My musings...

Yesterday, the bald eagle was officially removed from the threatened species. I absolutely love the eagle. I saw so many while living in Alaska- a beautiful, graceful bird. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was disgusted by the idea of the eagle as the national symbol. Instead, he wanted the wild turkey. The wild turkey?!? According to ole Benny, the eagle should not be chosen because it steals the captured prey of other birds. Basically, it sits in a tree and watches another predator capture a meal and then it swoops in and takes it. Also referring to it as a coward, he believed that even a tiny sparrow could scare it away from its territory. A turkey, he believed, would not hesitate to chase anything out of its home, thereby protecting itself and its young. It is also native to the Americas.

Could you imagine a turkey posed dramatically in front of the waving American flag? Would we be allowed to eat turkey for holiday meals? What would happen to turkey sandwiches? Would the personification of the turkey be different in literature (you have to admit, the turkey is usually an idiot)? Plus, how scary is gobble, gobble, gobble?

Perhaps the eagle isn't the best choice... but, seriously, the turkey?

So the other day I ate at Ruths Chris Steakhouse as part of a work thing. Very yummy, but I would never eat there if I had to pay. And I actually ordered a steak (which I don't think I have ever done). It was good, but the mashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms were the best.

My poor little Bichon puppy was shaved the other day. She used to be a white afro on legs but now she looks like a sheared sheep.

I recently finished The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde. What a fun book! Basically it takes a bunch of nursery rhymes and puts a different spin on them. For example, the gingerbreadman is a psychopath, the 3 little pigs are accused of murdering the big bad wolf, etc. It was an incredibly fast read. I love spoof-ish type things like that.

The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime

 Plus there is a sequel called The Fourth Bear. That might be one of my next purchases.

The Fourth Bear: A Nursery Crime

I just finished The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Absolutely wonderful. I loved, loved, loved it. I also went to the store yesterday and bought 3 new books (I had 6 in my hands but scaled down to 3, it was extremely difficult). So now I am the proud owner of The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde, Housekeeping vs. The Dirt by Nick Hornby, and Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. I have no idea where to start!

I am in the process of reading the book The Life and Times of the Thumderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Usually I am not the memoir type but it is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I actually had to stop reading it one time because I was at the train station and I wanted to laugh out loud, however I was scared I would look like a crazy person. So this brings me to the point of my writing... What makes one's life interesting enough to be published? The author is not some famous dictator or president. He's not a war hero or discoverer. He just some person that grew up in Iowa in the 1950's. It makes me wonder if one day I could write a memoir. Would my life be fascinating to anyone? I guess I have some funny stories. Perhaps I could recount the tale of me throwing pepper in my brother's face to see if he would sneeze (hey, they do it in cartoons). Or how I decided to cut down on the time it took to eat breakfast and mix my milk and orange juice together in one glass (I still remember the taste). Or how I decided to see if I could swing my foot over my brother's head (the answer? I couldn't, so my ankle bone gouged my poor unaware brother straight in the ear... I was a horrible older sister). Are these good enough to be published? I don't know. Plus I don't think I have enough to be a full novel. Oh well, maybe by the time I'm 50, things will be different. Maybe then I will write my memoir.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir

Bill Bryson

Today is my slack day. Some comfy clothes and no work. Right now I am watching my favorite soap opera and eating Cup o' Noodles. I know it's the poor girl's meal, but I love them. And I know soap operas are cheesy, but what can I say... everyone has their own guilty pleasures. Hooray for slack days!!!!!!

Cupnoodles