this review of the book and it made me simultaneously laugh and hope like hell I’m not making a mistake by moving it up so that it’ll be the book I read when I’m done with Alone.
Please, god. Don’t let this be another We Were the Mulvaneys. PLEASE.
* * *
I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning, because I thought it would be a good idea to let the kittens stay out of the kitten room for the night just to see how it went, but at 2:00 after I’d freaked myself out about seventy times by rolling over onto a piece of quilt and coming wide awake, panicked, thinking that I’d rolled over onto a kitten, I picked them up from where they were sleeping – draped over my feet – and took them into the kitten room.
And then I continued to sleep poorly, because I’d pop awake, panicked, thinking I’d rolled over onto a kitten and have to think about it for several seconds before remembering that I’d put them in their room.
I’d intended to get up when Fred left for work a few minutes before 7, but I was so sleepy still that I set the alarm for 7:40 and dozed on and off until it went off (I was in the middle of a doze when it went off, and it scared the SHIT out of me). Then I got up, did some housework, freed the kittens (I’m going to try leaving them out tonight to see how it goes, since hopefully I’ll be tired enough to sleep like a rock, and I have nowhere in particular to go tomorrow, so I can sleep in a bit), showered, got dressed, checked my email, and left for South Huntsville.
Although the spud’s birthday was on Wednesday and she got to open all her presents on Wednesday, we’re actually taking her out to dinner tonight, and having her birthday cake. Because Friday’s our junk food day, see?
Anyway, the best cakes in the area are made at Peggy Ann Bakery in South Huntsville (on Regal Drive, near the Parkway Place Mall, in case you needed to know), and that’s where we always get our birthday cakes. The only sucky thing is GETTING there (which is why I’m kind of glad that it’s where it is, because if it was closer or easier to get to, there’d be TROUBLE). It’s not a long drive – takes me about 20 minutes to get there – but I have to go from one highway to another to South Memorial Parkway, and getting from 565 to South Memorial Parkway is a nightmare for me, because the instant you get from 565 to the Parkway, you have to move over three lanes unless you want to immediately get off on the exit that’s RIGHT THERE, and I just hate that shit. It makes me mighty fucking nervous.
But I got to the bakery right at 9, as I’d intended, and picked up the cake and a little something extra for myself.
She didn’t care what color the flowers on the cake were, so we got yellow!
This is a sugar cookie with about two inches of the best frosting in the world on top of it. Just screams my name, doesn’t it?
(“GOD. No WONDER you’re so fat, if you eat stuff like that ALL THE TIME! All you have to do is stop eating crap like that, and exercise! I should know! I’m an anonymous asshole you’ve never heard of before, so listen to me!”)
So I picked up the cake and the cookie and headed for home, stopping on the way to visit the pet store (the kittens really like these little packets of Whiskas Tender Bites (or something), so I’ve started buying them and giving them a packet a day. Because I SPOIL them ROTTEN.), the gas station (gas was only $2.46 a gallon. I drove in on fumes and drove out with a full tank, and it only cost me $21.80!), the bank (payday!) and the grocery store (for a tomato, of all things), and was home in less than an hour and a half.
Now I think I need a nap.
* * *
What the hell is up with Lost and ER being reruns this week? I got all pissed off at the DVR because it didn’t tape Lost Wednesday night and I missed the first ten minutes of it, then when I sat down to watch it yesterday, I found that it was a freakin’ rerun, and next week’s is going to be a rerun, too. WHY? WHY? WHY? The fucking season JUST STARTED, you fuckers!
Speaking of the DVR, I discovered that if I cancelled the Tuesday night recording of My Name is Earl, I’ll be able to tape The Amazing Race and House at the same time. Of course, the problem is that Earl is funny as hell and we always enjoy it, so I think I might have to… as much as it galls me to say this… ::shudder::.. tape it on the VCR. GAH.
I need another DVR. Too bad I’ll never in a million years convince Fred of that. I’ve already missed so many episodes of Commander in Chief (which, I’ve heard, is really damn good) that I’ve given up and said “I’ll just have to catch it when they put it out on DVD.”
Whoever it was that came up with the idea of putting TV shows on DVD should be made Head Ruler of the Entire World, because that is just fucking BRILLIANT.
* * *
What I love about Tom Cullen: You know how some (well, MOST) cats will climb up on you, and then they’ll dither about as to whether they want to lay down on you, where they want to lay down on you, do they want to lay down on you, or NEXT to you? Well, not our Tom Cullen. He’s very self-assured and certain about everything he does. He jumps up on you, he lays down, he goes to sleep. No standing there looking around trying to decide what he wants to do. Gotta love the Tom Cullen.
I love how all you can see of Tom Cullen is his toes.
“Dude! Stop licking my toes! That TICKLES!”
“BOB! Dude! You gotta come smell this! It’s AWFUL!”
“Hee hee hee! I don’t know what I ate today, but I am ROTTEN!”
All of today’s uploaded pictures are
here.
* * *
Previously
2004: No entry.
