Reading recommendations

There are 8 bookcases in my apartment, overflowing with books. I’ve read most of them.

There’s a tottering stack of unread novels and biographies beside my bed. Ahab’s Wife, Moby Dick, Girl With A Pearl Earring, The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, Natural-Born Cyborgs, The Trust, America’s First Multimillionaire, The Red Dancer, ….. Last night I wasn’t in the mood to read any of them.

I’m looking for some fresh story ideas. What are some of your favorite books? Have you read something that stayed with you for a long time? What was it? What authors do you cherish?

I desperately need reading suggestions!

Random argument on a Monday morning

So… I’m drinking my coffee, reading the news, sifting through emails, and half listening to a pal of mine when I catch the words, “the potato famine was one of the most important events in history.”

To prove a point, I was wondering how many of you could tell me (without Googling it):

1) When the potato famine occurred?

2) What WAS the potato famine?

3) Whether or not you believe it was one of the top 25 events in all of history.

How is this not a gender issue?

Angela Anthony and Iesha Miller have been best friends since they “were knee high and do everything together.” Everything, including ruling over the Homecoming Court as King and Queen of Hayward High.

Isn’t the whole point of the “court” to recognize an outstanding female and male? Why are people compelled to make political statements out of EVERYTHING? How did tradition become such an ugly concept?

Isn’t the whole point of the exercise to honor a female (the Queen) and a male (the King)?

KING: noun. Son of noble kin; a male ruler of a nation or state usually called a kingdom; a man who is supreme or highly successful in some field; a male supreme in his class.

A disservice was made to the boys of Hayward High School. They were beaten by popularity.

The administrators of that school aren’t doing Angela Anthony any favors. In real life, exceptions to the rule are rarely made.

Perhaps one of the biggest problems with American youth is that they expect to have everything handed to them in life. And when they don’t get it, they throw violent tantrums and break down.

Friday five

Answer the following friday five questions in your weblog or journal. Make sure you leave a comment here with a link to your post (or just leave your answers in the comments section here).

1. What food do you like that most people hate?

I savor octopus. Everytime I travel to Massachusetts, my first stop is lunch or dinner at a Portuguese restaurant for polvo cozido com batatas e cebolas.

2. What food do you hate that most people love?

I’ve never been fond of coconut. I love the scent in suntan lotion or body crème, but can’t stand the texture in desserts. The flavor does nothing for me.

3. What famous person, whom many people may find attractive, is most unappealing to you?

Justin Timberlake. He looks like a girl. I just don’t understand how anyone can mistake this guy for a sex symbol.

4. What famous person, whom many people may find unappealing, do you find attractive?

I think Patrick Stewart is so handsome. In 1997, Stewart portrayed Othello at the Shakespeare Lansburgh Theatre here in DC. With the tattoos and the costumes, I found him too sexy for words. I saw the show three or four times and paid a small fortune to attend a lecture where he explained how bizarre it was to be the only white member of a black cast.

5. What popular trend baffles you?

Reality TV Shows. I don’t understand the popularity of these programs. Each season the show concepts get more degrading and bizarre. I don’t watch them, but unfortunately am unable to tune out the promos and trailers.

For example: Just an Average Joe – what man would volunteer to be on a program where he is publicly humiliated for being human? The program is essentially saying – “Dudes we want YOU because there’s nothing extraordinary about you. You’re not good-looking, you’re not wealthy, you’re not talented…. There’s nothing special about you.”

We’ve digressed… becoming entertained by the misfits and dwarves that once amused the courtiers of the dark ages. Civilization is in a sad state when the most-watched programs on television involve human beings insulting and degrading one another for public pleasure.

Movie night

I’m going to the movies tonight. It’s my turn to select the flick, but I’m torn – so I’m asking for feedback to help me make a decision.

It’s between:

The Human Stain

Intolerable Cruelty

Lost in Translation

Love Actually

The Singing Detective

So what do you think?

Lunar eclipse scheduled for tomorrow night

People in North American and Europe will be able to see a total lunar eclipse tomorrow night. Yahoo provides 10 cool facts about the moon and her disappearing act.

Anyone planning a party to celebrate this occurrence?

What do we learn from ancient civilizations?

I have always enjoyed reading about ancient ruins and discoveries. Or “rediscoveries” – as the case may be. In fact, if I had the freedom to do anything, I’d become a globetrotter, visiting these sites and join the select club of individuals who photograph and write about these civilizations.

Not quite an archaeologist – I’d slowly lose my mind bent over a mound, patiently brushing away centuries of dirt to reveal a broken arrowhead or splint of bone – but more like a travel-reporter-anthropologist.

The American/Britain team led by Gary Zeigler and Hugh Thomson have discovered their second Incan city in two years.

Llactapata is located 50 miles northwest of the Inca capital Cusco and aligned with Machu Picchu. This alignment encouraged the expedition to consider the city’s ritual significance as a ceremonial site.

What do we learn, if anything, when these cities are rediscovered? Has anyone ever visited Peru’s Incan sites?

Machu Picchu is a favorite with the Today Show team, sending Matt Lauer there during his annual “Where in the World” series. Unfortunately, the ancient site is showing signs of wear and tear from the significant increase in tourism. I’ve decided this moment, that I will visit next year. I’m going to plan a trip to Peru. And while I’m there, I’ll be sure to fly over the Nazca Lines.

Does anyone have any theories on how these supposedly unsophisticated, ancient people drew enormous pictograms in the sand? My inquiring mind wants to know.

Happy Birthday!

I’m hoping this will be another way we’ll be able to stay in touch.

Hugs and kisses,

Monica