Sep
25
September 25, 2007
My iPod feels stale, my nightstand is in need of a good book or five, and my Netflix queue is empty except for the very last Dexter DVD. Help me out, won’t you? What was the last really great . . .
1) . . . book you read?
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
3) . . . music you purchased?
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself?
In the interest of quid-pro-quo-ism, I’ll answer first.
1) If a graphic novel counts, Transmetropolitan, which I’m re-reading from start to finish. Best. Comic. Ever.
2) We’ve been watching a lot of TV series instead of movies lately, but we did see Zodiak a couple weeks ago. It’s really long, but I liked it quite a bit. Strung-out Robert Downey Jr. characters are always a bonus to any movie.
3) Uakti’s Aquas da Amazonia.
4) Underwear. No, really.
Your turn!
Comments
154 Responses to “Memey, but for a purpose”
1. I’m reading Atonement right now and I feel smarter. Maybe because I’m finally reading something that doesn’t deconstruct who-wore-what at the Emmys.
2. We rented Little Children because a lot of my friends were gushing over how good it was, but honestly? It was a little ehh…
3. Yeasayer’s album, after hearing their song “2080″ that’s being distributed freely over the internet. Very good.
4. I bought myself my canon 30d. I don’t think I’m allowed to buy anything else for a looong time.
1) 8-Ball Chicks, by Gini Sykes
2) Sarah Silverman’s “Jesus is Magic”
3) Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Big Iron World”
4) a pedicure
1) Sigh. I have not read a very, very good book in a long time, mostly because I just don’t have the attention span after 4 years of college. But I “read” Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination via ibooks over the summer and while it’s no Bridget Jones, it did keep me mildly entertained.
2) Arrested Development. Please tell me you have enjoyed the awesomeness of Arrested Development before because that show is so. damn. funny.
3) Carbonleaf’s Indian Summer album that I got my fiance for his birthday. It is good.
4) Also underwear. Only this time from Fredericks, which may be trashy, but has the best underwear selection ever.
1) David Sedaris, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. I’ve just started reading Eamon Duffy’s The Stripping of the Altars, which only a nerd can love. Luckily I am one.
2) Keeping Mum! It has Maggie Smith! Rowan Atkinson! Murder! Mayhem! And Touching Family Drama. It’s brilliant.
3) Feist - The Reminder. I’m gonna steal a quote I got from overcompensating.com: “Feist places each note exactly where it is supposed to go and sings like an angel with a new puppy.” That is the truth.
4) The Stripping of the Altars book, along with a pocket German-English dictionary, The Book of Ballads by Charles Vess, and two tiny Sherlock Holmes books so I could get free shipping.
1) “The 13-Gun Salute” by Patrick O’Brian. It’s part of the Aubrey & Maturin series (begun with “Master and Commander,” a fantastic book from which they made a pretty mediocre-at-best film.) The series is just awesome, this is my third time through. It’s got 22 books in it (I think) and every book just gets better. O’Brian is a genius.
2) “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” I’d already seen it, but it’s just that fabulous.
3) “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga” (give or take a few “Ga’s”) by Spoon. Spoon rules. I actually thought “Gimme Fiction” was better, but they’re both great.
4) A new Perlina purse. My old Perlina purse, which I’ve had since 2002 and used every single day, is finally completely kaput. Perlina purses are soft, buttery leather and they’re so well-made. They’re worth the expense.
I just read “The Bean Trees” by Barbara Kingsolver. I didn’t find it to be particularly spectacular, but it was a pretty easy read. It’s been a while since I read it, but I really liked “The Golden Compass” and the rest of the books in that series. And it’s coming out in the theater this December!
“Blades of Glory” was ridiculous…but pretty funny if you like Will Ferrell’s type of humor. I’m more entertained by my husband when we’re watching Will Ferrell, because he finds him to be hysterical. Not that I don’t, but Andy will just CRY watching him.
I haven’t purchased any music in at least ten years because I’m too fickle to like one thing for very long and much too lazy to mess with downloading things onto any listening devices…I tend to relentlessly scan thru the XM channels in the car.
And the last thing I bought myself was a cutting board…because I’m cool like that. Unless you count the tank of gas that costs $75 for my car.
1) ‘Round Ireland with a Fridge’ by Tony Hawks, random but charming, bit like the country itself!
2) Rented ‘Music & Lyrics’ to watch for the *cough* third time, what can I say, it’s Hugh Grant with a cute British accent and a background of 80s music, nice bit of escapism…
3) ‘Time on Earth’ the new cd from Crowded House, loving it :)
4) A new haircut and colour
1. The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin, or in terms of non-fiction, Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice for all Creation
2. I’ve been rewatching all the seasons of Arrested Development, probably the best show ever created.
3. The latest obsession is Murder By Death, I just bought the album Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them?
4. My wonderful pair of new Citizen jeans.
1.) Hmm. Great book? maybe Lalita Tademy’s Red River? I’m in the middle of Bourdain’s Nasty Bits right now, which is fine. I feel like there was something better, but I can’t remember what. Oh! Fluke, by Christopher Moore (anything by him is hilarious–try Lamb), and Boomsday by Christopher Buckley (ditto).
2.) Have you seen Blades of Glory? We borrowed it from a friend last week, and it was funny.
3.) Norah Jones, Feels Like Home–just bought it today, haven’t listened to all of it yet, but it’s good so far. A lot more country than her first CD, but not in a bad way.
4.) A v-neck argyle sweater from Target. Now if it would just be fall already!
1 - Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. Eh, so so.
2 - The last DVD of Deadwood Season 3. Wah!
3 & 4 - Boxer, The National; Our Love to Admire, Interpol; An End Has a Start, Editors; Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon; Because of the Times, Kings of Leon; The Stage Names, Okkervil River; We Can Create, Maps; Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend.
4B - A $3000 custom-made bicycle. But since it hasn’t been delivered yet I figured I could sneak the music in still. :)
1. I just finished The Bronx is Burning and now I’ve started Heat. I liked TBIB but I’m really enjoying Heat, it’s super interesting.
2. We watched Weeds and now we’re watching Without a Trace. I can never pay attention to a whole movie anymore. :(
3. Spring Awakening, the soundtrack. We saw it on Broadway in August, the music is really great.
4. Some maternity clothes from Old Navy. I ordered them online so I’m not sure if I’ll like them.
1. Real Food by Nina Planck - A must must must read. Yes, I’m a big hippy, but it is interesting and eye opening to read about recent food trends and why to avoid them.
2. Knocked Up should be in my mailbox right now! Can’t wait!
3. “Breathe Me” Sia - I’m a sucker for female vocalists
4. hmm… buy something for myself? Don’t understand.
Embarrassing… I am a bit “hippy” but I meant to say I’m a big hippie.
1. I’m reading a book by P.D. James at the moment, one of her murder mysteries. I also just got a couple of books by Terry Pratchett - always amusing! In terms of nonfiction, I’m working through “An Anthropologist Looks at History” by A. L. Kroeber.
2. I have to suggest a series instead of a movie for this one - Briscoe County Junior. Truly wonderful and seriously funny. We also recently watched the original Wicker Man (1973) which was worlds better than the recent one with Nicholas Cage. Go figure. The Prestige and The Illusionist were also good.
3. Haydn’s Missa in Tempore Belli (Mass in Time of War). Before that, CDs from the Ditty Bops. http://www.thedittybops.com/
4. Khakis to wear on the weekends, since my current 2 pairs are not in good shape any longer.
Have you watched much of Nip/Tuck? I rented the first season and am obsessed by the self-obsessed. Try it - you just might like it - if you like sex, beauty, death, sex, adultery, graphic surgery scenes, sex and Joely Fisher. I’m fond of it all, at least the televised, glammed-up versions. And I hate to say it but the womanizing, sex-addicted arrogant doctor is HOT. I’d hit that in a heartbeat (in TV-fantasyland, mind you - and I go there A LOT). Mmm hmm.
1. In the middle of reading “Eclipse” by Stephenie Meyer. It’s the third book in the series though, so if you’re going to read it, start with “Twilight”. I was kind of wary about reading her books because they’re in the “young adult” section, but there’s nothing young about it. It’s about vampires, love, and werewolves. No zombies though.
