TGIF

How about, instead of a true-to-form actual post wherein I explore and express deep personal thoughts (HAHAHA), I offer a mini round-up of tidbits you might find innerestin'. Just some things I've been looking at, or listening to, or have generally lassoed my adhd attention span for longer than ten minutes.

Also, full disclosure, I'm reheating some pizza right now. We basically have until those heavenly leftover slices are edible via oven regeneration, then I quit this bitch so I can stuff my face. Game on!

READING Noggin by John Corey Whaley. There's a whole story about how the author and Josh became buddies, and it's a really good story but kinda long and, mostly, not mine to tell. The long and short of it ends with me borrowing a copy of the dude's first book and thoroughly enjoying the read. Noggin is his latest and is proving equally good.

WATCHING Am I the last person to start Bob's Burgers? (Considering the show is in its fifth season, I'm sure the answer YES MOSTLY LIKELY.) Still trying to figure out my favorite character. Louise -- too obvious? The mom? BOB? Time will tell.

WATCHING PT. TWO A Most Violent Year is out in Montreal. I want to go to there this weekend.

LISTENING Erika (hey girl!) recently turned me onto Invisibilia. Let's be clear: I am not a podcast person (see: abovementioned struggle to maintain long-term attention). I followed Serial borderline-religiously, who didn't, but that was largely the grand sum of my podcasting. But Invisibilia! It's good! The episodes I've followed have been interesting, creepy, a wee bit science-y (so you get to feel smart on top of smug for listening to a podcast to begin with), and ultra NPR-ish as far as human interest stories go. As was suggested to me, start with The Secret History of Thoughts and see where it takes you.

Pizza time, byeee!

Welcome to the future (book clubbing in 2015)!

Happy 2015! Are you pumped? Are you ready? Have you made all sorts of resolutions? Have they already started falling through? No worries! It’s the new year!

Except, isn't it funny, the new year looks like the one just passed, plus or minus a few inches of frost. (Have you seen the latest weather reports for Montreal? It's colder here than on Mars, people.)

And since the more things change, the more they stay the same, why not kick off the blog-year with a book recommendation. "WHAT HAS SHE BEEN READING??" the masses fall over themselves to ask. Calm down, I'll tell you!

*Technically* the first book I squint-read (because sometimes your glasses are way in your bag and you just don't give a fuck about getting them are too enthralled by the written word to move) in 2015 was The Most of Nora Ephron, but I'm reluctant to crown it my First Book of the Year because, well, I was finishing it, not starting. My stubborn honor system (read: weirdo OCD) is to blame, you see.

Thus, I designated Green Girl by Kate Zambreno to be my first.

And wouldn't you know it? This book is omfg so good.

Let me admit something right up top and risk revealing my sometimes superficial nature: I didn’t know what this book was about when I bought it. Sometimes stars align and, in the same week, Kelly Oxford AND Lena Dunham post instagram photos of the same book. THIS book. After patting myself on the back for such clear mental/social media acuity (aka IG creeping like a pro), I figured it must be worth a read.

So far (200/275 pages in), I figured right.

If your literary bag includes stories about youngish, confused girls who appear to run from or dodge their personal issues, then Green Girl is worth your time. Things are pretty dark, critical (largely by way of the characters' lipsticked-yet-hollow posturing), and narrated by a character of ambiguous origin/identity (I have two hunches).

Sometimes the story reads like stream of consciousness as it delves into the emotional and psychological well-being of its leading lady. (Before eyes start rolling, TRUST ME, I couldn't/wouldn't read anything too lofty/hyper-cerebral, so don't let that last phrase turn you off.) It's also a fast read (I'm reluctant to call it an easy one), so bonus. Overall, I'm real pleased.

Book clubbing with Amy Poehler

Have you read Yes Please yet? I just started today.

An early excerpt that made me elle oh elle:

"In my high school yearbook I was voted third runner-up for 'Most Casual.'" 

Perfect.

If you need me, I'll be nose-deep in this book for the next few days. Later alligators!

Crucial update for quote-worthy sentiment that hits home hard:

Page 292: 

"As I have gotten older, my social anxiety has worsened. I am not great in a crowd. I don't see a lot of rock shows because sometimes I am afraid I won't get out. I used to squeeze my little self into the scrum and jump around and cause tiny trouble. Now I just want to sit down and have someone perform my five favorite songs while I eat a light dinner..."

Basically.

