Literary Mismash

Since my last post I have finished both "Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins and "A Long Way Down" by Nick Hornby. It was funny, the day I finished the Hornby book I went out with this guy who explained to me that a co-worker once told him that he was a lot like Rob, the main character in High Fidelity, which then provoked him to go buy the book. He read it and thought that Rob was a real bastard, didn’t like the book and told me that he hasn’t really read anything since. I thought that was funny, especially since this was after I had just told him how much I liked Hornby’s writing and found his new book, A Long Way Down and its dry humor extremely entertaining (in a slightly sick way). I must say, Hornby’s satirical, cheeky prose are in great contrast to Robbin’s literary style in Jitterbug Perfume, with metaphors and similes packed in as tight as latté drinking lobbyists in DC subways at 7am on a Monday morning, but none the less I really enjoyed it. I honestly don’t know if I can hang out with this guy anymore. I mean, if he doesn’t like Hornby’s peculiar sense of humor he probably won’t like mine … besides I am attracted to guys like Rob in High Fidelity, so I guess he was saying I have a taste in bastards. Anyway, to add to the diversity of this literary mishmash and continue my cerebral pursuit I started the book, "Reading Lolita in Tehran". It was given to me a while ago and I left it in LAX on my way to South Africa. I shelled out the cash at the airport so that I would have something to read on the plane (I was in Orlando working at a conference) and so far, so good.

In other news, I went and saw Batman Begins with Ashley Heistand, Ehubb, Kyle Ballard (and three of Kyle’s DC friends) at the Georgetown Waterfront this weekend. It was great, the 7 o’clock showing was sold out so we purchased tickets for 8 o’clock and went down to the waterfront to play while we waited. No more than five-minutes into our waterfront walk helicopters began to circle overhead and the Potomac swarmed with half a dozen boat police. As we turned towards the river, a fire-truck pulled up behind us. I wish I had more to say about this exciting event, but we never found out why they were there … secret FBI stuff, I’m sure. Anyway, I liked Batman Begins and Christian Bale was one of the better Batman’s I’ve seen … Katie Holmes’ crooked smile got to me by the end of the movie, but otherwise I had some good ol’ fashioned fun.

Orlando was muggy. I didn’t get to go on any rides or see any Disney characters (this did not disappoint me, I may be a big kid at heart but weirdos earning minimum wage in Disney costumes freak me out) and I ate at lots of over-priced, mediocre restaurants. I’m back in DC and back to the grind …

My creativity has disappeared and I need to eat.

Love and Spaghetti,

Jessie