2. Last movie rented was “Ghost Rider”. It sucked.
3. Last cd’s purchased were Tori Amos “American Doll Posse” and Lori McKenna “Unglamorous”. I highly recommend both.
4. I think the last thing I bought myself was In Touch magazine, but I’m about to buy this sweater from Old Navy. Cute, right?
1) 4 Women, E.B. Alston (my FIL-so I was obligated) It was a very quick read, but I enjoyed it very much!
2) Perfect Stranger with Hale Berry-such a good flick
3) Third Day - great band! I love the sound of the guy’s voice!
4) Ice cream, Mint chocolate chip-Breyers to be exact. I left my husband and children to make a quick run to the grocery store. For the first time in two years I did not buy DIAPERS! I was in it only for the ice cream. Had to make sure I could get through the night! (hubby works late) But before that it was two shirts and a pair of slacks at Avenue on Sunday.
1) The Kushiel books by Jacqueline Carey. Jim Butcher (Dresden Files) Simon Green (Nightside series). Dies the Fire trilogy by S. M. Stirling.
2) I recently saw The Prophecy for the first time. I always have to reccomend The Specials. Bullets Over Broadway. Red Dwarf. Mrs. Henderson Presents.
3)Snow Patrol (Eyes Open). Violent Femmes (Violent Femmes). Van Halen (Balance)
and bonus question,
4) A T-shirt that says, “Legend of Zelda” And tickets to Disneyland.
1) Um, I don’t read much. Its an OCD thing. I’ve ordered 3 books at the moment which I’m waiting to arrive. I know you’ve already read Jenna Jameson’s book, so I have to recommend Motley Crue - the Dirt. Even if you don’t care about the band, the book is so exciting!
2) We’re behind in NZ, so I have no idea if Superbad is in theatres or on DVD over there? Its still in theatres here, and I DESPERATELY want to see it, and we were going to go last night, but I’m sick. Damnit. Sexy hamburger! Anyway, I haven’t really seen anything good in ages. I’m addicted to the Girls Next Door series about Playboy but I don’t think thats for everyone.
3) I can’t remember. Gah. I mostly just listen to 80s stuff so I don’t know.
4) http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=117848226 - that painting of Jerrica aka Jem and the Holograms…it is AWESOME!
#3 The National — Boxer.
Fan-tas-tic!
#4 Bare Esecentuals (or however they spell it), “glow”–very nice all over color–like “warmth” but pinker
1) . . . book you read?
The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Vampire love, baby.
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
We’ve been working our way through Freaks & Geeks. Before that was The Painted Veil.
3) . . . music you purchased?
Toni Collette’s Beautiful Awkward Pictures, Mika, The Brunettes, The Damnwells
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself?
Most likely a book. That’s where my money tends to go!
1. Cast Off by Stephanie Pearl McPhee (Knitting related) - for a totally hilarious, dysfunctional, beach-read I’d recommend Sick Puppy or Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
2. I just saw Water. It’s a beautiful Indian film. Sad but absolutely touching. Also in terms of TV I’d recommend Weeds with Mary Louise Parker - it’s a riot! Also - if you want to see my queue on Netflix I’ll add you as a friend!
3. Brandi Carlisle, A Fine Frenzy (opened for Brandi - really cool music)
4. Yarn (yes I’m addicted!), local concert tickets, books!
1) “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” by Joanne Greenberg. I am the last teenaged girl in America to read this book.
2) Uh, I haven’t. I just keep watching the ones I already own, like Keira Knightley’s “Pride and Prejudice and Wow, Were All English Girls That Skinny In the Olden Days?”
3) Roisin Murphy, “Ruby Blue”. DO IT.
4) That would be new foundation and lip gloss from MAC, as well as the new Lush massage bar and a thick chunk of Honey, I Washed The Kids.
Last good book : Haven’t finished it yet but finally a professor picked something good “Convicted in the Womb:One Man’s Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker” by Carl Upchurch. I’m a grad student in school counseling. Definitely an eye opener.
Movie we rented: we actually picked up the first disk of season one of Dexter after reading it on your blog. Other than that…I’m also catching up on season 4 of NipTuck. Love it!
Music: Robert Randolf and the Family Band “ColorBlind” So so so so amazing. I think on his website he says he is trying to show that you can grow up in the inner city of New Jersey and not just be confined to rap music.
Bought for myself? Nothing other than the Robert Randolf CD. I’m a poor grad student. I haven’t even been to the grocery store in weeks.
1. “The Space Between Us” by Thrity Umrigar. Set in contemporary India. Plot follows the relationship of two women in different castes, one of which is the maid for the other for many many years.
2. “Rome”on DVD. Awesome. We get it from Netfliz when we’re patient enough to wait, and Blockbuster when we’re not.
3. Mika and Arcade Fire albums.
4. A really nice gym bag from target. On clearance! $5!
1. winter’s tale by mark helprin. (beautiful)
2. blades of glory. (holy shit i laughed my ass off)
3. coco - colbie caillat. (if you like folky music and you can skip over “bubbly” if you want to poke your eye with a pencil every time you hear it)
4. a really cute dress from old navy that was on sale for $10. (can’t beat it)
1. Just today I finished Drusilla Campbell’s Blood Orange, which turned out to be good despite being a little tough for me to get into at the beginning.
2. I have to second the recommendations of “Knocked Up” and “Freaks and Geeks”.
3. In the last couple of weeks I’ve only purchased two singles from iTunes: Dave Matthews Band’s “Eh Hee” and Wisely’s “Through Any Window”. LOVE LOVE LOVE Both!
4. We’re splurging on a week in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. The countdown to departure currently stands at 13 days!
Ooh, I’m going to second someone else’s suggestion about the “Golden Compass” by Philip Pullman. Also try “Uglies”, “Pretties”, and “Specials”, a three book series by Scott Westerfield. You’ll find them in the “teen” section, but they’re three of the best books I read this year.
1) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. We have a produce farm and I purchased it for “research”. It’s a good read if you want to change how you obtain your food or just for her descriptions of her garden and the food that they produce.
2) TV? movies? My rotten kids/husband usually have control of the TV. We did rent Blades of Glory, which is hilarious.
3) Hey there Deliah by the Plain White Ts. Love.
4) Kitchen cabinets and countertop today.
Book: “The Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England” by Brock Clarke. Hilariously funny. Go forth and READ!
Movie: Coffee and Cigarettes. That or, Starter for Ten.
Tunes: “Bubbly” by Colbie Caillat. I can’t stop singing it.
Special present: The Make-up Optional skincare set from Philosophy. LOVE!
1) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Be aware that The Road may cause you to shoot yourself in the head in despair.
2) The TV series Extras. OMFG so hilarious.
3) My iPod needs to be charged and my car stereo is broken. I mostly sing Bingo or Old McDonald.
4) I haven’t bought myself anything but a video game lately, but I think I’m going to get that Old Navy sweater. Cute!
1) Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
2) The Prestige with that hottie Christian Bale and some other female hotties that JB might like
3) Not too interesting for you probably, but I re-bought a Foo Fighters CD, The Color and the Shape
4) A very awesome nail buffer “system” from one of those kiosks in the mall, with a buffer, cuticle oil, and hand cream
1. I’m currently listening to Terry Pratchett’s “Men at Arms” - which is wonderful, but I’m a Pratchett fan, and I like walking along and giggling at his stories. If you’ve never read any Pratchett, “Men at Arms” is a decent introduction. And the audio version is good. I recently read Paul Campos’ “The Obesity Myth” was which fantastic - fascinating stuff.
2. “Hot Fuzz” (hilarious.)
3. I’m re-listening to Gwen Stefani and No Doubt
4. I just bought a digital video camera off Ebay, which I got a bit carried away over and spent way more than I planned. Oops. I’m excited though - we’re about to move house, and I want to be able to send my Mum a DVD tour of the new place.
Another vote for Extras starring the always inappropriately hilarious Ricky Gervais. I think there are 2 seasons out on Netflix.
