Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Yes, I understand the alternate title for these posts could be "Let's see how effing weird Christine is today."

[source]

1. My husband and I watch Archer, the cartoon about the spy, and I continue to be deeply disappointed that the guy who does Archer's voice is not attractive at all. For an animated character, Archer is pretty damn hot- I mean have you seen the episode where he's stuck on the pirate island in his wife beater? Anyway, I just think the guy in real life should look a little more like him. It's misleading.

2. I filled out my March Madness bracket today and paid my $5. I'm pretty confident, you guys. I'm probably going to win. I'm excited about my impending wealth.

[And by "pay back" I mean aprx 1/300 of what I still owe]

3. Someday, when I have an over-abundance of time, I'd like to write a really long essay on the use of checkers in literature. The last two books I've read with my students have included the game and I'm sure there are a million more that I haven't noticed. I suppose I could include chess too. The symbolism is fascinating, and even more so when you take into account that it can actually sometimes be a euphemism for sex (please, please, please next time you're in a bar walk up to some hot young thing and ask him he's like to play with you. And then wink all seductively).

4. I'm one month sober into my book buying stoppage. It feels horrible. Sometimes I get shaky and find myself curled up in the fetal position crying. I can feel an ugly, expensive binge coming on. 

[end of the year fun]

5. Speaking of not buying books, here are the last five I added to my wishlist (minus the weird ones I don't want anyone to know about): Hip Hop Poetry and the Classics by Alan Sitomer, Transatlantic by Colum McCann, A Map of Tulsa by Benjamin Lytal, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (it's YA- I'm not so sure about it), and Literary Rogues: A Scandalous History of Wayward Authors by Andrew Shaffer. 

6. The other night I was walking the dogs at dusk and I caught the faint smell of camping. I don't know how else to describe it- it's this combination of campfire, moisture, pine trees, and dirt. Maybe it was one of the huge houses on the other side of the development- perhaps they've paid to have a machine pump campfire smells into their backyard. Or maybe someone has one hell of a Glade. Or maybe this is my brain's way of telling me I need to go to Yosemite.

7. In the evening my asthma has been on the verge of out of control lately, and I've figured out the absolute best relief ever (besides steroids) is a few strong sneezes. I can't even describe how amazing it feels. Unfortunately, if I don't try to induce said sneezes fast enough my bronchial tubes swell up stoo much and sneezing becomes physically impossible (I have a fast-acting inhaler, don't worry). I know this sounds alarming, and I'm not trying to downplay asthma, but I've got it under control. I'm still alive, right? 

8. I've decided I really want a legitimate desk to write at. Currently, I've set up in the dining room at the end of our table. It's worked for the past year and a half because I like being down stairs and it's much cooler in the summer. And then I saw these on Pinterest and decided I needed to convert my work out room closet into a mini-office:

[source... one of many...]

9. I love that I have friends that fit into the different boxes of my life. Friends that will do random things like jump out of planes with me. Friends that will walk for miles with me. Friends to complain about work with. Friends who like to talk about books. Friends that love cupcakes. Friends that understand things that others never will. It's nice, especially now that I've lived in this area for seven years. Those first few years were particularly crappy it takes time to make grown up friends! And now I have and I'm thankful.

10. My yearbook students quickly went from "hardworking kids on a deadline" to "still endearing but really loud and annoying" kids in my face. So I've created a documentary project for them- we'll watch one documentary a week and then in groups they'll review the film and bring in outside sources on private blogs they'll start. I think I'm more excited that they are, but I'm sure they'll learn to love it.