Action Shot

Here is a moment in my career if ever I saw one! Please note that my desk is not typically this messy - this must have been a crazy day, as also indicated by the pinched facial expression. Many of the tools of my librarian's trade are in evidence here: coffee cup, date due cards, stack of books waiting to be read, and several boxes in the background waiting to be dealt with. The "First Lines" bulletin board in the background is, indeed, the same tired-out display that I bragged about back in August. Clearly it just hasn't made it to the top of my to-do list yet, plus I'm waiting for all of the youth book awards to be announced in January so those books can be the focus ... Eh, forget it. I'll just buy the Twilight and New Moon READ posters, grab the staple gun, and call it a day.

Now I know what's going on my Christmas list!

This is the stuff that Christmas dreams are made of! Jessica Bendinger, the screenwriter who brought it with the cheer-tastic Bring It On, has just published her debut novel! Here is the cover of the sure-to-be-glorious The Seven Rays:
And here are three things I already love about this book:

1. The cover proudly proclaims that it's by the writer of Bring It On and Stick It.
2. It received a rating of "a perfect ten" from American Cheerleader Magazine (they review books? I can almost hear Sue Sylvester's commentary).
3. Both Deepak Chopra and Greg "He's Just Not That Into You" Behrendt have nice things to say about it: "a journey of mystery, magic, and adventure," and "teen-tastic and freaky" respectively. Current TV likes it, too, and if Al Gore is on board that's good enough for me.

Now you know what will be in MY letter to Santa this year!

A Daily Coyote Shout-Out!

One of my very favorite books of 2009 was The Daily Coyote, by Shreve Stockton. Adapted from her blog of the same name, this book chronicles a year spent with Charlie, an orphaned coyote pup, in a tiny Wyoming town called Ten Sleep. The book is a standout in every way, but my hands-down favorite bits are the captivating, full-color photos of Charlie. After reading the book, I became a regular visitor to Shreve's blog, where she posts daily photos of Charlie and a weekly caption contest (every Monday, for those interested). Inspiration doesn't always strike, but when it does I enter a caption or two to accompany the picture. I've never had the winning caption, nor the accompanying prize (Charlie calendars, petrified squid and other Wyoming goodies, paperback copy of The Daily Coyote, etc.). But today I scored something just as good: a spot on the list of runners-up! I couldn't compete with "Yawn of Uncivilization," the winning entry for this photo of Charlie's epic yawn, but Shreve recognized both my entry and the reasoning behind it:

“Show me whatcha got / Show me your teeth!” — “Teeth” by Lady Gaga
(somehow I think Charlie would appreciate Lady Gaga!)

I am positively giddy! So in the spirit of all things Lady Gaga, here are some photos of yours truly along with my friends Cas Q. and Kristine C. at the Lady Gaga concert last Thursday. Do spend some time checking out the motley crew behind us in the second picture!
Well, I suppose the Christmas cards aren't going to write themselves. Must dash.

Here's one from my brag book

Incommunicado

I've been a little bit incommunicado recently, and it's time for some true confessions. First, I've given in to the hype. I am reading New Moon, and I am loving it. Although the first 200 pages do make you revisit a traumatic break-up or two. "I don't want to break up with you, I just want a hiatus for ski season" is one zinger that pops into my mind (and that person knows exactly who he is although he is most likely not reading this blog...his loss all around).

Second, I've been busy perfecting what I like to call The Best Recipe Ever, pictured here:
This recipe hearkens back to another recipe that was featured on True Blue Media Gal last May. I spruced it up a little and now it's even better, so simple and tasty:

• Sautee a chopped onion in butter and olive oil
• Add a jar of prepared pesto
• Crumble in a log of goat cheese and stir until it starts to melt
• Stir in any leftover marinara sauce (at this point the recipe will briefly look quite gross but persevere!)
• Stir in as much chopped spinach as you can fit into the cooking vessel, and cover so that the spinach wilts from the heat of the sauce
• Stir in some cooked, peeled, de-veined shrimp (it's not really a vein, you know, so the removal of said "vein" is key)
• Heat through, invite the neighbors, and enjoy!

Third, I've been trying to figure out when My Beloved James Franco will start appearing on General Hospital. And thanks to the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, I have a date: Monday, November 23, 2009. He's going to portray a mysterious artist named ... (my beloved) Franco. Let's show him some love!

