nite swimming

Rest in Peace, Elizabeth

2010-12-11T16:45:00.001-08:00

Restless in Reno

2010-09-23T22:40:00.001-07:00

Went for a hike on a new trail this afternoon with John. While driving to meet him in Reno, I thought about this blog and whether it's time to pull the plug. I'm still mulling this. Is this normal? If you have a blog, do you sometimes wonder why you have one?

Getting back to the hike...didn't see another hiker until the end. It was a guy who said he is preparing to hike to the top of Mt. Whitney this weekend. All of a sudden I thought "I should set a goal of hiking to the top of Whitney." Just like that. What?! Why am I so impressionable?

Guess I'm feeling a little adrift these days. End of summer melancholy perhaps.

[Photo - Hunter Creek, Reno, Nevada]

birds on a wire

2010-09-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

Quotable - amazing grace

2010-09-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

“

Of all my books, Amazing Grace means the most to me. It took the most out of me and was the hardest to write, because it was the hardest to live through these experiences. I felt it would initially be seen as discouraging but, ultimately, sensitive readers would see the resilient and transcendent qualities ...
that it would be seen as a book about the elegant theology of children.

~ Jonathan Kozol (his birthday today)

”

Mr. Kozol signed a copy of Amazing Grace for me and, strangely, he added a smiley face to his signature.

september

2010-09-01T07:37:00.001-07:00

Spoiler alert!

[This video contains a dancing granny.]

look who's five

2010-08-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

This blog was launched five years ago on August 24. Nite swimming is officially a 'big girl' now.

Quotable - at least every day

2010-08-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

“

One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

”

Giveaway winners!

2010-08-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

The winners of ONE DAY by David Nicholls are:

Dana
Susan
Ruth

Thanks to everyone who entered to win. I also want to thank the publisher who provided me with three copies of a book I was thrilled to offer to the readers of this blog. I hope you all enjoy reading this book as much as I did.

Coming this Fall - a tawdry tale

2010-08-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

On sale November 2nd.

Like real cupcakes, I don't think I'll be able to resist this book:

Sure, cupcakes are all sweet when they’re all dolled up for birthday parties, but what happens when the wrapper comes off? This deliciously funny book gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the wild and tawdry lives of Desperate Cupcakes. You’ll meet insecure cupcakes like Sally, who wraps herself in bacon to bring the sizzle back into her relationship. Follow these cupcakes to the dark side as they experience sugar rushes and crashes, succumb to snack attacks, and engage in ill-advised activities (like riding with the Hells Angel Cakes.) You’ll delve into their fears, their woes, and their fierce suspicion of muffins. Ultimately, you’ll discover how truly difficult it is to be everyone’s favorite dessert.

I suspected a competitive relationship between cupcakes & muffins, but never "fierce suspicion."

BTW - Last day to enter to win one of three copies of the perfect late summer read "One Day" by David Nicholls.

See this film - At the Death House Door

2010-08-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

"At the Death House Door" is an IFC original documentary following Carroll Pickett's 16 year transformation from prison chaplain in Huntsville, Texas to outspoken anti-death penalty crusader. Outstanding example of the power of documentary filmmaking in supporting social justice advocacy.

Eye in the Sky - Jonatha Brook

2010-08-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Quotable - omnivorous reading

2010-08-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

“

I read omnivorously, I always have, my entire life. I would rather be dead than not read. So, there's always time for that. I read while I eat, and our whole family did. We all had very bad manners at the table. All of our books are stained with spaghetti sauce, and that sort of thing.

~ Annie Proulx

”

friday flowers - purple cone flower

2010-08-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

In Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" during her discussion of the responses she received to her Twelve Commandments, I really liked that someone shared one of their own: Notice the color purple.

Have you noticed the color purple lately?

magical ukulele

2010-08-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Very interesting cover of Radiohead's Idioteque.

One Day - review and giveaway

2010-08-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

The ad for One Day by David Nicholls caught my eye because it featured a quote from Nick Hornby. When Hornby recommends a book, I take notice.

"big, absorbing, smart, fantastically readable"

Hornby also noted One Day to be "the perfect beach read for people who are normally repelled by the very idea of beach reads."

Well, well. I might be one of those people. And, I have to agree with Nick, it was a perfect poolside read.

Because it's still summer, although school has already started in some places, thanks to the wonderfully generous folks at Random House, I have three copies of One Day to give away so you, too, may experience this gem of a late summer read. But first, let me tell you why I liked this book so much.

The main characters, Em & Dex are compellingly human. Insecure, arrogant, witty, intelligent, clueless, vulnerable, clumsy, generous, lazy, ambitious, talented and ultimately lovable. The dialogue between Em & Dex made me laugh out loud several times, just like my favorite Hornby books.

The story spans twenty years beginning in 1988 on graduation day. I graduated from college in 1987 so right away, there was this connection for me. It's also set in England, which I love. Relationships are central to the story. Not just the relationship between Dex & Em but their relationships to others including family, coworkers, roommates and friends. I don't want to reveal too much because much of the charm in this book is in its curious unfolding. Lets just say, if you like Nick Hornby's "Juliet, Naked" or "About a Boy" and have a fondness for Bridget Jones and the film "When Harry Met Sally," you will like this book. You might even love it. You'll definitely want to read it before you see the movie (Anne Hathaway! Patricia Clarkson!).

