I have discovered several new diversions to make me smile. If you’re interested in what those are, feel free to read on!

Gardening! Who would have thought that my previous disgust for the laying of sod or the planting of bushes was so completely transformed into delight? I have recently “finished” planting two rose bushes (for Patrick) and a hedge along our back fence (well future hedge) complete with night-blooming jasmine and various assorted floweing plants. Next up on the list is planting two additional bamboo plants and installing a pond to complete the Asian-themed garden nook.

Another diversion is my on-again, off-again love affair with video games. Recently, I’ve discovered the joys of Katamari Damacy, a game where your only goal is to roll a ball around and collect junk before the time runs out. Sounds simple and perhaps a bit boring, but I assure you it is magical! The most joy comes from the ecclectic soundtrack and the verbally abusive narrator/carrot-holder, the King of All Cosmos. Add some singing ducks and rainbow-colored pandas to the mix, throw in a dash of Spanish flair, and top it with an inexpensive pricetag - $20 - and you’ve got yourself a hit!

After rotting my brain for a few hours, I’ve found it refreshing to take a bath with a good book. By this I do not mean that I attempt to scrub my skin with Sagan or exfoliate my face with Faulkner, but rather soak in my tub whilst absorbing a few chapters each evening after work. The latest series of books that I’ve enjoyed are Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. These books were first brought to my attention by the trailer for the movie based on the first three books which comes out in December. After adjusting to the unique but sad and simple voice of the narrator, I started to be both entertained and informed by the series. As decent a vocabulary as I like to think I posess, I was quite wrong about the definition of the word ‘ersatz’ until I recently read The Ersatz Elevator. Snicket’s books are filled with delightfully bleak circumstances where the protagonists still win meaningful victories, subversive lessons that often contradict aphorisms found in kid’s literature, and even an underlying mystery which propels the series through each unfortunate event.

Back to brain rotting, I’ve been thoroughly intriqued by the new series Lost with its odd blend of Robinson Crusoe and Fantasy Island. I have very little idea of where things are going except for perhaps a good vs. evil conflict with two factions on the island and some kind of story involving the history of the island’s previous inhabitants. The cast of characters is interesting enough in their own rights, but I can’t wait to see what happens next!