Talladega Nights is funny if you like Will Ferrell.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer gets my vote for a truly original book worth reading.
I’m in a music rut. I do loves me some Franz Ferdinand lately, though.
Things I bought recently that I like: Kiss My Face handwash in Pear scent and Method dishsoap in cucumber.
1. I am currently reading Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende and loving it.
2. We like to Netflix Monty Python’s Flying Circus episodes.
3. Girlyman’s newest CD, Joyful Sign.
4. Well, there was the Girlyman CD. And a cute skirt from Ann Taylor Loft.
1) The Memory Keeper’s Daughter - I finally got around to reading it and it was good, but depressing. I second the rec for Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series though.
2) Um, I can’t remember? I think it’s been years since I rented a movie. I did watch Barbershop on cable the other day. I think that’s the most non-sports TV I’ve watched in ages. Oh, except for Scrubs.
3) Let’s see: Matisyahu, Lily Allen, Pete Yorn, Liz Phair, Remy Zero, Guster, and Beth Orton are all in heavy rotation right now. Oh, and Portishead, and Wild Colonials.
4) My new camera - the new digital elph. love it.
1) Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides. A family and personal saga with uncomfortable subject matter, told in a humorous and sympathetic way. I couldn’t put it down.
2) Haven’t rented a really great movie lately, but I think the last one we did like was Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (yay for weird Robert Downey!) Oh, and also Beerfest.
3) Probably a tie between Dixie Chicks/Taking the Long Way, and The Best of Elvis Costello: the First 10 Years. I also love the new Maroon 5. Music I want to download but haven’t gotten around to: the latest Ben Harper and James Morrison albums.
4) My first pair of size 6 jeans ever (from the Gap).
1) . . . book you read?
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. The sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, is better, but you’ve got to read the first one first.
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
Batman Begins, though we’re probably the last people in the whole world to watch it.
3) . . . music you purchased?
Begin to Hope by Regina Spektor
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself?
books
Whoops, that last one was me. I am a dumbass today, apparently.
If you haven’t read Into The Wild, read it before the movie comes out. Also loved Never Let You Go. (I’m assuming you didn’t want to know about how reading “Teen-proofing” is helping or not helping the angst in our house)
2) Gotta love Strictly Ballroom - an aussie flick
3) Can’t get Amy Winehouse out of my head!
4) New underwear, but it has a bow on the front which my husband REALLY likes
Book:
I just finished re-reading Dogs of Babel (Carolyn Parkhurst) and still love it. Her second one is good, but easier to put down.
Movie:
Not so much with the entertainment factor but we just finished Ken Burn’s Civil War series in preparation for his “War” which isn’t nearly as good.
Music I purchased:
Grey’s Anatomy 2 soundtrack- I’m a bit behind the times but it’s a pretty good mix.
Thing I bought myself:
Sushi dinner as I really can’t seem to make myself cook tonight.
1) Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin or Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen. Both excellent reads. The former is a bit long and winding, but it’s fantastical and magical and everything a good book should be.
2) I think you already saw Hot Fuzz, but we also loved Danny Deckchair, which is a delightful little bright film with Miranda Otto.
3) I picked up The Cake Sale on Amazon for more of Lisa Hannigan’s voice, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a great little compilation, with Gary Lightbody, Damien Rice, Lisa, Josh Ritter and more. Love.
4) Shoes. Flats. Nothing terribly exciting in the least. I’m contemplating a Superhero necklace, as I have been for MONTHS. I’m justifying it with a recent promotion this time, i think.
1) The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. I haven’t been so emotionally involved in a book since She’s Come Undone.
2) No attention span for movies, but I guess the most recent was Big Love (since we are too cheap for premium channels)
3) The new Girlyman CD, Joyful Sign, which has the power to calm my 8-month-old down (glad to see someone else listed it, too!! yay!!)
4) I bought a chicken and spinach pita on Monday and ate it down by the river, and I was pretty excited about that…
1. Jennifer Government. So good.
2. The Departed. So good. You will come out of it convinced that the Irish are out to get you. Also, do not overlook Alec Baldwin in this movie. “Hey, you want a cigarette? Nah, you don’t smoke. What are you, some kind of a health nut? Go fuck yourself!” Still funny.
3. The White Stripes, Icky Thump. Not as good as Elephant, but what is? Still recommended.
4. A ton of clothes from Blackbird. Call me weak, but I could not resist the siren song of the Nom de Guerre heavy wool standard blazer.
1) A Vision of Light, by Judith Merkle Riley. It’s a reread, and I passionately love just about every one of her books.
2) We just watched The Aristocrats, and guffawed through the whole thing
3) After picking up some Spoon, I ended up randomly downloading two songs from Fiona Apple’s When The Pawn… album
4) I just got some brand-spankin’ new interview clothes, including a very cute white and black ankle-length skirt.
Book - The Time Traveler’s Wife - wonderfully romantic and so well written.
Music - Feist’s new album rocks the casbah
Movie - Knocked Up. I already saw it in the theater, but I plan to rent it again tonight. Cute.
I’d highly recommend Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen. One of the best books I’ve read in a really long time.
I can second “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter”–very good. But the BEST book I’ve read this year has been “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini–same guy who wrote “The Kite Runner.” I believe it’s still #1 on the NYT best seller list–and for a good reason–it’s wonderful!
1. I’m reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Awesome.
2. The Painted Veil with Edward Norton. Loved it.
3. Music? Purchased? I do not know this of which you speak. I do love KT Tunstall and that new song by Pink “Who Knew.”
4. Just bought myself some new shoes at Payless. Kind of those urban/sneakerish/Champion brand mary jane looking things. Very cute!
1. The Mistress’s Daughter by A.M. Homes
2. Henry Fool
3. Midlake (early album)
4. Salt and pepper shakers shaped like artichokes
1) . . . book you read?
I am reading Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. BUT, Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold is a REALLY good book.
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
I can’t remember. But someone recommended The Prestige and that was a good one.
3) . . . music you purchased?
Diablo Rojo and Ixtapa by Rodrigo y Gabriela (download from Itunes)
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself?
I haven’t bought it yet, but on Thursday I will be getting new shoes. I am at the point in my pregnancy where bending over to tie my shoes is starting to suck.
You should sign up at http://www.goodreads.com/ and then share fabulous book finds with friends and random blog readers (like, um, y’know…me).
I just finished “Not the End of the World” which is a book of short stories (found recommended by one of my Good Reads connections).
I haven’t bought any new music in a long time but will definitely be checking out some of the stuff recommended here in your comments.
As for DVDs, I’m currently watching the 4th season of Scrubs (started at the beginning) because I that show. We also watched Wicker Man the other day and it sucked so I would advise against it. Started to watch Hannibal Rising but my pregnant, hormonal self could not handle it. So helpful, huh?
Have you watched ‘Firefly’ the one season TV series and the accompanying movie ‘Serenity?” If not, get thee to the Netflix site and order them up, for I think you will enjoy. If you have watched these well I also suggest ‘Freaks and Geeks.’ If you’ve seen that, then I suggest you read ‘Even Cowgirls Get The Blues,’ and if you’ve read that, then pick up ‘Mind The Gap,’ which I suspect you may have read given your penchant for good tast.
i’m re-reading the wind up bird chronicle by haruki murakami because it’s fucking beautiful.
i just watched mysterious skin and found it to be creepy and lovely.
i’m OBSESSED with the new cold war kids. obessed.
i just bought two cats (well, i donated some money and the pound gave me the cats). and i love them.
book- the city in which i love you (poems by li-young lee)
watching- slings and arrows (an canadian tv series. so so funny)
music- the avett brothers album “emotionalism”– do fun, so fantastic
thing- vespa (!!!!)
1) A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Housseni (sp?) - tragic yet beautiful
2) I saw Zodiac too…so can’t really help with movies.
We’ve been watching Tell Me You Love Me on HBO (series) on demand. First episode was like watching Skin-a-Max and not too interesting but for some reason we keep watching.
