A Small Dose of Nothing

Because in all things I want to be like Hightouch, I am blogging, though I have no breaking news. But, hey, even I can write a list, if the list is the thing to write. Which, apparently, it is.

1. Every day, I think, "This is it! It's all going to come crashing down!" And by "it" I mean, the end, how can we go on this way? But, apparently, we can, go on this way, I mean, so it goes on and we go with it, like a child being dragged by a very strong dog. But hey, it can't go on like this forever. CAN IT???
2. I finished a draft of one novel (regular, literary fiction); am now making chapter outline for almost finished novel (written before other novel, mystery!!). My other novel (yes, that makes three) is out with some small publishers who have been silent, so that probably means no. But I have almost three manuscripts, so that can't be bad...can it?
3. Meditating on the nature of empathy and sympathy. You don't want to hear about it, but it involves an argument with Middlebrow and the idea that some of us should just "buck up." Hey, I'm all for bucking, but sometimes isn't feeling bad justified? And can't we empathize with those who are feeling bad and even, maybe, feel bad on their behalf even if they are feeling bad about first world problems? Empathy can't be a bad thing, can it?
4. So there's the theme...can it? The rhetorical question that actually, right now, from me, requires an answer. What is one to do in such perilous times?
5. I find myself turning away from news, reading books about alternate universes, fantasizing about living in a cabin right by a lake where there is no internet service but there is a canoe. That's my mental state right now. 
6. I think the answer is NO. As in no, it can't go on forever; no, it's not bad that you have three unpublished manuscripts; no, empathy isn't bad. And no, there's nothing wrong about indulging my escape fantasies.
7. The end. 

What HAVE I been doing?

Every day feels packed with activity, but when I look back and reflect on what I have done the past month....umm.....what?

Plus Hightouch blogs the list with such linguistic proficiency, I thought I'd just do the list, because you know, it's a list.

1.     So I guess I've been working on a novel, off and on, for almost 2 months and I haven't yet reached the 50,000 word mark, but, hey, I'm giving myself...more time.

2.     We went to Boulder, Utah for the long weekend (remember that long weekend?). We stayed at Boulder Mountain Ranch (highly recommended), went to our favorite coffee place (Kiva Koffeehouse), saw some slot canyons (I'm too much of a baby (claustrophobic) to actually go in them, but most others did), ate some bacon, went to an architect's cool house & had ribs (yum!!), did a hike, then drove home in a rain/hail storm (what?!).

3.     Reading: a disappointing Icelandic mystery (not by my beloved), a few good books (Rae's new book; I Think I Love You; Ross MacDonald; Box of Matches); the newspaper, etc.

4.     Eating and Drinking: I like wine and I think summer is made for drinking.

5.     Started an eating/exercising challenge:  because I thought I needed to start drinking less and doing other things more, like taking daily walks, stretching, and making sure I ate enough. So far, mixed results. I probably do drink less, over all, but on a few days I still drank a lot (I blame my wine friends), and I can never quite eat the right amount of blocks (Zone alert!). But, I have been pretty active and I am stretching...more.

6.     Started running again: two runs. That's a start.

7.     Had my body fat tested. Ask me what my body fat percentage is. Go ahead, ask me.

8.     Crossfit. This goes without saying. 

9.     Submitted one essay to one place. Again, it's a start.

10. Hey, I finally organized the Crossfit Women Trainers get together. That's something.

11. I did some (very little!) yard work.

12. I've cleaned my house a gajillion times for people who want to come look at our house, which is for sale.

13. Finally trying to do some personal maintenance: brows. Today a haircut, tomorrow a pedicure. Progress!

14. Swimming: once, but still.

15. Independent study with 3 students: this is only one hour a week, but still, somehow, it feels like more.

16. Staring into space: I'm good at this.

17. Ushering Son through his last days of school: this seems like it would be easy, but involved a lot more driving around than expected.

