Library Lust

Unfortunately I have nothing fun and exciting to report.  So instead, I get to bore you with the details of all my media mentions for the week.  I was thrilled to become a library member last week.  I checked out five books and already read the first three and can't wait to go in tomorrow to pick out more books.  Let's begin, shall we?

Apparently I came to the library at the exact right moment.  When I walked into the popular section, I was greeted by a lady restocking the bookshelves.  She told me I was lucky for catching her because she had all of these great, hard-to-catch books.  So I took a look at her shelves and found two brand new books by two of my recent favorite authors and snatched them up.  The first one I read was Robert Crais' The Sentry.  I have read all of his other Elvis Cole / Joe Pike detective novels so I was excited to see what this new one brought to the table.  I read it way too quickly, but it was a fun read.  I just can't decide whether I prefer reading Elvis Cole or Joe Pike as the main protagonist.  I think when he writes about Pike, his novels take on more of a badass feel like Lee Child's Reacher series.  Just my opinion.







So the next book I started was Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer.  I just discovered him a year ago when I saw Book of Fate at Barnes & Noble and the cover caught my eye.  Within two months I purchased and read all of his other novels, though I have no desire to read his comics.  Just not my thing.  I was surprised and delighted that Inner Circle follows a storyline from Book of Fate.  I don't think this was my favorite of his novels, but it was still a light and fun mystery to read.








Okay.  So let's take a break from books for a moment.  I made time to watch Wall Street yesterday because the sequel is about to stream on Netflix.  Unfortunately I couldn't really get into the original so I'm hoping the newest film is more intriguing.










I really wish I could stop here, but I have one more thing to mention....  Death Notice is the third library book I've read this week.  I understand that Todd Ritter isn't a seasoned novelist, but this was so amateurish.  I figured out the plot twists before even finishing the first third of the book.  I think he goes into too much detail in places; almost like assuming the reader knows nothing about police procedures.  Because of that, it's easy to figure out which of his characters actually has potential to turn out to be the "Grim Reaper."  That being said, I did enjoy the flow of the novel so I will be interested to see what he comes out with in the future.





And finally.  In TV news...  I finished watching the third season of Grey's Anatomy.  This is one of the seasons I really remember from college because so much happens between Meredith & Shepard as well as Christina and Burke.  I do wish they handled Meredith's near-death-experience differently though.  It was over-the-top dramatic.  And highly unrealistic.  But I'm still watching the show so what can my opinion really matter?

Stumptown

Today was another day of Portland adventures.  I met my friend, Laura, for coffee at Stumptown shortly after 8:00.  I ordered a bagel and my little hot chocolate per my usual M.O.  I was amazed when I saw the barista giving me a killer leaf design.  I thought only coffee drinkers received that kind of treatment; I never expected that for a simple hot chocolate.  I was very impressed.  Laura and I sat on their very comfortable couch and talked for almost four hours.  I guess we had a lot of catching up to do...  This was an amazing way to kick off a warmish rainy day.

Laura and I parted ways after noon and I decided to check out the library.  I got my brand new library card and wandered to the new releases section where I found two books to try.  I probably didn't need any more books, but fate brought me in to their popular room where a staffer was stocking really brand new releases that always have long wait lists.  She told me I was very lucky for catching her at this time which intrigued me enough to look at the collection.  Sure enough I found the brand new releases from two of my favorite authors so I quickly snagged those up.  I am still shocked that I have two library books in my possession that have never been read by another person.

I was grinning from ear-to-ear when I walked out of the library because I haven't checked out books in years.  Not since I lived in San Jose.  I've been buying my books or borrowing from friends for the last 12+ years so I never went to the library.  Today I felt like a little kid.  I can't wait to go back in three weeks when my books are due and spend an hour or two perusing the shelves for my next picks.

Only one thing could have added to my happiness: catching the Streetcar right away without having a long wait.  I looked like an idiot leaving the library trying to balance my purse on my shoulder while manhandling five large hardcover books all while keeping the umbrella above my head.  I was stoked when I walked one block west and found the Streetcar waiting at a red light just so that I could catch it.  It was super cool.  Things like that never happen to me.  Needless to say I was a very happy camper when I got home.  Then when Eddie came home he announced he wanted to go out for dinner.  He was thinking McCormick & Schmick's but then I suggested Le Hana so we could use my first www.restaurant.com gift certificate.  I wasn't that hungry and thought Eddie would enjoy sushi so that's where we went.  I loved the decor and my simple bowl of steamed rice.  Eddie and I passed on drinks since the certificate excludes alcohol.  Eddie filled the table with 4 orders of sushi rolls and then I splurged on the Twinkie Tempura dessert.  It was the winter special.  How was I supposed to turn that down?  Le Hana is running a special right now where if you purchase one drink you get 50% off your entree so I think that means Eddie and I will be going back soon to take advantage.

