No, it's not that kind of post.

I've been watching the first season of Sex and the City while I've been working on my novel and it's very odd to be watching a bunch of women discuss their dating escapades while writing about dragons and teenagers and WWI. But it's also a ton of fun and I don't have to worry about the television bleeding over into my story. (I could see tons of potential issues with Buffy on that score.)

I know this makes me a total girl (and I think there's supposed to be something wrong with that) but I love this show.

Lots of new reading this week - I started a first edition off the TBR pile that came from a garage sale ages ago. Failure of a Mission is by Neville Henderson (I think that's his last name - it's not by Neville Chamberlain), he was the British ambassador to Berlin prior to the Second World War. This just seems very timely all of a sudden, of course every fucking book on war seems timely all of a sudden, and it reads very well. Poor Neville - he really had a crappy job handed to him.

Also Whale Season by Nicole Kelby (love her, love the book), a novel in verse, The Poet Slave of Cuba. Also a stack of reviewing to write before I forget what half these books were about (just kidding) and so much work on the new website!!!!

I was in the local bookstore the other day and mentioned how hard it was to read all the books I wanted to read (actually impossible) and a lady said that's just the way it is, you will never catch up with the reading you want to do. I've been pretty determined at going through my TBR list and even though I've added to the pile a little this year, I think I am kicking it's butt. What struck me though after I left the store was that maybe I should have said something about being choosier about the books I plan to read. Lots of books sound good, but do you just read something that sounds good or purposely reach instead for the ones that have a subject matter that is significant to you or are by beloved authors. It doesn't mean you don't take chances, or read "fluff" but really, if you want to read what matters how much room do you have in your life for fluff? I've been thinking about this because I get so many publisher catalogs and so many books sent to me and while it can be a bit heady and fun sometimes I also know that if I want to read and review the book on coal mining then I need to give myself time to read it - at the detriment of other titles but shouldn't I give myself time to read a book like that, a book that matters in such an enormous way?

Is one more important than the other?

But then again, sometimes sex is just sex and not always this big freaking deal like your mother made it sound like when you were a teenager. ("It's making love every single time, dear, it's precious and beautiful and making loooooooooooove.") So is reading just reading sometimes? When you are in your thirties and treat books like food, can you just read trash for no other reason than a momentary diversion? Or do you look for something longer lasting? Do you look for the really good lay?

And yes, I am married. Consider this entry just Sarah Jessica Parker's influence.