Giveaway Details:

Three copies of One Day by David Nicholls have been provided by Random House.
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post that includes your email address.
For another entry follow this blog or subscribe via email -- current followers/subscribers are eligible too. Leave a separate comment for this.
Blog/Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with your twitter user name and/or link to blog post.

NOTE: Giveaway reserved for residents within the U.S.

The winners will be selected from the comments using random.org.
Deadline: midnight, August 26. Winners announced August 27.

Good luck!

mid year review

2010-07-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Not sure why, but it seems like a good time to take stock of my reading so far in 2010. Back in January, I read about the book a week idea. I liked the idea and have been committed to reading at this pace. It looks like I will definitely reach a goal of reading at least 52 books this year if I continue what I've been doing.

A quick check of the year's progress to this point reveals:

I've read 38 books
I've listened to one book (Making Toast)
I've read one graphic-style book (Fun Home)
Fiction: 18
Nonfiction: 21

Stand outs:

The Financial Lives of the Poets
Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It
Fun Home
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
American Rust
Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog
Brooklyn
The Spare Room
Unaccustomed Earth
The Suicide Index
Stuff - Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things
One Day

How's your year coming along?

Canadian Girl - The Walkmen

2010-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

I love this song.

Added: The Walkmen have a new album coming out in mid September.

Happy Fourth of July

2010-07-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

the walkmen

2010-07-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

I listen to this song quite a bit on my iPod but never pictured it this way. I never once thought of rabbits & hunters. Strange video. Good song.

Quotable - memorable mistakes

2010-06-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

“

Eventually, I figured out how my life works. But it’s because of all those mistakes that I have the career I have now as a memoirist. No one wants to read a book about someone who got it all right the first time!

~ Trish Ryan, interview with Gretchen Rubin

”

summer's here and

2010-06-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

I just want to swim...

The Books

2010-06-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

Today's Song of the Day is Beautiful People by a band called The Books. The band's name caught my attention. Alt-techno-classical?

a fresh voice

2010-06-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this memoir. It's unlike any I've read before, and I've read my fair share. Recommended if you liked Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas.

friday flowers - blanket flower

2010-06-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

The deer don't eat them (at least this time of year) and they yell "summer!"

See this film - The Bridge

2010-06-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

Artfully made documentary about San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge as an alluring place for many seeking to end their lives. The film focuses on some of the 24 people who committed suicide in 2004 by jumping from the bridge. There is also a first person account by a young man who managed to survive his attempt. Recommended if you are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of depression, mental illness and suicide. This film is also a solid example of top-notch documentary film-making. Both the music and photography are outstanding.

How I see the Golden Gate Bridge has been forever changed.

Quotable - beware happiness killers

2010-05-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

“

There are three happiness killers - doing work you do not love and are not passionate about, surrounding yourself with people who you do not really like (someone who just fills time), and living somewhere that does not let you be you.
Just stop it. Life is far too short.

~ Robert Florida, interview with Gretchen Rubin

”

friday flowers - lavender

2010-05-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

I realize that posting photos of the flowers in my yard or that I find in my day-to-day wanderings puts me at odds with advice given over at How Not to Act Old. Screw it. I'm doing it anyway.

I would also like to invite you to visit nite swimming 365 the daily photo blog I do with my huzz. Watch out though, there be flower photos aplenty.

See this film - I am Trying to Break Your Heart

2010-05-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

With this film, I urge you to see it with this caveat: you must really like Wilco and love their most excellent Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album. Otherwise, this is probably not a story you'd find compelling.

need a laugh?

2010-05-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

Some late night humor for you:

"President Obama's big financial reform bill passed. From now on, bankers will be required to dress like robbers." –Jimmy Kimmel

David Letterman's "Top Ten Things Overheard At The White House State Dinner"

10. 'May we see your papers, President Calderon?'
9. 'What happened to the dumb guy who used to live here?'
8. 'May we see your papers, President Obama?'
7. 'The pinata is filled with worthless Euros'
6. 'Three whiskey sours and Chuck Schumer takes off his pants'
5. 'Sir, the Republicans are attempting to block the appetizers'
4. 'Lincoln's ghost! Run!'
3. 'Salahi? No, you're not on the list, but how about a lovely bottle of wine'
2. 'Hurry, it's Close-Up Magic Week on the 'Late Show''
1. 'Yes, Mr. Vice President, it is a big F-ing deal'

"I love this. On the news today, the CEO of British Petroleum says he believes the overall environmental impact of this oil spill will be very, very modest. Yeah. If you live in England!" –Jay Leno

Also, I had a good chuckle instigated by these two blogs: Teacher Tales: Homophobes and Bosoms and little old ladies are the same no matter where you live...really. they are.

ADDED: Citizen Reader's quick review of Sexually, I'm More of a Switzerland.

Enjoy!

Winner of GETTING IN

2010-05-24T14:24:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Arch!
And, thanks to everyone who participated in this book giveaway.

friday flowers - columbine

2010-05-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Columbine

I think I'll make it a goal today to find columbine at a local nursery to bring home and plant. I've thought about it, and have an idea for the perfect spot.

inquiring minds

2010-05-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

What is the last book you recommended to a friend?