3) Eddie Vedder - Call of the Wild soundtrack
4) A little black dress and Bonne Bell lip balm (Strawberry and Cotton Candy flavors)
1) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
2) Flyboys (my fiance made me get it, but I ended up really liking it)
3) All the Stars and Boulevards by Augustana
4) A cashmere sweater on sale at Filene’s Basement
1) Little Children by Tom Perrotta–loved it!! It was so funny, yet really dark and twisted…
2) It was a weird night…Saw III, Dangerous Minds, and Talladega Nights…all good in their own way.
3) A Fine Frenzy’s debut album One Cell in the Sea….absolutely gorgeous!
4) A fruit plate from Jason’s Deli…
1) I read Marisha Pessl’s “Special Topics in Calamity Physics” a couple of months ago and luuurved it!
2) We just watched “The Painted Veil” this past weekend and it was very good and beautifully shot. I’m trying to think of some less obvious movies since if I’ve seen it, it’s probably something everyone else saw years ago. Have you seen “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers”? Love those. There’s a movie by a French-Vietnamese director called “The Vertical Ray of the Sun” that I really love, as well. Same goes for “Indochine.” Apparently all of my non-obvious movies are Asian.
3) I am also the last to know about good music, but I recently downloaded “Only You” and “The Fear You Won’t Fall” by Josh Radin and they are lovely. Also, I’ve recommended it before, but if you haven’t heeded my prior advice, you must get some John & Mary. They spun off of 10,000 Maniacs back in the ’90s and OH, is their music great.
4) A buttload of new work clothes from J Crew. You can use their personal shoppers for free, so I made an appointment, told her what I wanted and how much I could spend, and when I got there she had a dressing room full of stuff for me to try on. It was extremely awesome.
1. The Secret River by Kate Grenville. It’s about a very poor English boatman who escapes the noose and is sent with his family to settle / serve his time in Australia. Sydney was basically a shantytown at the time, with a few mansions near the water, and the family encounters landscapes and people they couldn’t even imagine at home. I couldn’t put it down.
2. Bollywood Hollywood. It was fun, but watch Water instead.
3. Hmm…not sure what the last music I bought was…but I’ve fallen for Honeyroot and need to acquire their album ASAP. You can see / hear a bit of them here.
4. Theoretically, a new laptop. It’ll be here in a few weeks. In terms of things I’ve bought and have in hand…sock yarn.
Book: I’m currently flying through Cormac McArthy’s No Country for Old Men. It is rough, thrilling and quite violent and I’m loving it so far. Also, you can soon enjoy the movie version being released by the Coen brothers starring Javier Bardem (my Spanish version of Clive Owen). Also, I really heartily second Ian McKewan’s Atonement, another book that just grabs you.
Movie: Old Joy, a fantastic DVD choice. It’s a story about two friends who have sort of grown apart since college, one is having a kid and the other is still bumming around being a freespirit and they get together to take a quick trip to Bagby Hot Springs in Oregon. It’s sort of quiet and slow moving but really a beautiful story about growing up, etc. Not at all cheesy, and pretty to look at. Also, starring Will Oldham, aka Bonnie Prince Billy.
Music: Andrew Bird, I’ve been listening to both Weather Systems and Armchair Apocrypha lately, really nice. Also, the soundtrack from The Harder They Come, classic Jimmy Cliff movie from 1972 with quintessential reggae soundtrack. Yeah!
Thing: these bowls from ikea http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50057254
you can’t tell in the picture, but they are teensy weensy!
1) “Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan
It’s a great book if you want more encouragement in healthy eating and Pollan is just a damned good writer.
2) Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle and Spaced (Season 1 + 2)
Spaced is ridiculously good if you love Hot Fuzz and everything Simon Pegg.
3) “Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani
4) A women’s Suunto Lumi altimeter watch
1) . . . book you read?
The Golden Compass (and The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) by Phillip Pullman. I am an academic (English) by trade (servitude?) and a sci-fi/fantasy fan by choice. These books are awesome. Way better than the forty thousand pages of Harry Potter I also enjoyed reading.
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
Hot Fuzz; gotta love Simon Pegg and his rogue crew; and with a new baby and grad school to constantly deal with, I gotta love the laugh-out-loud, shoot-soda-out-my-nose comedy.
3) . . . music you purchased?
new Spoon album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Also like the new Rogue Wave. I’m an indie trend-follower. Oops.
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself? An awesome ring from Sundance, just for kicks, but then when it came in the mail, it was too silvery. Too silvery! Can you imagine such a thing? I’m like, “how can I tarnish it?” It’s already been exchanged for a less silvery one.
(If I seem a little outdated, I will repeat, I am an English grad school dork and a new mother. It’s amazing that I even know what’s happened in the world in the last five years.)
1) The Penderwicks. It’s a kid’s book–I’m scouting out material for reading at night to my daughter. Really good book though. Fun.
2) Knocked Up! I laughed my ass off, out loud, in a theater. I almost never do that.
3) I am digging Paolo Nutini. Did you know that kid is only 20 years old and Scottish? (you probably did. I am usually the last to know about these things)
4) A super cute Anne Klein shirt, white with red stripes, that I cannot find a picture of online!
1. ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ is beautful and haunting. For some good chick lit- ‘Babyville’ by Jane Green and the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella.
2. Gotta agree with the “Blades of Glory.” Had no expectations but dead funny. Tonight I am watching “Fracture” with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. It’s been highly recommended by several people.
3. Last cd I bought was the new Maroon 5. Pretty good.
4. A pair of black quilted ballet flats from Old Navy. Their shoes are cute and cheap but give me blisters in the worst way.
1. Madame Bovary (Flaubert, but you knew that already)
2. I recieved two movies today and another one a few days ago: Sophie’s Choice, Knocked Up, and Imagine Me & You.
3. The artist: Common. The album: Finding Forever. That and Kanye West’s Graduation. Ok, whatever, I totally picked sides in the ‘feud’ and Kanye won me over.
4. A dress and skirt from Banana Republic.
1. “Anyone Out There?” — Marian Keyes. It’s chick-lit, but good.
2. “The Prestige” — which brought on a new found realization that a) Christian Bale is hot and b) I want Michael Caine to be my grandfather. I’m weird, I guess.
3. “Wreck of the Day” –album by Anna Nalick. Sure, it’s about 2 years old, but man, it’s awesome. She’s got that kind of voice that hits the soul on those bluesy days. Very good stuff.
4. Shower to Shower Body Powder. For real. I absolutely love getting out of the shower and shaking that stuff on me. Try it!
1. I’m reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini. Highly recommend.
2. Haven’t seen a good flick lately. Unfortunately.
3. My ipod is rather stale like yours.
4. Best thing I’ve bought would have to be Edy’s Loaded Peanut Butter Cup ice cream. Think creamy chocolate ice cream, chocolate pieces, and thick peanut butter swirls. To die for.
1. The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch. What a fantastic book and its her first novel.
2. We’re catching up on old seasons of The Wire. And Knocked Up should be out on DVD this week.
3. No music for me - sorry.
4. Dermalogica skin smoothing cream - its fantastic.
my answer to #2: rent The Departed with Leonardo DiCaprio. GREAT movie. So good, and I don’t even really like “Leo”. Also, Shooter with Mark Wahlberg. Good, too, although not as much as the first movie I mentioned. And, last one, I promise, Deja Vu with Denzel Washington. That’s good, too.
1. “The Next Thing on My List” by Jill Smolinski- a good, fast, read.
2. Shameless-Season 1-James McAvoy is my new pretend boyfriend.
3. Various Bruce Springsteen songs from Itunes-we must be the only people of our generation who have no Bruce CD’s.
4.Della Cruz bike-so fun!
1. “After Dark” by Haruki Murakami
2. “Children of Men”
3. The Shins - “Wincing the Night Away”
Arcade Fire - “Funeral”
Franz Ferdinand - “You Could Have It So Much Better”
John Vanderslice - “Emerald City”
Spoon - “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”
Tori Amos - “American Doll Posse
1) Shelf Monkey by Corey Redekop.
2) Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. Stop laughing at me.
3) The Reminder by Feist.
4) A Pumpkin Spice Frappucino at Starbucks. Although I should have had the Cinnamon Mocha. Next time.
