diversity?

Me and some of the youth group girls went to see Twilight last night. You know, the teen flick based on the teen vampire fantasy book of the same name. It was a teen flick. That's all I'm going to say about that. Yes, it stuck pretty close to the book, so...

One thing struck me, though, as I watched the fictional characters run around the small Northwestern town of Forks. They were an amazingly diverse group of people. Asians, blacks, whites, and of course native americans (which actually makes sense) mingled freely and comfortably. But what was equally amazing is that apparently, everyone- literally EVERYONE- in the town was also skinny. I was impressed. I didn't think Americans looked like that. I thought, you know, we were a bit more diverse in the waistline.

And we wonder why two-thirds of college girls suffer from eating disorders...

my song

Gonna tell you a little story

'Bout what happened last year

Living all nice and happy

In Skinker-Debaliviere

Bought us an old house

Deep down in the city

Didn't have no back wall

And it sho wasn't pretty

Got the bank to give us money

Make the place real fine

Now we ain't got no mo social life

Cuz we're working all the time

Rehabbing blues

Rehabbing blues

Got the re- re- re- re-

Rehabbing blues

Work hard all day

Just to get a door hung

Gotta tear it out the next day

Cuz the wall ain't plumb

Rehabbing blues....

Maybe in twenty years

My blues will be cured

My house will be as snazzy

As anything in the 'burbs

Rehabbing blues...

favorite places to eat in St. Louis

an imperfect and arbitrary list...

• Guido's (on the Hill)
• Saleem's (in the Loop)
• Gyro House (ditto)
• Thai Gai Yong Cafe (ditto, though unsure of the spelling)
• Venice Cafe (Benton Park)
• Chimichanga's (not quite So. Grand)
• Crown Candy (my neighborhood, the hood, Old North St. Louis)
• Chocolate Bar (Lafeyette Square. Technically, we go there for drinks, but when you can have a chocolate martini, who really needs dinner?!)
• McGurks (Soulard)
• Empress Express (downtown. Cheap Chinese at its best)
• Uncle Bills (So. City location. Diner/breakfast food with bona fide diner waitresses)
• Banh Mi Bobba Tea and Creperie, and also St. Louis Bubble Tea (tapioca balls in your slushie drink? Woof, yes. Plus the food and the atmosphere are top notch, assuming you like unique Asian experiences like loud TV's and lots of Chinese-speaking)

my cute kids

... at an interesting park in South City and at the Botanical Gardens with some amazing mosaic art...

Leftover biscuits and sausage gravy

With some cheesy eggs mixed in.

Oh, yeah.

one small comment

I'm intentionally avoiding a lot of political thoughts, comments, and news, but I am going to make one small statement here about the upcoming election day. Whatever happened to JFK's statement about 'ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for your country' (not a perfect quote there, I know) ? I'm not really a fan of JFK's legacy but you know, he had a good point there. I wish that idea would come up once in awhile, cuz I'm really sick of hearing about 'this candidate will or will not make MY life better'. I mean, wtf? Is that the point of the government, to make my life better? To a certain degree I guess it is- anarchy (though appealing) does make everyone's life slightly more challenging.  But the more we demand that the government be responsible for our comfort, the more we have to accept mediocrity and tyranny. Big Brother is born- not through the whims of a dictator, but from the necessity of protecting the easy life.

my book

So, I'm writing a children's story about gigantic gourds that take over the neighborhood. It has a whimsical and melancholy edge to it.  I am now beginning the arduous task of trying to get it published (eek). My good friend Laura is going to help me lay it out and I am probably going to ask someone I know to be my agent and I will also send it to publishers who don't require agents (depressingly few in number). 

It's been fun and educational, and even if I never get it published I still think it is a good story :) And yes, I have no principles. I am willing to change it, slash it, burn it, and sell my soul (not to mention my children) if that's what a publisher demands!