18. Baseball: Son has like 12 games a week (exaggeration!) plus practice, so I have to sit and talk to my friends while he makes excellent plays at first (go Son!), which is, you know, super taxing.

19. Cooking things that really take no cooking: like carrot sticks and tuna.

20. I saw a movie!

21. I told Son he could have a sleepover, so now I'm preparing for that: buying lots of vodka for self-medication.  

What's It All About?

At the end of the year, several things happen to me.

1. I feel bad about all the writing projects I didn't finish, start or work on in the year that is coming rapidly to a close, like a slamming door. 
2. I vow to scale back on my ambitions for the coming year.
3. I think about what really has stuck with me from the past year. 
4. I do some crazy, unplanned cleaning projects that make me feel like I've accomplished something, however small.
5. I do some last minute writing, as if writing 500 words can make a difference in the unfinished novel/article/nonfiction book that I haven't been working on.
6. I make some crazy plans to do stuff on New Year's Eve/New Year's Day that I think will set a good precedent for the coming year. To whit:

• not drink too much
• go to bed early, in order to get a good night's sleep
• get up early and write
• spend the day doing something that is indicative of the coming year. In this case, I'll be attending and judging at a Crossfit competition

Unlike many of my friends, I resolve to eschew resolutions. I will not be giving up my much needed morning coffee with half-and-half. But here are some things I'm going to think about, because they seem like things I can do:

1. Swear more
2. Eat a lot of meat
3. Drink a lot of coffee
4. Write, just a little bit?
5. Do a lot of Crossfit
6. Help at least one person become more fit in 2011

Oh yes, that title. What's it all about, people? It's about people. It's about quality of life. It's about community. That's why, each year when I regard my writing accomplishments with dismay, I like to remind myself that I worked out a lot, that I hung out with my peeps and drank coffee, that I hugged some people, that I had some awesome wine with my Wine Club, that I had some great tea & conversation with my Book Club, that I played a lot of games with my Family, and that, if I died tomorrow, I wouldn't die feeling like the people I love don't know how much I love them. And that, my friends, is what it's all about.

Here's to more wine, tea, coffee and conversation in 2011!

Hello Summer!

Summer offically starts now, since Son is out of school, the sun is shining, the roses are blooming, and, oh, etc!
What do I love about summer?

• swimming outdoors
• Farmer's market
• Camping
• Drinking coffee while camping
• Smell of campfire
• Warm sleeping bags
• When someone else gets up and makes the coffee
• Hiking
• Trail running
• Lakes at the end of hikes
• Any food consumed at the end of a hike
• Chilled wine
• Our anniversary
• Sedona 
• Island Park
• Idaho
• Salad
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Homemade salsa
• Market dinners
• tomatoes & basil
• BLTs
• Cucumber salad
• Pimms
• Any kind of drink in the backyard
• Iced tea
• Red Butte Garden concerts
• Sitting on a blanket in the grass 
• cool mornings
• cool evenings
• evening walks with the family
• casual bike rides around the hood (especially when they end with gelato)
• music
• the pool
• Son reading in his bed
• lazy days

Okay, maybe that's enough for now. What did I forget? 

Christmas by the Numbers

Christmas movies watched: Two (Elf, Charlie Brown Christmas)
Meals cooked: Zero! (Christmas Eve at a friend's, Christmas brunch at a friend's, tamales from Victor's)
Movies watched on Christmas: Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince, G-Force
Good gifts bought for Middlebrow: 3 (whiskey glasses, Django Rheinhard CD, guitar book)
Gift for MB that was really for both of us: 1 (Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express)
Great gifts received: Many! (Running shirt from my sister, sweater from MB, gloves from Ross)
Cookies eaten: infinite! Too many! Make it stop!
Books read since school ended: Two? Age of Innocence & Year of the Flood.
Things to do between now & Jan 11: So many! I choose not to think about this now.

Lessons: The Last List!

I'm pretty sure I've run out of wise things to say, but that won't prevent me from offering this fourth and final list.