1. This Body: A Novel of Reincarnation by Laurel Doud
American gods by Neil Gaiman
2. Chumscrubbers
Igby Goes Down
3. Foo Fighter-Echoes Silence Patience & Grace
4. Liquorice Altoids
1. I just finished The Memory Keeper’s Daughter - nice read. I’m currently reading God is not Great which is good thus far as well.
For something light and almost, but not quite as funny as Christopher Moore - Gil’s All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez. A little hokey but a quick, fun read.
2. Haven’t watched any movies, just caught up on Dexter (love it) and have been watching Fall Previews for a week. Some friends just told me about Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. It looks like a cute movie.
3. I’ve been listening to Pandora then using my Rhapsody account to load up my mp3 player so I’ve not purchased anything in a while.
1. “A Thoudsand Splendid Suns”, by Kite Runner Guy Khaled Hosseini
2. Um. I’ve been listening to songs my ex wrote for me, so probably that won’t help you.
3. No good movies, either. We don’t get out much.
4. Cripes, I’ve been so focused on my daughter’s birthday, I haven’t bought myself a damn thing. And, I get paid in 3.5 hours.
if you haven’t read “random family” by adrian nicole leblanc, go out right now, buy a copy, and camp out on the couch. it’s nonfiction, might be in ’social sciences’. about a journalist who lives with a poor family in the bronx for TEN YEARS and writes a book about them, reads like a novel. sooooo good.
recent documentaries i loved: unknown white male, girlhood, the weather underground, when we were kings (about the rumble in the jungle, so fantastic).
lately i’ve been having fun with feist, justin timberlake, rilo kiley’s ‘under the blacklight’, spoon’s new one (ga ga ga. . .), white stripes. and i want to hear the new foo fighters really bad. i’ve been b uying myself a lot of fall clothes. i need more work clothes. (I should enter your flickr group with the work clothes).
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/264971
1. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. Not fantastic, but good. A bit overly “epic”. When you’re in China, though, you find yourself reading any and all books in a language you understand.
2. Many, many TV shows on DVD borrowed from the library. Favorite recent find? Seasons of Northern Exposure.
3. Haven’t bought music in years. Was gifted a CD last year - Gershwin Groove by the “Red, Hot and…” series.
4. Still outfitting our new apartment, so last night bought a small saucepan, sponge, chopsticks, and also water, ginger and honey for my dearest’s cold.
1. Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer and rereading The Sword of Shannara series for fun
2. Funniest comedy sitcom in a long time : How I Met Your Mother. Set up kind of like friends, but snarkier, more innuendos and 10 times funnier. Season 2 is coming out on DVD. Also caught up on the first season of Heroes, SUPER ADDICTIVE. Oh, and Ghost Whisperer, it’s nice combination of 6th Sense meets a chick flick. The second season is better then the first.
3. Michael Buble and A Fine Frenzy “One Cell in the Sea” ( you should really check her out on itunes, so so so so incredible.
4. A new wok
1. Right now I am reading “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, and it’s just really well written and wonderful to read. And I always have to reccommend “Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” by Haruki Murakami. It is just so wonderful and mesmerizing and beautifully sad.
2. Well we watched “Knocked Up Tonight” which was humorous as always. Though I think the best DVD movie I’ve seen recently was “Winter Passing” with Zoee Deschanel, Will Ferrell, and Ed Harris.
3. The New Iron and Wine CD is pretty excellent.
4. And the last thing that I bought for myself was hangers … I just moved and I have a closet the size of a small bedroom, and not enough hangers.
(1) the four-book series “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” which is a very easy easy read, but fun. I liked the 3rd book the best. You can read each one in just a few hours.
(2) no recent-run movies, but we’ve lately been renting old Hitchcocks such as “Rear Window” and “Spellbound.” If you’ve ever liked his style of film, give them another watch.
(3) Haven’t bought any tunes in a while because my friend just downloaded about 20G of his iTunes files onto my computer and I’m still sorting through them.
(4) A brand new EVT-168 electric scooter! It is SO MUCH FUN! http://www.evtamerica.com/168.htm
1. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher (a cozy and comforting read)
2. The Secret Life of Words with Tim Robbins
3. Rise by Anoushka Shankar (Ravi’s daughter)
4. white eyelet Sketchers
1. Water for Elephants - sara gruen
2. Breach ( somehow I’m getting older movies from Netflix, stuff I never heard of…)
3. Jon Bon Jovi Lost Highway (sometimes old habits are hard to break)
4. My ipod nano, so no help on this one :)
1. My Life in France by Julia Child (She was a trailblazer with a sharp wit.)
2. The Prestige (very good - but you have to watch when you’re in the mood to pay attention to the details - I had to rewind a few times)
Also - Veronica Mars
3. I Hear the Bells by Mike Doughty
4. Red, long-sleeved tee at H&M (with gathers around the bust area just for a little oomph)
1) Pride and Prejudice… I love it, and it’s a great read. Am also completely devouring Ivanhoe. Oh, and High Noon by Nora Roberts.
2) I haven’t rented it yet, but I reeeeeally want to see Knocked Up. It just came out! Also Blades of Glory, hee! The last great DVD I picked up was actually season 2 of She-Ra… oh, the shame.
3) Sadly, I don’t listen to music that much, unless it’s on the radio or something I already own.
and bonus question,
4) I splurged today about bought myself a gamecube and a gameboy player for it so I can play all my gameboy games (mostly old-school Nintendo games redone) on the TV. I also now have Animal Crossing for both the Gamecube AND the DS, which means I will never have any free time again, ever. Those games are great!!!
PS: if you can Netflix the A&E/BBC version of Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, do it! Five hours of yummy Colin Firth goodness, and it puts the recent 2-hr Kiera disaster to shame.
1) Proofs from THE BOOK, Aigner/Ziegler, nonfiction. :) As far as fiction goes, I just finished “Old Man’s War” and its followup, forget the title, by John Scalzi and quite liked it.
2) Haven’t rented a flick in ages.
3) Culture of Ascent, from Glass Hammer (a pre-order, haven’t received it yet, but I have high hopes!)
and bonus
4) a new batch of tea from specialteas.com, including a lovely if direly expensive Darjeeling first flush.
Oh boy I am so boring………
1. The Lesser Kindred by Elisabeth Kerner, fantasy book about dragons. There are 3 in the series, I’m on the 3rd now.
2. We watched Hot Shots the other night for the billionth time, god how old is that talk about stale! We have Blades of Glory and Ghostrider waiting from Netflix, we just started it again.
3. The very last CD I listened to in my car was Blue October-Argue with a Tree, it’s a live CD and it is excellent! I haven’t bought anything new in a loooooong time.
Bonus……
4. This is so sad but I cannot even remember the last thing I bought myself :(
I really had to chime in on this, so this is a first time comment from me. I read this book The Orphan’s Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente and absolutely loved it. Couldn’t wait for the end and gobbled it up. But once at the end I still wanted more. The follow up book is due out at the end of October.
1) Good Grief, by Lolly Winston
2), 3) and 4) It’s been so long I don’t remember.
But if you’re looking for music recommendations, you need to go listen to “Zombie Me” by No More Kings. I found it as a free download at CNet (it’s not free anymore, sorry), and it’s about a guy who trips over his shoelaces and dies and becomes a zombie. Now he slides down the street with no shoes on his feet looking for brains to eat, and he speaks “with all the eloquence of livestock.”
The lyrics are pretty funny and it has a kicky tune and you have this thing about zombies, right? So I thought you might enjoy it. You can listen to the entire song here. If you like it, it’s available at iTunes.
1. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I’m on a Picoult trip. She writes beautifully and I still cannot get this book out of my head.
2. The Last Castle with Robert Redford. It’s an older film but nice to see Reford age without surgery. He’s still gorgeous, wrinkles and all, and that makes him more fascinating.
3. Reba Duets - all of them are good
4. A piano! It’s used and old but in tune and I cannot wait till it gets here! I’m relearning to play after many many years but figured it would be something I will enjoy for many years.
I’m writing down recommendations for good books because I havn’t read one in quite a while. Although, Nineteen Minutes by Jody Picolt (sp?) was pretty good.
