"Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter. Oh, this book had me before I even read the first sentence. On the page before the prose begins there is a little sketched map of the Cinque Terra in Italy, with a tiny fake town added just for the book. Having fallen in love with the Cinque Terra more than fifteen years ago, I was immediately smitten with this story. It spans at least fifty years, jumps between Europe and the United States, hops from 1962 to the present and then back to years in between. Two central characters have a handful of others revolving around them, and a couple of famous people are tossed in for charm and a kind of realistic intrigue. The plot revolves around a beautiful young actress stranded in 1962 in a tiny dull Italian town, waiting for the knight in shining armor to rescue her. He doesn't. She moves on. But her few days of waiting in that tiny dull Italian town have far reaching consequences.
I loved this book, its meandering pace, its brilliantly honed characters, its emotional gut-shots. There are scenes in Rome, Portland, Hollywood, Edinburgh, London and, of course, northern Italy. Loving, living and losing, and finally getting it, getting the point, getting to tell your own story, your own way. "And he felt like he might burst open and he lacked the dexterity in English to say all that he was thinking - how in his estimation, the more you lived, the more regret and longing you suffered, that life was a glorious catastrophe." And "It's a life with no shortage of moments to recommend it, a life that picks up speed like a boulder rolling down a hill, easy and natural and comfortable, yet beyond control somehow; it all happens so fast, you wake a young man and at lunch are middle-aged and by dinner you can imagine your death." Who hasn't felt that, like all your life has zipped by, almost without you having any control over it, yet you consider yourself almost happy? Or at least happy enough?
I highly recommend "Beautiful Ruins." It is almost perfect. I had tears in my eyes near the end and as I turned the last page, I was terribly disappointed that it ended. I so wanted to keep reading about Dee and Pat and Lydia and Pasquale. Check it out, if you can. It is almost worth buying a copy, and you know how rarely I say that.
"This Is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper. If you haven't read any Tropper's works, go to the library and get one of his books. This is his latest and it is funny, wise and irreverent. His characters are all over the map, from bitter to sweet, from dysfunctional to the picture of logic and sanity. But mostly they are pretty screwed up, just like real people! They fall in love with the wrong people (or the wrong people fall in love with them,) they are riddled with guilt about their lifetimes of mistakes (or have no morals at all,) they are plagued by their family relationships (or haunted by dead parents) and basically just trying to scrabble through life without too much bodily injury. Tropper writes laugh-out-loud dialogue and creates scenarios that seem too outlandish to be true, but it all sounds vaguely familiar, like some plot twist of our own lives that we try hard to forget. I love his books, his characters, his fucked-up families.
'
Friday, January 25, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Hire me, Mr. President!
Every year for the past four years I have written a letter to President Obama. The first letter was a pitch for a new group in his Cabinet composed of working class people from all different parts of the United States, giving the President an ear to what the common man/woman was thinking. This was in 2009, at the very beginning of his first term, as the economic mudslide was just beginning to pick up speed. I thought it was a great idea, a group of teachers, policemen, farmers, plumbers, maybe a dozen folks from across the country, getting together once a month or so in Washington (on the government's dime) for meetings with the President and the relevant members of his cabinet. Just giving the man in charge their opinion of what it was really like to scrape together a living every week.
The next two letters were even more pointed. By the end of 2009 I was out of work, a victim of that economic mudslide, so my 2010 letter was a little more personal, a little more pointed. The letter I sent in 2011 was even more to the point: I was still out of work, along with millions of others, the whole health care battle was becoming ridiculous, troops were still being killed, bank executives were still getting million dollar bonuses. That letter might have been a bit too cynical, although I doubt it went so far as to make me a "person to watch" in the FBI parlance.
