Read a Banned Book this Week

This week is Banned Books Week. In honor of that, this post is dedicated to the First Amendment.

As a child, I remember my classmates and peers citing the First Amendment when they were punished or given detention for saying something bad. “What about freedom of speech!?” They’d yell as they were dragged to the principal’s office. While I don’t think this legislation was written to save foul-mouthed children from detention, they do have a point. It makes me sad that during this day and age, the 21^st century, when we should be enlightened and accepting, people are still pushing to have books banned. Some of the best books of our time are censored: Doctor Zhivago, The Giver, Sophie’s Choice, Slaughterhouse Five, The Bluest Eye, even Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

What is it about these books that people find so offensive that they would rather see them burned than read? Personally, I think it’s fear. Fear that these books will open the minds of children, that these books will inspire them, make them think. There is nothing more powerful than an open and accepting mind. When people learn new things and new ideas, the old ones are challenged. I think it’s this people fear more than anything: that their ideas, their laws, their beliefs will be challenged and proven to be wrong. These people miss the point. The point of these books, at least most of them, is to rock the boat, not capsize it. The point is to think, hope, dream, and create.

I think the saddest thing is that so many of these banned books are some of the most interesting I have ever read. Imagine if all controversial books were banned? How boring would life be? In Salman Rushdie’s The Enchantress of Florence, all books are to be censored before being brought before the emperor. I think this quote says it all, “According to the old ways, any book that reached the imperial presence had to be read by three different commentators and pronounced free of sedition, obscenity, and lies. ‘In other words,’ the young king had said on ascending the throne, ‘we are only to read the most boring books ever written. Well, that won’t do at all.’” The Enchantress of Florence, by Salman Rushdie

New Ban at Tufts

This weekend, I had my friend's 25th birthday party in Manhattan. We went to Lil' Frankie's near the nexus of the universe (1st and 1st for you non-Seinfeld watchers). Dinner was amazing. We had burrata with tomatoes and fried calamari for appetizers. I have a new appreciation for olives and the risotto with pancetta was incredible (Kurt thought it tasted like Campbell's chicken noodle soup, but I respectfully disagree). It was perfect. The restaurant was charming and warm and like almost all restaurants in Manhattan, incredibly small. It didn't bother me at all as a customer, but all I could think while we were eating was, God it would suck to work here. Teresa Caffe, where I work on Saturdays, is small enough, but this place would give me claustrophobia! Regardless of the size, the food was amazing.

Later that night, we went to a club - Sin Sin. This place was as disappointing as Lil' Frankie's was amazing. The music was awful - gangster rap (how are you supposed to dance to that?), it was crowded, narrow, and the dance floor was in the middle of a long room so that people had to walk through the throng of people dancing in order to get to the other side. The DJ was terrible - he actually played two, count them, TWO Will Smith songs in a row and added his own personal touch to the mix: "Yea! Yea!" "Don't forget to tip the bartenders!" "Sin Sin Saturday night!". He yelled these during every song.

Thanks to a fellow Jumbo, I saw this article on Facebook today: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20090929tufts_university_bans_nookie_if_roomie_is_present/srvc=home&position=0

Please check it out. It's hilarious. Tufts has now banned sex in the dorms while the other roommate is in the room. Seriously? Isn't that common sense? Or at least common courtesy? I mean, if these students are the types of people who would have sex with their roommate in the room, are they really the types of people who would listen to a school rule? I found myself laughing hysterically while reading this. Since when does banning sex for any reason work? Oh, the naivete of Tufts administrators, of all administrators really. It's sweet that they try, but what they should do is recommend students do what Amber recommends they do at the end of this article - respect their fellow classmates, leave a scarf tied on the door or send a courteous text to their otherwise unsuspecting roommate and maybe, just maybe, refrain from having sex with other people in the room!

On my nightstand:

I've had to put down The Lost Symbol for awhile. It's not because I don't like it, because I was LOVING it. It's because I have a very important book discussion on Thursday and had not picked up the book yet. Salman Rushdie is coming to our book discussion at work on Thursday. I am beside myself. We're reading (so I'm reading now) The Enchantress of Florence. It is incredible. Honestly, I was afraid it would be dense and heady and difficult to read. I've found it's the complete opposite. It is incredibly well written, as should be expected of a book by Salman Rushdie, but it's funny too and light with philosophical questions to ponder. I highly highly recommend it. It is wonderful and fittingly, enchanting.