I know this is old and forgive me it you have already watched it, but we just finished watching the whole series of Six Feet Under and it was excellent!! Plus the first season of Big Love was pretty good and I second or third Weeds which was awesome and a easy watch.
I have never posted here- this is quite exciting! hee :)
1. Harry Potter, The Last and Looking For Alaska by John Green (b/c I stumbled on a video series the author did with his brother on YouTube and sort of have a mad crush on the cute, nerdy writer guy). So, apparently I’m on a YA fiction kick.
Both were quite good and not-so-young-adulty.
2.Curse of the Golden Flower- fun martial arts hijinks, but BLOODY with little emotional payoff. Pretty colors as per usual in a Zhang Yimou film, though.
3.Lily Allen (I’m a sucker for a low class british girl and anyone who writes an entire song about her ex-boyfriend’s small penis) and Michael Jackson- Essential Michael Jackson.
4. Short black denim skirt with shiny things on the ass pockets and pink suede mary janes.
Oh my god, my Sundry debut is as a slutty girl who reads at an 8th grade level and enjoys penis humor….. can we be bff?
I am STILL trying to read Bel Canto and sort of refuse to read anything else until I finish that. It is really quite good BUT I am just not motivated to read at the moment (tired and my kid won’t go to sleep at night…)
Team America - World Police - I thought it was quite funny in a stupid sort of way and I am probably one of few Americans who did not see it when it 1st came out but we just watched Million Dollar Baby and holy shit is that good!
Ack… Amy Winehouse. I love her sound, not such a big fan of her “addictions.”
I love love love my new Gap shirt. I was going to give you the link but I cannot get my stinking work computer to work (server issues over here.) It is SO cute - it is this short sleeve brown colored European fit (from their European collection.)
Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides-awesome
Nixon-good. He was a crook , i don’t care what anyone says….
Bryan Ferry-Dylanesque …excellent if you like Dylan
nothing really, but i have a night booked in NYC, Marriott Time Square. Dinner ,show, the whole nine yards . Should be pretty cool….
I think you hsould read “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is just a wonderfully written book and a great story. It is autobiographical and usually non-fiction is not my thing, but it was great. I also loved “Anyone Out There?” by Marian Keyes.
The Stand, by Stephen King. Pursuit of Happyness. ACDC to put on my IPod. Some shirts at Target because I had nothing left but baggy clothing from my weight loss.
1.) Just finished reading “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen. It was pretty good.
The others…um…I don’t even know.
1) . . . book you read?
I did not really read this summer - which is so utterly depressing and unless you count Green Eggs and Ham at bedtime, my reading lately has been limited to mags =( so sad… Thanks to the commenters for putting some great books here to kick my butt into reading gear!
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
Pathetic again - I had to look at Netflix to see the last few movies we watched. Of the last few Capote was our favorite.
3) . . . music you purchased?
Johnny Cash
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself?
If you had asked me last week I would have been stupified, BUT you didn’t ask last week so I have an answer. I bought a top to wear to see Wicked this past weekend in Boston.
1) I read like a fiend, but in the past week - 13 Moons, by Charles Frazier (author of Cold Mountain), Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult, Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst and Forget About It by Caprice Crane
2) I don’t watch a lot of DVDs. I think the last was Neverwas, which was different than I expected.
3) Mark Knopfler’s latest - Kill to Get Crimson and Les Paul & “friends” - American Made World Played
4) Bought MYSELF? HAHAHAHAHAHA. A drink, maybe.
1) *nerd checking in* Harry Potter 7 was the last GREAT thing I read.
2) Movie! Ooh, we watched this on SciFi, I think: Primer. About time travel, and pretty “thinky.” http://imdb.com/title/tt0390384/ (also, short, which is always good for pregnant me who falls asleep!)
3) I haven’t bought new music in ages. Sad. Loving the recommendations.
4) I bought some Bath & Body Works gooey stuff. Lotions etc. :) I smell lovely!
I feel like we probably enjoy very different things, so I don’t know how much help my recommendations would be but. . .
1) I loved Bel Canto, though I read it several years ago, it was the first thing that came to mind. I also love most anything by Jennifer Weiner and I send her book, Little Earthquakes, to anyone I know who has had a baby.
2) I recently saw an Irish movie called Millions that was wonderful. Have you guys watched The Princess Bride? That’s my favorite ever.
3) I enjoy singer/songwriter types. My favorite women are Dar Williams, Carrie Newcomer, Christine Kane, and Catie Curtis. Men: Ellis Paul, Peter Mulvey, and Richard Shindell. They should all have many many things on iTunes. They all make great music, although there may not be much good running music there, if that’s what you’re looking for.
4) I recently bought the first For the Kids CD. Which was for my daughter, but mostly for me, as a girl can only take so much Elmo (yes we have an Elmo CD, kill me quickly); I love it!
[1] Well in between studying for school and my Pediatric ICU Nursing competency exams, I’ve been trying to squeeze in some of my favorite author–Jodi Picoult. Currently I’m reading ‘Salem Falls’ which is excellent. I always enjoy her books though.
[2] Sadly, the last movie I saw was “The Nanny Diaries’ sheerly because the male lead in it is DELICIOUS. I couldnt really recommend it for any other reason. I’m also working through Scrubs and Entourage seasons on DVD.
[3] In terms of itunesin, I’ve been digging: [some of these might be a little stale, but oh well] Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, the newest from KT Tunstall and Rascal Flats (a lil country never hurt anyone). Say Anything’s album “…Is A Real Boy” is awesome. I cant say enough good stuff about Say Anything. I’ve been in a “poppy” sorta mood since the middle of summer, and this album is a pop-rock musical of sorts. I found them because I was in LOVE with the song that closed out the Scrubs season finale in May, searched it out on the internet, and then downloaded it. It’s fabulous. I also recommend the Scrubs soundtracks. GREAT compilations. I’m also into some “oldies but goodies” lately. Journey, Bruce Springsteen, REM, Nirvana, Chicago. Sometimes it’s good to rediscover some GREAT music I havent listened to in a while.
[4] The last good thing I bought for myself were four french porcelain ramekins from Williams-Sonoma (here) in which to make my current favorite meal, as seen here. Although not a recent purchase, I adore my subscription to ‘Women’s Health’ magazine. It has short quick articles to read and it’s chock full of useful, healthy tips. So, those two things and also some long-sleeved coolmax tshirts and a hoodie from lululemon.
Oops forgot to add the Bourne movies — we’ve loved those. The third is still in theaters, but the first two are on DVD.
1) “Reading Lolita in Tehran”- OMFG, and I complain because the cable goes out?? These women risked life and limb just. to. read! Spoiled brat, thy name is Ali
2)DVD rented was Season 2 of “Weeds” from Showtime. High-larious!
3)An old James Brown CD–I’ve got a thing for it, what can I say?
4)A fabulous bottle of red from Frias that ate into my rent budget, but was so deliciously worth it.
ooh and an addendum:
i JUST downloaded Iron and Wine’s new album “The Shepherd’s Dog.” although i havent listened to more than just snippets of it yet, I’m pretty sure it will be awesome as his older album “our endless numbered days” is quite possibly one of my favorite albums EVER.
1. “Same Kind of Different as Me” - very inspirational
2. “Fracture” - Ryan Gosling = yummy
3. “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank” by Modest Mouse - best track - “Missed the Boat”
4. “Russian Navy” nail polish - OPI - supposedly this season’s “it” color (like last season’s “Lincoln Park After Dark”), plus, I love to freak out my mother with “goth” colors
Currently reading David & Leigh Eddings “Belgariad” and “Mallorean” series. I’m on the last book and forgot how great these books are. Nothing too high brow intellectual, just a good read.
Last movie I watched: “Hot Fuzz” from the “Shaun of the Dead” guys. The spouse and kid loved it. I didn’t finish it. Not because it sucked, I was busy cleaning house.
Haven’t bought any music in a while.
Hmm. Number 110. Should I even bother? Why not.
