lucia nevai's seriously
a little slip of a book about a photographer at a crossroads in life, with a tragic past moves to a new town, etc--the usual drill, but somehow the characters are compelling and funny and heartbreaking enough to make it work.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Sunday, October 23, 2005
2005 book 135
edward eager's seven-day magic
one of the best things to do on a nice chilly fall sunday afternoon is to curl up with a favorite book.
one of the best things to do on a nice chilly fall sunday afternoon is to curl up with a favorite book.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
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well, this is shaping up to be an awesome weekend: schooner and strugglers last night were awesome, i've gotten some spinning done, and i made pumpkin cupcakes! check it out, i even colored the icing all orangish for autumn! YUMMMMM, pumpkin things are my favorite.
and later i'm seeing the wallace and gromit movie, followed by hotel lights and the rosebuds at the cradle!
tomorrow: mirrormask? and homework. but i think after such a fun weekend i can stand a little homework. :)
and later i'm seeing the wallace and gromit movie, followed by hotel lights and the rosebuds at the cradle!
tomorrow: mirrormask? and homework. but i think after such a fun weekend i can stand a little homework. :)
Friday, October 21, 2005
Thursday, October 20, 2005
2005 book 134
kate atkinson's case histories
when genres collide! literary fiction meets detective-type books in this novel, where three cold cases and one private eye become intertwined. i liked it a lot, actually--there were a few parts where i was all, "gaaah, this is so predictable!" but by the end i was pleased with the storylines, as atkinson wrapped things up fairly subtly. apparently her next book will also featurethis detective, and just like the classic genre mysteries, a few pages of the next book appear at the end of this one, and it seems a lot more traditional. so if you're a mystery reader, check this out, and be assured that its followup will conform to the norms of your genre, but in the meantime you might like all these characters, 'cause they're very nicely written.
when genres collide! literary fiction meets detective-type books in this novel, where three cold cases and one private eye become intertwined. i liked it a lot, actually--there were a few parts where i was all, "gaaah, this is so predictable!" but by the end i was pleased with the storylines, as atkinson wrapped things up fairly subtly. apparently her next book will also featurethis detective, and just like the classic genre mysteries, a few pages of the next book appear at the end of this one, and it seems a lot more traditional. so if you're a mystery reader, check this out, and be assured that its followup will conform to the norms of your genre, but in the meantime you might like all these characters, 'cause they're very nicely written.
djing
hey, i'm on the air from 2-4 today. 88.7/wxdu.org, as always. and there's now a handy link to my playlists on the sidebar of this site! EXCITING.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
2005 book 133
sarah hall's the electric michelangelo
i'm too tired to really dothis justice right now, but here's the short version: booker-nominated novel about a british kid who grows up to be a tattoo artist in coney island. really well-written and great characters, trails off a little at the end, but definitely recommended. hall will be at the regulator soon, or maybe she was already there, who knows? not me, b/c i'm rather nap than look it up. :)
i'm too tired to really dothis justice right now, but here's the short version: booker-nominated novel about a british kid who grows up to be a tattoo artist in coney island. really well-written and great characters, trails off a little at the end, but definitely recommended. hall will be at the regulator soon, or maybe she was already there, who knows? not me, b/c i'm rather nap than look it up. :)
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who knew carpal tunnel could be so cool??? suddenly my arm splints are the awesomest things ever! these are just a few of the new signatures--the blue one is john vanderslice, the circley one is mac, and the adorable rodent thing is laura. jim wilbur is on the other side of this one (click through for photos) so now i have 3/4 of superchunk! kelly rosebud wrote an adorable thing on my other arm which i have a blurry photo of--it's hard to do left-handed photos. thanks again to christina for corralling rock stars for my entertainment and to make my splints actually fun to wear. :)
anyway, awesome show tonight, not least b/c both portastatic and jv played my favorite songs of theirs!! i was thrilled to hear mac do "center of the world" which is my favorite track from the new album, and jv did "me and my 424" whcih is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE jv song (jared's too!). oh, i took some pics of the bands--click through for those too.
yay for tuesdays!
anyway, awesome show tonight, not least b/c both portastatic and jv played my favorite songs of theirs!! i was thrilled to hear mac do "center of the world" which is my favorite track from the new album, and jv did "me and my 424" whcih is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE jv song (jared's too!). oh, i took some pics of the bands--click through for those too.
yay for tuesdays!
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
2005 book 132
lemony snicket's the penultimate peril
ARG! dang that title! now i can't use the word "penultimate" in this entry to talk about this series, and harry potter, and conclusions. oh well. anyway, the 12th lemony snicket book came out today, and it's pretty good--i mean, if you're a fan, you'll like it, probably. it features the return of many previous character, most of whom i didn't really remember, and some great new ones, including a sub-sub-librarian (named, of course, dewey). librarians abound in fiction these days!
ARG! dang that title! now i can't use the word "penultimate" in this entry to talk about this series, and harry potter, and conclusions. oh well. anyway, the 12th lemony snicket book came out today, and it's pretty good--i mean, if you're a fan, you'll like it, probably. it features the return of many previous character, most of whom i didn't really remember, and some great new ones, including a sub-sub-librarian (named, of course, dewey). librarians abound in fiction these days!
Monday, October 17, 2005
PA170002
so this weekend everyone was making fun of my splints for being undecorated--i mean really, like 6 people said something about it! so over dinner we started joking that i should get dan bejar to sign my splints, b/c jared had a sharpie with him and it was funny.
oh yeah, awesome show tonight: i liked immaculate machine a lot--that's the band w/ a.c. newman's cousin, the newest new pornographer. and destroyer of course was awesome, playing mostly old stuff--i can't wait to hear the new songs live though!! he even dedicated a song to the treacherous fops, who of course i strongly believe were the best destroyer backup band ever (maybe i'm biased 'cause i love those guys, but seriously, that show rocked). and the new pornographers were adorable and played plenty of their old fun stuff and did two encores--great closer of "letter to an occupant"--totally high-energy and fun. and kate t. had a great yelled conversation w/ a.c. newman, who played her request 'cause she gave them raspberry beer from new orleans--tooooo hilarious.
so annnnyway, after the show dan was talking to christina and she made him sign my splint for me. this reads: "dan bejar says i want this to get better s--" and the rest of soon is written on my other arm. :) i think this photo came out ok considering i took it with my left hand. christina then decided we should get john vanderslice and portastatic to decorate the other sides on tuesday, in red and/or green sharpie.
i think rock star goofiness is much better than ribbons and sparkles, but that's jsut me. :) thank you dan bejar!! you are totally nice!! no wonder all the ladies love you!
(and thank you christina for getting him to sign it, and jared for having a sharpie!)
oh, also: a bunch of my favorite girls and i saw elizabethtown this afternoon. it didn't suck as much as i was expecting--i really liked all the family scenes--but it felt like cameron crowe was trying to squeeze two movies into one, and a lot of the romantic scenes (esp. the extended phone call montage) didn't work for me. i did, however, love both rusty and freebird. and judy greer.
oh yeah, awesome show tonight: i liked immaculate machine a lot--that's the band w/ a.c. newman's cousin, the newest new pornographer. and destroyer of course was awesome, playing mostly old stuff--i can't wait to hear the new songs live though!! he even dedicated a song to the treacherous fops, who of course i strongly believe were the best destroyer backup band ever (maybe i'm biased 'cause i love those guys, but seriously, that show rocked). and the new pornographers were adorable and played plenty of their old fun stuff and did two encores--great closer of "letter to an occupant"--totally high-energy and fun. and kate t. had a great yelled conversation w/ a.c. newman, who played her request 'cause she gave them raspberry beer from new orleans--tooooo hilarious.
so annnnyway, after the show dan was talking to christina and she made him sign my splint for me. this reads: "dan bejar says i want this to get better s--" and the rest of soon is written on my other arm. :) i think this photo came out ok considering i took it with my left hand. christina then decided we should get john vanderslice and portastatic to decorate the other sides on tuesday, in red and/or green sharpie.
i think rock star goofiness is much better than ribbons and sparkles, but that's jsut me. :) thank you dan bejar!! you are totally nice!! no wonder all the ladies love you!
(and thank you christina for getting him to sign it, and jared for having a sharpie!)
oh, also: a bunch of my favorite girls and i saw elizabethtown this afternoon. it didn't suck as much as i was expecting--i really liked all the family scenes--but it felt like cameron crowe was trying to squeeze two movies into one, and a lot of the romantic scenes (esp. the extended phone call montage) didn't work for me. i did, however, love both rusty and freebird. and judy greer.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
PA160137
apparently the hamsters aren't done with me yet--these little guys arrived on yom kippur, considerably brightening up the day of atonement fasting thing. and gee, they were mailed from los angeles . . . i wonder who's behind them? ;)
thank you, hamster-giver! they glow in the dark and that is totally awesome.
on an unrelated note, yesterday my grandmother pointed out that perhaps my insane typing style is aggravating my carpal tunnel--because, of course, i type with only about 5 fingers (and yet still manage 78 wpm). i havent typed w/ all ten fingers since eighth grade keyboarding class, so trying to type correctly will be an interesting challenge. i'm failing miserably at it right now . . .
thank you, hamster-giver! they glow in the dark and that is totally awesome.
on an unrelated note, yesterday my grandmother pointed out that perhaps my insane typing style is aggravating my carpal tunnel--because, of course, i type with only about 5 fingers (and yet still manage 78 wpm). i havent typed w/ all ten fingers since eighth grade keyboarding class, so trying to type correctly will be an interesting challenge. i'm failing miserably at it right now . . .
