K'naan

I love K'naan.

He is a Somali Rapper, living in Canada! His lyrics and spirit is all about reaching and speaking to others about his personal experiences to inspire the best in people. His music is political and personal- a kind a memoir in music! His song, Wavin' Flag is one of the "World Cup" songs for the games.

There have been some wonderful coverage of K'naan, including this interview with NPR.

I just gave it to my brother and sister in law as one of their house warming presents! It will be my summer 'gift' to people!

Add it to your reading/listening list- download it onto your ipods. Happy summer everyone.

The Moth

Are you listening to The Moth? The Moth is a wonderful 'show' as well as podcast you can subscribe to. Last year I went to their annual celebration show where I heard Jessi Klein, who told the most hilarious story about going to her sister's wedding... at Disney World. It is the funniest ever!

Malcolm Gladwell told quite a story. As I was listening to the story, I laughed out loud several times, but found myself cringing with that "no you didn't" feeling inside. It is such an outrageous story about how he lost his best friend.

Sarah Jones was there too. Yes it was an all star cast that night. She told an amazing story about how she got Bridge and Tunnel off the ground, by rejecting a TV show at MTV. Really inspiring. They just recently replayed her story.

If you haven't been listening to The Moth, do so now! Try and catch a live show as well. They are wonderful!

Summer is Coming

I am beginning to plan my summer reading life. Collecting ideas from friends and starting to gather up books to take with me as I travel the country, go to visit my family in Canada and hopefully take a fantastic vacation abroad!

My first set of recommendations for the summer came from my friend Mary. She suggested, Anglo Files and The Solitude of Prime Numbers. Last summer I took Mary's suggestions as well and she is always 'right on' with her best picks! She is one of the most prolific readers I know- usually a book a night!

So I got these two- all ready for this weekend- just in case I finish my book early. June begins summer!

Stay tuned in. I will be sharing my summer reading list as I collect the texts to read! Enjoy your own reading life this summer. Post your favorite books or wish list for reading below so that we all can add to ours!

What I am Currently Reading

I have been totally engrossed with the books and articles by David Foster Wallace. I love his essays in Consider the Lobster and his book, Infinite Jest.

I am currently reading a series of interviews that David Lipsky wrote traveling with DFW on his book tour around the country. It is really interesting to hear about his life, his thought and writing process. He was a brilliant writer and his ideas and words are sadly missed. It's not an easy read, knowing about what happened shortly after the series of interviews.

If you have never read anything by him, run out and buy one of his books or read one of his Harper's articles online.

Guest Blogger: Finds Poetry in the Neighborhood

Guest Blogger Beth Moore, from The Tiny Reader, has been walking around neighborhoods and photographing poetry! Poetry is everywhere. Spread the word. Celebrate words and thoughts. Happy poetry month everyone!

What Have We Been Reading About on Facebook: #1

Hi Friends,

I want to keep you updated on what articles we have been reading on facebook. Feel free to check out our Fan Page (Reading Myself Into The World) and find more interesting articles and posts to read. You can follow us on Twitter if you rather (everything posted on facebook automatically posts to Twitter. I love technology).

Here are some articles and blogs posted by people who are friends of mine that we read in March and April! We hope you enjoy reading them too! Pass these along to your friends and family.

My friend Adam has two interesting posts. One is a review of his new book Viral Loop (which you all should read today) and the second is an article he wrote about starting up new businesses during a recession.

My friend Sara has an interesting article written about her and her family in the Washington Post. We have written about Sara a few times in our blog. This article talks about the fundraising she and her family are doing to bring books to schools in South Africa. It is well worth a read about their education project.

Miriam has posted some great suggestions of films we should see about the environment. Miriam also has a wonderful post on her blog about The Cove. If you haven't seen that- it's a must. It won best documentary this year at the Oscars.

One of my students, from the first class I ever taught, has a new blog out called, Think Big. She is on a journey to keep herself happy and to write and reflect on it! There are some inspirational tips to keep yourself going as well! Show your support and follow Raimi!

