We will take a cup of kindness yet...

Well, 2006 is gone. To that, I say, good riddance.

I hope 2007 doesn't kick me in the teeth in the way 2006 did. There were victories, but also losses. I just hope there are more in the coming year. However, changes are afoot here at Casa Sassy.

As you can see, I've overhauled the blog. Let me know what you think! I, for one, am v. v. pleased with it. No more fussy flowers or violently bright colors. Calm. Soothing. Yet, still sassy. Next time I have such an atrocious template, will someone PLEASE TELL ME? (Indeed, switching to a new blogger template versus an old blogger template, PLUS a switch over to Firefox has been downright shocking and delightful.)

Furthermore, today kicks off the first day, not only of a new month, and a new year, but my posting challenge for January: a book I love, every day, all month long. If you'd like to participate, please do! There are no rules, except you must post a book every day. It can be a book you love, a book you hate, a book that impacted you. Whatever you wish. You may review it, or just tell why it matters; you may post a picture from Amazon or your own copy. Whatev. Up to you, faithful readers. (Feel free to nab that photo over there, it's my first dalliance with photo manipulation/creation.) So far, it's just me and Lara. Do join in!

Without further ado, here is the first lovely book that I love and adore:

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books. You know. That changes your life. I first read it as part of my 8th grade English/Language Arts Class. Being that I was in an honors program in my middle school, I had not one, but TWO periods of English. One with Miss O and one with Mr. S. So, they were both teaching the book to us. I became aware of a general cultural lexicon, in which educated people are just expected to understand certain references. We learned about actual events that happened around the time the book is set in -- lynchings, false accusations, racism, poverty.

It was, for me, revolutionary. I was 13. My mother was dying. I lived in a rural area where my mindlessly liberal ways clashed with the conservative, preppy Southernness that surrounded me. Middle school is a particular hell on earth. And here was a book that discussed these themes, these things that swirled around in my head, like social justice, racism, danger, acceptance of those who were different.

Atticus Finch was my hero. I wanted to marry him. There was suddenly a definition of the South that was being mapped out. Suddenly, I was aware of the differentness of being Southern. Of what a loaded concept that was. It's a brilliant book, a brilliant read. The sort of thing that makes you want to go do something. Change the world.

And that is book one. Day one. A new year, my friends. New hope.