I'm already halfway through the first library book, so I'll probably review it tomorrow.  So for now, I'm going to have to rely on Grey's Anatomy for my media mention.  I finished watching the second season.  I had vague memories of most of the episodes but I was surprised to find there were about five episodes I had never seen.  I clearly remember having a weekly ritual with my college roomies to watch the show in its early seasons so I can't understand why I missed so many episodes.

Prison Love

I had a late-morning interview downtown this morning.  I decided to walk there since it was only barely sprinkling and then I could continue to explore Portland if the weather held up.  The interview with the temp agency went well - at least until I spilled my full cup of water on their floor.  But I scored 81 wpm with a 98% accuracy on their typing test so I felt pretty good about that.  After the interview I checked out Moonstruck Chocolate which is on the same block as the temp agency.  I knew I wanted to go here to find a Christmas gift to send Stacy and Jordan.  I found some great chocolates and treated myself to a small Mayan hot chocolate which is flavored with cinnamon, almond, and vanilla.  To be honest, I really didn't taste the added flavors, but it was still a nice hot chocolate.

My next stop was Rogue where I haven't been in a few months.  Eddie and I just always seem to go to Deschutes instead so I thought it was time to pay the other great brewery a visit.  The bartender gave me a free taste of John John so I ordered a pint of that to go with their killer hazelnut beer bread.  I used this time to finish reading Orange Is the New Black: My Year In a Women's Prison, a true story by Piper Kerman.  This is one of the few new books I own on my Kindle and I was excited to have plenty of uninterrupted reading time at Rogue.  This was a really great story about Piper who in her lesbian youth got caught up with a woman she admired and was slightly involved in that woman's drug business.  Five years later, Piper is dating the man of her dreams and the feds catch up with her but she doesn't go to prison for another five years.  This was a really interesting look into prison life.  Granted, she definitely had it easier than what you see on TV.  She was in a minimum security facility so she was not locked in a cell and had freedom to roam the common areas.  She goes into great detail about the relationships she formed while inside which I enjoyed.

I hung out at Rogue for almost two hours because I wanted to catch the free distillery tour.  Eddie and I have never been there at the right time for the tour.  Unfortunately there wasn't much to the tour and it was a bit of a let down.  This location isn't their main distillery so this one is a very small operation with only two pot stills.  The tour lasted all of ten minutes since it doesn't take long to walk up the stairs to have a quick look at the two stills.  I suppose it was at least mildly informative so from that perspective, it was a decent tour.  I guess I was just expecting something a bit grander.

I started walking home and realized I'd be coming up on The Living Room Theaters which I have been to a handful of times (Mom and I went when she was in town and she loved it too).  I took a peek at their movies and knew I just had to see I Love You, Phillip Morris.  A true story about Steven Russell, a gay man, con artist, and impostor who falls in love with Phillip Morris during one of his prison stays.  Russell made several successful (though short-lived) escapes from prison. When I saw that Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor played the leads, I was hooked. I thought this was a great dramedy with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that reminded me of why I first liked Jim Carrey in Dumb & Dumber and Ace Ventura.  This movie had a great, touching story that makes you root for the technical "bad guy."  If you have access to a small, independent movie theater that is showing this, I highly recommend that you make time to see it.  Very funny!


I realized during my walk home that it was interesting that I chose that movie to watch on the day I finished reading Kerman's book.  Both true stories.  Both involving gay love interests.  And both about prison stays.  Kind of an interesting theme for the day, but it worked for me.  And kind of in line with today's unintended theme, I finished watching the fourth season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.  Each of these seasons continue to improve upon the previous seasons.  I loved the return of Olivia d'Abo as Nicole Wallace.  I think her character is so intriguing and helps the viewers delve more into Detective Goren's mind.  I hope to see more of her in the upcoming seasons.

