I Think I Remember the Film and As I Recall..

Because I'm a fan of Breakfast at Tiffany's and because I know several of you love cats, here's a little story about the first world problem of finding the right cat for your Broadway show:  "Like Herding Cats?  Well, Try it on Broadway" by Stephanie Clifford.

Survival of the Fittest

According to Brain Rules: 12 Rules for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina, I should have been in bed at the moment I arrived home from work and the gym yesterday.  Retiring at that hour would have given me a more optimal number of hours of sleep before this morning's run.  Instead, I made The Palm's blackened salmon with a side of Brussels sprouts. [Cast iron skillet = amazing!] The good news is that I am well on the well to mastering Rule #1:  "Exercise Boosts Brain Power."

On the flip side, I know I struggle with Rule #7: "Sleep Well, Think Well."  I sleep very soundly, but perhaps not consistently on the seven to eight hours side of the coin.  Though not yet to Rule #4: "We don't pay attention to boring things," I know I can fall into this lot. [Still with me? Good.]  A list of all 12 Brain Rules can be found here; as far as a list goes, it's quite good.  We will see if I can turn any of the suggestions into habits and invoke a little Gloria Gaynor.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Advice for 2011 inspired by a weekend in NYC:

1. Don't forget your sunglasses in the cab, even if the ride makes your top #5 scariest of all time.
2. Know what you want by the time you get to the counter.
3. Hear a band play twice live in the same venue: you may just feel like you are part of a heartbeat.
4. Go for long walks.
5. Wear sparkly things.
6. Falafel eaten standing may in fact be better than that served to you at a table.
7. Read Hemingway, chronologically if so desired.
8. Make spontaneous resolutions at dinner parties.
9. Wash dishes for someone else.
10. Use a brown paper bag to remove exterior skin from grilled peppers.
11. Stay in touch with old friends and make new friends.
12. Speaker placement is important.
13. Taking the scenic route can be more fun.
14. Visit museums and use the audio tour.
15. Order two desserts.

Wishing you an ultra-fabulous beginning to your year.

A Crime of Fashion

I made the trek yesterday to the library in the snow uphill one way. (Google pegs this trip to be 1.5 miles each direction, but this story might grow to five miles in the presence of children ten years from now.) It was a bit slower going than I anticipated, and I feel I must acknowledge the driver of the pickup truck for the mini shower that you unexpectedly provided. (My dry cleaner thanks you.)

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I did not have to pay a fine for my day of delinquency thanks to the weather and the kindness of NPL to offer an additional grace period. So as I said goodbye to an unfinished Agee, I also said hello to Gregory David Roberts. One of my yogi friends had recently read Shantaram and suggested I also add the title to my reading list. The author is robber turned fugitive turned free clinic opener in the Bombay slums turned mafioso turned media man. (The only words I have from a five minute peruse of his website are "far out".)

Having temporarily forgotten that I was walking, I decided I should also pick up another title from my book list and found Love, Loss, and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman on the third floor. This book is quite possibly the antithesis of the aforementioned novel as the author has sketched pieces of her favorite items of clothing and provided a brief description of the memory associated with the item. Incidentally, this book is the inspiration for an off-Broadway show which is running through the end of March if you happen to be in the area of the Apple.