In keeping with "tradition," I guess it's about time that I write down my ten favorite books this year. I don't think I read as much or as many good books as last year, but here are some of my favorites:

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. My friend Amy thought this was about Bernadette Peters, which I'm sorry to say it is not (and Ms. Peters has not penned an autobiography--get on that, Bernadette!). This is a novel that centers on a quirky family in Seattle (a little Wes Anderson, perhaps?). My favorite part was how packed this was with every possible local reference. I saw the author speak at Portland's Wordstock festival and she said the book began after a friend was tired of hearing her complain about how much she hated Seattle (after moving from LA). He (she?) said, "Maria, you have to create or you'll become a menace to society!" (this became a theme of the book). I got excited for it after learning the author wrote for "Arrested Development" and after seeing this trailer featuring many of the local booksellers I work with!

Cast Member Confidential by Chris Mitchell. I get into these moods where I seek out anything I can find about Disney and Disneyland and in one of these fits I placed an order on this book at the library. It came as a grungy paperback whose pages were flayed and grey at the corners, but I really enjoyed it. I was surprised I couldn't put it down, considering the often jaded tone the author takes. But ultimately, he's touched by his experience as a Disney World photographer and understands why people get sucked into the "magical" experience. Learned a lot of interesting backstage secrets (that he isn't legally restricted from divulging, given his position as a photographer is contract and not technically a Disney employee).

Vikings in the Attic by Eric Dregni. I love reading anything about my Scandinavian ancestors, especially their kitchy history in America--like this non-fiction book illustrates.

Agorafabulous! by Sara Benincasa. This comedienne did these hilarious Sarah Palin parody videos back in 2008, but I sort of lost track of her after that. 2011/2012 seemed like the year of comedian memoirs: Bossypants, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, etc. I read several of them, and this one was my favorite--even when Benincasa describes going through extreme agoraphobia and peeing in bowls in her bedroom because she's scared to go into the bathroom. Yes.

Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton. Awesome collection of artist Kate Beaton's (mostly historical) comics. Love, love, love her.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. A tiny little book that packs some tasty, strong-brewed advice about being creative and inspired. I HATE self-help books, and this is not a self-help book. It's just little tips about how to express yourself in bite-size chapters. After all, "You have to create or you'll become a menace to society!"

Well, that's six. Nothing else really belongs on this list, though.

I just spent way too much time reading this fascinating blog by a girl who is a professional party princess. I got hooked after seeing this NPR story. Like my friend Jess, who for years did kids' birthday parties dressed as Belle, Elmo, even Buzz Lightyear, I knew this blogger would have a lot of great stories -- and she doesn't disappoint! Just wish I'd read this when I was working at Legoland...

The only photo I can find online of me in the "Princess Lily" getup!

The first harvest from my "garden"!

(My friend Sarah Plein made this!)

Thinking about death this week.

That sounds morbid, I know.

Last weekend a local man, a father and philanthropist, happened to be driving through the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time and was hit by a stray gang bullet with his entire family in the car. My former boss was driving right behind him.

On Tuesday, Emily texted to tell me that a boy we used to do plays with passed away. I was really surprised how shocked and sad I felt about someone I was never close with and hadn't seen for probably seven or eight years. The last time I saw him was at the beach with Emily. I have been fortunate not to know many people who have died -- especially young people, and I just can't wrap my mind around how something can be there and then...not. It seems like such a fine line.

On Wednesday morning, I began seeing news online about a mass shooting that broke out in the University District. A man just walked into a cafe and started shooting indiscriminately. Two people were killed immediately, while three others were in critical condition. Downtown, the same day, a woman was pulled out of her car in a parking lot and beat up -- then held down and shot dead at close range. Both killers were at large and schools went on lockdown. All over Seattle, people were glued to their computers watching the news and scared to walk outside. Eventually, they found out that it was the same guy and he shot himself when confronted by police in West Seattle, but I don't think he died. Total death count: currently five people.

Today on Facebook I found out a friend of friends (from college) passed away too. I just remember him dancing around his house passing out mint ice cream cake (of course I would remember that detail) in a GILF t-shirt...

So this is what type of week it's been. Love each other as much as you can.

I found this in my drafts. What the heck is it from? Google yields no results:

"What is it you want to do, Mike?"

"I don't know. Write a song. Or build a bridge. Or write a song about a bridge."

"Simon and Garfunkel already did that."

My Thoughts on E-Books

...demonstrated by an excerpt from The Patchwork Girl of Oz

"That," announced the Shaggy Man, "is a square meal, in condensed form. Invention of the great Professor Woggle-Bug, of the Royal College of Athletics. It contains soup, fish, roast meat, salad, apple-dumplings, ice cream and chocolate-drops, all boiled down to this small size, so it can be conveniently carried and swallowed when you are hungry and need a square meal."

"I'm square," said the Woozy. "Give me one, please."

So the Shaggy Man gave the Woozy a tablet from his bottle and the beast ate it in a twinkling.

"You have now had a six course dinner," declared the Shaggy Man.

"Pshaw!" said the Woozy, ungratefully, "I want to taste something. There's no fun in that sort of eating."

"One should only eat to sustain life," replied the Shaggy Man, "and that tablet is equal to a peck of other food."

"I don't care for it. I want something I can chew and taste," grumbled the Woozy.

Thankful for feet...

Gone

I just looked at an interesting piece on Retronaut (a dangerous site if you are prone to clicking on other interesting images on the side of the page). It was about the disappearing face of New York City -- the unique family-owned shops and holes in the wall.

From Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York by James and Karla Murray -- I have to check out this book! It took them eight years to complete. By the time they were finished, many of the businesses were gone.

Though there is less of this type of loss in Seattle that I can see, old and not-so-old storefronts are constantly disappearing and seem to be rarely replaced. The bookstore in Ballard, Epilogue Books, went out of business in summer 2009 less than a month after I moved to the city. It's still empty. Across the street, a former camera store has also been abandoned for a few years.

I wanted to share one of the comments on the article that touched me and reminded me of the argument from You've Got Mail:

"I worked for many years as a carpenter in NYC, and for so long I took for granted that I could find anything I needed, I had only to know what hardware or specialty store to go to. There was Lillien Hardware on Houston and La Guardia, with labyrinthine multi-storied aisles, and employees who knew what you were looking for or could recommend something better and knew where everything was. Same with Direct Fastening down the street, CK&L Hardware on Canal, Sturdy Nuts and Bolts in Tribeca, Dave Sanders on the Bowery and on and on and all gone. And with them not only the rich uniqueness of New York, but one’s ability to solve a problem quickly, be it with an odd part or obscure tool. Now it’s Home Depot on 23rd that doesn’t have anything you’re looking for and employees with no depth and knowledge. Now it’s the internet, so remaining tool supply houses can’t afford to stock every tool – they don’t move fast enough because they can be purchased on line. And gone are those wonderful people with decades of experience. And gone is the ability to be creative the way one could only be in New York with all those resources at your fingertips – a fast walk, a subway ride, a cab ride away, with the city in your ears in your eyes in your heart."