1. Drink lots of water.
2. Hug people every day (preferably your family and friends, but strangers work too, if they are willing)
3. Go see live music. It is always fun.
4. Have coffee with friends, weekly. You DO have time, and it reminds you why your life is great.
5. Play games, whatever kind you like. I like cribbage, Settlers of Catan, Mastermind and any card game. Also: tennis.
6. Read things. Preferably (for me) novels, but also blogs and newspapers. And mysteries.
7. Breathe deeply.
8. Remember who you were and thank her for getting you to this point. Forgive her for the stupid things she did, for without the stupid things, you wouldn't be who you are.
   
9. Life is too short for envy.
10. Be generous to a fault.
11. Don't forget the past, but keep moving forward.

Here's hoping I learn some other new things in this next year.

10 More Lessons (whoosh! Almost done!)

1. You know, life is really, really, really short. It only seems long during the last week of classes.
2. Don't sweat the small stuff.
3. The small things are really important. This may seem to contradict #2, but what I mean is, just loving the feeling of your son's head gently resting on your arm: important. Getting mad at same son because his room is dirty or because he spilled water all over the floor: not important.
4. Some things CAN wait until tomorrow: grading papers, cleaning the bathroom, oh, other things.
5. Take time to run in the snow. Or hang out and drink coffee. Or sing really loud in your car. I mean, if you like it, do it. If you don't like it, you may still have to do it, because chances are it's your job.
6. Remember that no ONE thing is your life. Your life isn't your job or your relationships or where you live or what you do, but an amazing combination of all these things. So if one thing changes, you can handle it.
   
7. You should do situps. You really should.
   
8. Give and receive compliments. When someone compliments you, smile and say thank you. Surprisingly, this is often harder than giving compliments.
9. Stress relief is not optional. Find the thing that relieves the pressure and then make that thing a priority: running, Crossfit, writing, alone time. This is a necessity. It's right behind breathing and drinking water.
10. It's all about the people. At the end of the day, you can replace anything you bought, you can buy a new one, you can find a different meal/book/entertainment option. But without your peeps, friends, family, community, who cares? It's all about the people. I'm blessed to have such good ones. Thanks!
    

More Lessons from my 41st Year

Today, since it is exactly one week until my birthday, I will offer another ten lessons. These, I decided, will be about food, since that is one of my obsessions.

1. The things you love might not be good for you, but you can learn to love the things that ARE good for you (like spinach, kale, chard, peppers, etc.)
2. Always, always, always eat breakfast. Always.
   
3. Protein, protein, protein!
4. Lack of protein makes one a total bitch! And yes, by "one" I mean me.
5. Always, always, always carry snacks. Such as: precooked sausage, apple, almonds. Or: cheese stick, orange, cashews. Or: protein bar.
6. If you have healthy snacks in the house, you are more likely to eat healthy snacks. This also works with children. If you just give them the healthy snack, they will usually eat it.
7. Coffee is not optional.
8. Do not eat to live or live to eat. Somewhere in between is best.
   
9. Savor each bite. If it's not worth savoring, you probably shouldn't eat it.
10. A healthy attitude about food is a gift you give yourself and your children.

Birthday Lesson

A fellow blogger, whose birthday is today, made a list of things he's learned, one for each year. Well, I am older than him, so it's going to take me awhile to think of (gasp!) 41 things. So I thought, in the spirit of breaking things down into rounds, I'd start with ten and do a few lists in the week leading up to my birthday.
Ahem. To begin:

1. There are really very few people who are going to love you in spite of who you are, so when you find him, for god's sake, marry him (done!)
2. Savor each second, minute, hour, day with your child, because pretty soon he will grow up and it will be sooner than you think
   
3. Age is all in your mind (because as far as I'm concerned, I'm still 28)
4. The things that you think you shouldn't do or eat are not as good as you imagine them to be when you are denying yourself; Forget about them and move on
5. If you are not improving as you get older, something is wrong (and the benchmark for "improve" is all up to you)
6. Weightlifting is hard; writing a novel is harder
7. Keep trying new things
8. Fail. Fail better. Fail again.
9. What looks like failure is really just an opportunity to try a different way
10. You must do the one thing you think you cannot do (thanks Eleanor Roosevelt). Like: Crossfit or writing a novel.
    