How does she stay so youthful?

On November 14 Mattie LaMew celebrated her "1st birthday"! Actually, it was her 5th birthday but her 1st anniversary as my cat. Can't you just see the joy in that little kitty expression? I picked up a cupcake so that we could celebrate in style, but Mattie wasn't particularly interested in it. I actually had to lure her near the cupcake with her squeaky catnip mouse, also pictured here:
This photo captures the most exciting moment of her birthday celebration; it was followed by yours truly enjoying the cupcake, which was just delicious. The whole day included extra spoiling for her: fresh catnip on her scratching box, extra playtime with her string, and of course no shortage of kibble.

Before and After; Or, a shout-out to Mama Gladys

My mom recently picked up this 9-pound cabbage at a grocery store in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and I whipped it up into a big bowl of Cabbage a La Gladys. This involves quartering the cabbage, slicing the wedges into ribbons, and cooking it in butter and olive oil over high heat until it turns golden brown but still has a good crunch to it. The before and after pictures:

It's hard to judge the scale of these photos, but that is a pretty big cutting board and the cabbage took up the entire thing! Also, the after picture shows half of the cabbage post-cooking. I had to cook it in four batches! This is my mom's very favorite recipe, and it's all thanks go Mama Gladys and her culinary expertise.

Quotable Evan

I recently heard from my brother, Evan, who called from California to give me an update on Palo Alto's weather forecast: "It's sunny, 70°, blue sky with no clouds, about 50% humidity. 50% humidity is a little high for me, but I can take it." As I sit here, ensconced in the land of 98% humidity (a.k.a. Pennsylvania), my heart really breaks for Evan as he suffers with 50% humidity. But it's cool, because November has also broken with many exciting plans in the works. The new month got off on the right foot with a Halloween eve' game night, where I put in an appearance as Sue Sylvester, the cheerleading coach from Glee. I appear on the left with my hand weight and iron supplements, and below with my pal Loren as a "tavern lady." Next up is reading New Moon in preparation for seeing the movie. I was a bona fide Twilight hater until I saw the movie – low budget heaven! Now I'm just hoping I can get to the sequel before the movie opens. After all, time is tight what with watching Season 3 of Buffy on DVD, juggling Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill and Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler, and squeezing in Singles Night at Trader Joe's. I knew I'd been meaning to get business cards made for a reason! And that's how this gal "C's" it!

Can you stand the sweetness?

Sick Day

I'm home sick today. Not the kind of "sick day" that involves a yoga class, an oil change, and some outlet shopping. Rather, the kind of sick day that involves a vague, total-body ache and staring at the clock, willing it to be time for my next dose of Pseudo-Quil. Also the kind of sick day when I think I'll get a jump on all my holiday correspondence, but instead wind up racked out on the futon watching seven consecutive episodes of Flight of the Conchords, Season 2. Hilarious show, by the way, though in my current state any laughter leads to a crackling coughing fit. On the upside, I also get to spend several hours observing the birds on a wire outside my window as they puff themselves up and generally torment Mattie the cat. If only I'd been more organized about my Netflix delivery schedule, I would have Twilight on hand to watch! I just recently read the book and will withhold commentary until I see how Edward the Sparkly Vampire, he of changing eye color and cold skin, is portrayed in the movie. The book absolutely slayed me, and not in a fabulous Buffy-esque way at all. Oops, does that count as commentary?

I laughed, I cried, I listened to the podcast: It's a Rosanne Cash lovefest!

I left work a little late on Monday, so I only caught the last few minutes of Terry Gross' interview with Rosanne Cash on Fresh Air. Oh, but what a wonderful few minutes they were! I don't usually advertise my profound affection for country music; I prefer to save it for awkward moments at parties and/or lulls in any conversation. I then fill these lulls with comments such as: "Hey, have we talked about how much I love Dwight Yoakam?" So anyway, Rosanne Cash has a fabulous new album called The List. This album includes twelve songs from a list of one hundred essential country songs that her father, Johnny Cash, created for her when she was eighteen. The newest of these songs, Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country," is from the early 1960s. In other words, Carrie Underwood won't be keying anyone's Ford Dually in these songs. It's a collection of classic American songs that tiptoe over the border between country, folk, protest music, blues, and mountain music. Plus, I love Rosanne's style on the album cover: And when I listened to the whole interview via podcast, I came away with even more respect for Rosanne as a singer and a person. The List is not to be missed!

