Fall Foliage

On Friday, my sister, Kurt and I took my dad to see Jeff Dunham's show for his birthday. If you've never heard of or seen Jeff Dunham perform, please click on the link below. He's a ventriloquist stand-up comedian and he is hilarious. I can't decide which character is my favorite. It has to be either Walter or Achmed. The best part of the show was during Achmed's part where Dunham couldn't stop laughing. I love when comedians crack themselves up. For about ten minutes, he couldn't get anything out because he would laugh every time he tried to speak. The funny thing is, I don't think I laughed as hard during the scripted parts than I did during what would be bloopers in a sitcom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtMqgJQQWvE

This weekend, I realized something that left me very depressed. As I was driving, I noticed that the leaves are changing colors. This is one of my favorite times of the year for this very reason. What left me depressed is the fact that I just noticed this. Presumably, the leaves have been changing for awhile. I've just been oblivious. In the morning when I leave for work, it's dark, so I see no colors. When I come home from work, it's also dark, so still, I see no colors. And I work in a city, so I see no green during the day. My goal has been to slow down and notice the beauty in the world. This just proves that I still need to learn to open my eyes.

To e-read or not to e-read

Barnes and Noble has a new e-reader. The Nook. It's beautiful. Full-color screen, wireless connection, holds over 1,500 ebooks, and it's smart. It knows when you walk into a Barnes and Noble store with it and automatically downloads book excerpts for you to read. Since e-readers have debuted on the market, I've debated whether or not I think they're a good thing and whether or not I want one. While I think it makes sense for some people, like those of us who work in publishing and tend to read a lot of manuscripts, I can't help but wonder, is this just a fad, some new obsession with what technology can offer that will only provide an additional way to read, or is this the future of reading. Does this mean the tactile experience of curling up with a good book will soon be no more? I don't think so.

At work, we read a lot of manuscripts, all printed on the same paper, in the same font, held together with the same binder clips. The experience is always the same for everyone: the stories all seem to run together. No one can fully retain a manuscript the way they can a finished book. It seems that having something concrete, printed, bound, with a great cover actually helps a person retain the story. I think it's because a printed book with a cover helps to differentiate a book from all the others. Without that image, there's no way to visually tell one book from another, and I think we need that association. Reading a manuscript is a lot like reading an ebook, and I wonder if this means consumers are buying ebooks, reading them, and then forgetting them. For this reason, I believe printed books will never go away. The tactile sensation of holding a book is not only comforting, but memorable.

Then I got to thinking. Is this just something that affects older generations? Those of us who grew up writing instead of typing. Even though I can type much faster than I can write, I've always preferred writing longhand to typing when it comes to something creative. For some reason my thoughts flow more easily through a pen than on a keyboard. But maybe that's only because that is how I was taught. We didn't have a computer until I was at least 9 and my first typing class was in 4th grade. But what about the new generation that learns to use a computer before they even step foot in school? My three-year old cousin could navigate his father's computer just as well as I could. Will our children's brains work differently than ours because they learn to type and read on-screen before they even learn to write? Will they retain ebooks or manuscripts better than we do? I guess we'll have to wait and see. If that's the case, I just hope printed books stay around. There's something about being in a library or bookstore and being surrounded by beautiful books with beautiful covers that could never be replicated with manuscripts or ebooks.

