Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 9-16-05

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Dear Reader,

Years ago, when I published a business magazine, I was also the founder of a free meal program called Meals For Madison. Every Friday, with the help of people from the business community, I served a free meal to anyone who was hungry.

Frequently, I would speak to groups in the community about the program, trying to garner their interest and support. I remember after one speech to a business group, when it came time for the question and answer part of the presentation, one hand in the crowd immediately went up. In fact, the person who was attached to the hand was so upset and worked up, that he jumped up to ask the question, "Suzanne, you're preparing meals every Friday, you give people food, but what about their clothing, their housing, these people have other needs in their life. What are you doing about that?"

I paused and smiled. It was one of those times that silence was golden, because it gave me time to think about how to respond. I wasn't prepared for his question.

And then I said, "It's true I only give people a free meal on Friday and they have other needs. But it's also clear to me that giving people a free meal is my assignment. That's what I've been called to do. If everyone listens and does their part, if the person who's supposed to be in charge of clothes is listening and responds, and the person who's supposed to build a house listens and responds with a hammer and nails, we'll be all set. In the meantime, I serve one heck of a meal every Friday at noon."

I'm not certain about a lot of things in life. But one thing I'm always sure of, is what my task is here--what I'm supposed to be doing. Sometimes my task changes along the way. And I must admit, I may be sleeping when the new assignment is handed out, because I feel lost for a little while. But eventually I catch on, and I hear my calling again.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'd like to thank author M.J. Rose for nominating the book clubs for the James Patterson PageTurner Award.

For more information go to: http://www.pattersonpageturner.org/

Dear Reader Column 9-15-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

We've never run out of ketchup or toilet paper at our house. What do those two products have in common? Nothing, other than for some reason if we aren't well stocked with both of those items, my husband gets a little nervous.

Remember the old familiar, "If you were stranded on a desert island, what two things would you want with you?" question. I'm sure, in fact I'd bet money on it, that my husband's answer would be 'ketchup and toilet paper'.

I don't know why my husband has this phobia about running out of ketchup or toilet paper. It's not like we've ever had to knock on the neighbor's door to ask if we could borrow a cup of ketchup, or beg for a few squares of Charmin.

I lovingly tease my husband, but after visiting some relatives I realized that there are other people in the world who are even more obsessed about keeping track of their toilet paper inventory.

It was the third day of our visit, my husband and I were sitting down to breakfast, and after our hostess asked us how we wanted our eggs cooked she commented, "Boy we seem to be going through a lot more toilet paper since you guys came to visit. What are you doing with it?"

Initially speechless, I finally muttered, "I don't know. I guess we use it for the same things most people do."

I refrained from asking for ketchup to put on my eggs.

Later that day I bought two 12-roll packs of toilet paper and stacked them up in the corner of their bathroom. And of course, I bought a couple of bottles of ketchup, too, just in case.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'd like to thank author M.J. Rose for nominating the book clubs for the James Patterson PageTurner Award.

For more information go to: http://www.pattersonpageturner.org/

Dear Reader Column 9-14-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I always appreciate hearing from readers, especially when they couldn't wait to finish the book.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, thanks so much for featuring E.L. Doctorow's, "Sweet Land Stories". I was so enthralled with the sections you sent and so frustrated when I knew that was all I'd get sitting at my computer, I ran (well, drove) over to the library and snatched the book off the shelf. Read the rest of the first story before I went home. Wow! Those characters were not ones you usually meet in a book. Thanks for the experience. Enjoy reading with you."--Phyllis Camplin

"Suzanne, This is one I definitely want to finish reading ("Dead of Night"). I get so disappointed when you stop the days selection."--Karen Hart

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

P.S. I'd like to thank author M.J. Rose for nominating the book clubs for the James Patterson PageTurner Award.

For more information go to: http://www.pattersonpageturner.org/

Dear Reader Column 9-13-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Some people have morning paper routes. My husband and I frequently deliver the mail in the morning. We must have one of "those" addresses, because we constantly get someone else's mail. Either the number is transposed in the address--it's 1020 instead of 1002--or it's a street name that sounds like ours. Orange and Addison sound alike, don't you think? Fortunately, all of the addresses on our "personal mail route" have been within walking distance. I know we could just send the letter back to the post office, but we need the exercise anyway.

