Awkwardly Social

Holly does a monthly review of her goals, and it’s always inspiring to me, so here I am, trying to make 2013 a year of getting things done.This month I started a chore chart of sorts as a way to get me motivated to follow a plan of attack on my life.  It showed me some very interesting patterns.  One, that cooking is still not a priority, even though I think that as Moe gets older I’d like him to have meals around the dinner table, and it’s never too early to start an evening routine, it’s been too hard with work and weekend plans to make this happen.  My job ends mid-February, so maybe I’ll have the time then?  I’m not too worried about it yet.  Two, that the practice of blogging is really fun and I missed it.  I made an effort to write stuff down here and I’m so glad I did.  Having an online journal is one of those things many people still think is weird, but if I just kept a paper journal it would be all about my anxiety and stress and how I’m not losing weight.  If I have to show people what I’ve written, it definitely makes me dig deeper.

So, the year long resolutions, if you care to revisit, were these:

Get back to my pre-infertility treatments weight. - I started Weight Watchers before Christmas and it was going really well there until work stress and home stress started to give me an excuse to eat all the things.  I hope to get back to being more aware of the 20 Hershey’s kisses that magically just disappeared into my face hole.  It’s a process!

Make time for me and Seth. - Yes and no.  I try to stay up with him while he putters around the kitchen so we can talk about our day, but my back has been bothering me, and most nights I just want to get into bed and relax.  So, this is another thing I’ll be working on with more steam in February.

Start running again, even if I can only find time for it once a month. - Big yes!  I mean, I only ran twice this month, but that’s two times more than I ran last month.

Use my new sewing machine - Not yet.  But Mood fabrics just opened a couple of blocks away from my house and I can’t wait to go explore.

Carve out time to work on my own writing - Barely.  I wrote a couple of times this month on non-work related projects, but I hope February will get me going even more.

Don’t buy anymore books. - I didn’t buy a single one!

Figure out how to get Moe back into his own bed. - We did it!  We did Ferber sleep training and it’s still tough some nights, but last night he slept through until 6am.  I, on the other hand, woke up every two hours wondering if he was going to wake up.

Get a family photo of the three of us. - We got one at the beach of the three of us, but Seth’s head is cut off, and it’s not exactly what I was hoping for.  My sister gave me a tripod for my birthday, so I’m hopeful this will be taken care of very soon!

So, for February.

1. More personal writing.

2. More exercising

3. More fruits and vegetables

4. More Seth and Tamara time

5. More sewing

A co-worker said this morning basically everyone’s resolutions should be, “Get your shit together.”

In lieu of just having that be my resolution here are a couple more things I thought of.

1. Don’t buy anymore books.  Read what’s on the shelf or check them out from the library.  We’ve got serious overflow going on and my kindle has several I haven’t even cracked.

2.  Figure out how to get Moe back into his own bed.  (Even though I like the snuggling, it is killing my sleep.  And every morning Seth wakes up saying, “He slept well last night!” And I want to stab him in the face, because WHY DOESN’T HE WAKE UP WHEN MOE IS FUSSING?!)

3.  Get a family photo of the three of us.  Even if it’s me setting up a tripod myself.

I reserve the right to say fuck it to all of these.

1. Get back to my pre-infertility treatments weight.

2. Make time for me and Seth.

3. Start running again, even if I can only find time for it once a month.

4.  Use my new sewing machine

5. Carve out time to work on my own writing

That’s it. That’s all I think I can handle.

Astute readers will have noticed the “Life List” tab that I snuck into the tab bar above.  I didn’t write about writing it, because it’s still very much a work in progress.  Also, I feel slightly like I did in junior high when the cool girls in the grade above me started some lame trend, the details of which seemed so important at the time but are now completely escaping me, and me and my friends (I use that plural loosely, I think at the time my only friend was Callie) attempted to imitate said trend and we were publicly shamed in the cafeteria during lunch by the mean girls.  I was mortified at the time.  Now, I’m clearly emotionally scarred because I am embarrassed to make a “Life List” -  something that is not trademarked, but that some girls in the grade ahead of my in blogging life have kind of “branded” as their “thing.”  But whatever, I’ve been writing “Life Lists” since I was an awkward teenager in Camp Verde, Arizona trying to convince my parents to buy me a horse.  Which reminds me, I need to add “own a horse” to my list.Without further ado, at #31 on my Life List is to try 100 recipes I’ve never made.  This weekend I did two!  Both from the cookbook my mom put together for my sister and I.  Below is the recipe for the Peach Cobbler.  The other will follow later this week.