Categories of Men

Now that I'm over 40 (cough, cough), I look around and put males into certain categories. I mean Men that catch my eye for some reason (their pants are falling off, they are cute, they smile at me, they try to chat me up).

1. "I'm old enough to be his mother!"
2. "I'm not old enough to be his mother, but I still couldn't date him, because he doesn't know who George Michael is."
3. "He might be a suitable partner, if MB ever wises up to my insanity and divorces me."
4. "I would make him a nice trophy wife."
   

Some Questions

1. If an administrator speaks in an empty gym, does it make a sound?
2. Isn't critical thinking a skill? Isn't it?
3. Does absolute tequila corrupt absolutely?
4. What is the exact weight, in tons, of the unreadable texts I will read this semester?
5. If exercise doesn't make you thin (thanks Time magazine!), then does eating not make you fat?
6. And, if so, how many cookies do I need to eat?
7. Aren't all vegetable calories good? Like all those beets and that metric ton of tomatoes I ate?
8. When's the next vacation?
9. What's my theme song?
   
10. How many days until the semester ends?
11. What? It hasn't actually started yet?
    
12. Shit.
    

How am I shallow? Let me count the ways: An end of summer catch all list

1. Can't be bothered to listen to NPR any more...too depressing! It's KRCL all the time, except when I'm flipping to the country station, just for a sec, or to classic rock, but only if it's Rick Springfield.
2. Can't be bothered to actually set up the on-line portion of my on-line class. Too busy....uh, something...
3. Can't be bothered to crack the text books for class I have never taught before. Yeah, I've already read it, like, two years ago.
4. Umm, is that coffee? Yum...coffee.
5. Have you heard about my knee? First, when I walked, it was mobster pain, two guys with baseball bats and part of me begging, would you please hit me in the head and put me out of my misery? Ouch.
6. My knee is 90% better. Maybe 99%.
7. I soooo hope that Juliette Lewis (opening for Cat Power opening for the Pretenders) is a train wreck. Train. Wreck. That would be soooo entertaining.
   
8. Do I need to wear mascara on the first day of class? Discuss.
9. I saw on a magazine cover that Bradley was dating Renee and not Jennifer and I actually cared for, like, ten seconds.
   
10. I haven't even started worrying about how my new syllabus increases my grading load.
11. You know those emails that students send saying "what books do I need for your class?" or "where does our class meet?" I've taken to responding to them with the same tone they have written them, except I edit out all the swear words that my brain tells me to type. For example, one response, unedited, would have looked like this: "Check the fucking bookstore, idjit!"
12. Oh, I feel much better now. I think I'll go get my eyebrows waxed.
    

Reasons to Smile

1. Listening to Son laugh as he reads Garfield comic book (also, when I look over, he's doing some hand motions and mouthing the words to himself)
2. Cuddling with Son (he entwines his fingers with mine so I can't get away)
3. Son trying to get me to fall asleep in his bed by rubbing my forehead and humming
4. Singing lullabies to Son
5. Working on a new story while Son watches movies in the hotel room
6. Taking Son to the ocean
7. Drinking delicious cinnamon coffee at Mexican restaurant
8. No rain!! on the wedding day
9. Finishing the wedding poem
10. Vacation
    