Sometimes I accidentally commit a federal crime, like the other day when I opened a box of books that belonged to someone else. An understandable mistake, since I get about 40 books a day delivered to my address. And occasionally, I feel like a "peeping Suzanne". When I opened what I thought was my credit card bill, and saw a balance of $22,000, I nearly died. I was extremely relieved when I realized it had been delivered to the wrong address.

My husband and I take our early morning mail job very seriously. If a Priority Mail envelope is delivered to us by accident, we get right on it. We figure if it was important enough for someone to pay extra for Priority Mail, they must need it right away. And, we're sensitive to our customers' well-being, too. If it's a priority letter from the IRS, we hold that delivery until the next morning. I've been audited three times--you need a good night's sleep to face that kind of a letter.

Yes, my husband and I live by the pledge chiseled in stone at the New York City Post Office, "Neither rain, nor sleet, (well since we live in Florida, that one's never a problem) nor gloom of night stays these couriers (that's us!) from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 9-12-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

When my children were little, I swear they sometimes grew four inches overnight. Their pajamas fit just fine when they went to sleep, but when they got out of bed in the morning, it looked like they were wearing "high-water" pants.

Every now and then--even though I'm all grown up--I experience a growth spurt, too. I don't get taller--I've leveled off at 5'2". Instead, my growth spurts start out with a feeling. I feel certain that something big is coming my way, but I never know ahead of time when it will show up, or what it will be. I just know it's going to happen soon.

At first, it's exciting to think about the possibilities of a big change in my life. But then out of the blue, when you'd think I would be feeling at the top of my game, my self-confidence takes a dip. I get nervous--concerned that possibly I've oversold myself--and suddenly, things that I do everyday without thinking make me feel like a beginner.

It's nothing that the people around me notice, but it's no secret to me that my timing's off. Like a mantra, I'm constantly reminding myself, "Suzanne, you know how to do this. You've done it a million times before. You're just thinking about things way too much."

And I probably am.

I doubt that a kid spends any time thinking about the fact that she's two inches taller than she was the day before; it's just a little life adjustment. Her mom will buy her longer pants, and she'll just keep on doing what she does best--being herself.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 9-09-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I've got the back to school bug even though I'm not going back to school. When I was flicking through television channels Monday night, I bumped into a program on the educational station about Benjamin Franklin. It was fantastic and when it was over, I decided that from now on, I wanted to spend more of my time learning new things.

I'm not suggesting that I don't ever learn anything new, but somehow I've strayed away from allowing myself to spend time on things "just because". If I'm considering learning something new--something that demands part of my time--I feel the need to justify it. How will this "new" thing further my career or make me a better person? If it doesn't pass the test, I feel guilty about spending time on such "nonsense" and I dismiss the idea.

For instance, I'd like to learn how to tie a fly. Not that I could ever see myself fly fishing--I grew up fishing on the Mississippi and baited my hooks with big, fat nightcrawlers. But for some reason, I think it would be cool to know how to tie a fly.

I don't know. Somewhere along the way, I picked up the need to justify how I spend my time. But look what Ben did with a key, a piece of string and a kite. Hmm...I wonder what I could do with a colorfully tied fly?

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 9-08-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

He was a GQ kind of guy and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Stunning looks aside, I kept staring his way because it felt like I'd seen him before. Maybe he was a writer, maybe I'd featured one of his books, or maybe I've seen his photo on a book jacket?

I was in a Starbucks in Manhattan. My next appointment was right around the corner, but it wasn't for another thirty minutes, and my little memorable moment was about to begin...

It started as a harmless peek. Nothing really to write home about and when I caught myself staring at him, I quickly looked away. But I have this little quirk. If I'm trying to figure out, 'Do I know this person?' I go into a kind of staring trance and pretty soon, it's all I can think about. I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

Timing is everything when you're looking where you shouldn't be.

