I wanted to read one more quick, easy book before summer came to a close so I impulsively grabbed a copy of Born Standing Up by Steve Martin, which was just released in paperback. I had read Shopgirl a few years ago and was amazed at how well written and compelling it was. Born Standing Up was published about a year ago and received some favorable reviews. I’m happy to report that it’s a very enjoyable read that doesn’t make you work very hard. A perfect adios to summer. It’s a bio. He had problems with his father. I think daisyfae might be the only person I know who had a strong relationship with her dad. Lucky girl, she is.

Mr. Martin and I have a shared interest. He collects rare books, too. Like him, I also had some daddy issues. We are almost the exact same person, he and I, except that he has an overabundance of talent and cash and I do not. Do you know who else collects rare books? TVs Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michele Gellar! I was at a book fair here in New York a few years ago and walked into a dealer’s booth to peruse his stock. She walked up next to me and examined an incredibly rare Shakespeare folio. How hot is that?

* * *

The more I see how happy the evangelicals are about Sarah Palin’s VP nomination, the more creeped-out I am. My experience has taught me that the evangelicals are not to be trusted. Anything that they get all hopped-up about is probably not going to be healthy for the rest of us.

Thud
Matrix
Wishlist
Gesundheit
Tok
Xanthate
Beelzebub
Carl

I just read a brief bio on Time.com for Sarah Palin, the GOP VP nomination and I have to be perfectly honest and say that, but for her inexperience, she sounds like a solid candidate. Maybe in another 10 years she’ll be ready. What I can’t abide by are the comical names she chose for her children, to wit:

Track
Bristol
Willow
Piper
Trig

You have GOT to be KIDDING me! If we had had a Bristol in my high school, he would have spent a lot of time stuffed in a locker and Track would have gotten a daily wedgie.

Have we finally moved beyond Hillary Clinton? She did it to herself, folks. And don’t be mad at Obama. Two years ago she had a double-digit lead against her rivals for the nomination and a gazillion dollar war chest. What happened? She blew it. Her campaign was so poorly managed that not only did she lose the nomination, she burned through all that money and had to dig into her own pocket and is now in debt. Thank God she and Mr. Bill took the high road out.

This election is a gimmie for the Democrats. If the Democrats find a way to blow it (they still might) they should be force to disband and the new political party that rises from its ashes should not have any familiar faces at the helm.

Dear London: Mrs. Wife and I will be in town from September 11-15. Does anyone know where I can get a pair of tickets to see Piaf at Donmar Warehouse? The entire run is completely sold out. If you have any ideas, please post. Feel free to suggest alternatives. We are big fans of the Gypsy Kings and have already booked tickets to Zorro with Bob and his entourage. Olé!

I have ambiguous feelings about clothiers. Fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry that pumps a steady stream of much-needed revenue into New York City coffers. But it makes its money off the vanity and insecurities of (mainly) women. It sends out a terrible message, i.e., wearing a specific label will validate you and repair your self-esteem. Runway shows look like gussied-up teen beauty pageants to me, which I also don’t understand. Modeling should be declassified as a profession and reclassified as a form of child abuse.