Alumni

Though I am mainly an extrovert, two things I love doing on my own, besides munching popcorn and consuming Ben and Jerry’s while watching DWTS, are reading and writing. 

Before I could really read, I listened for the beeps to turn the page along to Dr. Seuss classics and to my mom read from the black and white checked Mother Goose’s Big Book of Nursery Rhymes (maybe this is why I enjoy Audible so much?!). In my elementary years, I spent my allowance at the Novel Trader bookstore buying almost the entire collection of The Babysitter’s Club Series and when broke, dusting off worn-out Nancy Drew’s from the musty basement. My excitement of sharing books bloomed into my first peer-initiated book discussion of the coming-of-age novel, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, at a 7th grade sleepover. From high school, my fondest literary memory was reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird which remains in my top five after recently visiting her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama and watching their annual play in the exact courthouse Lee’s father used to practice law. 

As my interests are ever evolving, I keep adding to my favorites list: Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho’s and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Crónica de una muerte anunciada, the first Spanish novel I read (well, with a translator close-by).

I am a librarian by day and cartoonist by night. I make mini-comics and graphic novels with my amazing husband Jerzy. I'm also an advocate for space exploration. Butter, potatoes, and whiskey rank high among my favorite things.

I spent the first half of my life trying to become an actress, and the second half of my life carving out a career as a broadcaster. When I was little I thought I would marry Han Solo and live in a castle with a pet unicorn. Right now I am living solo in a nice condo in Plymouth with my fat cat named Callie. She may not be a magical creature, but she does know how to make her bowl of food "magically" disappear in under three seconds. I love storytelling in all forms, whether it be books, movies, TV or just a tall tale over a few beers. I have tried Salsa dancing, skydiving and Second City and I am always on the hunt for new adventures.

I had trouble learning to read which may have had something to do with my need for glasses.  My dad helped me cracked the code and then I was off and running.  I will read pretty much anything but I am particulalry drawn to history, 19th century novels, and mysteries.  I also love movies, knitting (especially socks), and sewing although I struggle to find the time.  At the moment I am still working but that could change any time.  I used to be a community organizer, a lawyer, and shoe salesperson.  My super power is my memory.

I am a born, raised, and decided-to-stick-around Michigander who just discovered that our state animal is no longer a Wolverine and I am therefore questioning my loyalty. This former English major has found that with a habit of reading (no more than) six books at once, those due dates I once complained about aren’t such a bad thing and I am thrilled to become a regular of this group. Lately, I have been trying to find the guts to wear red lipstick, I have developed a bit of a bikram yoga habit, and if I could eat one food for the rest of my life it would easily be avocado.

I was a regular member of the Polar Bear Club in college. I have talked with prostitutes, had my veins complimented by heroin addicts, and taken teenagers to El Salvador to meet former gang members. I am a social worker, and I think the most inspirational people in the world are my client families who do the quiet work of raising their severely challenged children day after day. I hope my children will some day be arrested for peaceful public protest. I will know I raised them right if they understand white privilege and vote. I am organized, loyal, and madly in love with a singer/ educator/ activist. One time, I rescued a 15" snapping turtle from a busy road. She didn't appreciate it, but I still have all my fingers.

I live in a whirlwind. I'm a single Mom working full time as a lawyer, and have taken on what feels like a second full time job: making sure I still have a life. I sometimes question whether or not I have been bitten by a vampire, as I have lost all pigment and the ability to sleep. But I crave only Oreos, so probably not. When I'm not working, mom-ing, or eating Oreos I enjoy running and reading, sometimes at the same time (with often disastrous results). I am a klutz, and WILL get injured at some point during book club so if any nurses or MDs would like to join up, they would have my vote.

I love to read. Well, duh- kind of a prerequisite for joining a book club, right? I learned a few years ago that books get even better (even the real stinkers) once you start talking about them. Plus this is a great way to read stuff that I probably wouldn't find on my own. So for me, a good book club is really about putting the "fun" into "Reading is fun-damental" (see what I did there?). So a little about me: I graduated from the UofM in A2 with a BSE in ChE more years ago that I care to think about (am I the only engineering brain in the Turncoat Spinecrackers? Interesting). In real life, I love to solve problems and help people. For now, I'm doing that by teaching grown-ups new things to help them and our company be even more successful. I'm married with 2 super cool kids (if they were terrible, would I write that here???), a cat, and a fish. We live in Plymouth. Loves include books, movies, food, NCAA football, and hanging out with family & friends. My claim to fame: I am shorter than anyone you know over the age of 12. For reals.

I'm Christine. My favorite thing to do is read a book while drinking hot tea. At different times in my life I have considered trying to live a more full and active leisure life. However, I always come back to a cozy spot with a book. Other things that occasionally take up my time are my family (kids, dog, partner), hiking, having adventures and daydreaming. 

I've been working in libraries pretty much since I was 17 but I was actually a very slow reader all throughout elementary school and I had no idea (I got the special reading book because it was orange and not blue!). I've been told that I "forgot how to have fun" because I don't consider timeshares in resort hotels my ideal vacation and I prefer to read in my spare time (And stay in the woods. Without plumbing or electricity. Without other people around). I often create lists of books I want to read and then completely forget the list when it comes down to buying/borrowing a book. I met my husband while he was working in a bookstore (we bonded over prefab architecture) and my living room is slowly being absorbed by Billy bookcases.

I have had a bumpy road with reading. I love reading. But my brain does not love reading. My brain and I have spent some time sorting this out and we've decided that audiobooks and graphic novels are a great compromise. Reading on a Kindle is a good runner up. But reading an actual paper book, my brain gets pretty grumpy about that one. And with all of this compromising, I have fallen in love again with the library. Most of the books I want to read are available on CD, which makes my commute time my reading time. And I'm just starting to explore the world of graphic novels and would love recommendations. Other things about me, I love number puzzles, and I can't believe I spent so many years obsessing over sudoku when there is kenken in the world. Also, I like chocolate and group fitness classes, in that order.

Along with family and friends, my loves are music, movies, and literature in which I include comics. I graduated from the University of Michigan and then lived in Los Angeles for ten years. It would have been longer, but I returned to marry a good-looking man named Rob who makes me laugh many times every day. Even though he tricked me into getting two bratty cats, I did agree to the baby. Johnny is named primarily in honor of my father-in-law and secondarily for the great Johnnys in music history (Rotten, Ramone, Cash, and Marr). I work as a marketing communications writer for a technology company.

I am lactose intolerant, but that doesn't stop me from eating ice cream and cheese. Lots of cheese. I read more than I eat. I'm a certified science writer. I do radio, in all senses of the phrase (except that one). My spirit animal is the shark.

I am a writer, editor, and cheese lover living in Ypsilanti, in the shadow of the phallic water tower. I believe in peace, love, sprinkles, and frosting. One time, I accidentally swallowed a moth. More silliness and randomness at www.larawrites.com.