Guilty Pleasures

So, if you know much about me, you'll know I'm pretty flipping obsessed with Laurell K Hamilton.  Anita Blake and Merry Gentry are such amazing heroines, and she just has this style of writing that works for me.

Paranormal smut.  Ain't nothin better.

The next book in the Anita series (book 23!) comes out next month.  I've read each book in the series at least twice, because I'm a nerd and before each new book comes out, I like to re-read the previous books in a series.

Today, I am so lucky that I had just started re-reading the series - it turned out to be a rough day. 

First, I apparently turned my alarm off without realizing it.  Thankfully, I didn't fall back asleep, and got up pretty much on time.  Then, the new hair "goop" I bought totally sucked (Vain? Maybe.  But let's be real.  It was bad.) Even though I ate normally today, I was hungry all day with no idea why.  Then, during the fire alarm that we had after lunch, in the nasty weather, I slipped on a manhole while walking down the sidewalk with my right foot, and tried to catch myself with my (bad) left leg, and fell flat on my ass.  Now, the knee is the size of a grapefruit, and hurts like a mother.  Joy of joys.  After that, something else happened (that needs to be left unsaid) and I felt slighted, and offended, and almost, as if I was supposed to be feeling inferior.  Like I was... less.

Lots of little things, but they just added up to making me a general cranky pants.

So, I came home and decided that I needed to relax and read to make myself feel better.  Que leg propping and Anita Blake in Guilty Pleasures. Luckily, I came across a quote within a quote, that was perfect for how I'm feeling right now, and it really helped put my day into perspective for me.

"Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.  Eleanor Roosevelt said that.  It is a quote I try to live by.  Most of the time I succeed."

So, like I said, a quote within a quote.  It might have been Eleanor Roosevelt who said it originally, but she and Laurell together reminded me that even though you might know that it's true, sometimes you just don't feel like you can overcome it.

I read that, and I decided there and then, I won't allow it.  I might have let them get the best of me for a little while, but all it takes sometimes is one moment, one point of clarity, and you can remind yourself that you are NOT inferior to them, unless you choose otherwise.   I choose not to be.

So now, I'm going to go to bed, no longer feeling inferior, and look forward to begin re-reading The Laughing Corpse tomorrow during my lunch break.  Let's see what wisdom Laurell can lay on me tomorrow!