How had I never heard of this book?

I don’t remember exactly where I first found out about it, possibly on Amazon where they recommend books based on previous purchases.  Which can sometimes be annoying, and can sometimes be handy.  It tends to be a wash.

Anyway, I bought it for my 9 year old, and after he read it, he claimed it was now his second-favorite book after the Harry Potter series, which is high praise indeed.  When asked how many stars he would give it out of ten, he offered fifteen.

So, just know that this book is about a group of boys led by Mac (whose real name is Christian) who runs a very specialized business out of the fourth stall in an abandoned school bathroom.  He and his best friend Vince are partners and trouble begins when an older boy begins attempting to take them down from the inside.

There is violence.  Kids get beat up.  Kids do all sorts of things that you would think an adult with half an attention span would notice.

But that doesn’t make this book any less fun, even for forty-year old me.

It reads slightly like a film noir, slightly like The Godfather, and something akin to The Body.

If you’ve got a reluctant middle school reader, this book might be an excellent solution to that problem.

A list of the first baby names of 2012 by state recently came out, and there are definitely a few humdingers.

Apparently there was a trend of a lot of names beginning with the letter K and the letter A. Even though I didn’t give birth in 2012, I’m OK with not being on trend.

A few that leapt out at me:

Kentucky: Kay’lyn

I thought that the whole apostrophe within a name thing was so very over.  I was so very wrong.

New Mexico: Daytona Jaymes

There are, to me, two things wrong with this name.

South Dakota: Kalylah

I have no idea where they came up with this one, or how to pronounce it.  Awkwardly, I guess.

Wyoming: Khloe

The Kardashian influence has gone much too far.

Ohio: Anya

A Project Runway fan, it seems.

Arkansas: Wesley Ren

Ditto Princess Bride.

Nevada: Envy Essence-Faye

I could deal with this if it was rearranged.  Maybe.

Is it really 2012 already?  Where did the time go?  One second it was a few days before Christmas, and all of a sudden I’m on the flip side of the New Year.  It’s been a rough couple of weeks, you have no idea.  But, onward I must go!   We must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!*

Our last poll addressed how you were handling the holidays, and an impressive 33% of you were in Martha Stewart mode.  However, that was eclipsed by the 38% who just didn’t care anymore. 23% were in deep breathing mode, and an unlucky 4% were in a full-on panic.  I think I sort of fell in the 38%.  Heh, my kids don’t need holiday memories!

Today I need to know how you feel about 2011.

*Brownie points for the source of that quote!

Seriously, I can NEVER get enough of these…

Oh internets, you never fail to amuse.

via

But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy this Baby Godfather meme, right?

source

I know, I know.

I said I would not abandon you over the month of August, and I was only half truthful.

And not that I’m trying to complain (no way, no how) but sometimes it’s hard to write entertaining things on two blogs five days a week.  I try, but I’m not always as successful as I’d like to be.   So, I thought I’d take a bit of a mental break, so to speak.

I wanted to return refreshed and more entertaining and actually be able to string coherent thoughts of my own together, instead of cobbling them from somewhere else.  Which I really hate doing.

Lots happened while I was gone, like hot-saucing and 7 year olds getting thrown overboard and crazy birthday parties for kids that make me sort of want to weep.   Somehow we caught the kid’s party show and the woman spent almost $28,000 on her son’s tenth birthday party.  My  husband and I turned to our son who will soon be turning nine and said in unison, “DO NOT expect to ever have a party like that.”  Kid will be lucky if we spend two hundred.  Seriously, I’m over big birthday parties.  Let him and a couple buddies hang out and do something cool, and I’ll call it a day.

But anyhoo, I’m back now and hopefully you didn’t abandon me in the meantime.

I’ve got a special treat lined up for your viewing pleasure for tomorrow’s CDF, don’t miss it!