My infectious namesake

My time back in Canada so far has been spent somewhat lazily. Seeing people as I feel like seeing people. Decorating. Trying a recipe or two. Sleeping until noon. It has given me the opportunity to start (and finish) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I believe that he has mastered the creation of heartbreaking tragedy, of capturing shame and disappointment, of knowing exactly what would have to happen to break the reader. He seems a bit of a tease or torturer, bringing each character to the absolute edge of destruction and then reviving them. It was beautifully written but completely unnecessary.

The next book propped beside me to be opened momentarily is quite fitting after having spent the evening watching I am Legend with Mark tonight (shout out!). The book is The World Without Us by Alan Weisman that explores how the earth would recover and repair itself if we were suddenly nonexistent and what we have managed to do that will be forever irreparable. Watch those plastic grocery bags.

Having just been in Peru and being thrown back directly into the oncoming path of the Santa Claus parade is a bit unsettling. My goal is to avoid the mall and Wal-mart until the New Year as much as possible. More than that I have been considering the idea of buying local, buying well-made and having less. I know, I go on about it quite a bit. But ask your parents: how many outfits did they have at one time growing up? Three? four? I don't know why I live such a disposable life. This Story of Stuff short film puts it very concisely and has a few noteworthy statistics.