Did You Know?

I just took a whole class on the role of technology in today’s world, and then I stumbled across this video.  Food for thought:

The straw that broke the camel’s back

On Friday my boss, my coworker, and I went out to lunch at Denny’s.  Due to health concerns, we are all technically supposed to be eating healthy things.  This, of course, didn’t stop us from eating an artery-clogging, salt-loaded meal – a salad with chicken tenders, tilapia with french fries, hash browns, coleslaw, corn, garlic bread, etc.  It was pretty tasty, as bad for you things tend to be.  But then my boss, whose wife wasn’t around to bug him about his meal, decided he wanted to order ice cream for all of us.

“Three dishes of ice cream?” the waitress asked.

“Yes, that would be great,” my boss said.

“Do you want whipped cream?”

“Oh no, no, no!” my boss said, waving his hands in the air.  “We have a cholesterol problem.”

Hahaha.  Clearly that whipped cream was going to set us over the edge.

Being a regular

I have always wanted to be a regular at a restaurant or coffee shop.  You know, sort of like on Friends, where you walk in and the waitress already knows your name and what you’re going to order.  My friends and I tried this in high school – crashing at our local diner as often as possible (this happened because it was both open 24 hours and the only place to go in our town.)  Alas, with too many options on the menu and a sporadic visiting schedule, this dream never really panned out.

And yet now I have accomplished my meager goal!  After months of hard work and eating, Ian and I have been recognized as regulars out our favorite Chinese restaurant.  The restaurant itself is good, but its quality is far enhanced by its prime location: the back window and parking lot overlook the local wetlands.  Gor-geous.  So while Ian and I enjoy our five dollar lunch special, we get to take in the view.  Even better, Ian doesn’t even need to order.

Our waitress comes in to us, already carrying our wonton soups and salads and then asks me what I want.  I decide between three things.  She then turns to Ian.  “The regular?” she asks.

“Yup,” Ian says.

And ten minutes later Ian gets chicken with hot garlic sauce (but no vegetable garnish) delivered.  Yes, that’s right.  The waitress has even learned to cater to Ian’s vegetable aversion.  Last week we took my parents to the restaurant for lunch and even they were impressed with this development.   Mission accomplished.

Resource Thursdays: GottaBook

If you’re looking for a fun time (and a sweet rhyme) make your way over to GottaBook. This blog, hosted by writer Greg Pincus, is a magical place where words are king. Greg, who you may remember as a past co-coordinator of the SCBWI Westside Schmooze, staked a claim to fame with a type of poetry called Fibs. The syllable count of this poem is based on the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical progression that pops up in nature all the time. Greg’s poems have been read by people worldwide, and he also landed a book deal with Arthur A. Levine Books, the imprint that produced the Harry Potter series. GottaBook showcases both Greg’s work and his sense of humor (all that talent and he’s funny too!) Be sure to visit his blog during the month of April, where he’ll have guests contributing poetry for children. Heck, be sure to visit his blog anytime!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

So all the fuss about Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was right on track.  I just finished reading this book and thought it was wonderful.  The story is told by Jacob Jankowski, who at ninety or ninety-three recalls his youth working for a circus, the Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show on Earth.  Jacob, who had studied to be a veterinarian but hadn’t taken the exams, was put in charge of the menagerie.  The story is propelled by a love affair between Jacob and Marlena, the married star of the liberty horses act. The novel also tells the story of the trust and love between the animals and Jacob.  I love animals and circuses so I thought this well-researched novel was fantastic.  The spare language is a departure from the style of writing I normally lean towards, but it serves the Depression-era plot well.  Every book I read is my new favorite, so I can’t yet say if this will be the winner for the year, but it is definitely a book I will reread in the future.

Irony

Don’t you just love it when you go to pay your bills online and after four attempts you finally, finally remember the password and then the website thinks for a while before spitting out, “We’re sorry, online bill pay is temporarily unavailable.”  Gah.

Beautiful things

This weekend I planned to catch up on some writing, and while I was good intentioned, I fell a little behind.  Why?  Apparently I am easily distracted by the wonders of the internet.  Ian and I have been working on sprucing up our home a little, and I stumbled across Addicted 2 Decorating.  It’s this great blog that talks about all things related to interior decorating, and it showcases beautiful pieces of furniture and art.  I have always loved interior decorating, and my mom and I used to watch HGTV all the time when I was younger.  So I instantly fell in love with this site.  And then Ian learned some of his photography was featured on popular wedding blog Snippet and Ink (check out the March 18th post).  I adore weddings in general, especially ones filled with memorable details, so I then whiled my time away looking at beautiful things.  All and all, I had lots of gorgeous things to look at, but I didn’t have a lot of productivity.  I guess I should go back to handwriting my books before I get near a computer…

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult

As I mentioned on Wednesday, I have been in the process of reading Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult. When I say process I really mean 477 pages in two days.  To my husband’s chagrin (”Tanya, come hang out with me.” “Nope, sorry, too busy reading”) I couldn’t stop devouring this book.  Picoult has once again written a beautiful and compelling story.  Told from multiple perspectives, Handle With Care follows the O’Keefe family, whose daughter Willow suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), also called “brittle bone syndrome.”  Willow is a joy to her family, and her mother, Charlotte, is presented with the opportunity to help take care of all of Willow’s needs.  The catch is that it requires Charlotte filing a wrongful birth lawsuit and saying she wished Willow had not been born.  To make matters worse, Charlotte’s OB/GYN is also her best friend.  Picoult writes about tough situations with both honesty and compassion, and her words stay with you long after the book is finished.  I’ve spent the past few days thinking about the story, and I reread the ending three times.  It’s a beautiful book and I strongly recommend it.

Resource Thursdays: I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell do I read?

Welcome to the first official Resource Thursday!  This week I urge you all to check out Lee Wind’s blog: I’m Here.  I’m Queer.  What the Hell do I read? Lee started this blog, which reviews gay teen books and talks culture and politics, because as a teen he wasn’t able to find books with GLBTQ characters.  Lee posts summaries of each book and readers can add their own reviews in the comments section.  I love this site because it fills a previously unfulfilled niche and Lee’s positive and welcoming attitude comes through in all his posts.  He also raises awareness and promotes understanding – something we can all use in today’s hectic and often divided world.  Be sure to read an interview with Lee here.  Lee also scored a position as a team blogger for this Summer’s SCBWI Conference, so be sure to check back in the August time frame.

I’m a bookaholic

Last Friday when Ian and I went to the bookstore I had only intended to go for one book, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. My friend Karol told me it was her favorite book of last year, and everyone she’d talked to about it had loved it. That was motivation enough for me, and indeed even the cashier at Barnes and Noble took a look at the book, clutched it to her chest, and professed her love. I’m super psyched to start reading it, but of course as we’re walking to the cash register Ian says, “Oh wait, isn’t that a new book by your favorite author?” He was referring to Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult, who is hands-down one of my favorite authors. I was introduced to her work when I read The Pact in high school. I love the way she weaves words together, bridges tough topics, and leaves you both satisfied and wanting to read more. I’ve read almost all of her books, and I had the chance to meet her a year or two ago.

Picoult was doing a signing up in Pasadena, so I grabbed a few copies of my favorite books to get them autographed for my mom and I. While I was waiting in line I kept trying to think of cool things to say. Most people probably get all star-struck over actual movie stars, but no – for me it’s all things literary. And when I finally got to meet her what did I say? “You’re like the rock star of books.” Hahaha. Cringe-worthy, but oh well. Let’s hope one day I too can be working on published novel # 16. Check back Friday for a review of Handle With Care.