Thursday, May 27, 2010

My Favorite Things

So my Burrow peeps and I were having a relatively typical conversation, and it went something like this:

“I could sure use a cold beer.”


“I wish we were having a critique session over a pitcher of good microbrew” (this was me)


“Oh, I like that. Burrow, beer and books!”


“You are forgetting. Boys. We need to Cabana boys to bring the pitchers, apply the sun screen, and periodically massage our feet.”

It was unanimous. Our favorite things: Burrow, beer, books and boys. So I am dedicating a blog to the matter.


Burrow

In all its diverse fabulousness, representing four continents and seven countries, we REMAIN, four score blondes and brunettes between the ages of sixteen and nineteen and a half. But we are BRILLIANT (at least collectively, though I confess to mooching where my own content is lacking... See, I got a REALLY good processor and very little memory storage, so I can DO stuff, but there are times I don't really KNOW stuff. (thus, it is in my best interest to have really smart friends).

But it isn't just a SMART bunch, but a bunch that has complimentary skills in empathy, practical knowledge, life stage info... pretty much across the board, whatever I need, somebody there can offer it up. If I need good chocolate, there are three Europeans. If I need a knitted stuffed animal, there is Leanne (though she is sensitive about sock monkeys *shhhhh*) If I need to figure out how to tell my principal he's a moron in words that won't offend him, there is Chary. Whatever will sustain me...

If I was to be stranded on a desert island, THIS is the company I want (provided I can add a few male distractors, too... but for company, I mean).

Beer

Y'all know I'm a beer snob, yes? It is possibly the only area of my life in which I'm a snob... other than my Pacific Northwest Anti-snobbery thing where I'm snobby about snobs... and possibly really bad literature *cough*Twilight*cough*

But I DO love me a really GREAT beer. There are a couple rules involved... First: beer should be made ONLY with barley, yeast, hops and water. I'm willing to allow a little experimentation for FLAVOR (I've had a few excellent ginger ales, for instance, and Raspberry stout is so good even my cats liked it, back when I lived in Portland and March was Raspberry Stout month). I am NOT willing to compromise for something like PRESERVATIVES. If you need to put preservatives in it, you aren't drinking it fast enough, or you're shipping too far. And you know what the BRITISH do when they have to ship far? INCREASE THE ALCOHOL—yes, alcohol works just FINE as a preservative and solves the problem without messing up the flavor—why do you think India Pale Ales are so strong? They needed to have a high enough alcohol content to sail around the cape of Africa without it going bad! Problem solved! So if there is a chemical name to be seen? DON'T DRINK IT!

My personal favorites: Hammerhead (McMenamins), XX Stout (Pyramid—brewed with Starbucks coffee), Ballard Bitter (Pyramid), Wassail (Full Sail's winter ale), Blue Heron (Bridgeport—Bridgeport has a stout I love, too and I ALSO want to call THAT XX... shoot—hate that I live so far away that I can't keep these straight!), Mad Hatter (New Holland), Sacred Cow (Arbor Brewing), Oatmeal Stout (Arcadia)

So if I can get a regular supply o' THESE on my deserted island, I will be a HAPPY camper.


Books

So in this interim, while I wait to hear about the cozy, as I don't know what I will write next until I know that... I've been spending a little extra time READING. I've read two much discussed books, and am THRILLED both lived up to their hype (mostly).

The Hunger Games: the dystopian future world where each 'territory' is supposed to send a pair of children (randomly chosen... sort of) to play a brutal and deadly form of 'Survivor' for the viewing pleasure of the capital *shivers*) The idea is so gruesome, but the reading was fabulous. The characters were mostly likable but also flawed; you were rooting for them, particularly the narrator, Katniss. DEFINITELY worth reading.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: This one I felt was slightly under-edited at the tails—a little heavy on the tell don't show. But as the author was DEAD by the time his books were released, I forgive this—I wouldn't have wanted another editor to change Stieg Larsson's story, and that would have been the only other alternative. It was DEFINITELY worth releasing and reading, as the tale woven was FABULOUS!

I will read the next on BOTH of these (both are parts of trilogies)

My OWN book the next... TITLED, this morning on my power walk. I'm calling it 'Kahlotus Disposal Site', which is based on location and an in-joke by the kids living there. See, I wanted rural (middle of nowhere rural) and when I used to drive from Portland to Moscow, I would pass through the Tri-Cities in Washington, and then there was a cut-off toward the highway I WANTED (the main Washington one running between Seattle and Pullman)--I spotted it by the sign that said Kahlotus Disposal Site. Kahlotus is actually a small town (population 90, or some such thing), not just a dump, but the sign seemed an appropriate metaphor for what I want this book to be about, so there we have it.