E-F-R-O-N, Z-A-C

I recently found myself at a county-wide librarian's training day. We covered all the exciting updates to our inter-library loan system and some of the bells and whistles added to particular databases. An example of these "bells and whistles" is the biographies that were added to SIRS Discoverer (trust me, it's awesome), biographies of luminaries such as Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron. I worked up the courage to raise my hand and ask if these new biographies had been cross-referenced with the database's Biographies feature (again, trust me -- it was an awesome question). Since we were on the topic of Zac Efron, I suggested that we use him as an example. The presenter proceeded to type in "Zach Ephram." I found myself in the awkward situation of knowing exactly how to spell Zac's name, but not necessarily wanting to admit this to the librarian community at large. Oh heck, you know I went for it. The next thing you heard was my thin voice piping up, "E-F-R-O-N, Z-A-C!" That's what she said!

Oh, Snap! Comeback of the Week...

House: I quit.
Dr. Foreman: You can't quit.
House: I think you're confusing me with Jake Gyllenhaal.

I love a good Brokeback Mountain in-joke! Monday's episode of House featured several other zingers. For example, when a patient attempted to diagnose himself with mercury poisoning, Thirteen quipped (*paraphrase alert*), "And you're currently getting mixed reviews in Speed-the-Plow on Broadway?" Oh, snap! Although I am a little embarrassed that I got this vague reference to Jeremy Piven's untimely departure from Speed-the-Plow because of sushi-induced mercury poisoning. And now I'm blogging about it. Time to move on. To another embarrassing incident ... to follow in my next post!

Mattie meets her scratching box ...

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words, but I tend to be wordy (true!). So I couldn't resist leaving a caption for this series of three typically adorable photos ...

Here, Mattie meets her scratching box for the first time.

Mattie in the midst of a catnip-induced scratching box frenzy:

"It's mine, mine all mine. As evidenced by the drool stain. Mine!"

Steampunk

I learned a new word recently, and then didn't the word start popping up all over the place? "Steampunk" is a sub-genre of fantasy fiction that depicts an alternate world where everything runs on steam power. It's like the 1980s mashed up with a Jules Verne novel. But, you know, awesome. In these alternate worlds, we all get around in airships not unlike the Hindenburg (but safer), do our work on analog computers, and wear cool Queen Victoria-meets-Cyndi Lauper fashions. Well, I think they're cool. Now what kind of librarian would I be if I got you hooked on the idea of steampunk novels and left you hanging with nary a recommendation? Meet The Affinity Bridge by George Mann.
In this novel, it's 1901 and Queen Victoria is being kept alive by means of a complex, mechanical life-support system (steam-powered, I'm guessing?). Which means that it's still Victorian England and everyone had better dress the part. Meanwhile, Detective Maurice Newbury and his assistant, Veronica Hobbes, investigate a crashed airship, search for a glowing police officer suspected of serial stranglings, and deal with the plague of zombies infesting London's slums. Oh yeah, and the airships, also known as dirigibles or Zeppelins (now I'm just showing off) are piloted by automatons. Affinity Bridge is so going on the Amazon.com wish list!

Rumored News / I heart James Franco

According to a highly reliable source (the Internet Movie Database) my beloved James Franco is "rumored" to be co-starring in the big screen version of Eat Pray Love. This rumor is backed up by a recent People Magazine photo of my beloved James Franco arm in arm with Julia Roberts, who is portraying author Elizabeth Gilbert. I did not, nor will I ever, read Eat Pray Love because Elizabeth Gilbert is profoundly irritating. I will, however, definitely see the movie because I will watch anything starring my "Hollywood husband." Pineapple Express was the best movie of 2008 and even though I'm sure Eat Pray Love won't hold a candle to that masterpiece, my calendar is now marked for its 2011 release!

Mattie "La León" LaMew

A month or so back, Mattie LaMew (a.k.a. Miss Snugglypants) was suffering from some nasty fur knots. I wasn't too sure about her method of ridding herself of them by ripping them off with her teeth, then strolling about with scraps of fur dangling from her lips. So she received a summer makeover in the form of a "lion cut" that revealed her surprisingly svelte form. Her fur has started to grow back, revealing the indescribably precious stripes that go nicely with her indescribably precious freckles. She now answers to "La León" as well as Mattie. And by "answer" I mean hops onto her beggin' table and stairs pointedly at her container of kibble.She now answers to "La León" as well as Mattie. And by "answer" I mean hops onto her beggin' table and stairs pointedly at her container of kibble.