I recommended "Getting In" to Kathleen.
And, "You're Either In or You're In the Way" to Erika.
I also recommended "Gringo Nightmare" to George.

I've been a busy little recommender.

Getting In by Karen Stabiner - giveaway

2010-05-17T15:29:00.001-07:00

Publisher's Description:

In her nonfiction books about parenting -- The Empty Nest, My Girl, and All Girls -- Karen Stabiner won acclaim for her insights about living with teenagers. Now, in a heartwarming and hilarious new novel, she writes about the biggest challenge of all: getting a child into the perfect college. With a survivor's wit and a journalist's eye, she tells the story of five Los Angeles high school seniors and their parents as they navigate the obstacle course that is college admissions. Getting In follows these interconnected families -- three at the tony Crestview School, two at its public counterpart, Ocean Heights High -- in their pursuit of a fat envelope from their favorite schools. But the college application process is full of surprises, and each of the families has to scramble as their best-laid plans start to crumble. Ultimately, everyone -- moms, dads, and applicants -- discovers what the admissions process is really about: growing up. Getting In is a necessary distraction for all high-school parents, a hybrid of comic narrative and insider information.

Although my daughter has long since graduated from college, this book brought back vividly her junior and senior years in high school when much of our focus was on where she would be going to school. Whether this experience is before you or in your past, you'll find this book to be an amusingly unsparing look at this American cultural phenomenon and rite of passage in the life of a family. I enjoyed this book for both the memories it brought back and the snarky commentary on the southern California lifestyle. I also found the character of Ted, the head of the college counseling department at the elite private school intriguing. Especially recommended for parents of teens or soon to be teens and anyone who has worked with students to apply to college, grad school or professional schools.

Giveaway Details:

One copy of Getting In by Karen Stabiner has been provided by a publicist for giveaway.

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post that includes your email address.

For more entries (1) follow this blog or subscribe via email -- current followers/subscribers are eligible too. Leave a separate comment for this. (2) Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave a separate comment with your twitter user name.

NOTE: Giveaway reserved for residents within the U.S. and Canada.

The winner will be selected from the comments using random.org.

Deadline: midnight, May 23. Winner announced May 24.

Good luck!

Winner of THIS ONE IS MINE

2010-05-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

Janie - lucky number 7

Congratulations! Would love to hear how you like THIS ONE IS MINE.

Thanks everyone who entered to win.

Stay hungry - Stay foolish

2010-05-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for graduation ceremonies and that means speeches. I just finished reading Getting In by Karen Stabiner. The book ends with two high school graduation speeches, one delivered before an audience of mostly privileged students and their families at a private school; the other given by a first generation American at a public school. The speeches cap off the main themes running through the book.

Here's a brilliant graduation speech from Steve Jobs. Given how attentive the Stanford grads are, it looks to be one of those rare instances where a commencement speaker truly provides a message that resonates with everyone present.

New Zealand Tea Tree

2010-05-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

God help me, I like this show

2010-05-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Nurse Jackie

"We may love her for her insight, for Falco’s prickly intelligence and her rare adult grace, but we can’t ignore the fact that even at her most compassionate moments, Jackie is privately calculating how to get her next hit." Source: here.

Just watched the first few episodes last night. What an interesting female lead character!

This One is MINE (review & giveaway)

2010-05-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

The characters in This One is Mine by Maria Semple are an example of what Zoe Heller is talking about in the quote in the previous post. I have no interest in being a friend to any of them. But, that doesn't mean their shenanigans weren't interesting and at times, funny.

Semple, who is a former TV sitcom writer (Arrested Development and Mad About You), has offered a take on Los Angeles through the eyes of her characters that was a guilty pleasure for me. It was in some aspects, akin to slowing down for a good look at the accident that has kept you trapped in traffic for an hour. I'm both pulled in and repulsed.

The main character, Violet is simultaneously adrift, floating along in the LA haze of the rich and almost famous life while also laser-focused on a mission of self-destruction. Violet is intelligent and sensitive, but something is screwed up with her. She's a bit like the flower she's named for: pretty, sentimental, old fashioned (with a husband in the music biz, she likes Sondheim) but ultimately out of her element in the southern California desert environment.

This One is MINE reminded me of I'm Losing You by Bruce Wagner, another book where the characters are unlikeable, but interesting. Semple's book is more enjoyable though because it is funny in spots. It's worth reading just for Violet's husband's experience at the yoga retreat. Hilarious.

This book is for you if like Arrested Development and also enjoy books such as Heller's The Believers and Notes on a Scandal.

Check out this interview at Largehearted Boy where Maria Semple shares her soundtrack for This One is MINE.

Note: I received a paperback copy of This One is MINE from the publisher.

Giveaway

If you'd like my copy of This One is MINE, leave a comment below. For an extra entry, leave a second, separate comment if you become a follower of this blog or already follow. Be sure to give me your email address so I can contact you if you win. U.S. residents only this time.

Ends the evening of Sunday, May 16th. Winning comment selected by random.org.

Good luck!