Today

1. Set my alarm for 5:45 so I could run with my friend Peta.
2. Got up at 5 when Son woke up to puke.
3. Closed my eyes at 5:40 for about 10 minutes.
4. Ran for 35 minutes.
5. Went to school.
6. Taught a poetry class (by "taught" I mean: read some poems aloud, talked about them, tried to get students to see poems as "made objects," enthused about language, tried to get them to talk, posed many dualities, wished them well)
7. Sped to Son's school to eat healthy, salad lunch with him
8. Got coffee at local shop (and biscotti!)
9. Helped kids with math (this is WAY more difficult than it sounds and includes one nearly crying boy, one boy with incessant drawing disorder, manic math girls, one boy who is irritating simply because, and others)
10. Helped kids write adjectives and nouns on papers, along with colorful pictures (this might not sound difficult, but they don't really get "adjectives": my favorite? Pimply Pickles...good job G.S.)
11. Did the carpool thing successfully, despite large truck driving apple eating mother parked in cross walk (insert swearing rant here)
12. Purchased dinner at Whole Paycheck (hello sushi!)
13. Purchased necessary beverage at UDABC (can you say Big House Red?)
14. Scrubbed the bathroom sink (why am I always the first one to be so grossed out I can't take it any more?? Why???)
    
15. Made guacamole
16. Ate guacamole
17. Read this charming interview
    
18. Drank wine with friend who has not lost her job despite today's layoffs at her place of employment (I'll drink to that!)
19. Got Son to eat, shower, and pack his bag
20. Ate dinner
21. Watched some of "The Office" (Oh Dwight!)
22. Put son to bed
    
23. Ate m-n-m's, drank wine and watched "30 Rock" (Tina Fey, why do you remind me of Lis? Is it because you make funny? Or is it the cardigan?)
24. Flipped through shows and decided, "Yes, they really are ALL that stupid." But isn't Rufus Sewell the bomb? (do they still say that? "the bomb"?)
25. Filled in six crossword answers
    
26. Listened to iPod while Facebooking
    
27. Decided the iPod is the best invention EVER and that if Steve Jobs really is that sick, I could take over for him
28. I can't name all the songs I heard, but here's who I love in no order: David Byrne, The Cardigans, Amadou & Miriam, Depeche Mode, Leonard Cohen, John Hiatt, Soul Coughing, Billy Bragg & Natalie Merchant, OutKast, INXS (the new), Cranberries.
29. Did I forget to mention Justin Timberlake? Well then, Justin Timberlake!!
    
30. Messaged with friend via Facebook
    
31. Talked to husband when he came home from basketball
32. Thought, "What the hell am I doing up this late? Don't I have to get up at 5:40 for swimming?"
33. In the future, I will go to bed.
    

Best of Lists: A Complaint

Why are everyone's end of the year BEST lists so predictable? Take this one for example. Now, I know these people read all year long, new books, that's their job. (That's their job! How did they get so lucky??) But...why so predictable Michiko Kakutani and Janet Maslin? (I know there are others, but theirs are the only names I know...)
I'm happy to see Steven Millhauser on the list, because even though he's been around a long time, he's not very popular. So who am I not happy to see on the list? Toni Morrison and Jhumpa Lahiri. First of all, does anyone not know about Toni Morrison? Say you wander in to your local bookstore and see this book propped up on a table. Is anyone likely to pick it up and say, "Hmm...Toni Morrison...never heard of her"? No! So the NYT book review does not need to promote books that will be read no matter what. People will pick up that book. What they need to do is point out to me a writer I have never heard of and say, "People!! You should be reading this book!! What have you been doing? Put down that 'Twilight' shite and read this. This!!" That's what I want them to do for me.
And I am sorry, but I am not (NOT!) going to read any of those nonfiction books. They are all about war, war, war, and egomaniacs. Blah!
Sadly, I read very few (2?) book published in 2008. But, of the books I read, I can tell you which ones I liked.
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: This was very good. It had dogs and a sympathetic narrator, and did I mention dogs? Also, it used some parts of "Hamlet," which I just taught. I thought it was well written and did not draw attention to its own style, unlike some other books that I read that were published this year, but will not appear on this list.
The Long Goodbye: Do I even have to explain this?
All the mysteries by Arnaldur Indridason: If you haven't read these, get on it. The new one comes out in February.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian: This was really good and sweet. I think I might teach it in my novel class.
Lucky Jim: Funny!
Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender: Why isn't she on the list???? (oh. it was published last year.)
Blink: I love Gladwell's style.
Time's Arrow: There's no Amis, like old Amis. Apparently. When I saw him in NYC, I thought he was a blowhard, but I loved this book. Love.
Writing at the End of the World by Richard E. Miller: I actually want to reread this. It was great.
Okay, one more: The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. It took me awhile to get into this one, but I really liked it.