Thursday, October 13, 2005
2005 book 131
luis alberto urrea's the hummingbird's daughter
reminiscent of isabel allende's recent zorro, except about a girl who becomes a medicine woman instead of a sword-fighting dude, this was a pretty good story. it definitely drags in the middle, but picks up again by the end. apparently it's based on a true story about a relative of urrea's, but honestly i'd rather have read a book about his discovery of all of this info than this story itself--not that all its political turmoil and saints and illegitimate children and discussion of class aren't interesting. it's just that this was urrea's first novel (although he's written a bunch of non-fiction stuff), and sometimes it shows.
reminiscent of isabel allende's recent zorro, except about a girl who becomes a medicine woman instead of a sword-fighting dude, this was a pretty good story. it definitely drags in the middle, but picks up again by the end. apparently it's based on a true story about a relative of urrea's, but honestly i'd rather have read a book about his discovery of all of this info than this story itself--not that all its political turmoil and saints and illegitimate children and discussion of class aren't interesting. it's just that this was urrea's first novel (although he's written a bunch of non-fiction stuff), and sometimes it shows.
vqr/art spiegelman
dudes, it is time to subscribe to virginia quarterly review. the folks over at bookslut have been touting its awesomeness for ages, but, foolishly, i didn't pay attention. and so i almost missed art spiegelman's new serialized story, portrait of the artist as a young %@?*! which, by the way, is REALLY GOOD. i was fortunate enough to read a copy tonight and was pretty blown away. i know it'll be published in book form eventually, but do you really want to wait that long? no, you do not. i will be trying to track a copy down locally (i guess it's sacrilegious to go to the regulator on yom kippur, but a quick errand on the way to dinner in durham might just be the thing!).
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
nerves
so, it turns out getting electric shocks for two and a half hours kind of sucks. a lot.
for the first hour i composed many amusing blog entries in my head, on topics like: the strengthening of my electrical superpowers, how my hair was going to turn out all crimped like in movies when people get electrocuted, how the resident smelled like my high-school boyfriend. by hour two i was mostly concentrating on not wincing too obviously, and hiding my head under my sweater so the doctors wouldn't see my grimace. by the time it went past two hours of getting shocked (and they had started shocking my leg for some reason that i still don't comprehend) i was openly crying (but trying to be a good sport; i kept telling them it was fine as they shocked me). i esimate that i was given over 150 shocks in my left arm alone.
the good news: the tests were normal so i didn't have to have subsequent tests involving needles and won't have to have surgery. the bad news: i can still feel electricity bouncing around in me, and i'm still confined to the splints and still in a lot of arm pain that's not related to electric shocks.
time for my last meal before the fast: weaver street sushi and cupcake!
for the first hour i composed many amusing blog entries in my head, on topics like: the strengthening of my electrical superpowers, how my hair was going to turn out all crimped like in movies when people get electrocuted, how the resident smelled like my high-school boyfriend. by hour two i was mostly concentrating on not wincing too obviously, and hiding my head under my sweater so the doctors wouldn't see my grimace. by the time it went past two hours of getting shocked (and they had started shocking my leg for some reason that i still don't comprehend) i was openly crying (but trying to be a good sport; i kept telling them it was fine as they shocked me). i esimate that i was given over 150 shocks in my left arm alone.
the good news: the tests were normal so i didn't have to have subsequent tests involving needles and won't have to have surgery. the bad news: i can still feel electricity bouncing around in me, and i'm still confined to the splints and still in a lot of arm pain that's not related to electric shocks.
time for my last meal before the fast: weaver street sushi and cupcake!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
PA110134
my (very) early hanukkah present came today--a (refurbished) kitchenaid mixer (color: ICE). and just in time to make cupcakes for cassidy's birthday! i am so excited. it's basically the best appliance ever--now i just need the ice cream attachment and i'll be queen of desserts! or maybe the princess of desserts--that seems more fun.
Monday, October 10, 2005
2005 book 130
gerard woodward's i'll go to bed at noon
who knew a story about a british family in the 70s mostly comprised of alcoholics could be so compelling and even amusing? sure, there are some dark parts, but the lovable drunks balance out the scary ones, and the crazy stuff is sort of taken in stride. i totally loved the ending, especially.
who knew a story about a british family in the 70s mostly comprised of alcoholics could be so compelling and even amusing? sure, there are some dark parts, but the lovable drunks balance out the scary ones, and the crazy stuff is sort of taken in stride. i totally loved the ending, especially.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
recommendations?
what should i read? (note that it's hard for me to hold paperbacks for long periods of time, which is beyond frustrating.) schoolwork should lessen in a week or so and i'll be craving some good stories by then!
Friday, October 07, 2005
PA060028
girls' night out at kings to see the rosebuds involved lots of temporary tattoos (thank you ivan rosebud!) and some drinks and some great music. the rosebuds are playing the cradle on the 22nd with hotel lights and it's not even a school night so you all should come. (also schooner and the strugglers are playing 506 on the 21st so it's a great weekend for music.)
although let me jusy say, while one sparks is awesome, two is like asking for death to come knock on your door. my, my, my. caffeine and alcohol is like the wackiest combination ever, and made for some extra-wacky photography of the show, which can be viewed by clicking on this photo here and browsing around flickr. it's all so . . . red.
ooh!! i want this shirt like whoa.
but yeah--the rosebuds rock! their new album ROCKS!!!!!!! their live show totally rocks. so don't miss it again!!!
although let me jusy say, while one sparks is awesome, two is like asking for death to come knock on your door. my, my, my. caffeine and alcohol is like the wackiest combination ever, and made for some extra-wacky photography of the show, which can be viewed by clicking on this photo here and browsing around flickr. it's all so . . . red.
ooh!! i want this shirt like whoa.
but yeah--the rosebuds rock! their new album ROCKS!!!!!!! their live show totally rocks. so don't miss it again!!!
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
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it's always funny to come home from getting an awesome haircut to hear some kid on ANTM whining about getting a similar cut. suck it, sister! you don't know what you're missing.
of course, her hair wasn't purple like mine currently is, so maybe that's why she was so upset.
of course, her hair wasn't purple like mine currently is, so maybe that's why she was so upset.
djing/playlists
starting during tomorrow's show (2-4 pm, of course!), my playlists will be available online, here. i might enter in some old ones eventually, too.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
daily show
let me be the first to say: new daily show correspondent nate corddry (brother of rob) is totally adorable!
also, the daily show is just about the only thing getting me through these trying times. thank you for making me laugh about the crappy state of the world, jon stewart, or else i would probably be crying.
also, please continue to feature adorable correspondents. or else samantha bee, 'cause she's really funny.
also, the daily show is just about the only thing getting me through these trying times. thank you for making me laugh about the crappy state of the world, jon stewart, or else i would probably be crying.
also, please continue to feature adorable correspondents. or else samantha bee, 'cause she's really funny.
2005 book 129
elizabeth crane's all this heavenly glory
i had some mixed feelings about this book. on the one hand, i liked the structure--stories/chapters all about one character, alternating between her adulthood and childhood--and i also especially liked the bits focusing on her childhood, but on the other hand, the stream-of-consciousness adult sections were a little wearing. i started losing track of the parenthetical-notes-within-parenthetical-notes--and god knows i use parentheses enough to be forgiving of that sort of thing! so anyway, a mixed bag. great cover though.
good things of the day: high holiday services with friends, favorite songs on mix cds, new shoes, postacrds from friends for no reason, and apple crisp!
i had some mixed feelings about this book. on the one hand, i liked the structure--stories/chapters all about one character, alternating between her adulthood and childhood--and i also especially liked the bits focusing on her childhood, but on the other hand, the stream-of-consciousness adult sections were a little wearing. i started losing track of the parenthetical-notes-within-parenthetical-notes--and god knows i use parentheses enough to be forgiving of that sort of thing! so anyway, a mixed bag. great cover though.
good things of the day: high holiday services with friends, favorite songs on mix cds, new shoes, postacrds from friends for no reason, and apple crisp!
Sunday, October 02, 2005
those wacky vegetarians
i had some propaganda from this group stuck into my door when i came home from seeing a movie this evening--it featured a kitten and a piglet with "which do you pet? which do you eat? WHY?" in bold yellow letters (i would scan it for you, but my external keyboard and mouse are using all my usb ports).
this of course amused me on several levels, because even when i wasn't a vegetarian (and i've been one for over half my life now, more or less) i surely did not eat piglets, or pigs of any variety, due to being a good jewish girl.
so, there you go, vegetarian propagandists! a convert! good for you. way to hit your target audience.
speaking of being a good jewish girl, rosh hashanah begins tomorrow night. i actually ran out of apples a day or so ago whihc means an emergency trip to the weav will take place tomorrow! i'm not sure yet what i'll be baking on tuesday, but it will be full of appley goodness.
l'shana tova, everyone! err, every jewish one!
this of course amused me on several levels, because even when i wasn't a vegetarian (and i've been one for over half my life now, more or less) i surely did not eat piglets, or pigs of any variety, due to being a good jewish girl.
so, there you go, vegetarian propagandists! a convert! good for you. way to hit your target audience.
speaking of being a good jewish girl, rosh hashanah begins tomorrow night. i actually ran out of apples a day or so ago whihc means an emergency trip to the weav will take place tomorrow! i'm not sure yet what i'll be baking on tuesday, but it will be full of appley goodness.
l'shana tova, everyone! err, every jewish one!
Friday, September 30, 2005
music library book of the week
i guess it's been a while since i put one of these up, but this book is worth it! man, this is the history of rock and roll, featuring tons of photos of everyone from cbgb's regulars the ramones to crappy dave matthews and oc-theme-song band phantom planet (who, at least in the photos, looks just like crappy also-featured-on-the-oc band rooney). but most of the photos are great--fuzzed out wild black and white pictures of rock gods. i don't think this was meant to be a tribute to cbgb's, since i imagine the place was still open when they worked on it, but it's a fitting one.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
2005 book 128
louise erdrich's the painted drum
erdrich is a reliably entertaining and engrossing writer, and this book is no exception. it's the story of several families in two different states all connected by one drum. some of the characters from erdrich's other books make brief appearances (notably the ubiquitous fleur pillager), which is always a nice touch.
erdrich is a reliably entertaining and engrossing writer, and this book is no exception. it's the story of several families in two different states all connected by one drum. some of the characters from erdrich's other books make brief appearances (notably the ubiquitous fleur pillager), which is always a nice touch.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
veronica mars season 2!
hey, i think season 2 is going to be totally awesome! season one is out on dvd on october 11th!
yay for classy and sassy tv heroines.
did all you ANTM fans stay tuned in? i decided that show is a good prelude to veronica mars and so now i will be watching that every week, too. man, that lisa girl is annoying. and as someone who also has a rosemary's baby-haircut and loooves it, that one little whiny girl was making me nuts. i like the big-haired girl though!
hey, as long as i'm blogging about tv, i'll throw this out there: i can't figure out if some tv characters are badly written, or if they're supposed to be unlikable. i'm mainly thinking about rory from the gilmore girls, who is an unsufferable snot these days, and jack and kate from lost, who are self-righteous and obnoxious (and although that show has plenty of excellent cast members, i'm totally watching veronica mars in that time slot. thank goodness for reruns, dvds, and twop to keep me up to date!). am i the only person who wishes these characters would either a) have smaller parts (in the case of lost), or b) go back to being endearing nerds (that one is rory)?
yay for classy and sassy tv heroines.
did all you ANTM fans stay tuned in? i decided that show is a good prelude to veronica mars and so now i will be watching that every week, too. man, that lisa girl is annoying. and as someone who also has a rosemary's baby-haircut and loooves it, that one little whiny girl was making me nuts. i like the big-haired girl though!
hey, as long as i'm blogging about tv, i'll throw this out there: i can't figure out if some tv characters are badly written, or if they're supposed to be unlikable. i'm mainly thinking about rory from the gilmore girls, who is an unsufferable snot these days, and jack and kate from lost, who are self-righteous and obnoxious (and although that show has plenty of excellent cast members, i'm totally watching veronica mars in that time slot. thank goodness for reruns, dvds, and twop to keep me up to date!). am i the only person who wishes these characters would either a) have smaller parts (in the case of lost), or b) go back to being endearing nerds (that one is rory)?
