Steal this post

I just read a blurb in a magazine about a book chronicling the myriad movements for secession throughout the US. It’s a topic I’m interested in (there are certain states we could really live without, aren’t here?) but the review was luke-warm on the execution. I know myself well enough to know that I won’t make it through a whole book on any topic if it isn’t well-written (case in point: this book about how in the world it was possible for the Cubs to go almost 100 years without winning the World Series -- a topic I am, or was *exTREMly* interested in -- that I couldn’t get finish because of mediocre writing and roughly one typo per page). If I ever write a book, it may not be the Great American Novel, but I’ll at least run spell check on it.

And yet, I feel compelled to write a book. I have this sense that I need to write a book. At some point. Maybe before I turn 40? I could do that, with both kids in school. But about what? And why?

Top 5 Fridays

Top 5 things that could use some editing:

5) This book I'm reading (see left)

4) 95 percent of Hollywood movies

3) My to-do list

2) Ken Burns (seriously, has anyone watched every minute of the National Parks series? I've only had time for the HH bits)

and the number one thing that could use some editing..

1) David Letterman's libido (I know, too easy)

New book

In the chaos of the kitchen remodel, I can't seem to find my copy of Cadillac Desert, so I'm on to Loving Frank, which gets lots of praise and is my book club's selection this month.

Musica

My friends have informed me that I am incredibly out of touch because I recognized maybe three of the songs on Rock Band. I told them that I knew this already and didn't see it as much of a problem, but they insist I would be a better person if I would get a clue when it comes to modern music. The problem is that I can't listen to the radio, except NPR. The commercials, the DJs and the wading through the crap to get to the good stuff on commercial radio stations is too annoying and too much work. So, I ask you, reader, what should I listen to? Here's what's on my Walkman (which I like, btw):

Lots of classic rock (Aerosmith, CCR, Queen)

Lots of 80s (Bananarama, Bangles, Madonna, Huey Lewis)

Some alt-country (Wilco, BR549)

Every album ever by Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow, and Led Zeppelin)

The only tracks I would consider "current" are about four by Bowling for Soup and one each by the Killers and the Foo Fighters.

Also, Regan already pretty much did this, but with books, so I'm ripping her off again.

Books, books, books

Regan wants to talk about books:

Total number of books I’ve owned:
Not that many. I don't really believe in buying books, except used. I'm big into libraries.

Last book I bought:

Lama Lama Red Pajama

Last book I read:
OK, the last book I finished reading? Let's see, I started reading this Bill Bryson book (I've started lots of his, but never finished one). So I guess it was Saving Fish from Drowning, which was good.

Five books that mean something to me:
I’m not going to pretend that all of these books are great works of literature. Heck, you might have even read one of them and hated it. But to me they are special for some reason or another.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Shoeless Joe

I'll think of some more later...

Books

The last few books I've read have been exceptionally well-written and/or interesting:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: Won the Pulitzer for fiction, understandably. I just can't say enough about this book. It draws you into the lives of the protagonists and takes you from Prague to Brooklyn to Antarctica to Manhattan and along the way makes you care about them deeply. With one or two exceptions, it never crossed my mind to doubt that such truly amazing adventures could be happening to real people. (This was a selection from my mothers' club book group.)

The Jesus Machine: How James Dobson, Focus on the Family, and Evangelical America Are Winning the Culture War: Dobson has been one of the most powerful non-elected men in politics over the last two decades. This is an unbiased (really) examination of how and why he got there, and also how the Christian Right became so powerful that it was able to pull off feats like winning Dubya the 2004 election.

Three Cups of Tea: I'm only about a third of the way through this book, but I'm totally hooked. The writing is wonderful and the story is truly incredible. It follows an incredibly fascinating person that I can't relate to at all to a place I can't imagine but makes me want to be along for the ride. (Our latest book club selection.)