Caught me once. Caught me twice. Now, I felt like a silly school girl. Maybe I should just ask him what his name is. I've got to stop looking his way. Isn't it about time for me to leave for my appointment?

And then when he stood up and started looking around the room, obviously for another table to move to, I was beside myself with embarrassment. He spotted a table in the corner--far away from me. I looked down at the floor as he picked up his laptop and walked by my table. I was redeemed when I saw him lean down and plug in his laptop. That's why he had moved. His laptop was out of juice and he was merely looking for an electrical outlet.

Whew, it was time for me to slink out the door and leave. But I couldn't resist that final look back. Caught me the third time, too. You'd think this girl would learn, wouldn't you?

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 9-07-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

A friend of mine called me the other day. I was surprised to hear from her because she was on vacation.

"I know, I know," she said, when I answered the phone. "I'm supposed to be on vacation, but you know how it is. I have this..."

"No need to finish your sentence," I told her, "I know exactly what you're going to tell me. You have this great idea." And we spent the next 20 minutes talking about her business idea.

The same thing happens to me every time I go on vacation. Some people get their best ideas in the shower, my creativity comes alive the first two days of my vacation. As soon as I let down and relax, my mind relaxes too, and all of those great business ideas that got stuck somewhere along the creative pipeline come pouring out. But I don't really mind, because it doesn't feel like work. I don't have to qualify ideas as good or bad. I can just play with them, because after all, I'm on vacation.

Things are always more fun when I don't "have to" do something. If my brain thinks "we're" on vacation, and that nothing creative is required, it decides to "play" too.

My brain doesn't know it yet, but "we're" going on vacation in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

P.S. If you entered last week's drawing for one of the 87 Western books, check and see if you are a winner. Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/westernwin.html

Dear Reader Column 9-06-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

If you entered last week's drawing for one of the 87 Western books, check and see if you are a winner.

Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/westernwin.html

Remember, if a book isn't a good match for you, hit that delete key. Keep the book club fun and guilt-free reading. I always appreciate hearing from readers.

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne,

You make me laugh, you make me groan, you make me read stuff I wouldn't pick up on my own."
--Phyllis Camplin

"Suzanne, all of these 'recommendations' have me reading, I can't say that I am reading more, because to tell you the truth, I read a lot....and that hasn't changed. But what has helped me is that when I see a book I might not like, and then all of a sudden I get an e-mail about the book, I get really excited and I just can't wait and go buy it." --Kristine Chapman

"Dear Suzanne, I made your 'Smothered Enchiladas' this weekend, and they were wonderful! Your recipes are always great, so maybe you need to start giving us a new one every month or couple of weeks? Something related to the month or season maybe. How about it? Or maybe you could even make the non-fiction selection, every once in a while, recipes from a cookbook. That would count as non-fiction, wouldn't it?"--Wanda Hodge

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warm regards,

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

P.S. If you missed the recipe for Smothered Enchilada's go to:
http://dearreader.typepad.com/dear/2005/08/dear_reader_col_8.html

Dear Reader Column 9-05-05

Join my email book club. Over 300,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I usually keep my column centered around books or whatever's going on in my life. I avoid talking about what's happening in the world, figuring there are other outlets for those topics. But today I'm in such a state of shock and despair over what's happened to the people whose lives have been forever changed by Hurricane Katrina, that I can't think about anything else. Where does a person start when there's such a major tragedy?

Leslie, a reader at the book club, emailed me because she's feeling overwhelmed, too.

Leslie wrote: "Suzanne, it just rips my heart to pieces every time I watch the news to hear those survivor stories. I wish I had enough wealth and power to make all of their problems disappear, because I would try to make life better for them. All I can do is pray to the Lord to watch over them and keep them safe."

I was so upset last night that I had to turn off the television, because I couldn't bear to watch the news any longer. I needed a break. I can turn off the set and get a reprieve, but the victims can't escape what's happened. I think we're going to have to do some unprecedented things. Maybe people like Leslie and me, who weren't in the path of the hurricane, will have to open our doors--literally--to a family or an elderly person. It might sound trite, but I have a spare room and I'd certainly take someone in.

Leslie, I'll be praying right along with you for the answers.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warm regards,

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com