2005 book 127
robert pinsky's the life of david
this is the first in the jewish encounters series that nextbook is putting out, and i really hate to say this, but i found it pretty disappointing. i can't at all figure out who the audience was meant to be--it's too quasi-academic and dry for the general person, and nowhere near informed enough for a scholar of the field (pinsky's primary text--and he does some textual analysis from it--was the king james translation). i'm not sure how david, one of the most interesting characters of the bible, suddenly became so boring in pinsky's hands, but that's what happened. maybe this book is at the perfect level for grad students with a mild interest in the bible, instead of former religion grad students, but i was actually expecting sort of a fast-paced retelling of the david stories, and this definitely wasn't that.
on the plus side, some of the upcoming books in the series look pretty cool--and i don't know that much about maimonides, so i may pick that one up soon and have far fewer expectations.
this is the first in the jewish encounters series that nextbook is putting out, and i really hate to say this, but i found it pretty disappointing. i can't at all figure out who the audience was meant to be--it's too quasi-academic and dry for the general person, and nowhere near informed enough for a scholar of the field (pinsky's primary text--and he does some textual analysis from it--was the king james translation). i'm not sure how david, one of the most interesting characters of the bible, suddenly became so boring in pinsky's hands, but that's what happened. maybe this book is at the perfect level for grad students with a mild interest in the bible, instead of former religion grad students, but i was actually expecting sort of a fast-paced retelling of the david stories, and this definitely wasn't that.
on the plus side, some of the upcoming books in the series look pretty cool--and i don't know that much about maimonides, so i may pick that one up soon and have far fewer expectations.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
the rabbi's cat
yay, chapel hill comics got this book back in stock last week! besides being lushly illustrated (i loved all the little details in each panel), the story was profound and compelling and full of interesting and arcane philosophical discussions of judaism between the rabbi and his cat, who gains the ability to talk after eating a parrot. the relationships between the rabbi, the cat, and the rabbi's daughter are all really touching too--sfar (perhaps best known in american for the little vampire books) has really created something awesome here!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
2005 book 126
sydney taylor's all-of-a-kind family
one of my childhood favorites (because it reminds me of my family stories and my own childhood!) has recently been reissued with an intro by francine prose--it's a really nice hardcover edition and i hope they follow suit with the rest of the series! ah, those irrepressible little lower east side jewish girls. i wonder if librarians have always been a major part of the books i've read, and i'm only just noticing it now that i'm in library school? i could go off onto a long tangent here about my own childhood library trips and whatnot, but i'm still in these dang splints. another time. :)
one of my childhood favorites (because it reminds me of my family stories and my own childhood!) has recently been reissued with an intro by francine prose--it's a really nice hardcover edition and i hope they follow suit with the rest of the series! ah, those irrepressible little lower east side jewish girls. i wonder if librarians have always been a major part of the books i've read, and i'm only just noticing it now that i'm in library school? i could go off onto a long tangent here about my own childhood library trips and whatnot, but i'm still in these dang splints. another time. :)
awesome library-related link of the day
jason shiga's bookhunter is freakin' hilarious--and is about a thousand times better than the rex libris comic book, which is stupid, not to mention text-heavy.
plus, shiga's story is pretty accurate--yay for mentioning tattle-tape! :)
plus, shiga's story is pretty accurate--yay for mentioning tattle-tape! :)
Saturday, September 24, 2005
2005 book 125
julie powell's julie & julia
i'm all a-flutter trying to think of how to explain how great this book is. as if the story of a new york temp (and buffy fan!) determined to cook all 524 recipes in julia child's mastering the art of french cooking--and blog about it--isn't inspiring enough, powell injects a large amount of humor into her quest. and for those who have read the blog, no worries--it's hardly a rehash of her entries; it's really the story of what went on behind the scenes and she--and her husband--struggled with her mission and with her about-to-turn-30 angst. i think even people who aren't into food writing would enjoy this book, b/c powell does seem like such a likable person--we're all rooting for her to succeed. this is probably my favorite food-writing-cum-memoir i've ever read--she totally trumps ruth reichl and amanda hesser! go julie! i hope you continue to parlay your project into a lucrative and fulfilling career.
i'm all a-flutter trying to think of how to explain how great this book is. as if the story of a new york temp (and buffy fan!) determined to cook all 524 recipes in julia child's mastering the art of french cooking--and blog about it--isn't inspiring enough, powell injects a large amount of humor into her quest. and for those who have read the blog, no worries--it's hardly a rehash of her entries; it's really the story of what went on behind the scenes and she--and her husband--struggled with her mission and with her about-to-turn-30 angst. i think even people who aren't into food writing would enjoy this book, b/c powell does seem like such a likable person--we're all rooting for her to succeed. this is probably my favorite food-writing-cum-memoir i've ever read--she totally trumps ruth reichl and amanda hesser! go julie! i hope you continue to parlay your project into a lucrative and fulfilling career.
2005 book 124
jill soloway's tiny ladies in shiny pants
despite my earlier annoyance at the obviously unedited intro to this book, i read it anyway--hey, i bought it in hardback, you know? and although there are a few funny bits, and a few bits i related to as a jewish girl, the majority of this book was soloway ranting about stuff--complete with caps lock! maybe her rants would be funny in (much) smaller doses, but a whole book-full? no. no, no, no. she's a very talented screen writer, but these autobiographical vignettes fall far short of the mark.
despite my earlier annoyance at the obviously unedited intro to this book, i read it anyway--hey, i bought it in hardback, you know? and although there are a few funny bits, and a few bits i related to as a jewish girl, the majority of this book was soloway ranting about stuff--complete with caps lock! maybe her rants would be funny in (much) smaller doses, but a whole book-full? no. no, no, no. she's a very talented screen writer, but these autobiographical vignettes fall far short of the mark.
Friday, September 23, 2005
corpse bride
oh yay, it looks like this movie is opening here this weekend! the movie, of course, is based on an old jewish story--i've read a version in this book, which (if i recall correctly) focuses primarily on the role of rabbi isaac luria in determining whether a man can be married to a dead woman. this tim burton page also gives a version of the story--although apparently the movie has taken out all the jewish content in a bid at inclusivity (i read an article faturing a comment from the screenwriter the other day about this--i think here).
anyway, the point is that i am excited to see this mvoie, jewish content or no.
also, i never mentioned this, but i saw junebug on tuesday and liked it a lot. amy adams definitely deserves an oscar nomination for that one!
anyway, the point is that i am excited to see this mvoie, jewish content or no.
also, i never mentioned this, but i saw junebug on tuesday and liked it a lot. amy adams definitely deserves an oscar nomination for that one!
mysteries
why is my next-door neighbor hammering at 6:20 am? (don't worry, i was already awake.)
also, apparently it is tiny frog season. besides the one lisa saw, and the one on my door a few weeks ago, one landed onto my windshield the other night as i was driving home from durham. i lingered at stop signs, hoping he would jump off safely, but he just stayed there, hunkered down, little throat gulping. i was trying to imagine a life for him with the carrboro frogs--would they accept him??--when he sort of flew off the window as i approached 15-501. i hope he's ok . . .
also, apparently it is tiny frog season. besides the one lisa saw, and the one on my door a few weeks ago, one landed onto my windshield the other night as i was driving home from durham. i lingered at stop signs, hoping he would jump off safely, but he just stayed there, hunkered down, little throat gulping. i was trying to imagine a life for him with the carrboro frogs--would they accept him??--when he sort of flew off the window as i approached 15-501. i hope he's ok . . .
Thursday, September 22, 2005
2005 book 123
tony diterlizzi and holly black's the spiderwick chronicles (books 1 and 2)
um, ok. this series wants to be, like, lemony snicket meets edward eager (and/or e. nesbit). maybe it's because they're aimed at a slightly younger audience than either of those series, but i was really unimpressed. part of the problem is, like, nothing HAPPENS in these books. in the first one, one of the characters find a book about faeries! in the second, another is kidnapped by goblins! there's not much dramatic tension or character development or anything really. on the plus side, the illustrations are cute, and i can read one of these books in about 20-25 minutes. don't think i'm going to spend the hour reading the other three books in the series though; i'd rather reread edward eager.
(to be fair, jon raises the point that sometimes the books we love as children and still love as adults seem so good b/c of childhood nostalgia, etc, but i really think eager is a much better writer than these two--and of course, i didn't read the lemony snicket books as a kid, since they didn't exist then, and i really like that series a lot.)
um, ok. this series wants to be, like, lemony snicket meets edward eager (and/or e. nesbit). maybe it's because they're aimed at a slightly younger audience than either of those series, but i was really unimpressed. part of the problem is, like, nothing HAPPENS in these books. in the first one, one of the characters find a book about faeries! in the second, another is kidnapped by goblins! there's not much dramatic tension or character development or anything really. on the plus side, the illustrations are cute, and i can read one of these books in about 20-25 minutes. don't think i'm going to spend the hour reading the other three books in the series though; i'd rather reread edward eager.
(to be fair, jon raises the point that sometimes the books we love as children and still love as adults seem so good b/c of childhood nostalgia, etc, but i really think eager is a much better writer than these two--and of course, i didn't read the lemony snicket books as a kid, since they didn't exist then, and i really like that series a lot.)
