Saturday, November 21, 2009

Ice House - Dorset, VT

I just got home from my bookstore job and the Logger won't be home for a little while longer. I found myself faced with a predicament: How best to spend this time? Do I watch that Netflix movie that's been sitting around for weeks (I just downgraded my account to 2 movies a month, because I never have time to watch them anyway), do I read that Barbara Kingsolver I've been dying to get through (so amazing. words can not describe the love I have for her writing), or do I write in my neglected blog?

I guess the blog won for now. It won't take forever to say what I want to say here. I'll tell you what didn't win, cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes. Sick of that. Because the reality is, the kitchen is clean (except for the dishes), but a damn mouse keeps pooping on the counter every night. I have no idea what the thing is eating, because we leave no food out, and it's not getting into the sink, because it wouldn't be able to get out. I set a little trap that would catch it in a bucket if it dared to grab the popcorn at the end of the strip of cardboard, but the mouse seems to clever for that at the moment. Anyway I'm tired of cleaning up mouse poop. We're out of clean dish towels. Laundry didn't win either.

Here is my excellent news for the day. Today I scored a signed first edition of Jonathan Safran Foer's latest book caleld "Eating Animals," which is of course a book about why he doesn't. It's the #1 bestseller in independent book stores right now. I can't wait to read it!!! But I've got to finish The Lacuna first, which I'm trying to savor, but it's so hard!

Books are like food to me sometimes. When a book is really good, I want to slow down and really delve in and enjoy, but it's hard to hold myself back from just devouring it all at once. Well Kingsolver's new book is luscious. That's right, luscious. Like The Poisonwood Bible, it is written as a journal, but this one is only the journal of one man. It begins with his childhood and continues as he ages, graduating to different notebooks. He takes a job with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, but the story is about him, not them. He's a clever little bugger and his writing is not too obvious or on the nose, yet you always know what he's talking about. I often find myself rereading sentences because they are so beautifully written. Kingsolver's writing is so perfect, it almost makes me never want to write another thing again because how could I ever aspire to be that good? Keep reading I guess. Anyway I'm going to be recommending that one at work for the next few weeks. I saw a few people picking the book up today and I almost started harassing them to buy it, but I decided a full on assault is not what people come into bookstores for. A quite suggestion at the register is often enough for them to give it another thought.

Well, it's now time to pick that book up again. I guess writing in my blog made my next activity a little too obvious. Back to The Lacuna.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Ice House - Dorset, VT

Did I mention we got internet at the house? If I didn't, then I'd like to share how awesome that is. If I did, then I'd like to remind you of how awesome it is.

It's staff discount week at the bookstore, so I guess I got hired at just the right time. Yesterday I bought three books: The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver; Stiches, by David Small; and Vegan Soul Kitchen, by Bryant Terry, which I've been dying to read. Woo!

I have to do a lot of book review type stuff at the bookstore job, so I'll probably start posting them here. I almost feel like reading is my homework, and I feel guilty when I don't have time. I might bring back that little sidebar extra that says what I'm currently reading. But that sounds like work, and I sure do an awful lot of that when I'm not at home. At least today was my last day of going to two jobs in one day.

I've been feeling insanely stressed lately (see last sentence of paragraph above), and I think it's been taking a toll on my body. I've been getting some unexplained aches and pains and they are really annoying. So two days ago I told The Logger he needed to help me out. I couldn't take care of myself, him, and the house all while working two jobs. He told me to make him a list of things to do that would save me some stress, which I did. This means that he did my laundry last night and helped me mulch the garlic. Today he put those clothes away for me and cleaned that bathroom sink. So if you see The Logger on the street, please let him know that he's awesome.

Except for this conversation that took place when my cell phone rang and I was driving from the bookstore to my second job.

Me: Hello?
Logger: Hi, I just saw you
Me: Are you driving into town?
Logger: yeah, I passed you.
Me: OK, well I better go
Logger: OK, I love you be safe.
Me: If you wanted me to be safe, why would you call my cell phone when you know I drive stick?
Logger: Oh yeah. Oops. Sorry.

Snow on the mountain today. I need to charge my camera battery.