Admitting Defeat, Zinn … And Repurposing A Fountain
by Jenners • 04/30/2012 • A People's Readalong, Creative Pursuits • 77 Comments
I think that today is supposed to be A People’s Readalong post. As one of the hosts for the readalong, it pains me to say this but I’m going to drop out. I haven’t read for the past few weeks (except for the chapter on WWI, which Zinn manages to make about class struggle), but I’m pretty sure I understand Zinn’s thesis (class conflict = raw deal for the people) so I’m going to drop out of the readalong. (Sorry Jill and Nomadreader!) I feel bad about it, but reading the book has become a painful experience. I just can’t see stretching this out until July and being miserable the whole way through. So I admit defeat and give both Jill and Nomadreader a free pass if they want to bail too. It is a shame because I think the ideas in the book are important to know and understand, but the writing and presentation is just so painful to read. I might try to read the kid’s version (which, to be quite frank, is way more accessible) and just call it a day. I’m not one for giving up on books, but too many of you have made the point that “Life is too short to read books you don’t enjoy” so I’m taking this advice to heart and marking this as a “Did Not Finish.”
On a happier note, check out my repurposed fountain! We’ve had this fountain in the backyard for about 2 years but it developed unpatchable leaks so I got the bright idea to turn it into a little flower garden. I think it came out wonderfully. If the plants don’t die, I think I’ve got a lovely little container garden on my hands.
Keeping fingers crossed the flowers don't die.
Life really is too short to keep reading something that is making you miserable. Good for you for chucking it! Love the fountain repurposed as a flower planter!
I’m so relieved to have quit the Zinn book. I can’t say I’m missing it at all. We would still be reading until July! ACK!
Well done! Have you guys had any hummingbirds yet? I’m hoping for some more photos this year.
I saw one scout hummingbird the other day (right after I put up my feeders) but haven’t seen any since. I hope he is letting the rest know we are open for business. I hope Romeo doesn’t scare them off!
You’re more ambitious than I am, for even attempting “The People’s Readalong” … I’m sure Jill and NomadReader will understand …
And –> lovely repurposed fountain! I’m thinking of getting one of those multi-openinged (is that a word?) strawberry planters this season.
I’m mainly worried about Jill — we’re co-hosting and then here I go quitting!!
I had one of those strawberry things and didn’t get a single plant to grow so I hope you have better results. If my plants fail, I’m going to try strawberries at someone’s suggestion.
I love your flower fountain it’s beautiful! I love the flower colors against the dark stone, so pretty. Tou so creative!
You gave Zinn every chance to make the book an interesting page-turner, seems to me he failed you
You read a lotof that book. ..there are so many good books to read and not enough time to read them all – why take up some of that precious time with a book you’re not enjoying at all?! There’s no reason..
I cannot wait to read your thoughts on Devil in the White City!
Zinn failed me all right!! : ) It felt like such a chore. Usually I’m up for difficult reads but this just felt like way too much work. I think trying to post about it so much did me in too.
And I’m fascinated by the Devil In The White City so far. Another story that I never heard anything about before coming to the book.
I love your repurposed fountain – it looks fantastic. I hope the plants make it.
I hope the plants make it too. Keeping fingers crossed!
I love to say “I told you so,” but…
…you told me so. You were very right on the money. Ugh. It was a painful experience. Is there a better book to read in the same vein?
Creative recycling — love it!
I think this kind of recycling is the best kind. I almost like it better as a planter than a fountain.
Love the re-purposed fountain and I completely understand setting aside Zinn. It is a lot to take in all at once, particularly if your not enjoying it!
I think I either had to just plow through it or not have decided to write so many posts about it. It got to be a lot of work. I felt like I was in school or something. I do appreciate what he is doing in the book but just couldn’t continue on.
It takes guts to quit your own event. I’m glad you started it, as I’m really enjoying it, even though I think I’m the only one still reading!
I feel really guilty about bailing on my own readalong but I found the process so painful. The reading would be OK in parts but then writing the posts was just horrid. I’m so glad you are enjoying it, and I hope you keep on as I do appreciate reading your posts and hearing your thoughts. I’m curious if Jill will bail now that I have!! We may end up being the worst readalong hosts ever!!!
You gave it a good try and I did enjoy the previous discussion posts. Life is too short to read books that you don’t enjoy.
I like the fountain planter
Reading the book was bad enough but writing the posts was even more painful. I’m so relieved to have quit!
Great ideas all around. I am proud of you for being brave enough to admit that reading that book is painful and proud that you are brave enough to admit it and do something about it! Brava! The fountain/planter thing is great. I am hoping that your plants don’t die either. I think they are going to do fine though. Really. I do.