As we celebrate poetry month, hopefully we are reading poetry. I am. I have been reading my friend Craig's poetry blog, brainsmoke.

My friend Liz has started blogging for Lucky Magazine about fashion. Read and comment on her blog about Linen Pants.

Katie has returned to her cat blog. She is now taking photographs of cats (her cats mostly) and matching them with films. Funny.

Lastly my friend Kate posted these beautiful photos which we have been sharing and commenting on! Enjoy the photos.

I hope you find some great reading material here. I sure did.

We Remember Wilma Mankiller

Wilma

Read more about Wilma here at her website.

Congratulations Sherman Alexie!

Sherman Alexie has won the PEN Faulkner award for War Dances. I bought this for my sister around the holidays. When I went back up to see her, it was gone from her shelves. A sign she loved it- because she passed it on to her other literary friends. Hopefully this spring it will show back up so I can read it!

I loved Smoked Signals (a film he wrote and starred in) and I also loved many of his other books and short stories. Indian Killer, is an amazing novel and his YA novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Happy reading to you!

Another New Blog to Read

This is a new website and organization founded by Winona LaDuke and the Indigo Girls. I stumbled upon it as I reading Winona's blog post about Somalis, Indians and Amish. A post about the globalization of a small town in Minnesota.

Enjoy the read!

Louise Erdrich: Read All Her Books

I just found Louise Erdrich's blog on the website of her own bookstore she owns and runs in Minneapolis. It is a wonderful blog. I just watched her clips on, Faces of America, with Henry Louis Gates Jr. So good!

If you haven't read anything by her, I especially love her early work: Love Medicine, Tracks, the Beet Queen. I love how these novels are all intertwined and connected!

Enjoy her books, her video clips, blog and bookstore!

Guest Blogger: Another Reading Life

My Friend's Husband has decided to contribute to the blog and gave us a post about his reading life! Enjoy the read by Guest Blogger: Anonymous.

Last Night at Twisted River By John Irving

I am a non-fiction reader. I like facts, ideas, arguments, and dissertations. It takes a lot to get me into a novel. That which springs forth from someone else’s mind disconnected to real world events usually leaves me cold. But take a well researched book with an historical setting, and now you are talking!

I admittedly am a lover of John Irving, though his earliest and most recent work has been less striking. This latest novel captured my interest and held it till the end. The story is a multi-generational tale about a cook, his son and his grandson and their life-long connection to the North Country’s logging industry. The son is a writer and while I feel that novels about writers are derivative and self-referential, I manage to excuse this one (and every other Irving book). Irving has a way of revealing the story to you as if the event already happened and he is talking about the past, although all the action seems to take place in the present. This reminds me of the way a certain friends talks, and it is comforting and annoying at the same time. The story follows first the father, then the son as their lives unfold.

All the heavy emotional events are in there, like love, friendship, revenge, and grief. They are held together by a wonderfully framed story, with the gaps filled in by fascinating details of a world that no longer exists. It is a great read with compelling characters and a vivid backdrop. I didn’t want it to end.

Next, I think I’ll curl up with a nice presidential biography, or maybe a book about checklists.

Reading Lost

My reading life has been a bit consumed with trying to figure out, what is happening on Lost.

Yes, I do mean the television show. I find the show hard to follow, complicated and I am usually always lost. I read literally to understand what I just saw. I read to hear about the complex theories that people are coming up with. Yes, I even read the spoilers. I love those. Helps me to prepare!

I do find it fascinating how a television show has increased my reading. I do also find it strange, how with my comprehension of the show is so low, yet the interest is so high. Very interesting.

Tom French

I just heard Tom French address a group of educators about the teaching of writing. He is a reporter from St. Petersburg Times in Florida. He read from his reporting of studying a school, a middle school in Tampa. "Thirteen" is a series of reports about being a teenager in America. They are gripping accounts and stories. Enjoy the read.

What Gets Your Reading Bug On?

