I saw a brand new copy of The Collected Stories of Deborah Eisenberg on the shelf at work the other day and grabbed it out of curiosity, never having heard of the author before.

Boy, am I glad I did. I picked it up again to read last night when I got home and have had trouble putting it down since. Ms. Eisenberg has this amazing talent for writing about things that are seemingly non-eventful (or even downright boring) and making them absolutely riveting.

It's the emotional complexity and the dark humor and the keen observations on life that make this collection unforgettable (at least, so far.)

There is something unnerving about her work, whether it's the mundane interactions between a woman and her new roomate in "Flotsam" or the awkward and taboo relationship between a high school girl and a twenty seven-year-old man in "What it Was Like, Seeing Chris.'

...moving back to music today I can't help but rave about Foster the People's brand new album Touches. You can get it on Amazon or iTunes for just 7.99. After previously only having access to their EP (with just three songs) it's wonderful to now have more of them on a full-length.

The previously released "Helena Beat" and "Pumped Up Kicks" are on here, as rocking as ever, as well as fresh tracks like the equally amazing "Call It What You Want" and "I Would Do Anything For You."

Foster the People appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live the other night, looking a little bit worn and sedate, but still sounding great! You won't regret giving this awesome album a listen!!

 

If tomorrow were going to be the end of the world (or more specifically, The Rapture) I know I'd regret some of the things I've never done (like falling in love with someone who loved me back) but it's the things I had done that would bother me more.

I used to wonder about Heaven and whether you get to be with the people you loved and haven't seen in a long time. Whether you bump into people like you would at a reunion. People you wronged, people you longed to see again so you could say you were sorry or "boy, I sure have missed you!"

If I thought for a moment that tomorrow truly could be the last day, I'd be a bit freaked right now. So many things never done, never attempted, so many songs never sung, never heard :(

The blissful hi-kick drive and euphoria I feel every time I hear a great new song (like "Undercover," pictured above) and am convinced will be the last time I'll ever feel so good (and yet am proved wrong the next time I hear another terrific song) is just one little reminder why I never want to stop breathing.

I'm having fun with this song. Safari Disco Club really puts a little bounce in your step. Very exotic and upbeat!

Getting ready for a mini-Supernatural marathon tonight so I'll be ready for the season finale. And to make everything perfect, I'll be consuming the Chunky Monkey I've been saving in my freezer.

Chunky Monkey is my favorite icecream of all time. I love the way the banana, chocolate chunks and walnuts all merge within the vanilla to taste beyond yummy.

And if I accidentally eat the whole container...well, I hear the end of the world is coming tomorrow, so maybe I won't have to deal with the after-guilt!:)