SSS: Michigan

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment in town and I had to get a shot. :( I remember when I was a kid, after our appointments at the Children's Hospital, my mom would take me and Zack to McDonalds for a treat.  (Or maybe I just remember her doing that one time specifically, and for some reason it makes me associate going to the doctor with receiving a treat?) Well I figured since I was already downtown, I might as well treat myself to an afternoon at Barnes & Noble.  Apparently Barnes & Noble's coffee and books are the big-girl's equivalent of McDonalds' ice cream and fries.  Although to big-girl Addie, Barnes & Noble itself is the treat.  It gives me the warm fuzzies and reminds me of Christmas and my daddy. :) The fact that its filled with coffee and books is just an added bonus. ;)

Anyway, as part of my road trip research, I decided I'm going to read books that serve as "representations" of each of the states (according to The USA BOOK: A Journey Through America.) Originally I was going to go in alphabetical order, and I just finished "To Kill a Mockingbird" for Alabama, but then I decided it would make more sense to go in order of the states as I'll be visiting them.  Since it's where my road trip will begin, Michigan has the pleasure of being the guinea pig for my State Study Sundays.  The plan is to read a "representation" book each week while researching things I want to do, see, and eat in that state, and then I'll write about it on my blog each Sunday. :)

Since I changed my mind last minute, (I warned you it would happen), I'm a little bit behind in my Michigan studies.  (But I'm also ahead for Alabama, so it balances out.)  At Barnes & Noble yesterday, I read Ernest Hemingway's short story, "Big Two-Hearted River" about the Upper Peninsula.  (Yes, sometimes I pretend Barnes & Noble is a library, and I go there to read books so I don't have to buy them...  Shh!) However I did end up buying "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides (partly because it's too long to read during quick, and sadly too infrequent trips to Barnes & Noble, and I want to have it read as soon as possible so I can start my Ohio research.) Anyway, I started it this weekend, and I'm hooked!

So this isn't the best example of what will be "State Study Sundays" (SSS), but I guess it's a start, and I'll be coming back to this soon to let you know more about my plans for Michigan. :)

I can say now though, when I find that place that feels most like home (as that's what this road trip is about, after all) I picture it feeling like it did for Nick in Hemingway's "Big Two-Hearted River."
-- Already there was something mysterious and homelike.  Nick was happy as he crawled inside the tent. He had not been unhappy all day.  This was different though. Now things were done.  There had been this to do. Now it was done. He had made his camp. He was settled. Nothing could touch him. It was a good place to camp. He was there, in the good place. He was in his home where he had made it.  Now he was hungry. 

& That last line is my favorite, of course. ;)