Making: Shower gifts. Hats. Dreams.

Reading: “Tree of Smoke” by Denis Johnson (because a) of fridaysixpm’s comments about it (scroll down to 11/15, I can’t seem to link directly) and b) I did some intensive studying of Vietnam history in several different courses in college. a million years ago and c) oh yeah it just won a big prize) and “The Oxford Book of English Short Stories” edited by A.S. Byatt (because it’s our challenge book for January). The first is big and thick and sprawling and very much a boy book in the particular way that I mean that (and here is where I thought I would link to a review of a W.E.B. Griffin book I read in 2006, “Semper Fi” but which apparently I never wrote up. Although I distinctly remember doing so. Let’s just say there is a limited female point of view in books about war, or soldiers, or armies, or Vietnam, because historically very few females have gone to war. I’m not being sexist, I’m being realistic.). The second is an odd mix; some really good stories and some bizarre, or boring, or “after school special” “lessons”-type ones.

Watching: The Sarah Connor Chronicles which started last night and continues tonight in a two-night premiere. I love it which means most everyone else probably hated it and thought it was lame and twisted the story and left out important stuff and blah blah blah. Girls kicking ass = Good. Summer Glau = Good. Lena Heady = Good. Also glad to see new episodes of a few things in the past week (Gossip Girl, 30 Rock, FNL, NUMB3RS, Brothers & Sisters) but continuing to mourn the lack of fresh TV. As it goes, so goes my life.

Listening: Really still listening to stuff bought in December. Sea Wolf, Lupe Fiasco, the Avett Brothers. And the soundtrack to Juno. Listening to that a lot. This has not really been a music-buying month for me so far, but I think that’s generally the January norm.