Wednesday, September 10, 2008

So Little Time, So Many Unrelated Things to Talk About

I told myself I couldn’t blog until I wrote the toast for the wedding I’m in this weekend. Sadly, I have absolutely nothing to say about someone I know very well and love very much, so I’ve given up and am going back to blogging.

That’ll teach you to put me in your wedding. “Um, thanks for the party. You guys are awesome. Cheers.”

Meanwhile, my days are filled with hair appointments, dress fittings, tying itty-bitty bows on bits of paper, and occasionally work. When I can squeeze it in. (Kidding, boss, if you happen to read this. I am so busy right now. I have been up very late working every night. Well, except for Monday. When I went out for ice cream with my book group, instead.)

My camera went to my parents’ house, since my dad is acting as photographer for the Big Day. I miss my camera. More than I should. It’s not like I was even taking pictures every day. I just miss its presence. Apparently I have formed my first co-dependent relationship with a piece of electronics. I feel like I can finally be accepted as part of my generation.

Also, in the world of Very Sad News, I had to retire my favorite pair of jeans this morning. The butt has been paper-thin for a while now, and I was being careful to wash them gently (or just not wash them at all, jeans are so soft when they’re dirty) to preserve them. But this morning I realized that at some point they had taken a slight shift and gone from “paper-thin” to “non-existent” and, well, I’m not sure how well that’d go over with the in-laws at the rehearsal dinner. Thanks for the party. You guys are awesome. Also: marrying into white trash. Cheers.

In better news, my book club has decided to go with an international theme this year. We are reading books that have something to do with other countries, thus leaving the genre very vague and very wide. The suggestions that have come up so far have been fascinating, there are so many books out there that I want to read, now! No way are we going to cram them all into one year. That said, I am still curious if there are more. If you have a suggestion for a book about another culture, or that takes place in another country, or is written by a non-American author, let me know!

9 comments:

meno said...

Persepolis. It set in Iran and written by an Iranian woman. It's very good.

The best part? It's a graphic novel!

Yoga Gal said...

"The Death of Vishnu" "The Namesake" some very interesting writing is coming from India these days. Love the jeans story! Since my attack I haven't been able to do the power yoga I'm use to due to increase injury to my right shoulder so I been spreading out. Oh well what can you do? Great stuff.

Anonymous said...

Ishmael Beah's "A Long Way Gone." It is about boy soldiers in Sierra Leon...very graphic and disturbing, but the best book I've read in awhile.

Melissa said...

Don't worry my dear.....you will give a great speech I am sure! Just like the lovely (although slightly embarrassing!) speech you gave about me at my wedding! Hope the weekend goes well for you all!

Celia said...

I recommend "Brick Lane" by Monica Ali. It's about an Indian women in an arranged marriage and has to move to England.

Holly said...

I was thinking about Persepolis too, the other night, when someone was talking about the Holocaust graphic novel but I couldn't think of the name. I've heard good things about it, too.
And I saw the MOVIE of the Namesake! It was good! Your friends have good suggestions :-)
Your post totally cracked me up. Happy Friday! (And if there is any last minute tiny-bow tying or anything you can use help with just let me know).

Diane said...

Three Cups of Tea.

Katie Schopmeyer said...

You MUST read "Disgrace" by J.M. Coetzee. Born in South Africa, although he received a college education in the US.

And if you have not yet read "The Power of One" by Bryce Courtnay, you are missing out. But I think I was the late bloomer on that one.

Marcia said...

I'm also rooting for Persopolis (but since it's a comic book and can be read in 4 hours, you could pair it with Reading Lolita in Tehran, which I've never read but feels like should fit) and Power of One, which was very much my favorite book for many years in the 90s and you know how old I am, so, but it is amazing. But also I <3 Isabelle Allende, and would recommend House of Spirits or Eva Luna.