I should have been a symbologist

I started Dan Brown's new book, The Lost Symbol, today on my way home from work. I'm 46 pages in and already I can't put it down. I'm hooked. Brown's writing is so captivating and the subject matter is interesting and mysterious. Reading this novel, I think I should have been a symbologist. I love love love this stuff - Freemasons, symbology, alternative science, religion, ancient rituals, history. I can't get enough.

I'm sure you're thinking Wow, this girl is a serious nerd. Yup, I am. But if you're reading this, you probably know me, and should have figured that out by now. And that's why I love Brown's books so much - I feel like I'm learning something, even though the story is fiction. His books make you think and I love that. My favorite books growing up were the ones that make you think - Nancy Drew, The Giver, even The Giving Tree. Sure, I love a good chick-lit book or a good guilty pleasure, but I find the ones that challenge me to think differently or open my mind the most fulfilling.

There's a relatively new band in the world of country music that I've fallen in love with: Lady Antebellum. So far, every song I've heard by them, I've loved. Check them out, even if you don't love country. They're worth it.

I am full of glee

About a week ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Kurt trying to put together a TV stand. I went out into the living room and he informed me that one of the boxes had scratched our new leather couch. I was still too asleep to answer this properly. All I could manage was a loud sigh and a “we JUST got it”. “I promise I’ll fix it! I’ll figure something out!” he told me. Well, fix it he did. He used brown shoe polish and you really can’t even tell there’s a scratch there. Yesterday, we had friends over for football. Kurt’s brother and his girlfriend were there (his girlfriend had given us the leather couch). This is the conversation between Kurt's brother's girlfriend and Kurt.

Kurt’s brother’s girlfriend

Looking at the couch, “How did you fix that scratch!?”

Me (in my head)

How the hell does she know about that scratch??

Kurt

“I used shoe polish”

Kurt’s brother’s girlfriend

“It had been there since I got it and didn’t know how to fix it. That’s amazing!”

At that, Kurt just looked at me and we both started laughing. “See? It wasn’t even ME and you hated me for it!” I responded – “I didn’t HATE you for it!” “No, you just said (SIGH) ‘we JUST got it!’” So I felt bad – I blamed him for something he didn’t even do. But in my defense, HE hadn’t noticed it before either. I can’t imagine how neither of us noticed a big scratch on the front of the couch before that incident! Incredible. So, mea culpa. I’m sorry honey. I will never assume you're to blame ever again ;-)

Did I mention he broke our iron this morning? Yea, there's a gaping hole in it. But I'll never assume he's to blame from now on. Right.

So I know you're all dying to hear about the bachelorette party. It was a blast. The stripper was good – he came dressed as a cop and the bride-to-be actually thought he was a real cop, which just added to the hilarity. He sparked many interesting discussions such as, but not limited to, Does he stuff? How does he not get turned on? Is he gay? You know, really intelligent topics of conversation. We took tons of pictures, but I won’t be gracing this page with pictures of an almost naked man – sorry! The maid of honor and I stood in the corner, laughing and taking pictures while the rest of the girls had fun with the guest of honor. The bride-to-be had fun which was all the mattered to me. Between the stripper and what he inspired - (everyone (except me and a few others) dancing around in their underwear (after he left of course)), we had a lot of fun. I have to say I thought for a second I walked into every man's dream when I came downstairs and saw everyone dancing on the couches with no clothes on. At the end of the night, the Italian mother came out in me and I made two Digiorno pizzas for everyone as “sustenance” - apparently I kept repeating this over and over - so they wouldn’t be hungover the next morning. I was slightly - ok somewhat more than slightly inebriated, yet miraculously, I managed not to burn the pizzas AND to turn off the oven when I was done. Well done, Amy, well done.

