Some favorites:

Dylan Thomas on Rudyard Kipling

“Mr Kipling … stands for everything in this cankered world which I would wish were otherwise.”

Truman Capote on Jack Kerouac

“That’s not writing, that’s typing.”

Mark Twain on Jane Austen

“Every time I read ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ I want to dig her up and hit her over the skull with her own shin-bone.”

William Faulkner on Ernest Hemingway

“He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.”

Ernest Hemingway on William Faulkner

“Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?”

In preparation I’ve been decking out my ride (heh) a bit. Finally got a guidance system installed. I got a deal for a few months to try it. Since I’m terrible at reading maps and directions I hope it will keep me from getting lost. Nothing fancy like gps for truckers, but something to help keep me sane.

Oh, and tons of music and books on tape (er, CD. But books on CD sounds dumb, doesn’t it?)

I had to go up to New York City yesterday for a meeting, and had some extra time, so I went out to lunch with the boyfriend’s mother. She’s hilarious and knows every good restaurant in the city, so we had a nice time.

So we’re sitting there, waiting for our food and she’s telling me all the exciting Manhattan accident attorney gossip, and someone she knows comes up to our table. I was sipping my water right when she introduced us, including calling me (accidentally she swears), her daughter.

I started cracking up and spit a mouthful of water into this guy’s face. Seriously, it was like a Three Stooges routine. Full on spit take.

Everyone was nice about it, but I found out this man was a big time judge. And I’m never entering the state of New York again.

The woman (part of the couple) works from home, so we wave at each other a lot at random times during the day. Not this week because of the Death!Hot, but still.

Ran into her this morning at the corner store and we had a nice chat. She’s a graphic artist, which is cool. And very open. She was telling me about some health stuff, and I was able to use some info I got recently on cleansonix to help her out.

She was a little shocked, but I told her how much time I spend researching the most random things, and she was intrigued. We’re planning to start having procrastination parties, where we escape work to hang out and drink scotch coffee.

I’m sitting at my desk trying to write an article – using some great lipofuze reviews, FYI – and realized something. The weather blows. I was writing a section about spring trends and activities and nothing was coming to me. Because it’s been cold and or raining since February, with no real end in sight.

So I’m trying to cast my mind back to a time when seasons did change and people’s behavior was different, thus requiring different marketing to them in warming weather.

Later at night the animals take over. They’re going through a period of hating each other, so we end up in separate rooms with one of them keeping us company. Over the last few days they’ve been trading, which is very organized of them.

The thing is, I almost always say yes. I can find what they need much faster because I know where to look, and when it’s for someone close to me, I know what’s going to be helpful and what won’t. The boyfriend says I shouldn’t do it so often, but I really don’t mind, and sometimes I get to learn interesting things that might be useful for me eventually.

In other news, summer vacation plans are coming together and it looks like we’re going to be very busy.

Also, J is writing a book and I’m lobbying to get her to dedicate it to me. Please offer support, bribes, whatever you have that might help.

So, the darling thing is making jewelery. She’s always been kind of crafty and this is an easy, cheap way to keep herself entertained. Plus, cute stuff for her friends and family (me). We bought a million cool Beads and chains and some other clamp/tweezer things that I have no idea about.

If you can do it, this is a wonderful way to get the perfect item for a reasonable price. No more wishing the chain was a little different or the pendant was slightly larger. Just make it the way you want it. And then discover Etsy.

I won’t get into specifics, but let’s just say it costs almost as much as my rent at my old apartment and leave it at that. Since I’m not quite old enough for a good cheap Medicare plan, I just have to suck it up and pay.

Today’s pain is caused by my deductible. The amount I have to pay out of pocket each year before my insurance will cover things. At least it’s early this year. in 2010 I didn’t meet my deductible until November.