the other stuff

I've been reading a lot lately, which has been nice because somehow I ended up taking a long break from reading and it was driving me sort of crazy. Anyway, I've read The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, The Omnivore's Dilemna, by Michael Pollan, On Beauty by Zadie Smith and I'm working on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

I highly recommend any and all of these books, albeit with disclaimers.

The Year of Magical Thinking, as you know if you listen to NPR, is Joan Didion's autobiographical account of the year after her husband died. He died suddenly in their living room and Didion spent a lot of time, consciously and unconsciously, trying to figure out what she could have done to prevent it. There's more to it, obviously, but it's a beautifully written (good lord, that woman can build a sentence) book about a not-so-beautiful subject. If you have a problem with the occasional laugh at death and dying or you have a problem with very straightforward women? Not the book for you. Suggested beverage* - hot tea.

The Omnivore's Dilemna is about food. How we get it, what it's made of, who's making it for and delivering it to us and the costs involved. It's less brutal than Fast Food Nation, but still disturbing and thought provoking enough that I'm not sure I can eat beef again. Obviously, if you have a problem with the realities of the food chain or really REALLY like high-fructose corn syrup? Grab an issue of People. Suggested beverage - WATER.

On Beauty is about a family...there's more, but it just sounds weird because I can't write like Zadie Smith. It's British and funny and well-written. If you have a problem with inter-racial relationships, get over it. And then go read something else. And feel the pain, because this is a really good book and you missed out, suckah. Suggested beverage - a nice hefeweizen.

I'm still working on The Curious Incident of the Dob in the Night-Time, but so far I'm enjoying it. It's written from the perspective an autistic teenager who is trying to solve a mystery. Good stuff. If you have a problem with very simple sentence structure or digressions? Not for you. Right now, I'm enjoying it with my usuals - Diet Coke at work**, red wine at home.

Next on my list, I have The Last Thing He Wanted, another Didion. I also have two (free!) issues of Lucky magazine sitting on my table, but those are reserved for a time when I can sit on the couch, drink wine***, watch some crappy TV and rip out the pretty outfits and paste them in a notebook like a giant, eye-baggy 9th grader.

*Of course, I drink red wine with everything, but it can make one a bit maudlin when one (I) drinks too much. So, y'know...at your own peril and all that.

**I read on my lunch break, smart ass.

***This is a daily activity, but sometimes I do it while I'm folding clothes, talking to my kid, painting my toenails or one of a gazillion other slightly more productive activities.

SEGUE

I'm going up to Dallas this weekend, for the primary purpose of seeing my boyfriend and the secondary purpose of doing a (belated) Valentine's Day Thing with him. OOOOH, what are you two lovebirds doing, I can hear you asking. Well, we are going to the Auto-Rama!!! After which, we will drink some beer and then have some some hot monkey sex. You can take your flowers and shove 'em, sez I.

SEGUE

The kiddo and I spread two boxes worth of hair goop on my head Sunday night and I am once again a dark brunette. The original brown had faded so much that I was at my real hair color, which is one shade away from "Dude, when's the last time you washed your hair?"

I have an appointment this afternoon to get a bunch of my hair whacked off. I haven't told Jef yet, because a)UM...my head and b)I want to surprise him. Of course, he may read this sometime between now and Friday so - Hi honey!! I'm getting a haircut! Don't be scared!!

SEGUE

Never give out your email address at a Bridal Expo. Unless, of course, you like receiving emails from every venue that you've already ruled out, restaurants you wouldn't eat at anyway and people selling little beaded squares of fabric used for drink coverage. Honestly, you'd think I would have known better, but alas...I did not.

In closing, I need your vote. Tell me your favorite flavor of cupcake in the comments. Seriously, this is important shit.

By the way, y'all smell great today.