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
2005 book 122
neil gaiman's anansi boys
hey, did you know this book finally came out today? (and i've been dying to read it since i got the first chapter at ALA!) well, it did, so you should all go read it, 'cause it's really good.
hey, did you know this book finally came out today? (and i've been dying to read it since i got the first chapter at ALA!) well, it did, so you should all go read it, 'cause it's really good.
Monday, September 19, 2005
exciting announcement!
it looks like as of this week, i'll be djing thursday afternoons at wxdu, from 2-4 pm. as long-time superfans know, you can listen at 88.7 fm or at wxdu.org. good times.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
songs about carrboro
tongiht eric bachmann (crooked fingers) played a new song called "carrboro woman"--and schooner also has a new song about carrboro. audubon park's song about register has a line that dges something like "with a ferocity seldom seen in carrboro" (feel free to correct me, david). those are the only ones i can thnk of right now and my hands hurt too much for researchin', so who else knows a song about carrboro?
Saturday, September 17, 2005
2005 book 121
kazuo ishiguro's never let me go
i'd sort of put off reading this, since what i thought was the big plot twist had been revealed in a review i'd read, but it turns out not to really be a big surprise--it's more of a gradual discovery. anyway, booker nominee, excellent novel, etc. if i could type more i'd go into the sudden spate of this sort of story in movies and books, but alas.
i'd sort of put off reading this, since what i thought was the big plot twist had been revealed in a review i'd read, but it turns out not to really be a big surprise--it's more of a gradual discovery. anyway, booker nominee, excellent novel, etc. if i could type more i'd go into the sudden spate of this sort of story in movies and books, but alas.
Friday, September 16, 2005
professionalism
hey, authors: if you want to be taken seriously, get a friggin' copy editor. publishers: same thing.
i just started jill soloway's tiny ladies in shiny pants (soloway was a producer/writer of six feet under, and this interview made me want to read her book) and dude, do you know how many typos/instances of bad grammar i have caught? at least seven. and i'm only on page 18. when "it's" was used as a possessive for the second time in two pages, i had to put the book down. i'm not sure i can read it without being exasperated when there's an egregious misspelling or apostrophe abuse on every other page. at least not when i'm all cranky and ouchy, for sure.
NEXT!
i just started jill soloway's tiny ladies in shiny pants (soloway was a producer/writer of six feet under, and this interview made me want to read her book) and dude, do you know how many typos/instances of bad grammar i have caught? at least seven. and i'm only on page 18. when "it's" was used as a possessive for the second time in two pages, i had to put the book down. i'm not sure i can read it without being exasperated when there's an egregious misspelling or apostrophe abuse on every other page. at least not when i'm all cranky and ouchy, for sure.
NEXT!
Thursday, September 15, 2005
2005 book 120
zadie smith's on beauty
hey, this book was good. it's very much set in the now, lots of post 9/11 stuff, pop culture references, etc. third book about a mixed-race family i've read in a month, but this also has all the good new england college town crapola mixed in. familes falling apart at the seams, love and death and sex--it all makes for a good story. not sure i'd give it a booker though.
thus ends my typing limit/pain threshold.
hey, this book was good. it's very much set in the now, lots of post 9/11 stuff, pop culture references, etc. third book about a mixed-race family i've read in a month, but this also has all the good new england college town crapola mixed in. familes falling apart at the seams, love and death and sex--it all makes for a good story. not sure i'd give it a booker though.
thus ends my typing limit/pain threshold.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
the verdict!
i have severe carpal tunnel syndrome! my dr said it was "classic carpal tunnel" and she wsihed there was a med student there to see it. hee.
no knitting, limited typing, etc for the near future. and lots of advil!
no knitting, limited typing, etc for the near future. and lots of advil!
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
2005 book 119
wesley stace's misfortune
special note for the music nerds out there: wesley stace is john wesley harding.
so, this is going to be brief, owing to my extreme continuing arm pain: here is a decidedly modern take on the great novels of the 1800s (think brontes), about a little orphaned baby raised by a rich lord as his daughter--only she's actually a boy. reminiscent of eugenides' middlesex with the gender confusion and all, it wraps up neatly a la dickens and has a humorous appendix at the end. as seems to happen often with the books i read, a librarian features prominently. it's a very entertaining book, especially when read as a homage to various great works.
next up is the new zadie smith, which just came out today! sept. is a good month for books.
special note for the music nerds out there: wesley stace is john wesley harding.
so, this is going to be brief, owing to my extreme continuing arm pain: here is a decidedly modern take on the great novels of the 1800s (think brontes), about a little orphaned baby raised by a rich lord as his daughter--only she's actually a boy. reminiscent of eugenides' middlesex with the gender confusion and all, it wraps up neatly a la dickens and has a humorous appendix at the end. as seems to happen often with the books i read, a librarian features prominently. it's a very entertaining book, especially when read as a homage to various great works.
next up is the new zadie smith, which just came out today! sept. is a good month for books.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
happy birthday christina!
today a bunch of us went to carolina beach for christina's birthday--unfortunately, we were all misinformed about how close hurricane ophelia was to the north carolina coast, and the winds were 30-40 mph--meaning there were lots of wild waves and a very strong wind whipping sand at us. after our mostly-failed morning at the beach, we did have a very lovely afternoon sitting on the deck admiring the ocean and eating hot dogs (or tofu dogs, in my case). :)
Friday, September 09, 2005
Thursday, September 08, 2005
2005 book 118
diana evans' 26a
at the end of the year, when i list my ten favorite books of 2005, this book will be on that list. it's about a family with a pair of twin girls at its center, growing up in the 80s and 90s in england (and nigeria), and i'll tell you right now that i haven't cried this hard over a book in a while. this apparently won the orange prize (awarded to best first novel) and deservedly so--the characters in this book were beautifully written, and the story of the twins taking two separate paths is a heartbreaking one. for those who maybe could use some catharsis in these crappy times, this might be a book to check out. but for now i'll just reiterate: this book was really, really excellent. and now it's time to rinse the tearstains off of my glasses.
at the end of the year, when i list my ten favorite books of 2005, this book will be on that list. it's about a family with a pair of twin girls at its center, growing up in the 80s and 90s in england (and nigeria), and i'll tell you right now that i haven't cried this hard over a book in a while. this apparently won the orange prize (awarded to best first novel) and deservedly so--the characters in this book were beautifully written, and the story of the twins taking two separate paths is a heartbreaking one. for those who maybe could use some catharsis in these crappy times, this might be a book to check out. but for now i'll just reiterate: this book was really, really excellent. and now it's time to rinse the tearstains off of my glasses.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
harry potter ipod
in craptastic times like these, awesome shit like this somehow makes me smile again. wow, that's awesome.
minorities
so the daily tar heel today has an article on roberts' confirmation hearings, and accompanying thie article is a little sidebar (whihc unfortunately I can't find online) with bullet points like "the last time a supreme court chief justice was appointed without having served on the bench was warren burger, appointed in 1969." the last point on this little infographic is "there are only two justices of minority descent: clarence thomas and antonin scalia." um, what? scalia is italian, right? if italians are a minority, what about the jews? hello, there's a nice jewish girl on the bench! wtf, DTH editors! not that ginsberg is even mentioned by name in the bullet point about there only being one female member now that o'connor's retired, but whatever.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
2005 book 117
tash aw's the harmony silk factory
currently longlisted for both the booker and the guardian first book awards, aw's novel takes place in malaysia mostly in the 1940s. the first third of the book is narrated by the son of a powerful and corrupt man, johnny lim, as the son attempts to decipher the local legends and figure out the facts of his father's rise to power. the second part of the book is the diary of lim's deceased wife, and the third is told by lim's friend, an englishman in malaysia for unknown reasons. the meat of the story takes place on the cusp of the japanese invasion of malaysia, making for some high drama, intrigue, and betrayal. interestingly, the jacket flap makes some comment about all conrad and maugham and all the other dudes who have written about malaysia, and now we have an "authentic malaysian voice" telling this story--but the novel itself is all about the shifting perspectives of different storytellers. each portion presents a different view of johnny lim, although his true character remains mysterious. this was a riveting story and is well-deserving of any awards it may win.
currently longlisted for both the booker and the guardian first book awards, aw's novel takes place in malaysia mostly in the 1940s. the first third of the book is narrated by the son of a powerful and corrupt man, johnny lim, as the son attempts to decipher the local legends and figure out the facts of his father's rise to power. the second part of the book is the diary of lim's deceased wife, and the third is told by lim's friend, an englishman in malaysia for unknown reasons. the meat of the story takes place on the cusp of the japanese invasion of malaysia, making for some high drama, intrigue, and betrayal. interestingly, the jacket flap makes some comment about all conrad and maugham and all the other dudes who have written about malaysia, and now we have an "authentic malaysian voice" telling this story--but the novel itself is all about the shifting perspectives of different storytellers. each portion presents a different view of johnny lim, although his true character remains mysterious. this was a riveting story and is well-deserving of any awards it may win.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
2005 book 116
binnie kirshenbaum's an almost perfect moment
i remember reading a book of stories by kirshenbaum last year, and thinking some were excellent and some were sort of blah. it turns out that kirshenbaum is a much better novelist than a story-writer, because this book was somehow momentous. it's the story of a jewish girl named valentine growing up in brooklyn in the 70s--a jewish girl who looks just like the virgin mary. it's also the story of her mother, longing for the husband who left her many years ago, her mother's three best friends, and some of valentine's classmates and teachers. valentine, the hub for the book's activity, is somehow a cipher--the narrator of this book is not quite omniscient and seems as mystified by valentine (and teenagers in general) as the reader. and lest you think it's odd not to have much insight into the main character's thought process, go back and reread my second sentence, because this is an excellent book. plus i really like its cover (as seen here, although the colors aren't quite right).
i remember reading a book of stories by kirshenbaum last year, and thinking some were excellent and some were sort of blah. it turns out that kirshenbaum is a much better novelist than a story-writer, because this book was somehow momentous. it's the story of a jewish girl named valentine growing up in brooklyn in the 70s--a jewish girl who looks just like the virgin mary. it's also the story of her mother, longing for the husband who left her many years ago, her mother's three best friends, and some of valentine's classmates and teachers. valentine, the hub for the book's activity, is somehow a cipher--the narrator of this book is not quite omniscient and seems as mystified by valentine (and teenagers in general) as the reader. and lest you think it's odd not to have much insight into the main character's thought process, go back and reread my second sentence, because this is an excellent book. plus i really like its cover (as seen here, although the colors aren't quite right).
