Moving on Up

So today we're packing everything up in our office to move from the 2nd floor to the 18th. Time for me to say goodbye to my cube with a view & hello to my new office. I've been in this cubicle, with a lovely window, for a few years now. I've worked in 4 cubicles on the 2nd floor in the 6 years I've worked here. My 6-year anniversary is in a few weeks too. It'll be nice to have an office finally. I'm more excited to have one than I expected I would be.

I just finished "My Friend Leonard" by James Frey. It's his follow-up book to "A Million Little Pieces". I have to say I enjoyed this one much, much more than "A Million Little Pieces". This one had some fun, interesting twists (probably embellishments), but were much more real than the last one. I thought it was very endearing and well-written. I cried along with the narrator a few times and was happy along with him too. It was nice to have the base of "A Million Little Pieces", but I think this book could stand on it's own too. I'd recommend "My Friend Leonard" whole heartily.

I'm starting to read "Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer. It'll be my in-between book while I wait for a few that I put on hold at the library. I saw the movie a few weeks ago. It's kinda slow, but well worth it. I really enjoyed the movie. It was really good. And from what I hear, it supposedly stayed close to the book. So, I'm thinking I'll enjoy this book too. I'll let you know. Wish me luck with the move!

Sitting by the pool

I just like this picture. Taken while driving on the 5 freeway from Tahoe back to LA. Looks good.

Today has been nice. Went and sat by the pool with my book. Got a little bit of sun and read for awhile. I think that's the best. I finished "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey about a week ago. It was okay. I liked it up until the middle. Not that I hated it, but I'm not overly fond of it. Although I really liked the character of Leonard, so I intend to embark upon reading "My Friend Leonard" by James Frey also. My friend says she read "A Million Little Pieces" when everyone thought it was real. She feels so duped that she refuses to read another book by him. I'm glad I read it when I did, as I think I would've felt the same way. I have to say that I think I wouldn't have believed it was real if I was told that. Only because I know that most of that stuff couldn't have happened. It was a little too unreal and too perfect. All wrapped up in a nice ribbon. Couldn't have happened that way. I didn't like how it was embellished so much. I definitely could've done with it a little toned down. We'll see how I like his next book.

I also just finished (sitting by the pool today) "Choke" by Chuck Palahniuk. I really, really enjoyed it. I can see why so many people have recommended this author to me. His writing style is very simplistic, but really good. And the story was great. Just the right amount of sarcasm and wit that I enjoy. I think I'll have to read more books by him. Kinda like Robbins or Vonnegut, but different. Has his own writing style, which I enjoyed. It's funny how it seems that I'm on this quest to read about addictions or something. It's my next theme, I suppose.

I'm actually going to have to start writing in this blog from home now. No more sitting and drinking coffee at work in the early morning typing away here. Our company has blocked blogs now. Funny. I suppose it's not because people are reading my book blog. So, I get to find some downtime at home to "tap-tap" away at the keyboard and reach out to the few people that read this thing. I still think books are good for the soul. And if there isn't a soul, it's still good for you. Like vitamins, a little a day. That's my advice anyways. Go curl up in your favorite sunspot and read about Alice chasing the white rabbit. Expand the mind and get away from the world for a minute, hopefully a bit longer...

Cup of Coffee

I like drinking coffee in the morning at work. There's something so nice about getting in early, getting a cup of coffee and just relaxing at my desk with it for a moment.

I just finished "Snow Flower & The Secret Fan" by Lisa See. It was a wonderful read. Did you know that in China women had a secret language so that they could communicate with one another through embroidery & notes? It's so interesting. The language is only written and called nu shu. Apparently it's derived from the men's written language & since women were supposedly illiterate, they italicized the characters of the men's writing and made it look elegant, so it looked like art. I ordered a documentary on this women's writing, so I'll have more to say on it after I watch it! This book was very well written and was about friendship and the lives of women. You can tell that the author did a lot of research. Her depictions of life for these women was so vivid, from the foot binding to the types of foods they made and ate. I highly recommend this book!