That's one good-lookin' bulletin board!

So I waited all summer for inspiration to strike, and when this librarian's lightning bolt strikes, it strikes in a big way. I put together this bulletin board that is now ready for ogling on the first day of school. I must admit, I am totally one to stand around and admire my own bulletin boards after creating them. But why should I have all the fun? Now you, too, can enjoy this beauty! In case it's a little hard to make out all the text, the center panel exclaims: FIRST LINES THAT SAY 'READ ME!' Colorful, eye-catching book covers are accompanied by each book's intriguing first line(s). The smaller pieces of flair are bookmarks, placed amongst the book covers. I think my favorite is this ringer from Monster by A. Lee Martinez: "The thing was big and white and hairy, and it was eating all the ice cream in the walk-in freezer." I also enjoy this opener from Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee: "Mother spent $700 on a treadmill 'from Santa' that I will never use." These books are bound to be popular this year, given the tremendous influence of my bulletin boards on the reading habits of local youths. FYI, if you click on the picture you will see the bulletin board in all of its glorious detail. The smaller picture is a little grainy for my taste.

Is it too much to say I'm "savor"-ing every word? Yes, it's too much. But it's true.

I recently picked up a copy of Julia Powell's Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living. How's that for the overachiever of all subtitles? Anyway, I was hoping to read the book before seeing the movie, because that's just how I roll. And what a fabulous surprise: the book is a treat on every level. I was a little apprehensive, given the many hostile reviews this book has received on Amazon. One person even intimated that she was tossing her copy in the recycling bin. Ouch! Okay, so Julie Powell makes no secret of the fact that she dislikes Republicans, and maybe that puts some people off. But to call her narcissistic is a little misguided. Um, her name is part of the title, so I'm thinking most readers will see this one coming ... it's a book about Julie Powell! Yes, she's the star of her own life story, so you can hardly cast this one as a bait-and-switch. But don't take my word for it; try this appetizing sample of Powell's writing to decide if this book is to your taste (all puns fully intended):

"I'd never been to the Pathmark, and let me tell you, I'm never going again. There's nothing I need that much. The sliding doors at the Pathmark open into a wide, white, empty hallway, totally devoid of any sign of life or foodstuffs. At any moment I expected to see a chiseled Aryan commandant come around the corner to usher me along: 'Ja, please, right this way, take a cart, the food is just through here.' But I was at last funneled into not a gas chamber but a glaring white supermarket the size of a stadium, where for the price of the existential horror felt upon witnessing families buying two carts full of RC cola and generic cheese doodles [...] I could procure sugar cubes" (100).

Side note: my brother Evan tells me that in order to make Meryl Streep look more like the physically imposing, 6'2" Julia Child, they used a slightly miniaturized set so that she would loom over her surrounds. They also peopled the film with unusually small actors. Also known as actors.

Will I give Nick Hornby another chance?

It's so thrilling when Booklist arrives in my mailbox every month. Booklist, which is published by the American Library Association, features hundreds of book reviews, a monthly spotlight topic (e.g., "Fall Reference Roundup", "Audiobook Showcase," etc. – are you dozing off yet??), and some of the most boring articles known to mankind. I love Booklist because it keeps me up to date on all the new books out there on the literary horizon. But it's so stodgy! Side note: Some synonyms for stodgy, which I looked it up to make sure I was using the word properly: lacking flair or imagination, laughably formal, pompous, or stuffy. Turns out I really had a handle on the definition of stodgy. But I digress.

This month's issue featured two surprises: a joke that actually made me laugh out loud and a starred review of the latest novel by Nick Hornby. First the joke:

–How many catalogers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
–None. Catalogers don't screw in lightbulbs, they screw in "Illumination—Sources of."