Saturday, September 03, 2005
2005 book 115/spiral-bound/bpal
diana abu-jaber's the language of baklava
this was a moving, witty, and mouth-watering memoir, akin to ruth reichl's books, but with a cross-cultural component (abu-jaber's father, a jordanian immigrant, periodically took the family to live in jordan throughout her childhood). she really has a knack for describing her relatives--they're all what some might call characters--and her own growing-up-in-america story, with food drifting into and out of each chapter. now i'm hungry!
i also finally read spiral-bound today--it was an adorable and compelling story of a bunch of little animal kids finding themselves and trying to discover whether the pond monster really exists. eek! cute! be sure to check out the blurb from lemony snicket in that link.
also today was the bpal sniff-fest, as described by sarah. we'll be getting together again in november to compare halloween scents! awesome.
ETA: whoa, jsut discovered in another window whilst waiting for this to post that rehnquist died. wurg. [not that any supreme court nominees could be more conservative than rehnquist, but who wants to deal with even thinking about the supreme court when we should still be trying to save new orleans?]
this was a moving, witty, and mouth-watering memoir, akin to ruth reichl's books, but with a cross-cultural component (abu-jaber's father, a jordanian immigrant, periodically took the family to live in jordan throughout her childhood). she really has a knack for describing her relatives--they're all what some might call characters--and her own growing-up-in-america story, with food drifting into and out of each chapter. now i'm hungry!
i also finally read spiral-bound today--it was an adorable and compelling story of a bunch of little animal kids finding themselves and trying to discover whether the pond monster really exists. eek! cute! be sure to check out the blurb from lemony snicket in that link.
also today was the bpal sniff-fest, as described by sarah. we'll be getting together again in november to compare halloween scents! awesome.
ETA: whoa, jsut discovered in another window whilst waiting for this to post that rehnquist died. wurg. [not that any supreme court nominees could be more conservative than rehnquist, but who wants to deal with even thinking about the supreme court when we should still be trying to save new orleans?]
Friday, September 02, 2005
katrina donations
for those interested in donating to the victims of the hurricane, bookslut has some links, including ones to donate to help out libraries that were destroyed (full disclosure--i emailed those links in, and got them from various library listservs). also, here is the fema page with information on donating to regonized charity/relieg organizations.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
carrboro gas prices this week
saturday: 2.51
tuesday: 2.70
wednesday: 2.99
thursday: 3.29
the last jump happened while i was out running errands. it will be a while before i go run errands again . . .
(i hope this doesn't sound like i'm making light of what's happened in new orleans--i'm just shocked by these large jumps, since the price of gas doesn't usually rise quite so dramatically so quickly.)
tuesday: 2.70
wednesday: 2.99
thursday: 3.29
the last jump happened while i was out running errands. it will be a while before i go run errands again . . .
(i hope this doesn't sound like i'm making light of what's happened in new orleans--i'm just shocked by these large jumps, since the price of gas doesn't usually rise quite so dramatically so quickly.)
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
2005 book 114
banana yoshimoto's hardboiled & hard luck
here's a good example of an author who can tell a moving and powerful story in a small space. the first novella deals with a young woman who goes hiking and feels a strange sense of foreboding; later she recalls that it's the anniversary of a former lover's death, and later still she is haunted by a tragic figure. in the second novella, a different young woman struggles with the impending death of her brain-dead sister, and becomes entangled with the brother of her sister's fiance. i wish yoshimoto's works would get translated more promptly--this one was written in 1999 and some of the cultural references are a little bit dated. also, i don't want to have to wait another six years for her next book. :)
here's a good example of an author who can tell a moving and powerful story in a small space. the first novella deals with a young woman who goes hiking and feels a strange sense of foreboding; later she recalls that it's the anniversary of a former lover's death, and later still she is haunted by a tragic figure. in the second novella, a different young woman struggles with the impending death of her brain-dead sister, and becomes entangled with the brother of her sister's fiance. i wish yoshimoto's works would get translated more promptly--this one was written in 1999 and some of the cultural references are a little bit dated. also, i don't want to have to wait another six years for her next book. :)
bpal stuff
wow! i just got a huge order today (it was unexpected--i never got a click 'n' ship notification)--a 5ml of march hare, an imp set, and a TON of freebies! thank you bpal people!!! just in time for the sniff-fest this weekend, too!
and along those lines, here are a few scents i've sampled recently:
aunt caroline's joy mojo--the cap of this imp broke as soon as i opened it, which is a shame because it goes from smelling like sweet tarts to smelling like march hare.
bewitched--i didn't actually try it--i can tell by the smell it'll go all powdery on me.
lolita--this smells like lemon pledge and soap on me.
block buster--cinnamon candy! apples! thumbs up.
and along those lines, here are a few scents i've sampled recently:
aunt caroline's joy mojo--the cap of this imp broke as soon as i opened it, which is a shame because it goes from smelling like sweet tarts to smelling like march hare.
bewitched--i didn't actually try it--i can tell by the smell it'll go all powdery on me.
lolita--this smells like lemon pledge and soap on me.
block buster--cinnamon candy! apples! thumbs up.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
2005 book 113/little star
linda ferri's enchantments
this is a thin little slip of a book, a series of dreamy vignettes about a young girl's life. there's nothing earth-shattering here, or even anything that interesting, just hints at missed potential for a larger, more potent story. the narrator is an italian girl living in france in the 60s with a father who seems volatile, but that's not explored in depth, nor are any of the cultural issues. i suppose it's meant to be the child's perspective, not really understanding the deeper meanings of the things going on around her, but unfortunately this gives the book an unfinished quality. it's a pleasant read, don't get me wrong, i just wish there had been more here. certainly i've read equally small books that contained great and powerful stories.
and on that note, i also read andi watson's little star this afternoon--it hasn't come out as a collection yet, but i just got around to picking up the four individual issues. and watson really is good at packing a lot of impact into smaller stories--here, a guy struggles with the complexities of fatherhood and trying to figure out how it fits into his life. i really like watson's drawing style, how it sort of looks watercolored even though it's all gray, and it fits his family/relationship-oriented stories quite nicely.
this is a thin little slip of a book, a series of dreamy vignettes about a young girl's life. there's nothing earth-shattering here, or even anything that interesting, just hints at missed potential for a larger, more potent story. the narrator is an italian girl living in france in the 60s with a father who seems volatile, but that's not explored in depth, nor are any of the cultural issues. i suppose it's meant to be the child's perspective, not really understanding the deeper meanings of the things going on around her, but unfortunately this gives the book an unfinished quality. it's a pleasant read, don't get me wrong, i just wish there had been more here. certainly i've read equally small books that contained great and powerful stories.
and on that note, i also read andi watson's little star this afternoon--it hasn't come out as a collection yet, but i just got around to picking up the four individual issues. and watson really is good at packing a lot of impact into smaller stories--here, a guy struggles with the complexities of fatherhood and trying to figure out how it fits into his life. i really like watson's drawing style, how it sort of looks watercolored even though it's all gray, and it fits his family/relationship-oriented stories quite nicely.
hee!
woohoo! my hopes of dominating the media through my blog are starting to be realized! yesterday i was linked by the news and observer's tar heel blogwatch and today my photos of the troika festival were posted to alt.music.chapel-hill by someone who isn't me or even someone i really know (honestly, i would have posted them myself had i seen zeno's question earlier, but i was in class).
take note, media types! i'm available for book reviews, concert commentaries, columns, whatever! let me be the media whore i was born to be!
more book-related posts later--i'm still recovering from the first day of classes. ok, i only had one class, but i forgot how dang heavy my backpack gets. here's to my last year of toting around a backpack!
take note, media types! i'm available for book reviews, concert commentaries, columns, whatever! let me be the media whore i was born to be!
more book-related posts later--i'm still recovering from the first day of classes. ok, i only had one class, but i forgot how dang heavy my backpack gets. here's to my last year of toting around a backpack!
Monday, August 29, 2005
2005 book 112
george hagen's the laments
i'm feeling a little wiped out after reading this book--it drags out all sorts of emotions with its good writing and storytelling. the laments are a south african family who move all over the place, finally settling in new jersey, dealing with the ups and downs of family life in the 60s-70s--although some of their downs are actually pretty tragic. this was a really good book but i can't really process any other thoughts about it right now.
i'm feeling a little wiped out after reading this book--it drags out all sorts of emotions with its good writing and storytelling. the laments are a south african family who move all over the place, finally settling in new jersey, dealing with the ups and downs of family life in the 60s-70s--although some of their downs are actually pretty tragic. this was a really good book but i can't really process any other thoughts about it right now.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
P8270029
audubon park, bellafea, schooner, work clothes, tenement halls, and portastatic make for a pretty freakin' amazing show. it was awesome to see so many people out and having fun, eating loco-pops and funnel cake and drinking free beer and rocking out. it was also awesome to see nevin for the first time in something like two years.
and making it back to carrboro in time for last call at ocsc wasn't too shabby, either. :)
anyway, more of my crappy rock show photography has been posted at flickr--i especially like this picture of audubon park, b/c david looks like a ghost.
tomorrow: cupcakes! ;)
and making it back to carrboro in time for last call at ocsc wasn't too shabby, either. :)
anyway, more of my crappy rock show photography has been posted at flickr--i especially like this picture of audubon park, b/c david looks like a ghost.
tomorrow: cupcakes! ;)
Saturday, August 27, 2005
P8260074
yay for the troika music festival! i swear it was dance-pop night over at the duke coffeehouse--we arrived just as the sames were setting up, and if you don't think the sames are a pop band, you've obviously never seen them live. and there are no arguments about i am the world trade center or the rosebuds, i assume! yes, we danced the night away and it was just great. the rosebuds are currently drummer-less so ivan played drums while reid took over on lead guitar--and who knew ivan was an awesome drummer? they did their last couple of songs acoustic in the crowd--thanks again to tripp for getting a picture since i was too short. i predict that "leaves do fall" will be the big hit from their upcoming album, b/c kelly sure can sing!
i was sorry to miss erie choir and regina hexaphone--next year find venues that are close together, please!
anyway, a ton of pictures are on flickr, and they will be organized shortly, but for now i need to go to sleep and rest up for tomorrow--six of my favorite bands in a row!!!
i was sorry to miss erie choir and regina hexaphone--next year find venues that are close together, please!
anyway, a ton of pictures are on flickr, and they will be organized shortly, but for now i need to go to sleep and rest up for tomorrow--six of my favorite bands in a row!!!
