Read these books now.

On my trip, I actually polished off 6 books. I know it sounds like a lot but I had plane rides, airport layovers and evenings where I wasn't busy putting a kid to bed. Three of these books are must reads.

1. The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch. It comes out on 5/8 but I managed to get an advance copy. Wow. The novel is about a go-getting career gal named Natalie Miller who decides to re-evaluate a few things about her life after a breast cancer diagnosis. Though the premise sounds like a bummer, the book is not at all. Scotch manages to tackle the subject matter with humor, irreverence and a much-needed human face. If you want a fun read to restore your faith in the fact that people can change -- even when bad stuff happens to them -- pick up this book. And guys? This would be a great Mother's Day gift to some of the ladies in your life.
   
2. If I Am Missing or Dead by Janine Latus. Holy crap. This book blew me away. This is Latus' memoir about the murder of her sister, Amy, by Amy's live-in boyfriend. But it is so much more than that. It's a journey of self-discovery where Latus examines the way that she and Amy grew up, her own pattern of abusive relationships and finally finds the courage to break away. The book is not your run-of-the-mill navel gazing type memoir. It's powerful, written like a fast-paced novel and will totally grab you and not let you go long after you finish the book.
   
3. The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. I'm not sure how to describe this book without giving away the ending but I'll try. Laurel is a young social worker who finds a photo in the belongings of a recently deceased homeless person. The photo seems to be of her on the day that she was almost raped on a logging road in rural Vermont. The story follows Laurel as she strives to find out who this photographer was and how it might be related to the crime. This book was incredibly well-written with a twist that will leave you reeling. Check it out.

The bummer is now I'm out of books. Does anyone have any recommendations for me?

I am a bad blogger.

No, no. Please don't protest. I know it's true.

I'd like to say that I've been quiet all week because I didn't want to tell you all that I still don't know where we're going. But I used that excuse already when I had to explain to my mother why I haven't phoned her in *gasp* 5 days. And I can't say that there's been nothing in the news world that's collected my ire because there's just been so much inanity that I've been a walking, talking bad mood.

Except for that dude who cut off his own penis. That was just funny.

But the truth of the matter was that I was in New York City. By myself. With other adults who have similar interests. And having the opportunity to interact with people was exhilarating. But, dear readers, it was also a bit exhausting. Because I realized that when I'm out and about in the real world I manage to use up all my schtick on the folks right in front of me instead of saving it for y'all. And then when I sit down to the keyboard to write, I find myself spent. I'm guessing it has something to do with the large, animated hand gestures I tend to use when telling stories out loud.

So I'm sorry. But I'm back in the real world now. And since my toddler doesn't really give a crap about what a moron Dick Cheney is, I'm guessing I'll be back up to record postings soon.