The letter I wrote yesterday was clear, direct and it should be the one that does the job! I simply asked the President to hire me. Not a group of people, not a sub-Cabinet position, just hire me as the lower-middle-class advisor on many of the subjects he touched on in his inaugural speech. I and my friends and siblings are going to be reliant on public assistance programs like Social Security and Medicare, so we have an interest in those. I have a daughter who is gay, so I have a vested interest in equal rights for all people of any sexual preference. As a woman, it is obviously important that we get paid the same as men for doing the same job. (This is sort of a moot point, however, since I will settle for any job right now, and most of the jobs I would settle for are jobs men wouldn't want to do.) My grandkids are going to deal with the terrible effects of global warming and economic instability. I could go on and on, but you get the point. I am the perfect demographic to give the President an ear-full. And I will work for cheap.
As soon as he offers me the job I created for myself, I will post it on this blog. Stay tuned. I am sure, once his lavish parties and lunches and dinners are finished, he will get around to reading his emails and give me a call to work out the details. While I am not holding my breath, I can hardly wait for his call.
The next two letters were even more pointed. By the end of 2009 I was out of work, a victim of that economic mudslide, so my 2010 letter was a little more personal, a little more pointed. The letter I sent in 2011 was even more to the point: I was still out of work, along with millions of others, the whole health care battle was becoming ridiculous, troops were still being killed, bank executives were still getting million dollar bonuses. That letter might have been a bit too cynical, although I doubt it went so far as to make me a "person to watch" in the FBI parlance.
The letter I wrote yesterday was clear, direct and it should be the one that does the job! I simply asked the President to hire me. Not a group of people, not a sub-Cabinet position, just hire me as the lower-middle-class advisor on many of the subjects he touched on in his inaugural speech. I and my friends and siblings are going to be reliant on public assistance programs like Social Security and Medicare, so we have an interest in those. I have a daughter who is gay, so I have a vested interest in equal rights for all people of any sexual preference. As a woman, it is obviously important that we get paid the same as men for doing the same job. (This is sort of a moot point, however, since I will settle for any job right now, and most of the jobs I would settle for are jobs men wouldn't want to do.) My grandkids are going to deal with the terrible effects of global warming and economic instability. I could go on and on, but you get the point. I am the perfect demographic to give the President an ear-full. And I will work for cheap.
As soon as he offers me the job I created for myself, I will post it on this blog. Stay tuned. I am sure, once his lavish parties and lunches and dinners are finished, he will get around to reading his emails and give me a call to work out the details. While I am not holding my breath, I can hardly wait for his call.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Prodigal Daughter Returns!
Well, she isn't really a prodigal daughter but she is returning from her banishment in Texas!!! Hurray!!! Jennifer should be back in California by the first of March. For the last two weeks my job has been to scout out places for her to live, either by herself or us together. It was a sad task because most of the housing we could afford was really quite sub-standard: bad neighborhoods, car parts all over the yards, neglected houses, all depressing. And most are handled by property management businesses and they want a pint of blood with the application and they rarely take dogs. When they do take dogs, the list of the breeds they will NOT take is as long as a Golden Retriever's tail.
I did, however, find a cute little duplex in Healdsburg that Jenn just secured after talking to the landlord. Two bedrooms, two small baths, a large living-dining-kitchen room with lots of light, a small patio and a separate yard for growing vegetables in the summer. Walking distance to town, a great neighborhood and I think Jenn will like Healdsburg. It is daunting to pick new living quarters for anyone, and even more so for my daughter. (Enough said right there.) But I am hoping it works for her. I know I would be happy moving in there, I think she will be as well.
It's going to be very nice having her back in California, with her lovely dog Bebe. Fifteen minutes from where I live, close enough for lots of visits and still far apart so we don't drive each other crazy. She is excited and so am I.
.
I did, however, find a cute little duplex in Healdsburg that Jenn just secured after talking to the landlord. Two bedrooms, two small baths, a large living-dining-kitchen room with lots of light, a small patio and a separate yard for growing vegetables in the summer. Walking distance to town, a great neighborhood and I think Jenn will like Healdsburg. It is daunting to pick new living quarters for anyone, and even more so for my daughter. (Enough said right there.) But I am hoping it works for her. I know I would be happy moving in there, I think she will be as well.
