This Weekend is Me Weekend

Matt is gone, in the Valles, hopefully getting a lot of field work done. Hopefully enjoying fall, or maybe winter at that elevation, and hopefully not getting shot by hunters. Surely enjoying his dinner at Los Ojos.

I am here.

I like to get up in the mornings, after Matt leaves, so I can have some me time. Taking the bus makes this kind of hard because I only get up early enough to eat, shower, and walk down the street. So this weekend I am catching up.

I am reading - I'm in the middle of two books. One I am reviewing - Managing Water: Avoiding Crisis in California by Dorothy Green. One I am enjoying - Plenty by Smith and Mackinnon. I will be sure to post about Plenty when I am done with it - I am sure I will recommend it to everyone, even if you don't have pipedreams like I do to someday follow a 100-mile diet.

Actually I'm also in the middle of Monkey Wrench Gang, an Umberto Eco book, and Milagro Bean Field War. Maybe more. I tend to get distracted when books don't immediately grab my attention. Sometimes I go through periods where I hardly read anything, and then I stumble upon a book I love and I remember that I love reading. I'm just very specific about what I want to read.

Reading has motivated me again to be more faithful in pursuing my writing. My first front page article came out this week - granted it was on The Independent, but I guess it still counts. The editor even managed to spell my name right this time. (Oh and I finally got paid by LAT.)

I also pitched a story to HCN, submitted to Writers on the Range, and sent an old essay into a literary magazine - something a professor suggested I do years ago.

And I have another job possibility - actually in my field this time. And since I'm taking some me time, I've decided that I don't have to feel bad if I leave my current job. I have to do what's best for me. Maybe the other possibility won't come through. Maybe I will decide I like my job. Maybe I will learn to be happy in the present rather than always searching for better things for the future. Maybe I will enjoy this moment.

Getting Things in the Mail

Isn't it always exciting? Except when it's bills or junk mail. Or rejection letters. Those keep rolling in everyday. But packages are the best, even when you order them yourself.

Awhile ago I agreed to be on the Better World Books advisory panel. In exchange for an hour long interview with a marketer, I got a $50 gift certificate for the website. Better World Books is trying to reposition themselves as "Amazon with a soul." They contribute profits to literacy projects and also have eco-friendly shipping. The prices are in line with Amazon, although there is no marketplace (but you can get used books). It is also not quite as user-friendly, but they are working on it. I highly recommend it. They are good people.

Anyway, I got 6 books (1 new and 5 used) with my $50, and they came in the mail yesterday. In honor of my love of Lasso the Wind, I bought three other Tim Egan books - I hope they are just as good. I also bought a Terry Tempest Williams book I haven't read, a book by David James Duncan, and Plenty (the 100 mile diet book). I am excited! I also have a back log of magazines to catch up on. I better do some bus riding this week.

Just Watched: Finding Neverland

When we borrowed this movie from Matt's brother's partner, he said, "I'm never going to see this again, am I?" And we said, "Oh of course you will." That was well over a year ago and now he lives in Florida. We watched this way back when we borrowed it, and yesterday we pulled it out of the bag it was sitting in waiting for return transportation and watched it again. This is one good movie.

Matt likes to claim that I have no imagination and that I hate imagination, but imagination is the subject of this movie. Of course Johnny Depp doesn't hurt. And Kate Winslet is fantastic. It is basically the story of how J.M. Barrie came up with Peter Pan. It is sad and beautiful and hopeful in so many ways. And it was just as good the second time as it was the first.

Just Read: Lasso the Wind by Tim Egan

This book is a great read for Westerners or anyone who loves the West. There are fourteen chapters, each a different place, including Catron County, New Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada; Havasupai, Arizona. Possibly all 11 states are represented. This is creative nonfiction at its best. It made me remember why I wanted to be a writer in the first place. Loved it. Couldn't put it down.*

*Same results not guaranteed unless you are a nature freak like me.

