Blythe Spirit

Amazon Woman

I’ve done all of my Christmas shopping via Amazon this year, and I’m crossing all of my digits for good shipping karma. Two years ago, I ordered a book in December, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, in case you care, and it was interesting though I definitely didn’t understand every page, which is Amazon’s fault (see below). Instead I received a giant set of Matchbox cars. Which led to a personal campaign to find an actual phone number for their customer service department, eventually requiring a snotty e-mail. I never did receive the return postage, so the Matchbox cars went to my coworker and her young son, and I did eventually receive my book. But then I had to read it in a rush to complete it by my book club meeting. So it’s Amazon’s fault that I couldn’t give you a coherent recap of the main plot points of Invisible Man. And I hope some child was not deprived of his/her Matchbox cars on Christmas morning.

All of this is a way of telling my loved ones that if you never receive your Christmas gifts, I have the Amazon customer service telephone number, I would be happy to share it with you. And if you receive something really odd, it might be a mistake on their part, not bad shopping on my part. Though I’ve been known to get kind of creative, so I’ll admit you are taking your chances if you call and ask me if the meat tenderizer that you never wanted is a mistake, or your real present. Because who doesn’t need a meat tenderizer?

We Belong

I’ve joined a Flickr group called NoBloBookMo (yeah, the name doesn’t really make sense but it does if you know more about it, but do you really care? probably not). We’re supposed to post a photo of a book every day for a month, along with a description, or a reason we’re posting, or whatnot. Other members have better things to do than take photos of all their books, so I have basically hijacked the group and begun posting photos of some books I’ve read, in alphabetical order. Not every book I’ve read, because there are some I’d really prefer to forget about (those Stephen King knockoffs from junior high are still giving me nightmares).

Anyway, head over there and take a look at my books or at all the books because you just can’t get enough of me telling you what you should read.

To Market To Market

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Nürnberg’s big Christmas market opened on Friday, so we made a trip into town yesterday to take in the festivities. You might recall last year, when all that kept us from freezing to death in the Hauptmarkt was the heat generated by thousands of shivering bodies, half of whom were fortified by strangely spiced wine, drunk from small green boot-shaped mugs.

This year, I wore my spring jacket, put on some gloves because they matched my scarf, and Jeff walked around with his coat unzipped. Is this the winter we were promised last year? I’m not sure. I’m still hoping for some snow before the holidays but I must admit it was more pleasant to shop for holiday goodies under a blue sky and sunshine than fighting the wind and feeling the snot freeze around my nose.

I was so cheerful that I even allowed Jeff to snap my photo. You might have noticed that I’m exuding an anti-camera sentiment lately. I tried to explain to my snap-happy husband yesterday that it’s not that I feel ugly or ungainly (except when I try to get out of bed in the morning, it’s too bad you aren’t here to witness the spectacle), it’s simply that I am rarely inspired to put together a presentable appearance that I’d like preserved for posterity. I’ve never had an eyeliner pencil last so long, nor have my hair accessories ever lived in such a pristine environment (ie never touching my head). And you already know about the rise of the sweatsuit in my wardrobe.

The good news is that I’ll spend a few afternoons this month volunteering at the American/German sister-city stand at that market, so I’ll probably be forced to wear actual clothing, and (gasp) brush my hair. Perhaps this turn of events will result in some photographic evidence.

Sentimental Journey

For further evidence that Journey is at the nexus of all things good and enduring in pop music, watch this video. (via mamapop)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s13sASS5F4]

Then, when your brain is sufficiently racked as you try to figure out what songs he’s singing, go here.

Afterward, you’ll surely be on the hunt for tickets to a Journey show. If you live in the UK, you’re in luck. Except it looks like they’re still touring with that singer who is not even close to being as good as the knockoff Steve Perry. Believe me, I’ve seen them both live.

Now you’re probably wondering what Steve Perry is up to.