16 posts tagged “books”
It was really nice to read. I occasionally have trouble putting into words these feelings I get, so it was good to see someone else doing it. And of course the chapter on the prevalence of melancholy in Calvinistic/Puritan societies seemed to be spot on. When societies outlaw big outdoor (or even indoor) parties, everyone suffers.
And then I went to see Maximo Park at Chop Suey and got to put that into action. Good times.
The Ex-Millennial Girl blog is a compelling read. A woman about my age left her small town in Florida in 1999 to strip with her best friend in NYC, and they become addicted to opium. And she's good at remembering all the little details and it's just fascinating reading. Plus she's hilarious. "All of [the Canadian] candy bars are like, violently named. Like ‘Punch in the Face’ or ‘Rip Your Mouth Out’ or something."
I also just read On the Take by a UW sociology professor. It was written in the early 70s and it focuses on the crime syndicates and networks in Seattle, but as the author points out can be generalized to any city in the world. But because it is Seattle it was especially fascinating for me. Before they outlawed "cardrooms" for good, the city had gambling stamps (for permission to gamble on premises) second only to Vegas back then. Also as I had just seen Serpico I had the taste for corrupt cops already.
Seattle sounds a lot more interesting and dangerous back then, but the author's point is that just because the big distribution network of graft was eliminated doesn't mean shit ain't still goin' down. He also describes a conversation another reporter overheard from LBJ back in the day, which demonstrated that Johnson could conceivably have been implicated in something that would have made Watergate look like a cakewalk. Good stuff.
I read Mangoes and Curry this past weekend, and was as a result inspired to cook the naan they gave a recipe for:
I started Kitchen Confidential last night and am already madly in love with Anthony Bourdain.
I woke up a little early yesterday and went for a walk. It was a super gorgeous day but I got dehydrated almost immediately, so I came back for water. Then I decided water wasn't cutting it, so I grabbed some cash, my backpack, then headed to Safeway. Bought quite a bit of liquids, and apples. It was kind of heavy to carry home, but at least I removed my jacket first. Still pretty sweaty by the time I returned. Jaysus.
Anyway I then put the bread that had been rising in the oven, and then Kim texted Reg, who was still asleep, so I took the liberty of responding to her. She came by just a little after the bread was done, and I forced Reg awake. We sat around reading for a bit, then walked to the drugstore, then to the Ballard Commons to sit and read on the benches (grass was wet from the previous day's rainshower). I grew cold as the wind and cloud cover increased, so we headed back, and I started on dinner.
Very simple and American: Steak and potatoes. I cut up 6 red potatoes, tossed with herbs/spices/salt/pepper and olive oil, baked at 375 for an hour. Steak was fried in butter and coriander on the stove (I like coriander) till it was pink in the middle. Of course all this was waay too much food for three people, so I have decent leftovers now.
Kim left after dinner and Reg put on Lucky Number Slevin. The preview I had seen misled me into believing it would be like Snatch, crime comedy sorta thing, but it was a little more dark and serious. Still good though. AND THERE IS A TWIST. Afterwards I read The Great Train Robbery and re-dyed my hair.
How many places have you lived in your life?
- Labadieville, LA. I was born there and we moved away before I turned two.
- Meaux, LA. We bought the house my mother grew up in from my grandmother, and lived there forever. My two younger brothers were born in that house. It was halfway between Abbeville and Maurice, and 30 minutes from I-10.
- Natchitoches, LA. I went to 11th and 12th grades at LSMSA and lived in Caddo Hall, the girls' dorm, both years.
- Durham, NC. I matriculated in 1995 to Duke University.
- Boone, NC. I taught at summer camp (well, assistant-taught, really) for the TIP kids taking Pascal.
- Seattle, WA. I taught at summer camp for the ACE kids.
- Raleigh, NC. I got a programming job in 1999 and worked there for a little under 2 years.
- Redmond, WA. After I got laid off, I moved in with my college boyfriend, who worked at Microsoft.
- Seattle, WA. I broke up with him and moved in with Steve and Erik to form the Cult of the Red Door. Steve and I broke up the Cult in 2004, and I lived in the basement of the editor of Resonance Magazine till he and his girlfriend broke up and wanted me to contribute more rent. Instead I moved in with Reg in Ballard, at Cult of the Red Door Mark II.
In other news, reading Chuck Klosterman's writing makes me extra-glad I'm not really a Gen-Xer. Especially as I like being happy and dancing on drugs. Also, I hate Rod Stewart.
