Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

1. Social media has made Valentine's Day even more annoying- I'm fine that the holiday exists and I'm cool that people celebrate it. Yay for love! What I find so incredibly irritating is that a) women feel the need to take pictures of everything they "get" and post them on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook b) people who post passive aggressive comments about their significant others every other day of the year all the sudden feel the need to profess the adoration they've apparently been keeping bottled up to everyone and their mother (literally) c) shouting your love digitally doesn't make it any more real or sincere. As I said on Facebook, I prefer to keep it low key- we don't need to go all Tom Cruise on Oprah's couch about it.

2. I get to go back to UCLA to visit an old friend tomorrow and cannot wait to go to Diddy Reise since it was closed last time I was there. These cookies are pretty much the best ever, and I can completely guarantee you that nostalgia isn't a factor whatsoever. I'm sure it will be great to see her too.

3. I want these:

[Red Tile Studio via Etsy; $250]

 4. I am  signed up to go to three events through the LA Public Library's ALOUD this spring- Nathan Englander, Cheryl Strayed, and Temple Grandin. Three very different people, but all should be fascinating in their own right. 

5. I had the absolute best cupcake of my life yesterday- snickerdoodle flavored cake, chocolate ganache frosting, and half a cookie on top. I'm already trying to figure out how to recreate it.

[My Delight CupCakery > Sprinkles]

6. Speaking of cookies and cupcakes, I bought Jillian Michael's 6 Week 6-Pack Abs DVD last weekend. I did the first level, with weights, and woke up with sore legs rather than sore abs. What the hell? I'm thinking I should move up to level 2 and ditch the weights. Or something like that. It's five million times better than I thought it was going to be and the half hour flies by.

7. I'm reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Thurston for work and had forgotten what a fantastic book it was. I'm fairly confident my kids are going to really struggle with it, but I hope I can get them past the whining and on to the appreciation. 

8. I'm also reading Fathermucker by Greg Olear, which is hilarious. He reminds me a little of Tom Perrotta, but not with the dark undercurrent (at least not yet, I'm only 50 pages in). 

9. I've had this week off from work (thanks to the dead presidents) and have once again completely over-extended myself. I love going places, doing things, and seeing my friends, but I need to make more of an effort to stick around more during spring break. I have baseboards that need to be cleaned and closets to be organized.

10. Never go the DIY section of Pinterest. There is some super ugly shit up in there.