My friend Lori is a voracious reader. Literally, I think sometimes she eats books. She said that she is a big fan of the blog and I invited her as a guest blogger to talk about about her current reading life and what she is reading etc. Enjoy the post. Enjoy the read.

Guest Blogger: Lori- The Rocky Mountain Mama.

You would think I read for a living. You would think that someone or many someones pay me by the word to read. After I confide in you my combination of ADD/ADHD habits and interests in reading you may think many more things about me. Let’s find out.

Firstly I have always had this relationship with reading. At first it was Babar The Elephant, Dr. Seuss and cereal boxes. Once the reading bug bit I never stopped. Magazine ads, newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal all got equal time. At one point, my parents had weekly articles to discuss during one dinner so I wouldn’t take up all of their time asking questions during all the other dinners. And yes, I did have friend

s. And they read too. Imagine what happened during those adolescent years when we all got together and read serial romances, Judy Blume books and really trashy mass market fiction. (I still have a very soft spot for anything Sidney Sheldon.)

Oh the misinformation we gathered still makes me blush.

I digress slightly from the blog’s emphasis on current reading and current interests. A little backstory helps to interpret current habits. In order to prevent an embarrassing over-sharing moment, I will spare you the details of further experiences. Suffice it to say, I have and always will be a reader of varying and vast tastes.

Currently, I am reading books with Jewish content, for a Synagogue book group, various blogs and on line magazines, cookbooks and a sprinkling of random additions free of categorization. Here’s a sample of my daily reading:

Book Club selection:

Four Girls from Berlin by Maryanne Meyerhoff (just beginning)

Jane Austen in Boca by Paula Marantz Cohen (just finished)

As a Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg and People of the Book by Geradline Brooks (two favorites)

Various online reads:

Slate

The Daily Beast

Jewcy

Guernica

Smitten Kitchen

go fug yourself

people magazine

feministing

Cookbooks:

How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

Moro by Sam and Sam Clark

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz et.al

A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop

The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

Feast by Nigella Lawson

America’s Test Kitchen The Family Baking Book by America’s Test Kitchen

Here is what is on my list to get to soon:

Pops by Terry Teachout

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Rashi’s Daughter Book 1 by Maggie Anton

Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

Chihuly in the Hotshop by Dale Chihuly

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

And, anything my friends send and/or recommend.

If you think this is where I inform you of my opinions and recommendations of the previous material you may be disappointed. A large part of my habits come from the joy and satisfaction of finding my own way through all things print and now online. I find an idea, an interest or a question and follow it through to as many sources possible. I discover either more ways to read and explore about the initial idea or I stop and move to the next. That is what feeds my reading bug. If you want more opinion and less road map, invite me to coffee.

The Believer

The Believer is a magazine. This month there is a great article that is really a conversation between writers discussing their choice of language to read and write in. It is a great article about writing, language, and identity.

This is a great interview that Dave Eggers did in 2003 with David Foster Wallace.

I missed Joshua Ferris' reading due to the blizzard two weeks ago. But here is another good review!

Articles I Posted on Facebook in February

Photo By Daniel Galan

Become a fan on Facebook of 'Reading Myself Into The World'. I have been posting all month other artciles that I read on our Facebook site. Feel free to browse the fan page as well as the blog! There will reminders when new posts are added! You can also follow us on Twitter- if you prefer- 'Readingmyself'. You may decide to follow the blog on Blogger! It can be sent to your account- each time there is a new posting! You decide.

Here are things I posted on Facebook that never made the blog.

Short Story By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Obessive Compulsive Valentine From McSweeny's

The Real Timothy McSweeny From McSweeny's

Keeping it Green Blog

Sarah Jones at The Moth

IndieBound List

Tradegy of Dying Languages

South Africa Partners

I Speak Soccer- Film about traveling the globe to learn about pick up soccer and cultural norms.

Holly Miranda- Singer. Cover of Lauryn Hill song.

Suheir's poetry reading at the Palestinian Festival of Literature.

Photographs and Essay from the New Yorker about Civil Rights Leaders.