Get it? It's hilarious! I'm so surprised that librarians aren't totally known for their humor. Anyway, starred reviews are bestowed on books that are exceptionally great examples of their genre. Nick Hornby's latest offering, Juliet, Naked, received a starred review. And it has a cute, creative cover. What's a gal to do? I ranted about how much I disliked A Long Way Down, but Hornby's latest promises to be more High Fidelity and less something I would repeatedly fling across the room (The Shack, this means you, again). Nick Hornby should consider himself a fortunate man. With the helpful testimony of Booklist, he's been granted a librarian's pardon.

A celebratory bean burrito. Okay, two bean burritos. And Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.

I just completed the final day of the final class of my Master's program in English. It's been a long road. I haven't enjoyed all of it, but this last class (Google for Teachers) was interesting AND practical. It was a good choice that has actually eased the extreme bitterness and dislike I've harbored for my graduate program. My next goal is to become a Google Certified Teacher, which would involve an application, an acceptance, and a trip to the Google campus in California. But that's at least a year away. Today I'm just feeling rather reflective, thinking back to when I began this program three and a half years ago. My little Baby Fats was with me then; today I'm enjoying the company of Mattie LaMew, a.k.a. Miss Snugglypants.

So I wanted to treat myself to a special lunch in celebration of completing my last class, but I "settled" for Taco Bell. Who am I kidding, I love Taco Bell! And I'm carrying on a long-standing tradition of celebratory bean burritos. On today's menu: two Fresco bean burritos (low fat, sort of) and some Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes (low fat? ha!). I'm really regretting that second burrito ... a most powerful lethargy overtakes me! Anyway, the Taco Bell web site was rather stingy about sharing a picture of the Fresco menu items, so I had to diversify a little. Thank you, Taco Bell Iceland!!

Ms. Pickett's Google Search Tip

I'm so proud to report that I just uploaded my very first video to YouTube.com. How appropriate that it's a video on a Google search strategy! I don't want to ruin the surprise, so just press play to see the results of my first go at iMovie, Garage Band, and YouTube. Nifty!

Complexity in my coffee cup, Or, What I'm totally into this week!

I love coffee. A lot. I am not one of those tea-drinking librarians. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I'm all coffee, all the time. Except when I'm Cherry Coke Zero. So anyway, I decided to give a tip of the virtual hat to some of the great coffee I've discovered. Lately I'm crazy about Mahogany from Caribou Coffee, which includes some highly tempting descriptions on their labels. For example, they describe their Fireside blend as a "fragrant brew that starts with a silky, syrupy taste and ends with smoky berry notes." Are you kidding me? Where do they find these copywriters? The descriptions on most bottles of wine aren't even half that tempting. Their site notes that Mahogany "will become a staple in the cupboard for those who appreciate complexity in a cup." Me!! Pick me! I appreciate complexity in my coffee mug!!
Side note: in the future, I'll continue to subtitle this segment, "What I'm totally into this week!" Stay tuned!

Great Writing

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I recently read Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad. The whole book is stellar, and some lines stand out as being especially fine examples of Ollestad's writing style. I wanted to share an example (partly so I wouldn't forget all about it over time) but I had to get my hands on a copy of the book to find my very favorite passage (p. 67-68):

When I looked over the ridge a gust swept dry powder off the long white humps of snow like a swarm of diamonds. A silver cloud tumbled out of the sky and unraveled into tendrils like a ballroom of dancing ghosts.
I can't see shit, I said.

A cloud like a ballroom of dancing ghosts ... this beautiful image gives me a chill! I love great writing. And Norman Ollestad is QUITE easy on the eyes. I'm just sayin'. If you like rugged, athletic, articulate, brilliant surfers-turned-bestselling authors. If you go in for that sort of thing.

What's on my bookshelf?

It must be summer, because I've taken my book selection process to a whole new level: color coordination! This actually wasn't intentional, but I noticed that the books circulating across my coffee table had blended into a rather attractive assortment of red-themed covers. I'm currently reading Mudbound by Hillary Jordan, which was a 2009 Alex Award winner. The Alex Award is given annually to ten books written for adults that have special appeal for young adult readers. Another Alex Award winner, Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow, has a place of honor on my coffee table. It's a novel in verse about down-and-out werewolves in Los Angeles that, according to the dust jacket, blends "dark humor and epic themes with card-playing dogs, crystal meth labs, surfing, and carne asada tacos." Mmm, tacos ... Who could pass up a book with that description? Cory Doctorow's Little Brother and Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why are two young adult novels that caught my eye. I always like to keep a few young adult titles in the mix - it's just how I roll. And last but not least, The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory fits in nicely with my summertime screenings of The Tudors. If only Henry and Anne Boleyn could just get along and not lose their heads!

