Reading Rainbow

Half way through 2013, I decided to keep a list of books I had read.  Since the list is mostly composed of books borrowed from the library, I haven't been able to pass many of them on to my usual chain of fellow readers that includes my dad, my nana, and a couple of my uncles.  Too bad, because a few of these books were phenomenal. (The books in bold were my favorites of the bunch.  And The Mountains Echoed was my favorite of all twenty.)

Approximately June - December 2013

Where’d You Go, Bernadette - Semple, Maria

The Fault in Our Stars - Green, John

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand - Simonson, Helen

Lone Wolf - Picoult, Jodi

Run - Patchett, Ann

The Honey Thief - Graver, Elizabeth

Divergent - Roth, Veronica

Insurgent - Roth, Veronica

The Spectacular Now - Tharp, Tim

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children - Riggs, Ransom

Gone Girl - Flynn, Gillian

Tell the Wolves I’m Home - Brunt, Carol Rifka

The Interestings - Wolitzer, Meg

Beautiful Ruins - Walter, Jess

Last Orders - Swift, Graham

The Dive from Clausen’s Pier - Packer, Ann

I Feel Bad About My Neck -Ephron, Nora

And the Mountains Echoed - Hosseini, Khaled

2014

The Death of Vishnu - Suri, Manil

The Big Over Easy - Fforde, Jasper

Four of the books on my 2013 list (The Fault in Our Stars, Divergent, Insurgent, and The Spectacular Now) are being made into movies starring Shailene Woodley, while Ansel Elgort and Miles Teller will be featured in three.  What can I say-- I'm a sucker for young adult material even though I aged out of that demographic a very long time ago.  I actually found Veronica Roth's series to be pretty weak.  I read the first book during my summer vacation at the lake and was satisfied to not continue with the series.  Then the very day I returned to work, Insurgent was a "featured book" on a library shelf I walk past to get to my office.  I felt compelled to read that, though I haven't sought out the third and final installment yet.  I heard Allegiant is a disappointing conclusion, but as soon as it shows up in my small work library, I'll probably give it a whirl.  

Philip Seymour Hoffman - RIP

Didn't realize how much PSH meant to me until I did a bit more research on him after learning of his death today.  PSH played an eclectic character, Brandt, in one of my favorite movies of all-time, "The Big Lebowski".

He dominated "Boogie Nights", which I just watched less than a week ago, randomly.

After some more research, I'd say my favorite quotes/acting by him was in "Along Came Polly" as Ben Stiller's buddy.  His bball scene makes me laugh my nuts off:

He is also a star of the new "Hunger Games" movie, which I haven't seen.  I've read all of the books, but bummed I haven't seen the new one and also will miss him in the movies going forward.

From a selfish perspective, not just one of the best actors of all-time, but the only guy who makes me feel/look young:

29 in Twister?  Wow.

Carrying the Cheeser

The Dude started posting only sporadically when he rejoined Facebook and took his solid-gold material to that platform.  His Facebook presence was short lived, as he packed up shop last spring.  He last posted on this site in February 2013, leaving the world clamoring for his insights for a full year now.  I've done a weak job posting, but am making an effort to get back into the habit.  Must I carry this sibling blog, myself?  It is a tragic proposal-- kind of like trying to sit through Newsies if it featured David Jacobs without Jack "Cowboy" Kelly.

*Edited to add that this is our 200th post.  Come back, Dude!

Room With A View

Several months ago I moved into an office with a large window.  After eleven years of toiling away under fluorescent lights,  I now have sunlight!  The upgrade inspired me to decorate this office more than I have decorated any previous work space.  Here are a few of the items that have transformed my off white box of an office into an off white box with a little character.

1)  Yankee Candle Home Sweet Home Premium Reed Diffuser
I'm incorporating all the senses, folks.  Visitors frequently remark about the lovely scent of my office.  Yesterday I was told, "It smells amazing in here. . . like chai tea."  I had eaten a big bowl of B&M baked beans for lunch.  You do the math.  (I had actually eaten a Smart Ones meal but it contained stanky broccoli, so the reed diffuser is still pretty impressive.)

2)  My work jams-- movie scores.  Since college, I have only listened to instrumental music while working.  A few favorites are John Williams' E.T. score, James Horner's Legends of the Fall score, and Danny Elfman's Edward Scissorhands score.