And FINALLY, back to my island... ALL of us are readers. I figure we would ALL bring books, and other than having 13 sets of the Harry Potter series (make that 18—Leanne will probably bring it in multiple languages), the overlap probably wouldn't be that great, so we'd be able to read read read. But besides that—we'd each be WRITING new books all the time, so the new material supply would keep growing!

Boys

They are so useful, aren't they? They can refill the pitchers, apply sunscreen, read to us when we want to close our eyes, massage our feet... Just darned handy to have along...

Yeah... if I had those four things I could be VERY happy for a VERY long time...


THIS JUST IN!  Inkygirl with 400+ followers has linked yesterdays post and it is getting retweeted like crazy--I suspect I will break all records today on hits, but the GREAT news is BuNoWriMo folks!!!!

30 comments:

Amber T. Smith said...

Oh how I love that my Burrow buddies have the BEST conversations....*sighs happily*

We need another get together. We seriously have to GET PUBLISHED this year so that we can fund the Burrow Beer/Boys/Book Fest. *nods firmly*

Lola Sharp said...

...and butts. :)

Natasha said...

Fantastic!!!
And except the beer, I totally echo the sentiments. But again I have been exposed only to Indian beers and may yet get converted.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You mentioned your beer snobbery before.
And your post was going so well up until the photo of the naked guys... Although I'm sure the ladies will disagree.

Bridge Marie said...

Lovely favorite things. I don't know beer too well, except that cheap European college student beer is way better than cheap American college student beer, but I think I can be forgiven for my lack of knowledge on the grounds of being, well, a cheap American college student.

Hart Johnson said...

*Hops on published Burrow wagon* Definitely.

Lola--ALWAYS on butts.

Natasha, we'll find you a beer you can love.

Alex-erm... yeah... sorry. But you know how I am.

Bridge-yeah, I drank cheap beer in college, too... (and European cheap beer would DEFINITELY be an improvement) but you will reach a time...

Sugar said...

Can I buy a ticket to the anchanted island? It sounds oh so fun..specially with the books and boys! It's always been my dream to have a cabana boy of my very own!

Briony said...

You NEED to come down under so I can introduce you to Little Creatures Ales (particularly the Pale Ale). I KNOW you will adore it, being as we have very similar taste in beers...

Oh and the Coopers Ales - particularly the Extra Strong Vintage Ale and the Pale, Sparkling and Dark Ales.

Oh and James Squire Ales - particularly the Golden Ale.

All that without going to microbreweries...

Jessica Bell said...

Have you ever drunk Mountain Goat? Yep, it's a beer ... MATE!

Briony said...

I've heard of it, but haven't had a chance to try it yet. Next time I get beer (which isn't terribly often these days - being a poor student and all), I may have to give it a shot...

Megan Bostic said...

I've heard so much about Hunger Games, I think I'm going to buy it today. I think my kids will love it too.

And we have a lot of good beers out here in the PacNW don't we Hart?

I think I've said this before, but good luck to the Burrow with your monthlong writing journey.

ViolaNut said...

Dude, we don't need knitted toys for this island... oh... wait... unless you mean handcuffs, can those be toys? ;-) We so need to have a big giant party once we get published. Of course, in my case that would necessitate FINISHING THE DAMN BOOK... errrrm... yeahgonnagotypenow...

Hart Johnson said...

Sugar, you're in! The Burrow is always generous with this inclusive thing, yes? We love our friends!

BrioNI--it is very high on my 'to visit' list--you KNOW that! We need a winery pub crawl week... ermmm make that a month...

Jessica, meet BrioNI, BrioNI, meet Jessica--Jessica, BrioNI is my friend that made me an honerary Aussie. (think you two are even the same age... or close)

Megan-it really IS a great book, and it seems your preference is darker YA, which it definitely is. You'll love it. And thanks!

Leanne--DUDE! knitted handcuffs are TOTALLY toys!

Jessica Bell said...

Hi BrioNI! :) Do you have a blog? can't access your profile unfortnately :(

Erica Mitchell said...

