you don’t wear the shirt of the band you’re in

I feel like such a loser.

It’s snowing and my sisters didn’t have school today, so since I’ve spent the last several days coughing like a baby in a baby-coughing contest, I called in sick today. Oh – let me clarify. If my sisters had school today, I probably would have gone to work because I take them to school every day and I’d feel guilty making them walk to the bus stop in the snow.

But I’ve only been in the office twice since mid-December. Next week’s going to suck when I’m trying to adjust to an entire week of 8:30 to 5 and meetings and all that crap.

I have two horrible confessions to make. Ready? Okay.

1. I freakin’ love the movie Can’t Hardly Wait. That’s what we’re watching right now. We first saw it as part of a Blockbuster quest to rent the two worst-looking movies we could find. One of those was Spice World, which lived up to the terrible movie expectation and then some. The other was Can’t Hardly Wait, which we rented because of the presence of Jennifer Love Hewitt. Except that now we love this movie. “Mike Dexter is a god! Mike Dexter is a role model!”

2. After probably ten or fifteen attempts during my college career, I finally managed to finish The Catcher in the Rye over Christmas break. And you know what? I wasn’t impressed. I mentioned this to someone recently who said I was “too young” to understand it, but I really don’t think that’s it. I get what Holden is going through but I didn’t find him to be a very relatable character at all. Maybe I skipped that phase. Surely it’s not just me, right? Or am I really the only one who doesn’t think this book is as wonderful and life-changing as everyone else seems to think?

And no, before you ask, it wasn’t required reading in my high school. I went to a really bad high school, see.

Don’t they make plain old cough syrup anymore? I was just on the phone with my sister and she’s at the store reading me all the labels on the different varieties of Robitussin to try to find me something that will help with my cough and sore throat, and there really wasn’t anything that was just for coughing.

This sucks.

7 Replies to “you don’t wear the shirt of the band you’re in”

  1. I liked Can't Hardly Wait…for what it was. I really did. I think its the same reason I like “bring it on” you should try that one out. How old is your sister BTW (curiosity) and then finally. I am sorry you didn't like Catcher in the Rye. I really loved that book. I don't think your age has anything to do with it cause I loved it when I read it when I was 13 yrs old. And again at 20. So age is out. Maybe you just don't feel the sucking hole of life that Holden does. Thats a good thing.

  2. LOVE Can't Hardly Wait. My niece (16) HATED Catcher in the Rye. I think it's just a matter of taste. “Great” literature doesn't necessarily appeal to everyone.

  3. Kroger will mix your robitussin into any of 14 flavors, take it to the pharmacy and they can make it taste like bubble gum, orange, grape, whatever. it works, i promise, my dad is a pharmacist there and he did it for me one time.

  4. I love the new look, Lorie.

    Be glad you don't relate to Holden. I love him though, and I really like the book. I own a hardback copy from … some year … old … can't remember now.

    Sorry you're sick. And I still think you're cool.

  5. i tried to like salinger, because people kept telling me how great he was, but i think his stuff is like the emperor's new clothes. i read catcher and nine stories and i didn't see what all the fuss was about either.

  6. “Or am I really the only one who doesn't think this book is as wonderful and life-changing as everyone else seems to think?”

    Your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. I applaud your courage to speak your mind after carefully due consideration of your position.

    For each of the books you read, you might consider a mental snapshot of the points you considered important, or even a quick personal review.

    I'll put in a plug for the condensed works of Thomas Jefferson (especially the personal letters). It is intriguing to see how people in that time chose to communicate with peers, family, leaders of state, love interests, etc. Others are appealing as well, such as the letters of Madison, Monroe, Washington, etc. I'm not a big fan of the John Adam biography that Bush touted, as it is more of an attack on Democratic principles and a stealth support of the Hamiltonian agenda.

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