Watch & Read.

Reading and Watching, my favorites!

As many of you know, I like to read and I like to watch tv (#LoverofLeisureActivities). And sometimes the universe delights and sends me a funny new television show or an "I can't put it down and go to sleep (even though it's 1am)" book and I'm over the moon about it. This summer, the universe sent me both (WOOOO!!!) so I thought "I gots to share with my merry friends!" Happy watching and reading (and happy Friday!) (#Iuseparenthasistoomuch)

* TV Show - You're The Worst

This show employed a brilliant strategy from the get-go: debut in late Aug-early Sept when there is absolutely no interesting scripted television to compete with. Found on FX Thursdays at 10:30, You're the Worst is an honest, raunchy, laugh-out-loud-while-cringing, comedy about 30 somethings falling in and out of love and finding themselves in the complicated "adult" world. And I promise it's not corny or contrived, it's good!! Filled with breakout stars from the leads to the supporting characters (my personal favorite is sassy best friend Lindsay played by Kether Donahue!) this new series is definitely the best thing I'm watching on tv right now (and the New Yorker likes it too which makes me feel very justified in this rave review!) Next week is the season finale (fingers crossed it gets picked up for a second!) so head over to your OnDemand screen and get caught up soon!!

* Book - Big Little Lies

Nothing beats finishing a thoroughly enjoyed book and Big Little Lies was just that. It was juicy while having a little depth, it was long but not terribly heavy and the pages flew by. Big Little Lies by Laura Moriarty is a good read!! Focused on the varied lives of three women living in Australia, BLL begins with a murder and then backtracks, all while delving into the psyches, pettiness, gossip and real-life struggles of being the parent of a kindergartener in a small wealthy town. The characters have more depth the more you read and what I assumed would be all fluff turned into a much more substantive plot with lessons to be learned and surprises from several characters. Not only would I highly recommend Big Little Lies as your next book, but I'm off to download Moriarty's previous tome, The Husband's Secret to keep the "I don't sleep I lay in bed and read" train going. Who needs sleep where there's a good book to be read!?

Book Club for Cool Kids

Reading is cool!

When I tell people I’m in a book club, I’m almost always met with skeptical faces. It’s like I’m being challenged to prove that book clubs aren’t just for dorks. I assure you, they aren’t, and while I’ve always thought that reading is cool, here are 5 ways to ensure your book club is a most awesome good time: 

(1) Rotate who hosts and who picks the books. One of my favorite things about my book club is that each month someone different hosts and the host gets to select the book we read. This ensures that no one has to travel to an inconvenient location all the time and that different tastes determine our monthly read.

(2) Bring thematic food (and drink!). Any time you add snacks and a glass of wine, conversation is sure to pick up a notch, but a thematic meal takes the fun even further. Try selecting a theme which matches the book somehow, whether it be culturally, seasonally or related to a character, and fill your plates potluck style - with each member committing in advance to bring something different. Doing this, I’ve enjoyed everything from Middle Eastern cuisine to “circus treats”.

(3) Try to mix genres. Maybe your book club wants to read exclusively science fiction. If so, awesome, but for many clubs, variety is going to be key.  Not only does my club rotate “book-selector”, but we’ve read everything from the classics to diatribes by comedians. We intentionally mix it up to suit moods, workloads and the time of year (a 500-page historical novel might not be the best pick for July!)

(4) Talk about the book, but not too much. Most people don’t want to feel like they’re doing homework when preparing for book club. Though you want to discuss the book you’ve read (thanks to Google, finding book club discussion questions has never been easier) make sure you aren’t so fixated on the book that people don’t have a chance to catch up and enjoy one another’s company.

(5) Pick the right people. Putting together a cool book club requires cool people, whatever your definition of “cool” may be. Throwing together people with nothing in common may make it tough to enjoy your monthly meetings or it may make discussion vibrant and interesting. Whoever you choose, make sure they fit the vibe of the book club you’re trying to create and can be counted on to attend with some regularity. Just like most other things in life, reading is always better if you can do it with friends.

based on the novel.

I heart a good book.

Growing up, my mom had a rule that I could not see a movie that was based on a book unless I read the book first. I don't know where she got this rule, or what made her decide to stick to it so staunchly, but I'll never forget seeing The Little Princess movie (based on a favorite childhood book) and being FURIOUS at what a terrible adaptation it was. Things were changed, important details were overlooked and it just generally did not do the author's fine work justice. 

I mention this because right now I am reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and I freaking LOVE it (if you are like me and somehow overlooked this book as a 90s teenager, get it now).  I suppose I could be embarassed that the reason I am finally reading this book is that it's been made into a movie which Hermoine Granger (aka, Emma Watson:) is starring in (so obviously I plan to see it), but I'm not. Whatever it takes to make the time to read a good book is fine with me. Whether it's because the books are almost always better, or because reading is wonderful... Mom was totally right (doesn't it always work out that way!?)