Laurie Sandell interviews a famous star in LA.

Shani Davis- Went for the Gold!

White House Library

Ozzie Davis- Eulogy for Malcolm X

10 Tips for writing fiction

Happy Reading To You.

Educate 2.

Photo By Daniel Galan

Why is this so hard for us to grasp. Educate kids.

A piece in the NYTimes has caused quite a stir on my Facebook page. This piece is about a set of Charter Schools showing success in Harlem. The CEO has her eyes on the big prize- educate. Good teachers, smart ever growing teachers- educate. This is a great message.

Charter schools though have caused a storm of conversations. It is a shame that we didn't get a glimpse of some great PS as well making wonderful leaps ahead as well.

My friend C didn't like the article. I understand her view too. I do think school reform and making an amazing learning can't be reduced to as simple as an answer of good teachers. Of course class size matters and so does length of your school day. Charter schools are not the only schools that are working hard to build intellectual communities, with many more challenges than the Charter Schools have. There are wonderful public schools also making the tough journey to educate and bring smart teachers aboard and to help give kids all that they need.

Apparently other news sources- like the Daily News- have revealed just how much these CEOs are making. Some close to 400,00 dollars. Makes me go, mmmmmmmm?

There is a lot to think about in this article- Charter Schools, programs matter, the effect of class size and school hours, and the ever thirsty curiosity of a teaching staff. Are schools a business or an intellectual community. We shouldn't be little the success of these schools without counting these things as factors.

As we look to Charter Schools that are working well, I hope we also look to Public Schools in the community that are as well making huge change and gains!

Another friend uploaded this article about a man in Colombia, who travels the countryside on Burro, to bring books to kids who have little access. It is a wonderful story. Again, I think it exemplifies the idea, educate.

Good conversations to have and talk about and read!

Keep reading about education.

Celebrate Our Community

Marian Wright Edelman

Van Jones

Find people, quotes, and wisdom to reflect and live by.

Getting Green

My friend Miriam has a blog called the green spotlight. I am reading it to get a little greener! It is one of my goals in life! Luckily living in NYC automatically makes me greener than most. The more I read the more I can see things to do! It is a great blog to inspire you to be the best/greenest prson youcan be. I also read about The Lambi Fund here.

Miriam also heard Michael Pollan talk about his new book, Food Rules. She said that he was super engaging and interesting!

Good reading to make the Earth a better place.

Happy Birthday Mom.

It's my mom's birthday.

I asked her to write a post for the blog- as a guest blogger. I asked her to describe her reading life!

Now she is a big KINDLE fan. Her digital literacy skills are more advanced than my own.

She declined to write for the blog though. So instead, I will recommend to you her favorite mystery-thriller writer!

Enjoy the read! Happy Birthday Mom!

Beautiful Singers

Leah Siegel and Zee Avi

Great artists! Here is a short article about them!

Migrant Workers in the United States

My friend Janice sent me these articles about the plight and struggles that families who are migrant workers, who mostly work in the fields, face in our country. She asked me what I thought about the boycott of FED EX. Shamefully I had not heard- so she forwarded me an article and a couple more to read up on what is happening.

FED EX- worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain 4 Guatemalan Workers. A second article.

Migrant Worker's Dream of College

Migrant Workers in Washington

Protecting Migrant Workers
Berries

Books for kids about migration.

All Things GaGa: I Have to Catch Up

“AND, NOW, I’M JUST TRYING TO CHANGE THE WORLD ONE SEQUIN AT A TIME.”

So, I fell in love with Lady Gaga at the Grammys. Is that wrong? My friends think so. They have been huge fans for awhile. As I watched her perform 'solo' and with Elton- her talent was really unbelievable. I mean her "outfits" as well are pretty incredible and her sense of entertainment. She did remind me of some of the early 'shocking days' of Madonna. I posted on FB my new found love of Gaga and found that I got the most comments ever about my posting. Everyone loves Gaga. So I needed to know more. I had to read more.