Peach Cobbler

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
•  4 cups sliced fresh peaches (this is about 3 large peaches, I think you should use 4 large peaches.)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Blend 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan.  Stir in the peaches, cinnamon and lemon juice.  (Note:  when I did this I was totally nervous that there wouldn’t be enough liquid.  Somehow, there is.  It’s really amazing.  Fear not!) Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Pour into ungreased 2 quart casserole.  Keep fruit mixture hot in oven while preparing biscuit topping.Biscuit toppingMeasure flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder and salt into bowl.  Add shortening and milk.  (I think I messed up my shortening measurements because something was off with the biscuits, they didn’t taste like my mom’s.)  Cut through shortening 6 times, mix until dough forms a ball. Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto hot fruit.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until biscuit topping is golden brown.  Serve warm, and if desired, with ice cream.  Six servings.

I think the next time I make this, I’ll use more peaches, my peach to biscuit ratio was off.  Also, I think I’ll leave it in the oven a little longer, it just tasted slightly different than my mom’s.  I know it wasn’t perfect because 3 days later, we still have leftovers.  Cobbler never lasted that long in my mom’s fridge.

Vagina gore, causing an emergency meeting with a speculum, and a rubber gloved lady.  I peed on my hand getting a urine specimen and no one could agree on the panties on/panties off situation.  Verdict: Panties off, I’m not pregnant, and it wasn’t my ovary or a dead baby that was oozing down my leg.

Giant rat vs. smallish dog battle continues apace in my kitchen.  Dog seems to be of the opinion that the rat is no longer in the house.  My heeb-jeeb o’meter disagrees.

I have had it up to here with the jokey misrepresentation of how television gets made by people who have no idea how television gets made.  I would like to tell people who think it’s funny to yuck it up about the crap we put on the networks to shove it up their self-righteous asses.  And also, remind them that they are lazy fuckers who’ve never tried to make anything in their lives except an easier path for the food to get to their stupid mouths.

Apparently, I’ve gotten a little bitter about middle America.  This is what happens when you work in television.  This is also a sure sign that one should probably stop working in television.

I’m going to be working in television for the foreseeable future.

1. The remote for my stereo was not broken.  I had just put the batteries in wrong.
2. I’m almost positive that my curtains are too sheer.
3. I’m absolutely positive that I don’t care that my curtains are too sheer.
4. Chocolate and twizzlers and white wine do not a healthy dinner make, yet I continue to choose them for dinner.
5. The panaderia across the street has the worst coffee I’ve ever tasted.  Including that sip of coffee I drank with a cigarette butt in it.
6. Not having cable is not as bad as I expected.
7. I hate telling people I don’t have cable, or television reception, because then they think I’m one of those people who thinks TV is beneath them.  And I have to explain to them that I’m just trying something out right now, and then they really think I’m a totally hipster snob.
8. I need a hanging pot rack.  And someone to install it.
9. I need a vintage dresser.  And someone to deliver it.
10. My bed needs about 7/8ths of an inch more clearance for my luggage to fit under it.  I have no idea how to accomplish this.  Wood?  Risers?  Does this mean a trip to Home Despot is in my future?
11. Parking in my neighborhood is ass.  But in kind of a fun and ridiculous way.  I like solving a good logic puzzle every now and again.
12. The garnet is working.  I don’t feel abandoned.  Lonely, worried and sad, but definitely not abandoned.
13. I danced in my apartment last night.  In front of my sheer curtains.  With no pants on.

This is where I give snap judgments on movies I’ve seen in 2008. Sometimes I look back to see what I thought about a movie and realized that even though I’ve been telling people I hated a movie, I actually liked it at first. My taste is a mystery wrapped in a bag of buttered popcorn. See also my 2007 - Movie List.