Friday, August 26, 2005
baked goods
maybe i'll make cupcakes this weekend (if i haven't used all my food-coloring during fiber-dying experiments, anyway).
Thursday, August 25, 2005
2005 book 111
marina lewycka's a short history of tractors in ukrainian
this book has been longlisted for the booker award and shortlisted for the saga award for wit--both of which it strongly deserves. it's mostly about two adult sisters who have been feudin' since their mother's death two years earlier, and how they come together in an effort to thwart their elderly father's upcoming nuptials to a much younger (and already married) ukrainian woman. it's also about the primary character's efforts to discover the truth about her family's past in the ukraine in the 1930s and 40s before their emigration to england. anyway, i liked it a lot--lewycka takes a light hand to some potentially heavy themes and weaves a really nice story of family, love, and growing older. also it has some pretty funny bits.
this book has been longlisted for the booker award and shortlisted for the saga award for wit--both of which it strongly deserves. it's mostly about two adult sisters who have been feudin' since their mother's death two years earlier, and how they come together in an effort to thwart their elderly father's upcoming nuptials to a much younger (and already married) ukrainian woman. it's also about the primary character's efforts to discover the truth about her family's past in the ukraine in the 1930s and 40s before their emigration to england. anyway, i liked it a lot--lewycka takes a light hand to some potentially heavy themes and weaves a really nice story of family, love, and growing older. also it has some pretty funny bits.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
2005 book 110
arthur phillips' the egyptologist
well, this book at least has an interesting structure--it's told in a series of letters/journal entries, alternating between two primary narrators. unfortunately, the narrator all into archaeology doesn't get interesting until around page 200, and then it's intermittent due to all his dang technica talk, and the private detective's story starts off strong and then gets almost as annoying as the other guy's toward the end. the end is pretty funny, by the way, although i think the author was going more for surprising and ghastly. good effort, though.
well, this book at least has an interesting structure--it's told in a series of letters/journal entries, alternating between two primary narrators. unfortunately, the narrator all into archaeology doesn't get interesting until around page 200, and then it's intermittent due to all his dang technica talk, and the private detective's story starts off strong and then gets almost as annoying as the other guy's toward the end. the end is pretty funny, by the way, although i think the author was going more for surprising and ghastly. good effort, though.
Monday, August 22, 2005
textbooks
$317.42 for four books--i think that's a record for me [and god knows there'll probably be a few more i end up needing]. i miss being a liberal arts major, when the books were all like thirty dollars or less.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
pop culture saturday!
this afternoon jodi and emily and i went to see broken flowers, which i liked a lot (bill murray is the master of the middleaged existential-angst-ridden character, and all the women were great), but which had a few too many shots of the left car mirror reflecting scenery for my tastes.
then tonight was the pipe reunion show!! christina and i arrived just as the first band was finishing, which meant we were just in time to rock out to the nein! i hadn't seen them live since they added the 4th guy, and the change was really incredible. their sound has evolved so much in the last year or so and they put on really an amazing show tonight.
then, pipe!!! totally adorable! ron had the setlist written on his shirt! and he's such a cute performer, all dancing around the stage shaking his hiney. we were right up front so were showered with beer as empty cans flew overhead (i caught one accidentally when ron threw it back into the crowd)--at least until the moshing started and some creepy dudes decided moshing was a great excuse to press really close up against us, and put their hands on our shoulders, and try to talk to us, and we kept edging away and finally fled to the back. thank goodness for the tvs broadcasting the action on stage! of course mostly we were talking to people, but that did not prevent us from rocking out. and it was so nice to see lots of my favorite people there!
and then when i came home one of those tiny frogs was on my front door! christina said maybe it was good luck and i wanted to take a picture of it, but was afraid it would hop inside my house if i opened the door again. silly frog.
if anyone reading this has pictures of the show, can you send me some? at first i was sorry i didn't bring my camera, but during the showers of beer i was mostly relieved it was safe at home. :)
then tonight was the pipe reunion show!! christina and i arrived just as the first band was finishing, which meant we were just in time to rock out to the nein! i hadn't seen them live since they added the 4th guy, and the change was really incredible. their sound has evolved so much in the last year or so and they put on really an amazing show tonight.
then, pipe!!! totally adorable! ron had the setlist written on his shirt! and he's such a cute performer, all dancing around the stage shaking his hiney. we were right up front so were showered with beer as empty cans flew overhead (i caught one accidentally when ron threw it back into the crowd)--at least until the moshing started and some creepy dudes decided moshing was a great excuse to press really close up against us, and put their hands on our shoulders, and try to talk to us, and we kept edging away and finally fled to the back. thank goodness for the tvs broadcasting the action on stage! of course mostly we were talking to people, but that did not prevent us from rocking out. and it was so nice to see lots of my favorite people there!
and then when i came home one of those tiny frogs was on my front door! christina said maybe it was good luck and i wanted to take a picture of it, but was afraid it would hop inside my house if i opened the door again. silly frog.
if anyone reading this has pictures of the show, can you send me some? at first i was sorry i didn't bring my camera, but during the showers of beer i was mostly relieved it was safe at home. :)
Saturday, August 20, 2005
2005 book 109
calvin trillin's the tummy trilogy
trillin, of course, is a well-known essayist, novelist, and food enthusiast, and the tummy trilogy is a collection of three of his first collections of food writing from the new yorker (american fried, alice, let's eat, and third helpings, all written in the late 70s/early 80s). i'd count this as three books, since technically it is, but it also works well as one book, and it's in one volume, so whatever, i'll give it a pass. trillin is probably the funniest and most enthusiastic food writer out there whether he's at a crawfish-eating contest in louisiana, exploring bars in berks county, pa, expounding on the amazing arthur bryant's in kansas city, or trying to find good food in england. his chapter on tokyo had me drooling, b/c gosh do i love sushi. this book is also a sweet look at family life--his depictions of his wife and two daughters are heartwarming and hilarious. having all three books in one makes for slowish reading--i can only take so much of trillin's favorite foods at one go--but they really do form a whole picture of a man's love of food and his family.
trillin, of course, is a well-known essayist, novelist, and food enthusiast, and the tummy trilogy is a collection of three of his first collections of food writing from the new yorker (american fried, alice, let's eat, and third helpings, all written in the late 70s/early 80s). i'd count this as three books, since technically it is, but it also works well as one book, and it's in one volume, so whatever, i'll give it a pass. trillin is probably the funniest and most enthusiastic food writer out there whether he's at a crawfish-eating contest in louisiana, exploring bars in berks county, pa, expounding on the amazing arthur bryant's in kansas city, or trying to find good food in england. his chapter on tokyo had me drooling, b/c gosh do i love sushi. this book is also a sweet look at family life--his depictions of his wife and two daughters are heartwarming and hilarious. having all three books in one makes for slowish reading--i can only take so much of trillin's favorite foods at one go--but they really do form a whole picture of a man's love of food and his family.
Friday, August 19, 2005
happy birthday josh
vive la difference!
yesterday josh came over and fixed my dresser. there was a lot of drilling and it was all very exciting. now it stands all by itself and the drawers even shut!
today josh turns 30! happy birthday, josh!
yesterday josh came over and fixed my dresser. there was a lot of drilling and it was all very exciting. now it stands all by itself and the drawers even shut!
today josh turns 30! happy birthday, josh!
Thursday, August 18, 2005
nerd alert: awesome journal(s)
popular music is so my favorite journal ever. check out the table of contents on this issue (the music and literature issue). damn, it's awesome.
though to be fair to the journal of popular music studies, there was a pretty funny article in their most recent issue on the culture of jimmy buffett and the parrotheads (entitled "Parrotheads in Margaritaville: Fan Practice, Oppositional Culture, and Embedded Cultural Resistance in Buffett Fandom"). hee. it's just like i'm seventeen again, and my coworkers are giving me wine coolers and laughing at my tipsiness! at a jimmy buffett concert, i mean, not at work.
on the same note, i also like a lot of the articles in popular music and society. i'm pretty sure that's the journal that featured an article by marc faris (duke music ph.d., member of the sames) earlier this year.
basically i like reading article about popular music--just one of the reasons i love my job!
though to be fair to the journal of popular music studies, there was a pretty funny article in their most recent issue on the culture of jimmy buffett and the parrotheads (entitled "Parrotheads in Margaritaville: Fan Practice, Oppositional Culture, and Embedded Cultural Resistance in Buffett Fandom"). hee. it's just like i'm seventeen again, and my coworkers are giving me wine coolers and laughing at my tipsiness! at a jimmy buffett concert, i mean, not at work.
on the same note, i also like a lot of the articles in popular music and society. i'm pretty sure that's the journal that featured an article by marc faris (duke music ph.d., member of the sames) earlier this year.
basically i like reading article about popular music--just one of the reasons i love my job!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
bpal sniff-fest, some reviews
i got my first official order from the lab today, yay!!!! but before i comment on the first scent i've sampled, i'll let you all know that sarah and lisa and i are going to have our second sniff-fest during labor day weekend, the afternoon of saturday, september third. so if you're in town and want to smell pretty smells, keep your eyes peeled for updates. or, y'know, let me know you're interested. :)
now . . . some reviews!
black pearl
Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.
of course, i ordered these almost two months ago, so didn't know how excited i'd be by the coconut note in this one. spooky, my absolutely favorite bpal scent, which i wear every day, has a strong coconut thing going on (everyone always tells me i smell like the beach, which i take as a compliment). unfortunately, spooky is a limited edition and so i'm always searching for a backup. will this be it??
in the bottle--it smells floral, and maybe even a little powdery. uh-oh!
wet--ah, there's the coconut--it's like a floral and creamy spooky.
dry--i think i'm getting a hint of nut--i wish this was more coconutty! or tropical, or whatever.
later--oh, this is very nice. it's not as malibu-rummy as spooky, and it's much warmer, but i might get a bottle of this . . .
