Seriously?

Last week, my yoga teacher suggested we all stop wearing deodorant, because he said we need to sweat and release the toxins in our body.

I've got yoga class tonight. I really hope no one took this suggestion to heart.

Fall Into Reading Update

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
2. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
3. Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin
4. An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon
5. Sammy's Hill, by Kristin Gore
6. The White Queen, by Philippa Gregory
7. Dead and Gone, by Charlaine Harris

So, as you can see, I added two more books to my list, which I've already read. I'm currently working on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If this were not a book club pick, I never would have chosen it. If this were not a book club pick, I would not have gotten past the prologue. But it is, and although I'm not opposed to giving up on book club picks, I'm about 200 pages in and getting somewhat interested in the story. I'm just not much of a mystery reader in general.

As for the others, well, I loved An Echo in the Bone, but I expected to. I wouldn't recommend it if you haven't read the other 6 Outlander books, though. I even got to go to a book signing with Diana Gabaldon! I got my copy signed, and one for my sister.

Sammy's Hill was cute. I chose this one because I found it on the bookshelf in my communal laundry room, and I like books that take place in Washington. I liked it enough to get the second one, Sammy's House, from the library.

The White Queen was not my favorite Philippa Gregory book. By far. It just didn't seem as well written, and the story did not draw me in in the same way that others of hers have.

And Dead and Gone, well, I love Sookie Stackhouse! One more unread to go in the series.

U2

Monday afternoon, my friend Jayne called and said her friends Amy and Heath were going to the U2 concert on Tuesday, and they had two extra tickets, so did I want to go too?

Well, Tuesday nights I go to yoga, but it did not take me long to decide I could skip it this week. So off we went.

The seats were on the club level of the stadium, pretty much dead on view of the front of the stage, as you can see. The concert was great! I'm not the world's biggest U2 fan by any stretch of the imagination, but they played a lot of songs I knew, so that was fun.

That spaceship looking thing around the stage was, um, a spaceship, according to Bono. It changed colors and had lights on it that were pretty cool after dark.

Thanks, Jayne and Amy and Heath for inviting me!

Adventures on the Bus, #23536

Dear Man Sitting Across from Me on the Bus,

It is called personal hygiene, not public, because you do it in private. Therefore, I must politely ask that you refrain from clipping your fingernails on the bus.

Love,
Genevieve

PS - yes, that was me who said, out loud, "that's disgusting."

PPS - I was never so excited to see my colleague Ann on public transport. Gave me a good reason to move seats! (I run into Ann quite a bit on public transport. We live pretty close to each other.)

Fall into Reading

My friend Amy always participates in Callapidder Days's reading challenges, and I decided to do Fall into Reading myself this year! Here's a list of 5 books (to start) that I plan to read this fall:

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
2. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
3. Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin
4. An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon
5. Sammy's Hill, by Kristin Gore

I'll update as I read these, and add more, as this will not be enough to get me through the fall!

Flight Home

I went to New Orleans this weekend to see my family. It was a great trip - we went to the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Sunday with my aunt, uncle, and cousin Rick, because I wanted to try this barbecue place, The Shed, that I had seen on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Luckily it was good, otherwise I would have felt terrible making 5 other people drive 2 hours for me!

Anyway, I flew back to Washington this morning at 6 am. I was trying to sleep, but the guy across the aisle from me kept snoring.

Maybe I should start traveling with earplugs, but in case that doesn't work, any other suggestions?

Well Alright Then

Last night my home phone rang. I didn't recognize the name on the caller ID, but since it looked like a real person, not "unavailable," I answered.

Me: Hello?
Voice: Hello?
Me: um, hello?
Voice: Hello?
Me, getting irritated: Can I help you?
Voice: No, you can't help me.

And then she hung up.

I guess it was a wrong number, but how weird is that? She called ME. Couldn't she have just said, "sorry, wrong number!"

I'm like a dragon now!

Last night I went to yoga for the first time in a long time. This wasn't the class I used to go to all the time, but I liked it a lot. The teacher did a lot of focus on stress-reducing techniques, which is great for me.

He also taught us fire breathing! You can do it through your nose, but if you are a beginner, like me, you make a taco tongue (if you are genetically able, that is) and then breathe in and out through your mouth using your stomach muscles.

And today, I'm a little bit sore, but planning to go back next Tuesday night.

Adventures on the Bus, #3456

I haven't had too many weird bus adventures lately, but Sunday I took the bus to my friend Nicole's. It's not a route I take often, but it is direct from my house to hers.

On the way there, there was this crazy guy who kept talking, very loudly, throughout the entire ride. He told everyone that he works in a cemetery. Then he told everyone that white people kill black babies, and I started to get a bit nervous, because I was the only white person on the bus, and god knows if he's crazy enough to think this, he might be crazy enough to want to seek revenge on me. And then bury me in his workplace, and my family would be none the wiser. I tried to read my book but finally I gave up and just hoped I would make it to Nicole's in one piece.

On the way back, the ride was mostly quiet until we got about 5 minutes from my house. Then this guy got on, who proceeded to tell me he felt very very ill because he had just spent $12 at Taco Bell and eaten all of that. I agreed that would be enough to make anyone puke, but requested he do it off the bus.

I love public transportation! You would not get these two adventures in a private car, that's for sure. Near death and near puke. Awesome.

Away We Go

Last night I went to see Away We Go with my friend Erika. I loved this movie - I thought it was funny and touching and had a perfect ending. This has nothing to do with the fact that my brilliant cousin, Anne Yvette, worked on this movie. I think I would have loved it anyway, because, well, she also works on Law & Order and I don't watch that, ever.

It's apparently not in wide release yet, because my sister Leslie told me it's not playing near her, but if it's playing near you, go see it!