Still Here

Hello again. I've done something incredibly foolish. I agreed to take on 'extra' hours at work several nights this week. The problem with that, of course, is that those hours aren't really 'extra' for me. I usually spend them doing my reading for classes and my blogging.

So why, then, did I agree to do this? I have this natural inability to say no when asked for a favor. It seriously gets me into all kinds of irritating situations. Example: last Spring Break, instead of enjoying the week off by doing something fun, I agreed to house & pet sit for some friends who were going out of state for the week.

Which lead to a truly miserable week of sitting around their house watching DVDs and staring out the windows at the rain, bored to tears.

But did I learn from that? Hell no. When my boss came up to me at work this weekend and asked if I had any 'extra' hours, my reply should have been "Other than those five or six I waste sleeping every night? No."

Instead, I found myself saying yes and giving up prime study hours.

All of which is by way of explanation for the lack of posts so far this week. I did write a lengthy post on Saturday, however. The reason you never read it was that it ceased to exist somehow or other before it was completely finished.

At any rate, tonight isn't one of the nights I'm working, so I'm sacrificing some study time to blog so no one thinks I've run off with some campus stud for a life of passionate sex that leaves no time for blogging.

I do have a few e-mails to answer. There were a few asking where I was, so that's been covered. I had a question from Book_Fanatic asking me if I'm reading anything good lately. Great question. I'm of course swamped right now in class reading, so that doesn't leave a lot of time for personal reading. And of course, I tend to be scattered between several books at once anyway. But, yeah, I'm reading a few interesting things. I tend to read more fiction for fun while classes are in session and more non-fiction during Summer break or times when I don't have a ton of non-fiction I'm already reading for classes.

I just picked up Senator Boxer's new novel, A Time to Run. I'm a fan of the Senator from California. I can't pretend that I'm discovering any great literary talent (she has a co-author, as many famous people tend to when they try their hand at writing), but the story is interesting and reveals a fascinating insider's look at politics. The basic outline of the plot is that a liberal female Senator from California is handed documents at the last minute that could derail the all but certain confirmation of a far right Latina law professor who has been nominated to the Supreme Court.

I'm also reading Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, which is basically a reflection on the grieving process, written a year after the sudden death of her husband John Gregory Dunne. It's proving to be an interesting, if sad, read. Anyone who's ever suffered a personal loss will find a lot to relate to. Didion really impresses me with her amazing ability to take whatever is happening to her or in the world around her and relate to it through the written word.

I'm also about to start Barbara Ehrenreich's newest, Bait and Switch. Nickel & Dimed was incredible and I have high hopes for this one, which is actually more in line with my own situation, since I'm currently in college and in massive debt to pay for these classes I'm knocking myself out to pass!

What else? I swear there are at least ten more books I've started and am in the process of reading. Oh, one is In Maremma, by David Leavitt and his partner Mark Mitchell. Leavitt writes short stories and novels that I strongly recommend everyone read. They're among my favorite books overall, and certainly among my favorite when it comes to gay fiction. I love the short stories best, but the novels are very good, too.

Anyway, this one is non-fiction that the two wrote together about their experience buying a run down farm house in Italy (in the unfashionable part of Southern Tuscany) and making it into their home.

God, I'd love to do that! Not necessarily in Italy (thought not necessarily not in Italy!), but it would be really amazing to find some place in the world that you truly love and make a home there with the person you love.

Okay, you got me. I'm a romantic at heart, in spite of all the lusting after hot guys I constantly do.

Speaking of which, I also had an e-mail from Nigel wondering, since I'd joined Rebecca in expressing our mutual lust for Paul Walker, if there were any guys in politics I thought were hot. (By the way, Rebecca has several new picture posts up of other lustworthy celebs up, so check those out!)

That's a tough question, Nigel, given that most of the guys in politics aren't exactly matinee idols. It may just be that I'm trying too hard at the moment to think of someone, but the truth is I could only come up with one person in politics that I'd actually want to go to bed with and that's San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

I can't think of anyone in the House off the top of my head that I'd find sexy. Over in the Senate, the pickings are mighty slim. Senator Kerry is a very attractive man, but I can't say I'd ever consider him to be sexy. Senator Obama is just too skinny for me, somehow. Senator Feingold isn't too bad.

But, really, I just don't see myself adding any of them to any top ten lists any time soon. Everyone feel free to share your own political pin ups, if you've got 'em, and I'll try and think of others.