--SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN RUSHING TOWARD YOU

 

…I just finished two books.  "The Hate List" is a YA novel about two teens who make a liste of all the bullies and snobs in their school.  Then unknowingly, the boyfriend goes on a Columbine rampage, killing 12 of the listed people.  It was very readable.

The other book was "Threats" by Amelia Gray.  The writing was clever and stylish but it got monotonous not knowing what the hell was going on.  In the book, the wife is killed (somehow) and the widowed husband keeps receiving/finding little fortune cookie type threats with bizarre sayings.  I don't think I could safely recommend it.

…The season premiere of "Breaking Bad" did not disappoint.  The best show on television continues to get better.  The only sad thing is when it's over.

…I've been watching "Mad Men" and while I like it, the pacing and plotlines are often sleepy.  I'd say it's a B or B- but, like "30 Rock," very overrated.

…Thursday is the first day of the Pacific Northwest Writer's Conference.  I'm excited and anxious.  I need something to jumpstart my lethargy of late.  Conferences are great for inspiration.  The only issue is I won't know anyone and it's nice to have a friend or two to pal around with.

Saturday night they announce the story finalists and winners.  Cross your fingers for me!

…Here are a few random things I learned lately…

…To raise a baby born in 2011 to the age of 18, it will cost some lucky parents $296,000.  (I actually thought it would have been more.)

...There are 364 drive-ins in the USA, down from 4,000 at their peak in 1958.

The first drive-in opened in Camden, N.J. in 1933
The scariest movies I've ever seen at a drive-in were "I Drink Your Blood" and "I Eat Your Skin" a double feature about a town intentionally turned into zombies when someone injects rabies into chicken pot pies (for 20 years I could never even look at a chicken pot pie, let alone eat one.)

…I read a news article that says struggling motels are rebranding themselves as nudists resorts--and business is booming.

Apparently there are 260 sanctioned clubs and 38,000 dues paying members.  That's quite a union.

…I also saw a poll 36% of women say prostitution should be legalized.  (57% of men say it should.)

…I like these, and thought you might, too:

"I discovered by running against the wind with a bunch of pine branches in your hand you could have pine trees singing in your ears." Georgia O'Keefe

"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame someone else." John Burroughs

"Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced." John Keats

"We know what we are, but not what we may be." William Shakespeare