Bald Head Island Pictures

Here are some additional pictures from my recent trip to Bald Head Island, North Carolina:

Here I am with the "depressing bean burrito" I opted to eat one night while Joy and Paul were enjoying homemade chicken tenders. I'm rarely (actually never) tempted by poultry, but for once the vegetarian option didn't strike me as the tastiest item in the kitchen ... Hence the long face.
This is the fitness center that I frequented during my week on the island. It's also the home of my nemesis, the elliptical machine. A pox on the dastardly hill program!

This is my favorite house on Bald Head Island. Look closely and you will see the woman doing yoga on the porch, as well as the man looking up from his book to watch her after observing me photographing their home. D'oh! I scurried away after snapping this picture.

Here I am with Paul on the morning of my departure. What a sweet boy! And check out my bling, courtesy of Joy by way of the hardware store in Kotzebue, Alaska!

High Road or Low Road? Or both?

I just enjoyed a delicious vegan lunch of seasoned baked tofu (courtesy of Trader Joe's), a banana, and some pineapple. After years of talking about it, I'm finally trying to incorporate one vegan meal per day into my diet. On one hand, I'm taking the low road because it allows me to avoid both cooking and doing dishes. On the other hand, I feel good about enjoying a cruelty-free and surprisingly satisfying meal that has a minimal impact on the environment. I'm going with the high road on this one!

Home from Bald Head Island!

I'm back from my week on Bald Head Island, North Carolina! I had a wonderful, relaxing vacation with my friend Joy and her son Paul. And no one got sunburned! Here are Paul and Joy in their trusty golf cart:In other news, I read a most fabulous book on my trip: Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad. At age eleven, Ollestad survived a plane crash that took the lives of his father, his father's girlfriend, and the pilot. In alternating chapters, Ollestad relates his descent to safety in unbelievably harsh conditions, and the year leading up to the plane crash. The elder Ollestad pushed his "Boy Wonder" to ski and surf in unimaginably intimidating terrain and conditions, which both terrified young Norman and prepared him for the test that awaited him. This book is not to be missed!

Oh, and Mattie LaMew returned from kitty foster care (a.k.a. Grandma's) with an inordinate number of mats, so she'll be getting a fur trimming from the groomer this afternoon! Pictures will follow ...

"Storm's A-Comin', Momma!"

"You close the windows, I'll hide under the bed!"

Beggin' Table

What I Did For Love

What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is the ultimate beach read. It's sweet, romantic, funny, and chock full of wink-wink moments for pop culture / celebrity gossip devotees like my friend G.O.

I'll try to tempt you into reading it for yourself: Georgie York is an erstwhile sitcom sweetheart who, after accepting a suspicious drink from a stranger in Las Vegas, wakes up married to her former co-star and arch-nemesis, Bramwell Shephard. Georgie and Bram decide to fool the public into believing in their sham marriage by making a series of carefully staged appearances all around Hollywood. Meanwhile, Georgie's ex-husband Lance Marks is making headlines and, um, babies with his screen-siren-turned-international-do-gooder wife, Jade Gentry. Gee, who might that couple represent?? My favorite passage in the book involves a description of Lance as a block of tofu that takes on the flavor of whichever woman he happens to be dating. It took me back to Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow's his-and-hers choppy haircuts. Good memories there. Anyway, Georgie and Bram are so wrapped up in maintaining their images that they don't realize the marriage is turning into the real thing. This book is excellent summertime fun!

Future Cookbook Cover Photo?

I recently prowled my pantry for any malingerers, and came across a bag of egg noodles that never fulfilled its original purpose: a tuna noodle casserole. So I decided to adapt Doug's recipe for creamy pesto sauce (my devoted readers may recall that it involves a jar of pesto blended with a crumbled log of goat cheese ... and that's about it!). I added a bag of baby spinach and a couple links of vegetarian sausage, and topped it with a parmesan cloud (how pretentious is that expression?). Luckily it was delicious, because it made about eight portions and I am loathe to waste even a bite of food. I hope you get a chance to try this one out - it is so easy and reheats really well. Side note: I Y parenthetical comments!

Congratulations to Evan...