No books to report on right now – I’m busy reading manuscripts, but we DID just get the new Dan Brown book in our mailboxes last week, so I can’t wait to start! And I'm completely obsessed with Glee. I informed Kurt last night that I want to be in glee club - let's forget for the moment that I'm not in high school and can't sing or dance. Kurt's response? "You should! You're so full of glee!" I am full of glee. And that's the most important thing. I could be the 25-year old high school senior wannabe, attempting to dance and singing off-key, but at least I'm full of glee. :-)

I am losing a battle to Mallomars

Lately, I've been on a junk food kick. And it's not good. I love healthy food - fruits, vegetables, whole wheats, but I want none of it right now. Instead, I'm craving Mallomars, Oreos, ice cream, cheeseburgers. Maybe it's the change in weather or maybe it's the stress that comes from no sleep and lots of work. I don't know. All I know is it is not good. Every winter, I gain about 10 pounds. This winter I vowed to myself that I would NOT to gain 10 pounds. Clearly, I'm doing great. What's more, I have no motivation whatsoever to run. Like healthy food, I normally love to run. I just can't bring myself to do it when I get home from work. I don't know what's wrong with me. I just need to get out of this rut soon.

Kurt's brother's girlfriend is walking in the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer and I donated last night. Looking through the website got me thinking. (warning: this gets a little personal, so feel free to skip to the next paragraph) My mom died from breast cancer when I was 14 and my sister was 9. No one else in the family has had it, which gives us hope that we'll be spared, but given that it was our mother who had it, we've been tested regularly since we were 16. I started thinking this morning about the breast cancer gene. I'm honestly not even sure I would want the test as horrible as that sounds. Something about not living in fear, and ignorance is bliss, and all that. But I do think about it a lot. It's always a topic of "what if" conversations. What if you found out you had the gene? What would you do? Would you get your breasts removed if it meant saving your life? I'm both ashamed and sorry to say that it's a difficult decision for me. Giving up my breasts to save my life. It's sounds like a pretty easy trade-off. You'd think it would be a no-brainer, right? I don't think of myself as a vain person, and it's not all about vanity - I want the experience of nursing my children. Sure, I'm worried about feeling like less of a woman and the thought of implants just grosses me out, frankly, but I realized this morning in the shower (where I have had many moments of brilliance), that it doesn't matter, that I would do it to save my life in honor of all the women who didn't have the chance to make that choice themselves. I just hope we'll find a cure so that I and every other woman will never have to make this decision.

To lighten the mood a little, here's a little update on the stripper for the bachelorette party: the stripper is officially booked. I booked him for a half hour, because let's face it, an hour is REALLY long for something like that. What could he possibly do in an hour?? It should be interesting at the very least - I'll let you know how he is after Saturday night.

On my nightstand:

I finished All We Ever Wanted Was Everything. It did get better and I did enjoy it, in the way I enjoy trashy reality TV - I want to look away, I want to hate it, but I can't and I don't. It was also about a world I really can't relate to. It's about drugs and money and sex. I've never really been into the instant gratification. In fact, this book made me realize that I really wouldn't like taking drugs. I've never done a drug in my life and have no desire to - especially after the descriptions in the book. The mother starts taking meth and says how she loves the cloudy feeling it gives her. I would HATE that cloudy feeling. Hate it. Regardless, the book is a guilty pleasure. I'm reading a manuscript now, so I can't recommend it even though I really really would. But I will recommend watching Glee. Please, please go and watch it. It's wonderful. If I thought it was possible for a person to fall in love with a TV show, I would say that I am head over heels. The singing and dancing and exaggerated plot lines make me smile the ENTIRE time I'm watching it. Please tune in on Wednesday nights. If nothing else, it'll make you smile.

Work-Life Balance

I just read this article on MSN.com: http://www.good.is/post/tgithursday/?gt1=48001 It's about Utah's new 4-day work week. Last year, Utah's governor decided to give the majority of the state employees a 4-day work week. Essentially, these employees would work 10 hour days for 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday. This was done to cost-save - if the buildings could shut down on Fridays, that's a lot of energy the state doesn't have to pay for (not to mention the fact that's it lower Utah's carbon footprint). Furthermore, it saved the employees money - they had to pay for 4 days of childcare instead of 5 and no commute = no gas/tolls/tickets for an extra 52 days a year. That adds up! Many skeptics thought a 10 hour/day, 4 day/week schedule would burn out the employees. Instead, productivity increased, complaints lessened, and absenteeism and stress decreased. People were HAPPIER with this schedule. Personally, I think it's remarkable that skeptics ever thought otherwise. Having an extra day off makes a huge difference. The state of Utah has marked this a success and will continue this schedule.

