Random

So here are some random things I've been enjoying.

I came across this blog when looking for things about SYTYCD this summer, and it's quite enjoyable. The author, Joe, posted a link to a blog that I'd never seen before, and this was how I discovered the blog of Dave Holmes. You remember Dave Holmes, right? Remember years back when MTV held that new VJ contest, and the tall skinny guy with the crazy hair won, but the runner-up was really the best so he became a VJ, too? (I have memories of being, for some reason, very spellbound by all of the levels and rounds of this competition.)

Anyway, that's Dave Holmes. He always seemed like a likable and knowledgeable sort of person, but I lost track of him in the years since. Well, I am here to tell you that his blog is delightful and I've now gone through all of his archives and can report that he posts some of the best links I've ever seen and some witty-assed commentary and somehow this is just what I needed to find this week. He also just ran the NYC Marathon, which is also inspiring as I haul myself around on run after run and know there are many, many more runs ahead of me. Anyway ... there are too many excellent posts to highlight all of my favorites, but here are a few: this one (because it's nice) (and true), this one (with all due respect to my friend who grew up with him and with full disclosure that I think he's a good actor), this one (because it pointed me to a blog about things that are important), this one (because it made me cry), this one (because it made me laugh), this one (because loving "Hold On" is no joke, and I do!), this one (because that dog is very cute), and finally, this one (because it absolutely made my day, and I can't decide which is better -- the reactions of the people watching, or the boy's reaction when he realized people were watching. BEAUTIFUL.)

He has another blog wherein he's chronicling a year of reading books by other people about their years of doing something. Also delightful, natch.

I am not sure why this so totally hit the spot for me this week, but there you go.

Meanwhile, Melissa sent me the galley for Liar, and as she knew I would, I loved it. I could not put it down. Read this book. Avoid spoilers at all costs. It's really, really good. Meanwhile, I think that When You Reach Me did not live up to the hype for me. Mostly, it just made my head hurt. Explaining why would be a spoiler, so I won't explain. I recognize that it's a really good book, it just didn't end up moving me or blowing me away like I hoped it would. I read reviews like this and Melissa's review and think maybe I read it too fast and need to read it again. So I think I will.

And now if you will excuse me, I have to go put my feet up and prepare to blown away by Jacob and Russell and bored by all the rest!