these two headlines were listed in my yahoo health news today.

• Report: Obesity Rates Up in Most States
• Annan in Niger to Focus on Food Crisis

pretty sad, eh?

the book baton....

Name three books on your book shelf. One from each end and one from the middle.

beyond civilization - daniel quinn
hope's edge: the next diet for a small planet - frances moore lappe and anna lappe
oryx and crake - margaret atwood

What reading material is in your bathroom?

2 issues of relix, an issue of ascent, an issue of paste

Favorite authors and why.

margaret atwood - not many authors can make me think - really think - about how and why life is like it is and also make me feel like they are inside my own head.

Least favorite authors and why.

don't like mystery/crime/thrillers, so any of 'those' books. i don't do scary.

What author is over rated?

eh, hard to say...there's so much 'fluff' out there.

Would you (have you) picked up a woman (or man) in a bookstore?

have not, don't need to, but seems like a good place to meet someone - er, and you can avoid the guy in the 'military and war' section as well as the one oogling over the emaciated women in cosmo. i think i'd be after the guys hanging out in the travel section.

Do you eat while you read? If so what’s your food of choice?

yup, sometimes. something as un-messy as possible. no to ribs and pizza, yes to ice cream and coffee.

Name one book you’d recommend for someone searching for meaning or insight or inspiration.

haha, i have too many of these type of books...hmm, i'll go with pema chodron's 'comfortable with uncertainty'

Name one book you’d recommend for a day on the beach or a rainy day in the house.

'a short history of nearly everything' - bill bryson. some fascinating stuff.

Do you judge a book by its cover?

yes, to an extent. when browsing in the library, i gravitate to those books with 'attractive'/'interesting'/'aestetic' covers and spines. hey, when you're just 'shopping'(library shopping is the best.) for things to read, something's gotta draw your attention!

In the bookstore, what section do you head to first?

first: for coffee. next: the travel section and the magazine section. last: those fantastic comfortable chairs.

passing this to: erin, tina, terri, anna, kitty

wow, am i behind here!

my summer job was the best ever. who knew high school kids could be so much fun? not to mention an entire month outside in the glorious mountains...

bonnaroo, which i was at just before (meaning i drove home from bonnaroo and hopped on a plane less then 12 hours later to go to california) my summer work crew, was awesome. after going for the past 3 years, the 4th year finally was perfect. every year has been amazing, but this year just worked. (haha, thanks, in part, to VIP tickets...so i guess, in a sense, i 'bought' it, but it was so worth it) thanks to VIP we drove right in, no wait, to a choice HUGE campsite minutes away from the main stage. we had friendly, cool neighbors (from ontario!). VIP had airconditioned bathrooms (complete with radio bonnaroo piped in, soap, running water and flushing toilets) and HOT showers. free food. one guy nearby was a coffee roaster and made free coffee for anyone who dropped by to chat. the weather great - a bit of rain, but then just cool and cloudy. camping-wise, the experience was like staying at a 5 star hotel in comparison to 'regular' bonnaroo camping.

the music? well, for a dmb-freak like me, dmb headlining is a good thng. and the show was a dmb-does-bonnaroo show - they jammed out everything. i think they impressed many 'dmb is a sellout jamband' people in the crowd. as far as the other acts, i caught so much (and, unfortnately, missed so much! happens every year)...highlights:

ray lamontagne (he has one of those voices that just moves you)
xavier rudd (holy shit, this guy is amazing)
the word
tea leaf green
alison krauss and union station
josh ritter (weird, i saw him in a tiny club in my university town in feb.)
black crowes
jack johnson
modest mouse (wow, i was suprised at how much i enjoyed them)
benevento.russo duo
trey (though, i was a bit disapointed for some reason...maybe i was just tired)

i wish i would've caught iron and wine. next time. :)

great 30th bday present to myself. it was a lot of $$ for VIP, but the experience was eons better. so much more relaxing, got to see so much more of the music.

after i was home, i watched a dvd from woodstock in 69 (the real woodstock. :) ) - it was fantastic. and hopeful - to listen to those people then, to know how much the music moved them, and how so many people gathered together for the music...and to know that people still feel the same way. gave me hope. :)

*yawn*