I appreciate your confidence in my plants. Do you hear that plants? You will do fine — Kayla says so!! And I’m not sure I’m “brave” for quitting the book. Just unable to take it anymore!
Well, you’ve just made me very glad that I didn’t join in on the Zinn read! Repetitive non-fiction makes me cranky. I think you got the point of the book anyway.
The fountain is really pretty! It would be a good idea for my house too because I can’t have pretty flowers here — the slugs and bunnies just love them too much. This would get the tasty flowers up higher! One time I tried a small container of basil on the porch but apparently a bunny smelled it because one day, after I had tons of half inch tall plants, they were all munched down right to the soil level. I guess he jumped up the steps and risked his life for some yummy basil.
You’ve got some ambitious bunnies out there!!! I love container gardens as they are easier to “control” and looks so appealing. If this takes off, I’m going to be a very happy camper.
I think it takes courage to admit defeat. Better to say you’re quitting than put in a half-assed job, and I know that would be worse for you. So, done.
LOVE the repurposed fountain idea – it looks really neat. Nicely done.
I wasn’t even doing a half-assed job … more like a quarter-assed job! : )
ADORABLE container garden! and good for you on the book thing- its one of the things I am working on. There are too many GREAT books out there, and too many things that you have to do that you don’t want to do (cooking, toilets, etc) that you shouldn’t HAVE to read any book!!!
I agree — I spend most of my life doing things I don’t enjoy (cleaning) so I should enjoy my leisure activity (reading). I was trying to educate myself but it just got to be too much.
I put the book on the shelf several weeks back and then just kept pretending I would catch back up at some point…but man is it depressing. I believe what he’s saying as well, but good gosh, it’s like sitting through a marathon therapy session…one where you dissect your life and all the terrible things that have happened…one that lasts 64 days…I couldn’t take it. I will read it, I think…but I’ll try to get through it at a quicker pace…maybe
I’m not sure if a quicker pace would help or just push me over the edge. I know that I kept putting off reading it and dreading it. And then if I did do the reading ,I struggled to write about it as I felt buried under so many facts. Perhaps college is the best place to read a book like this! You know … when it is required reading.
Howard Zinn is heavy stuff, I get why you might need a break. Love the fountain!
He’s heavy all right!! Not suited to read straight through or in bits and pieces.
The fountain-turned-container garden is adorable. I’m definitely keeping my fingers crossed for your green thumb to shine!
Those poor plants need all the help they can get. They have about one inch of soil to “flourish” in. The odds are against them!
That was such a smart idea and it’s super cute!
So backing you up on quitting something you hate!
I was getting ready to take the fountain to the trash when I came up with my “great” idea. I think it will be nicer as a planter actually. The fountain was always getting slimy and icky with algae.
Thumbs down on the book..thumbs up on the fountain. It looks great!
What a Siskel and Ebert comment today!
What a great idea for the fountain! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you about the flowers. I swear I kill plants and flowers just by looking at them.
So you have the “black thumb stare” too, huh? I do best with “can barely kill them” plants. These are that … but they might not have enough dirt to stay alive! Poor things!
oh i love your container garden! very fetching idea – must add that one to pinterest!
And I confess too….I’ve been reading Zinn too, too slowly and feel as though i’m reading a depressing textbook on a history that there’s too many “truths” to actually ever fully know the truth…if that makes sense?
glad to know i’m not the only one bailing
Your comment totally made sense. It was very painful and slow going and don’t feel bad for one minute that you are bailing. I think there are only two readers left standing!
(P.S. Your new header is adorable!)
Jenners, your flower garden is beautiful! You could also grow strawberries in this recycled fountain. I’m sorry that the history got too heavy; it is perhaps a book for serious history buffs.
I tried strawberries once but nothing grew at all. But if these die, perhaps I’ll give that a go. Then it would be an edible fountain. Or, if the strawberries grow, I could turn it into a chocolate fountain and make chocolate covered strawberries!!
It must have been a wonderful fountain, but I think it’s even more beautiful as a planter. Nice job!!! And, yes, I have read that If you want a lovely little container garden, one requirement is that the plants don’t die.
I think dead plants are frowned upon in any kind of gardening! : )
But, never forget Morticia Addams…
Cool fountain! And I don’t blame you for dropping out… Life’s too short to spend on books you don’t enjoy.
It is too short to spend time reading a book that just doesn’t work for you. And this didn’t work for me big time.
Good for you! It is hard to quit a book when you have already read so much of it- but so not worth it.
