If we had met in Kindergarten...

This would have been us. These girlies from my field experience last semester were smart, beautiful, and didn't take themselves very seriously at all. They really liked rolling around on the floor together.

Just like us.

Literary tim-toms

Good Afternoon my loves,

I have ever so enjoyed the recent posts on interesting literary tid-bits and thought I might have something to contribute!

My most recent read has been Half the Sky, New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof and his wife's collaborative contribution to international women's health journalism. It was fun to read a best-seller that illustrates the work that I hope to be doing in the not so far future! Although not all of the information may be new to you, I think it is an important book for any globally minded woman to have in her library!

On a lighter note, I have become a huge fan of the blog 101cookbooks. Its a nice mix of wonderful whole food recipes with a homey feel and artsy fun. The best thing I have made from her recipe achieve thus far is the beautiful bulgar and spinach pilaf. It calls for caramelizing tomatoes in a chili and onions in Cinnamon and a tid-bit of brown sugar. I was curious as to how all of the flavors would meld together, but it was delicious!

I miss you all and cant wait for our next reunion. We should make sweet sweet love in a field of chocolate violets whilst eating ice cream.

xoxoxo, left-eye

Yo Yo Yo

I'm sure you're all already aware of this, but just in case:

Slate (the online magazine) has a relatively new offshoot called Double X (www.doublex.com) which is geared towards those possessing the double x chromosomes.

That's us. Women. I'm sure Left Eye has that down by now, but just in case the rest of you were left wondering...

Anyways it's really great and full of fun articles just like Slate, but mostly written by women and on subjects that women might find interesting.

Okay, also I'll be back in WI by April, so start planning a Chi-town summer reunion, ladies!

Greetings to the Apes and to the Cougs in the hood. Booby and El here. We thought we'd collaborate and produce a poem for your enjoyment.


Oh the joy
N'er a tear
Cometh from mine
Eye

(s)Umptuous
Pelvic thrusts
On a
Naughty nestled night.

Abracadabracaliciousrithmaticulous.

Best watch
(y)O back
Or
Be
Yoinked.

Ok, that is all. We miss you guys greatly.

Good Idea, Kathleen!

I just read...

The fourth Amelia Peabody mystery, by Elizabeth Peters, who has a PhD in Egyptology! So it's not complete fluff! I swear! Actually, I read a bunch of these books when I was in my early teens, and just picked one up at the library a couple weeks ago. I love it as much now as I did then! Amelia Peabody is an Englishwoman in the late 1800s married to an archeologist who travels to Egypt every winter to excavate pyramids and tombs... where murder and thievery often occur! It's written as a diary, and Peters does an amazing job of revealing to the reader what other characters think of Peabody without compromising Peabody's overconfident, brash, hilarious personality. It's pretty light reading, but I still highly recommend the entire series to anyone in the mood for a period mystery piece.

I'm currently reading...

Okay, another light mystery, this time modern day and set in Moscow, apperently (but so far its all taken place in France and Italy). It also involves spys. I'm only 30 pages in, so I really can't tell you more. What can I say, I'm rejoicing in the fact that I can read whatever I want all night long. Time for all of the frivolous reading I put off for 4, 5, 6 years!

Next...

I don't know! I tried to get Edward Said's "Orientalism" at the Temecula Public Library, but they didn't have it! In fact, they have very few books one would consider substantial. And I mean that in the most literal sense--their books lack substance. Entirely. They don't even have the Economist!!! What's a girl to do?

So I need some suggestions. I want a book that makes my brain work a bit, but not something so muddy that I never get through it. Also, a book that Temecula Public Library might carry. Nonfiction would be nice, but well written and entertaining. And don't recommend Bill Bryson, because I've already read all of his books that the TPL has to offer.

Hair

I still want to hear all about your favorite new books, but I also want to share my new do' with you.

Books

When we lived together, we always talked about books, so in missing all of you, I want to revitalize that. Maybe we can have conversations about movies and music in the near future, too.

I just read:April loaned this to me when I was in Atlanta, and I read some while I was there and on the plane home, but I didn't really have a chance to dive in until finals were over. This book, chronicles the life of one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan through his childhood in Sudan, refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, and resettlement in Atlanta (hey April!) Definitely not light reading, but I really enjoyed reading Deng's story through Eggers' spot-on prose. This reminded me in some ways of another favorite of mine, Desert Flower by Waris Dirie. If you haven't read that one, you should.

I'm reading:

At least one of you read this while we were at Earlham. Hannah, maybe? I wanted something a little lighter next and a friend just reminded me about this book. I think it might be getting made into a movie, so i definitely wanted to read the book first. Continuing the international theme of my winter break reading, this book follows Gilbert through her explorations of pleasure and devotion in Italy, India, and Indonesia. I'm still in Italy, but I'm digging the book so far. I find her explorations of God and spirituality, outside of the parameters of any particular religion, especially meaningful.


Up next:More Eggers. I can't believe I've never read this book, but I'm really looking forward to it.


Any recommendations for other books to add to my list? What have you all been reading?