Everyone Loves a Boston Girl

When I got this month’s issue of Brookline magazine, I realized how sad my life really is. After quickly scanning the cover article, I immediately sent my friend an e-mail with the body:
panera is opening where zathmary’s was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg i am in heavennnnnnn. BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then I took a step back and a deep breath and felt sorry for myself. You know your life isn’t at its most exciting when a) you read Brookline magazine the second it arrives in your mailbox and b) you feel practically euphoric that a Panrea will be mere seconds away from you.

I can’t help it though. I know it’s just Panera, but seriously Panera is something I’ve missed entirely too much since moving to Boston. Their turkey artichoke sandwich, their Greek salad, and their chicken noodle soup. Their water with lemon! Their free Wi-fi. Now I have just one more thing to love about Coolidge Corner. And I really don’t care if that makes me pathetic.

Nevermind, I don’t feel so bad anymore. My friend’s response:
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
made my day!!! cant wait for that! how didyou find out? did you walk by? omg going there everyday!!

No wonder we’re such good friends.

I always think it’s kind of random that Coolidge Corner has a sex shop. I never hear anything about it and I rarely actually think about it unless I’m entering CVS from the back (wow, that sounds dirty, fitting)…the back parking lot, I mean. Anyway, it’s really discrete and classy looking, and I wonder how many people actually know it exists.

When I first moved to Brookline my friends and I went in, mainly because none of us had ever been in a sex shop, which seemed slightly wrong for a bunch of twentyish-year-olds. It was actually really nice inside and we looked around for a bit being relatively mature. That is until a man entered the store and attempted to make a return. He wanted to return a vibrator that his wife “broke.” Ooops. The woman employee apologized saying it had been too long and they could no longer accept a return. He wasn’t happy and tried to argue that it was a poorly made vibrator. She proceeded to describe different types of vibrators to him and recommended he buy one that would be more durable. But no, his wife needed the multi-speed one and wouldn’t accept anything less.

This was kind of humorous enough, but then we saw the man’s shirt and could not contain ourselves. His shirt said “UNH Dad” in huge letters across the front of it. Kids, this could have been your dad. Why are you wearing a shirt proclaiming you are a dad while you’re in a sex toy shop trying to return a vibrator that your wife (your son or daughter’s mother) broke? Making this even funnier to me was the fact that I went to UNH and was the buyer at the store that made these “UNH dad” shirts. Chances are, I sold him the shirt. We had to leave the store because we knew our giggles were getting ridiculously immature. Hopefully UNH dad and UNH mom are happy with the new, more durable, multi-speed purchase.

Anyway, I came across a link to their website in a Coolidge Corner store listing. Apparently Good Vibrations has all kinds of nightly classes with titles such as “Back Door Lovin’” and “Is That a Banana in Your Pocket: Strap-On 101″ Who knew that all of this was going on just a few blocks from my apartment? Interesting website. I am not a prude by any means, but clearly I have a lot to learn.

I just really hope that my dad is more careful about where he wears his UNH dad shirt.

It’s easy to get depressed over the state of today’s literary world. Whenever I hear someone say “I hate reading” or joke “Why would I need a book?” I cringe. And I struggle because sometimes I can’t exactly put into words why you need books. But you do. I’m sure of it. I think it’s obvious why children need them: to learn and to help work and build their imaginations. But the question of why adults need books is a harder question to answer, especially when it comes to fiction.

My roommate e-mailed me this article today written for the Washington Post by Ron Charles, and it made me seriously sad. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, “More than half the adults in this country won’t pick up a novel this year.” I personally cannot fathom a life where I didn’t read novels. I would never knock what other people choose to do, but I just don’t understand why people don’t see the importance of reading and actively choose NOT to read. I personally don’t think you can reach your full potential as an active member of society without reading.

I can’t tell you how much I hear the same thing that the article’s author hears: “‘I don’t read fiction,’ they say, suddenly serious. ‘I have so little time nowadays that when I read, I like to learn something.’” Oh! I wasn’t aware that you couldn’t learn from fiction. You watch fictional movies don’t you? So, what exactly is the difference? Every work of fiction I read I learn something from, sometimes about a different place or culture or a different period of history. And sometimes about different ways of interacting with others, different philosophies on life, or how to understand different types of people. At the very worst, I leave a work of fiction having relaxed and escaped to another world for a few hours. Sure, I love my life and think it’s pretty fabulous, but my life is made so much more complex and understandable through reading. Everything I read changes me a little bit in some way or another. And I think that’s pretty amazing.

The article’s main point is that even though millions of children and adults are reading Harry Potter, this is often as far as they get. Of course, I think anything that gets people to read is good. But instead of being all thrilled that a bunch of people are reading a book, realize that it’s all people are reading. One book. And it’s a children’s book. And that is profoundly sad.

Ever come back from vacation and feel like you need another one more than ever? That’s me right now. It’s probably because my summer vacationing is over and I have no get-aways to look forward to. And because I abandoned my work for 1.5 weeks and have returned to 3924 e-mails with assignments that I’m just not in the mood to do. And my big job search has begun, which means sifting through employment opportunities and filling out endless online applications. Whatever happened to the good old resume and cover letter?

The tan is fading fast, as is summer. Wow, I’m in a grumpy mood.

Back to work. Someone entertain me. Fast.

So, I just pre-ordered my copy of Harry Potter. I know, I know, I’m reluctant to even call myself a fan. I find myself reading all of the books and then thinking “OK, that was alright, but what’s soo good about it?” Yet, I always pre-order and read the books, mostly so I’m not left in the dark (so I tell myself). I also somewhat enjoy getting caught up in the excitement and want to know what’s going to happen to Harry before I hear it through the grapevine. Damn it, Harry potter, why do I care about you?

Being in the publishing industry, I feel it’s my professional duty to stay on top of things like this. One of my graduate professors took extreme pride in the fact that he had never read any of the Harry Potter’s or The Davinci Code. OK, fine. But, you’re an acquisitions editor. Even if you hate the stuff shouldn’t you care that other people are basically obsessed with it? Your job is to find the stuff that’s going to make money, and you should understand what the public wants. I’m just saying. Clearly, the public wants Harry Potter.

Apparently, Coolidge Corner is hosting Potterpalooza, which is slightly disturbing to me. There will probably be small children everywhere, all hyped up on sugar running around in their pointy hats, capes, and Potter-esqe glasses, waiting to learn Harry’s fate. Why oh why am I reading the same thing a 6-year-old reads? I’m afraid I’ll feel drawn into going to these festivities as I’ll probably hear the commotion from my apartment bedroom. But wait, it’s on Friday night which means I’ll probably have other plans. Do you think I can coerce my bar-going friends to dance the night away at the Wizard’s Ball inside the CC Arcade? Come on guys, we can dress up in our wizard gear or disguise ourselves as”muggles.” We can go on the scavenger hunt, buy Harry merchandise, and decorate cupcakes (I know that will get you, Sara!).

I’ll be patiently waiting for my friendly UPS man to deliver my copy of the book on Saturday afternoon, avoiding all forms of media that will spoil the ending for me. When all’s said and done, I might even miss Harry a little bit. Ugh, sometimes I hate myself.

P.S. Classic Realty is sponsoring Potterpalooza. They helped us find our apartment and are probably some of the nicest realtors I’ve ever met. I can’t remember our realtor’s name but he was fabulous. Highly recommended.