Have you seen this public service campaign by Dove? Show this one to your kids and and let them know how unreal the beauty industry is.

Reviewed today:

You might want to just run out now and buy a handful of UglyDolls, because once you finish reading Jennifer Weiner’s latest, Goodnight Nobody, you will want to get your mitts on one. Or in my case, three or four, because who can pick just one? They’re so pitifully ugly. (UglyDoll Babo is a prominent character in the book.)

I started out thinking I wanted to post a full review of this book, but I hadn’t read anything about it before I cracked it open and I’m glad I didn’t. I hate spoilers, don’t you? So let’s leave it at this — It’s about a mom. And her kids. Her best friend. And her husband, who really? Needs to be paying a bit more attention to his wife and the homefront. And then we have our little friend, UglyDoll Babo, in his crocheted pink bikini and other attire. It’s a great book — you’ll love it. I’ve enjoyed all of Jennifer Weiner’s books, but this one was my favorite. (If you’re a writer, or an aspiring writer, check out the “For Writers” section on her website — it’s full of tips.)

I also just finished Anne Tyler’s latest, Digging to America. Tyler has always gotten a bad rap, as far as I’m concerned. A prof of mine once dismissed her books as “domestic novels.” As if to say, “Families, blech.” Go talk to Tolstoy, would you? Or Shakespeare. Or Tennessee Williams. And can we please get the phrase “chicklit” the hell out of the room? Don’t be dismissive, it makes you look like a jerk. (Weiner makes jokes about “all the books with the pink covers” throughout “Goodnight Nobody” and it cracked me up.)

I’ve read probably half of Tyler’s work and have been moved by all that I’ve read (especially The Accidental Tourist and Back When We Were Grownups). “Digging to America,” which is about two families — one Euro-American and one Iranian-American — who adopt baby girls from Korea, is her finest novel to date. I loved it, and my mom did, too. After she finished reading it, we held an impromptu book club, just the two of us, over the phone. My mom, who is so proud of Wacky Girl (don’t hate her because she reads ahead two grade levels. heeheehee) and Wacky Boy, who started reading this week.

My boy reads. My girl reads. My husband, when I shove a book at him, reads, too. (His real love is non-fiction and political writing. And anything about hockey, natch.) My mom taught me to read, and write, and I love her for that. My dad, who pretty much bombed at school, loved Steinbeck and got lost in books.

You think it’s easy, writing about family life? Go try it. Chicklit my foot. Happy writing, and reading.

Love,

WM

PS — Even though I’ve just started reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire, I’m giving it two thumbs-up. Funny, and a little scary, and the language is great.

On Oct. 14, 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thirteen Things Bosses Have Said To Me:

1. I could really use a blowjob.

2. If I was a little bit younger, I’d chase you around the block.

3. While you’re on vacation, I want you to think about all the mistakes you’ve been making at work and have a different attitude when you get back.

4. The other editors and I have talked, and we think you need to see a therapist.

5. I know I told the agency I needed you to answer the phone, but I really need you to do my books.

6. You’re working the fifteen-hour sale tonight by yourself. Hope your first day is going well!

7. You’re fired because I’m tired of hearing Susie bitch about you. (This was from blowjob guy. Do you think I blew him to keep the job? Bwaaaaaaa ha ha ha ha…)

8. If I told you that was a nice blouse, would you consider that sexual harrassment?

9. I wish I was you.

10. Can you call all my friends to get them to RSVP for my party?

11. I think after you’ve been doing data entry for awhile you’ll get a real fire in your belly for it.

12. We hired too many people so now I have to fire half of you. Sorry. Happy Thanksgiving.

13. Babe, if you married me, on our honeymoon I’d cover your whole body with bean dip and guacamole and eat it up with chips.

Happy Thursday Thirteen, everyone!

Start with: One riotously fun outing to Chuck E Cheez for D’s birthday party. Both kids: “THAT WAS FUN! CHUCK E CHEEZ IS FUN! WHY DIDN’T YOU EVER TAKE US THERE BEFORE? YEAH, WHY MOM? CUZ CHUCK E CHEEZ IS FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN. WHEN CAN WE GO BACK?”

Next day, combine: Pinkeye and runny nose in one Wacky Boy.

Following day, add:

(more…)

More like with a vengeance… Damn. Do you watch The View? Yeah, me neither. Because why? Because when Star was on there, and Meredith, they were all getting a little grouchy with each other. And if I wanted that, I’d turn off the tube and go spend time with my family.

However. I was watching Desperate Housewives on tape, and after it was over I flipped on The View. And there were Rosie O’Donnell, Susan Lucci and Joy Behar completely taking down Elisabeth Hasselback, miss prim little Republican Dennis Miller fan. (Dennis Miller, who thinks global warming isn’t a problem. Dennis Miller, who is pro-war, yet oddly isn’t over there on the frontlines. Dennis Miller, who Elisabeth drooled over when he was on the show. She so was yearning to blow him…) I’m paraphrasing from today’s show, but here goes…

(more…)

From today’s New York Times:

“I can’t go outside, I can’t go to college. If I’m killed, it doesn’t even matter because I’m dead right now.”
— Noor, a 19-year-old Baghdad resident

My first mistake: Putting a futon in my office. (We had a couch in here, once. Can’t remember what we did with it.)

My second mistake: Putting really cushy quilts and blankies on the futon. (Which is not on a frame, mind you. It’s just sprawled out all over the floor. I fold it in half, occasionally, to vacuum.) You can probably guess third mistake, which was…

(more…)

I don’t know whether or not you follow Dooce’s monthly love letters to her daughter, Leta, but this month’s is beautiful, and intense. Hang in, Dooce. The Internet loves you, Jon and the Fair Leta.

SO GO READ IT, OKAY, PEOPLES? THEN WATCH SESAME STREET. AND DRINK SOME WATER OUT OF A BIG CUP. YOU’LL FEEL BETTER.

While you’re at it, go send some Internet lovin’ to Our Lady of Amalah, who finds herself a little muddled.

If you have some time, and haven’t yet peeked at Holly’s travel journal at Nothing But Bonfires, by all means, start reading. Sometimes I think I’m an OK writer, then I read Holly’s stuff and I just go like this, “Hugest sigh in life.”

Internet love, to these girls and guys, and to all my friends! But to you, the guys in the big trucks who almost ran us over the other day? You know who you are. One of you turned lickity-split into the parking lot on Killingsworth, trying to make the street live up to its name, apparently. And ignoring the mom with the stroller (me) and her cute little preschooler (Wacky Boy). The other of you refused to slow down, even when you saw we were halfway across the street (trying to escape Truck Guy #1, who was trying to roar back out of driveway. “Roar in, roar out, we are the world, we are the Truck Guys”). Yeah, remember us? You swerved a little bit into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting the stroller. Once you had sped up. Yeah, nice work. You both drive real good. NO INTERNET LOVE FOR YOU.

Off to eat breakfast, finally.

Adieu,

WM

Here’s what we’re doing today. Yay, walking! Yay, biking! Yay, not getting run over by cars, trucks and vans because there are so many of us.

More later…

WM

It’s later. Our walk was such a blast — Hockey God went with us, and a bunch of the neighbor kids, and there were treats and prizes for everyone once we got to school. About half the kids at school participated — coooooooooool!

I’m writing my Thursday Thirteen early because I have too much going on in the next couple of days! Just for you, I have my best excuses, followed by my best reasons, for walking the kids to school. (In honor of International Walk and Bike to School Day.)

(more…)