On a completely different topic, Kurt and I went to dinner last Friday night for a date. It was possibly the worst dinner we've ever had. The food wasn't bad. It was decent, actually. The rest of the experience, however, was lacking. We went to DiMattia's in Allentown. In my three years of living in this town, I've never been there. La Piazza just always seemed a better choice for some reason. Now I know WHY La Piazza seemed like a better choice. It IS the better choice. After sitting down at our table for about 5 minutes, with one menu for the two of us, our waitress came over and said "It's going to be awhile." No explanation, no apologies, nothing. We hadn't even ordered! It was the first thing she said to us. We asked if they were closing, she said, "No, he's just really backed up in there." The restaurant was practically empty. I ordered an iced tea and a cheeseburger, Kurt ordered a coke, caesar salad, and a chicken parm sub. Ten minutes later, we both got cokes. I decided to drink my coke and not say anything for fear I would never get my drink. Another ten minutes went by. Our waitress came back. They were out of hamburger. Three minutes later I got a menu to make another choice: a cheesesteak. What seemed like forever went by before Kurt got his caesar salad. Then, an hour and ten minutes after we sat down, we finally got our food. By that time, I was no longer hungry. Now, please understand that Kurt and I are VERY sympathetic when it comes to servers and restaurants. We've both worked in restaurants for years, so we're understanding and very patient. But this was ridiculous. Throughout this whole ordeal, we debated whether or not to leave without ever getting our food. We just laughed at ourselves for picking this place, and decided to stay, vowing that this would be our last time at DiMattia's. After eating half of our meals, we asked for the check and got out of there as fast as possible. With the time it took to get our food and the horrible service it really makes me wonder how this place stays in business, especially with a place like La Piazza 50 yards away.

On my nightstand:

I just started Pulitzer-prize winner, Olive Kitteridge. I'm not too far into it, but I love it already. As far as I can tell, it's just a story about a woman and the people in her life. The writing is fantastic. It draws you in. By the end of the first page, you're already fully invested in their lives. I can't wait to continue.

Pink Cadillacs, New Enemies, and Fallen Angels

For those of you who haven't heard yet, after 7 years of dating, Kurt and I are now engaged. He surprised me on Friday after work with the most beautiful ring ever, dinner and a hotel room in New York. It was absolutely perfect. I am extremely impressed with his ring-choosing skills. I've known him for a very long time and I never would have thought he could pick something this breathtaking. Dinner was at a place called Sosa Borella - a small Argentinian restaurant on 8th Ave. It was amazing - romantic atmosphere, great service, incredible food. I had ceviche with sea scallops and branzino for my entree. They were both perfect. The branzino was buttery and melted in my mouth. Kurt's steak was well cooked, but the mashed potatoes were the star of his plate. I highly, highly recommend this place.

As for the wedding, we've started planning a little already, drawn up a preliminary guest list, looked at venues, and I've saved some dresses to my theknot.com page. We're looking at a June, 2011 wedding. I've been stressing a little about the budget - why weddings are so ridiculously expensive? I want to do something simple and somewhat casual - outdoor, but even that seems to be out of our budget. My goal is to do it for around $15,000, hopefully less. We're both starting to save and I'm going to open a wedding account on ING Direct to help us. I plan to do a lot myself and find ways of making our little money go far. Updates will come as we begin to make concrete decisions.

Last night, my friend and I had a Mary Kay beauty consultation and by the end of the night, I found myself signing up to be a consultant myself. I have no idea how it happened. We had mini-facials and makeovers and the products were actually amazing. I loved them, frankly. And I figure this could be a great way to make some extra money for the wedding. So, if anyone is interested, I now have my own personal website. Check it out if you want. The skincare line and foundation are particularly good. My mom was an Avon Rep so I do feel like I'm the enemy and have gone to the dark side, but who knows, maybe I'll make some extra money for the wedding, or maybe I'll even make enough to earn that pink Cadillac. www.marykay.com/amy.ricci

Not-so-little-known fact: I hate bugs. All of them. Cockroaches, mustache bugs, stink bugs, spiders, ants. But I have a new enemy: Sprickets, also known as Cave Crickets. These are by far the worst. They look like a cross between a large spider and a cricket (see the picture below). A few weeks back, one jumped out of the kitchen sink at Kurt, practically attacking him. Then, last week, while I was turning on the water for a shower (I always seem to find huge insects while I'm getting ready to shower, naked and completely vulnerable), and I thought I saw something on the shower curtain, but when I looked again it was gone. When I backed up, it was on the wall right next to me. The biggest spricket ever. Naturally I screamed bloody murder and Kurt came running in to save me. The thing jumped at him again and again until he killed it. We looked it up on wikipedia and amazingly it came up when Kurt typed in "spider and cricket". These God awful things live in dark, dank caves without light, which pretty much ensures that I'm NEVER going into our cave of a basement ever again. The only way to get rid of them is to get rid of dark, dank places where they dwell. Right. Because that's possible in a 200 year old house with a root cellar next to a lake. They're harmless, sure, but here's my favorite part. Because they can't see well, their defense mechanism is to LAUNCH themselves at any perceived threat. Let me tell you, it's extremely effective on me. I'm now afraid to shower, go near the kitchen sink, and go into the basement. I just keep envisioning hundreds of these things launching themselves at me as I walk down the basement steps. Well, no more. I will never go down there again, no matter what.

