Freaky Friday (Eco-Lux Edition)

Now that Oprah isn't doing her annual "Favorite Things" nod to consumerism, I thought I'd pick up the slack for the first Freaky Friday of the official shop--er--holiday season. This is the lux edition, meaning, this stuff can be a little pricey*. The more practical list will post next Friday. Here goes...

1. Want to avoid the walk of eco-shame at the grocery store? Pick up some Reisenthel Bags, particularly this one. I keep it and bunch of others in the trunk of my car, as I've got a touch of the absent minded prof in me.

2. You can buy organic cotton t-shirts at Target now, for Heaven's sake, but you can outfit yourself in the stuff head to toe by shopping Gaia Conceptions handmade organic apparel. Quite plainly, Andrea Crouse's designs rock. I have five or six pieces, and every item has been washed a gazillion times, never needs a tumble dry, and still looks like new. Each style comes in a wide range of colors, with natural, plant-derived dyes available as well. She'll even cut to your exact measurements (I always have her cut my shirts two inches longer--boob ride up--I know! TMI). Crouse's new merino wool line will cost you some bucks, and I can't vouch for it as I only own cotton, but I've got to say, price tag or not, it's pretty tempting...

3. At my kids' school, children are allowed to keep water bottles in their desks, as long as they are disposable. You can guess how I feel about this. While I decide whether or not I want to be that mom, my kids tote SIGG bottles everywhere else. OK, they cost a freaking fortune, but I'd argue that it's money well spent. This is a good product and a trustworthy company. How often can you say that with confidence? My guys like having a personal water bottle, and love refilling them at water fountains (maybe that's what the school is afraid of!).

4. I have a super crappy bicycle, especially for someone who rides as often as I do. I'm asking Santa for this. It has just enough of that 1950s Flying Nun appeal, without sacrificing the necessary butt-cushioning updates.

5. This product line should offend me to no end, but I find myself...obsessed! The Rich Hippie line of perfumes is 100% natural, organic, chemical-free perfume created using methods not seen since before WWII. All that foraging and natural harvesting takes time and time is money which means, yep, this is a really expensive way to smell good. Like $425 for half an ounce good. Uh-huh. I've had the opportunity to take a whiff of the eponymously titled Rich Hippie (mmm, so good), but needless to say I don't actually own any of these. I do like scrolling through the perfumes listed on the web site, delighted by scents named "Purple Haze," "Shambala," and my personal fave, "Foxy Lady." Maybe someday. Sigh.



*So, um, I'm not telling you to buy anything and I don't get any kickbacks from companies like SIGG, though I really wish I did. Just so we're clear.

Cheesiest Post Ever

The holiday spirit hasn't permeated the blogosphere yet; this week I've seen a huge rise in bitchery, whining, and all-around pettiness while trolling the net. As an antidote, I give you 15 minutes in the brain of a six-year-old, courtesy of my son, Jack:

--He sang Deck-the-Halls while combing his hair, including the "gay apparel" part. My 10-year-old giggled, but said nothing.

--He asked me what would happen if his shoes turned into meatballs and his laces into spaghetti.

--He asked how cold it would have to get before his puke would freeze before it hit the ground.

--He asked why there isn't a 25 on the Advent Calendar.

--He said "Whoo-Hoo," "Cool," and "Totally Cool" multiple times on the five minute walk to school.



So to paraphrase from that one movie with Denzel Washington, "Tell it to me like YOU'RE a six-year-old."



Let's find some joy!

Book Rec: When You Reach Me

I picked up When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead with no expectations whatsoever. I'd heard from someone who'd heard from someone that it was, "uh, pretty good", which made the pleasure of being bowled over by its wonderfulness all the sweeter.

Miranda lives in late 70s Manhattan with her single mother, a para-legal and future game-show contestant on the The $20,000 Pyramid. Amidst helping her mom practice for the show, 12-year-old Miranda is dealing with a lot of firsts: first job, first crush, first confusing breakup with a best friend. Stead handles the swirling emotions of junior high so well, and the novel speaks so truly to these experiences, that when Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes from someone who seems to know the future, the reader doesn't feel jarred by the injection of fantasy. The sci-fi elements are gentle and unfold organically; the clues given to the reader make the ending seem fair and satisfying.

When You Reach Me offers a little bit of everything. It's a realistic depiction of the tentative nature of junior high relationships, a sci-fi, middle-grade Time Traveler's Wife, a bit of historical fiction (12-year-olds in 1979 Manhattan lived a much different life than NYC tweens today!). Highly recommended, for all age groups!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Here's my thankful Freaky Friday a little early:

1. I'm thankful for my family and friends. Couldn't ask for better.
2. I'm thankful that each year I realize, to a greater and greater degree, how much I don't know. It keeps me curious and active.
3. I'm thankful for the caring, nurturing nature of online writing communities. Without the support of my writerly friends, I'd probably be sitting in the crazy house playing checkers with Hurley from Lost.
4. I'm thankful Joanna Stampfel-Volpe said yes.
5. I'm thankful the genetic lottery graced me with perseverance instead of a cute little Heidi Klum nose. OK, maybe not that last one.

