Life at this moment.

Well, I meant to keep this blog more current than I have. A quick update, yes?

Times have seriously changed career-wise. I have finally made the complete transition from "occasional high school teacher" to "editor" and I have no regrets in the slightest about leaving the formal world of education. I'm a book editor for a well-known and prestigious international academic publishing house now. In nuce, My day is spent working with academics in the field of religion and their manuscripts in the labyrinthine world of publication. I actually use both my liberal arts undergraduate and graduate degrees on a daily basis and get paid for it. I'm completely in my element and very happy. No, there are not a lot of parties rubbing elbows with the best and the brightest. Well, there is the occasional party.

This past week, M- and I went to southern Maine with one of our best friends for the holiday. Almost equidistant from Portland and Portsmouth, NH, we ate across both states and had a wonderful time relaxing. We even drove past the Bush compound in Kennebunkport. The black SUVs in the driveway were quite intimidating and Shrub wasn't even home. We went to The Friendly Toast in Portsmouth, where there is awesome 1950's pop culture decor, great food, and a wonderful vibe. It had an Austin feel to it. Whoever selected the in-house music did a wonderful job. I kept wanting to know who was playing. I think the new Interpol album was in the selection... The dj certainly loves Joy Division. None was played, but all the bands were certainly inspired. Sad Lovers and Giants was one of bands. How I had missed them way back when is beyond me. Think a bit of The Ocean Blue and The Sundays. They probably got lost in the shuffle, but they're British and I was living in small town Texas so music could be hard to come by.

I finished The Count of Monte Cristo, which was great. I couldn't put down the last 500 pages. It really is where Aaron Spelling learned all his craft. I've had enough of honor and French Romanticism. Now, I'm reading The Chosen by Chaim Potok. I'm only about thirty pages in, but it's captivated me so far. I'll be curious where this goes, especially now that I live near where the book takes place and, unlike Texas, one sees Jews are everywhere. I know that's a very goyische thing to say, but what can you do?