My Favorite Book Ever: To Say Nothing of the Dog

I have a lot of books that are favorites in different ways. Infinite Jest represents one of the most rewarding reading experiences I’ve had. The Diary of Anne Frank had an enormous affect on me during my middle school years, and remains an area of interest. Hamlet is my favorite work of Shakespeare. And then [...]

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What are these feelings inside me?

My sister and I went to see New Moon this afternoon. It was not what we expected. I have written before about my multi-layered ambivalence toward the entire Twilight franchise. When I read the books, I both hated them and loved them. I hated the misogyny. I hated the atrocious writing. I hated that there [...]

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Lack of Excitement

Last night, I was making some selected old livejournal posts friends-only. I realized a few things. First, my-oh-my, I should have used better discretion about what I put on the internets for everyone to read. Of course, some years from now, I might look back at this blog, and think the very same thought. I [...]

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Bigger, badder, awesome

Tonight I had the singularly delightful experience of meeting Geof from Ace of Cakes. When my dear friend first introduced me to Ace of Cakes, she told me about one person in particular who she thought I would enjoy–he had a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, she told me, and was very cute. That person [...]

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On being a public radio fangirl

I debated what to bring with me to last night’s live This American Life show in Chicago, in hopes of getting Ira Glass’s autograph. The DVD of the television show? My TAL t-shirt? My copy of The New Kings of Non-Fiction? A tattoo pen for my heart? I decided to take my ipod. Not only [...]

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Dazzled

When I purchased the first book in the Twilight series this past summer, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I knew about the books was that they involved vampires and that they were immensely popular. I was trying to be virtuous and to read more, so that I could follow [...]

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Happy “The Wordy Shipmates” Release Day!

“How’s your book,” my sister asked as I sat reading The Wordy Shipmates. “Um, awesome. I think Sarah Vowell may be… the best person alive.” “Well, goodness,” she responded. “How… outstanding.” Sarah Vowell’s writing, much like “Pushing Daisies,” Amelie, the Stars album “Set Yourself on Fire,” This American Life, and barbecued chicken pizza, is something [...]

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Procrastination

Months ago, right at the start of 2008, I was knocking around the This American Life website while I was on my lunch break at work. When I love something, I love it a lot, you cannot underestimate the degree to which I love something that I love. On my roster of THINGS I LOVE, [...]

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