Have a great holiday!

Reeee-search!

So very excited. Tomorrow I'm heading down to the Newberry Library (employer of Henry in The Time Traveler's Wife!) to do some heavy-duty research. I'm still editing my current WIP, but I have an opportunity to look at some really cool stuff for the next book I'm planning, a young adult mystery set in 1881 Chicago.

You can't check anything out of the Newberry. When you arrive, you must apply for a one-day library card, tell them what you need, then they bring it to you. I might even have to wear white gloves to peruse my documents (notes typed in 1938). How cool is that? Or, rather, how much of a geek am I?

I loooove research. Once upon a time I worked a part-time job as a research librarian. Best job in the world for a Nosy Nellie like me. Have a question? I WILL find the answer.

Tomorrow is actually a research two-fer. After the Newberry, I'm going to a Tarot reader to get my cards read, and to ask her some detailed questions to flesh out a few parts of my WIP. I taught myself to read cards while preparing to write my story, but I learned from a book, which isn't the traditional way. I also scream like a little girl whenever the Death card comes up then shove it back in the deck--not exactly kosher in the world of Tarot readers. So I need a professional. OK, that sounds like I'm hiring a hooker--it's not that kind of book. Really!

So, I know a bunch of you are plugging away at WIPs. Did you do any research beforehand? What is your preferred method of finding stuff out? Google? Personal interviews? Like I said, total Nosy Nellie. Do tell!

Freaky Twiday

I got home at 3am from the first New Moon showing at my local theater. I'm tired, cranky, and, though I hate to admit it, a little hungover. So instead of a full review (which I probably shouldn't do anyway as I'm the spoiler queen), I'm going to list the five things I loved about the movie.

1. Jacob's abs. You knew this would be first, didn't you? OK, the cougar vibe in the theater was a little creepy, but I doubt you'll be disappointed to learn that Taylor Lautner's costume for nearly the entire movie consists of a pair of running shorts. Uh-huh. That's it.

2. Higher budget/better CGI. The werewolves did not look odd (for werewolves) or Disney-fied. I nearly jumped out of my seat during one transformation. The fight scenes (trying not to spoil!) were particularly well done, and seriously scary, not funny-scary.

3. They let Jasper keep his funky hair/make-up look. Jazz is the muppet vampire. And poor Dr. Cullen still looks like he ran into a vat of baby powder. Love it.

4. The humor. There is a lot of humor in this film--some modestly poking fun at the ridiculousness of, well, everything, and some super sarcastic, biting (ha) lines. There was still a lot of cheese (Edward gazing into Bella's eyes with a look of total constipation, a fantasy scene that resembled a 70s feminine products commercial), but you didn't mind it so much because the humor provided a nice, consistent contrast.

5. Best last line ever. Not telling what it was, but Twilight fans can guess, I'm sure. Let's just say everyone answered the screen, then burst into applause!

I liked this movie. I thought it did well by the book and enriched and enhanced the first Twilight film. Two thumbs up!

Have a good weekend!

Comin' Through the Rye

OK, I just can't help myself. Have you seen LiLa's blog today? Their post about the F-bomb in teen lit sparked an amazing discussion about everything from parental rights to censorship. This is a touchy subject, but if I don't take it on I'm going to bite a hole in my tongue.

Let me get this out of the way first: I am a parent. I believe authors using the F-bomb just to shock are basically lazy, irresponsible writers. I teach literature for a living, sometimes to teens.

(Caveat over...here goes...)

On LiLa's post, I saw a lot of commentary mentioning parental rights, as in, it is my right to not buy books that contain the F-word for my teenager. Of course this is your right. But should it be the determining factor?

What is the motivation here? To shield a 13 year old from this word? Guess what? Unless she's been raised in an arctic commune in Greenland, she's already heard it, knows what it means, knows the variations of grammatical usage, and has probably, if not spoken it aloud, thought it when she dropped her cell phone on cement or missed a major homework assignment.

I can understand the powerlessness parents feel as their families are chronically assaulted by reality television, violent video games and predatory marketing. Because of this I can almost understand parents taking advantage of opportunities to protect their children from vulgarity and unpleasantness until they are old enough to take it on. Almost. My fear is this leaves the child wholly unprepared for that "real world" we're always telling her about. Art helps us learn about ourselves and the world around us. It helps us understand what it is to be human, and celebrate the qualities we share and the ones that make us unique. Denying exposure to great art because of one bathroom stall word is short-sighted at best. It denies opportunity. To me, that is a worse parental crime.

While reading the comments following the post, someone mentioned The Catcher in Rye as an example of profanity used within literature deemed classic. The first thing that came to mind was, there was swearing in Catcher in the Rye? I was fifteen when I picked up Salinger's book. I remember identifying with Holden's loneliness, anger, and almost rigid morality. I remember feeling a rush of relief, grateful I no longer felt like the only weirdo in the world. I remember thinking about the book for days, weeks, years.

What I don't remember, is any swearing.