Writers I Love

Today I saw a post on facebook asking people to list their 15 favorite authors of all time who have had an impact on and influenced their lives. Over the weekend I was debating taste in novels with my book club, and reminiscing about favorite authors of my past. I tend to have a rather random taste in books ranging from high "classic" literature to the most scandalous romance novel you can imagine. Some I loved in the past. Some I love now. So here's my list:

1. R.L. Stine: Goosebumps anyone? I'm pretty sure I own every one ever written, and then graduated to his scarier novels for slightly older kids
2. Tamora Pierce: The starring character in her novels was a female knight who had purple eyes and magical powers. Need I say more? I believe I was in her fan club at one point
3. John Steinbeck: My love affair with him started after I read East of Eden. His themes are timeless.
4. Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the only book I've read more than 5 times.
5. Mary Higgins Clark: This was another "scary book" phase I was going through. I read every mystery I could get my hands on. Hard to believe with what a wimp I am today about scary stuff!
6. Margaret Atwood: LOVE.
7. E.E. Cummings: Poets count, right?
8. Maya Angelou: For whenever I need a dose of girl power or a kick in the pants to stop feeling sorry for myself.
9. Nora Roberts: Guilty pleasure. What can I say? My aunt just keeps passing along bags of her novels.
10. Terry McMillan: Hello?! She wrote How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Waiting To Exhale, and NOW almost 10 years later, she just came out with a sequel to WTE called Getting to Happy. Color me excited.
11. Louisa May Alcott: Because sometimes reading one book by an author is enough to make me love an author for life. Little Women. Enough said.
12. Jane Yolen: She writes the cutest little story books about beautiful faeries and elves, which would not be complete without illustrations by Lauren A Mills.
13. Carolyn Keene: Because Nancy Drew taught me how to love books. I used to make my mom read me her novels until she fell asleep, and then I'd pick them up and read out loud until she woke up.
14. Chelsea Handler: I don't typically laugh alone on the subway to myself like a crazy person, but she made me. Several times. I have to admire someone who is funnier in writing than live.
15. F. Scott Fitzgerald: Epic.

I always find it interesting to find out what people I know are reading. Their taste never fails to surprise me. There is nothing like a good novel to take your mind off your troubles, transport you to another place, or pass a peaceful day. I know a number of other writers/bloggers read my posts. What are some of your favorite authors?

Ladies. Go. Vote. A. Week. From. Today.

Yes, I'm sick of hearing all the election jibber jabber on tv. And yes, I'm also sick of being accosted by political canvasers on my way to the subway every morning. But I'll still be voting on November 2nd. I would never give up that right, no matter how annoyed I get by candidate bickering. You shouldn't either. There is a rising complacency among young Democrats that might risk flips in senate majority, and major changes if voters don't get out, get to the polls, and vote for what they believe in. Republicans, I respect your views. I just don't agree with most of them.

One of the things I love most about the Obama's (among many) is their crusade for health, and against child obesity. It's an affliction our nation needs to take drastic steps against that is compromising the health of a generation for life in many cases. Marie Claire magazine interviewed the Health Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, who is in charge of Obama's widely disputed health care reform bill. Here are some reasons to motivate you blue loving ladies to DVR an episode of Glee, and go wait in line to cast your ballot for liberal minds and women's rights.

 In Obama's ideal health care reform world:

• Being battered by an abusive partner and reporting it to the police is no longer considered a detrimental pre-existing health condition to disqualify women from benefits
• Chain restaurants must post calories on their menus (with the goal of cutting down the 1/3 of women in the US who are obese)
• Pregnancy, or having children with health problems is no longer considered a detrimental pre-existing health condition to disqualify women from benefits
• Birth control may be categorized as a preventative health care measure (and will be subsidized as such)
• Women will no longer be charged more for non-employer sponsored insurance than men just because they are female
• Women will no longer have to pay higher deductibles for life saving screenings for breast and cervical cancer

Like what you hear? Get your lazy bum off the couch, and have your say in who gets to make the laws that control women's bodies and health care options, or set them free. Suffragettes fought for you to have the right. Go out and make them proud!

