January 15, 2009

I'm with.....


Stupid.
Yes, that would be the name of the current book, by Elaine Szewczyk, I am reading. I would have to say it was the title at the library that won me over. That is, simply because the man ( I assumed) she was referring to is wearing green sneaks.

I started the book last night. I was immediately entertained. The "have to have" gay friend Max discusses with the main character, twenty-three year old, Kas, the way he is taking revenge on her X. From disguising himself as a police officer and knocking on all his neighbors' doors asking if they have seen any suspicious activity coming from his apartment, to handing out flyers with his phone number for Male Companion - who wouldn't want a friend who would find humor in making the person who broke your heart miserable?

Though, this book set in NYC, and most of the characters in their early 20s, I find this book hard to believe. I found her best friends to be rather immature. Max doesn't need to work - his father makes enough money to support him; mind you, the rather petty revenge he seeks on Richard in Kas's behalf was really funny. Libby, on the other hand, would rather not and simply lounge around all day doing just about nothing. For people in their early twenties, especially in a city like New York, I thought they'd be a little more mature and sophisticated than how they were portrayed. The story line, so far, is entertaining - but I am unsure how long that will last for.

January 13, 2009

Rain rain go away...

and come again maybe tomorrow! (Or at least when I can fashion these ultra-hip umbrellas).

I was somewhat productive at work today, that is - until I wandered across the website Umbrellas.net - then all was lost. I love the sun and bright weather, but after seeing all the adorable umbrellas - I wished it would rain more often!

Having not often used an umbrella in my former "run from house to car and from car to building" kind of life, the concept of investing in a good rain shield has never occurred to me. I believe it is time to not only shower myself with something that is durable, but cute.



January 08, 2009

new year - new deals


I can not believe it is 2009. I have started out this year right. I have been going to the gym, eating better, trying to stay in better contact with people - and just basically, trying to not have it flew by! I also felt that in years psat, I let my creative gene slip away - and I am attempting to contact it this year :)

On an intellectual standpoint, I decided I was going to read a book a week. Now, though I can read a book in a day (putting all work aside - in a few short hours!) but I thought I would cut myself a break, and attempt at a book a week.
There are other projects on the table as well, but I will get to that later.


Therefore, since this is the first FULL week of January - I have started a book called "Spellman Files"by Lisa Lutz. It is a clever mid 20s drunken Nancy Drew story. The book is a real easy read and the chapters are short, so in one short sitting - you can read through five chapters and feel you've accomplished something!
Is it really a mystery? Not really. But it is a hilarious, entertaining read with "snarky characters". Izzy is a private eye in a Royal Tanenbaum-esque family of private eyes who don't know boundaries when it comes to privacy or the invasion of it. One of the beginning scenes captures the lack of boundaries: Izzy, sensing she's being followed in a parking garage, gets in her car and screeches out of the garage. A car chase through the streets of San Francisco follows and, after Izzy can't shake her tail, she stops the car, gets out, walks over to the car chasing her and, as the window rolls down, says, "Mom. Dad. This has to stop."
Sadly enough, it was the cover that got me...like most books - I found it on m bookshelf one afternoon - and I thought the bright red cover looked modestly interesting. I also liked that the family of spies were hiding behind a newspaper - but looking at the characters a bit closer, they have different shoes which matched their personalities as I later read in the book...and it made me giggle.
The book is quirky and definitely worth the read :)