Oh and finally, thanks to Dan Savage, I have been hooked on this new blog, Born This Way.  The founder of the blog reached out to gay friends and asked them to submit an innocent photo from their childhood and tell a brief story about themselves and when they realized they were gay or different.  Some of the pictures are absolutely adorable and many of them portray the typical gay stereotypes.  These pictures have sparked the old nature vs. nurture debate so it's interesting to read the comments.

Another Week

Still not much going on for me right now.  I had two job interviews this week that I thought went well but I never heard back from them.  After my first interview, I decided to head to the movie theater and see if I could get in to Black Swan.  My timing was off by about 40 minutes so I opted to see Country Strong instead.  I was very pleased with my choice.  I really enjoyed the music in the film...  I just wish they could have found a way to have Tim McGraw sing a duet with Gwyneth Paltrow because that would have been neat to hear.  The movie progressed pretty slowly but it was still enjoyable.  I wish the soundtrack included the cute little song that Gwyneth sang for the little boy with leukemia (Travis, I think).  Oh well.

Eddie ordered Lonesome's Pizza for us one night.  That was really fun to finally try. It's a bit on the pricey side, but if you like good pizza and appreciate art then it's worth it.  Every pizza box comes with some form of art or media.  Eddie's pizza box came with a DVD copy of Long Gone.  I haven't heard of it, but it sounds interesting.  My cheese pizza box was decorated with funny pictures of Princess Leia's panties.  The pizza was tasty but the dessert was my favorite.  Eddie splurged and ordered a pint of ice cream that's made by a local and organic place called Scoop.  It was so smooth and creamy and delicious.  It was chocolate peanut butter no bake cookie flavored.  Best ice cream I've had in a long time.

The only other thing I have to talk about is another media mention.  I don't know what gave me the idea, but I started watching Grey's Anatomy.  I remember when it premiered in college and everyone in my apartment and house would crowd together in the living room to watch the show each week.  I stopped watching it in the third or fourth season.  The first season only contains nine episodes - I guess it premiered mid-season to kick out Boston Legal.  Let me just say, I'm hooked on Grey's again.  It was so much fun watching a medical drama after spending the last few years watching only cop dramas.

A Week In the Life

Not much going on with me this new year.  I don't have a whole lot to write about, but I do have pictures to share.  This first one is for you, Nonna.  I've taken the time to blow dry my hair and wear it down more times during the past seven months in Portland than I did during the last seven years in Irvine.  But I digress.  So in chronological order:

We actually got a break from the rain and had a few days of clear weather.  It was cold, but at least it was dry enough to walk around.  Eddie and I set out to use my last Groupon that expires this month - for AJ On The Rails.  Boy were we surprised to find it boarded up and closed indefinitely.  They have a second location that seems like just a coffee shop, so we'll have to get over there sometime next week.  After that little disappointment we found ourselves at Violetta - a burger joint that features all local ingredients.  Unfortunately the meat wasn't that amazing so the experience wasn't that wonderful for me.  But it's been on my list for some time so now we can cross that one off.

That night, Eddie and I caught up on Master Chef and finished watching the series.  I think it aired during the summer but we never watched it then.  It's probably my least favorite of all the shows Gordon Ramsay is involved with, but I'm still a sucker for these cooking competition shows.  I was so excited to see Whitney, the Pastry Princess, make it all the way.  Good for her!

Thursday was my errand day.  It began with a trip to the DMV which turned out to be a pleasurable experience.  Shocking, I know.  There's something different about Oregon DMV's, but I like it.  I think my picture is terrible though.  Ugh.

I had a bit of time to kill after becoming a licensed driver, so I had lunch at Pizzicato.  It was a bit on the pricey side, so I'll just have to make it a point to visit them during happy hour when you can get a slice and a pint for $6.  I swear you can't find quality food like this at such a reasonable price in California.  I think Kristen will enjoy this place the next time she comes up to visit.  Mom too.  And they have the large pepperoni slices like Pizza My Heart used to.

And now...  Because I know you're just dying to find out what I did after lunch...  I actually got to use a Groupon.  This one was for $60 in services at fáda that included a complimentary scalp treatment and massage.  It was nice to be pampered a bit.  I will say I felt totally out of place when I walked in.  It is so shi-shi - something I am definitely not.  But the receptionist was super friendly as she showed me to the coat rack to store my belongings.  Even though I was thirty minutes early, Scarlet and Paul were able to come out for my consultation.  A consultation?  With two people?  I was so confused.  I quickly learned that Scarlet would be in charge of my color and Paul would handle the cut.  Okay.  Now I really felt out of my league.  But I couldn't back out.