It makes me wonder how many other companies will try this. Sure, this is a result of our struggling economy - everyone needs to cut costs, but I've noted that my generation - 20 somethings - want everything: a job we love, a short commute, free-time, no stress, lots of money - and we believe we can have that. And why not, frankly? I'm interested to see how things change as we enter and eventually take over the job market. More innovation = decreased stress and increased efficiency - what a remarkable idea! I've heard of companies allowing 20 minute nap times after lunch. These nap times have actually INCREASED productivity. Counter intuitive, yes, but if you really think about it, it makes sense. Everyone has experienced that drop in energy after lunch when your body aches for a nap, but instead of getting a rest and rejuvenating, you're forced to work through it - and many do so slowly. But if you had the opportunity to take a quick catnap, to recharge, you'd be ready to face the end of the workday. I think these changes and innovations are long-overdue. It's incredible to me that they are the result of cost-saving efforts and attempts at greater efficiency and while they are actually working, they're also giving people better lives. Work-life balance achieved.

Beauty is Pain

Moving in together has certainly been a learning experience - especially for Kurt who now gets to witness all the steps it takes for a woman to get ready. Every once in awhile he'll watch me and make comments. Like Friday for instance, when I was painting my nails and he stated, "I'm going to die if we don't open a window." Not too dramatic. Today, though, was the best. I was curling my eyelashes and, when he saw what I was doing, asked me to do his. I'm aware that most men, including Kurt, regard eyelash curlers as torture devices. But I didn't expect his reaction. Before I even got near him, he backed up and said "Ow!" When I responded that I didn't even do anything yet, he said "It's scary!" I have to wonder if this is why men don't preen as much as women do. Maybe they just don't handle "torture" as well as we do.

We went to a friend's wedding this weekend at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. It's an outdoor sculpture garden in the middle of a large corporate park. It's the last place on Earth you'd expect to find something so beautiful and cultured. I think that's part of the appeal. The ceremony itself was breathtaking. It took place in a little garden with statues all around. It was sweet and unique - they released butterflies before saying their vows while Japanese tourists peered in and snapped photos. At the reception, there was a photo booth which I LOVED. I love the cheesy, goofy pictures that come out of those things. There really should be more of them in public places. I think they bring out the best in people.

Right now, as I'm typing, Kurt is watching Whale Wars. I have to say, this show makes me very angry. It's about a boat of people that go around terrorizing whaling ships. First of all, terrorists are terrorists in my book, no matter the cause. It's just not the way things should be done. They disgust me, frankly. Second of all, these whalers are hunting whales LEGALLY! These anti-whalers are so self-righteous that they don't seem to realize that THEY are the ones who are in the wrong. I understand their point - that hunting whales is sad, and it definitely should be regulated. But the thing is - it IS regulated, by international law. These whalers are hunting whales for food, just like the people who catch crabs or fish. It would be different if they were hunting endangered whales, or poaching. But they're not. The people on this ship throw chemical "bombs" onto the whaling ships, plant their people onto the whaling ships and claim the whalers are holding them hostage. Then proceed to call the press and make them seem like the bad guys. People like this really get me fired up. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the regulation of hunting and guns and I believe we should work to conserve wildlife and the environment, but this is going too far. There are ways to get things done, ways to change laws and people. This is just not it. There are also so many other things in this world we should be focused on - legal whale hunting is not one of them.

On my nightstand:

I finished The Secret Life of Bees and it was amazing. I can't wait for my book club discussion! Please go read it if you haven't already.

I'm now on All We Ever Wanted Was Everything. I have to say I'm not impressed so far. The cover is awesome. I love it, but so far, that's about all I love. It's taking me awhile to get into it and I'm just not that patient anymore. I'll stick it out and maybe it'll surprise me. I'll let you know. But I've realized that since I started working at Random House and because I now read so many books (at least one a week), I'm much more critical than I ever was. I can count on one hand the number of books I've put down without finishing. I HATE not finishing a book. I always think it'll get better. Maybe the next page will hook me. Or the next. Most of the time, my hopes are dashed when I get to the last page and am still disappointed. But since starting at RH, I have developed a more critical eye. I guess it's to be expected. Here's hoping All We Ever Wanted Was Everything is everything I want - a good book. I'll update when I finish.