It's going to be very nice having her back in California, with her lovely dog Bebe. Fifteen minutes from where I live, close enough for lots of visits and still far apart so we don't drive each other crazy. She is excited and so am I.
.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Cooking
For various reasons, the first week of 2013 was not spent cooking. There was a family dinner on December 30, delicious Chinese take-out on NY Eve, a couple of nights working the late shift so no dinner at all, one dinner out with friends and finally, a really sad stew-ish sort of thing I threw together one night with whatever was languishing in the fridge. That was the low point (much, much lower than the Trader Joe's frozen Indian food which is actually rather decent) and if I had been someone else, like a stranger, I wouldn't have eaten it. But it was in front of me, it was dinner and, thankfully, it tasted better than it looked, which was not difficult since it looked awful. Suffice it to say the second day's portion of that stew mess got tossed. (With guilt, thinking of people without enough food and there I was throwing some away.)
The stew misfortune woke me up. I wanted a good dinner, one with good ingredients, one with a little effort that could pay off. With a little planning and a handful of dollars, I took myself to Whole Foods (a rarity for me) and bought, in no particular order, the following: two small lamb chops, two leeks, plain peanuts, a pound of mushrooms, pearl onions and various other specific ingredients. (If I don't have a written list when visiting the Cathedral of Whole Foods, I spend way too much money on delicious yet unnecessary items, so I religiously stick to my scribbled list. Sadly.)
Thus, in the last two days I have made wonderful pistachio-crusted lamb chops, leek fritters, an awesome Mushroom Bourguignon (recipe below) and some snacking peanuts that are like caramel-corn peanuts, seductively and addictively delicious. Today's dinner plan is as yet unformed but might involve another trip to a good grocery store for ingredients for a coconut Thai soup or perhaps french onion soup, something bracing for such a cold, gray day.
Speaking of cold, gray days: walking the dog this morning before 7:00, the day reminded me of Paris, when often, in winter, the sky is overcast in a low-ceilinged flat grayness, the cold is not the cold of below freezing temperatures but that insinuating coldness, the kind that is heavy and dank and seeps through layers of clothes. Combine that weather with the smell of diesel fuel and the smell of pancakes from the local coffee shop, one is transported for a few seconds to early morning Parisian streets, out to get "un café et un croissant, s'il vous plaît" before the city is 100% awake. It was a nice, albeit fleeting, moment.
Here's the recipe. I didn't change much except saute the pearl onions with the mushrooms because mine were fresh, not precooked. I also ended up using more liquid because I wanted a little more sauce and I had already cooked it down a bit. The flavors are intensely delicious. The next time I make it I might use a little bacon grease in the first step (with the oil and butter.) although it certainly isn't necessary. It would be good with a mix of different kinds of mushrooms, too, or even with some chicken breasts chopped into smallish chunks and sauteed after the mushrooms and before the carrots. Not a lot, just a handful for protein. But honestly, it is almost perfect just the way it is. I wish I could take the credit for the recipe, but I can't. Still, I take credit for trying it and passing it along.
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/
.
The stew misfortune woke me up. I wanted a good dinner, one with good ingredients, one with a little effort that could pay off. With a little planning and a handful of dollars, I took myself to Whole Foods (a rarity for me) and bought, in no particular order, the following: two small lamb chops, two leeks, plain peanuts, a pound of mushrooms, pearl onions and various other specific ingredients. (If I don't have a written list when visiting the Cathedral of Whole Foods, I spend way too much money on delicious yet unnecessary items, so I religiously stick to my scribbled list. Sadly.)
Thus, in the last two days I have made wonderful pistachio-crusted lamb chops, leek fritters, an awesome Mushroom Bourguignon (recipe below) and some snacking peanuts that are like caramel-corn peanuts, seductively and addictively delicious. Today's dinner plan is as yet unformed but might involve another trip to a good grocery store for ingredients for a coconut Thai soup or perhaps french onion soup, something bracing for such a cold, gray day.