51.  Gran Torino (12/08)  Unintentionally funny.  And not horrible to watch.  Both Mr. F and I enjoyed it.

50.  Doubt (12/08) Meryl Streep is so good.  Such a pleasure to watch.  I really liked this.

49.  Mrs. Doubtfire (12/27/08)  Still pretty much holds up.  I still liked it.  And still found Sally Field to be a repulsive and horrible mom.
48.  The Wedding Date (12/27/08)  Oh man, this movie is bad.  But trapped in a hotel room with nothing but my snot and the television to keep me company and this is what we watched.

47.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (12/08)  Not a horrible movie, a bit long for my taste, and the ending was not my cup.  Definitely entertaining.

46.  Revolutionary Road (12/08)  I liked a lot of things about this movie, but it left me feeling a little cold.  The performance by Michael Shannon deserves an Oscar nod, but I’m not sure he’ll get one.

45.  Slumdog Millionaire (12/08) Unfortunately, this was way hyped before we saw it.  And while I loved the stuff with the kids, the love story totally didn’t work for me.  I’m sure it will be nominated, and it might even win, but I don’t think it’s as good as everyone else thinks it is.

44. Who’ll Stop the Rain (12/08)  My boyfriend had this on VHS and I was intrigued by the logline.  It moves kind of slowly and I hated the female lead, Tuesday Weld, but it’s worth a watch if you’re into drug movies and Nick Nolte.  And who isn’t, really?

43. Burn After Reading (12/2/08) I think some might criticize this movie for being kind of about nothing, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it felt like a nice fast watch, which it was. All hail the return of 90 minute movies. Praise Jesus!

42. Steel Magnolias (11/30/08) One day when I was unable to force myself to leave the house I watched this on cable. All I could think about was how atrocious Julia Roberts’ eye brows looked. I think it’s safe to say we, as a society, have come a long way in regards to eye brow shaping. Thank the lord for that.

41. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (10/12/06) This was the Palm D’Or winner at Cannes. It’s an amazingly acted film with these master shots that last a full film load, a scene playing out like you’re watching a documentary, but better. It’s pretty brutal, but also touching, the things these women go through for friendship. The ending left me wanting more, and a little disappointed, but I do recommend it.

40. Up Close and Personal (9/21/08) Also watched this for research. Was sad that Joan Didion, one of my all time favorite writers and literary heroes, wrote it. Not a good movie.

39. I Love Trouble (9/21/08) I watched this in the name of research. Couldn’t get through it. It was a good example of how to mess up a high concept film with ridiculous plotting.

38. The King of Kong (9/15/08) An extremely well done documentary about a small group of people whose lives revolve around arcade video games and high scores. I totally recommend it. It’s a fantastic example of building a story around a real life set of characters.

37. Designing Woman (9/14/08) Mr. F recommended this to me, and it’s pretty fun. Lauren Bacall plays a high fashion designer, Gregory Peck a sports reporter. They meet at the Beverly Hills Hotel (one of Mr. F and my favorite LA places) fall madly in love and go back to New York and struggle to mesh their disparate lives together. Hijinks ensue. It’s worth a watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

36. Bug (8/1/08) Mr. F’s assistant recommended this to him, and on the strength of her description (meth users go insane in a hotel room) we popped it in. It was good for a few (unintentional) laughs. And while we gave it kind of reaming, we were still talking about it days later, so… there’s that.

35. My Summer of Love (6/15/08) I loved the poster for this and I’d heard decent things so I queued it up in Netflix and then took forever to watch it. It’s beautifully shot, and the acting and writing are all spot on. It’s a bit meandering, but that’s what I like in a movie like this. I recommend.

34. The Kite Runner (6/15/08) I don’t know what genius decided it would be a good idea to put yellow subtitles on a movie about Afghanistan (a very yellow place) but uh, they should probably think about their color choices a little better next time. The boys are great in this movie as is all the acting, but the story continues to bug me with as my sister put it, “The Victorian use of coincidence to further the plot.”

33. Sex and the City (5/30/08) I really loved this movie. Sure there was some bad acting and there were some mis-steps, but all in all, totally delivered. I got pretty emotional watching it. Something about the friends rallying around Carrie really spoke to me. I’ll probably see it again.

32. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull of Doom and Maybe Aliens - (5/25/08) I cannot tell you how angry I was after walking out of the theater. I mean, MONKEYS? AND GODDAMNED ALIENS? Not to mention the fucking ants of power. Ugh. HATE.

31. Michael Clayton (5/20/08) I really liked this. There were enough twists and turns and good writing to keep me interested throughout. But then again, maybe it was just the excessive law talk and George Clooney. Two great tastes that taste great together.

30. No End in Sight (5/28/08) This is one of the most compelling documentaries I’ve seen on the Iraq war and the complete failure and total arrogance of our current administration and their bungling of the occupation. It’s depressing, without a shred of hope. Should be required viewing for all voters.

29. Elephant (5/7/08) This is the Alan Clarke film that Gus Van Sant was inspired by to make his Elephant. It’s a short, but it feels like a feature. The cinematography and steadicam work is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Stunning.

28. Lost Boys of Sudan (5/1/08) I had heard great things about this film, and so I went in with my serious documentary glasses on, and again, disappointed. I work in documentary so I think I’m maybe a little too critical. But I felt like this came away with all the awards because of the characters, not so much the film making. Which is why I have trouble watching most documentaries. They feel sloppy and poorly made and slip through because they have great subjects.

27. Baby Mama (4/25/08) I had high hopes. They were dashed. It’s a definite rental, with some seriously hilarious moments, but it felt like and easy cop-out.

26. I Am Legend (4/20/08) I have mixed feelings about this adaptation. Something about setting it in New York feels very right, but I love the post-apocalyptic version the author painted of Los Angeles in the book. The book has a better more dramatic death of the wife and kid, and also does a better job with the vampires, one is his neighbor who taunts him every night, screaming his name. Also, I liked in the book that our hero wasn’t a scientist, just a common man trying to figure out how to cure the disease. There’s a better twist at the end of the book. Hmm. After writing all that down, I guess my feelings aren’t all that mixed. Book was better, even though it was totally sexist and a little rape-y.

25. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (4/18/08) Catherine and Waller had an extra ticket to see this at the Cinerama dome, and I had nothing to do on a Friday night, so I tagged along. It’s a great movie to see with an audience, and the director and the star introduced the film, so it was a nice touch. I say it won’t hold up after repeated viewings, but there are some truly hilarious moments and the British dude is probably on everyone’s knew crush list. Hot, hilarious, and did I mention British?

24. The Martian Child (4/9/08) I saw this preview in front of some other Netflix movie and it looked kind of good so I added it to my queue. I have a serious girl crush on Amanda Peet and Joan Cusack and I still heart John Cusack, so was thrilled that they were all in the movie. It’s pretty watchable, entirely predictable, but I liked it nonetheless. There’s this great moment between Amanda Peet and John Cusack at the door, full of this awesome sexual tension that I keep thinking about. If you see it on OnDemand and need a nice little cry, this might be a good one to check out.

23. Dark Victory (4/7/08) Oh man, this movie is unintentionally hilarious. Bette Davis is a socialite who likes boys, booze and horses and she gets this mysterious illness, not entirely unlike the “Brain Fog” Hanks gets in Joe Vs. the Volcano. She falls madly in love with her doctor then leaves him when she finds out he and her best friend are keeping a gigantic secret from her about her impending expiration date (I guess medicine had fewer rules in the good ol’ days?), then she finally comes to her senses and falls back in love with her doctor and they live happily ever after until she suddenly goes blind and dies a few minutes later, after she convinces her doctor husband she’s fine and just needs to take a little nap. heh.

22. Rear Window (4/6/08) Grace Kelly is stunning, James Stewart is such a charmer, but it’s Thelma Ritter who gets me every time, she is perfect. I love this movie.

21. Jezebel (4/5/08) I have to watch a lot of montages for that thing I do that pays me money, and this one came up and it looked good, so I watched it. Bette Davis has this moment where she uses her riding crop to scoop up the back of long train on her riding habit and I fell in love with her. The movie, not so much, but I can totally see the Bette Davis appeal now.

20. Shopgirl (4/5/08) I kind of hated this movie, except for Jason Schwartzman. Highly don’t recommend.

19. The Wire, Season 3 (3/30/08) I know, I know! It’s television. But! The last two episodes of this season are so good, they should have been nominated for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and all the acting categories. There’s a moment on the balcony between Stringer and Avon that is so completely moving and sad that I clapped. In my apartment. All by myself. Please watch this.

