My Secret Identity

Well, not technically MY secret identity but my Kitten's secret identity. Known to most Kelly, Kitten, or Miss White her alter ego was revealed when Foxy's Tale, a book based on her life, became required reading for English language learners in the school where she works. The book, written by her father (who incidentally raises Mongooses in his spare time), chronicles Kitten's meteoric rise through the ranks of amateur dogsledding and is told from the perspective of Foxy, the lead sled dog.

I can think of no better way for young immigrant children to learn the language and culture of our land than through this impressive biography and true American tale.

Check out a profile here.

Mac Daddy

My birthday is on Friday and although shiny presents with pretty bows were set out before me I was determined to wait until the actual day before tearing through the bounty. However, through lies and deception, my roommate convinced me to open one of my birthday presents early. I was suspecting a seed garden (as he convinced me to open it saying that the gift had arrived early and might not survive until Friday). Well, I opened it and am now forever changed. I am a Mac user!!!!!! It's like I have taken my first step toward becoming a hipster. I'm not quite sure how yet, but the addition of the Mac is going to make my blog WAY better. And even if it doesn't...she sure is pretty. This is the best 24th birthday yet!!!

Puppy Love

My roommate, Parker the dog, and I have just returned from spending time in the country (Princeton, NJ). While there, my roommate and I played tennis, got our bikes all tuned for the summer riding season (I realized that I have been severely neglecting my bike as evidenced by its black chain which is supposed to be silver),ate a delicious dinner, and had an all around terrific time.

Parker, though, had the best time of all. He found love. Now Parker is not new to love. Last summer during our country visits he fell hard and fast for my aunt's ancient, yet full of life, golden retriever, Lucky. Lucky is decidedly less spry this year and Parker, frankly, has moved on. The object of his latest affection is my aunt's black lab Mac. He followed him around, ignored the nasty snarls, walked beside him, in front of him, and even trotted along underneath him. He whined incessantly through the night when he was separated from his love. Check out the pic: Parker tried to hop in the car to go for a run with the big dogs. Couldn't take his eyes off old Mac, not even for a second.

VAMOS!!!

Some people look forward to Christmas, others the Superbowl; I countdown the weeks and days each year for the French Open. It is there, on the red clay, that my friend Rafa reigns. I love him. I love his obnoxious fist pumps and guttural "VAMOS!!" yells. I love his clam digger tennis pants. I can't get enough of his simian good looks. And I think its cute that his face gets all crooked and stretched out when he serves. He is a thrill and pleasure to watch.

His first round of play is scheduled for today and he will be going for his fourth straight win.

Vamos RAFA!!!

Summer Reading

As mentioned before, I am at a loss for good books to read (chic-lit garbage is not getting the job done). So, I have set about the task of compiling a summer reading list (in addition to the page-turners like "Bureaucracy" and "Reinventing Government" that I will be reading for class). I sought some help on this list. The NYTimes just featured a book called "The 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die". Now the author of the review said "Assume, for the sake of argument, that a reasonably well-educated person will have read a third of them." I couldn't even read the whole list let along a third of the books on it. When I quit my tally was at 5. Anywho, could be good place to go if you are looking for important books to read.

Next, I decided to see what the required reading looked like at some fancy colleges and prep schools. Smith College suggests you read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Another suggestion at the high school level was An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer (Poops, this could be a good pick for your summer adventures.) My own alma mater Miami University (the Harvard of Ohio) had this suggestion: Beyond UFOs: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and its Astonishing Implications for Our Future by Jeffrey Bennett. No joke, this is actually the required reading for all of incoming students at the place where I went to college. That could explain my dismal accomplishment on the 1,001 books checklist. I shall continue withholding donations to this school until they get their shit together, I mean I get that its a party school but at least you could put on a better act!

Please feel free to post your own additions to the list.

The Happiness Lecture

My artistic tastes tend toward Julia Roberts movies and films about troubled urban youth saved by dance or a tough talking coach. Pretty much anything with an impromptu song and dance routine will guarantee a five star review from me. I am, however, willing to suspend my preferences and broaden my horizons on occasion. I have been to several modern dance performances thanks to one talented and artistically inclined performer friend of mine. I love going to see her dance but I can't say I always (or ever) understand what is going on on stage. You see, Julia Roberts is usually straight forward with her performances, no tricks! And I know those kids will come around with a little discipline and the right motivation (cue the hip-hop dance scene).
Last night I went to see a performance art piece (not to be confused with a play) called The Happiness Lecture. Ostensibly the piece was about, actually I have no idea what it was about (sneaky artist types). Overall, the show was funny and entertaining. Apparently, performance art relies heavily on dream sequences but people scurrying about on stage in bags though...I just don't really get it. I enjoyed last night's performance and think I managed the appropriate responses at the right times (unlike my family and I bursting out in laughter when they brought a dog on stage in one of the dance performances...apparently not meant as comedy). But the scenes with sword fighters and the band of black-bagged trolls running around was over my head.