Speaking of cold, gray days: walking the dog this morning before 7:00, the day reminded me of Paris, when often, in winter, the sky is overcast in a low-ceilinged flat grayness, the cold is not the cold of below freezing temperatures but that insinuating coldness, the kind that is heavy and dank and seeps through layers of clothes. Combine that weather with the smell of diesel fuel and the smell of pancakes from the local coffee shop, one is transported for a few seconds to early morning Parisian streets, out to get "un café et un croissant, s'il vous plaît" before the city is 100% awake. It was a nice, albeit fleeting, moment.
Here's the recipe. I didn't change much except saute the pearl onions with the mushrooms because mine were fresh, not precooked. I also ended up using more liquid because I wanted a little more sauce and I had already cooked it down a bit. The flavors are intensely delicious. The next time I make it I might use a little bacon grease in the first step (with the oil and butter.) although it certainly isn't necessary. It would be good with a mix of different kinds of mushrooms, too, or even with some chicken breasts chopped into smallish chunks and sauteed after the mushrooms and before the carrots. Not a lot, just a handful for protein. But honestly, it is almost perfect just the way it is. I wish I could take the credit for the recipe, but I can't. Still, I take credit for trying it and passing it along.
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/
.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Books
With too much time on my hands, I have been, once again, reading a lot. A couple of recent reads and my thoughts on them:
"Telegraph Avenue" by Michael Chabon. If you are a Chabon fan, it helps. If not, this book might not make you one. I am a sometime-fan but to me it is too wordy, too pretentious (one three-page chapter is one long sentence, a fancy that I had hoped was out of fashion by now). I liked the characters, he is always brilliant at creating funny, bizarre, endearingly odd people. However it simply didn't work for me that well. I ended up skipping some long, overly detailed paragraphs in order to get the story to move along.
"Eight Girls Taking Pictures" by Whitney Otto. A smart concept, eight different women for whom photography is their passion or their link to the world or their downfall. Basically eight long short stories, marginally connected. Some of the women are more interesting than others but I read every story and enjoyed the book. A little more solid connection between them would have worked better for me but still it was a good read.
"The Boy in the Snow" by M.J. McGrath. A mystery that takes place in Alaska, some political intrigue, a couple of dead babies, frostbite, sled dogs. An easy read if you are a mystery fan. Really good descriptions of what a blizzard will do to your skin, in case you were wondering. But maybe that's not enough to recommend it unless you are a dermatologist. Still, it was decent, for a mystery.
"The Art Forger" by B. A. Shapiro. A really good read, especially if you know much about the art world. (I don't.) Lots of cool information about oil painting and forgery of such paintings. Intrigue, suspense, revenge, glory. All the elements of a good almost-mystery story. Fun and fast paced, totally worth the time.
All these books are at your local library, you can request them. Or not.
.
"Telegraph Avenue" by Michael Chabon. If you are a Chabon fan, it helps. If not, this book might not make you one. I am a sometime-fan but to me it is too wordy, too pretentious (one three-page chapter is one long sentence, a fancy that I had hoped was out of fashion by now). I liked the characters, he is always brilliant at creating funny, bizarre, endearingly odd people. However it simply didn't work for me that well. I ended up skipping some long, overly detailed paragraphs in order to get the story to move along.
"Eight Girls Taking Pictures" by Whitney Otto. A smart concept, eight different women for whom photography is their passion or their link to the world or their downfall. Basically eight long short stories, marginally connected. Some of the women are more interesting than others but I read every story and enjoyed the book. A little more solid connection between them would have worked better for me but still it was a good read.
"The Boy in the Snow" by M.J. McGrath. A mystery that takes place in Alaska, some political intrigue, a couple of dead babies, frostbite, sled dogs. An easy read if you are a mystery fan. Really good descriptions of what a blizzard will do to your skin, in case you were wondering. But maybe that's not enough to recommend it unless you are a dermatologist. Still, it was decent, for a mystery.