18. I Could Never Be Your Woman (3/30/08) Very cute, highly watchable. I have no idea why they buried this and never gave it the theatrical distribution it deserved. Saoirse Ronan is adorable, Michelle Pfeiffer looks amazing, and Paul Rudd is hilarious. If you can find it, you should check it out.

17. The Descent (3/26/08) I made Tara watch this instead of working on our pilot. I’ve already seen it, but there was still a part where I jumped awkwardly enough to pull something. Awesome.

16. Rocket Science (3/18/08) Sweet little story. And the boy who plays the flying boy on Heroes, was so cute I wanted to have inappropriate sex with him. If you like quirk, you’ll like this.

15. 3:10 to Yuma (3/10/08) Hello, yummy, yummy dirty men riding horses. This was a little draggy in parts, but it seriously made up for it by the pure lusty cowboy action. Speaking of action, the action sequences were OK, but a little tired. I guess it’s hard to bring anything fresh to the table action-wise anymore.

14. Girl 27 (3/2/08) This was a Netflix recommendation and the synopsis intrigued me. I think it would have made an excellent short film, but it was waaaaay too long and I got really sick of seeing the same for still photos of the woman. Do not recommend.

13. The Other Boleyn Girl (3/2/08) I should have known I wasn’t really going to love this movie. I kind of hated the book. Eric Bana was pretty disappointing. But man, I have a huge crush on the dude who played George, I hope we see more of him.

12. Prater (2/25/08) I thought this was going to be a weird experimental film that had some documentary aspects, it was playing at REDCAT, afterall. Instead it was almost just a straight forward doc with some experimental lapses. My favorite parts were the experimental lapses, of which there were far too few.

11. Be Kind, Rewind (2/25/08) I went in with my expectations way too high. I have been working on lowering my expectations for everything - parties, books, music, people - and it’s been an exercise in surprise. I love to be delightfully surprised with a fun time when I was expecting to just get through it. So, I went to this movie getting ahead of myself, thinking, “Oh, I have low expectations for this but it’s going to be so awesome.” And then? Not so much. It’s fine and sort of cute. I love Mos Def (because I’m a white person) and I’m not one of those people who hates Jack Black, so they weren’t the problem. It was the interminably slow pace and the quirk without the quirk… that doesn’t make sense. It was just kind of there. Not charming enough. Like they tried to be charming. Whatever. It’s a rental at best.

10. Munich (2/21/08) I have a mighty crush on Eric Bana, and this movie did nothing to assuage that. The big problem is that it suffers from having about three places in the last act that feel like the end. Then it ends again. I don’t really recommend it, unless you need a little Eric Bana fix.

9. Step Up 2: The Streets (2/16/08) I was in grad school when the director was finishing his undergraduate degree. I knew of him, but didn’t really know him. We’ve all been amazed by the way this film went from being a direct to DVD movie to a big theatrical release, with a great ad campaign. It’s a serviceable story, but where it really shines are the dance sequences. Definitely recommend if you want to see some hott dance action.

8. Once - (watched 2/2/08) I wanted a little more out of this, but the music completely made up for the lack in script development. If you’re looking for a charming little something to brighten your day, check it out.

7. The Notebook - (watched 1/11/08) I can’t help myself, I’m a sucker for Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. I needed a little sugar injection this week, apparently.

6. Dirty Dancing - (watched 1/10/08) This is the first time I’ve watched that I noticed what a total loser Johnny is. I was kind of hoping Baby wouldn’t get wrapped up in his spell, because he seems like he’s never going to amount to anything, no matter how beautiful a dancer he is - proving I am a cynical, heartless woman scorned.

5. Lost in Translation - (watched 1/10/08) I love this movie. It struck a particularly strong cord with me this viewing. I want Sophia Coppola to re-write my life.

4. Atonement - (watched 1/10/08) Beautiful. I couldn’t really remember the book, but this brought it all back quite nicely. I recommend it. And I recommend the book.