Quotable

2010-05-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

“

I'm slightly irritated by what I think is a kind of modern
demand for characters you can root for, characters
you would like to be friends with. Speaking as a reader, I have to say that some of my favorite characters in literature are some of the nasty ones.

~ Zoe Heller, NPR interview

”

And, the winner is

2010-05-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Katrina

Katrina has won Critical Care by Teresa Brown. Congratulations! Also, thanks to everyone who left a comment about nurses. I enjoyed reading them and agree with you all. Would hate to think what would happen if we had to go even one day without nurses.

Quotable

2010-05-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

“

Always be a little kinder than necessary.

~ J M Barrie, born 150 years ago today

”

what's the story morning glory

2010-05-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

Morning glories are my favorite flowers. This one is extra special because it's growing wild in Waimea Canyon on the island of Kauai.

Do you have a favorite flower?

small pleasures

2010-05-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

Quotable - slow circles of nature

2010-05-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

“

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.
Gardening is an instrument of grace.

~ May Sarton, born today

”

Winner of San Francisco Pocket Guides Set

2010-05-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

The winner of The Laws Pocket Guide Set: San Francisco Bay Area by John Muir Laws is Janell (Thufferin Thuccotash). Wishing you many sun-filled days exploring the non-cafe, coffeehouse and bakery environs of the Bay area. Congratulations!

buy the piano

2010-04-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself wondering how oncology nurses can handle doing their jobs? It has to be the hardest job in medicine. And, as is learned from Theresa Brown's new memoir, Critical Care - A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between, you can add the physical stress of working long shifts to the emotional toll of caring for vulnerable patients and their families.

I was originally drawn to this book because I'm intrigued by people who make changes in midlife. In this case, Brown left her position as an academic (professor of literature) to enter nursing school and ultimately become an RN specializing in oncology. It was interesting to read why she made this decision and the impact it made on her family.

Brown writes vividly about her triumphs and struggles to become a fully skilled, professional nurse within the unique work culture of a hospital, and more specifically, a ward on the oncology floor. Did you know that some of the mean girls we encountered in high school later became nursing supervisors? Heads up.

What I found most profound was learning how Ms. Brown's experience with her patients and their families changed her view of life. As she learned to be an effective advocate for her patients, she also found the determination to stand up for herself as a medical professional. And, not surprisingly, she has learned first-hand how quickly your life or someone you love's life can change. Take nothing for granted, or as the author says: buy the piano.

Note: I received an advance reader's edition of Critical Care from Library Thing's Early Reviewer.

Giveaway:
If you would like my copy of Critical Care, leave a comment about your view of the role nurses play in our healthcare system. I'll use random.org on the evening of Saturday May 8th to select the winner. Be sure to leave a second separate comment if you follow this blog. U.S. residents only.

Giveaway - Calling all explorers!

2010-04-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

In honor of John Muir's birthday today and courtesy of Heyday Books, I'm very pleased to offer The Laws Pocket Guide Set: San Francisco Bay Area by John Muir Laws. The author of this set of four beautifully illustrated waterproof/tearproof (designed for pockets and backpacks) foldout guides is not related to the late John Muir but was named after the famous California naturalist. Soon, people will name their children after Laws himself -- his work is that good!

We just returned from a trip to Kauai and would have loved to have had something as well-made and easy to use with us. I'm looking forward to using these guides as we explore the San Francisco Bay area this summer and in the years to come.

To enter to win The Laws Guide Set for San Francisco Bay Area, just visit the Heyday Books website, and come back here and leave a comment saying which of the many categories of books Heyday offers that you find most interesting. Leave a second comment for an extra entry if you follow this blog.

If you live near or in the SF Bay area or plan to visit, you'll love having this set of guides with you as you explore this beautiful part of California.

I'll select the winning comment using random.org late in the evening on Saturday, May 1st.

Note: for U.S. residents only.

Good luck!

and now a musical interlude

2010-04-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

Quotable - Just do it

2010-04-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

"Julia Cameron put it something like this: The only screenplay that definitely won't get made into a movie -- is the one that is never written at all. We are all capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for, and what we can find along the way is that the effort itself -- regardless of the outcome -- can bring great happiness."

~ Amy Wilson, interview with Gretchen Rubin

the winner is

2010-04-07T23:25:00.001-07:00

The winner of Either You're In or You're In The Way is Judy.

Congratulations!

Easter greetings

2010-04-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

No foolin' National Poetry Month is here!

2010-04-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

National Poetry Month kicks off today. This means you can sign up to receive a poem via email every day during the month of April. Just go to poets.org. Easy peasy.

March Madness Winners!

2010-04-01T00:36:00.000-07:00

Margie - The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy

Debbie (dkuroiwa) - Mrs. Astor Regrets

Congratulations to the winners!

Whew - what a story!

2010-03-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

The Miller brothers have written a fast-paced, funny, caffeine-infused book chronicling the miraculous and epic twelve-month journey that resulted in the film, Touching Home. Logan and Noah never doubted their father's life had meaning. They also knew that it was up to them to tell that story.

This book, Either You're In or You're In The Way, has a lot going on that made it intriguing for me. First, I'm a sucker for stories about outsiders (especially working class heroes) who manage to break into closed systems on their own terms. In this case, without film school pedigrees or famous relatives, but armed with grit and a shared delusion (their term), Noah and Logan overcome the barriers surrounding the Hollywood film industry.

