December Book & Goings-On

The book club's December book is The Sugar Queen, by Sarah Addison Allen. This should make for some lighter holiday reading after all the serious books we've done. I'm looking forward to it almost as much as I am looking forward to eating delicious Indian food next week while we discuss Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth, our November book. I've already picked the venue and can't wait to feast.

Meanwhile, let me expound on the dangers of signing up for "daily deal" website email notifications. In the past couple of months my bank account has been seriously depleted as a result of trying to "save" money on deals for things I probably don't need but feel/think/have-convinced-myself I should have in order to enrich my life. However, I'm enjoying all my purchases so much that I can't stop!

I should be a smart and talented bombshell by the end of January, ha!

Recaps

Book Club discussed The Island, by Victoria Hislop, and what a flop that was. None of us recommend that to anyone unless you're a glutton for punishment. The November book was Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth (which I confess to not have even started yet) and I'm excited to talk about this over some delicious Indian food. I've been totally preoccupied with finishing up Stieg Larsson's Millennium Series; the final book is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I am trying to hurry as fast as I can so I can see the movie before it leaves theaters. That sums up the reading portion.

The trip to Chicago for Turkey Day was so melodramatic, Joy Luck Club has nothing on my family! That's all I'm going to say about that... Boy am I glad to be back in NY, even though I'm not alone yet. To quote Shakespeare, "Aye me!" "I am Fortune's fool."

I want To Jump Out of a Plane

...and I did! It was one of the most amazing "pinch me" moments of my life. I couldn't have given myself a better birthday present, and recommend everyone to try it. It was so exhilarating that I want to go as many times as I have to in order to get certified to do solo jumps. Jumping tandem is great and all, but now I'm ready to really fly!

Life is beautiful and the view from the top is grand.

October Book

For those of you following my book club: the October book is The Island, by Victoria Hislop.

We are going to be meeting next week to discuss The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I can't wait to hear what everyone has to say about it. I, for one, loved it, and have already started reading the second installment in the series: The Girl Who Played With Fire. I will be going to see the original Swedish movie versions of the books right away before they leave theaters; I hear they're amazing and super intense!

Our Song, Mayhaps...?

He said: "Feeling so Lady Antebellum 4 u right now," and I get it. I so get it.

Sigh.

I can't believe I'm feeling like this. :D

Recaps

Nashville was too much fun for words! We bought tons of cowboy boots, drank JD like fish drink water, fell in love with country music and have decided to repeat this fun every year in a new southern hot spot. Good times.

The August book for book club was 19th Wife, which we'll be discussing next week, and no, I will not be doing a theme-based venue for this one, lol.

The September book is the highly acclaimed international phenomenon The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this book tomorrow.

Went to see a few interesting movies: Takers (purely for the eye candy), The American (which I loved), and Mao's Last Dancer (pretty good).

It's officially football season, so I'm very happy, not to mention in need of a couple of good bets for an adrenaline rush. ;)

Exercising, dating, shopping, exploring and loving life!

Going To the 'Ville

So friggin' excited today. Why? Because I'm meeting up with one of my best friends for a mini-vacay in Nashville this afternoon! We haven't been on a trip together in almost ten years, and that was the only trip we'd ever taken together until now. We see each other briefly whenever I visit Chicago, but a few hours here and there always seems so choppy and never enough. Not being one for girl trips, Ana is the only person with whom I've felt comfortable even contemplating travel (there's only one other person I'm comfortable with, besides dear ol' mom, and she's my other besty in Chicago). We've already planned things to do, see and eat, and can't wait to get into trouble, southern style! This is going to be so much fun. Yay.

Literary Cleanse

I received an email from someone who is no longer in my life yet wants to stay connected with me...to keep tabs on the goings-on in my life? I don't know. Creepy. I really can't stand this person anymore and wish I could purge him completely. Since I can't erase my memories, all I can do is vent.

Green Tea

In the forest of my soul I picked leaves at first light.
Infatuated by your lust I succumbed.
At midday I basked in the rays of your lies.
Your free radicals oxidized my heart and turned it to rust.
If only I had the antioxidants I needed to resist you then.
My once verdant leaves dried in the heat of my anger.
You chopped them up with curses.
They brewed in my blood and I let them steep till dusk; it’s strong enough now.
I take one long swallow and wait for the bitterness to subside.
I sit on the throne and piss your toxins out.

