Words will set us free

I went to a reading by Ben Percy at the Minneapolis Club this evening. It was hosted by Graywolf Press, and there were a lot of interesting writers and publishing folks floating around. He read a short story called "Refresh, Refresh" (from a collection of the same name) about a small town in Oregon that's destroyed when all the fathers go away to fight in Iraq. When he signed my copy, Ben Percy asked if I was also a writer (he heard me talking about my English classes to another guest) and I just mumbled something awkward. He said that when he was in grad school (grad school!) he was told he wouldn't "make it," and that I shouldn't give up. I don't even know if that's something I want, but it was certainly inspiring.


I had a grapefruit in the car before the reading...




A glass of white wine (two hours before I drove away, don't worry), a vegetarian spring roll and a piece of tuna on a crisp (x 2):



I came back and was L-A-Z-Y. I couldn't decide what I wanted, and didn't feel like standing over the stove for half an hour. So, thank you Ethnic Gourmet! I know I've been terrible about cooking recently, what with studying (and said laziness) but I'm going to try to do a bunch in the next few days.







I had a coupon for this chocolate a while ago and have had the bar in my snack drawer for over a month.

Look at my sad broken watch- this was the first real thing I bought for myself in Paris, at my favorite store Zadig & Voltaire. I think it'll be easy enough to fix, but my arm felt naked all day!


A little chocolate...

... and a rice pudding while I watched Gossip Girl (yes, you know this about me by now, and I am not ashamed).


I'm going to get in bed and read, and hopefully fall asleep before ten. Is that a luxury or what?!