I'm now reading "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. I know that it's supposed to be a non-fiction memoir and that a few years ago it came out that most of it is untrue. I am still enjoying it. Whether or not it happened is of no concern to me. It's a story. It'd probably be a bit better if it were true, but even if it's not it's written well and it's a crazy, fun story. I know that there is a sequel, so that's going on my booklist and after a few more books, I'll see if I can get that from the library, as well.


Life is going, not too much else to talk about. I'm still going to movie screening. Going to a documentary tonight & I saw The Bank Job last week. It was a really good movie. Now that one is based on a true story and is a pretty incredible tale. I'm trying to think if I there are any other movies I've seen lately that were awesome. Hmmm. Stardust. Not sure if I mentioned this movie before, but it's awesome. They are marketing it as a darker Princess Bride. And that is the truth. It's funny, witty, sarcastic and fun. Really great movie. I own it now and throw it on in the background when I'm cleaning or can't find anything else on TV that I want to watch.


My martial arts is going well. I think I've decided to test for a brown belt on the next test. I have a lot of practising to do in the next few months. I have to work on my back-kick, as I have to break a board with it. So far, my aim is getting better. The strange boy that I talked about nearly a year or so ago has been coming to class again sporadically. I still want to start cracking up every time we practise things & I hear is "woosh, woosh" (he does this funny breathing thing when he punches or kicks). At least he hasn't tried to talk to me again. Fun times!


I know Easter is coming up, so I'm going to share this. It makes me laugh every time I see it!!!

Another Year, Another Day

My birthday was last week. I'm now officially in my last year of my 20s. Not too shabby. I have to admit, although I wish I wouldn't age I like getting older. If only I knew & had experienced all I have now when I was 21. I know I shouldn't really be lamenting like that. I'm still really young & in my prime. I still look like a High School student (especially when in my martial arts uniform, I've been told I look 16 still). It's just strange to think that 2 weeks ago I was 28 & now here I am and I'm 29. As with everything in life there are many ups & downs to getting older. It's kinda fun, I do like knowing that there is still a lot ahead of me. I just wish that I could actually push myself and figure out what I really want to do. Ah, one day.

Enough of the "old" talk! Time for books! I just finished a memoir entitled "The Tender Bar" by J.R. Moehringer yesterday. I really, really enjoyed this book. It was written so well. It was especially profound in that everyone can relate to the story. Moehringer tells us about growing up in Manhassett without a father and how he came to love the bar down the road and embraced all the men as fatherly figures. Intertwined with him growing up and trying desperately to help his Mom and find himself. It was very heartfelt, but not overly done. He depicts himself in his primes and his most humiliating moments. There really is something for everyone in it. I think it's a book I'm going to recommend to a few more people. My friend let me borrow it and I put it off for awhile, as memoirs tend to depress me. Most of the time they are about these people who have lived through awful circumstances (remember "The Kiss"?) and how they overcame it, etc. But this one was actually nothing like that. This one was anything but depressing.

I've put a few books on hold at the library, but they are taking awhile to come in. While I wait, I've picked up "Snow Flower and The Secret Fan" by Lisa See.

I've been to a few movie screenings over the past few months. I even voted in IFC's Spirit Awards. That was fun. I have to admit that I didn't get to see many of the movies up for the Oscars this year though. So I've put a bunch on my Netflix, but everyone else had the same idea and there is a long wait for a bunch of them. I'm going to a screening of "The Bank Job" tonight, hopefully it's a good film. I did notice that the movie "21" is coming out in a few weeks. This one is based off of one of the best books I've ever read called "Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T Students Who Took Vegas For Millions" by Ben Mezrich. The book was such an amazing read. Partly is because the story is so crazy. I love true stories that are like that. So I'm going to check out that movie in another month or 2. Speaking of great true stories, a really great documentary that won the Spirit Awards, "Crazy Love" is another amazing movie to see. The story is awesome and true. Check it out!

Okay, I've babled enough. I probably should do some work.

Here's a pic from Nantucket. It's pretty.

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