So I recently signed up for Netflix, which I love. Having been out of the country for 6 months and focused on travel for the past year, I'm totally out of date in my films. So netflix is perfect for some of the pop culture catch up I've been needing, plus its way more affordable and convinient than any alternative. Plus, lets be real here - I'm unemployed, and there are only so many hours of law and order one should watch on any given day.

So like I said, I'm in movie heaven. But here's the thing - I kinda miss reading! There is something really magical about a good book, where every word is chosen so carefully. Books have character actors and props and settings and scene changes and mood lighting and everything movies have, but all the work is done by two people, you and the author. with just words and imagination, you and the author become intimate strangers working together to create your own spectacular production. Amazing. This is not only why I read books, but why I read tv scripts before I watch a show. I like participating in the realization of the story. This is also why I love tv shows like Lost, where the writers insist the audience do an equal amount of work. The writers have created a mystery that is meant to be read, read into, infered from, and speculated about. In addition, books make frequent appearances on screen, offering clues and subtext to the interested viewer. You practically need a readers companion to fully understand the show, and it would have to include stephan king, watership down, the third policeman, the bible, owl creek bridge - oh, and a working knowledge of symbols and imagery attached to Roman Gods, Buddhist philosophies, and Egyptian hieroglypics wouldn't hurt.

As much as I enjoy movies and television, my first love is reading. My mom is a reading teacher, and as a child, she kept my imagination well fed with a steady supply of books and frequent trips to the libary. When I was 10, my brother and I were almost kicked out of the library for deshelving books. The librarian simply couldn't believe two children were planning on borrowing and reading so many books in the allotted 14 days. (hah, proved her wrong!) Six years later, I got my first job and that same librarian became my first boss.

People are reading again in this country on a much broader scale than they were ten years ago. Amazon and Borders and Barnes and Noble helped make books glossy and intriguing and appealing again. Popular shows like Oprah Winfrey and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart feature authors and have helped encouraged dialoge about new authors and titles. People are reading and buying and talking about books, which helps increase the knowledge base and critical thinking skills of our country (which lets face it, could really use some help). As the publishing industry turns a profit, they are able to publish more books and it is once again an attainable dream to earn a living as an author. But with all of this stimulation in the literary world, libraries seem to be left behind in the dust.

I think the American Library system is due for a makeover. I have some pretty extensive thoughts about it, but i think this post is long enough already. But i've totally got a plan to make libraries the hip place to hang, and financially independent institutions. And don't think I can't, I rock the pop culture :)

So, I just got my first official rejection letter, and you know what... It feels really good. Like, awesome. Like, finally, now I can cross your crappy agency off my list and I no longer need to practice sounding sincere so I can shpeal your voicemail on how much I want to move to dallas and watch football and work on super accounts like bleeding lobsters. Hell no you don't have a position for me right now, thats for someone whose standards (as well as their spines!) allow them to stoop so so low.

One down, 19 to go and then statistically speaking, I'll have me a job. Nice!

ahem.... for purposes of clarification.... i love fondue. for dinner or dessert. the first time i ever had it was in montreal, on a very romantic weekend, four years ago. just in case anyone was thinking of surprizing me with fondue. you know you are.

Skating with Sinatra... Coffee with Celebrities

went ice skating with Kristen this morning, very cool. michelle qwan makes it look all glamorous, but she doesn't have to worry about tripping over 6 year olds. uh huh, and that's what's keeping me from landing a triple axle...

Then we went for coffee and who should we run into but Mr. Gary Gulman, local favorite and one of the last comics standing. So here's a little background - rewind to 1998. Senior year. College applications are already in the mail. The majority of students in Mrs. Hague's AP english class are enjoying the antics of substitute teacher and aspiring comic, Mr. Gulman. Except for a select few, yours truly included. "Shut up, I'm trying to finish my calculus homework!"

And now you understand a little more about Lauren...

so, hi, people who are friends with my brother who followed a link from his blog. shit, now i have to be good about updating again, cause i can't let a computer science boy out write me! Here's a quick recap: I finished grad school for advertising in december, and I just started looking for a job. In the past two years I've lived in South Beach, San Fran, New York, London, and Berlin, all as part of school. Now I live in Peabody again, until I am gainfully employed. I'm the reason my dear brother has to ride around in Becky's fly family sedan; He's given me his car until spring. Is the the best brother ever or what? now that you are all caught up, I return you to your regularly scheduled bloging....

back from San Francisco, which was very very cool. A few leads, but we'll see what happens. Had a pretty good interview here this week, but I won't hear anything official from them until they know if they have won a new account. So, end of the monthish. Which is fine, because it give me plenty of time to snag myself some interviews in new york. which means hitting up all my friends who live there for some contacts. Thanks in advance if that's you.

Meanwhile, this week i'm at home, networking from phone and computer, and I'm booooored. I think I should go network from someplace fun like a ski resort. I could sit in the lodge during the week, when its slow, and wait for hotties to come buy me hot chocolate. Mmm.... that sounds like a much better plan...

later :) LA