Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

This book of stories, like all of the work of Jeffrey Eugenides , makes me wish I could be a better writer.  It's hard to pick a favorite, but of the stories how many different paths could we take?  A confused college student verging on starvation in Thailand?  A man obsessed with his clavichord?  A woman obsessed with artificial insemination?  No matter the character, the place or the time, Eugenides takes you there.  And with so much humility and respect. And sometimes darkness.  (It has to be mentioned.  I wouldn't really call this collection "light-hearted".)  Although as much as I love his work, if my life were ever written as a novel I don't think I'd want it to be by Eugenides.  I'm afraid of what his eyes would see.

What I feel, I can't say But my love is there for you, any time of day But if it's not love that you need Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed. Tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side? (I still remember George every year on the day he left our world. What a soul, what a talent we all had the privilege to hear.)

Y'all kids go ahead.  I'll be home in my jammies with a coffee cup and a book.  I don't need anybody to tell me what things are worth. I already know.

I know everyone has probably already completed the binge, but I discovered last week that I may not be able to complete the second season of Stranger Things.  I guess I'm just too precious for some things.  And it kinda breaks my heart too because I friggin love those kids!  It's a great show......creative......well-written.....wonderfully acted.......but it's just too upsetting to watch what these kids go through.  And from episode to episode, I can't decide which kid breaks my heart more.  That and the slimy vines wrapping around people and climbing through Will.  And also, on the Buzzfeed's "Which Stranger Things Kid Are You?" of course I got Will.  Maybe I'm just identifying too closely this season.  I'll just hear about it later like I have with GoT and WD.  Missing those never hurt me much either. 

In the movie, La Bamba , a biopic about the life of the late Ritchie Valens , Lou Diamond Phillips plays the young singer trying to break into the music business.  Ritchie struggled through an impoverished childhood with a single mother and a delinquent older brother.  As his new manager, Bob Keane, takes him through the paces of finding his place in the daunting music business, he explains that to really make it he needs to go out on his own and leave his band mates behind.  Ritchie: What about my band? Bob: To be honest, Ritchie, I can't use any of them.  Is that a problem? Ritchie: Yeah, they're my buddies. Bob: You're gonna have to ask yourself what's more important.  Your friends?  Or your music. Ritchie: My family. If ever anyone gives you shit about your "establishment" job or how many hours you work or how you gave it up for "the man" you can feel free to share this.  Your reasons may not look like much to others,

So I've never been in denial about loving nice girls singing nice songs. Taylor Swift . Whitney Houston. Adele. Carole King.  I even like the rebellious girls singing good songs like P!nk, Pat Benetar, Gwen Stefani and The Indigo Girls .  I've never been into women that were too aggressive or naughty.  Hey, they can do what they like.....it's just not my bag. So maybe that's why I dig this new song by Kelly Clarkson.  To me it's a song for us grown women.  She's not threatening to hurt you (other than the "break then you buy it" line).  She's not into games and foolishness.  She won't key your car or send you thong pics.  She won't flirt with your best friend or stay out all night to test you.  She ain't even into the 50 Shades. She just wants to love you.  Love you so soft, even. Here's the thing.  Kelly won American Idol when she was a baby of 20.  She's a 35 year-old woman now with a husband and small children.  I s

To continue my late to the party love affair with Anne Tyler , slowed down a few weeks ago to read this gem and was once again grateful for a gracious author that begs us all to slow down!  This book really makes you stop and think about aging, about chances, about life passing you by.  Come to think of it, most all of Anne Tyler's books make you think of that!  It sounds like a downer, but it's really not.  There's something soothing and warm about Tyler's characters and how their dilemmas don't really feel like dilemmas but are still so relatable.  Every one of her books feels like it was written in a simpler time to me, even though that time is now.  I don't know how she does it, but I feel like I owe Barnaby and Anne a big thanks for this one!