My friend Angie told me that Gaga also tries to represent for the 'little guy', the oddball, the monsters. That she was a bit of an outcast and thinks that everyone should be celebrated! She is talented, ambitious and only 23! Crazy!

There definitely are strong feelings about Gaga. Some haters out there call her "bullish" because she oozes confidence. Oprah had her on and gave her some Oprah love!

It's kind of my secret desire, when I'm, like, 55, to become a QVC girl, selling domestic vacuums (2009)

Love it! Love Gaga!

Heee Heeee

Laugh.

I love that Dave Eggers put together the blog, the magazines, and short films...all to promote others- possibly less known writers. Love it!

Power to the people.

Oh My Green Earth!

Oh, my green earth, how do I love thee.

Great little quip from McSweeney's about Recycling/Composting/Trash.
Enjoy.
Reduce and Reuse!

Costa Rican Living

When I lived, for 8 months, in Costa Rica, in the 90s, I was happy! I actually didn't want to leave.

The New Economics Federation calculated how happy countries are based on studying how they use their natural resources and help their citizens live longer and healthier lives. Costa Rica was named as number 1. The US - not surprisingly was ranked 117. I read about the Happiness Index in Yes! Magazine on my way home from Seattle. Lessons we need to learn? Be a country that promotes peace, put your dollars in health and education and take care of your environment! Recently they just elected their first woman president- in a landslide! Good lessons for us all, no?

Here is an article from UK- just another perspective. Enjoy the read! Cheer up! Be happy! Help make the world greener and healthier. We will all be happier.

PS As I was reading and surfing for other articles about the Happiness Index- I found this aboutFacebook tracking the "happiness" of status updates. Totally unrelated, but funny!

Cheers.

Love.

Survival of the Kindest

Follow your instinct- be compassionate. It's our nature! Survival of the kindest, I love it!

What a great article and inspiration for the day!

Happy New Year!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lucille.

Today, Lucille Clifton passed away.

Remember the poet.

Remember the storyteller.

What's Coming Up?

This weekend I am so tired. Before I start working (yes I have to work on this Saturday and Sunday) I am going to read! I'm on to my new book, Girl Trouble. I know... deep for VALENTINE'S DAY. But I gotta get a new book rolling!

Barb passed it to me and she is moving on to Zadie's essays. After we finish, then we'll both read, Beneath the Lions Gaze.

I can't wait to read Zadie as well. Probably in March (since that is when I will see my sister next and grab it from her shelves!) Guess who else recently (10/2009) published some more essays? My favorite- Arundati Roy.

The book shelves in my virtual room are stacking up close to the imaginary ceiling. Oh how the list is ever growing! So much to read! As my friend Audra says, not enough hours in the day!

The line up is getting long!

The love is strong.

Happy VALENTINE'S DAY. Happy READING DAY!

Art is Art

Lori, once again, posted this really great article about how women are a LARGE population of fiction readers, yet women writers hardly are ever recognized in "best of" lists and awards. My friend Amanda pondered this, as well on her blog, last year, after Publishers Weekly announced their "Top 10 List of 2009".

The article also talks about women being included in anthologies for women versus ones for world literature. Elizabeth Bishop refused to be published in anthologies for women, insisting she was a poet, plain and simple.

She wrote that “art is art and to separate writings, paintings, musical compositions, etc. into two sexes is to emphasize values that are not art.”

The article mentions some great writers- who I have read, am presently reading, and hopefully soon will be reading!

Maybe you too! Enjoy the read! Be inspired! Talk about your thoughts with friends or here! Feel free to post a comment after you read the article!

Educate.

There have been many articles recently in the news about the
national education policies emerging.

We will have to watch carefully as these bills and policies

begin to unfold.

'No Child' should what? "Be left behind" or "tested to death"?

What happened to just educating

children and putting that first?

In this NY times article

the author argues that real rigorous curriculum that is based on

learning rather than passing a test helps to build stronger skills.