also, here's one i got in a swap earlier this week:
thalia
Good Cheer. Plumeria, pear and white champagne.
in the bottle--berryish!
wet, on--i think i'm getting a hint of pear and definitely i'm smelling something like wine. it reminds me of empyreal mist.
dry--really a nice and fruity floral, but might be too perfumey for me. i'll keep the imp and try it again another time.
now . . . some reviews!
black pearl
Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.
of course, i ordered these almost two months ago, so didn't know how excited i'd be by the coconut note in this one. spooky, my absolutely favorite bpal scent, which i wear every day, has a strong coconut thing going on (everyone always tells me i smell like the beach, which i take as a compliment). unfortunately, spooky is a limited edition and so i'm always searching for a backup. will this be it??
in the bottle--it smells floral, and maybe even a little powdery. uh-oh!
wet--ah, there's the coconut--it's like a floral and creamy spooky.
dry--i think i'm getting a hint of nut--i wish this was more coconutty! or tropical, or whatever.
later--oh, this is very nice. it's not as malibu-rummy as spooky, and it's much warmer, but i might get a bottle of this . . .
also, here's one i got in a swap earlier this week:
thalia
Good Cheer. Plumeria, pear and white champagne.
in the bottle--berryish!
wet, on--i think i'm getting a hint of pear and definitely i'm smelling something like wine. it reminds me of empyreal mist.
dry--really a nice and fruity floral, but might be too perfumey for me. i'll keep the imp and try it again another time.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
2005 book 108
helen oyeyemi's the icarus girl
i tried to buy this book about three times while on vacation and none of the stores had it, so yay for the regulator! and ooh, it was pretty darn good. it's about a half nigerian, half british girl who's sort of troubled and lonely, and she makes a friend while on a trip to nigeria to see her relatives, and only slowly realizes that her friend isn't at all what she appears. reading this in the middle of a sunny afternoon cut down the creepiness factor a little, but had i been reading this at night i'd have probably been too scared to sleep before seeing how it ended. really a nice take on the identity crisis of the biracial child, with a good helping of stuff on the problems with girls and friendships--and, of course, of stuff that's scary and compelling.
ps: this book was written by a nineteen year old girl, which isn't really evident until the hilariously high-schoolish acknowledgements at the end.
i tried to buy this book about three times while on vacation and none of the stores had it, so yay for the regulator! and ooh, it was pretty darn good. it's about a half nigerian, half british girl who's sort of troubled and lonely, and she makes a friend while on a trip to nigeria to see her relatives, and only slowly realizes that her friend isn't at all what she appears. reading this in the middle of a sunny afternoon cut down the creepiness factor a little, but had i been reading this at night i'd have probably been too scared to sleep before seeing how it ended. really a nice take on the identity crisis of the biracial child, with a good helping of stuff on the problems with girls and friendships--and, of course, of stuff that's scary and compelling.
ps: this book was written by a nineteen year old girl, which isn't really evident until the hilariously high-schoolish acknowledgements at the end.
Monday, August 15, 2005
P8150044
tongiht phil came over to examine the wreckage of my dresser and to take me for a ride in his new baby card (an '86 alfa romeo spider veloce, apparently). that thing handles curves sooo smoothly . . . i'd get a speeding ticket about every other day if i drove one! but man, that was one sweet ride.
in dresser-related news, since i know you're all dying of curiosity: tomorrow i go to a large chain home store to purchase wood and wood glue (i am pretty sure i own a drill) and try to repair the damn thing, which is currently upside-down in the middle of my bedroom. in the meantime, all of my clothes are mostly-neatly stacked on my bed and i'll be sleeping on the futon tonight. possibly also tomorrow night unless i have the strength to get it rightside-up again. :)
on the plus side, my trivia team won tonight by getting perfect scores in the rounds on tv character identification and board games. we are awesome.
also awesome is mike p., who bestowed a large assortment of graphic novels/anime on me so that he wouldn't have to drag it to california with him. thank you, mike; you will be sorely missed.
in dresser-related news, since i know you're all dying of curiosity: tomorrow i go to a large chain home store to purchase wood and wood glue (i am pretty sure i own a drill) and try to repair the damn thing, which is currently upside-down in the middle of my bedroom. in the meantime, all of my clothes are mostly-neatly stacked on my bed and i'll be sleeping on the futon tonight. possibly also tomorrow night unless i have the strength to get it rightside-up again. :)
on the plus side, my trivia team won tonight by getting perfect scores in the rounds on tv character identification and board games. we are awesome.
also awesome is mike p., who bestowed a large assortment of graphic novels/anime on me so that he wouldn't have to drag it to california with him. thank you, mike; you will be sorely missed.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
tv babies
so how many babies HAVE been born in elevators on tv shows, anyway? it apparently happened on night court (or so i seemed to be hearing in the background as i sliced tofu for dinner tonight) and i swear i remember it happening on law and order once (or some show like that--two guys in an elevator, a cleaning lady who doesn't speak english goes into labor, older guy/father of several is ineffectual, younger guy delivers baby) but i can find no evidence that it actually was law and order. i know i've seen it on other shows, too, although i can't remember which ones.
i mean, does this ever happen in real life? does it happen often enough to warrant such a tired tv cliche? it seems to me that there'd be plenty of other ways to instill tension and drama into a birth scene, without trapping the poor mother with some incompetent person in an elevator.
___
where's all the book talk, you may ask? well, as noted, i'm currently broke and out of books and tired of the selection at the chapel hill public library. also i'm reading calvin trillin's tummy trilogy, which is on the long side and makes me hungry so i can't read too much of it in one sitting before i have to go get a snack. probably i will get to davis library for books this week and new comics will be purchased as soon as my student loans come in. so, in summary, the book talk will return shortly.
i mean, does this ever happen in real life? does it happen often enough to warrant such a tired tv cliche? it seems to me that there'd be plenty of other ways to instill tension and drama into a birth scene, without trapping the poor mother with some incompetent person in an elevator.
___
where's all the book talk, you may ask? well, as noted, i'm currently broke and out of books and tired of the selection at the chapel hill public library. also i'm reading calvin trillin's tummy trilogy, which is on the long side and makes me hungry so i can't read too much of it in one sitting before i have to go get a snack. probably i will get to davis library for books this week and new comics will be purchased as soon as my student loans come in. so, in summary, the book talk will return shortly.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Friday, August 12, 2005
mix cd!
i made a new mix cd tonight, one that's been bouncing around my head for a week or so. it's called the imaginary boyfriend mix! tracklisting follows. it's very random (which i strongly believe is its charm).
1. hotel lights--a.m. slow golden hit
2. hutch and kathy--in brilliance
3. crooked fingers--valerie
4. faris nourallah--fantastic!
5. comet gain--my defiance
6. portastatic--full of stars
7. lovers--peppermint
8. erie choir--epic
9. galactic heroes--all in time
10. kingsbury manx--creature of habit
11. owl and the pussycat--tigers
12. annie hayden--wait for returns
13. archer prewitt--i'm coming over
14. audubon park--blasted heath
15. radio dept.--i don't need love, i've got my band
16. sly and the family stone--stand!
17. the salteens--time you have been wasting
18. the rosebuds--leaves do fall
19. heavenly--ben sherman
20. carla bruni--le plus beau du quartier
21. the sprites--i want you back
while this cd was burning, i got my first click 'n' ship from bpal!! yay, my very first official order will be here next week!!!
1. hotel lights--a.m. slow golden hit
2. hutch and kathy--in brilliance
3. crooked fingers--valerie
4. faris nourallah--fantastic!
5. comet gain--my defiance
6. portastatic--full of stars
7. lovers--peppermint
8. erie choir--epic
9. galactic heroes--all in time
10. kingsbury manx--creature of habit
11. owl and the pussycat--tigers
12. annie hayden--wait for returns
13. archer prewitt--i'm coming over
14. audubon park--blasted heath
15. radio dept.--i don't need love, i've got my band
16. sly and the family stone--stand!
17. the salteens--time you have been wasting
18. the rosebuds--leaves do fall
19. heavenly--ben sherman
20. carla bruni--le plus beau du quartier
21. the sprites--i want you back
while this cd was burning, i got my first click 'n' ship from bpal!! yay, my very first official order will be here next week!!!
i wish i could be famous for reading books!
seriously, i could totally do what this guy is doing (assuming all the booker longlist book were ACTUALLY PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES IN A TIMELY MANNER). why don't newspapers contact me for these things??? i want to parlay my book addiction/fast reading abilities into fame (and possibly fortune)! how on earth do these people get to be on the bbc?? who can i contact in america for similar tasks??
by the way, that guy totally sucks for saying english teachers shouldn't be reading comics. there is nothing wrong with reading comics!!!!! will the stigma never end? sheesh.
by the way, that guy totally sucks for saying english teachers shouldn't be reading comics. there is nothing wrong with reading comics!!!!! will the stigma never end? sheesh.
P8110017
i came home from a busy evening of playing pool at hell and watching other people do karaoke (including masterful performances by pinky and phil, who i met for the first time. and thanks for the cd, pinky!!) to find a large package on my doorstep.
this was inside. the note reads:
Dear Alicia:
These Ham-Hams are looking for the rest of their friends. They all wish to be one big happy family once more. This time they have brought their own storage contraption and potential wall-display unit in case they have started to overrun your home.
Thank you for taking care of all of the Ham-Hams!
P.S. Sometimes the post office won't send things without a return address. Sometimes they will. Just in case you were wondering.
somehow i think this is the last of the hamsters. i got a little misty as i read the note: thank you, thank you, to whoever has been giving me these little guys for the past 2+ years. they really have made my day every single time i got one, and i was always so grateful that someone was doing something so silly and sweet for me.
and they haven't overrun my home, just one of my shelves. :)
this was inside. the note reads:
Dear Alicia:
These Ham-Hams are looking for the rest of their friends. They all wish to be one big happy family once more. This time they have brought their own storage contraption and potential wall-display unit in case they have started to overrun your home.
Thank you for taking care of all of the Ham-Hams!
