More recent reading

[bunrab]

The Jew of Home Depot and other stories by Max Apple. Most of the stories are about urban American Jews in ordinary situations somewhat complicated by misplaced loyalties based on judging people solely by whether they are the right religion (not necessarily Jewish, I should point out) rather than as entire people. The title story is amusing, but the one I liked best was the one that was nothing to do with Jews; it's about a Chinese-American girl who is 6 feet tall and unmarried, and decides that the only way to make her mother happy is to go trick Yao Ming into marrying her.

I am America and So Can You by Stephen Colbert. Well, it's Colbert. Best read in small doses, as in large ones it's grating rather than funny. That said, I thought the chapter on Science was hysterical.

Dead Over Heels by MaryJanice Davidson. Three stories in this anthology - the first one a pretty good one in her Betsy the Vampire Queen series; the second, an OK one in her Fred the Mermaid series, although Fred isn't in this one; the third one part of her werewolf series and a complete waste of time; no plot, predictable from the first paragraph, and the characters might as well not have been werewolves, for all that had to do with anything.

The electricians have the new ceiling fans and light fixtures mostly installed; the new washer-dryer gets delivered Thursday; I am soliciting bids from landscapers for getting rid of the Melting Flying Saucer Shrubs® and putting in trees and roses. Progress is being made! And I've packed 4 whole boxes of books!

Comments

[fadethecat.livejournal.com]

Aw, I like the Melting Flying Saucer Shrubs. Just think of how easy it'll be for people to spot which house is yours from the street!

Maybe you could go for bunny topiary?

[bunrab.livejournal.com]

The odd thing is, several people on the block have this kind of large, amorphous, carefully-trimmed-to-be-specifically-amorphous shrubbery. When we plant roses instead, that will distinguish us, I think.

Really, some of the shrubs loom over one unnervingly.

[stylizedboredom.livejournal.com]

Roses are bitchy.

Steve looks so stylin' next to the mound o' shrub.