As the older sister to identical twin sisters, I could also relate to those instances in the narrative when Noah and Logan give a nod to the synergistic and kinetic energy that exists in their relationship. So much so, that I wonder if a single person could have pulled off what they did together -- or even a non-twin pair of siblings.

There's also the Ed Harris factor. Who among us doesn't acknowledge the place Harris has as one of our nation's very best actors? I was on edge page after page, thinking Ed Harris better come through for these guys!

Much of the book takes place in California, with the actual film shot in northern California. Since I live in this area, I enjoyed reading about the specific locations and all the logistical considerations. I could truly understand the huge gamble they took in planning an outdoor shooting schedule in December.

Maybe it's not surprising that the Miller brothers give a shout out to independent booksellers in the acknowledgements section of their book, given that as independent filmmakers they are fellow travelers in a David versus Goliath dynamic. But, I've never seen this before. These young men "get it."

The film Touching Home is about to be released here in the U.S. This is definitely a book you'll want to read before you see the movie.

I'm going to give away a copy of Either You're In or You're In The Way. Just leave a comment that answers this question: Have you ever thought about making your own movie or writing a book?

Leave a second comment if you follow this blog for an extra entry and be sure to leave your email so I can contact you. I'll select from the comments using random.org on Monday April 5th at or very near midnight. U.S. only.

Note: I received a review paperback copy of this book from the publisher.

The captivating Inkosaurus

2010-03-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

Last night while watching TV, a new Lexmark printer ad came on. Riley, who was dozing sprawled on his back, flipped to his feet and ran to sit in front of the TV screen. He loves the Inkosaurus! Something about the way Inkosaurus jumps onto the printer really grabs Riley's attention. Wish I would have had my camera on hand to capture this fleeting and surprising moment of cuteness. Lets face it, Riley's been around the litter box a time or two. In all these years, I've never before seen him even remotely interested in what was on TV.

Iron & Wine

2010-03-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

Guess I do have a romantic side. Shhhhh...

Quotable - literary irritation

2010-03-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

“

I come from a family where the only emotion
respectable to show is irritation.
In some this tendency produces hives,
in others literature, in me both.

~ Flannery O'Connor, born today

”

a wild & wacky ride

2010-03-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

Just finished Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. Several laugh out loud moments. Here's a snip to give you an idea:

But one of the reasons I think my life is going so much better is that having originally done Wishful Drinking (the show and now the book) as a singles ad -- a really, really detailed personals ad -- I think if I attract someone from one of my audiences or one of the readers of this book, he'll never be able to say, "You never told me you were a manic-depressive drug addict who turned men bald and gay," like men say to me now.

An entertaining, quick read that would be especially good plane/airport reading.

March Madness Book Giveaway!

2010-03-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

OK, the two books I've selected to giveaway have nothing to do with college basketball but it is March. And, who reads this blog that isn't at least a little mad about reading?

Here's your chance to win one of these books. I've read both (and they are great books) so they are technically 'used' books but you'll find them to be 'like new.' I'm very gentle with my books!

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me which one you'd like. Leave a second comment if you follow this blog for an extra entry. Also, be sure to include your email address.

I'll select the winners (using random.org) around midnight on March 31st. U.S. residents only this time.

Good luck!

Quotable - good can come from spacing out

2010-03-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

“

There are few things that I love more than looking out the window of a car, train, or bus. One day, when I was gazing out of a bus window, I was struck by a thought: “What do I want out of life?” “Well,” I thought, “I want to be happy.” It occurred to me that I never thought about whether I was happy or not, or how I could be happier, or even what it meant to be happy. “Zoikes,” I thought, “I should have a happiness project!” If I’d been checking my emails,
I might never have had the idea
for the happiness project.

~ Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project

”

Browsers Welcome

2010-03-13T10:20:00.001-08:00

Quotable - the butterfly of the moment

2010-03-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

“

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment?

~ Vita Sackville-West

”

so much for conventional wisdom

2010-03-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

I had read somewhere in passing that the most popular film, i.e. the one seen by the most people, usually won the Oscar for Best Picture. According to the highly scientific poll in the sidebar of my blog, this year's Oscar went to the film with the least amount of viewers: The Hurt Locker. If this bit of conventional wisdom was indeed predictive, Avatar would have won.

Did you watch the Oscars last night? Sandra Bullock gave a great acceptance speech, didn't she?

it's only the young

2010-03-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

The Old Neighbors

by Katha Pollitt

The weather's turned, and the old neighbors creep out
from their crammed rooms to blink in the sun, as if
surprised to find they've lived through another winter.
Though steam heat's left them pale and shrunken
like old root vegetables,
Mr. and Mrs. Tozzi are already
hard at work on their front-yard mini-Sicily:
a Virgin Mary birdbath, a thicket of roses,
and the only outdoor aloes in Manhattan.
It's the old immigrant story,
the beautiful babies
grown up into foreigners. Nothing's
turned out the way they planned
as sweethearts in the sinks of Palermo. Still,
each waves a dirt-caked hand
in geriatric fellowship with Stanley,
the former tattoo king of the Merchant Marine,
turning the corner with his shaggy collie,
who's hardly three but trots
arthritically in sympathy. It's only
the young who ask if life's worth living,
not Mrs. Sansanowitz, who for the last hour
has been inching her way down the sidewalk,
lifting and placing
her new aluminum walker as carefully
as a spider testing its web. On days like these,
I stand for a long time
under the wild gnarled root of the ancient wisteria,
dry twigs that in a week
will manage a feeble shower of purple blossom,
and I believe it: this is all there is,
all history's brought us here to our only life
to find, if anywhere,
our hanging gardens and our street of gold:
cracked stoops, geraniums, fire escapes, these old
stragglers basking in their bit of sun.