On my nightstand:

I just finished Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. All I have to say is Oh. My. God. It was incredible. It's been awhile since I've finished a book and been utterly depressed just because it was over. I was depressed today after reading the last word. It's a paranormal romance about a fallen angel. The guy, unlike Edward in Twilight and the boys in other books I've read, is bad, really bad, and complicated. The girl is stronger than other heroines I've read which is refreshing and the story is interesting, although slightly reminiscent of other books in its genre. The last word in the book is "More." It's the perfect ending because it's all I want from this story, more. I can't wait for the sequel. It can't come soon enough.

Swaying in the wind

I work in a skyscraper. On days like today, when the wind is near hurricane levels, working in a skyscraper can be a very scary thing. All day long today, I could hear the building creaking as it swayed back and forth in the wind. I am fully aware that skyscrapers are meant to sway in the wind (if there was no give at all, the stress would be too much and the building would collapse), but that does not make the creaking any less upsetting. On days like today, you can FEEL the building swaying. Not comforting when you’re 10 stories up and pretty much don’t stand a chance if the building collapses. Needless to say, I hate windy days at work.

On a lighter note, last week I stayed at a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn. We went to Candle 79, a vegan restaurant on the upper east side (79^thand Lexington) to visit another friend who works there. Being born into an Italian family, I am somewhat apprehensive when it comes to vegan foods. Crunchy granola, flavorless soy beans, and unshowered, hippie women with hairy armpits come to mind when I think of vegan food. But I will try anything once. Well, almost anything. I draw the line at certain organs: heart, liver, tongue, brain, eyeballs. I don't think my life will be incomplete if I never taste any of these. But I digress. Candle 79 was incredible. If I hadn’t known it was vegan, I never would have guessed. The decor was upscale and beautiful and the food was great (and not just for a vegan place, for any place). The food was tasty and well executed, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was relaxing. I was highly impressed. It’s amazing to me that chocolate and peanut butter mousse, nachos with cheese, and butternut squash cream soup could all be done without dairy and eggs. And I couldn’t even tell the difference. It was definitely a little expensive for my budget, but it was worth it to have my eyes opened to the world of veganism. Don't get me wrong, I have no plans to convert. Mind you, I don’t need meat with every meal and really only eat it every so often, but I could never give it up. While I could never become a vegan, or even a vegetarian, I have a new found respect for vegan food. If you go, please make sure to get the nachos (ask for it without the meat substitute) and the homemade ginger ale.

I saw this article on MSN.com today: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23713175/ns/today-today_weddings?GT1=43001 I'd heard of "trashing the dress" before, where brides get pictures taken doing something that ruins their wedding dress, after the wedding day of course. I'd always thought that I would never want to do this, that my wedding dress will be too meaningful, not to mention expensive, to ruin. But then I looked at the slideshow in this article. Please click on it. The pictures are beautiful and striking. I might change my mind. Knowing what these brides are doing makes the photos that much more powerful.

I've decided to end this post with something that will, without a doubt, make everyone smile. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33205603/ns/today-today_pets/?GT1=43001 Take a look at the slideshow in this article. These are teacup pigs. I have wanted one ever since I saw them on The Today Show. I mean really, you can't help falling in love with them. They're so cute my heart actually aches to look at them. I need one.

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.