So, having criticized lists and created one, I'll say I'm thankful for books and all those hardworking folks who write them.
Please, friends, tell me what books you loved this year. I'm sad to say that no book made me cry or rethink my life, but I'd have to say Edgar Sawtelle came closest.

Marathons I Might Run....if....

Here at Dr. W-MB Inc. we spent the evening watching "Run Fatboy Run" which we thoroughly enjoyed, given our devotion to physical humor and all things Simon Pegg.
Which leads to today's topic: if one were going to run a marathon, which one would it be?
To wit:

1. London Marathon: of course, one would have to arrange to be in London in April, but we all make sacrifices, don't we?
2. Reykjavik Marathon: because if you are going to run a marathon, why not in Iceland? Also, I love that one of the places for entertainment is called Lazy Town. You'll find me there.
3. New York City Marathon: THE marathon. Really. Now, I know several people who have already run this, but they are real runners. I am more of an Oprah runner, if you know what I mean. Like, can I finish it? Will I beat Katie's time? (5:29. I'd say probably.) That's what I'm about. Also, can I drink the free beers offered to me along the race course?
4. The Boston Marathon: Apparently the "world's oldest marathon." Except for the one that gave the marathon its name, right? Well, I'll never run that in my lifetime unless I suddenly sprout wings. I'd have to run like an 8:10 mile, which has never happened in the half, so I'm guessing I wouldn't run faster in the full marathon. Just a hunch.
5. Paris Marathon: I'm guessing the route is amazing. Plus the French are usually sweaty and smell bad, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to just go ahead and run. Plus, then you could drink gallons of wine and eat lots of things cooked in butter and say, "Oui, oui, I just ran ze marathon." So that makes it all worth it.
6. Midnight Sun Marathon: I just like the idea of starting to run at 8:30 at night in the full sun. Sounds cool.
   
7. Edinburgh Marathon: Because it's in Scotland. Also, they take runners rejected from London. Now isn't that just the Scottish way?
8. The Great Wall Marathon: I mean, as long as we're dreaming.
9. Phoenix: I'd run this one because I could see my family.
10. Vancouver Marathon: I love Vancouver. And this course goes around Stanley Park. And then you could eat the most delicious food ever in Vancouver: Chinese, Indian, Thai, whatever you want. That would be worth it.
    

Movies or Just Another Way for me to Waste Time

Favorite Movies A to Z
I saw this meme on-line and I thought, "I don't have anything that HAS to be done right now..."
Some of these are actually my favorite movies, some are just the movie I could think of that started with that letter. I'll buy coffee and/or wine for anyone who can tell the difference. There's a surprising number of Woody Allen movies on this list.

Annie Hall
Big Lebowski
Croupier
Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Friends with Money
Grease
Hannah and Her Sisters
Iris
Juno
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Ladyhawke
Madness of King George
Notes on a Scandal
Once
Paris, Texas
Quiz Show
Raising Arizona
Stranger Than Fiction
Tootsie
Until the End of the World
Victor/Victoria
Wall-E
Xanadu
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Zelig

I tag Hightouch, because it should be easy for her!, Otterbutt, Erin Alice, Middlebrow and Lis.
I look forward to your lists.

Music I'd Listen To

Today in the car as I was driving to Son's school I heard Rick Springfield's "Don't Talk to Strangers" on the radio, which caused me to think about all the music I like and sing along to, but probably wouldn't put on my iPod (never say never).
So I offer a list of songs (in no particular order) that I'm usually glad to hear on Pop radio, but probably wouldn't buy or download. Please offer your own guilty (alone in the car, singing along) pleasures.