... for being named Stanford University's Club Sports Athlete of the Year! An awards luncheon was held last Thursday, and by all accounts (okay, the one account I heard was his but I'm sure it's true) Evan's speech was well-received. This is an older picture of Evan on the road to glory:
Click here for more information about the other student athletes and most importantly for more information about Evan's achievements. I am really proud of you, bro!

Nick Hornby has let me down!

In an effort to read some less depressing books, my book group chose Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down for our latest selection. I've always considered myself a Nick Hornby fan. High Fidelity, great book. About a Boy, great movie, I assume the book is even better. Aren't they always? So A Long Way Down seemed like a sure thing. Not even the plot summary deterred us. It's about four profoundly unlikeable people who meet at the top of a 15-story building on New Year's Eve. Guess why they're on top of a tall building? Why, so they can jump off! But guess what - not only do they not jump, they all go out for breakfast, form a little club, make up a story about seeing an Angel (not David Boreanaz, the only thing that might have redeemed the storyline), get a little press exposure, then take a group vacation on the Canary Islands. Puh-leeze.

The book got a great review from the New York Times Book Review. Maybe the reviewer just didn't want to be blacklisted from the next Hornby movie premiere. Time Magazine describes the novel as "The Breakfast Club rewritten by Beckett," which is actually quite accurate but in no way sounds like a good book. The real question: will I read the last 100 pages?? And will I ever pick up another Nick Hornby book? Here's hoping that we pick a great book next, because we've had our share of duds. My money's on Holly's Inbox!

Note: All book cover images are from Follett Titlewave. Thank you, Follett!

Signature Pose, Part 2

Top models are versatile, too, so here's the other look that Mattie's famous for:
This pose coincides with the arrival of Pennsylvania's famous heat and humidity. Baby Fats spent a lot of time in this pose during her years in Texas. This photo captures a mid-yawn moment, but it only makes her look extra fierce! Look closely and you can see the indescribably precious freckles on her nose and kitty gums.

Signature Pose, Part 1

I know from watching many, many episodes of America's Next Top Model that all the fiercest models have a signature pose. So it's no surprise that Mattie LaMew, a potential top cat model, also has a signature pose, as seen here.This is the pose that Mattie usually adopts in between activities. I wonder if she picked it up from different dogs in her foster home? Oh, and by the way, these pictures surely were taken with the new digital camera, which is now operational but sadly not compatible with my home computer.

Is it just me or have I morphed into ...

Joyce Summers (played by fabulous actress Kristine Sutherland), mother of Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Some photographic evidence follows: a photo of my BFF Rae and I back in September, and a photo of Joyce. And another photo of me. I'll now open the floor for debate.

Week 9, Thing 21: Podcasts

My always-supportive brother Evan recommends that, if I have figured out podcasts, I must check out the April 20 episode of ESPN's "The B.S. Report." Apparently Bill Simmons (who?) and Adam Carolla (who?) break down Fast and Furious, the best movie of 2009 to date. In fact its only real competition is X-Men Origins. So it seemed like an opportune time to figure out podcasts, and it turned out to be really easy. I have actually listened to a few "Fresh Air" podcasts in the past, specifically interviews with Glen Campbell and the creative team behind Step Brothers. Before I reveal too much more embarrassing information, I'll mention that I went where few librarians have gone before (ESPN.com) and located the aforementioned "The B.S. Report." To have a listen click here and scroll down to April 20.

Week 8, Thing 19

Of all the Library 2.0 tools I've explored so far, LibraryThing is my hands down favorite. Rollyo and Technorati left me with a feeling of confusion mixed with "why would I need this?" But LibraryThing left me with a feeling of "I wish it was summer so I could explore this site all day." I especially love the widget feature - I think it really spruces up my blog! I want to add a similar widget to my school library's web page so I can showcase newly arrived titles ... definitely a summer project. I'm sort of obsessed with organizing items on my bookshelf (surprising, right?) and this gives me a whole new way to catalog my own stuff!

Digital Camera update: I picked up my digital camera on Sunday, but unfortunately it does not appear to be compatible with my home computer, which is getting a tad long in the tooth. The summer projects are really piling up ...

By the way, I'm really loving The Daily Coyote. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys nature writing, animals, and all things Wyoming.

