Cake by the Ocean- Not the Worst Idea Ever

Wednesday Roundup— 7.13.2016

I am determined to make this a good week. For me that usually means that I get to read some great stuff. I have read some great short stories submitted for Gemini Magazine's short story contest, and I have been scouring the Internet for good essays and other edifying reads. So, to make your week more fantastic than I'm sure it already is, here are few good things to read, watch and eat.

I have always admired the work of artist Chuck Close. His portraits are stunning, and he is such a fascinating man. Today I read a piece about him in The New York Times- The Mysterious Metamorphosis of Chuck Close. The author, Wil S. Hylton, is a beautiful writer. I also found two great words in this piece: exegesis and uroboric. (This is one of my new favorite past times- collecting words.)

I often go to Joanna Goddard's site, Cup of Jo, for inspiration. Today I found a link to this essay on race. It is very thought-provoking and well-written. 

I don't have time for a long vacation right now, so this past Monday we went on a staycation. We spent part of the day at Hug Point State Park. Our dog, Ralph, was in ecstasy with all the seagulls to chase, and I love the Oregon coast. I would pitch a tent and stay forever if I could.

What I'm Reading:    

BRB, drowning in cry-snot because of this Publishers Weekly review. 😭🏊💀 #Repost @hachettebooks with @repostapp. ・・・ It's so good, we have to share all of Publishers Weekly's starred review of SHRILL: "West, a GQ culture writer and former staff writer for Jezebel, balances humor with a rare honesty and introspection in her debut. Over the course of the book, West details finding her voice as a writer and a feminist through stories about her family, her weight, having an abortion, and the emotional toil of being harassed online. West's chronicle of the series of highly personal online attacks-and of how much Internet conversations have changed in the past decade-marks this book as required reading. Always entertaining and relatable, West writes openly and with clear eyes about embarrassing moments and self-esteem issues, and has a remarkable ability to move among lightheartedness, heavy hitting topics, and what it means to be a good person. By reading about West's thought-provoking responses to online rape jokes, gender-specific attacks, and being trolled about a family tragedy, readers learn by example how to navigate the Internet's sometimes soul-sucking terrain with dignity and retain a sense of adventure." @thelindywest

See this Instagram photo by @thelindywest * 250 likes

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

Here's a little taste of the humor West uses, but you'll have to read the book to get more:

 "...who decided that “astronaut” would be a great dream job for a kid? It’s like 97 percent math, 1 percent breathing some Russian dude’s farts, 1 percent dying, and 1 percent eating awesome powdered ice cream. loophole: I can already buy astronaut ice cream at the Science Center, no math or dying required."

What I'm Watching:

I binge watched season 6 of The Great British Bake Off and now I want to bake all of the things. Especially this Mary Berry recipe for Brandy Snaps.

The Great British Bake Off, Series 6, Episode 1 - Cake. On your marks... get set... BAKE! Thank you to the copyright holder for not making me take this down.

Have a fantastic week.