Things I am enjoying right now

Words of wisdom

• "This is way worse than Britney. This is serious." -- A reporter, on Charlie Sheen
• "Why does anyone care about Charlie Sheen?" -- My mom
• "Maybe this is just a big scheme and CBS is in on it, and they are going to put Charlie Sheen back on his TV show. And then they would make a lot of money." -- My mom, again
• "My personal philosophy...I've just never been into sports, never cared about them. With so much going on in the world, I really don't see the point." -- The guy sitting next to me at a bar, talking to his silent date. It was a sports bar, across the street from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. A Wizards NBA game had just ended.
• "It's all about making sacrifices. I make sacrifices everyday. You've got yourself, your boyfriend, and your family. Not necessarily in that order." -- The same guy. I almost fell off my bar stool when he said this. First, because, apparently this silent woman was not on a blind date, but his girlfriend. Second, because he felt the need to add, Not necessarily in that order. How humble.
• "We should get rid of all the Republicans." -- A woman in her sixties, who was walking past the White House and turned toward me, looked me in the eye, and began speaking as if we were in the middle of a long argument. I didn't bother to tell her that I am a registered Democrat, didn't vote in the last presidential election, and learned about politics by reading novels.
• "That's the people house, right? Well then all the homeless people should move in?" - - The same woman, said while pointing at the White House. I actually thought this was a more sensible idea than getting rid of all the Republicans. I mean, where would we put them? But I laughed when she said this about the White House. I think it was because an image came to my mind of sleeping bags and garbage bags and brown shopping bags, and cats and dogs, and people wearing over-sized flannel shirts covering the floors of the White House.

Art (in a loose sense of the word)

• The new logo of Starbucks. According to a news article my dad sent me, the company decided to get a face lift for its 40th anniversary. (Dad, what is your job again?) Of course, I rushed out to see it on a cup for myself. Four dollars and change later, skim chai tea latte in hand, I know it's true. There is still the image of the mermaid/princess/goddess with long wavy hair and a crown. But, the image is green and white now, not black and white. The company's name, "Starbucks Coffee" is no longer there at all.  I guess they assumed we were all smart enough by now to put two and two together.

Writing

• Lauren Groff. I've read some of her short stories from the collection, Delicate Edible Birds. Now, I'm reading her novel, Monsters of Templeton, and you should, too. Family secrets and scandals, a hometown that comes alive on the page, a prehistoric monster, and a central character that you find yourself willing to make sense of it all. Best yet, the writing is good. No, great. Its lyrical, smart, not overdone, pulls aspects of the mystery together, and makes it seem believable - even the monster.
• Forbidden Lessons in a Kabul Guesthouse by Suraya Sadeed, a memoir coming out this summer. This book will take you to places in Afghanistan you never knew existed, and change what you think (or don't think) about the country, its people, the Taliban, humanitarian aid, donating, education, and maybe even hope.

Life Values

• Not lying or fibbing, which includes white lies and fibs for simplicity sake.

Colors

• Black. My boyfriend - who inspired the above life value (although I prefer not to go into the details about that right now) and who will probably fall off his bar stool when he reads his name in my blog - points out to me four or five times every week that I always wear black. Austin, I know, I like black clothes.