My first month in my new job is now officially on the books. It’s been a really exhilarating, exhausting, exciting experience. (I love alliteration). I’m getting a handle on things, I have lots of ideas for my new library, my books and supplies are ordered, and I’m getting to know all the people at school. But I’m glad that tomorrow is October. I’ve put life on hold a little this month while I immerse myself in work. And also in looking fab in a different outfit every day this month.
Archive: September 2010
The older I get, the more things I remember fondly about my dad. He was complicated. But now I remember him for the kind of stuff only dads can do, like teach their daughters to love Westerns. I don’t know when it happened, or how, but somewhere after countless hours watching movies like She Wore a Yellow Ribbon in a nearly catatonic state of boredom, I suddenly started loving them. I still remember going to see Unforgiven with my dad the weekend it opened (I was 13), and I remember after all those years of training in the language of Westerns I walked away thinking it was the most perfect love song of a Western you could possibly make. I thought it was the best movie I had ever seen. I still think that, to this day.
We spent a lot of time this weekend celebrating birthdays, and I spent a LOT of time baking.
Yesterday was Adam’s birthday, and I made him devil’s food cake with chocolate buttercream. It was a big hit, I also made his favorite dinner (roast chicken and mashed potatoes).
I have to be honest and admit that I haven’t been living up to my children’s librarian side of this blog much this year. I’ve barely posted about any of the books I’ve read, and I haven’t even been reading as much. I’ve focused a lot on children’s novels that I’ve missed over the years. And life has been getting in the way a lot.
But there are some great books out there that I want to spread the word about. The Boys by Jeff Newman is one of them. I read it this summer, and it is quite possibly my favorite children’s book of the year, and now that the Newbery and Caldecott predictions have started in earnest I thought I should tell you about it.
A very shy young boy, new to his neighborhood, goes to the playground to meet other kids and play baseball. But when they don’t notice him, he loses his courage and sits on a park bench next to 4 old timers. They definitely notice him. Over the next few days, he tries to fit in with the old timers until they take steps to build his courage back up.
Adam and I trekked out to Governors Island today for the Vendys (the competition for NYC’s Best Street Food Vendor). I’ve never been out to Governors Island, and it really is beautiful. The weather was gorgeous, if a little on the hot side, and we just had such a nice afternoon eating our way from food truck to food truck as far as the eye could see. It was delicious and very New York. And the Schnitzel Truck was one of my favorites.
One of my absolute favorite food trucks there today was A-Pou’s Taste pot sticker truck (no website, but their Twitter is @apouspotsticker). They were competing in the Rookie category, and I went back twice their food was so delicious. I might have to start stalking them now.