Bonkers over Bonkers

Not until very (some would say "embarrassingly") recently did I learn about Jennifer Saunders' autobiography. PEOPLE, WHERE THE HECK HAVE I BEEN??

If you want a crash-course on the brilliance of this very funny lady, you can watch this French and Saunders sketch or practically any scene from Absolutely Fabulous (but start with the one in the link) or fuck it just click both & laugh a whole lot.

Of course, I bee-lined to Chapters to snatch copy, because I have zero self-control and often conflate real money with visa money.

Eager to dive in, I started reading Bonkers on the bus. Mistake. Common knowledge proves there's always one (minimum) bizarre person sharing the same public transportation as you. Tuesday, that person was me. First, I began grinning to myself -- not super normal for someone traveling solo, but still a relatively low-scale offense. Then, I was quietly laughing... which led to proper laughter, while also doing a weird thing with my face in an attempt to stop. The girl sitting beside me didn't change seats or anything, but I eventually sensed a wary vibe from her.

Bonkers has since been categorized as Read In Public At Your Own Risk, and I'm fine with it. It's an accolade, really -- most of my favorite books are on the same shelf (Everything Is Perfect When You're A Liar, Bossypants, very nearly everything in David Sedaris oeuvre, the list goes on).

Play it as it lays

Did everyone else know there's a Joan Didion doc in the making? I just found out!

If the squirrels (who are seemingly undergoing UFC training outside) cared to look through the window, they would have witnessed Unbridled Excitement of a caliber so compelling that I just contributed to Kickstarter for the first time. (Click the linky bit right there for more information about the project.) 

At the very least, invest the next six minutes into watching the trailer above. Or go read The Year Of Magical Thinking and have a deep cry while you question human fragility and loss. Your move, stranger!

'Round these parts

Oh hey! Let me tell you what's been shaking around here. (The answer is basically "not much," so don't brace yourself or anything.)

The weather's been sunny in all places except my perma-shady backyard. Since I'm trying to adhere to a "budget" (lawl), I'm occupying myself with free things. Like reading in parks and, by extension, trying to look as normal & non-creepy as possible. Pretty easy when you're a visibly non-threatening chick wearing glasses and zero makeup and you're buried a fucking book. But still, there's a concern.

Behold the home office, outdoor edition. (See! It's shady-ass shadesville back there. Welcome to my life. Huge, dark backyard, all the time.) Yes, I am on leave, and yes, that's an agenda and a notebook. This girl ain't taking the chômage lifestyle lightly. I'm a busy, modern woman! OK, so the agenda is filled with gym times and dinner dates, whatever. If only you all lived in a fantasy world as vivid (and star-studded! Hello there, Jake Gyllenhaal!) as mine.

Martha fucking Stewart is in the houuuuse. You're looking at homemade, from-scratch, only very slightly burnt blueberry pancakes. And yes, this is my idea of a healthy & balanced breakfast. Baby steps, people.

These days, I'm reading Women in Clothes. Shit is DENSE with all things ladylike and clothing related. (Has it gotten repetitive and sometimes self-back-patting? Sure. Do I continue to find interesting, insightful thoughts? Yes, every couple of pages.) This little snapshot from Lena Dunham's contribution is a standout. It speaks to me for obvious, obvious reasons.

I guess that sums up the personal part of today's blogginess. Maybe I'll come back later to write about hats or shoes or something. Oh, movies! Been meaning to drum up the list of upcoming movies I'm oh so eager to watch. Maybe today's the day? (Unlikely. But hey, anything's possible.) Xx

01 // Introduction

This is the plan: Write about things I like.

Let's dive right in!

I probably get too excited about new books. They don't have to be fresh off the press, just new to me. This weekend, there was a big sale at Chapters. Combine that with the gift card I got for my birthday, and mama was ready to go wild.

After much perusing, my haul finally shaped up like so:

- The Art of Non-Conformity, by Chris Guillebeau (recommended by Josh's sister).

- This Is Where I Leave You, by Jonathan Tropper (because groundwork must be laid before going to watch the movie).

- Tiny Beautiful Things, by Cheryl Strayed (I haven't read her other books, but I came across an interesting article about this one and how, after reading it, you'll want to gift it to others).

- Brain On Fire, by Susannah Cahalan (been on my list for months).

A big thanks to Josh for patiently hanging out in a bookstore while his lady spent too much time grazing the shelves. :*