I want to visit! Sounds like so much fun. I was weirded out by one beer, my brother has Celiac gluten allergy thingy, and he found this beer that was gluten free and figured umm wheat's essentially to beer right? so this should suck, WRONG it was actually a really good brew.
I agree with Sugar I want my own cabana boy hehe.
The Hunger Games was hard to read at times, but really well written, haven't read the other because it's a trilogy that I started with hubs but won't finish till he's back from Afghan.
All I'm doing is reading and plotting till Tues so I'm reading like nutty-crazy

Hart Johnson said...

She doesn't blog, sadly--she is a med student with no time for such nonsense *shifty* But she is a fellow 'Lady Marauder' and so part of the inner circle of the Naked World Domination tour...

She and I have the gutter mind-meld thing going on, too... (though she's not the Messiah, either) *cough* Just a long history of supreme silliness, I suppose...

Hart Johnson said...

Erica- of course you can visit, too! And yes... we will need enough Cabana boys that each can have her own... erm... or a couple...

Gluten free sounds a little odd, but I am relatively open minded... so long as I can't see through it. If I can see through it, I may very well poke fun...

That is so cool you and your hubby read together! Mine doesn't like fiction. He says it's all just a bunch of made up stuff *snort*

Talli Roland said...

Love that you guys are sticking together!

Must admit I'm not a beer fan. I do like that photo of the boys, though!

M.J. Nicholls said...

Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has the most irritating title known to man (or woman, or moth).

Each component narks me. Girl = meh, dragon = hate dragons, tattoos = hate tattoos. ::pouts::

Kas said...

That's funny. The title of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the REASON I bought it. I love dragons, and love tattoos. :]

And while I LOVE books, and I LOVE all of you Burrowers that I've met.. I can't stand beer *ducks* and I could definitely leave the boys. Though that might have something to do with my current anti-male sentiment.. *shrugs* More for you all? :P

Hart Johnson said...

Talli--oh yes... Burrowers DO stick together, but we bring lots of people along for the party! (including those boys!)

Mark, I give you and hour with Lizbeth to change your mind. You will like ALL of those thing... she is hostile and shut down and all those things you look for in a female companion. She'll teach YOU to pout *nods wisely*

Kas, you don't exactly live in an area known for its micro options (though Elizabeth likes good beer... wonder where hers come from). I could find you a beer you liked. You will like boys again soon. I'm confident there...

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Couldn't agree more about the beer!

My son loved "Hunger Games"...I'll have to read it. "Dragon Tattoo" was a little long (and a bit more on the dark side than my usual reads), but I loved Lisbeth.

Hart Johnson said...

Hunger Games is pretty dark too, but I guess as a YA, the dark is a little different in flavor. I mean... they've got a bunch of kids trying to KILL each other. But the teen voice causes a protective instinct rather than the same level of cringe... or something like that. Lisbeth was brilliantly characterized, and I am really eager to figure out what happened that called her to the 'authorities' attention in the first place. There is still a secret in there.

Yay for good beer!

Helena Soister said...

On a tropical island, a great guy to massage my feet (how I love foot massages!) and do other things I will never talk about in public, lots of time to be with friends and play in the water, explore underwater shipwrecks, hours lazed away on reading and writing...
Damn -- now back to reality.

Kas said...

Er.. maybe. I never say never. I did have a lambic (?) the other day when I was out with my sister because she couldn't stand me not drinking anything. Haha. And as for the boys (*ick*).. I guess anything's possible there too.. *snort*

Jan Morrison said...

My fave four B's -
Babes - my gang of pals that I simply couldn't do without
Books - for all the same reasons
Bawdy good times - nuff said
and my bootilicious beautiful grown-up man. I'm older than you all and boys...nah, done that - so over that.

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, Helena--no reality... stay in fantasy land!

Kassy-that's the spirit!

Jan, I think you've got a FINE set of 4-Bs going!

ViolaNut said...

I've decided that Lisbeth is pretty much a combo of me and my friend Courtney. Ask Mari, she'll tell you. ;-) And the third one is probably the best, I'm waiting for Jim to give it back so I can read it again. Errrm... after I finish knitting and writing and - ugh. I think we need that island SOON...

Erin B said...

You liked The Hunger Games? Was it fabulous? :D?

Hart Johnson said...

Leanne-you've made me afraid to meet Courtney, because I SPOT the things in Lisbeth that ARE like you and the OTHER things are the scary parts...

Erin--LOVED Hunger Games. Am half way through Chasing Fire right now!