The Other Book

I know that what the world really needs is an update on my progress through The Other Queen, so here goes: I have 10 pages left! Good read, Philippa Gregory, but not your best, although reading it has sparked my interest in watching The Tudors on DVD.

Evan hooked me up with beaucoup birthday books from my Amazon Wish List so I'm a bit overwhelmed with reading options for my next book. One of the contenders (not an Evan book but one he'd probably like and read ridiculously fast, reminding me of how happy I was not to have to follow him through school) is The Daily Coyote: A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the wilds of Wyoming by Shreve Stockton. The author also maintains a blog at www.DailyCoyote.net. I love reading nonfiction, especially nature writing, and this book looks delightful.
On Monday my beloved fellow C-lunchers and I are going to have a potluck to celebrate the beginning of June, and although I'm thrilled to finally live the potluck fantasy I really can't decide what to take. I never thought I'd say this but I'm getting tired of eating pasta after having it twice daily for two weeks. What's a carbivore to do? I'm thinking polenta tacos might be a nice change, but I'm not sure how well they'll reheat in the staff microwave.

Brush with celebrity!

I just made a quick run to Trader Joe's, and didn't I see WANDA SYKES out walking her dog with a couple of friends. She seems like a cool lady, her little dog is adorable (possibly a Jack Russell mix?), and she co-starred with Jane Fonda (love her) and Jennifer Lopez (love her) in Monster-in-Law. I feel a commemorative viewing coming on! If only I had a digital camera to document this brush with celebrity ...

In other news, I got a good recipe idea from my brother Doug yesterday. He made a fabulous pesto cream sauce by heating pesto, goat cheese, and a little milk over low heat. This is good on everything from tortellini to grilled salmon. Admittedly, I have only tried it on tortellini and grilled salmon. Some fresh grape tomatoes and wilted greens never hurt, either.

Some other edge-of-your-seat updates: I just started watching Season Two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD. I'm continuing to make progress through The Other Queen. And thanks to my brother Evan hooking me up with several birthday items from my Amazon.com Wish List, I have added some new books to my bookshelf:

• Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fry-Oil-Powered Car, and a Cross-Country Search for a Greener Future by Greg Melville
• What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (a romance that seems to be based on the Jennifer Aniston/Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie love triangle)
  

Actually Evan openly admits that he only buys books for me that he himself would not be embarrassed to be seen reading, so you can guess which one is from him and which one was guiltily checked out from the public library while I hoped I didn't run into anyone I know.

Chard of many colors

All winter I anxiously awaited the return of Trader Joe's "Chard of Many Colors." The chard is chopped, triple-washed, and ready to be used straight out of the bag. The Trader Joe's sample counter featured a fabulous vegetarian recipe that I've been hoping to recreate. It includes fava beans, which they sell seasoned in vacuum sealed packages, but canned cannellini beans (rinsed and drained) work just as well, if not better. This is the recipe, as closely as I can remember it:

Sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic and some chopped green onions in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the bag of chard and about 1/4 cup of veggie stock. The stock will wilt the chard as it cooks down. Stir in the beans, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and top with fresh parmesan shavings just before serving.

This recipe is fresh, light, and delicious.

What's in my DVD player?

On April 20, 2009 (the ten-year anniversary of the shootings at Columbine High School) I added Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine to my Netflix queue. It arrived in the mail, and now that all of my top shelf TV shows have season finale'd I will actually get around to watching it. (Side note: House had the best season finale ever. All of the others have faded from my memory already but I will always remember that image of Dr. House walking up the steps of the psychiatric hospital.) I love watching documentaries and Michael Moore's movies are one of the reasons why I got into watching them. He's especially good at combining toe-tapping music with horrifying footage to get his point across. As part of an anti-bullying initiative for the school district we're all going to read Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes this summer. Hope I don't go into school shooting overdrive ...

I just started The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory. Love the cover, but so far it's not as good as The Other Boleyn Girl. It doesn't have enough background information on Mary, Queen of Scots, the titular other queen (or is the other queen really Queen Elizabeth? I went through a similar mental debate whilst reading The Other Boleyn Girl. And now my New Year's Resolution to use the word "whilst" in a sentence can be scratched.) Anyway I spent the first 75 pages trying to figure out what was up and why Mary was in exile in the first place. And who the heck is Bothwell? A pox on historical fiction that provides insufficient background information!