The parts I understood though were terrific. AND there was a photographer at the reception afterwards (it was opening night..that's how I roll), although she did not ask to take my picture (weird) I do think I was able to get my shoulder into one of the shots. So look for me (my shoulder) in the society pages this weekend!

Good vs. Evil

On my recent trip to the "Venice of the America", highlights included 3 straight days on the beach, a VW beetle, an incredibly majestic and patterned sunburn, and finishing Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. The book has wonderfully simple and true subtitle/mantra: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. The book explores how the American diet got to be so bad and how pretty much every other diet on the planet (including cultures who subsist primarily on cow milk and blood) does a better job nourishing you than the Western Diet. Pollan is a terrific writer and does a great job giving lots of detail without becoming tedious. If you are, however, looking to skip over the "science-y" stuff you can just read the last few chapters which are more prescriptive and tell you ways to Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

The flight home was not nearly so high-brow. A trip to the airport bookstore yielded "Certain Girls" by Jennifer Weiner. I may not have been looking, but I do not recall seeing this gem in Barnes & Noble. I think direct-to-airport must be the book version of direct-to video for movies. I, of course, had to buy the hard cover so am now willing myself to finish this $25 collection of whiny drivel.

Reducing Waste, One Beer at a Time

I got a request from the Poopster to post about the confounding problem of vacuums losing their suction today. I have no answer to this and a quick google search for "no more sucking" took me to places I need not go.

So, I have instead decided to embark on the exploration of why one can't order a half beer. Many restaurants allow half orders of pasta dishes, we are given the option of a cup or a bowl of soup, and salads usually come in large or small...as do glasses of juice for that matter.

Last night I ordered up a full-size Stella and it was delicious. When it was finished, neither my palette nor my thirst were sated. But I only wanted a little more, just enough to get me through my meal. But alas, I was forced (out of lack of alternatives) to order a full Stella, of which I drank only half. Not good when one is as environmentally conscious and mindful of waste as I am (and you should be too)

ugh...my daily struggles are just too much to bear sometimes. I will now go find something much graver and more serious to worry about.

Poor Little Parker

Little buddy seen here lounging has been a touch under the weather lately. After chomping off 1/4 of his hind paw, my roommate took him to the vet. Once there, the little guy had to submit to various forms of medical humiliation (who knew temperature taking could be so degrading). At the end of the examination (performed by a French vet) we learned that he has an in-fess-i-on in his paw and one in his private parker parts!

Sooo, needless to say Parker was unable to leave the humiliation behind in the vet's office. This is not Vegas, what happens at the vet does not stay there, but rather comes home and needs to be repeated twice daily. My roommate has been playing the role of vet on this one and Parker's paw and his, you know.... have been getting thorough, twice daily cleanings. Tools involved: soap, syringe, ointment, plastic baggie, and hair dryer.

Parker has already become quite agile maneuvering on all three legs but we are all looking forward to a speedy recovery.

I want a walrus

Look at this cute little dude! Well not so little I guess. I think they weigh about a ton. After reading the article in the NyTimes this morning, I have decided that my next pet will be a walrus. There will be some retrofitting to my apartment, I am sure. But turning a highrise apt. into a simulated ice berg can't be that challenging (I know I have have see greater feats on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition).

I really want to go see one of these guys in person so I can push on his snout and blow in his face (they really like this) and become fast friends with a walrus. Philadelphia Zoo seems not to have any of my new friends (a search for "walrus" brought me to a link where they were listed under "diet" for those nasty polar bear beasts). To see one that is not an appetizer, it appears that I will need to travel to NYC, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, or Moscow.

Stay tuned for the Walrus road trip.

Mixed Reviews

These first few hours of existence have been a real roller coaster!! The blog has received raves (thanks, kitten and towbin), solid encouragement, harsh denials of access (stoopid work internets), and one attack from a disgruntled nurse (aka my sister aka cheese aka brieski brewski lumper bumper dee aka "The Lumper") who also lashed out unfairly against the blog's author (for the record I am neither a loser nor psychotic!!)

I am sure my poor misguided sister will revise her review once she actually reads it. hmph.

Numero Uno

Either out of ignorance or sub-concious resistance I have stayed away from blogs (both reading and writing)...until recently. My cross-over to the dark side has been quick and complete. What started as reading posts on NYtimes.com quickly evolved into visiting Bitten several times a day. The New York Times, though good, could not fulfill my needs forever. Within days it seemed I was clicking and linking all over the place (while trying not to feel like a lame blog voyeur). My workday begins with a cup of coffee and a quick tour of some of my favorites (still not at the point where I can admit what those are without feeling like the girl who knows details of the cool kids because I listen intently to their conversations a couple seats down at the lunch table).

I recently said to a friend that I would like to have a blog but then quickly remembered I don't really like sharing feelings and such. I have come to realize, though, that this is my blog and it can be about whatever I want (being the boss is the bomb). And with a healthy dose of anonymity, name changing, and lying I can have it without feeling too exposed.

Perfect.