Recommended Reading #4 and #5: American Born Chinese and Palomar

The first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award (albeit in the "Young People's Literature" category), Gene Yang's American Born Chinese is a tremendous book.

The stories (or, more properly, story) are clever and engaging, but that isn't why I appreciated the book so much. Mostly, I'm relieved to read a graphic novel that's not a retelling of some painful past experience. Maus and Co. aside, the graphic-novel-as-cathartic-release grows tedious when all you want is some lighthearted pre-bedtime distraction...


...which is why I was thrilled when I saw the Mountain View library had a copy of Gilbert Hernandez's "Palomar" comics from Love and Rockets. While it's not a proper graphic novel, it satisfies my need to consume more than a comic's standard 24 pages.

In a way, this book is terrible bedtime reading, as it's a 500 page oversized hardcover book. I really couldn't figure out how to hold the book while reading in bed. (An additional compaction was that I couldn't rest it on my stomach, as I would have otherwise.)

That said, it's not really good public reading either, as it is explicit in parts. I read it while in Indiana, and was afraid my grandmother would flip through it and find all of the steamy sex scenes. I can't even imagine her incomprehension.

Seriously, though, Palomar is great. The town that Gilbert Hernandez has created is a curious mix of pure feminism (women seem to be the only competent people in town; the sheriff and the mayor are both incredibly strong females) and pure sexism (apparently, all women must wear skirts - the only woman who does not wear a skirt is the steroid-popping bodybuilder). While the end is weak - and drifts too far into magic realism for my tastes - the other 450 pages more than make up for it.

It's alive!

My doctor seemed dubious, but I can feel Baby Davis-Ross moving around. Apparently it's a bit early to feel the baby (especially for a first pregnancy), but I'm not crazy.

Either that, or some other alien creature has taken up residency in my lower abdomen. (I hope not the one pictured below.)

Guess who's first in line for a kiss from Coach K??

Last night Baby Davis-Ross was particularly frenetic while watching the Carolina-Ohio State game. I suspect she had joined her father in protesting Dick Vitale's inherent annoyingness. Few things make Kevin Ross as mad as when Dick Vitale starts in on Duke while announcing a non-Duke game.

Which, truthfully, is a particularly annoying habit when announcing a Carolina game. It's like wearing an I Heart Al Qaeda t-shirt to a Bush fundraiser.

I still think it's a bad idea...

Please cue up The Doors, "The End."

Yesterday, after a heroic 3 months of procrastination, I finally stopped into the Comcast office for our DVR box.

Kevin doesn't believe me, but this is some serious bad news. The only potential upside I can see is that it will help when Baby Davis-Ross arrives, since we'll follow the doctors' advice and put the baby in a TV-free bubble for at least 2 years.

Right now? I'm going to check in on those two episodes of The People's Court I have waiting for me, followed by some Martha, and then chase it all down with the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

Like I said, this is the end.

Thanksgiving

Our National Holiday of Gluttony and Excess found us in Indiana.

Other than a one-day delay in our flight, travel went smoothly.

The highlight of the trip might include a sinful chocolate silk pie I made. I really made it for the crust - shortbread cookies and crushed pecans. Oh, man, it was crazy good. It was a hit with my chocolate-averse father and husband.

We also got to spend some time with my cousins, and we finally visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. My cousins confirmed The Female Hypothesis, and were very excited for Baby Davis-Ross. (My uncle lobbied for a boy; I told him I'd "try my hardest.") Despite their best intentions, no one could guess the baby name, although my mother's guess of Hilary was interesting.

Alas, I gained about 4 pound during this week, which is a bit too much. Kevin said I can blame 3 pounds on our significant lack of healthy food options and 1 pound on that chocolate silk pie.

Link to some photos below, via Flickr:

Thanksgiving 2006

17 photos

"Amy scans really well"

The paparazzi have struck again!

More photos of Baby Davis-Ross, age 14 weeks.

During this US, the technician asked if we'd like to know the sex of the baby. It's early to know, but apparently I "scan really well."

In an unsurprising series of events, I had a moment of weakness and almost asked to know, but Kevin remained strong.

Democracy Inaction

Which of course means my vote didn't count.

Funny, though, about this sticker: the poll worker insisted I have two stickers, YET the same poll worker explicitly told Kevin he could have only one.

The power of feminine wiles...

Behind the Music: Charlie Brown

I've been reading old Charlie Brown comics this week. I'm not a particularly large Peanuts fan, but I do really dig the older ones - the kids look HILARIOUS, for one, with their gigantor heads. And the humor's a little more random than in later years.

Anyway, here are a few favorites from Fantagrapics' The Complete Peanuts 1950 to 1952.

Click on the comics to view a larger picture. And do it! It's worth it.

Charlie Brown, playground player.

First football kick (note: this isn't Lucy, but another earlier character named Violet.) Look at how strung-out Charlie Brown is in the last frame. As Kevin said, "he looks dead."

Yes he does.

Patty and Violet have strong opinions about Charlie Brown's new shirt.

This actually is a great demonstration of the difference between "anxious" and "excited." Charlie Brown has very good reason to be anxious about showing the girls his new shirt.


Schroeder's angry face cracks me up.

Some early comics with Lucy. Lucy, like Schroeder, were babies when they were introduced. While Schroeder quickly became a musical prodigy, Lucy looks like she stumbled into an unfortunate preschool crack addiction.
I love that in these early comics, Lucy refers to herself in the third person.

WARNING: This movie may cause physical pain

Oh, man.

Kevin and I went to see Borat over the weekend. Afterward, we had this conversation:

Amy (coughing violently): I almost had an asthma attack laughing so hard during that one scene.

Kevin (rubbing his head): I know! My head started to hurt halfway through from laughing.

So, please go see this movie. But be prepared for pain.

Crafts and Zombies

First, the crafts
Savvy readers may note that there have been a paucity of crafts posted in recent months. This is true, although I assure you that it's still Martha Stewart land up in here. Then where are the scarves and handbags and other ill-crafted kitch?

My friends, Christmas is a-comin'. And I suspect that everyone - nay, anyone - will be receiving some form of hand-crafted kitch to call their very own. I've been experimenting with some cool new knitting patterns, I've been mixing up some ridiculously yummy candle scents, and I've been dabbling in other dark arts as well.

So, if you don't receive any of my poorly self-crafted kitch for Christmas, count yourself lucky.

Until then, I present this:


What is it? A waistline extender. I'm showing, a bit, and my pants don't fit so well any longer. Mostly, it looks like I've been hitting the Ben and Jerry's a little hard, but there's a definite bump. So, this little gadget lets me wear my pants and keep breathing. I value both highly.

Now, some zombies
Kevin and I saw David Sedaris on Monday. He was really great - he read four stories we'd not heard (but are coming out in the New Yorker soon), and then blabbled for a half hour about book recommendations and Tokyo.

My favorite line of the night?
"Oh, look, I've spent all this time talking about zombies and there's no time for questions."

(I should add that there were exactly FOUR seats in the entire theater that were worse than ours, and this place seats 3,176.)