Shira, Etc.

I’ve been reading a LOT lately. Last week I read An Unfinished Life by Mark Spragg, Shadowbrook: A Novel of Love, War, and the Birth of America by Beverly Swerling, and Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons.

The one by Spragg was very good. I like his style of writing: precise, clean; it was a quick read. Definitely going to look for more books by this author.

Beverly’s Shadowbrook was a bit of a monster at 512 pages, but it was full of interesting (and factual!) historical information about the French and Indian War–with perspectives from both sides of the battle. The native perspective kept me hooked, and I learned that a lot of the information they gave us in elementary school about Native Americans was WRONG! Maybe I should become an elementary school social studies teacher…

Up Island was a total waste of time, and I skimmed at least half of it. A horribly written novel about a group of middle aged people who eventually die; I think she was trying to make it romantic, but that attempt was highly unsuccessful if you ask me. The sense of connectedness that lovers have is absolutely lacking in all the examples she uses! And as if that wasn’t bad enough she writes with 95% description and 5% action, so it’s really extra-uber-boring. BORING. Capital B for don’t Bother.

I also re-read two books from The Song of the Lioness Quartet (by Tamora Pierce), which is only the best J Fic series ever written! I’ve read all four books about ten times each, and can probably recite them by heart, but still thoroughly enjoy them every time, even though I know exactly what’s going to happen! Do you have any books that are like this for you?

I recently finished Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence. I love the classics! I wish I could continuously take college level literature classes and just read and think about and analyze every classic ever written. Since I can’t afford to do that, I’m just reading/thinking/analyzing on my own, which is almost as good.

I’m trying to get into adult fantasy literature, but haven’t had much luck so far. Fantasy was probably my favorite genre in high school, but the adult versions are all so convoluted! In my opinion, you shouldn’t need a six page list of characters at the beginning of a book in order to be able to understand who is who and what’s going on. Hello, I didn’t pick up this book to read a list, I want character development!! Is that too much to ask for? No. Also, why do fantasy writers give everyone names like Mkychfil and Syrtindia? Having to stumble over names like those is a major deterrent, and when you’re already extending your imaginiation to believe a story about an underwater warrior culture that worships eggs and can traverse time by eating sea anemones, you want to avoid unnecessary distractions like thirteen consonant first names. Have any of you read any decent fantasy books lately?

Homecoming pictures from my trip to LeRoy in August are now available for your viewing pleasure on Hotshots!

In other news, I’m extremely excited about Christmas (I get to go home for a WHOLE WEEK!!). On the other hand, I’m very disappointed that the Bills‘ game yesterday was not televised (at least not on my tv), as that’s the only thing I watch on tv all week (in addition to the occasional episode of The Surreal Life and the news).

Have any of you seen The Surreal Life? I usually loathe reality tv, this one is so ridiculous and the cast so outrageous that it’s (surprisingly) enjoyable to watch. Flavor Flav cracks me up so much, and Brigitte Nielson (Sylvestor Stallone’s ex-wife) has absolutely NO boundaries! Anyways, definitely an entertaining program.

Have you ever played volleyball barefoot? Depending on the court, it can be a very pleasant experience. When Phoebe and I were in Cancun we participated in a few rounds of Jungle Volleyball on the white sands of Mexico (the Carribean waves lapping at our ankles). That’s what I call Ultimate Volleyball. Here in Vegas, the sand is not quite as refined as it was on that beach in Mexico. Though it is true desert sand, its texture is that of cat box litter. How did I become so familiar with the kitty litter texture of the Mohave sand, you ask? Here’s how it happened…

Last Friday Carrie and I were on our way to Picnic in the Park for a little volleyball action. Running on Shira Time (late as usual), we rushed to pack up the car and hit the road in a frenzy of excitement (the excitement mostly due to the fact that we were going to check out a new tapas restaurant, Firefly, later that night). When we got to the park I realized that I had neglected to remove my sneakers from the hood of the car and place them safely inside. After an extensive search of the hood I succumbed to the realization that the desert night had swallowed them up, to be worn nevermore. *dramatic sigh* And so I played barefoot that night, rather than ruin a second pair of shoes (my favorite red slip-ons) in the Mojave.

Two days later I was driving down Windmill Rd., about a mile from my house, when I spotted something suspicious. Could it be…? A pair of sneakers lying half in/ half out of the median!! After a quick drive by I pulled a U-y, parked illegally on the sidewalk, dashed across four lanes of swiftly moving traffic and (ba da duuuummm) RESCUED my SNEAKERS!!!! It was a miracle! It was a miracle in the Mojave Desert. I couldn’t believe it. Happy Tears streaming down my face, I clasped my beloved sneaks to my bosom and promised that I would never leave them on the roof again. Then, raising them high above my head, I did the Rocky Triumphs The Big Stairs Champion Dance all the way back to the illegally-parked car. It was a joyous day.

Luckily for me, the shoes were unscathed besides a little minor graffiti (shown above) and some mis-shapenness from an apparent encounter with an eighteen wheeler. I even found one of the socks I had shoved inside still there! We can only imagine what an eventful few nights on the streets of Las Vegas it must have been for those shoes. If only they could talk…

Voter registration deadlines are fast approaching (in fact, in most states the deadline is tomorrow!) You’ve still got time if you act quickly, so let the molten move you (to the post office and mail your registration today)!

I have so much updating to do, I don’t even know where to start!

About a month ago a few loyal Bouchon employees started what has become a Las Vegas tradition: Picnic In The Park Fridays. We eat, drink, bond, and demonstrate althetic prowess on an asundry number of sporting fields. The first picnic was a raging success; homemade Spinach and Chicken Calzones and boxed brownies (a cardinal sin since 75% of those involved in the picnic were pastry cooks, but when you need chocolate fast you NEED chocolate fast!) transformed the night into an impromptu feast. Tasty beverages, disc golf and bonding with a few local homeless guys (apparently we were using the table they live on) contributed to an especially memorable evening. I feel the homeless guys made out as they ended up with the extra brownies and brewskies. The tradition has evolved since that first evening…we have a new favorite park that features electrically-lit beach volleyball courts, covered picnic tables, and fewer table-dwellers, but the original holiday spirit is still the same.

In other news, I recently got new brakes! Woohoo! Beatrice glides down the highway like a 1952 caddy now, thanks to her new ceramic brake pads. (I think it helps that I’ve been practicing the downshift too…)

For those of you out there eagerly awaiting your next installment of goodies from Pastry of the Month Club, I regret to inform you that the club has undergone some administrative changes and will hereto forth be known as the Random Acts of Pastry Club. Sorry for any inconvenience, but look forward to a mouthwatering Halloween installment!

Speaking of Halloween, Sydney recently spent some time preparing for her first All Hallows’ Eve by communing with a field of pumpkins. She has six new teeth with which to eat all that great trick-or-treating candy (though I feel she may have to wait a few years before gaining a true appreciation for candy corn and Mars bars).