By Katha Pollitt, from The Mind-Body Problem

Oscar predictions

2010-03-05T16:23:00.000-08:00

I agree with this chap's predictions except for holding out hope that Carey Mulligan will win Best Actress for her enchanting performance in "An Education."

What's your NPR name?

2010-03-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

National Public Radio has an on-going series about Frederic Chopin (Chopin at 200). I love Chopin for the obvious reasons but I've also just now discovered a health reason to listen to more of this beautiful, passionate, playful and romantic music. I tested my blood pressure before listening to Chopin and then while listening to and watching this video. My blood pressure was improved while listening to Chopin. Try it yourself. Does watching this brilliant pianist's love and enthusiasm for the music he's playing do anything for you?

You know how NPR journalists have the best names, someone has come up with a quick formula so that you can create your very own NPR name. Mine's Sherrly Riomaggiore (lookout Sylvia Poggioli!). What's your NPR name?

Quotable

2010-03-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”

~ Dr. Seuss (birthday today)

See this film - The Hurt Locker

2010-02-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

"The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction,
for war is a drug."

We finally watched this film last night after waiting for weeks to get it from netflix. Still unhappy with how long it took to get this DVD but the film lived up to my high expectations. The Hurt Locker gets my votes for both best picture and best director.

innie or outie?

2010-02-27T10:43:00.001-08:00

Where is your favorite spot to read?

BTW - Any of these books in your TBR stack:

March Indie Next List

Making Toast: A Family Story by Roger Rosenblatt & Brooklyn by Colm Toibin are on my figurative nightstand.

Winter Garden winners!

2010-02-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

The winners of WINTER GARDEN by Kristin Hannah are:

#5 Margaret and #34 FrankSandy

Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who entered to win and to the publisher who made this giveaway possible.

reading is sexy

2010-02-25T14:25:00.001-08:00

Happy birthday, Renoir.

bookstore blogs

2010-02-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

There's a new, handy feature from the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. It's a page on their website listing a collection of blogs by indie bookstores.
Check it out: here.

BTW - Today is the last day to enter to win a copy of Kristin Hannah's new book WINTER GARDEN.

<---Please vote in the sidebar poll. Thanks!

taking a hike

2010-02-18T10:28:00.001-08:00

We're going to hike to see a waterfall today. I'm excited! In northern California, the best time to see waterfalls is in the spring. It's not exactly spring yet, but we're having a spring preview today.

Question: Does hiking and reading go together?

Answer: Of course! I always take a book with me whether or not I get to fit some reading in is another question. I'm hopeful to find a beautiful spot where I can hear both birds and water flowing -- even if we stop for only 15 minutes or so. My hiking partner is often too restless to stop for very long.

ADDED: Photos from today's hike here. And, nope, no reading outside for me today but the waterfall and hike were wonderful.

a stereotype shattered!

2010-02-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

[Click on image to enlarge]

Turkey are not so dumb after all, at least wild turkey. Here's a hen with her poults. She's figured out that the finch bird feeder is awfully convenient if she sits on top of the fence. We caught her in the middle of teaching her little ones to do the same. Ironic that the feeder we set out for the tiny gold finches became the hot spot for the largest birds in the neighborhood.

<--- Please take the poll in the side bar. Thanks!

Quotable - what it feels like

2010-02-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

“

...I’m just trying to understand, trying to articulate, what it feels like to be damaged goods in our oversexualized culture.

We founder in a mere surface culture of smirk, snark and innuendo. The greedy objectification of the body — in both women and men — accelerates, speeding so fast that the objections can’t even be heard over the roar of the mass media.

We are told to worship washboard abs and Everest biceps, improbably perky breasts and buns of titanium. It sometimes seems that every image spewed forth by the electronic media resonates with just one unsubtle subtext: sex.

~ Dana Jennings, After Surviving Cancer, a Focus on True Manhood

”

fearless flowers

2010-02-15T13:22:00.001-08:00

A super-secret, double-reminder for all fearless flowers:

If you but soak up the sunlight you are given, drink each drop of water I send, and strive only to be yourself, life shall quicken in your roots, spirit shall raise you into the light, and your bloom will inspire the world.

You see, I do all the hard stuff.

The Universe (aka Mike Dooley)

[Photo: Janell at Thuccotash 365]

Quotable - barbarian invasions

2010-02-15T11:13:00.000-08:00

“

European men went about their business in grown-up clothing while American men dressed like five-year-olds and got flames tattooed on their necks as though contemplating a barbarian invasion
of Akron, Ohio.