An overhaul is definitely in order, but which things will be overhauled and into which direction? Here are some different perspectives about lessons learned from No Child. My friend Maggie posted an interview Campbell Brown did with Arnie Duncan. The major idea you come away with is "test". I did like how Brown didn't just let him off the hook. But 'better tests" kept coming up as the answer.

Read, watch, and listen carefully. Think critically. We need the best curriculum for kids- hopefully one that encourages kids to think and problem solve- rather than just memorize.

The ABC Reads About China

I was in Union Square, needing to waste some time. I walked into Barnes and Noble and began browsing at their tables in the front entrance. I came upon a book by Rachel DeWoskin, repeat after me. Her name sounded so familiar. I picked up the book, looking at the jacket for a bio a picture, something. I did some quick research. It turns out that Rachel is from my hometown in Michigan and graduated high school the same year as me. I asked my friend Sasha if she knew her. She told me they were friends and have recently connected on Facebook!

So I decided to read the book. It’s about a young English Language teacher in NYC- living right by Columbia. The teacher falls in love with a Chinese student. I really enjoyed the book. It has love, mystery, and history all rolled into one.

I decided to get her first book (sometimes I work backwards): Foreign

Babes in Bejing. This is her account of living in Bejing right after college. She was casted into a popular soap opera called, Foreign Babes in Bejing. It is a close in look at her interesting life as an ex pat in China, while still giving you a sense of life and culture in Bejing. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I passed this on to the ABC. It is making the rounds. I also sent both of them to China as a gift to a friend living in Guangzhou!

Enjoy the read!

Sade.

I Love Sade! Check out her new album, music, lyrics and thinking behind it all! YOu can see her process as a writer and as an artist.

Enjoy. Peace.

Reading Radio

This American Life is one of my favorite radio programs I listen to. Love Ira Glass and his other authors he gets to share their stories, interviews and perspectives. I am a regular subscriber.

Episode called Bridging the Gap between NRA and the NEA

What an episode- Sarah Vowell and Geoffery Canada and more...

Enjoy the 'listen', enjoy the read.

Beneath the Lion's Gaze

Barb and I went to Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene Brooklyn. We went to a wonderful book reading by Maaza Mengiste, who just finished a three year project in writing: Beneath the Lion's Gaze. This is an historical fiction novel set in the 70s in Ethiopia. The section she read, about the murder of the emperor, was both chilling and captivating. Many people at the reading had read the book and gave her many accolades. She also spoke about what it has meant for her family, to reopen many of the wounds and memories of this dark and disturbing time. Probably on its way to becoming an ABC favorite! Barb and I both got it (signed as well).

Read more rave reviews here.

Support your local bookstore too. Go to a reading. Buy the book! What a beautiful evening we spent!

Henry Louis Gates Jr and I Are Fascinated By The Same Things

Apparently there is a new series coming out, Faces of America, is coming out. It will be about the idea of tracing your genes. This blog post talks about a prescreening of one of the episodes, Know Thyself. This whole concept of being connected to everyone- I love! I have been fascinated with this concept for awhile now. I've wanted to find out my genetic and geographic heritage. I guess Henry is too! Great article. Cool show. I'll have to have some DVR it for me!

Looking forward to the series, wish I had been at the party!

Keeping it Real

I just read this on McSweenys Blog.

I thought it was funny and so true!

Enjoy the read.

Good Enough to Cook

My friend Lori sent me smitten kitchen- a blog about cooking, in a tiny NYC apartment. How delicious do these brownies look and sound? Almost makes me want to cook.

I love cooking blogs. I especially enjoy the ones that take beautiful photographs of their process. The food looks so good that it makes you want to run out and buy something from Le Creuset or by KitchenAid.

These blogs make cooking look like fun. Too bad I don't have a proper counter top.

Happy cooking, reading, and dreaming to you.

Updates on Haiti

PIH Applauds Legislation to Eliminate Haiti’s Debt and Improve Infrastructure

Such good news. Partners In Health is doing amazing work for Haiti. They also keep you very well updated on the news and needs on the ground. It's a step forward!