Paul sat me down in his chair and did a pre-cut before my coloring.  I explained that I wanted to donate my hair so he tied it in a quick low ponytail and made a very quick cut.  I figured he would make two or more pontytails to increase my donation, but even with the single chop, I had about fifteen inches to get rid of.  Then Scarlet led me back to her station and really took her time to get my color right.

I don't know if I'm an easy client or a difficult one because I don't give much direction.  I figure the stylist & colorist know what's best and if something horrible is ever done, my hair grows so quickly it doesn't matter.  I think Scarlet could tell the first round of color was just a little too light so she took me back to darken it up a bit.  I like to keep my hightlights very natural.  Especially since I only dish out the money to do my hair once a year it's imperative that you can't really tell when my highlights start to grow out.  Anyhoo...  Paul came back after the coloring to do my scalp treatment and awesome massage and then he did this to my hair.

The last time I chopped off my hair for a donation (April 2007) I had to go much shorter with my cut.  I just didn't have that much hair to play with.  So it's kind of nice that my hair is already nearly shoulder length and it will only be just a few years before I have enough to donate again.

The last thing I did this week was finish the airport book I purchased when I returned to Portland on Christmas.  I'll admit, I initially picked it up to check out because the cover intrigued me.  And when I saw Lee Child's name on the front I just knew I had to read the back cover.  So the idea behind this book is totally awesome.  Jeffery Deaver got all of these great mystery writers to work together to write two novellas.  Each author wrote a different chapter for the stories - including their own turn of events and characters as they saw fit.  When I realized that Lee Child and Lisa Scottoline both contributed, I was hooked.  I love both of their books and even though I didn't recognize any of the other authors, I was sure I would like this.  The first novella was fun for anyone who likes mysteries and music.  I was surprised by the amount of technical music detail in there.  And the second novella is about racing around to prevent the potential WWIII.  I'm going to give this book to Eddie when he flies to San Diego at the end of the month so he can pick up another airport book for me.

In conclusion...  I have three job interviews lined up for this week as well as a staff meeting at the winery.  Between these four things happening, I hope to finally be working full-time hours somewhere or at a combination of places.  We shall see...

All Is Quiet...

...On New Year's Day.  Eddie and I didn't do anything special last night.  Just stayed in and watched the Dick Clark / Ryan Seacrest special.  I'd be lying if I didn't admit to cringing during the countdown.  Poor Dick Clark.  He just can't keep up with all of that after his stroke.

I fell asleep pretty early in the evening as per my usual MO.  Woke up at 7:00 this morning and finally finished reading my first Kindle Book.  The Kite Runner had a slow start for me, but once I got into it, I was hooked.  You can't help but fall in love with the characters.  I need to see the movie now because I am so curious about kite running.  When I worked at Round Table, one of my co-workers was from India and I remember him telling me about the kites with glass-coated strings.  At the time, I thought he was crazy.  Why would you want to hold a kite string dipped in glass shards at the risk of shredding your hands?  Didn't make sense to me.  I guess it still doesn't make sense, but the idea sounds beautiful.  I'm hoping the movie does it justice.




The rest of my day was spent watching Casino.  Yes, just one movie took all afternoon.  I know it's a 3-hour movie, but that alone is not the reason it took all day to watch.  No.  Eddie and I thought it would be fun to finally play our drinking game.  This is something we have talked about for four years - watch Casino and take a drink every time the F-bomb is dropped.  At the time of its release, it had the most uses of the "F" word at 422 uses in its 178 minutes.  That's 2.37 times per minutes, folks.  Yes, it was crazy to try to do.  But we took breaks throughout the day.  Even still...  I owe 187 sips of my drink.  The movie dominated me.  Ugh.





After the movie, I decided to put on The Mayor of Sunset Strip.  I really didn't have any intention of actually watching it tonight - I was just looking for something fun to play in the background.  Turned out to be a great documentary of Rodney Bingenheimer's influence on the LA rock scene.  I was hoping to see more of the Go-Go's in the video, but that's all right.  So now I'm keeping with the theme and listening to Redd Kross as I type this.