Happy Blog Day 2005!

So I've heard that today is International Blog Day, whatever that means, and as a way to celebrate, people are posting their 5 favorite sites on their own blogs. So without further ado here are my 5 most interesting sites on my blog roll:

Go Fug Yourself

Amalah

Waiter Rant

Dooce

Miss Zoot

Happy web surfing!

#29 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

I've been lackadaisical with my posting this month. Like the spoiled brat I am, my birthday got stretched out for a bit, which I highly recommend, there was vacationing, and to top it off some inner turmoil. So it's been an interesting month. And there are still two more days left! What'll happen next? Wish me strength.

This book is fantastic. Y'all should read it. It tells a powerful story of classism, friendship and guilt while interweaving some modern history of Afghanistan. Poor, poor Afghanistan and Afghans. They really got the crappy end of the stick. (Strong socio-political analysis there, Meredith. Thanks, I thought that all up by myself.) Do not do as I did though and read it on vacation at the beach. This is definitely not a beach read kind of book, more like a curl-up-in-bed-and-wish-the-world-was-different book. Oh, how I wish that were true.

Quick Question

I need to satisfy my curiosity; I'm dying over here. Is there anyone out there who's reading who I don't know? and how did y'all get here? For instance, the people from Texas, Alberta and Virgina Falls? Thanks for visiting, by the way. Please out yourselves! I won't bite, I promise. On to your regularly scheduled program.

#28 Dry by Augusten Burroughs

Right after I finished the last page, the boy turned to me and with impeccable timing, asked me if I wanted a drink. "No! Never again will I ingest the evil waters of Satan!" I replied. Or rather, I inwardly shuddered and politely demurred. I can only hope that my genes, which are only slightly alcoholic (how far back in my family tree can it go in order to affect me?), never assert themselves. Obviously, there is a huge difference between wanting a drink and needing one. And while one morning, I would like to try a Bloody Mary, as of yet, I don't need one to start my day, thanks be to the rolling of the genetic dice.

This Augusten guy is pretty young (not quite 30!) and all ready has three(!) memoirs. How much life can one live in so short a time in order to warrant so many mini-autobiographies? He uses dry humor, which I adore, a penchant for unhealthy relationships, which makes me sad, and likes handsome men, I do too. Dry is a good, quick-ish read and real enough to turn me away fom the drink for few a days. It has some interesing insights into the addicts' mindset and what being in rehab is like. This is something that I am glad to have book learnin' about, and not the real thing. The strength of those who do have real-life experiences is mind boggling.

#27 Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh

I got suckered big time into ________'s (fill in the blank of a major bookseller here) big 4 books for 3 summer deal. I meant to save them for my road trip but instead I buzzed thorugh almost all of them before we even hit the road. Oops.

This is more like a series of novellas than a cohesive novel. It focuses on the stories of three women who unknowingly, all marry the same man (at different times at least.) While learning about the women, one gets small glimpses of the man that all three married, but never a whole picture, which I thought was really interesting. I really liked the concept and it was pulled off pretty well. I just don't know how I feel about the book as a whole though. I enjoyed how Mr. Kimble was never the focus of the novel and how the women were the primary subject matter. I also really liked the different time periods the book spans and how the mores and customs of each one affected the Kimbles. Like the young woman marrying the man who impregnated her, the woman who shocks her family by moving in with her boyfriend, and the woman who tries to break her way through the glass ceiling. So if anyone wants to borrow my copy, let me know.

Gone!

Hey folks,Today is my birthday! I'm on vacation until August 9th! Have a fantastic week! Exclamation point!