Quote of the Month:

 “What you are today and what you will be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read.” Twyla Thorpe in The Creative Habit

 

Highlights:

 1) Family Reunion: The Eureka-Slo family traveled twelve hours across the country – far away from our computers – to spend three days in a tiny southern Illinois farm town to visit with almost every cousin, aunt, uncle, and grandparent on my dad’s side, and then traveled twelve hours back home. We were rather unsure about this plan, but ended up having a fantabulous time. 

 

2) Met two members of my online group—live and in person—at my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Yum! Fun to meet Kurtis, his wife, and Jonathan’s wife all in real life.

 

Fiction Books Finished:

 *** ½ The Sweet Far Thing, by Libba Bray- review coming soon

 

*** Size Twelve is Not Fat, by Meg Cabot- a twenty-eight-year-old ex-teen popstar tries to rebuild her tattered life while working as student supervisor in a college dorm. Then girls start mysteriously falling down the dorm elevator shaft. The police rule the cases accidents, but Heather Wells suspects murder. Fun chick-lit murder mystery and a fast read.

 

Non-Fiction Books Finished:

 *** ½ The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp

*** Great American Hypocrites, by Glenn Greenwald

 

Movies:

 *** SherryBaby– Maggie Gynllenhaal gives a terrific nuanced performance as troubled Sherry, a recovering drug addict trying to put her life together and reconnect with her five-year-old daughter after being released from jail. 

 

TV Enjoyed:

 **** The Big Bang Theory– At face value this show–about two physicists who live across the hall from a pretty girl– should be dumb and clichéd, yet I laugh a lot every time I watch because of the excellent writing and acting.

 

**** Mad Men, current season

*** The Daily Show, current season

 

*** The Dresden Files, season 1- a short-lived wizard-detective show. I liked it well enough, but didn’t love it.

 

*** Psych, season 1– a lighthearted show about a slacker with excellent observational skills who passes himself off as a psychic consultant to the local police force. Another show I liked but didn’t love.