P.S. Sometimes the post office won't send things without a return address. Sometimes they will. Just in case you were wondering.
somehow i think this is the last of the hamsters. i got a little misty as i read the note: thank you, thank you, to whoever has been giving me these little guys for the past 2+ years. they really have made my day every single time i got one, and i was always so grateful that someone was doing something so silly and sweet for me.
and they haven't overrun my home, just one of my shelves. :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
sigh
tonight's sils knitting night morphed into some show on animal planet as we tried in vain to save an injured bird. huge thanks to val and jesse for their valiant efforts, and props to the triangle pet emergency treatment center in durham (off of business 15-501's entrance ramp to 751, on the right) for their kindness. if anyone local ever has a sick or injured pet after business hours, definitely go there. their contact info can be found here.
2005 book 107
leah stewart's the myth of you and me
this book comes out at the end of the month (huge thanks to johnm for getting me an advance copy!) and i strongly urge everyone to go and buy it. for one thing, the description on the back is just right. for another, it's a beautifully written story about a woman working ostensibly as a research assistant to an elderly author; when she receives a letter from her former best friend, who she hasn't spoken to in eight years, the author urges her to reconnect. the story makes great use of flashbacks to the girls in high school and college while also making the main character's confusion and life-crisis a compelling read. it also totally nails the complexities of friendships between girls and how they change as we grow up.
stewart apparently lives in this area so maybe she'll do a reading or something--definitely keep an eye out, b/c this book was great. i was reading the last few pages through tears 'cause it's just so darn touching and awesome.
john, it'll be in your mail folder tomorrow! :)
this book comes out at the end of the month (huge thanks to johnm for getting me an advance copy!) and i strongly urge everyone to go and buy it. for one thing, the description on the back is just right. for another, it's a beautifully written story about a woman working ostensibly as a research assistant to an elderly author; when she receives a letter from her former best friend, who she hasn't spoken to in eight years, the author urges her to reconnect. the story makes great use of flashbacks to the girls in high school and college while also making the main character's confusion and life-crisis a compelling read. it also totally nails the complexities of friendships between girls and how they change as we grow up.
stewart apparently lives in this area so maybe she'll do a reading or something--definitely keep an eye out, b/c this book was great. i was reading the last few pages through tears 'cause it's just so darn touching and awesome.
john, it'll be in your mail folder tomorrow! :)
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
pop culture rambling
well, after reading 12 books over vacation, i'm a little burned out on reading. also, i pretty much made my way through my to-read pile and don't have anything to read anyway. so basically i've been doing a lot of crosswords (i love those books of just the new york times monday crosswords, since i can almost always kick butt on those, which is deeply satisfying to a nerd like me) and watching reruns of house and veronica mars (which is on fridays on CBS for the next two weeks still, for those who don't get upn! and which is on upn wednesdays at nine now!).
speaking of veronica mars, it's been kicking a large amount of butt over on the twop awards. i am SOOO excited for season two, with new recurring characters played by charisma carpenter (buffy from cordelia as the sexy casablancas stepmom) and steve guttenberg as a mayoral candidate/parent of a new kid at school. can you believe i'm excited to see steve guttenberg in something? well, i am.
anyway, i'm soliciting book recommendations again, if you have 'em. and don't think i'm ignoring your suggestion if i haven't read it yet! it's written down in my trusty purple notebook until i can track a copy down at a local library--or until i come into a windfall and can buy enough books to warrant living in an even bigger apartment. :)
speaking of veronica mars, it's been kicking a large amount of butt over on the twop awards. i am SOOO excited for season two, with new recurring characters played by charisma carpenter (buffy from cordelia as the sexy casablancas stepmom) and steve guttenberg as a mayoral candidate/parent of a new kid at school. can you believe i'm excited to see steve guttenberg in something? well, i am.
anyway, i'm soliciting book recommendations again, if you have 'em. and don't think i'm ignoring your suggestion if i haven't read it yet! it's written down in my trusty purple notebook until i can track a copy down at a local library--or until i come into a windfall and can buy enough books to warrant living in an even bigger apartment. :)
Monday, August 08, 2005
P8080004
hamsters 81-86 were waiting for me when i returned home from vacation (with the best enclosure yet--a whole bunch of my wxdu flowsheets! from like, 2003. haha!).
i'm pretty sure the one on the right is a vampire. and why does the one on the left have a see-through eyepatch? i will never unravel the mysteries of the hamsters.
by the way, hamster-giver, my mail-pickup-person thought it was pretty silly that i was mailing stuff to myself--nice touch on putting my address as the return address. and now i have a sample of your handwriting!
i'm pretty sure the one on the right is a vampire. and why does the one on the left have a see-through eyepatch? i will never unravel the mysteries of the hamsters.
by the way, hamster-giver, my mail-pickup-person thought it was pretty silly that i was mailing stuff to myself--nice touch on putting my address as the return address. and now i have a sample of your handwriting!
P8080014
everyone looks at me like i'm nuts when i ask for help in fixing my dresser, but look: it is F'ED UP. it's leaning forward, and the only thing keeping it from toppling over is the bottom drawer, which is wedged into the carpet. also none of the drawers will shut and the bottom three don't really open. these are dire straits, people! help, help! i will bake cookies in exchange for repair assistance!
P8030181
hey, i'm back from vacation! photos are at flickr, as always.
on a totally unrelated topic: do any locals know a good handyman type? my beloved dresser is having some serious issues which probably could be easily resolved by someone knowledgeable, but i'm not that sort of person. it's on the verge of falling forward and dying a horrible death, and i'd like to prevent that . . .
on a totally unrelated topic: do any locals know a good handyman type? my beloved dresser is having some serious issues which probably could be easily resolved by someone knowledgeable, but i'm not that sort of person. it's on the verge of falling forward and dying a horrible death, and i'd like to prevent that . . .
Sunday, August 07, 2005
2005 book 106
lily tuck's the news from paraguay
i forget, is the national book award the one i think goes to books that suck/don't deserve it? oh well, i'll research it later. i'm not sure this book deserved to win some big award, but it wasn't a bad read or anything. it's about the irish mistress of the dictator of paraguay in the mid-1800s--the first half is really engaging, but once the wars start the story drags a lot. yes, war is full of drudgery, but that's why i don't read (much) military history. it picks back up toward the end, but by then i was busy wondering how tuck had to tailor her story to fit the historical facts and wasn't paying that much attention.
speaking of history, the big family joke this vacation seems to revolve around the oneida cult: we came upon an oneida dishware store and i started talking about the history of the oneida cult a la one of my college history classes. i always really liked that story so i guess it stuck with me (or some mostly-factual version, anyway). my family seemed to find it both bizarre and entertaining that i would not shut up about this, and a few nights later when my dad cracked some comment about "oneida" they all started laughing hysterically. i once again tried to expound on the history but my dad was laughing so hard he was crying and couldn't get words out, so i eventually succumbed to hysterics as well. good times. see, history can be fun!
i forget, is the national book award the one i think goes to books that suck/don't deserve it? oh well, i'll research it later. i'm not sure this book deserved to win some big award, but it wasn't a bad read or anything. it's about the irish mistress of the dictator of paraguay in the mid-1800s--the first half is really engaging, but once the wars start the story drags a lot. yes, war is full of drudgery, but that's why i don't read (much) military history. it picks back up toward the end, but by then i was busy wondering how tuck had to tailor her story to fit the historical facts and wasn't paying that much attention.
speaking of history, the big family joke this vacation seems to revolve around the oneida cult: we came upon an oneida dishware store and i started talking about the history of the oneida cult a la one of my college history classes. i always really liked that story so i guess it stuck with me (or some mostly-factual version, anyway). my family seemed to find it both bizarre and entertaining that i would not shut up about this, and a few nights later when my dad cracked some comment about "oneida" they all started laughing hysterically. i once again tried to expound on the history but my dad was laughing so hard he was crying and couldn't get words out, so i eventually succumbed to hysterics as well. good times. see, history can be fun!
Saturday, August 06, 2005
2005 book 105
aharon appelfeld's the healer
i didn't really like this book much: partially this was due to a lousy translation, and partially to the fact that the entire plot can be summarized as follows: during the late 1930s in europe, a dude, his wife, and his two kids go to the middle of nowhere to see some holy man b/c his daughter has some unspecified mental malaise. the dude wants to go home. it's not a very interesting story, and despite what the back of the book says, his return to an intensely anti-semitic vienna is only covered in the last three or so pages, and thus has no emotional impact. i'm all, "what was the point of this?"
i didn't really like this book much: partially this was due to a lousy translation, and partially to the fact that the entire plot can be summarized as follows: during the late 1930s in europe, a dude, his wife, and his two kids go to the middle of nowhere to see some holy man b/c his daughter has some unspecified mental malaise. the dude wants to go home. it's not a very interesting story, and despite what the back of the book says, his return to an intensely anti-semitic vienna is only covered in the last three or so pages, and thus has no emotional impact. i'm all, "what was the point of this?"
Friday, August 05, 2005
2005 books 103 and 104
ellen gilchrist's the anna papers
man, i hate when the description on the back of a book is totally inaccurate. luckily this book was better than its description: it's not about a woman's self-discovery after her sister's death, it's about that sister and her love for her family and various men and her attempts to unify one of her brothers and the daughter they never knew he had. i mean, the other sister does have some self-discovery or whatever, but it's only in the last 50 pages. who writes those things??
shan sa's the girl who played go
this was recommended to me as a sad read, but it was really so much more than that (and no worries, i didn't cry at the beach or anything). it's about a young chinese girl in the 1930s in the midst of all that political upheaval, and the japanese officer she encounters while playing go. both characters are vividly drawn and their struggles with the situations in which they are trapped are just heartbreaking.
today we dealt with another jellyfish attack--my sister's friend got it bad across the leg. yikes! i am definitely avoiding the ocean for the next few days!
man, i hate when the description on the back of a book is totally inaccurate. luckily this book was better than its description: it's not about a woman's self-discovery after her sister's death, it's about that sister and her love for her family and various men and her attempts to unify one of her brothers and the daughter they never knew he had. i mean, the other sister does have some self-discovery or whatever, but it's only in the last 50 pages. who writes those things??
shan sa's the girl who played go
this was recommended to me as a sad read, but it was really so much more than that (and no worries, i didn't cry at the beach or anything). it's about a young chinese girl in the 1930s in the midst of all that political upheaval, and the japanese officer she encounters while playing go. both characters are vividly drawn and their struggles with the situations in which they are trapped are just heartbreaking.
today we dealt with another jellyfish attack--my sister's friend got it bad across the leg. yikes! i am definitely avoiding the ocean for the next few days!
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