Respect the Meat

Okay I tried to embed a youtube video but apparently I am technologically hopeless and it didn't work. But here is the link to the video on the NBC site which probably makes you watch an ad first.

This is a little music video from this week's My Name is Earl and it is hee-larious. Maybe it's funnier if you have seen the show and know the characters, but I think it will be funny even if you don't. It involves singing to and about a crab that is about to be cooked for dinner. Sad but funny.

Thursday night from 7-9 or 10 is my official TV watching evening. The Office isn't doing so well this season, but Earl and 30 Rock seem to be getting funnier. Of course, I really think everyone should kill their television. But I'm still addicted.

Al Gore and the IPCC

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded jointly to Al Gore and the IPCC for their efforts related to creating awareness of man-made climate change and potential solutions. Great news! Will the former VP use this to launch a presidential campaign? I have no idea. I'm not sure he would win, but maybe he would enhance the discussion.

On another note, Sarah blogged about this website where you can lend money to start-up businesses in third world countries. She just got paid back from her first loan and is going to reinvest. It sounds pretty cool.

Aren't these cute?

http://robotcandy.com/coasters.html

My Christmas list is officially started. And it includes half the items at Bass Pro Shops. Go check this out in Mesa. It's amazing. And they have fudge.

The Office

Season Premiere Tonight on NBC! No idea what time. Maybe 8 out here? Don't miss it! If you do, you won't get my jokes anymore.

On a side note, I had a chair and a piece of rope out and tied across our driveway to keep the movie people out. We left it out overnight and then while I went to the woods. Now it is not there. Someone stole our chair and rope from next to our driveway. What kind of neighbors do we have?

What's Going Down In the Hood

1) "The War Boys" is filming a scene across the street and lighting up the neighborhood. The only person in this movie that I've heard of is Peter Gallagher. Remember him from While You Were Sleeping? He was the oh so vain Peter Callaghan who Sandra Bullock dumped for his on-screen brother Jack, played by Bill Pullman. Good choice. Great movie. I actually did a comedic analysis on it in high school. Netflix it. (Picture taken by MB.)


2) A roadrunner (center of photo) was chillin' in the yard earlier this week.

Speaking of my blog title

The Office Season Three came out on DVD September 4th (also Matt's birthday. Unfortunately no one got it for me for his birthday. For him I mean.). I managed to wait until September 7th to pick it up at Target, as a reward for my successful interviews. At Target. For the sales floor, making $7.50/hr. They are supposedly trying to find a better job for me - one where they don't think I will leave quickly.

I have an interview for a slightly higher paying, albeit part-time, job tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me! But don't jinx it.

But oh yeah, The Office. So funny! I love it. I actually lent out Seasons 1 and 2. Can you believe the trust I have to have to let go of my favorite possessions. I finished Season 3 last night, but there are many hours of rewatching still available. The actual season starts September 27th, but we don't get NBC. I may cry.

New Blog

I added a new blog to my links: Peace, Love and Understanding. This is by a girl who was on fellowship at the LAT with me, and she is both hilarious and insightful. Enjoy!

Albuquerque

We spent parts of Tuesday and Thursday in Albuquerque looking for houses and hanging out with our friend Arun on his birthday. We managed to get ourselves invited to his parent's house for his birthday dinner by calling his cell phone at about 10pm Monday night and having his mom answer. Oops. Apparently Arun, who lives about half a second from his parents, left his phone at their house again. So anyway, on our way to meet Arun for the family dinner, we thought maybe we should get him a card. And maybe a present. So we stopped at the Smith's by his house, picked up a great pickle card, a six pack of New Belgium spring seasonal, and a $1 DVD called Kill Cruise, starring Elizabeth Hurley. It was originally a German movie called Der Skipper and has been dubbed into English for our viewing pleasure. What a great movie! Not in the traditional, artful sense, but it really was hilarious. We kept inventing alternate scenarios, none of which ever panned out. I think appreciation of this movie is related to a very narrowly defined sense of humor, so it might not be right for everyone. But if you are bored and live near a Smith's that happens to carry $1 DVDs, I recommend it. Good times were had by all. The fajitas at dinner were good too.