Books: “What’s So Funny” Donald Westlake (best. comic. writer. ever.), “On Agate Hill” Lee Smith, “She Got Off The Couch” Haven Kimmel.
Movie: I (Heart) Huckabees
Music: Lily Allen “Alright Then”
Thing I bought: I so rarely buy things for myself anymore. I bought a lot of flowers and plants last weekend.
I wonder if you’ll get bored and stop reading before you reach my 112th comment…
1. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. Funniest. Book. Ever. To me, anyway. And I see Claudia, #110, also enjoys Haven Kimmel.
2. A Song for the Raggy Boys. It’s an Irish film about a 1920’s Catholic boys reform school. Not an easy watch. Bring tissues. And something to punch.
3. Haven’t bought music in a long time, so I’ll skip this one.
4. I haven’t bought it yet, but we’re researching where to buy my second child, I mean my new camera. I’m going with the Nikon D80, and I’m so excited I might just throw up.
I’m about to begin A Wrinkle in Time for book group.
Movie: If I can’t illegally download it (yay internet!) or catch it on cable, I don’t watch ‘em…I’m pants about returning videos on time. Second the Weeds, Rome and Nip/Tuck recs, tho.
Music: Just hunted down the Wicked Game remake that’s used for the Nip/Tuck S4 ads…it’s so good! I love me some soulful Chris Isaak, but this girl just rips into it–the band Giant Drag, on iTunes. I don’t know about the entire album, I just like this song.
Just bought: other than sushi? Soap & Glory Righteous Butter body butter, courtesy of Target. Yum.
1. Book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I love it. Actually, what I love the most is that I can read whatever I want since I handed in my Big Fat Thesis yesterday. Boo-Ya!
Yes, I just said Boo-Ya.
2. I’ve been Netflixing all manner of old TV shows that involve aliens/psychics/monsters. (X-Files, Medium, etc.)
3. The Pines’ new album.
4. A massage. And a kick-ass pair of black boots. Boot season is arriving.
oooh!! i love when you do these! i get so many good recommendations!
1) . . . book you read?
it’s been a loooooong time since i’ve read a really great book. i am trying to get into something i picked up on the borders “3 for 2″ table - ‘the deception of the emerald ring.’ so far it’s okaaaaaay, but not riveting. i REALLY enjoyed ‘bright lights, big ass’ by jen lancaster (jennsylvania) - i was DYING of laughter the entire way through and was sad when i finished. also - “geek love” if you’ve never read it it’s fascinating and a total page-turner.
2) . . . movie you rented (has to be a DVD, don’t go teasing me with suggestions for first-run flicks unless you’re also going to babysit)?
we PPV’d “breach” recently and that was good. also - ‘hills have eyes 2′ because i love terrible horror movies. but cannibalistic mutants! yay!
3) . . . music you purchased?
al green’s “love and happiness” - i’m putting together a fun ipod mix for my wedding day prep (24 days to go - eep!)
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself?
i bought a six piece philosophy ‘amazing grace’ fragrance set on QVC because I AM AN OLD WOMAN WHO LIKES THREE EASY PAYMENTS AND SHOPPING AT HOME.
1) I recently read Stardust. It is a fairytale for grownups. I couldn’t put it down. The author’s way with words is delicious. I am currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. It’s pretty long, but good.
2) Hot Fuzz. It’s from the makers of Shaun of the Dead. The movie is hilarious.
3) Ivy- Long Distance & Eisley- Combinations (The song “Invasion” is awesome!)
4) Mini glass pumpkins and leaf-shaped candle holders.
1) “On Agate Hill” by Lee Smith was pretty great. A little different than her normal thing, but very readable. I’m currently reading “The Other Boleyn Girl” by Philippa Gregory which is a little trashy but a GREAT read.
2) if you haven’t seen “Starter for 10″ I’d recommend it. It’s funny and has a great Cure-laden soundtrack.
3) The Fratellis “Costello Music” is freaking awesome and perfect for car listening. I like loud British boys.
and bonus question:
4) I recently bought these shoes:
http://www2.shopsmartbargains.com/images/product/131143/1311438869_LG.jpg
because who doesn’t need a pair of really trashy pumps?
1) I was reading 2 books in tandem: “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain & “Cesar’s Way” by Cesar Millan in a vain attempt to calm my excitable, rather goofy lab.
2) It’s not really a movie, but Season 2 of “The Avatar”. Yes, it’s a cartoon & yes, I’m a geek. The last actual movie I saw was “The Bourne Ultimatum”. The book’s better, though.
3) The last cd I bought was “Wicked” - excellent show!
4) A great pair of petite classic black pants from Ann Taylor.
I can’t recommend Mates of State enough. All of their CDs are good. Start off with the first 3 songs on Team Boo to get a feel for it.
1) “Possible Side Effects” by Augusten Burroughs.
2) “Me, You and Everyone We Know” - awesome indie flick.
3) anything by the Dave Matthews Band.
4) Nikon D80
1. eat pray love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I literally kissed the cover of the book when I finished it. For reals. Alternately, anything by Jodi Picoult.
2. The Devil and Daniel Johnston. It’s a documentary about a musical genius in the theros of bipolar/schizophrenia.
3. Teagan and Sara’s new album is great. Also, I just discovered a new band from San Fran called “Blame Sally” and am enamoured.
4. The last thing I bought myself was a plane ticket back to Denver for a long weekend in November. I know that’s not quite the category you were wondering about, but there ya have it.
1. “The Dark Elf Trilogy” by R. A. Salvadore. Which I got from the SciFi Book Club (though they are available elsewhere, the point I’m making is DOOOOOORK!!)
2. The last movie I saw was “The Bourne Supremacy” last night. Yeah, my boyfriend and I are a few years behind.
3. Can’t remember the last time I bought a CD, but I think the last thing I downloaded was Cake (the album with “Frank Sinatra”) and that “Zombie” song, by, I think the Cranberries? Or the Cardigans? Great, now it’s stuck in my head.
4. The last thing I bought myself was an R4 for my new DS, which I think I might marry I love it so much. I also got a 2 gig microSD (for the R4) and a slot cover thingie, also for the DS. I am super dorkin’ lately. But for what it’s worth, I have recently ordered from VS and Frederick’s. So I am still a girl (and maybe a bit of a sexy underwear ho).
1. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It’s about the apocalypse. And it’s hilarious.
2. Fracture. I really, really liked it. It kept me guessing, it made me laugh, and I didn’t feel stupider having watched it. Highly recommended.
3. Lately I haven’t been able to get enough of Regina Spektor.
4. Hiking boots. Really good ones that saved my toes from agony when I climbed a mountain.
Hi Linda -
1) Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris - it is absolutely hysterical
2) The 300 - very awesome cinematography/animation? And the rock hard abs - goodness!
3) Amy Winehouse
4) Mums from Lowe’s - doesn’t feel like fall yet, but now with mums the front porch at least looks like fall…
I am going to put my RAH-RAHs in for the above mentioned books because they were truly divine…
“A Girl Named Zippy”
“Bel Canto”
“Not the End of the World” (great short stories that begin to overlap further in the book…very clever)
“Shadow of the Wind”
and I just finished “Digging to America”
I assume that amazon will point you in the right direction concerning authors
I am at work and this is all I can get away with right now :-)
Linda, I hope you’ll follow up and tell us what you picked! :)
1) Book - Eat Pray Love (I KNOW I KNOW but it really is awesome. I felt like she was writing just for me.) and anything by Terry Pratchett - my fave is Feet of Clay
2) DVD - The History Boys - kind of like philosophy meets Stand by Me - poignant and real and funny and not like anything else I’ve ever seen
3) Music - Lots of Joni Mitchell - Blue, Ladies of the Canyon, Turbulent Indigo, Hissing of Summer Lawns and this Japanese ambient/trip-hop guy Saru (Downtempo Dojo - it’s good) and this guy Nujabes (same idea just different execution)
4) Last thing I bought myself - Voss water. Which isn’t anywhere near as spectacular now that it comes in plastic. Sigh.
1) . . . book you read? Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind. it was GREAT
2) . . . movie you rented? Flags of our Fathers - only i didn’t rent it, i watched in ondemand.
