Discovery of the Day: I Can't Stop Hoarding Books

I have another confession to make. I have an addiction. An addiction to books. It's pretty wicked. I find myself wandering through the aisles of Borders lusting after books I had no intention to buy when I walked through the door. I logon to bookmooch.com each day in the event a cool book is ready to be snagged before anyone else gets to it. My fingers twitch as I pass the bookshelves in the library....no...don't pick up another one!

I'd like to say that I am just hoarding all of these book because fall is here thus the approach of awful Ohio weather where all one CAN really do is read (or watch crappy tv...which I do as well!). But I'm afraid I would be lying. I hoard no matter what the weather.

I really must be stopped. I really should. If someone would please tell both authors and publishers that we don't need anymore books that would be wonderful. This may allow me to catch up on my "to be read" stack without getting further into trouble. I will work on drawing up a memo immediately after I finish the latest Paulo Coelho book I have my hands on. It is quite delicious.

Discovery of the Day: Grand Archives - Miniature Birds

This song hit the spot after a depressing day of watching more tales of economic woes. I have decided that I refuse to get freaked out. Instead, I will smile and whistle (and frolic with alpacas if the opportunity arises). If it all goes belly up then at least we had a good run.

Discovery of the Day: Selfish Jean

This is a great discovery because a) I enjoy Travis and think their music is pretty kickass and b) I love Demetri Martin and want to cuddle with him. Would you not want to hang out at a coffee shop with this guy?! Demetri reminds me a bit of a young Steve Martin. He has that same off the wall very dry sense of humor that can come out of left field. And he uses charts which are cool unto themselves.

Our computers at work just got upgraded to the latest version of Microsoft Office. From what I can gather it just seems that they have moved functions around just enough so that you have no idea how to do something as simple as setting margins. However I must say I do enjoy the new chart and graph features on Word. I made my boss a lovely 3-D colorful creation I dubbed "Super Cool Chart" complete with an attractive dead fish background (not sure why this is one of the options but why not dead fish). I made the font sparkle and the chart do a cool right tilt. Apparently my boss does not think charts as amusing as I do because her reaction was "Ummm...Theresa. You have problems." I bet Demetri would like my super cool chart. Maybe I should send it to him.

Discovery of the Day: Mixed Tapes are Still Cool

I have a confession to make. I am 33 years old and I do not own an iPod. No mp3 player in sight. In fact, if I am to be perfectly honest, I still have the stereo that I got when I was 15 that has the super cool double cassette players so that you can record your favorite New Kids song for your bff. I've never really felt the reason to get an iPod. I have a CD player in my car and my stereo in my apartment for the two times I generally listen to music: going to work and housecleaning. And yes..this does make me old and boring. Thanks for pointing it out.

However, I recently ran into a dilemma. I have started my "I'm going to conquer my treadmill and run 8 miles straight" kick. Generally I'll turn on my tv upstairs and catch up on the news or a rerun of Saved by the Bell (and yes...I know this makes me doubly boring). But do you know how motivated I am to run after hearing countless analyists telling me that my generation is screwed and that I should kiss my money goodbye? Not very. And do you know how motivated I am to run while watching another episode of "The Hills" where Heidi conveniently runs into Lauren in the grocery store and they pout at each other over melon selections? Enough to make me pull the key on the treadmill.

Only one thing will work. Mixed Tape Time!! I ransacked the internet for some great tunes and burned myself a mixed CD. Some Elbow, a little We Are Scientists, a smidge of the Mess Hall. And as the sweat poured off my forehead and I tried to breathlessly sing along to Duffy I realized that some things never go out of style. There's nothing like a good mixed tape to make you feel like you are both interesting and cool. In fact, if others heard your mixed tape you would be the envy of the group. Even if that group is now balding and taking out second mortgages. Who needs money when you have the power of a mixed tape! I'm ready for another mile (or ready to curl up on my couch and watch another episode of "John Adams").

