"Balzac & the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Dai Sijie was an important book because it was the first time that I had been made aware of the reeducation of hundreds of thousands of youths in China in the 1960’s-70’s.  Thousands of Chinese intellects were taken from their homes, families & their lives & sent to peasant villages to be re-educated.  This book was about two such friends, & the lengths they will go to in order to find western literature to read.  I will never complain about my hunt for Rory’s books again.  It made me grateful to live in a country where I am allowed to read, & have a choice of so many books. Other than that, well it was up against a lot of other good books for toaster-pastries.  I’ve already forgotten how it ended.  However, the history behind the book is something that I plan on learning more about & that I’m grateful to this book for introducing me to that.

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While the "Gilmore Girls" have never watched the movie "Dragonfly" to my knowledge, I still felt it belonged here.  It just seems like something they would make fun of. I think that Paris was in the opening scenes, although it was difficult to tell since she wasn’t talking or acting like Paris.  If that was her, she was actually a very good actress, not Paris like at all.  She deserves to be in a movie better than "Dragonfly".  I couldn’t tell because this movie had the credits still flashing about 10 minutes into it.  In retrospect I don’t think a lot of these people would want their names on this movie.  I’m interested in how this was pitched to Kevin Costner, "Ok, so you are in love with your wife who is pregnant with your child & she dies, & then she comes back & haunts you & is really creepy & leaves dragonflies everywhere even though you don’t believe in an afterlife.  Plus your wife is now a little bit spooky & you are scared of her, oh & if you could cut out that whole acting thing you do so well, we’d really appreciate it."

In short, Kevin Costner just shouldn’t be around any movie with water, like "Water World", or "Message in a Bottle", & definitely not "Dragonfly".  Put him in a field, &  he’s great, but no water.  I’d been wanting to get a piece of dragonfly jewelry as a tribute to the dragonfly inn, but that desire is gone now, I wouldn’t want it to turn up all haunty.

This is usually the space where I write about this weeks episode.  However, there isn’t a lot to write, it’s more a feeling, so it doesn’t come across in my writing that I just spent 15 minutes sitting here not typing. Paris got into a bazillion schools & decided to be a doctor. Rory didn’t get her New York Times fellowship so hopefully she won’t go do anything rash like steal a boat.  The girls were wearing those shirts that look like pirates, except they didn’t know they looked like pirates, like the picture except even more pronounced.  Anne of Green Gables would say they were puffed sleeves.  I would say, how do you walk through doorways like that?

Lorelai went back into Luke’s Diner after 9-10 months.  After they got over the general awkwardness & went car shopping because the Jeep died, they were back.  I’m not talking relationship back, I’m talking season 1-3 sarcastic banter. It was better than when they were dating & always talking about their feelings (blech).  Lorelai was free to be herself & insist that her car had a feeling, Luke was free to be himself & do sweet things like find a new engine that can be put into Lorelai’s old car.  That never happened when they were dating, even at the best of times. I’m the biggest L&L fan out there, most of that is based off the fact that I like how they interact, but all those times I like are when they are just friends. I know it’s been fated from the beginning, & I’ve always pulled for them, but honestly, I would be just as happy if the show ended with them just sitting in the diner arguing. Maybe they are better off just as friends?  What do you think?

"Me talk pretty one day" by David Sedaris has me taking back every bad thing I ever said about short stories.  I don’t know if these are actually considered short stories, I just know that they are funny & very very good. There were no scary kids, it wasn’t a downer at all. This was my first Sedaris & I feel like I’ve been missing out all this time.  He’s even funnier than me, & I think I’m pretty funny.  In fact, he’s one of the funniest writers I have ever read. Where has he been all my life? You can not have a bad day after reading this book, I don’t care what is going on.  This book is instant happy. I must now track down all of his other books & try to find his radio program.  My only caution is to read this in a quiet place because you will laugh so hard everyone else at the library/bookstore will glare at you.

Tags: gilmore-girls, david-sedaris, humor, book-reviews