3) . . . music you purchased? if by purchase you mean download…then it was Gruff Rhys. (from the super furry animals)
and bonus question,
4) . . . thing you bought yourself? a really awesome shirt made by these people: http://shop.tokidoki.it/ it’s got milk all over it…and guys with guns. it’s AWESOME.
#3
James Hunter- “People Gonna Talk” Great new R&B/Soul
BOOK: Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson.
DVD: I am Netflix-ing, and of course not *ahem* copying, the sci-fi series Farscape. I just bought a BBC mini-series, North and South (not the one with Patrick Swayze), based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell.
MUSIC: A bunch of classical to listen to at work, including the Brandenburg Concertos and Mendelsohn’s Symphony No. 3. Representing the land of the living, I downloaded Rufus Wainwright’s newest album, Release the Stars.
FOR ME?!: A large, dark brown Coach satchel. It has pretty silver buckles and holds lots of stuff, including, but not limited to: two cooking magazines, a tub of light whipped butter, a regency novel, a package of english muffins, three wallets, eight different types of lip stuff, all of my household bills that keep traveling between work and home, and a glasses case (glasses are on my head). I love it, and it is fabulous. I would like it in every color.
1. A memoir called Three Dog Life written by a woman whose husband suffered permanent brain damage after being hit by a car.
2. Mr. Show DVD - all the old episodes. I feel like I have unearthed a gold mine, although of course a lot of people remember the show from when it played on HBO.
3. I’m dying to hear the whole Amy Winehouse CD, but of course you’ve already done that
4. Trips to the nutritionist, which resulted in my losing 4.7 pounds of FAT in the last 2 weeks (after working the program hard with no results for months because of my crappy metabolism). My fitness kick, by the way, was inspired by your awesome entry a few months ago, and was kick-started by TurboJam. I was told, however, that unless I want to continue having TurboThighs, I should cut it out with the lunges. I really almost cried, because I loved Punch, Kick and Jam.
1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy. This is possibly the most depressing book you will ever read, but it’s fantastic all the same.
2. Hot Fuzz. My husband had to hit pause at least four or five times just so he could finish up his laughing jag.
3. Sarah Barilles “Little Voice”. I read a review that called her Sarah McLachlan meets Fiona Apple, and that’s turned out to be pretty accurate, though she’s a little more upbeat than that description would lead you to believe. It’s been on rotation in my car for a month.
4. Uh, I bought a new car last weekend, but I don’t think that’s what you were asking. :)
1. Well I’ve already outed myself as a sci fi/fantasy geek here so to get right back to that I’ve been reading a series of I “young adult” books that starts with Gregor the Overlander. I know you had issues with the Harry Potter series, but I found this to be much more engaging. Also let me second the recommendation for Into the Wild - or really any of Krakour’s books - Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven - all really good non-fiction reads. Finally, am also reading The World Without Us - interesting sciency (?) take on what would happen if people disappeared.
2. I haven’t seen a movie in ages, but must second the recommendation of the HBO series Rome - for JB there is fighting and gore, for you there are incredibly hot men debauching around ancient Rome style. Also second the rec for Harold and Kumar go to White Castle - its older, but if you haven’t seen it, HILARIOUS.
3. I haven’t found or downloaded anything even remotely new or interesting music wise.
4. Bought myself some new fall work clothes at Ann Taylor because it’s been awhile since I refreshed the wardrobe and they were having a sale.
1) Frankland by James Whorton Jr.
2) the Planet Earth series (we got it from Netflix)
3) Punk Goes Acoustic 2 and New Found Glory’s “From the Screen to Your Stereo II”
4) Hanes new underwear with the smooth cotton tagless waistband. I recommend the Hipster style.
(Oh wow, I typed that #4 before I even read your own meme list. Weird.)
I can only give you a book recommendation. IF you are at all a fan of the filmmaker Kevin Smith. Check out his book. My Boring Ass Life. It just came out yesterday. He also has another book entitled Silent Bob Speaks The Collective Writings of Kevin Smith.
Zodiac freaked me out for days. I couldn’t sleep without picturing the serial killer stabbing that woman by the lake. Great movie, though!
As far as music, my husband and I recently picked up the new White Stripes CD. Not their best, but still pretty good.
Book(s): The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyers. I agree with the other comments….vampires, werewolves and romantic love!!!
DVD: Anything with Blue’s Clues (sigh…I have young kids) We did watch “Stanger than Fiction” this summer. Good and makes you think
Music: cardio mix for my ipod
For me…??? New shoes !!
I hope these haven’t already been suggested, but:
1. Best Book: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Even my mother, who reads only books grounded in reality (The Sparrow is kind of science fiction, a little fantasy) has gotten hooked on it.
2. Best Movie: The Lives of Others, that German film that won Best Foreign Language Film last year. Started a little slow, but got really good.
3. Music — well, at the beginning of the summer I must admit to the embarrassing purchase (why do I feel a nagging shame at liking an American Idol winner, even though I watch the show religiously?) of Kelly Clarkson’s album My December. I’m still listening to it all the time.
1) RANT by Cuck P, A Year in Provence, Deep fathom, Excavation and I am starting on The World Is Flat.
2) Battlestar Gallactica, Season 1
3) I almost never purchase music, but it was probably a DMB CD.
4) I really don’t remember. I must rectify that.
1. Best book: Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel. (Graphic novel.) Or Lamb by Christopher Moore.
2. Best movie: We’ve been keen on TV series from Netflix. We’re enjoying Hikaru No Go (we like it in Japanese with English subtitles better than with dubbing), Avatar the Last Airbender, and Angel (about a vampire, not about angels). The movie I liked most recently was Nanny McPhee. I was not expecting to like it, but it was kind of magic. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting to like it.
4. Best thing I bought myself: Pretty, sparkly earrings at Target.
book - Ken Follett Eye of the Needle - oldie but a goodie. (I recently discovered the library) WW2 german spy in england. easy reading, plot, loosely historical, fun!
movie - The Oh in Ohio - Parker Possey, Danny DeVito.
music - fiddty. don’t let him retire
me - tangerine salt scrub
i wonder why my comment was moderated? weird
Book: The Taking by Dean Koontz - read it in one night!
DVD: None to speak of, sadly enough - but I SOOO want to watch Dexter, I’ve heard it’s oh so good!
Music: “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s and 1, 2, 3, 4 - Feist
For Myself: A pair of shoes at American Eagle - they are a canvas flat - with a hint of tennis shoe, hard to describe, but oh so cute!
Music: Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Glassjaw Boxer - AWESOME…favorite song is 4th of July.
Books: Eye Contact by Cammie McGovern - LOVED IT.
Netflix: Rome, The Office
Stuff: Tons of stuff for my boys - coats, pants, nothing fun though…bummer.
Books: I just finished the first two books in the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay (”Dearly Devoted Dexter” and “Darkly Dreaming Dexter”) and am eagerly looking forward to getting my hands on the third one (”Dexter in the Dark”). The Showtime series Dexter is based on the first book. The books are seriously awesome, considering they are weird murder mysteries written from the first person perspective of a psychopath (but he’s a very sympathetic character for a psychopath).
Movies: Nothing we’ve rented from Netflix recently has really left me going ‘wow’, but if you’re looking for some offbeat little TV shows to get on DVD, I’d recommend “Wonderfalls” (only one season) and “Dead Like Me” (only two seasons) if you haven’t already seen those. And we’re currently working our way through the first season of Dexter on DVD, which is so far just about as awesome as the books.
Book: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. FANTASTIC
Movie: you have to see Knocked Up, it’s new on DVD
Music: Lily Allen
Bought: running pants
Book: I gotta second the vote for The Blind Assassin. Brilliant book. I’ve recently read Under the Banner of Heaven (about the fundamentalist Momrans who practice polygamy), Assassin’s Gate (about the Iraq war), Colors of the Mountain by Da Chen (memoir).
Movie: Pan’s Labyrinth and Volver.
Music: Morrissey, Ringleader of the Tormenters.
Bought: shiny silver patent leather flats, which surprisingly go with almost everything.