things that have been making me happy

BOOKS:

--i just finished 'the corrections' by jonathan franzen. i found it really interesting. it's a pretty intense critique of life in 'midwestern america.' and while i could definitely recognize something, having lived in such a setting for the majority of my life, i could also see some more fatalistic exaggerations, at least in relation to my life. but it definitely did bring up a theme i've been reading/thinking about a lot lately, which is the difference between loving someone because you should (of course you love family, because they're family, right?) and loving someone because you know them well, and love certain things about them. i think it comes out even more right now, during the holidays, when everyone is buying gifts. gift cards and checks are so common, and sometimes i feel like that's such a sign that we don't even know each other. i kind of feel like if someone wants to get me a gift, but doesn't know what i would want, i would much rather them take a few hours, buy me a cup of coffee, and talk to me. (not that i don't like checks, since i could use it to travel...)

it also touches on themes of waiting for and expecting things to change, and complacency. it caused me to think about the fact that nothing at all is guaranteed. i tried to do a post on facebook where i asked people what they would do if they knew they might lose their sight in 24 hours. and people came up with some cool stuff. but, my actual point was to say, "so when you don't do those things, you're assuming that you will have your sight in 24 hours. and that's a dangerous assumption to make." shouldn't we all act as if we might lose our sight tomorrow? or our ability to hear? or our lives? we don't have to do drastic things, just enjoy every color, every crazy laugh or giggle, every smell of morning coffee, etc.

--i've also been on a weird kick of reading/learning about the brain. i read "sum" by david eagleman, which i TOTALLY recommend, and since then, i've been checking out some books and reading some stuff on neuroscience and neurobiology. man, brains are really really interesting.

--i'm currently reading 'a confederacy of dunces' by john kennedy toole, and loving it so far.

--also reading 'the power of now' by eckhart tolle. i heard him on an npr podcast this summer and loved it. it's pretty interesting stuff about being present. pretty similar to zen, with a western focus.

--and of course, still reading rilke. always rilke.

--recently bought, sitting on the nightstand/desk/bookshelf/etc: zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by robert pirsig, the unbearable lightness of being by milan kundara. please advise if you have thoughts about these or others!

MOVIES:

--i recently saw "white material", a pretty intense french film about civil war in west africa. it's pretty realistic (i imagine), and therefore pretty heavy. but good, with some beautiful cinematography. i'll admit, it was pretty difficult to see some parts after having spent my summer as i did. but it was probably for the best for me to be reminded, i think.

--i discovered netflix. i'm behind, i know. but it's kind of amazing. so far i've only watched documentaries, one about the human body (part of my brain kick) and one about WWII. i plan to watch more.

--i also watch "the lives of others" recently. it's a german film, one an oscar a few years ago for foreign film, about east berlin in the 80s. really interesting, especially since that's something i know very little about.

--i'm hoping to see black swan really soon. i loved the wrestler, and i LOVE natalie portman.

MUSIC:

--sufjan stevens, 'the age of adz'. i'm kind of obsessed (which isn't new for me and sufjan. my love for him grows. it's different, but it's a great album. his lyrics are much more personal and introspective than the past, and the music is a bit more experimental. and i like it.

--black keys, 'brothers'. it's been hailed as one of the best albums of 2010, and i loved their previous one, so after another random person mentioned how great it was to me, i buckled and bought it (not sure why i ever resisted, actually). it's really really great.

--kanye west, 'my beautiful dark twisted fantasy'. say what you will about kanye, but i still kind of love him. i passed on 808s and heartbreak, but i figured it was just a phase. he was grieving. people call him a douchebag, and he might be, but i think he knows exactly what he's doing. and i really, genuinely like the new album. and not just because nicki minaj is the first voice on it.

--erykah badu, 'new amerykah part 2'. i saw her live last week and she was INCREDIBLE. for some reason, i hadn't bought the newest album yet, but the show was definitely inspiration enough. i must say, though, that she sounds better live than recorded. and she has the most amazing ass i've ever seen. seriously, incredible. i want to be her.

OTHERS:

--i've put the bike up for a while, i think. it makes me sad (and feel a little weak, since i know a lot of people that are still going), but i've been enjoying riding the train again. other than having to pay for it, i love people watching. (okay, and sometimes reading...).

--i've also returned to the ymca in my 'hood, since i can't run outside anymore. and honestly, the y runs in my blood. no exaggeration, and no one's paying me for this, i love being in a y.

--work is still going well. it's getting pretty crazy right now, but i'm still loving it. and i'm going in to have dinner at the restaurant soon, which i'm pretty excited about!


what books, movies, music, life things are you loving right now?