lumière des étoiles

right up my alley
2004-06-11 10:54 a.m.

The newest book club selection is Saul Bellow's Henderson the Rain King, which is about a wealthy American guy who tries to make a home for himself in Africa. I wonder which member the club was trying to appease with this selection? I wonder if my voiced complaints about the last few snooze-fest choices were well received? I wonder if it's true that the "squeaky wheel gets the grease"?

But of course I would never gloat, it's just so unlike me. Instead I just "question" and then continue on my way.

Ryan won't be able to make this one, unfortunately, as he's in China on business and wrote to tell me he can only find the book in Mandarin. He also wrote me that the Chinese seem to have developed the oddest way of greeting him: sneering, pointing, yelling something in Mandarin. "I'm sure it all means 'Welcome', right?", he writes. "Cultural differences sure are wacky!".

I wrote back and said "Don't worry, it's not your fault, it's THE GOVERNMENT'S!"...because I really don't remember that much anti-American sentiment, and I've traveled a lot. He responded that I always say this, but that this time, maybe it's true.

I really don't think they're all evil. But if even I find their arrogance offensive, imagine what they look like to other countries? A perfect example is Ashcroft not giving up those memos about the possibly "official" orders to torture Iraqi POWs and refusing to answer any the Senate judiciary’s' questions. (Did you watch any of that play out on C-SPAN 2, by the way? I did, and it was hilarious! Kennedy and Biden, amongst others, snarled and glared at Ashcroft, who just won't give up the goods, and Ashcroft snarled and glared right back. It was like they were from rival high schools looking at each other across a football field, or something!)

Ashcroft just plain old refused to present the memos or answer any questions, because he "didn't think it was a good idea". He didn't invoke any right of protection, he didn't cite any laws which allowed him the privilege of not having to answer questions from congress. "You're not allowed to do that!" Kennedy said. But apparently, the man thinks he is. Arrogance.

Steve and I went to a gi-normous thrift store in Paterson yesterday looking for a fugly outfit he can wear to the prom. I had my eyes open for Nicole as well, since I'd just talked to her and she told me she hadn't had any luck and the local salvo. They had that "cool jazz" station on, 101.something, which you've only been tortured by if you live in the greater NY area. You see, on the "cool jazz" station, they don't play jazz. They play Kenny G and other such elevator music.

Later on, the employees were using the loud speakers to talk to one another. It was hard to concentrate on finding a pastel cummerbund for Steve since we were laughing so hard. The first time it happened, it interrupted a commercial that called for women between the ages of 18-35 to volunteer themselves for some medical experiment. It went something like this: "Women, do you suffer from...'yoLAAANda, please come to the OFFICE. yoLAAANda, please come to the OFFICE.'". I guess yoLAAANda never came, because then she got yelled at, and yelled back later from somewhere else in the store. All of this, of course, over the loud speaker. I haven't had that much fun shopping in a really long time

We weren't very successful with Steve's outfit, but I managed to pick up a nice Kate Spade bag for two dollars. eeee!

We're still working on what he'll do; we're thinking a Miami-Vice pastel T-Shirt under the tux he already has. Steve insisted he try to give himself a perm with one of those home-kits tonight, since he's going to shave his head completely before Africa anyway. I did my best to discourage him yesterday afternoon, explaining that they fry your hair and it might all just break off anyway, but all of that was undermined when Thomas was over here last night telling Steve that that was the best idea ever. I'm thinking he won't go through with it, but with my husband, you never know. He's a wild one.

I'm off to the gym and to buy a better copy of Bellow's book.

xoxox,