And love love what you did with the fountain! Looks awesome
I know … I was thinking “since I’m halfway through, shouldn’t I just power through and finish?” But then I got a bad feeling in my tummy and decided it was right to quit!
The upcycled planter looks fabulous! I kill everything with over watering… so don’t do that. LOL.
I have the opposite problem .. I’m an underwaterer! My poor plants are begging for water.
Even if the plants wither (mine would and DO) you get extra points for cleverness. I love it! As for the read along, well, I was so scared of it I didn’t even start it. I am the believer in the “life too short” thing usually. (But here I sit trying to read Fifty Shades of Grey for book club and hurting my eyeballs from all the rolling of them.)
You were smart to avoid this readalong. Whenever Fizzy Jill and I read together, the results are very painful. I’m getting more curious about just how bad this Fifty Shades of Gray is. I cannot wait for your review!
I totally don’t blame you for dropping out of the readalong. You made it a lot farther than I did! I was just not enjoying Zinn harping on and on about the same things in every chapter. I actually gave the book away because I was just not feeling it. And I love the little fountain! It’s wonderful and beautiful! I bet that is going to look lovely when the plants start to really grow!
The ONLY reason I made it as far as I did was because I felt an obligation as a readalong host. It is pretty bad when you quit your own readalong!!! It just felt like drudgery, and writing the posts was becoming so painful. I feel bad as I think his message is important but it was just not delivered in a way that encourages reading his stuff. I’m going to try and read the kid’s version perhaps. I feel like such a loser in a way but OH WELL.
Ooh beautiful fountain! As for the book… I didn’t mean to give up on it, but I haven’t picked it up in ages, LOL!
I think quite a few people gave up on it. I think I only lasted as long as I did out of a sense of obligation as one of the hosts — and yet I still quit!
i always appreciate your honesty. life is too short
to read something you don’t enjoy!
speaking of enjoyment, your fountain is delightful!
Amen to that!! And I’m loving my fountain … though one of the plants looks a bit brown in part. OH NO!
That’s a wonderful way to repurpose the fountain! I think it looks great! And to be honest when I had first glanced at the title I thought you had found some clever way to repurpose the book.
I’m sure it’s a relief to move on to something else.
I could think of a few ways to repurpose the book … but I respect books so I shall refrain. My relief when I made the decision to abandon it was palpable!
Such a big book to read and especially when you are finding it such hard going.
Loving your planter.
It was a difficult choice because I believe in WHAT he is saying but I can’t stand HOW he says it.
I think you did the right thing. For sure.
I LOVE what you did with the fountain!! I hope it blooms and cheers you all summer long!
Thanks for the support on quitting the book. And I’m just so pleased with the fountain. If it lasts, it will look better than the algae that tends to grow when it was a fountain!
wow, I didn’t know that you ever quit reading a book! But I agree, no point reading a book you don’t like. I’ve been reading the same book since hm, november maybe? It’s not a bad book, but just painfully slow. I’m about half way through it! LOL I’ve read a couple other books in between.
good for you for repurposing the fountain!
it looks good, and will be better once the plants become fuller too. 
I know … I almost never quit a book but I just can’t take this one anymore. I feel extra guilty because I’m co-hosting the readalong and I’m quitting!! How bad is that!
And I’m so hoping the plants fill out a bit … they don’t have a lot of depth so I’ll just be happy if they survive.
The fountain looks gorgeous! Please come redo my yard…
Hey I’ve seen Arizona now … you should have a great looking easy to maintain yard with boulders and cacti!! : )
Great idea, if the plants die off just put new one, treat it as a vase. I use to get really ticked off if my container garden didn’t do well, and then I thought what am I spending $5, I’d spend that on a bouquet for myself, and this does last a little longer. My suggestion would be to put some sheet moss on top of your dirt so you don’t have dirt all over the place when it rains heavily, but other wise is LOOKS GREAT, aren’t you clever!
Great idea, if the plants die off just put new one, treat it as a vase. I use to get really ticked off if my container garden didn’t do well, and then I thought what am I spending $5, I’d spend that on a bouquet for myself, and this does last a little longer. My suggestion would be to put some moss on top of your dirt so you don’t have dirt all over the place when it rains heavily, but other wise is LOOKS GREAT, aren’t you clever!
Thanks for the tip about the moss. I noticed when I was watering the plants that the dirt was running over the side (since it is a fountain and all).
I’ll cross my fingers for your plants too, but I’m not sure it will do you much good – I’m the world’s worst gardener. Your little planter is cute!
I got plants that were marked “easy” (as I’m not a great gardener either) but my fear is the bowls are too shallow!!!