2003: I’m going to DIE. Someday, I’m going to die. I’m going to die, you’re going to die, Fred will die, the spud will die. We’re going to DIE. All of us.
2002: I’m an AMERICAN, after all. I should never, for one second feel the slightest bit of discomfort.
2001: No entry.
2000: No entry.
1999: As far as I’m concerned, to each his own. ]]>
World Series = reruns. Never know how many games it could have gone.
I barely made it through “We Were the Mulvaneys”, but I had no problem with AMLP. It’s a good book, but be ready to be completely grossed out by some parts. I had moments I wished I could cover my eyes like I do during Nip/Tuck!
My husband and I refer to the 565-to-Memorial transition as The Three-Lane Merging of Doom.
Yay! the return of “BOB!!”
Damned if that isn’t making me laugh just as hard as last time…!
Re: Commander In Chief
It’s actually pretty cheesy. The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. If you watched the early seasons of The West Wing when it was really great, this show is hard to watch.
Of course, the draw to a female president is really inticing. It’s just too bad they had to make it that the president died in order for her to get power, god forbid she was elected to the post! Geena Davis is pretty damn good in the show, given how crappy it feels at times.
Then again, I keep watching it, and I will keep watching it, even though I think it’s not that great. I keep hoping it’ll get better, I think. And I’m *CANADIAN* and I like these american political shows.
Wow, I’ve never read a review quite like the one you linked. Ouch. That was really vicious. I haven’t read the book yet, but everyone says it’s great. I may wait for your review though, because if it *is* like another “We were the Mulvaney’s” I will have to poke my eyes out with burning hot sticks, and then where will I be?
That cookie looks mighty tasty!
The first time I saw your daughters name on here (I think it was on a shirt you got her on vacation, and you had a picture of it posted) I felt very violated! I wasn’t supposed to know that! But, I’m over it now, so you can post her name anytime you want. (heh)
Here’s a loaded question for you to write about. Do you think there will be a female president first, or an african american president first? Discuss among yourselves…
I really like James Frey’s second book, “My Friend Leonard.” It *will* be a movie, it’s that good.
I just put A Million Little Pieces on my Amazon wish list – can’t wait to find out if all the Oprah-ites are right about how “powerful and life-changing” it is… or if they just said all that stuff to get on TV.
That review of A Million Little Pieces cracked me the fuck UP! I HATE that f-ing capitalization of random words for No Reason. “Self Aggrandizing” is my new favorite phrase. I haven’t read the book, my mom said she’d send her copy soon as she’s done. I was looking forward to it, now I’m all pissed at myself for being an Oprah sheep.
Happy Belated Birthday to the spud. Damn that cake looks good.
I’ve read “A Million Little Pieces” and quite liked it. If I remember, the writing style is a little weird & takes some getting used to, but it’s worth reading.
And I think you deserve that cookie because you take such good care of little kitties! Calories be damned! 🙂
We have 2 Tivos, one in the bedroom and one in the main room. They have a wireless link so that you can watch something tivoed in either room on either tv. It’s a slow tranfer because our wireless hub is almost out of range of the bedroom Tivo, so DH is going to run cables between the 2 units for a much faster transfer. I know this bores you, (me too) but Fred would be all geeky about it like my DH.
I read A Million Little Pieces a few years ago and I remember having some trouble with its style at first, but once I got used to the flow of the writing, it was a quick read. That review was pretty funny, and even though I enjoyed the book, I couldnt really disagree with him on few points- certain ‘scenes’ do drag on and you’ll find yourself speed-reading through them. Also, a few of the relationships were obviously embellished for effect, if they existed at all.
On the plus side, Ive read a few addiction-type books and I liked this one the best. The way he describes the need an addict feels is the most accurate Ive read yet. Most other books concerning a recovering addict get a little too – heh – Oprah-ish for me. I was surprised that she chose this book. I guess I forgot about all of the touchy-feely stuff and just pulled out of it the things that I could relate to.
I also read, My Friend Leonard, which I liked but not as much. Mainly because Leonard read too-good-to-be-true to me from the start.
His interview was the first time Ive watched Oprah in years. I really cant stand her (and now, God will strike me down. haha) I guess it doesnt matter to me that he made up some (or alot, who knows?) of his story, it obviously hit a cord with people who cant find anything they can relate to in the standard AA process. And it is a story that grabs you and keeps you reading.
Just looking at that cake gave me a cavity.. yum!!
MMMMM….birthday cake. On sad note, I lost another cat yesterday. I live basically in the country and while we are leasing this house for the moment in hopes of buying in a couple of years, we are not allowed animals in the house. So I had to keep my darling little Cajun outside. Yesterday, while poking around in my flower beds, I got to wondering were she was. She helped garden. Mostly by jumping out of the bushes and scaring the crap out of me. I got to calling her and found her in the drainage ditch. She looked fine, except for her back leg. Then I could tell she was having trouble with the front. Off to the vet we went. After x-rays, he came back with the horrible news that her back leg was broken in the joint and her front was a clean break. The only thing we could do was spend a gazillion dollars on the back and hoped it worked. Which it probably wouldn’t or put her to sleep. We opted for the last. I could not stand the thought of her being in pain. We got our last kitty lovin’, she was so calm and so well behaved….and waited outside.