Secret Romance

Just when you thought that Tiffany Keys or $30,000 watches with hundreds of tiny diamonds floating across the face were the only way to a woman's (OK my) heart, Stella McCartney went out and found you another way in. She debuted a line of 14 karat gold disks that ranging from prices of $3,745 to $2,265 will certainly be less expensive that some extravagant jewelry with a message that says "I deeply care about you" more than, "I want to buy your affection." Literally.

These adorable jewels came right in time for you to start saving up for Valentine's day, and would be perfectly paired with a box of conversation hearts. Each mature looking charm mounted on a swing top pendant has a hieroglyphic like message on one side, and flips to read a mushy little love note on the other. Be Mine and I Love You were featured in the October issue of Vogue. Hey, I was just reading my old School Days notebook, where each year I was asked to describe myself in my own words. At age 10, in the fifth grade, I self identified as having "expensive taste." I might as well live up to it, right?

Spooktacular Time of the Year

Halloween is my second favorite holiday (Christmas is first-duh). And it's officially one week from today!!

I look forward to it every year, and start brainstorming costumes months in advance. I love the excuse that it gives me to eat way too much candy, and dress up in a ridiculous outfit for a night or two. Add pumpkin carving, haunted hayrides, and spiked cider, and it's nearly a perfect holiday. Last year, I was the Hamburglar one night, and Glinda the Good Witch for the second night of celebration. I didn't think I could top those costumes this year.

Then I came across the Nintendo section of Ricky's. I'll be visiting my sister for Halloween weekend this year, and we are going to live out the Nintendo characters we've played our whole lives for the evening.

I'll be going as Princess Peach.

My sister will be going as Yoshi. I cannot wait. What are you going to be for Halloween?

The Gems of Augusta

This week I had a series of firsts. I rented my first car, I stayed in a hotel by myself for the first time, and most importantly, I visited the capital of Maine for the first time eva. Going in to the trip, I had mixed expectations. I hadn't heard great things about Augusta (Disgusta as some Maineiacs like to call it). I heard it's the land of chain restaurants (true) and that everything closes around 9pm (true). Compared to NYC, it's snooze town. But there were some gorgeous little nooks I discovered in my travels. First of all, the leaves. So pretty, and the fresh air. It just makes you want to step out and take a deep long breath. The country side is gorgeous. Then, in the midst of Applebees and Arbys, the star of lunchtime emerged, Bay Wrap. It's a wonderland of salads, vegetarian wraps, and health.

Then there's Water Street, overlooking the valleys of the Kennebec River (which I had white water rafted a couple summers ago through Northern Outdoors) surrounded by banks of changing trees.

I visited the Capitol Building, which is really quite majestic, and the State museum.

Look at all that open space! And blue sky!

And last, but most definitely not least, I sampled the famous Lobster Stew at Hattie's Chowder House in the neighboring town of Hallowell. It is a must have. It's basically a giant bowl of lobster meat with cream poured all over it. Best served with oyster crackers and a large pint of Allagash.

Just in case you need to have some now, you can order lobstah stew, and all kinds of chowdah to your door online at this site over night express. You can thank me later.

Redecorating?

There comes a time in all of our post-college lives when we realize that it's time to ditch the tattered Bob Marley poster, the room dividing beads, and the empty keg in the corner that "adds character" or that we were just too lazy to return in favor of "adult" decorations.

I was on a cleaning spree lately, and I threw out a bead curtain, a Bob Marley poster, and a giant print of Johnny Depp playing the piano. A while back I framed a couple prints, so now my room displays Dali's Space Elephants and Gustav Klimt's Life and Death (though my print is cropped just to show the life part).

I felt the need to have some real art looking classy on my walls, matted and framed. It is peaceful to be able to gaze at a pretty painting before you go to sleep.  No, I haven't gotten rid of my foam finger, or my graduation tassle. That stays. It's school spirit! And there are some things from college that should just stick around--like your BFF's.

In the spirit of redecorating, I was perusing my dad's college BFF's photography. He just started selling his gorgeous prints on this website that he just launched at extremely reasonable prices. My favorites are the balloon festival, and the Grand Teton National Park. Check it out!

Words of Wisdom

" A diamond is just a piece of coal that stuck to the job."

-Michael Larsen