endearing misspellings

I don't know how I got home. Bruno must have heard me unlock the door, because a minutes later he came downstairs and knocked. I didn't answer. I was sitting in the dark in the chair by the window. He kept knocking. Finally I heard him go back upstairs. An hour or more passed and then I heard him on the stairs again. He slid a piece of paper under the door.

It said: LIFE IS BUTIFUL.

-excerpt from The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

How sweet is that? These two old men live next to each other, essentially encouraging the other to keep on living even though their both on their last leg. It's pretty adorable.

I cannot get enough of this book.

My indecisiveness is in full force. I'm on my third essay regarding this book, each time tackling my topic from a different angle hoping it clicks the way I want it to. I'm crossing my fingers that this one pans out, but am really enjoying little excerpts like the above. In the spirit of the recent holiday, I'm thankful that The History of Love lends itself nicely to multiple reads and that I'm not tired of ol' Krauss just yet.

LIFE IS BUTIFUL!

Book fad

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day avoiding reality and reading in bed while George curled up next to me. It was heaven. My book of choice was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. The beginning was dull and drawn out, so my advice is to go ahead and skip to page 32. Seeing that I hardly retained any information from the first 30 pages because my mind kept wandering off to more interesting things, you won't miss anything. But, after crossing that hurdle, the novel propels forward with a unique story and fantastic characters. This murder mystery is not predictable and the last half of the book is near impossible to set aside. It is easy to see why this book has become so popular and is worth reading, particularly on a trip where you can finish it quickly. I plan on watching the movie soon, which is always a nice bonus after reading a great book.

Side-note:
The last 100 pages annoy me. The mystery is solved and the story keeps developing as if there is going to be one last twist, but, alas, the plot has no more twists or even turns, just subtly ends with vague disappointment.

just another day in the life of awesome

yes! If you have not checked out Taylor Swift's new CD, you really should. Kid Cudi's is good too and gives me street cred proceeding that middle school selection.

In other news, I will be at the dentist today, which will not be great. But I will recover on my comfy sofa watching RH-Beverly Hills with cocktails and a good friend, which will be great!

madam mix-a-lot

There are three happiness killers:

doing work you do not love and are not passionate about,

surrounding yourself with people who you do not really like

(someone who just fills time),

and living somewhere that does not let you be you.

Just stop it.

Life is far too short.

- Richard Florida

I'm having a hard time with this right now.

So, I need to mix it up, like Sir Mix-a-lot, but without the Sir, maybe Madam, yes

Madam Mix-A-Lot

I need to...

do something I love, with lots of enthusiasm,

surround myself with good people, preferably hilarious,

and move out of Dallas.

Wine for Thanksgiving

The wine choices for my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! I don't remember having wine or any other type of alcohol at Thanksgiving growing up, but the past few years have been nicely complemented by a few glasses of red wine. My aunt started bringing a seasonal bottle the past couple of years, that is at it's peak during the week of Thanksgiving. I love this idea and think it's a great tradition that our family continues to embrace. Here are some selections for this holiday season!

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2008 or 2009

White Wine tends to be more of a crowd pleaser and Pinot Grigio is one of my (and Ramona's!) favorites. A light and refreshing white wine is a definite favorite for the Thanksgiving holiday. Santa Margherita has a good reputation and Mariah Carey reportedly requested it for one of her photo shoots, so it was a natural choice.

Ravenswood 2008 Petite Sirah

This spicy wine would go well with Turkey and all the other savories of Thanksgiving dinner. It was recommended in multiple articles and I always like to add something new to the mix.

Dona Paula Los Cardos Malbec 2008

Argentinian wine will always hold a special place in my heart. Malbec has a bold taste, but is so perfect with red meat that it leaves you wondering why you would drink anything else. Before I went to Argentina, I discovered this Dona Paula Los Cardos wine and fell in love. It's readily available and very reasonably priced, a great option if you plan on entertaining many red wine lovers.

Last night was lovely. No, I'm not stuck in a Victorian-era romance novel, but it was indeed a lovely night. When my original plans of dinner with the girls fell through, I enjoyed a quite dinner with candles lit and a good book. George was fast asleep on the couch (snoring like a train), the windows were open and letting in a cool breeze; everything was simple, peaceful and calm. I love nights like that. This morning was a continuation of this, while I took George on an early morning walk and sipped some freshly brewed coffee as I got ready for the day. Usually I sleep as long as possible and rush George outside, with barely a moment for mascara, much less coffee.
While these moments are nice, it's hard not to miss Jeff who has been traveling the last three weeks, Sunday-Friday. It's a much different routine when he's gone and there are many things I miss.

I miss cooking dinner and trying out new recipes.
Hugs in the morning and kisses at night.
I miss when he walks in from work and George shakes uncontrollably with excitement.
Laughing for hours and then reminiscing only to laugh again.
I just miss my Principe.

But I'm enjoying these quiet nights and anticipating every weekend!

fall turns to winter

It's time for fire in the fireplace,

Pumpkin spice lattes,

Peppermint hot chocolate,

And lipstick to complement this pale skin-tone I've gradually acquired.

A Running Song

A huge motivation for me to work out is a new playlist. I'm able to focus on the lyrics and really enjoy a new song in its entirety. Often car tunes (cartoons!) quickly succumb to road rage and I don't enjoy the music, so I usually defer to the radio for traffic updates. But that's neither here nor there. One of the most motivating running songs is Dog Days Are Over by Florence and The Machine. When I looked up the lyrics, my love multiplied:

Happiness hit her like a train on a track

Coming towards her stuck still no turning back

She hid around corners and she hid under beds

She killed it with kisses and from it she fled

With every bubble she sank with her drink

And washed it away down the kitchen sink

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

The horses are coming

So you better run

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father

Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers

Leave all your love and your longing behind

You cant carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

Can you hear the horses?

Because here they come

And I never wanted anything from you

Except everything you had and what was left after that too, oh

Happiness hit her like a bullet in the head

Struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

Can you hear the horses?

Because here they come

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father

Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers

Leave all your loving, your loving behind

You cant carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

Can you hear the horses?

Because here they come

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

The horses are coming

So you better run