Yummmmm...

When Boyz n the Hood came out in (gulp) 1991, I had a lot of friends who were all gaga over Morris Chestnut.  I was like, eh.  He's a'ight.  I wasn't too impressed.

But now?  22 years later, he joins the cast of Nurse Jackie and I'm like, ooo la la!

Another comment on HIMYM

I'm sitting here watching another not-that-funny episode of How I Met Your Mother.  The only reason I'm commenting on it again is because Ralph Macchio is a guest star.  According to IMDb, The Karate Kid was born in 1961.  He's FIFTY-TWO years old!  Jason Siegel is 33.  Josh Radnor is 39.  Neil Patrick Harris is 40.  Ralph Macchio looks their age.  Seriously...he looks about 40 years old.  How is that possible?! 

For what it's worth, tonight's show had a pretty decent ending.  (I won't spoil it.)

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow. Just wow. I don't even know where to start. It's too easy to say this story is about two misfits who find each other and fall in love, because it's so much more than that. The story takes place in 1986 and Rainbow Rowell completely me took me back to that time, and those days that I was in high school in 1986 and had my first love. The story is sweet, charming, even heartbreaking...but so wonderful.  I definitely recommend this one.

Side note:  The story takes place in Omaha, Nebraska, which is where my whole family is from.  My sister & I never lived there, but we visit each summer to see everyone.  I had to laugh when Park took Eleanor to the Old Market.  Ms. Rowell writes: [Eleanor had] never been to the Old Market, which was practically the only place to go in Omaha.

So true!  Every year, my sister and I try to hit the Old Market as often as possible, and we always say that if we were to live in Omaha, that's where we'd have to live. 


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The Voice should have just stopped here.

First, I'm several episodes behind on The Voice and just saw this battle from April 15:


Seriously?

The show could end here with these two as co-winners. Wow. Best battle I've seen on this show. Fantastic!

The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter

The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Aw man. Beautiful Ruins was the first Jess Walter book I read, and it was one of my favorite books of 2012. I really looked forward to reading another of his books, but was ultimately let down with The Financial Lives of the Poets. I give it 2.5 stars.

I still think Jess Walter is a great writer, but the main character in this story, Matt Prior, is an idiot who makes horrible decision after horrible decision. Horrible isn't even the right word...more like preposterous. The one thing I could never get with is that after losing his job as a newspaper reporter, he decides to start a website to dole out financial advice in poetic prose. See? Preposterous! That decision, plus the excessive spending habits of his wife, lead to the website failing and he and his wife falling into financial ruin. His life just gets worse from there based on more stupid decisions. It'd be one thing if Matt had any redeeming qualities, but he doesn't, so I found that I wasn't even rooting for him.

I'll give Mr. Walter another chance. I've seen some good reviews for some of his other books that will hopefully be more appealing.

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Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez

Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A friend showed this book to me while we were browsing at the bookstore and when I read this small excerpt from the inside cover, I knew I was going to buy it:

"Maybe you should get a god"
"We have one."
"Oh really?" Janet raised an eyebrow. "Is he hot? Or is he even a he? Did you go the goddess route?"
"No, he's a he."
"Cool. So is he hot?"
"He's a raccoon."
"Like with the striped tail and the cute little paws?"
Teri nodded.
"Very retro."

A young couple, Phil & Teri, who are a little down on their luck, decide to find a god to help bring a little prosperity to their lives. They find Luka, aka Lucky, on an online deity matching site. They don't need to sacrifice any animals for him...all he asks is for a small cut of their fortune and that he stay at their house. My favorite character was a friend of Lucky's: Quetzalcoatl, who was nicknamed Quick.

This book reminded me a lot of Neil Gaiman's American Gods but it's not as dark, (though there are dark moments) and it's a fun and quick read. American Gods took a little more concentration.

This one kept me smiling throughout.

My version of the book also included an excerpt from another of A. Lee Martinez's books, Chasing the Moon. I'm hooked, and will be reading that one too at some point. Mr. Martinez has a new fan.


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The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins

The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Crooked Branch is the story of two mothers: one is Majella, a new mother in current-day New York, who is finding motherhood much more difficult than she expected. The other is Ginny, a mother living in Ireland during the potato famine in the 1840s who is doing all she can to help her family survive.

Jeanine Cummins, once again, shows off her fine skills for storytelling. Her descriptive words have a way of transporting the reader so they are there. During the famine scenes, I felt like I could actually smell the rot. I cared for both struggling mothers in this story that is ultimately about a mother's love.

