Quote of the Week (From The Big Bang Theory):
Leonard: You know, some people might say that it's great that we're trying to make things work long distance.  They'd say, "Love is stronger than the miles between you."

Sheldon: When I rise to power, those people will be sterilized.

Music:
They Might Be Giants, Here Comes Science (***) [2009], Here Come the 123's [2007] – When my kids were younger, we listened to a lot this group's grown up stuff. Now they have actual kid albums with their usual cheerful tunes and clever lyrics, plus an added educational twist.  Favorite songs: "Photosynthesis", "Meet the Elements", "Triops Has Three Eyes", "Pirate Girls Nine".

My Life:
My new fall schedule is wonderful!  I like subbing just on Fridays. I have time to meet my writing goals, bike to the grocery, and organize my house.   Last week I had my bi-annual allergy appointment and got approved to decrease my allergy shots from every other week to every three weeks. Yay progress!

In cooking news, I learned how to roast peppers. It's pretty easy. They taste great as a topping on gluten-free pizza.

Books:
Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie [2006] (*** 1/2) – Recently divorced Nina loves her new independent life.  Instead of being the lonely helpmate of her work-alcoholic ex-husband, Nina is now an independent woman with her own editing job, her own cozy apartment, and even her own dog.   Her doddering rescue dog Fred helps Nina "cute-meet" the good-looking thirtysomething neighbor downstairs.  Forty-year-old Nina is sure she's way too old for Alex, even though he keeps coming over to watch old movies with her.  The story is like reading an appealing romantic comedy movie, but with better sex scenes. [Read the this ebook romance novel on Kindle for Droid.]  

TV:
Two Broke Girls (***) – This was probably my favorite of the new sitcom pilots.  There are some cringe-worthy ethnic stereotypes in the pilot and a number of easy jokes, but there were quite a few funny, surprising jokes. The pilot worked because both women were portrayed as smart, interesting people who use their talents to collaborate on a plan to lift themselve up together. Sadly, the second episode seemed way too much like a mediocre 70's sitcom. Here's hoping the show starts to have more faith in its characters and original jokes and stops relying on the clichéd bits.

Revenge (*** 1/2) – The fall 2011 TV season is turning out to be the year of the soap opera.  Revenge is probably my favorite of the new ones so far.  The show is set in the Hamptons and tells the story of a young woman who assumes a new identity and comes back to her childhood vacation home to get revenge on all the employees of a corporation that set her father up and had him falsely jailed. It's pretty engaging so far.

Person of Interest (**1/2) –  This pilot was more like a dull procedural than the action-adventure show I'd hoped it would be.