1. "One Night in Bangkok" Murray Head
   
2. "Livin' On a Prayer" Bon Jovi
3. "Photograph" Def Leppard
4. "Back in Black" AC/DC
5. "If This Is It" Huey Lewis & The News
6. "Our Lips Are Sealed" The Go-Gos (actually, I might buy this one...)
7. "Your Love" The Outfield
8. "All I Need is a Miracle" Mike + The Mechanics
9. "Something About You" Level 42 (and this one)
   
10. "If You Leave" OMD
11. "Panama" Van Halen
12. "Angel is Centerfold" J Geils Band
13. Fleetwood Mac (just, in general)
14. "Don't You Want Me" Human League
15. "Holding Back the Years" Simply Red

Okay. That's just a start. I'm still trying to think of a song by a man/woman duo...just can't remember the name or any of the lyrics....maybe it was about love? **(Obsession by Animotion)

Favorite Songs: New & Improved Post

Last night at the Bonnie Raitt concert she sang "Angel from Montgomery" which I had forgotten is one of my favorite songs. (The John Prine & Bonnie Raitt version; link is to a version with her and lots of other cool people)
This led me to ponder what other songs would go on my list of all time favorites.
So far I've come up with:
"Fire and Rain" by James Taylor
"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen (and the Rufus version, of course)
"Dancing Queen" by Abba (the Robbie Fulks version from a Fresh Air interview, it's at about 27:00)
"Norwegian Wood" by The Beatles
"My Home Town" by Iris Dement (and the Kate Rusby version)
"Don't Go Back to Rockville" by REM
"Tangled Up in Blue" by Bob Dylan

*Additions:
"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac (I also like the Dixie Chicks cover)
"Killing the Blues" by Shawn Colvin
"Oops I Did it Again" cover by Richard Thompson
"Tempted" by Squeeze
"Lady is a Tramp" (Here's a version by Sinatra & Fitzgerald)
"Summertime" Billie Holiday
"State Trooper" Bruce Springsteen
"River" by Joni Mitchell
"Out on the Weekend" by Neil Young (cool version from the BBC)
"Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" John Prine


I know there are many others, but my mind is tired from staying up late last night. Dear readers, what are your favorite songs of all time?

Recent Happenings in Dr. Write-ville

Back to lists:

1. I went to the Utah Arts Fest, where I read, friends of mine read, and Hightouch got a much deserved Arts Award from the Mayor (actually she got it from the Mayor's Chief of Staff who happens to be dating a friend of mine, but that's another story) and I had some important sightings. Let me list them here: the woman who punched another woman at the Son Volt concert last year (I saw her twice! with her kids!); the lead singer of the Purbats; a comedian with tons of tattoos that we recognized from Last Comic Standing. He's from West Jordan, but whenever he was on screen it said he was from West Jordy. Now that's comedy!
2. Went to Idaho. It was hot, but less hot than here, and fun. We did some hiking, and some swimming, some tennising, and more important, some eating of burritos from the taco truck and some drinking of the beer at the local brew pub. Also saw a grad school friend who just bought a house for $98,000. Anyone want to move to SE Idaho?
3. Two other cool things from Idaho: in downtown Pocatello they put pavers around downtown with quotations by local authors on them. They are about to do another round, but I missed the deadline. Maybe next time! I walked in to a coffee shop and there, there!, behind the counter was the man who had been my boss at the Starbucks on Queen Anne in Seattle. What, pray tell, was he doing in Pocatello? He opened a coffee shop there. His sister and brother live in Pocatello. Weird!
4. Middlebrow finished a big backyard project. He dug and hurt his back and sweated a lot. I helped a little. It's almost done (we need more gravel), but already I have that feeling of accomplishment, though I didn't really do anything.
5. Tomorrow: tennis! (playing. and maybe some watching. Wimbledon is nearing conclusion...)

And that's all for today.....