I just saw True Grit starring Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin. It was fantastic. But it made me realize how lacking I am in grit. Could you, like Mattie Ross (played by the amazing 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, the true star of the movie), endure hangings, gunfights, stabbings, having to sleep next to  Read more »

Sure, 2010 had its downsides: the horrible economy, the earthquake in Haiti, the BP oil spill, just to name a few. The weather certainly could have been better. And what was with all those bedbugs? But in what other year has something touched all of us as deeply as the miraculous rescue of those Chileans  Read more »

Here are some facts that may have escaped your notice until now, but of which I feel you CANNOT go into the holiday weekend without being made aware: If you hold a sparkler to a mannequin’s dress, it WILL catch on fire. If you go away for the holiday weekend, some kids might make a  Read more »

This past weekend He Who Shall Not Be Not Named In This Blog found out his father has to have open heart surgery. Then the US got knocked out of the World Cup (but congrats, Brazil)! Then I couldn’t remember where I was when Michael Jackson died, and everyone on the news kept saying NO  Read more »

OK, yours are way better than mine. I loved hearing back from so many of you about your secret heart’s desires! One thing about secret heart’s desires, though (besides the fact that they’re supposed to be a secret. So no one has to know that you to want to be, oh, I don’t know, a  Read more »

What’s your secret heart’s desire? I know you have one. We all do (beyond our basic human need for food, shelter, and companionship). Mine’s to find a dead body (NOT someone I know). I know that’s totally gross. But I love the show Law and Order, and I’ve lived in New York City for years  Read more »

Okay. So this week alone: 1. I had a new book come out. 2. I had an article on Huffington Post. 3. I had to remind myself of the famous Janeane Garofalo quote from The Truth About Cats & Dogs:“You can love your pets. But just don’t loooooove your pets…” 4. Glee had its season  Read more »

He Who Shall Not Be Named In This Blog took me to see Killers the other night. (I’ve been feeling a little down about the oil. Who hasn’t been? It’s not here yet in Key West, but according to this map, it’s coming eventually). To my surprise, I left the movies feeling less horrible, which  Read more »

Memorial Day Weekend! Official start of summer! Barbecues, beach, movies, and BOOKS (to be read for fun, not school). I was supposed to get a pool/hot tub combo for my birthday (back in February). Will the new one be ready in time to use this weekend? We’ll see. But something that IS ready? The all  Read more »

People of the world, I know you’re sick of vampires. But if we’re going to survive as a species, we’ve got to stop living in denial and face this simple fact: Vampires are real!* You know it’s true. It’s why you’ve been feeling so tired lately. A vampire secretly sucked out a little bit of  Read more »