©2005 Vicky Therese Davis

What People Call Me

Insomniac

Maya Angelou

There are some nights when
sleep plays coy,
aloof and disdainful.
And all the wiles
that I employ to win
its service to my side
are useless as wounded pride,
and much more painful.

Seeing Me Naked

I'm sharing my book review of Liza Palmer's Seeing Me Naked, my book club selection for June. I really appreciated how she ended each chapter with a not-too-heavy introspective insight, and didn't rush the ending.

I was surprised, in a good way. I enjoyed this book tremendously, even if it wasn't super original. This is the first chick lit book I've ever read that didn't have any characters that annoyed me. The first person narrative wasn't distracting (a la Bitter Is the New Black), but rather refreshing and smart. I connected with everyone, the story, and the author. This was also the first chick lit book I found to be intelligent and sophisticated, in writing style, choice of character background, and "little details" that amount to a lot when all is said and read, rather than the usual shallow banter and thought processes of equally shallow and self-absorbed (in the wrong, irritating, and oblivious way) characters. Classy. I'm a new few fan of Liza Palmer.

Shed it All

I had several interesting and enlightening conversations this weekend, most of them at this one fabulous rooftop house party (thanks again, Guambi and Danae) in Park Slope. We covered everything from racism, self-hatred within one's own race, relationship problems successful women face, pregnancy issues for singles and married women, gay relationship quandaries, how one's location affects all of the above, all the way to working out and the Kardashians. I was once again reminded that we just have to let all these societal pressures, self-inflicted criticisms, and other people's hang-ups, fall by the wayside and just celebrate who we are. Inside and out.

I Am What I Am (from La Cage Aux Folles)

I am what I am
I am my own special creation.
So come take a look,
Give me the hook or the ovation.
It's my world that I want to take a little pride in,
My world, and it's not a place I have to hide in.
Life's not worth a damn,
'Til you can say, "Hey world, I am what I am."
I am what I am,
I don't want praise, I don't want pity.
I bang my own drum,
Some think it's noise, I think it's pretty.
And so what, if I love each feather and each spangle,
Why not try to see things from a diff'rent angle?
Your life is a sham 'til you can shout out loud
I am what I am!
I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses.
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces.
There's one life, and there's no return and no deposit;
One life, so it's time to open up your closet.
Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say,
"Hey world, I am what I am!"

Books & Books

Book Club is meeting at AmyRuth's to discuss The Help tonight (you know how I like to have themed outings), and I absolutely cannot wait! This novel was so provocative, I have to put it on the same short list as Wench, another group favorite from a couple months past. I already know there will be a lot for us to talk about and debate.

This month's book selection is quite a departure: The Piano Teacher, by Janice Y.K. Lee. The setting is Hong Kong pre- and post- WW2. I just started it last night and it seems promising thus far. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Either way, the food we'll eat for this discussion will be sure to please all our palates. I'm already doing the recon on venues, hehe.

Recently discarded on my own time was James Patterson's Sundays at Tiffany's, a fluff piece that doesn't deserve shelf space in my personal library--it was donated within an hour of my finishing it. This was one book that really did deserve to be in the bargain bin at B&N. James Patterson will not be getting a second chance outta me!

My Fortune Cookie

I can't help it: I had to post my fortune cookie saying. Although its packaging is rather banal, the depth of the message resounds.

"Many a false step is made by standing still."

This couldn't be further from the truth, and I must keep this message at the forefront of my mind whenever I feel myself becoming complacent in accomplishing my goals (which I have been as of late--thanks, trashy reality TV!). I guess this is just the universe telling me to snap out of it!

Book Club

A recent jaunt with a couple of the Book Club ladies at Lady Mendl's for afternoon tea.

The March book for Book Club was Skinny Dip, which was funny and witty, but not the greatest read; good entertainment, but not enthused to pick up another of the author's books any time soon,

This month, we are reading The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, which is showing a lot of promise thus far.

