Blah-turday

Kind of an I-don't-know Saturday. Nothing terribly bad. Nothing terribly good.

When I'm like this, I'm always drawn to Tina Turner's song, Private Dancer.

Your moody mood music?
fs

A Different Light (WEHO) is Closing

This just in... A Different Light Bookstore in West Hollywood is closing. Story in Instinct Magazine. The staff and management there have always been good to me, and have always extended invitations for me to participate in store events, readings, etc...

Many of our independent bookstores are close to or have closed recently. Oscar Wilde in NYC. Last year, there was talk about Esowon in L.A. closing but things seem to have held together for the moment.

I know our economy is off-kilter. But if you get a chance to purchase one book or one thing from a local, independent business please try... it might make all the difference in the world.
fs

Fat Tuesday Musings

So this isn't about New Orleans, Mardi Gras, or the last day of gluttony before Lent Season begins. The closest I got to acknowledging any remotely related was insisting the music we played in the office had to be New Orleans-related or festive. That made the day fun.

Then we had an event today featuring the critically-acclaimed spoken word group, Yellow Rage, whose work focuses on challenging the notions around Asian American-ness, fetishes, model minority, etc... Real cool work. Check out some clips from YouTube, Listen A**hole, and I'm A Woman Not A Flava.

Some of the students I see regularly "discovered" my non-day job today-- writing novels-- and they were really cute about it. They didn't know I have an author life outside of school though I haven't done much authoring recently :-)

So my musing for the day. Help me figure this out...

If the ones we want don't want us, and the ones who want us we don't want, how does the never-ending cycle of searching, wanting, longing finally end? Just being philosophical, I guess? I guess...

Happy beginning of the Season of Lent.
fs

Much To-Do About...

So for this to be a Saturday, it seemed as busy as a work day. Laundry, groceries, gym, cleaning house, write a quick blog, etc...

I'm trying to finish re-reading Pearl Cleage's novel Babylon Sisters before she comes to L.A. and campus in a few weeks. Got another one of her novels, Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do, to re-read as well.

Now I'm chillin' out, listening to Lionel Hampton CD, Golden Vibes/Silver Vibes. Perfect to read or do some writing by. It's jazz vibraphone.

Another cool blog I just found a few days ago when googling Nancy Wilson: Out On The Stoop. And another one, for you fashionistas: Welcome To Fashionphyend

Finally, just when I think I've got a lot (well, too much) to do or handle, I run over to a blog I just discovered. Write Novel, Buy Eggs.

Hope your weekend is a good one!
fs

A Hankering For Cupcakes

This afternoon I got the strongest craving for a chocolate mint cupcake. Weird, I know. Don't ask.

There's a lot of great cupcake spots in L.A. Some of my regular haunts here have included Crumbs, Lark, Dots, and Sweet Lady Jane.

But then today, miracle of miracles, I found an amazing list in the Los Angeles Times: The Great L.A. Cupcake List.

It's going to be a fun time sampling the goods. Where else can you get a mouthful of fun for $4 dollars? :-) How about your own house? Follow some of the recipes on Cupcakes Take The Cake and you can make your own tasty treats at home.
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Sunday Morning Listening

So I actually heard this yesterday... and thought you might like.

This American Life, episode Somewhere Out There.

One of the stories -- about two families with transgender kids in elementary school -- just moved me to tears... happy tears. It's cool to hear about courageous parents supporting who their kids are. It was my Oprah moment of the day!

The other stories in the hour-long show are equally rewarding, and all center on the odds of finding that special someone, somewhere out there -- whether it's romantic, friendly, business-related, etc...

Guaranteed feel-good moment for your ears!
fs

When He's Just Not Into... Your Friend

"If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody calling?" -- Gloria by Laura Branigan.

Love that quote from that 80s song. Song came up on rotation on my iPod while at the gym this morning, and it triggered the subject for today's blog on love.

How do you let a friend know the love relationship they think they see isn't there? And as it relates to the above Laura Branigan line, I'm sure we all have a friend who's always talking about some new love, or someone looking at them, or a number they got... but then they're always home and never on a date. That quote is a blunt question for that friend. And I think it's funny.

So how do you tell a friend...

Do you send them a book like, He's Just Not That Into You? (great book by the way, I got it long before it was a pop culture sensation)

Do you give advice the way Nancy Wilson did in her song, Face It Girl, It's Over? (love the quote "when he glances at his watch... and it isn't late" in the song)

Do you play Deniece Williams' Silly, where she comes to the realization that she's been creating this love situation that isn't really there.

It's a tricky situation to watch and listen to a friend go on and on about someone they're into, but you see or know it's not what the friend thinks. Do you initiate the conversation? Let the friend ask you what you think? Wait until your friend is hurt and then tell them what you thought all along?

Happy Valentine's Day. And for those of you who are calling it Single Awareness Day, here's a list of 150 Songs For the Lonely from the Los Angeles Times.

Enjoy!
fs

Love In Six Words. That's All.

Very quickly. Cool site I found this week.

Can you express love (or heartache) in six words?

Who knew a six-word story could be so effective...
fs