the ramble

I found this fabulous angry owl purse on sale at Target for $7.50. What a good day.

My darling readers,

Today I am feeling restless. Next month is fairly wide open for me. And, so, I am looking at February and thinking about travel.

So…I’m asking for your suggestions.

The places that came to mind immediately are:

Belize
Pros: I’ve been curious about Belize for a while, it’s not a far flight, it’s warm, it’s lush and green and it’s new and different.
Cons: I have to find a dog-sitter and I am not sure if I’m feeling super social–like meeting tons of new people–at the moment.

Pennsylvania and/or DC
Pros: some of my most dear friends live there, I can take Luna, I’d have free places to stay.
Cons: snow.

Panama
Pros: there is a housesitting job I might be able to get, which means free lodging, it’s new and different, warmth.
Cons:  lots of alone time, dog-sitter finding.

Hawaii
Pros: warm, lush, laid-back, it’s new and different, easy access to WIFI if I need to work…and did I mention that the weather is awesome?
Cons: possibly lots of alone time, dog-sitter finding, probably expensive and I believe that I read that this is a bad time of year to try and hike or kayak the Na Pali Coast, which is one of the main things I want to do in Hawaii.

So…any other places I should toss up on my list? Consider that: I may be working part of the time that I’m gone and I am really tired of the cold and will only brave cold locales if I am seeing people I love.

Leave your thoughts below.

.One.
This week was the week of my infamous book party. It’s a party where everyone goes through their bookshelves and comes up with three or more books they no longer want or need. If they don’t have three books they are willing to part with, I ask them to head on over to the local thrift store and pick three books they’ve heard good things about or loved themselves or wanted to read.

Then, everyone comes together and the books are tossed into a huge pile and we all draw numbers. Number one picks the first book, number to the second, and so on and so forth until everyone has sated themselves on new reads. There are usually some leftover books, which I take to the library or the thrift store or something similar.

Since the book party was Saturday, I’m now overflowing with things I want to read–including several books from my existing booklist, like The Help.

.Two.
Speaking of books, I am still reading Exodus by Leon Uris. If you haven’t read it before, I’m going to take this moment to strongly encourage you to read it. Go. Now. Seriously. I’ve read it once before, mostly on trains and beaches and in cafes while I was wandering through Europe. And all I really remember from that first reading is sitting on a speedy train, going over green terrain and crying my eyes out. It’s a beautiful, horrifying, triumphant story.

The “slippery slope” argument.

Well, if we let gay people get married, obviously that is going to lead to people marrying their cats, and six-year-olds, and inanimate objects…

And if we force pregnant mothers who are alcoholics to go into recovery programs, obviously that is going to lead to us taking away all the rights of all the pregnant ladies ever! No more driving! No more eating ice cream, even if you’re craving it!

And if we hand out condoms in school, OUR KIDS WILL BE HOOKING ON STREET CORNERS!

Really, people? Can we all agree to start laughing at anyone who makes a slippery slope argument? Whether you agree or disagree with the actual viewpoint represented, can’t we all agree that these arguments are just silliness?