boooblog

Welcome to the inaugural Gainesville, FL Oat Off. Matt decided to spruce up his boring Quaker oatmeal breakfast by adding various items found in our refrigerator and cupboards. He set up a taste test for us - here are the results:

1. Spicy Peanut Oats: Thai peanut sauce, sesame seeds, oatmeal. This was the most delicious of the bunch. 3/10
2. Herbed Oats: Coriander, rosemary, celery seeds, oatmeal. This one didn't make me puke. 1/10
3. Italian Oats: Oregano, olive oil, basil, garlic, oatmeal. This one almost made me puke. .5/10
4. Cajun Oats: Emerial's Bayou Blast seasoning, Texas Pete hot sauce, oatmeal. BAM! (the sound of my head hitting the floor after passing out from the grossness) 0/10
5. Pesto Oats: Pesto, oatmeal. Matt actually is considering making this again some time. I probably won't be sharing in the feast that morning. 0/10

After spending eight long years in three different colleges I finally earned a bachelor's degree last month. Scholastic freedom and newfound unemployment status have provided me with a little extra time to catch up on eight years of pleasure reading, and I have taken the time to recommend some books (Oprah style) and assign an arbitrary homo rating. Please pay no attention to the sentence fragments - I don't feel like revising right now.

Wicked: The Life And Times of The Wicked Witch of The West by Gregory Maguire. This book retells The Wizard of Oz from the witch's point of view. I liked it. Many of my friends didn't care for it. Homo factor: 8

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. A collection of short essays about the author's life. Everyone should read all of David Sedaris's books. Then listen to the books on tape. Because he rules. Homo factor: 6

Dry. A Memoir. by Augusten Burroughs. The story of the author's battle with alcoholism. Sometimes LOL and other times =( , anyone with any sort of addictive personality should read it. Homo factor: 8.5

The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-time by Mark Haddon. Told from the point of view of an autistic boy trying to solve the mystery of a neighbor's murdered dog. Read it for the mystery and you may be disappointed. Read it for the autism factor and you will love it. Homo factor: 0

Soon to be read:

• The Areas of My Expertise by John Hodgman
• Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
• Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim by David Sedaris. I am halfway finished with this one. It's going to have the same review as Me Talk Pretty One Day.
• The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The movie left me with so many unanswered questions that I need to read the book to fill some of the movie's holes.