught my eye from their spot on a front table. So I bought it. And read it.

The book was Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie.   Now, my intention with these “Book” days is not to give an opinion on the book (though I liked it) but to discuss an aspect of the book as far as all of us are concerned (something we can bat around whether you’ve read the book or not).

Here’s a portion of the back jacket copy so we can get to our theme…

Tess Newhart knows her ex-boyfriend Nick Jamieson isn’t the right guy for her. He’s caviar and champagne; she’s take-out Chinese pot stickers. He’s an uptight Republican lawyer; she was raised in a commune. He wants to get ahead in business; she just wants…him.

What struck me about this romantic comedy (beyond the fact that opposites attract) was the notion of changing who you are in order to fit with someone else. Sure, there are things you can change if it brings harmony into a relationship. If one person is a neat freak, the messy one can pick their underwear up off the floor. If one prefers mean & potatoes and the other is a die-hard vegetarian, serve a few greens next to your filet mignon. But what about when it comes to bigger things? Parts of a person that simply are?

Like lifestyle–a party boy and a homebody? A temper and a softie? A Christian and a non-Christian? A book enthusiast and someone who thinks reading the back of a cereal box is too much?

Do you think people can change huge parts of who they are/what they think/how they act? And do you think it can last? Have you ever changed something about yourself to fit with someone else? What was it? And finally, is there a combination of personalities or a specific change you think simply can’t hold?

Come on. Weigh in…

~Elizabeth

Change Your Hat…

If your current career was no longer an option, what would you do/be? And why?

For me? This is a hard one to answer as writing is all I’ve ever wanted to do since I was a little girl. But if I must answer (and I must, as it’s only fair) I would have to say a teacher. If I could pick my subject, I’d pick writing. If that wasn’t an option, I’d say reading. I homeschooled my youngest for kindergarten and while I loved every minute of that experience with her, teaching her to read was my absolute favorite part. Watching her learn to put sounds together to form words…and then words together to read sentences…and finally sentences together to read an entire book…

Ahhhh. It was nothing short of amazing. 

So what about you? What hat might you choose to wear?

~Elizabeth