3. Music and Lyrics - (watched 1/6/08) This is not very good. But Drew Barrymore looks terrific in it, and the music videos are hilarious. I caught it on HBO and will probably get sucked into it every time it’s on now. Goddamnit.

2. Into the Wild - (watched 1/6/08) I have a hate/hate relationship with Sean Penn’s directing. I think he lets actors over-act and it does an disservice to the talent he has at his fingertips. That said, the non-actors in this movie were amazing. The guy who plays “Rainey” gave such a good performance that we were all sure we had seen him in something before. This movie is too long, it is kind of offensive in the way it treats the audience, but the last hour is moving and kind of redeeming. I don’t recommend it, but I won’t bad mouth it too much either.

1. The Orphanage - (watched 1/4/08) I was pretty excited to see this having heard good things, but, and this always happens when I have high expectations for a movie, I was pretty disappointed. It seemed to have a lot of potential with the script, and the idea was definitely scary, but the cinematography was so lacking in style and the editing was so film school-y that I couldn’t get into it. Tara watched it with me and she didn’t have as many problems with it, so take my thoughts for what they are - thoughts of a bitter filmmaker.

16. The Mystified Magistrate: And Other Tales by Marquis de Sade (12/3/08) I’ve never read any of his pornographic novels, and don’t know that much about him except the stuff I can sort of recall from the movie Quill, so I thought all of his stuff was dirty. This is a fun read about a crooked judge who gets his comeuppance and how. The Marquis really hated judges. And he tortures this one good.

15. The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks (11/15/08) I didn’t love everything about this, and the ending feels more than a little abrupt, but I do think it’s a good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the way he writes women, and I think his family dynamic is spot on.

14. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin (9/14/08) My mom and my sister recommended this. It’s a good plane read. I found it a little too pulpy for my taste, but it’s a good replacement for Patricia Cornwell or any other hacky mystery writer who is currently failing you. (I’m not bitter. Not at all!)

13. The Wasp Factory: A Novel by Iain Banks (8/10/08) Loved this. It’s super creepy and has a twist ending that normally would irritate me, but for some reason it just totally works. Highly recommend.

12. 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith (8/9/08) 50 books recommended this, and while I liked the charm and the use of intersecting stories, it just didn’t complete do it for me. I’m sure part of that had to do with me taking over a month to get through it.

11. Geek Love: A Novel by Katherine Dunn (8/1/08) This was a re-read. I had been talking to someone about it, and then as I cruised through the Beverly Hills Public Library I saw a pristine hardcover copy on their book sale rack for one dollar (!) so I bought it. The first 100 pages are so strong that you can almost forgive the last 250, almost. I’d be completely surprised this hasn’t been optioned for screen rights. It’s cinematic and engaging, but needed a stronger editor (in my humblest of opinions).

10. Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs (5/14/08) This is the kinder, gentler (and a little gayer) version of A Million Little Pieces. But I really liked it. He has an excellent and slightly uncanny way of telling a story that feels like he’s just sitting down and talking to you. I liked this.

(I am a little embarrassed about my reading list, thus far. Please forgive me. I gave up television and apparently my brain needed its trash quotient filled some other way.)

9. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (5/3/08) I have no idea what possessed me to re-read this. But I did. And I still cried at the same places I cried when I read it as a young lass. It’s not great literature, but for some reason I still really like this story. Sue me.

8. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (4/20/08) I read a Stephanie Plum Christmas story for book club last year, and kind of hated it, so this one sat languishing of my shelf for quite some time. I started reading Cloud Atlas on the plane, but couldn’t get into it, so I cracked this one open and it was actually super enjoyable. I highly recommend it for travel or a nice vacation read. It’s a little over written in some parts, but it doesn’t feel long or too tedious, I can see why she’s a best seller.

7. A Dirty Job: A Novel by Christopher Moore (4/14/08) This was a book club read from a few months ago and I never had the chance to finish it. It’s actually pretty funny, if a bit predictable. I recommend it for a trip. Easy to read, the themes are easy to follow and the characters are all really fun.

6. The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice-cream God by John R. Powers (4/13/08) This was recommended to me and I thought I would like it, and I did like the first 100 pages or so, but it got a little tedious with the super-sarcastic dialogue and I missed a feeling of sincerity. I think that makes me a sap, but so be it.

5. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (3/23/08) It still made me cry, but the very end left me a little cold. I don’t know, something about it rang a little… trite, maybe? Or open ended in an ‘easy way out’ kind of way. I still really liked it though.

4. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (3/4/08) If you like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, you really should pick this up. It’s referential to Austen and the Bronte’s but not in the way you find today. She had an ease with the landscape and the time. I adored the main character in a way I find rare in literature today. I highly recommend it.

3. If Loving You is Wrong by Gregg Olsen (2/25/08) I hoped this was going to be a trashy exposé about Mary Kay Letourneau, and it certainly tried, but boy did it fail. Oddly researched and horribly written, I should have given up after the first 100 pages, but by then I had invested so much time in it, that I kept reading. It didn’t get better. I guess that will teach me.

2. Play it As it Lays by Joan Didion (1/31/08) This is some dark shit. Her writing challenges you to step up and feel the pain. There are no halfsies with her, it’s brutal. I loved it. Your mileage may vary.

1. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin (1/26/08) It took me a long time to get through this, I started reading it before the break-up, and after the break-up I had no desire to read, especially since I knew that once I was done, it was one more thing that was finished. And that, my friends, is a lot of baggage to put on a book. I think I liked it. I had trouble with the constantly shifting narrator, mostly because I would put it down and then wouldn’t pick it up again for a while. I’ll probably have to re-read this at some point.

Oh, if only there were just seven things that are weird about me.

1.  Up until one week ago, I mercilessly chewed the inside of my cheek.  It’s a nervous tick, and at one point, after 20 years of doing it, I thought I might actually chew a hole through my cheek.  I gave up the right side early this year.  I only allowed myself to chew on the left side.  Then a week ago, I made myself stop.  I love the taste of my own flesh, I guess, but now, I love to run my tongue over the newly smooth skin.

2.  I have old lady feet.  I don’t want to gross you tender hearted people who are squicked out by feet, but there are bunions.  At a young age I forced my feet into heels that were just a touch too tight, for a Key Club Convention formal.  (NERD!)

3.  I have a big ugly mole in the crux of my arm almost in my armpit.  Sometimes I want to shave it off, and sometimes I find myself twiddling it.

4.  If I carry a purse of any weight over my shoulder I get a fierce knot in my upper back between my neck and my shoulder.  I used to have to go to physical therapy for the knot.  Physical therapy made me feel extremely special.  Now I just carry my bag in my hand.

5.  I cannot stand the sound your mouth makes.  If I’m in a crowded restaurant, I can’t hear the chewing, but if it’s just you and me, look out, I might have to leave the room.  The smacking and the saliva and the crunching feels like tiny needles in my hairline and under every pore of my skin.  I made my dad throw out a package of gummy bears he was squishing through on a trip to North Dakota, I thought I would die if he ate one more.

6.  Ditto for the crinkling of a bag of chips or really any cellophane or plastic bag.  I even hate it if it’s my own bag that is making the crinkle.  The sound is unbearable to me.

7.   For about 10 years I could not stomach the sight of fat spaghetti.  I could only eat Capellini or angel hair.  I have no idea what brought it on, and no idea what made my disgust stop.

Now I’m supposed to tag more people, but that makes me uncomfortable.  I will say, the blogger who tagged me, Cake and Icing, is one of my new favorites.  Thanks, Shea!

Things my mom makes that I crave

• Chicken and dumplings
• Hungarian goulash
• Swedish meatballs
• Gugeré
• Bourbon balls

Things my sister made when we were kids that I crave

• Bean and cheese burrito
• chocolate shake
• Mexican lefse

Things my brother-in-law makes that I crave

• Ginger steamed fish
• Salmon on a plank

Things my brother-in-law’s mother makes that I crave

• Rendang
• BBQ Pork Buns

Things I’ve only ever eaten in a restaurant that I crave

• Spider roll
• Blue cheese French fries
• Chana masala
• Shaved ice
• Green corn tamale

Things I’ve eaten from a street vendor that I crave

• Hot dog with sauerkraut
• Hot pretzel
• Slice of greasy pizza
• Chicken Tamale
• Indian Fry bread

Thing I’ve never eaten from a street vendor that I crave

• Dirty dog