On a more sour note, we still have not made a moving decision. We found this gorgeous casita in our price range that we are really tempted to lease, but then we found out that Matt probably won't be able to get a seat on the vanpool next year. In other words, if we move to Albuquerque, he would have to drive one of our vehicles 150 miles a day, 2-4 days a week. That would suck. Our latest possibility is to get one small place in both cities to try to have the best of both worlds. And I don't even know if I have a job, so that is another hitch. I had another interview yesterday, but I don't think I want to work for them anyway. So yeah. We have two weeks left to clear out of our current house, and nowhere to go. Except a storage shed. And LA...

Continued

I just picked up this week's Newsweek and read Anna Quindlen's The Last Word - Still the Brightest. In the wake of David Halberstam's recent death, Quindlen discusses the impact he had on journalism by doing extensive research, looking for answers where no one else wanted to go, and revealing information to the public. She notes his endless sense of "intelligent curiosity" that inspired her, along with other younger writers, to live up to their potential.

I must confess that I have never read Halberstam's book on Vietnam, "The Best and the Brightest," but I have nevertheless been well aware of his influence on journalism and the American public. I plan to add some of his books to my reading list. The tradition of Edward R. Murrow and David Halberstam must continue. I hope that journalists everywhere will continue to be responsible citizens by using their platforms to educate the public and reveal injustice wherever it may be, whether in front of our noses or in hiding. And as citizens, I think that we must demand this from our media.

Carnival of the Liberals

Carnival of the Liberals is a biweekly blog carnival that is hosted on various websites and is a compilation of the latest and greatest liberal blogs. This week it is hosted by Faith on That's So Queer, which I link to on my sidebar, and I read the entries for the first time. My favorites were posted on The Republic of T and deal with how harassment, alienation, and definitions of 'masculinity' are involved in most of the cases of school shootings. This blog is well-researched, well-written, and most of all, a call for empathy and a fresh look at American culture. I'll let him explain the rest.

In a related note, Matt and I watched Good Night, and Good Luck last night, and I was impressed not only by the story of Edward R. Murrow taking on Senator McCarthy, but also the many quotes and scenarios that reflect what is going on today. One of the biggest issues is allowing the accused to face their accusers, which is definitely not happening right now at GitMo. Another issue is the responsibility of journalism to inform and even editorialize, not just entertain. Murrow acknowledged that sometimes there are not two sides of a story. Sometimes something is morally or ethically wrong, and people whose voices are heard should do their best to stand up to the injustice and inform their listeners. The movie is a little slow, but at only 90 minutes, it is well worth it. Netflix it today. And check out Matt's blog on the subject. Also see Amnesty International's Close Guantanamo campaign and join the flotilla!

Something Neat

I've spent the better part of an afternoon browsing through Inhabitat. This is a great website. I'm not a design-freak, but I'm thinking I would like to start exploring the right side of my brain. Anyway, this site blogs about sustainable housing design, eco fashion design, and some other neat design-related things. I'm totally into buying an eco-prefab house someday. And the cardboard furniture kits (mostly for kids)? Really neat.

In other news, has anyone tried Good magazine? At first I wasn't sure if I liked it, but we just got our second issue and I think it's great. It also has a bit of a design-bent, but sort of more in how the magazine is put together and not it's content. Also, a subscription is $20 and the whole amount is donated to the charity of your choice (out of a list of 12 or so). We somehow ended up with two copies of the same issue, so if anyone would like to check it out, we'd be happy to send one to you.

Matt's Blog (Green Desert) and Dogs

Matt has started a blog at http://mnbinnm.blogspot.com (I know - the website name is so un-original.) He posts about all things politically stupid, so check it out. Apparently he is simul-posting in myspace.

In addition, my thoughts go out to Erin, whose dog died unexpectedly earlier this week, and to Liz and Glenn, whose dog recently went missing.