These are the times that try mens souls. Food charities are concerned, and the benevolent food industry giants like Con Agra are raising prices 40 percent just to keep up. Classic cheap source of protein and kid appeaser, peanut butter, is in short supply due to the invisible hand of the market.
If you’re not inclined to switch to Vegamite like our Aussie pals, plan to pay more or make other sandwich plans until the next crop.
Workaholics, which just finished it’s second season on Comedy Central, is a quirky comedy about three recent college grads named Blake, Adam, and Anders who live together and work together (literally in the same cubicle) at a ho-hum telemarketing firm.
And it is super funny.
Like really really really funny.
There is Wizard Rap.
Basically, I love it a lot.
By combining the quirkiness of The Office and the outrageousness of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Workaholics manages to be both audacious and sweet. These guys may scam their way out of the office drug test or lead a strike when they aren’t allowed to take a day off for Half-Christmas, but they really do care about each other and their coworkers (Their goofy friendship with their nerdy coworker, Jillian, is so adorable).
However, what I find most notable about Workaholics is the show’s constant references to Rugrats, Home Alone, and Darkwing Duck. Yes, we Generation Y-ers have finally come of age and have made it not only into the workforce, but also into the writers’ chairs of cable television. Yippy Skippy! (The show has yet to make a Muppet Babies reference, but I’m sure it is coming..) I highly recommend checking out Workaholics to those fans of South Park, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Nickelodeon’s All That (the original era).
It’s hard to choose a favorite supporting character on The Office, but I consistently enjoy the self-absorbed airheadedness of Kelly Kapoor, played perfectly by writer and actress Mindy Kaling. So imagine my excitement when I found out that Mindy was about to release a book of humorous essays called Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? And Other Concerns. In the book, Mindy tells stories about her childhood, how she dealt with living in New York in her 20s while trying to get discovered, and what it’s really like to work on The Office. There are also a lot of funny and seemingly-random chapters on things like “karaoke etiquette”, why she likes guys with chest hair and her top eleven favorite comedic moments in film and TV. By the end, despite the fact that I was thoroughly entertained, I was mostly sad that Mindy and I aren’t best friends. She writes in such a laid-back, conversational tone and is so relatable despite her fame that it really feels like you’re chatting with one of your good friends.
I find it hard to summarize books like this, so instead, here are a few of my favorite parts and things I learned:
This book inevitably gets compared to Tina Fey’s Bossypants (another excellent book that you can read more about here), and while Kaling and Fey are very different women, both have written laugh-out-loud books that I highly recommend.
Thanksgiving has barely passed and I’m already sick to death of the holiday glut of Mariah Carey and “Feliz Navidad” – if you too crave some alternative holiday tunes, pick up these library items to rejuvenate your playlist.
Yule b Swingin Too – a jazzy, swinging mix of old favorites with a vibrant, fun feel.
Midwinter Graces by Tori Amos – A lush mix of standard classics, re-imagined favorites, and new material from the celebrated singer.
Christmas with the Stars – Orchestral, instrumental, vocal, classical, popular, and ensemble: this album combines styles seamlessly for a joyous effect.
Songs of Joy and Peace by Yo-Yo Ma – Yo-Yo Ma’s famous cello skills make this album a relaxing, joyous listen.
Kwanzaa Music – with tracks from artists like Aretha Franklin and the Baha Men, this eclectic collection gives you a celebratory mood with none of the bland predictability of a usual holiday album.
Christmas Cocktails 1 and 2 – the unique ‘ultra-lounge’ style of these albums puts a fun vintage twist on your holiday listening.
The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album – Who doesn’t love their classic “Little Saint Nick”?
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector – the legendary producer’s Christmas album is really delightful. Classic and well loved without being overplayed.
40 years of a Charlie Brown Christmas – A true classic brimming with childhood whimsy.
We’ve all heard the cheapest day for airline ticket purchases, for which there has been no definitive ruling about the mythical master mainframe of all airfares that mystically opens up pumpkin coach-class seats at midnight on a Wednesday.
According to site Extrabux, there is also some data out there that backs up weekly price trends for computers, TV’s, jewelry, appliances, books, and more.
And if you want a deal, don’t worry that cyber Monday has passed. The biggest online day of the shopping year usually ends up being something like December 10th. On which, the odds of getting pepper-sprayed/trampled by your fellow retail shopper significantly decrease.
December 2
Friends with Benefits – Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis
While trying to avoid the cliches of Hollywood romantic comedies, Dylan and Jamie soon discover that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications.
The Smurfs – Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris
When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they’re forced through a portal, out of their world and into ours, landing in the middle of New York’s Central Park.
December 6
The Help – Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard
Mississippi during the 1960s: Skeeter, a southern society girl, returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends’ lives, and a small Mississippi town, upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter’s best friend’s housekeeper, is the first to open up, to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community.
Cowboys and Aliens – Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford
The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don’t welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde. It’s a town that lives in fear.
December 13
Kung Fu Panda 2 – Jack Black, Angelina Jolie
Po is now living his dream as the Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins in order to able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes – John Lithgow, James Franco, Frieda Pinto
During experiments to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, a genetically enhanced chimpanzee uses its greater intelligence to lead other apes to freedom.