3)  Sickly bamboo shoots in two vases.  Inherited from my predecessor.

4)  Two small elephant figurines, one that belonged to my great-grandfather and one that was a gift from my boss, and a small moose figurine from my mum.

5)  Friday Night Lights magnet from my friend K.  Because Coach Taylor and the Dillon Panthers are the best.

6)  Dozens of photos of my friends and family.  A large framed collage, two small collages of every single family member's face, a personalized wall calendar, and various other snapshots. 

7)  A lovely framed photo of Buttermilk Falls from my friend L, who lives in Ithaca.

8)  Garth Williams illustrations from Charlotte's Web.  Because I love the book, the illustrations, and the author's connection to Maine.

9)  Barbara Cooney illustration from Miss Rumphius.  The author/illustrator was another Mainer.  Miss Rumphius is a super cool red haired lady who makes the world a more beautiful place with her trusty cat by her side.  What's not to like?

10)  "Trees with Red Leaves and Barn" print.  The colors in this large framed print are spectacular and I appreciate the New England-y vibe.

11) Canvas of my cats courtesy of my 2013 Secret Santa/Mum and her special helper/my photographer cousin M.

Coming soon:  A couple of air plants to hang in my window. 

Cats Under A Shoddy Rubber Roof

My roof started leaking shortly before Christmas.  When I say "leaking," I am talking severe showers in my kitchen and a river running through my hallway.  It has been good times at home for the past month.  My neighbors and I need a new rubber roof, which cannot be installed until the spring, as the glue will not hold if applied in weather colder than 40 degrees.  So we must wait and I must live in a leaky swamp home.  We've had over 30 holes patched in our Swiss cheese roof and we'll have drips (and hopefully not waterfalls) until the whole thing is scrapped.  The tiresome and expensive issue has been the bane of my 2014.  Fortunately I have a little perspective.  I realize that I am lucky to have a problem that can be solved and a home crisis that loosely ties into the following video:

And Crown Thy Good With SISTERHOOD

Wellesley College has ranked eighth on a list of the 20 smartest colleges in America.  I was surrounded by brilliant women during my time there, so I am not surprised that Wellesley did so well.  Some of the smartest ladies on the planet joined me in the following lofty endeavors:

• Crawling through the tray window of the dining hall in the middle of the night to pilfer bagels
• Devoting time, attention, and wall space to "Dawson's Creek" and "Felicity"
• Donning togas on the Babson campus to poster for a dorm party
• Dominating wheelbarrow races in the hallway
• Sharing special songs to celebrate friendship, including the beautiful "Thong Song" by Sisqo

Tower Court-- the nicest backyard I'll ever have

Deals, Glorious Deals

Since I've taken a brief year-long hiatus from the blog, I can't remember if I've mentioned that my mum calls the master bathroom in my parents' house her "office."  Her office features a fabulous soaker tub in which she frequently takes phone calls.  So when I saw the "Bathtub Mesh Catchall" at Pottery Barn, I immediately thought of her.  A few weeks later, I found a twin item at Kirkland's.

Feast your eyes on this deal:
Pottery Barn Bathtub Mesh Catchall, $39
Kirkland's Metal Bathtub Basket, $16.99


I came across a similar bargain when I discovered the Mendocino Coffee Table at Walmart.  I had been eying Pottery Barn's Tanner Coffee Table for nearly a year, but the price was a serious obstacle.  I thought a glass table would take up less visual space in a small room and liked the look of the frame since I have some rubbed bronze accessories (curtain rods, lamps) in my living room.  For a quarter of the price I now have a place to rest my beverages and a new surface for my cats to mark with paw prints.

Pottery Barn Tanner Rectangular Coffee Table, $399 (plus a $40 delivery surcharge)

Walmart Mendocino Coffee Table, $99 (with free delivery)

And for my third deal (because I must work in threes thanks to as-yet-undiagnosed OCD), I am contemplating some DIY.  I have the dresser that belonged to my great-grandmother Hoho (not a blog alias-- the actual name we all called her).  It is chipped and scratched and could use some touching up.  I am hoping to muster the motivation to refinish it to somewhat resemble Boston Interior's Brewster Dresser, which sells for $799.95.  I am concerned about destroying a functional piece of furniture if I actually do attempt this project, but it sure would be nifty if I could pull it off.