~ James Kunstler, Euroland, the Horror Movie

”

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

“

There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy

~ John Lennon, All You Need is Love

”

this & that

2010-02-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share a sample of things in the internets that caught my attention during morning coffee. This archetypal photo vignette by Pam. Switching from coffee habit to green tea at coffeeyogurt no less! Will this result in renaming of blog? Recommended reading from a bay area indie bookstore via SF Chronicle's Top Shelf . I have one of the suggested books in my TBR stack. Heart-shaped cupcakes...ideal meets reality. Results may vary indeed. And, don't miss these awe inspiring photos from last night's Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

BTW - there's an exciting book giveaway happening right here at nite swimming! Check it out here. If not for yourself, you could win a copy to give as a present for your sister, friend, mom.

The Olive Trees

2010-02-12T19:14:00.001-08:00

On our trip to Boston and NYC last fall, it was this Van Gogh painting at MOMA in NYC that was my favorite. Do you have a favorite Van Gogh painting?

Added: this post by anglofille prompted my memory of seeing this painting.

See this film - Crazy Heart

2010-02-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

Saw this film last week. It's a good film with an amazing performance by Jeff Bridges. I thought the romance between Bridges's character and Maggie Gyllenhaal's much younger and together character, far-fetched. While that seemingly implausible relationship was at the center of the film, my discomfort was abated by Robert Duvall in a supporting role. I loved the scene of Bridges and Duvall out on a boat drowning worms.

Jeff Bridges will win the Oscar with this performance. (Or else I'll sulk.)

<--- Please take the poll in the side bar. Thanks!

Winter Garden Giveaway

2010-02-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of Firefly Lane and True Colors has a new book, Winter Garden.

Description (from publisher)

Sometimes when you open the door to your mother’s past, you find your own future…

Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, these two estranged women will find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. On his deathbed, their father extracts one last promise from the women in his life.

It begins with a story that is unlike anything the sisters have heard before—a captivating, mysterious love story that spans sixty-five years and moves from frozen, war torn Leningrad to modern-day Alaska. The vividly imagined tale brings these three women together in a way that none could have expected. Meredith and Nina will finally learn the secret of their mother’s past and uncover a truth so terrible it will shake the foundation of their family and change who they think they are.

"This tearjerker weaves a convincing historical novel and contemporary family drama..."

- Library Journal

Read an excerpt of Winter Garden here.

Giveaway details:

The publisher is generously providing two copies of Winter Garden to give away.

To enter this contest do any or all of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post. Include an email address in at least one of your comments. I have to be able to contact you if you win! (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Follow me on blogger or subscribe via email (current followers/subscribers are eligible too). Leave a separate comment for this. (1 entry)

4. Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave me a separate comment with your twitter user name. (1 entry)

Note: Giveaway reserved for residents within the U.S. and Canada.

The winners will be selected from the comments using random.org.

The deadline for entry is midnight, February 25, 2010.

Good luck!

Quotable - life is a gift

2010-02-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

"I am here not to achieve or even to change the world, but simply to live. Life is a gift, and I’m happy to accept every moment of it."

~ Leo Babauta, zen habits

See this film - The Young Victoria

2010-02-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

I agree with this reviewer - it's hard to believe Emily Blunt's performance didn't receive an Oscar nomination. Curious.

<--- Please take the poll in the side bar. Thanks!

Monkey Sunday

2010-02-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

I guess there's some sort of big football game today, right? Ok, I know it's super bowl Sunday, but have no idea who's playing. That's because as Beck notes "in the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey." Hi, my name is Sherry, and I'm a cultural misfit.

Here's my tradition for SBS: to go see the most non-testosteroid film that I have any interest in. This year it's "The Young Victoria."

What are you up to today? Are you watching the game or do you have a alternative SBS tradition?

<--- Please take the poll in the side bar. Thanks!

Happy birthday, Stewart O'Nan

2010-02-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

Today is the birthday of Stewart O'Nan, an American author I'd never heard of before until his "A Prayer for the Dying" was selected for my book club. That was a strange book but I liked the writing. Because I liked his writing, when I noticed the buzz around O'Nan's "Last Night at the Lobster," I eagerly read it. Very, very good. Since then, I've read "Songs for the Missing." I also enjoyed this book and have been surprised by the lack of attention given it.

Have you read anything by this author?

Quotable - Be cool

2010-02-01T16:27:00.000-08:00

"Coolness to the pizza delivery dude is a practice in equality. My measurement as a human being, my worth, is the pride I take in performing my job -- any job -- and the respect with which I treat others. I am the equal of the world not because of the car I drive, the size of the TV I own, the weight I can bench press, or the calculus equations I can solve. I am the equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart. And it all starts here -- with the pizza delivery dude."

~ Sarah Adams, from "Be Cool to the Pizza Dude" in This I Believe.

See this film - 500 Days of Summer

2010-01-28T10:47:00.000-08:00

Summer: We've been like Sid and Nancy for months now.
Tom: Summer, Sid stabbed Nancy, seven times with a kitchen knife, I mean we have some disagreements but I hardly think I'm Sid Vicious.
Summer: No I'm Sid.
Tom: Oh, so I'm Nancy...