I have always had a soft spot for retellings of fairy tales; growing up enthralled by animated Disney movies that did just that (Snow White! Sleeping Beauty! The Little Mermaid! Aladdin! Mulan!), I suppose it was inevitable. This sub-genre of fantasy has obvious appeal to kids and YAs as a convenient segue from Disney princesses to fiction and fantasy, but there is lots of adult appeal as well.
My favorite is Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. In this romantic, atmospheric adventure, teenaged Sorcha faces down incredible odds with the lives of her six older brothers on the line. An evil stepmother has transformed them into swans, and Sorcha must spend years in magically induced silence weaving them shirts out of a prickly, punishing plant that bloodies and blisters her fingers. The fairy tale is Celtic and the book is beautiful, with as much historical and mythical appeal as romance.
A close second is The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. In this deceptively mature tale, a young English boy slips into the world of fairy tales – but not everything is as his storybooks told it. There are some gruesome moments but it’s never unduly gory; teen readers as well as adults (and even mature tweens) should be comfortable with the scares. Connolly is a thriller writer by trade and that style is evident in The Book of Lost Things, which is tense and atmospheric. A chilling and very unique take on familiar fairy tale motifs.
Finally, if you love fairy tales and Disney princesses, don’t miss out on Robin McKinley. Her retold fairy tales have been popular with teens and adults for decades; Spindle’s End, her spin on Sleeping Beauty, involves a sleek magical realm that’s familiar without being at all boring. Princess Briar Rose (Rosie) is spirited away from the evil fairy Pernicia’s curse to be raised in secret as the daughter of a village fairy. Rosie’s ability to speak to animals and her perfect golden curls cling to her, the gifts of her fairy godmothers, despite her average looks and un-princess-like interest in blacksmithing and animals. In Beauty and Rose Daughter, two distinctly different but related books that retell the story of Beauty and the Beast, McKinley reinvents Belle and all the other familiar characters and fills in the missing details of the story.
Warm up your mixers people, it’s Cookie Season again! (Of course, in my book, it’s always Cookie Season, but December is the main event of the year)
Here are some of the latest and greatest cookie books from the Davenport Library.
Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich – Brand-new cookies and delicious new spins on the classics are here, with simple well-tested recipes and all the tips, techniques, and ideas that you need to please a crowd or satisfy the most sophisticated palate around.
Crazy About Cookies: 300 Scrumptious Recipes for Every Occasion and Craving by Krystina Castella – Delicious riffs on the classics and more adventurous offerings (like savory cornmeal olive cookies). There’s something for every occasion, from melt-in-your-mouth after-school snacks to fun Christmas cookie constructions.
Very Merry Cookie Party: How to Plan a Christmas Cookie Exchange by Barbara Grunes – Make a gorgeous variety of delicious Christmas cookies without spending days upon flour-smudged days mixing, rolling, and baking. This is your guide to the Christmas cookie exchange, where everyone shows up with a few batches of homemade cookies to swap.
Betty Crocker Cookies Cookies: 100 Recipes for the Way You Really Cook – Everyone has a favorite cookie, and chances are they’ll find it in this collection of tried-and-true as well as new cookies, brownies and bars from Betty Crocker.
Mystery writer and four-time Agatha Award winner Louise Penny’s seventh book in the Inspector Armand Gamache series, A Trick of the Light, may just be her best yet. The book follows the same quirky cast of characters who reside in the sleepy village of Three Pines near Montreal, Canada. Artist and longtime resident Clara Morrow has just reached the pinnacle of her artistic career, a solo exhibition at the Modern Art Museum in Montreal. The morning after the opening celebration, as Clara is relishing in her triumph, her closest childhood friend, Lillian Dyson, is found strangled in Clara’s serene garden and Clara quickly becomes the prime suspect.
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, of the Surete du Quebec, and his team are called in to investigate the murder, which has become even more complicated as the Inspector is surrounded by the residents of Three Pines, many who have become friendly with him and his team over the years. Gamache soon discovers that Clara and Lillian had become estranged after a falling out decades earlier, which moves the investigation in a new direction. In addition to the murder of Lillian, the story gives the reader a glimpse into the competitive art world and the story is peppered with artists, art critics and museum curators. Gamache soon learns the true nature of the art world, a place where the competition between enemies and friends can lead to murder.
New to Louise Penny’s mysteries? Start with the first book in the series, Still Life, which is also a must read and introduces all the residents of Three Pines!
Sign me up for Irish Dancing lessons because after watching the documentary, Jig, I am pretty sure that kicking up one’s heels must be the funnest thing EVER.
Jig, a film by Sue Bourne, follows several dancers and dancing teams from all over the world as they prepare for and compete in the 2010 Irish Dancing World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Every one of the featured competitors’ stories is fascinating, but I was especially charmed by the young girl from Ireland who lovingly displayed the dress that her grandmother bought her to compete in right before she passed away. I knew she was my favorite when the camera zoomed in on the calendar in her bedroom and you could see where she had written in the birthday of Disney channel star, Emily Osment, write next to her goal to win the world championships. She may be a highly focused performer, but she apparently still finds time to watch Hannah Montana!
What I liked most about this film was how HAPPY I felt while watching it. Yes, there are emotional moments such as when a young dancer clutches his stuffed animal and discusses being bullied or when members of the underdog Russian women’s team are refused visas into Scotland. But overall, Jig absolutely sparkles with passion and joy and left me feeling that skipping may just be the best way to travel.
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