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 ...