Sunday, I realized something. I am so used to being busy, to working constantly, or at the very least having a plan with what to do in my free time, that I don’t know what to do on the off-chance I have a few hours to myself without anything to do. This is precisely what happened on Sunday. I didn’t have to work, or take my Nonni (my g'ma) shopping, or go grocery shopping, or do anything. I was looking forward to it, until my free time actually came. And I was bored. Kurt went to a fantasy football draft so I was left at home to my own devices. I watched 3 movies, went for a run, and took a nap and I was still bored. I was restless. Finally, my best friend called. “I’m dropping off the clothes I borrowed. I’ll bring them over on my way to Barnes & Noble.” When she pulled up, I informed her that I was coming with her. I needed to get out of the house. What’s happened to me? Am I that used to being constantly on the go that I can’t enjoy relaxing and doing nothing? I honestly felt like I was wasting time sitting around on the couch! Not good.

Every Sunday, my dad, my sister, and I have lunch at our grandmother’s house. I’m sure many of you have heard a story or two about my Nonni. She is the stereotypical Italian, Catholic grandmother: heavy on the guilt and on the garlic. I love her dearly and see her at least once a week, but she also drives me a little crazy. On Friday, I went grocery shopping for her. Inevitably, I always buy something wrong (even if it’s exactly what she would’ve bought). Sure enough, on Sunday, I was told that her gnocchi weren’t up to par because of the potatoes I bought. Truth be told, there was too much flour in the gnocchi. I just nod and smile and say, “Yes Nonni, I’ll buy the "right" kind next time.” There’s no use in arguing, this I’ve learned after 25 years of trying.

On the way to Nonni’s yesterday, my dad informed me that he is rejoining the Catholic church. He was raised Catholic, but hasn't been involved with the church in years. I’m pretty sure that in my lifetime, my father has not been to Mass…until now. Before leaving the church entirely, my father was in seminary school to become a priest. Thankfully, he left and married my mom and as a result, had my sister and me. I'm happy that he's becoming involved again. I think it’s good to have a belief or a faith in something. My sister and I were raised Presbyterian like our mother, so I do find it a little strange now that our father actively belongs to a different denomination than we do, but I'm proud of him. This revelation of his made me think about faith and church. We used to go every Sunday. In high school, I was very involved in my church's youth group and in Sunday School. During college, I'd go every once in awhile when I was home on breaks, but I haven't been in years. I used to love going to church - singing the hymns, listening to the sermons, not to mention our communion bread was the best bread I've ever tasted. I don't know, there's something about going to church that made me happy for the rest of the day. But I've stopped going for various reasons. I'd like to start going again, but I want to find a different church. I've found that my old church, for whatever reason, doesn't feel like mine anymore. It's a wonderful church, with wonderful people who have been there for me throughout my life, but it feels different now. It's not that it's changed much at all. It's me that's changed. I'll still go to visit on holidays and see the people I grew up with, but I think it's time to find a church that fits me as I am today, not as I was ten years ago. There are a couple of churches I have in mind that I'd like to check out. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know. I would prefer a Presbyterian church as that's what I was raised, but I'm open to other denominations.

Something that made me very ashamed of one of my last posts (my confession of my fear of homeless people): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32634073. I read about this girl in Elle. It's a wonderful story that just shows what can be done when you don't give up.

And something that made me proud to work for a company that supports the First Amendment: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/22/wisconsin.book.row/index.html?iref=newssearch. Our company has a First Amendment Committee which aim is to ensure this incredible piece of legislation is never ignored. The committee wrote a letter to the Director of the Library in West Bend offering their full support. Isn't it time we opened our minds?


On my nightstand:
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I'm reading this for a book club and I have to say, I love it. It's beautifully written and interesting as hell, but I think what I love most are the little descriptions of bee life before each chapter. Bees have always interested me even though I'm deathly afraid of them (I was once stung 3 times simultaneously on the playground in elementary school). My uncle and aunt own hives and make their own honey. I just think they're the most incredible creatures, but like I said, I usually run screaming from them when they come near me. In the first scene, the narrator is laying in bed when bees come through the cracks in her walls and fly around the room. She says she loves watching them fly and buzz around. While I'm sure it would be a beautiful sight, I wouldn't be around long enough to see it, let me tell you that. This really is a beautiful book. I'll update more once I've finished.