Dark Russians Take Over

Books

• Petropolis by Anya Ulinich – Continuing to read it. My mom was the one who gave it to me, so I mentioned to her that I had finally started it. Turns out she had bought it because of the writer's name (Anya—my Russian name, as I've mentioned). She thought that if this Anya from Russia had published a book, there was no reason that I couldn't finally write and publish one, too. It is her dream, she said, that I will publish a book and make lots of money. (Mom: "Like the writer of that book you are reading about the crazy boy who flies." Me: "Harry Potter?" Mom: "Yes!") I told her I would work on that. I also mentioned that, although I was enjoying the book, I had gotten to a part that was making me sad. My mom went ahead and told me how that part of the story is resolved at the end of the book. She said it was so I wouldn't feel sad. Awesome.
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling – Continuing to read with the daughter about the crazy boy who flies.
• When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris – Since Petropolis has been feeling somewhat dark (A book about a Russian that is dark? Nyet!), I thought I needed something lighter to balance it out. I had bought this latest addition to my Sedaris collection after finding it in a bookstore bargain bin with a big tear along the spine of the outer sleeve. It seemed such a fitting way to come in possession of a David Sedaris book. As I read it, I feel that I should be sitting in a Parisian cafe, drinking cappuccinos, and making snarky observations about those in my vicinity. The closest I've come to this is drinking coffee on the couch while the children run around me wearing berets and swatting at each other with batons of bread. Occasionally they'll toss me a piece that has broken off to have with my coffee.
• The son was not interested in any of the new chapter books that I had gotten from the library, so we've gone back to reading picture books from our home library. So far we've reread several Eric Carle books and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett. He's also once again willing to read the Bob Books for beginning readers by Bobby Lynn Maslen and Lynn Maslen Kertell. I have to say, I'm getting super excited about the emerging reader in our midst.

TV

• Project Runway All Stars – Kenley is out! Yeah, baby! Woo hoo! This is pretty much the level of enthusiasm I showed while watching the episode with the daughter. She gave me an amused but disapproving look, as I was not modeling proper behavior when someone loses. Sure, now she chooses to remember things that I've taught her.
• Tabatha Takes Over – This season, Tabatha is not only taking over hair salons and reorganizing them into functional businesses, but she is also expanding into other industries. In the episode I watched, Tabatha took over a doggie daycare and grooming business called Barkingham Palace. The place was a disaster, of course, and the biggest roadblock to the business's success was Tania, one half of the domestic partners who manage the daycare. Tania is so emotionally unstable, I wouldn't want to interact with her anywhere, much less work with her. Once again, reality TV has confirmed for me that a) crazy people who choose to put themselves in front of cameras are fascinating to watch and b) I have much to be thankful for when it comes to the people in my world. Well, when it comes to some of them, anyway.
• Mrs. Eastwood & Company – This show hasn't aired yet, but I'm already excited. It seems Clint Eastwood's wife and daughters are going to be the subjects of a new reality show on E! Although Mr. Eastwood will make occasional appearances on the show, that isn't even the most fascinating part of the equation. Mrs. Eastwood has begun to manage a six-man a cappella group that she discovered in South Africa while Mr. Eastwood was filming "Invictus." She brought them back with her to the United States and they now live in the Eastwood home while acclimating to life in a new country. I so hope this show is awesome.