"The Art Forger" by B. A. Shapiro. A really good read, especially if you know much about the art world. (I don't.) Lots of cool information about oil painting and forgery of such paintings. Intrigue, suspense, revenge, glory. All the elements of a good almost-mystery story. Fun and fast paced, totally worth the time.
All these books are at your local library, you can request them. Or not.
.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Food
You can't claim that this blog is not esoteric. Unlike last night when I recommended an excellent article about a very intriguing man, tonight I am recommending a Whole Foods item that is not intriguing but is quite tasty! In the frozen food section: Tandoori Chicken Samosas. I think they cost $2.99 and you get 8 samosas (each about three bites) filled with spicy chicken. And they are really good! And not that fattening! Crispy, nice crust, yumm. Often store brands are yucky. Not these. Check them out.
Who says I don't give good advice, huh?
.
Who says I don't give good advice, huh?
.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Read this
Read this. Not simply because it's a great review of a book, but because it is a great review of a person. And that person, George Saunders, sounds amazing. It's long; take a deep breath and begin.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/magazine/george-saunders-just-wrote-the-best-book-youll-read-this-year.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hpw
.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/magazine/george-saunders-just-wrote-the-best-book-youll-read-this-year.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hpw
.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
So it begins.
Happily, hopefully. At least so far. But that's a given, we are only a handful of hours into this one, it's easy to pretend it is starting off on a good note.
Personally, I have hopes and fears and confusion about this new one, 2013. Last year some really crappy stuff happened and that cannot happen again. But we don't know; badness can repeat itself as easily as goodness. We can hope for good but it is just a wish, no guarantees.
My new year resolutions are to eat more lettuce and eat less chicken. If I could resolve to get more money in my bank account this year, I would, but I fear that is a resolution partly out of my control. But I will strive for it nonetheless.
It is cliched to wish for peace and kindness but we still need to make that wish. Be kind. Be nice. It would be better if acting that way helped in a big way but maybe just small ways are what we should aim for.
Bottom line, I hope your start to the new year is a little more uplifting than mine. Mine is a bit too dense, even for me. It will lighten up, eventually.
Be careful. Be kind. Try to be good. Stay away from the edges of the cliffs at all times. And good luck to all of us in 2013.
.
Personally, I have hopes and fears and confusion about this new one, 2013. Last year some really crappy stuff happened and that cannot happen again. But we don't know; badness can repeat itself as easily as goodness. We can hope for good but it is just a wish, no guarantees.
Some things in 2012 still create in me a desire for revenge, and so I hope 2013 brings black rain to all unscrupulous business owners out there who show little sensitivity and less respect to their employees. It would be nice to not get layed off this year, but I am getting use to not having steady work and will begin a new course of action if this current job doesn't pan out. Proactive, as they say. At least that's what I am planning on the first day of the year. By February 1st I might be reactive. Or inactive. We'll see. I would like no terrible, unnecessary deaths this year to people I love. I want no grief this year yet I am prepared should it appear. Jon Carroll recently wrote: "Pain makes more pain easier to bear. ..... When you come up for air, when you begin to see the sky again, you are better prepared for the next load of grief fate will send your way."
My new year resolutions are to eat more lettuce and eat less chicken. If I could resolve to get more money in my bank account this year, I would, but I fear that is a resolution partly out of my control. But I will strive for it nonetheless.
It is cliched to wish for peace and kindness but we still need to make that wish. Be kind. Be nice. It would be better if acting that way helped in a big way but maybe just small ways are what we should aim for.
Bottom line, I hope your start to the new year is a little more uplifting than mine. Mine is a bit too dense, even for me. It will lighten up, eventually.
Be careful. Be kind. Try to be good. Stay away from the edges of the cliffs at all times. And good luck to all of us in 2013.
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)