I'm surprised by how much I liked this film. It's like a mash up of Annie Hall, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Garden State. I'm definitely getting the soundtrack. A strange coincidence...there was a quick reference to Salinger's "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" in this film and today I see that Salinger has died. Also, the lead actress Zooey Deschanel is named after a Salinger character.

now playing

2010-01-25T08:40:00.000-08:00

Kathleen Edwards - Goodnight, California

laughter

2010-01-22T12:55:00.001-08:00

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself."
~ Ethel Barrymore

handselling books at costco

2010-01-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

Dr. Temple Grandin is the author of The Way I See It and the subject of a new HBO film.

stars

2010-01-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

The More Loving One

by W. H. Auden

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell,
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.

something new

2010-01-15T09:39:00.000-08:00

I'm almost two weeks into a new project I'm doing with the hubs. It's a photo blog where we post a photo everyday. This project 365 has already changed how I look at things during the typical ebb & flow of daily life. More awareness...more wonder.

Check it out here.

late night humor

2010-01-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

"Hosting 'The Tonight Show' has been the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to me. And I want to say to the kids out there watching, you can do anything you want in life unless Jay Leno wants to do it, too." –Conan O'Brien

"Well, some good news from Afghanistan. Did you hear about this? Critics of the war have stopped referring to it as another Vietnam. The bad news? They're now calling it another NBC." –Jay Leno

"I want to tell you something. I have not been this entertained by NBC since balloon boy threw up on the 'Today Show.'" –David Letterman

Q and D Review - Drunkard: a Hard-Drinking Life

2010-01-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Writing reviews of books is intimidating. This is especially true of memoirs because it doesn't seem as much a review as a judgment about someone's life and what I perceive to be their personality or character.

I didn't much care for the man Steinberg revealed himself to be. Someone who didn't seem to realize the line he crossed when he slapped his wife and ripped the phone from wall. I do, however, care for his writing. The guy can write.

My reaction most likely has to do with something in my life story. I used to direct a court-based program to protect people who had been physically assaulted by a family member or domestic partner. In my experience, Steinberg fits my perception of an abuser. Namely, abusers almost always minimize their abusive actions. Many abusers also blame alcohol use as the cause of their behavior without getting to the source of their anger. This is a person who has spent much of his adult life intoxicated, but the only person he ever assaulted and threatened with violence is his wife. Shows some selectivity despite the influence of alcohol.

This episode of domestic violence was, thankfully, taken seriously by Steinberg's wife and the Chicago justice system. I kept waiting for Steinberg to express some fear over "losing control" and becoming a violent monster in the eyes of his family again -- drunk or sober. It never came, at least it was never articulated in his book. He also never addressed how striking his wife might influence his young sons' relationships with girls and women as they grow up and become men.

I like to read books about how people find ways to overcome bad stuff in their lives. Drunkard is excellent example. Steinberg tells his story with honest insights about how it feels to be a person in the public eye whose personal problems become the hot topic in local news. His descriptions of rehab and AA meetings are candid, humble and very human.

Basically, while I didn't like the author or relate personally with him, I think he wrote an outstanding memoir.

Quotable - the season for dreaming

2010-01-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

"Winter seems the season for dreaming. We are stuck inside, victims of the weather, and our minds take us worlds away.... I don't grouse about the weather. I think it an opportunity. I get the chance to dream, to plan and to hope."

~ Kat @ Keep the Coffee Coming

See this film - The Cove

2010-01-11T21:07:00.000-08:00

Roger Ebert:

"There are many documentaries angry about the human destruction of the planetary peace. This is one of the very best — a certain Oscar nominee. It includes a great many facts about the craven International Whaling Commission and many insights into the mistreatment of dolphins; Simon Hutchins, who has specialized in the subject for the London Telegraph, is especially helpful.

But when all of the facts have been marshaled and the cases made, one element of the film stands out above all, and that is the remorse of Richard O'Barry. He became rich and famous because of the TV series, which popularized and sanitized the image of captive dolphins. He has been trying for 25 years to make amends."

Jade for the New Year

2010-01-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

I treated myself to a pair of jade earrings hand-crafted by Jeanne Sather. You may recognize Jeanne's name as she is well-known as a passionate, tell-it-like-it-is advocate for people living with cancer. However, you may not know about her gorgeous jewelry. Check it out here.

Jade: "...is regarded as a symbol of the good, the beautiful and the precious. It embodies the Confucian virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage..."

reading chair

2010-01-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody
turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book.
~ Groucho Marx

a book a week in 2010

2010-01-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

Last year, I set a goal of being fit by my birthday in early November. I lost about 30 pounds and got to where 30 miles was my minimum bike ride (I became pretty fit). I reached this goal well before my birthday by creating and meeting smaller goals, such as a certain amount of miles cycled in a week or time spent on the treadmill. I also started to set reading goals. I discovered if I read forty to fifty pages a day or when I had the opportunity to read, I would stay connected to the book I was reading even if it wasn't wowing me. At that pace I was reading about a book a week. I'm going to keep doing this and make it a goal this year to read a book a week.

Have you set reading goals for 2010? If you're thinking about reading a book a week, here's a very persuasive post explaining why it's a great goal to set along with some tips: How to Read a Book a Week in 2010.