Saturday, July 3, 2010

An American in Brussels

Hello, friends. This will be my last post for a couple of weeks, as I'm leaving on vacation Monday morning. So I thought I'd leave you with some morsels to work your way through while I'm gone:

- "The iPad and I: Of Love and Meh." I found the author's comments on the weakness of adapted e-books being like that of TV--in that it's a "one-way experience" that doesn't engage the brain of the "reader" much at all--very interesting. It related to what I've always said: that I feel letting kids watch very "mature" movies and TV shows is much worse than letting them read a book with the same content--because with a book a reader can interpret the material for himself, and may not understand the parts that are still too adult for him, but with a movie a child is pretty much handed the director's vision on a platter, with little room for dissection and introspection by a naive audience. Do you know what I mean?

- I saw this advertised on GoodReads, and thought it was pretty funny.

- "Compelling Stories, If Not Literature." One of my clients sent me this one, and I thought it was worth sharing. Writing as therapy, indeed.

- While we're at the NYT, anyone else see this article? "Food Is the Thrill at Some Bachelor Parties." While I'm still not certain I understand the point of bachelor/bachelorette shindigs, I sure do understand the point of eating delicious food. And though as a vegetarian, much of the meat-heavy meals described in the article have no appeal for me, I do think it's a welcome alternative to treating people like pieces of meat! (Badum-bum. Thanks, folks! I'll be here all week. . . . Umm, well, actually, not really.)

- As my husband earnestly said the other day (and then tried to retract right after), "I don't understand why Oprah's ending her show. She helps so many people." Just one example: Her Debt Diet series (which just ended) was so great, and the Spending Plan Pie Chart they talked about on the show is so simple yet so smart that I want to share it with everyone.

- Finally, some bleak-and-yet-inspiring words via the Yes Means Yes blog: "At this point, thinking you are beautiful the way you are is an act of rebellion."

Indeed, "We all have a right to our own beauty." So embrace and fight for all your rights! . . . And have a very happy Independence Day!

- L'Editrice