You know how everyone throws up those blog posts with tons of exciting links on Fridays? I like those, as I am a sucker for any and all clickbait, routinely finding myself on those endless lists titled things like “Fights That Kate Middleton Secretly Wants to Start With Her Grandmother-inlaw.” But I always feel like they should come on Mondays, the day where you look up and wonder where the weekend went and when is it coming back. So here, for your procrastinating pleasure, are some Monday this and that’s, that basically devolve into rambling. Oh wait, that is basically the definition of a blog.
Grey sweaters are my official fall uniform this year. I swiped two Madewell ones for 10 bucks each at the last JCrew warehouse sale, but had I not a strict clothing-buying ban happening in my closet, I would have my eye on this one or this one.
Despite all your noble efforts, I still can’t make soup. As it is soup time of year, I am sticking to my standby blackbean-pumpkin and developing a deep intimacy with Trader Joe’s roasted butternut squash soup topped with pumpkin seeds.
Ok sorry, last food one. You should make these breakfast cookies. I recipe tested them for Caroline a couple weeks ago and despite my skepticism about a grain-free, sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free cookie, they were amazing.
A student sent me this video and I have watched it at least 10 times, getting goosebumps when the music speeds up every time. Obviously it highlights Paris’ innate superiority, but New York does a decent job playing supporting actor.
Kitten delivery– GENIUS.
Someone loaned me the book Gone Girl and I just need y’all to be frank with me: if I start reading it in the evenings, with James gone, and a known proclivity to freak myself out, will I still sleep? Or will I resort to taking the cast-iron skillet to bed with me because it is the deadliest thing in our apartment?
Apparently women in Academia are supposed to dress like men. Tell that to my curlers and desk drawer full of heels.
And apparently my generation and on down is ruined because we weren’t allowed to fail, fall, and fear. From what I’ve seen of students, it’s true.
Still, every now and then you see that the wild and open opportunities that millennials were encouraged to explore leads to great things. Like this amazing urban farming project that had me ready to try planting produce in my back yard. And then I remember that I have never kept a plant alive beyond a week.
I have long been a diehard fan of “This American Life” and I recently got sucked into the new “Serial” podcast from the same creators. As in, almost makes me want to workout so I can find out what happens. Almost.
I saw this on Facebook the other day and I loved it. For its truth, yes, but also because a couple weeks ago my department head asked me if I could snap some pictures of graduate students and instructors “doing our thing” which I obviously took to mean the photos below, ie, “excessively enthusiastic staged teaching on a subject that I have never actually taught to any of my undergrads” and “a calm leisurely stroll on campus the likes of which we wouldn’t actually take.” But doesn’t it make you want to come join our French department?
Ok- your turn. What random things are you mulling over at the start of this new week?
The Art in Life 
“Gone Girl” isn’t the type of book to freak you out when you’re alone – although you may exclaim out loud “OH NO YOU DI’NT!!” to yourself. It’s amazing. Start it now!
I listened to the first two episodes of “Serial” and am totally hooked. Can’t wait to hear more!
What am I mulling over? Trying to figure out if I want to participate in National Novel Writing Month. Obviously I’m a late starter, since it’s already the 3rd, but there is something I could work on this month, and using all the convenient write-ins that are already set up around the city might make it easier to commit myself to at least sit down in front of my computer one or two days a week.
Ok, that is good to know. Everyone seems to have such strong feelings about it but they are very mixed!
It is SO GOOD. James and I spend a lot of time guessing who did it.
That is so exciting to have a month to focus on writing!
I totally DID NOT care for Gone Girl. I’m not sorry to be the “lone voice” in all things culturally uber-popular, but there wasn’t anything redeeming about that story at all. Every character is an antagonist, there is (spoiler alert) no happy ending. If you like that kind of story, then, go for it…. I wished I hadn’t filled my mind with it. I did read to the end, because, surely, some good would reveal itself (second spoiler alert). It doesn’t. As a matter of fact, I was the facilitator for our book club when it came out two years ago and I retracted the book. We skipped it because, for my friends, I knew it was too dark.
See, this is why I am a tad nervous. I have gotten a couple people who had this response, especially if they just saw the movie. I read enough depressing books for school so I usually try to stay happy and light in pleasure reading. But I do love bandwagons and evvveeerrryyyyooonnnneeee is reading it. So torn.
Hannah,
I’ve been mulling this over… Your second question :). Why did I write such a strong opinion about the book, why did I think it was important to do so? I didn’t have to write anything, or I could have said “it wasn’t my cup of tea, but you go ahead if you like.” So much of our culture is currently bent towards a fascination with all types of wrongdoing and any manner of the bizarre (just look a the new TV shows to air this fall) that I find I need to be intentional about the things I read or watch or listen to. I should also then be intentional in sharing my opinion, even when it goes against what “everyone” else is saying. You asked about this book and I wonder: Do you take a poll about every book you are considering? Did you ask about Gone Girl because you too are intentional about what you fill your heart and mind and time with? If you read the book, you’ll have an opinion about it. Does that matter? If you don’t read it, are you missing anything? Bandwagons can be crowded and they can be fun. But they can also play music hurts the ear.
Hmm, maybe I should have sounded less flippant in my response. It isn’t just jumping on a bandwagon for a bandwagon’s sake (though I have indeed done that many a time), but that I have heard very strong responses from both sides and people I respect on both sides. So I am deeply curious about what type of book could incite that. I am also very ok with ditching a book that proves not to be worthwhile once I start it, as I did recently with The Casual Vacancy when it was terrible 100 pages in. As for polling, I actually do love getting other people’s opinion. There is so much out there to read and so much of it not worth reading, that I love getting other people’s opinions to save time. So with this one, we’ll see! I might give it the 50 page test.
I read Gone Girl alone in a hotel room (and I’m a super no-horror-movie-ever-scaredy-cat) and I was just fine. I loved it!
And you look gorgeous in that bottom left photo! Screw manly clothes in the workplace. Hot rollers for all! (All the women, that is.)
Whoops. Bottom RIGHT photo. You are not in the left photo.
Haha- thanks girl! You know, just fighting back one LBD and can of hairspray at a time!
Super late to this post so you’ve probably already decided to read or not read Gone Girl. I’m a super scaredy-cat – sleep with the lights on when my husband isn’t home at night kind of girl . . . but never felt scared from Gone Girl. However, I will warn you … I couldn’t put it down. Really enjoyed the book!
Good to know! I actually got distracted so it is still sitting anxiously on my bedside table, waiting to get opened. : )