Here's a great interview that Jeanine did on NPR about her book. Without spoiling the book, you'll get a good idea of what she was thinking as she wrote the stories of Majella and Ginny. I think it's interesting to hear where the stories came from. (Note:  there's some language in the interview that might not be safe for work.)

Jeanine's previous book, The Outside Boy, completely stole my heart (my review).  While I truly enjoyed The Crooked Branch, it'd be difficult for a book to affect me like The Outside Boy did.  I do think the new book will resonate strongly with mothers, especially new moms.  I don't have kids, so I couldn't go all the way "there," but I've heard stories from friends about postpartum depression and can only imagine how your life would change after bringing a baby into the world.  Jeanine does a great job describing those feelings and experiences.

Also, full disclosure, Jeanine is a friend of mine. I'm happy to recommend her work because it's damn good. (Wouldn't it be awkward if I didn't like her stuff? I would just stay silent about it if that were the case...)

*Gulp* That was 30 years ago?!

Thirty years ago today, this happened:



And, as my friend posted on Facebook, the game changed.

I was talking with my mom about this--she asked what grade I was in when the show aired. I was in 8th grade. And then we realized my mom was 41 at the time. And guess what? Now I'M 42! When did that happen???

I wish that Barry Gordy and the powers that be at Motown would put Motown 25 on DVD and re-release it. Right now, you can buy it on VHS for anywhere from $40 to $117 according to Amazon.com. Motown could release it on DVD for their 55th anniversary...they would make a killing, I'm sure. It was SUCH a great show.

There's just something about that song

After all the news over the summer about the shenanigans being pulled by Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj during the American Idol tryouts, I decided once and for all that I would not watch this season of AI.  (I was already leaning that way when they announced Mariah was a judge.  The girl can sannng, but man, she no personality.)

Anyway, my sister and my friend Amy are still watching and are trying to convince me to join in.  I told them that if there is anyone really, really, really good on the show when they get to the Top 10 to let me know and maybe I'd tune in.

This week, my sister posted the following in our Facebook conversation:  

Watching last night's show now. They had a sing-off between 2 contestants who didn't make it into the top 10. Whoever wins the sing-off gets to join the tour. Aubrey should so make it! I wish she had made the top 10. She's awesome! And so beautiful!



So, I watched it, and here's how I responded:  

She was a'ight. Actually, I'm surprised we don't hear this song more on AI...it's a good song to show your range. I just can't compare Aubrey's version to Irene Cara though. Anytime I hear Irene Cara's version, my eyes get teary when she sings, "When I'm down and FEEEEEEELINNNGGG blue..."

Every time. (I just tested it.) Aubrey didn't make me cry.

(Deb's right though...she is beautiful.)

Now here's Irene Cara (tears come around 1:10 and 2:06):

I was only 10 when Fame came out, so I didn't see it in the movie theater (it was rated R), but I had the soundtrack, and even when I was young, "Out Here on My Own" made me cry. Why is that? There's something in Irene's tone, I think, that just gets me right....there.

(I'm definitely going to be watching Fame again this weekend.)

Meanwhile, the following conversation also took place in our FB conversation about American Idol:

AMY (in reference to Nicki Minaj showing up late to a live show): As far as Nicki is concerned..it was unprofessional of her. Did you notice how Ryan made jokes at the beginning, but after she slipped in, nothing else was said about it? I wonder why. I actually like to hear what Nicki says about the singers but sometimes she can be really inappropriate. I want to have your baby, you woke up my sexual appetite ?? a little too crazy for me. And children are watching this show. I think she should tone it down.

AMY: Oh Debbie-I don't know what you've seen yet so I won't be specific, but did you see when Nicki got up and almost walked out? Seriously?!

DEB: haha! i have not seen that part yet. but agree, she's acting like a total diva. and also agree that some of the things she says is inappropriate. i also hate when she praises a couple of folks for losing weight - what kind of message is that for kids? i did notice that she didn't like a joke ryan made which i think referred to her lateness. and there was another part when they were teasing mariah about not standing up and she was saying it was too hard in her dress and laughing it up. nicki DID NOT like that attention on mariah and totally did the "i'm going to do an extreme straight face to show you all that i'm completely ignoring this woman." then there was another part i think before nicki got there and they made a joke about nicki, and mariah did a funny face like "i couldn't care less." you can tell they don't like each other but i still can't figure out who has the right to be annoyed with whom. i guess at the end of the day they are both immature divas.

ME: umm....you're not exactly making a great case for me to watch the show with these stories of nicki & mariah. ugh.

Why, oh why, do I still watch Glee?!

This was on this week's episode.  Jane Lynch doing Nicki Minaj.

One word:  Disturbing