Spring Cleaning

It's almost spring, and that means it's "spring cleaning" time! I've out my closet on a diet and refuse to buy myself anything--unless it's something super spectacular, of course. Everyday when I get home from work I go through my dresser drawers, closets and sweater shelves to see what I can donate. Last week I filled 4 Hefty trash bags full of clothing, although beautiful, that I will never even miss. Just last night I filled yet another one, well on my way to purging myself of everything unnecessary. Not only do I do this new exercise at night, I do it whenever I'm getting dressed to go somewhere: If I don't like how I look when I'm trying things on, I put those things in the bag. This not only cleanses my wardrobe, it gives me a sense of relief and purification. I suggest every clothes horse to do this and see how it makes her feel.

My edited closets thank me, and so does my bank account!

February Book

wench \'wench\ n. from Middle English "wenchel," 1 a: a girl, maid, young woman; a female child.

This is the title of my book club's February selection by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Wench is Perkins-Valdez's daring debut novel. Provocative, insightful, endearing and courageous, this is one of the best debuts I've ever read, if not the best. Wench follows the stories of four slave women who are mistresses to their white slaveholders, but Lizzie is the protagonist with/through whom most of this book is revealed. I'm not going to delve too much into the meat of this lovely novel because I don't want to disclose too much and spoil it. As you can tell, I've already read it; this was such an entertaining and compelling story that I breezed through it in two days! I can hardly wait to discuss this with the rest of the group (I already know Racquel loved it, too).

My Daily Love Horoscope

Today my love horoscope is so accurate, I had to post it here. Real talk, it's so accurate, I almost don't want to post it...here it is anyway:

"This is a time period, Libra, where things of a romantic nature are not always as they seem, so you want to pay special attention to what is happening in your romantic experiences. This is a time where whether you are single or attached, illusions and delusions can wear the mask of true inspiration, so thread your way among them to the truth and don't fall for the first fantasy that comes to mind. Romantic possibilities may evaporate as quickly as they appear, and that is for the best -- better to let them go than seize on what will not support you. Yes, you will know which opportunities to forgo, and which ones to pay attention to, so pay attention to the universal signs and you will be more than happy you did."

10 To Do in 2010

Not a resolutions list, but a list of things I want to accomplish by year end (in no particular order):

1) Get professional headshots
2) Get a casting agent in order to launch my career as an extra
3) Become fluent in either French or Spanish
4) Lose even more weight
5) Invest more money into securing a positive financial future for myself (2009 was a good start)
6) Donate clothes to the less fortunate
7) Control my spending
8) Gain more upper body strength
9) Show my mom that I really do appreciate her
10) Advance my professional career

January Book

I just tallied the votes for the January book, and the winner is What Is the What, by Dave Eggers. I heard it's an excellent book, and have high hopes for it after having read his first novel (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) several years back.

After my mini-rant on Bitter Is the New Black, I completely forgot to mention how much I loved A Father's Law, the newly published work of Richard Wright. This book/manuscript lingered in my mind long after I finished reading. The characters were so real I felt like I could sink my teeth into them, their problems so poignant that I couldn't help but contemplate them as if they were my own. This is surely a book I will revisit from time to time in the future. I highly recommend this treasure of a book.

Getting it all in in 2010

Happy new year, folks!

A lot happened in 2009: good, great, and bad. It was tiring, educational, challenging, fun, sad, exciting; 2009 taxed all of my emotions. However, I accomplished what I needed to spiritually, financially and professionally; I've tied up all the loose ends that needed tying, and gotten rid of all the toxic/negative/unnecessary/life-sucking people in my life (voluntarily and involuntarily--people who know me well know what I'm talking about). I'm glad it's all over and am ready to dive into this new year with both feet perfectly arched, haha! Wide awake, I am receptive to what the universe has to tell me; my heart and mind are open to new challenges and experiences, new love, new friends, more great books, lots of fabulous outings and pictures as I continue to explore my new host city, strengthening bonds with my family and close friends, and any new opportunities thrown my way.

So I have two mottos I'm following:
"I'm getting it all in in 2010" and "Better choices in men in 2010." I plan to follow both to the letter. ;)

V

PS: Bitter is the New Black was one of the suckiest, most annoying books I've ever read, and that's saying a lot. This book gave the chick-lit genre a bad name (and girls from Chicago--please believe, we're not all like that). I'm now reading My Cousin Rachel, by Daphne DuMaurier. I have to have something more intellectual to get that drivel out of my head.