Discovery of the Day: Maximo Park

Stumbled upon an English band called Maximo Park today. It's a fun punkish band with nice accents. I do love the English accents!

Though I am not a "girl who plays guitar" I am a girl who secretly wants to be a rock star. Today we celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday and I was very excited when my brother unveiled his new toy. It's an electronic drum kit. Woohoo!! His wife finally let him get one under the condition he always wears the headset and keeps it in the basement. Of all the instruments I have ever wanted to conquer, the drums is my #1 pick. The drummer may not get the glory of the lead singer status but they get to be the fuel that keeps the song going. And what is more rock and roll then a kickass drum solo. I can see it now! Flinging those sticks into the sky! My mission is set. Must find a way to steal my brothers drum kit. Mwahahahahaha. (You won't tell will you?)

Discovery of the Day: Californication

So being the broke gal that I am, I am reduced to watching basic cable channels. Which is generally good enough for me. As long as i have my CNN, my History Channel, and my Nick at Night I'm good. However I am a bit peeved that I miss out on first runs of some of the best shows that are hitting tv lately - Flight of the Conchords, The Tudors, Real Time with Bill Maher (I still harbor hatred towards ABC for taking him off the air!). Luckily you can get most of these shows at your lovely local library.

I just got my hands on the first season of Californication starring my one time X-Files crush David Duchovney. I was expecting sarcastic and smarmy comments from the few clips I've seen of the show. I was expecting it to be racy. Little did I know I was in for a non-stop T & A show with my pal David in some incredibly risque positions...some of which I would rather wipe from my mind (fans of the show will know exactly which scene I'm talking about). All I could think as I watched the show was "No WONDER this guy is in rehab for sex addiction!!" In fact, I think I've become a sex addict by association after watching the complete first season. My recommendation to David would be to do a few Disney movies for some detox. Maybe a Lifetime movie or two.

My critique of the show? Not bad (if you aren't easily offended). I do love me some clever sarcastic men. However I think the show teeters somewhere between cutting edge and kinda icky. If you want a more complex and entertaining anti-hero you have to go with Dennis Leary in Rescue Me.

Discovery of the Day: Thom Yorke Solo Project

OK...so obviously I was in a hole somewhere and didn't realize Thom Yorke - lead singer of Radiohead - released a solo album in 2006. For me, Thom Yorke is one of the oddest figures in music. When I look at him I want to turn the channel. He isn't what you would call attractive by any standard. He scowls like some creature out of a Tolkien novel. He flails around when he dances like a child who hasn't figured out the idea of self consciousness yet. But when Thom Yorke sings...well...when he sings it's like he is the sweetest of the sweet choir boys in church.

For some reason, I still feel a bit put off when I hear him sing because I can't marry the two visions in my head. But the older I get, the more I appreciate feeling uncomfortable. Maybe there is a side of me that wishes I could get up there in front of millions with a big scowl and a stupid dance and not care at all. Of course it would help if I had the sweet voice but I'll make my wishes in small doses so as not to anger the Gods.

Discovery of the Day: You Can Recreate Your Best Days

Some of the best times from my childhood is when our entire family would pick up and go to our annual vacation retreat - Cook Forest in Western Pennsylvania. Sitting in the back of the car with my brother, the ride up always seemed to take forever. Crossing the bridge over Clarion River always seemed like a continent away. Having taken the trip countless times as an adult, the journey seems ridiculously short now - less than 2 hours away. Funny how time changes when you grow up.

Tomorrow my brother (long since married) and I are going to go up to stay in one of the cabins by the river where we once ran around collecting pine needles and racing toy cars down tree branches. As an adult, I live in one of the most beautiful sections of Ohio - the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I am privileged to have a plethora of trails and nature waiting right outside my door. And yet there is something about the smell of the trees and the crispness of the air in Cook Forest that makes me giddy like no other place can.

For the next few days, I'll be visiting all the old haunts, eating ice cream by the river, and catching marshmallows on fire outside a log cabin with bats twirling over my head. Sounds like heaven to me!