Lend Your Voice In California!

Put the Arts To Work

The arts in Los Angeles are in crisis and they need your voice.

The City of Los Angeles Budget and Finance Committee has put forward a motion to eliminate the Department of Cultural Affairs dedicated source of revenue.

Edwidge Danticat

My friend, Kirsten, first posted Edwidge's story (published in the New Yorker) about her family in Haiti and how she lost her cousin. The story is beautiful. I just read it. I am crying.

Unnamed: Preparing for a Reading

On February 10th, Joshua Ferris will be giving a reading. The ABC is going to attend. I asked my friend if she had read The Unnamed yet. She said that she would have it read by the evening of the reading. I told her that the reading was in a week in a half. She thought again (she is in the middle of Girl Trouble).

So, instead, we have been reading articles about his new book and about Joshua Ferris to prepare ourselves for the reading. It looks like I will have two more books that will join my virtual stack of books on my nightstand.

Here are a few articles, that I have read, to begin to prepare myself for a lovely literary evening.

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Article 4 about books in other posts. Including Girl Trouble.

Article 5

If you read his book, post here your thoughts. If you have anything that will help for our preparation, let us know! Post the links for all.

What I am Currently Reading: I Shudder

Paul's book so far, charming, laugh out loud funny, and easily relate-able. Paul is the genius behind the hit movies: In and Out and The Adam Family Values. Do you like to read Sedaris, Burroughs, Vowell? If yes, you'll enjoy I Shudder. Read it!

Songs for the Heart: A Rock Concert at the Highline

I think every now and then it is good to do something you normally wouldn't do, read something you wouldn't on your own necessarily read, and listen to music you might not choose for yourself. It allows you to see more beauty that exists in the world and it opens up parts of yourself that you might not have seen.

I guess I consider myself an R&B, Acoustic Guitar, Salsa listening person. My friend Kathy invited me to a Cowboy Mouth concert and she said that it was one of the best shows she had ever seen and that we had to go. While New Orleans rock music is not on the top of my play lists, I thought, 'Just try it. Be open to it.'

It was quite a show. I don't think I have ever seen so much energy on stage in my life. It was almost overwhelming for me. The music was loud, the crowd was digging it. They were jumping up and down, screaming, and clapping along to the rhythm.

I can't say that I grooved to all their songs, but the show was something to watch. What stood out to me even more were the lyrics. They had some beautiful words singing along to their drum beats and guitar riffs. I have to say, I left that concert smiling.

Cowboy Mouth: I Believe
Whatcha gonna do with the restlessness inside you worried mind
How you think you're ever gonna get ahead when you feel so far behind
Step inside this endless moment for a subtle touch of grace
I've always found my strength inside the act of faith

I believe in the spirit of Rock N Roll
In the eternal strength of the immortal soul
Cause sometimes everybody's gotta let it go
I believe in the power of love

I believe in the sounds of Sam and Dave
That little children should occasionally misbehave
That all that you get is all that you gave
I believe in the power of love

Little boy staring out a windowsill to a world that doesn't care
Everybody 'round is so much bigger that they don't even know he's there
But one day he's going to grow to be a man and maybe then they'll see
He'll provide the hope and care for the family

I believe in the chance of love at first site
That your life doesn't always have to be a fight
And if you do it at all you ought to do it right
I believe in the power of love

I believe that sometimes you got to take a stand
That you're holding my heart when you're holding my hand
Cause everything is eventually in gods hands

I have got to take the best of me and keep that heart alive
Why'd I ever want to shut that down and kill my soul?

I believe that sometimes you've got to take a chance
That you can't love your life just listening to can'ts
Cause the thrill of the ball's part of the thrill of the dance
I believe in the power of love

I believe that we never really are alone
'Cause there's so much more than anything we've known
New Orleans is always gonna be my home
I believe in the power of love

I believe in the spirit of Rock N Roll
In the eternal strength of the immortal soul
Cause sometimes everybody's gotta let it go
I believe in the power of love

I believe in the power of love