No more cats, until I can bring them inside where they are safe. We still have Thomas J. Stubbs (so called because he has half a tail. He was born that way). So now he is the CAT.
Also, is the 20th reunion homecoming game for my class. I think I will stay home like I did 20 years ago…..
I LOVED A Million Little Pieces!! Yes, the author writes without capitalization and punctuation, and has constant run-ons, and fragments. But it didn’t really bother me at all – It seemed more emotional this way, like you were almost “reading as he thinks,” if that makes any sense. I mean, is someone going through rehab going to be thinking clear, organized thoughts? Trust me – it’s more personal, emotional, almost poetic this way. I hope you enjoy it too! Oh, yeah, and you WILL wish you could “look away” at some parts. It gets a little graphic.
I sure hope thoes people in TX find their cats, how horrible!
I laughed out loud at your “anonymous” comment to yourself. Good thing you got that our of their system so they don’t have to leave you a nasty comment or email. Sometimes people really do suck, huh?
Hope you all have a great weekend!
I, too, LOVED, AMLP. I found it to be riveting and could not wait to tell more people about it. About 2 weeks after I read it, Oprah took care of that for me and told the whole freaking world about it. My Friend Leonard was good, too, but not quite as riveting.
AMLP is now officially my favorite book of all time, and My Friend Leonard is now my second favorite. I am a very fast reader, but with AMLP, it took me two weeks to get through the book. That’s partly because there were parts I read twice so I could make sure they soaked in. I wanted to feel every emotion in James’s writing, and I read slowly enough that I succeeded. I have been telling everyone about it, and have said that I wish I could get everyone I know to read this book. MFL was a much faster read for me – I finished two-thirds of it in a three-hour sitting last weekend, and finished the rest this past Monday night in about an hour. It, too, is an amazing book, but it’s much less intense. I’ll be really surprised if you don’t like AMLP. Don’t let negative reviews give you a biased view before you even open the book!
Danielle?!?! I thought her name was SPUD ALL THIS TIME! 😉
I volunteer at a shelter in Austin, Texas. I’ll keep an eye out for the cats, though they’d not likely turn up at this shelter — they only take owner-surrendered cats. Please, check the websites of shelters in Texas for the cats. I know the other shelter here in Austin (Town Lake Animal Shelter) has a website. Send out emails to as many shelters in the state as you can find! Can this man not be prosecuted?
I wanted to tell you, Robyn, today I bought a new toy for the kittens we’re fostering, and it is clearly the Best Toy Ever. It’s called the Play-n’ Squeak Mouse with Door Hanger, made by URPETS (I think). The door hanger hangs on the top of a door; the mouse part hangs on an eleastic string. The best (or worst) part, depending if you’re a person or a kitten, is that the mouse makes a bird-like high-pitched squeak noise when touched or moved. The kittens are absolutely besotted with the thing, as were DH and I watching them, and our youngest permanent cat (a bit more than a year old) sat outside the kitten room and made pitiful noises, wanting to be let in to play. It’s amazingly wonderful. Your kittens will love it! (No affiliation, btw, I just thought of you and your kittens when ours went totally nuts over this thing.)
Alright I am licking my screen and can almost TASTE the frosting it looks so good…umm….
Someone gave me that book (A Million Little Pieces)last year, but at the time it was hitting a little too close to home. I’ve been thinking of picking it back up and trying again.
I think you should just adopt Sugarbutt – he is damn cute.
As for the reruns, I think there’s a new episode of House next week. Oh and the Donald fired 4 people all at once on the Apprentice this week :> World series, indeed.
Hey, what can I say? I’m Canadian. I’m just glad hockey is back 🙂
Our wild cat loves the little pouches of Whiskas and now that is all she will eat.
This week Stop and Shop had them on sale for 30 cents a pouch and the local Xpect discounts usually has a great price too.
Just an FYI because I know they can be expensive and maybe you have one of these stores near by : )
I LOVE my DVR. And what is the deal with showing reruns already! Even Desperate Housewives was a rerun this week. Come on people, you want us to stay tuned in, but you run reruns after 3 new episodes!
I also like Commander in Chief. I actually like it. And I’m ashamed to say it, but I also like the new Fox show, Reunion. It brings back so many memories of high school in the 80’s. It took me FOREVER to figure out who Will was. I didn’t recognize him with the new blond hair.
Being on the otherside of the world means we’ll probably never see the James Frey Oprah thing – would loved to have seen it -am curious to hear what he’s doing now (and how his family are). AMLP is one of the best books I’ve read – very confronting – not a nice light read – a bit like a later day “The L Shaped Room”. I’ve read nothing like it, it’s def worth reading, content is disturbing but not overly sensationalised, he just tells it like it is. Love from Jo in Australia