1 Month. 1 Novel. Dare me?

November is NaNoWriMo month. That awkward acronym stands for "National Novel Writing Month" and the challenge is this: write a 175 page novel (50,000 words!) by midnight on November 30th. I calculated that's about 6 pages a day! Yikes! But I'm trying to think of this as a 720 hour marathon of the fingertips and mind.

So, I think I'm going to do it. Or at least try it. I have nothing to lose, right? (Disclaimer: Friends & Family: Consider yourself warned. You might not hear from me for an entire month.)

Now the only thing I have to write is a novel. Maybe I'll go the Curtis Sittenfeld American Wife route and type out a thinkly veiled account of Sarah Palin's rise (and hopefully fall) in U.S. politics that ends with a disastrous debate against Joe Biden (fingers crossed).

Or I could write War, What Is It Good For?.

Well, if you have any ideas, send them over. A character you'd like to see come to life, a setting you're intruiged by, a pet you'd like to see reincarnated with wings. Whatever it is -- I'm open!

So... off I go. Wish me luck!

Labrador or Lover: Who Would You Rather Be Stranded On an Island With?

Reuters reported on Friday that of 1,105 Americans polled, two-thirds would rather be stuck on an island with their pet than their partner. That's a little under 800 people!

So, with this statistic in mind I decided to weigh the pros and cons of bringing a pooch over a passion to see which side I'm on.

Pros:

- With the exception of a bark or growl here and there, there'll be NO arguing. What you says goes!

- Good cuddle partner (minus the fur) without the snoring 

- Loyal to his dying day. Sure, that'll be sooner than later, but let's ignore that for now.

- They eat less. You're stranded on a desert island. The more food for you the better.

Cons:

- No conversation. We all remember how Tom Hanks lost it when "Wilson" floats off in "Cast Away." Do you really want to be pining for a piece of sports equipment?

- A cat or dog will be much less help than a human in building a ship to get off of the island which, let's face it, is the ultimate goal

- Fido can't rub sunblock on your back and ya don't want to burn

- A pet can't take care of you. What if you're sick, tired, or just don't feel like going through the whole rigmarole of making dinner? 

Personally I'd be way happier with my partner around but what about you?

May I Introduce You to Mrs. National Rifle Association 2008

This pretty much says it all.

Why the Chuck Am I Watching Gossip Girl?

Watching last night's Gossip Girl season premiere was about as good as downing a whole bottle of Vitamin Water (it was impossible to miss that they they sponsored last night's episode) in under two minutes. You know how after you drink that sugar water too quickly you feel bloated, hyper, and about to vomit all at the same time? Well, at about 8:57 last night I was overcome with that post-vit H20 feeling and even today, I'm still reeling. 

Where did that hour of my life go? And, if I could somehow get it back, would I even change how I spent my time? Probably not. Something about watching Chuck sneer in a white suit and Serena van der Woodsen brood is absolutely captivating. 

I read recently that the average age of those who watch Gossip Girl is somewhere around 30, which isn't surprising since nearly all my friends tune in. But why? Why are we all drawn to our televisions like moths to a light every Monday night? I complain about the lackluster dialog, one-dimensional characters, and poor acting weekly, yet I return. 

Do I miss my days in high school? Doubtful, even when taking into consideration that I went to a private high school in NYC. Is it the clothes? Perhaps, but I'm not that fashion-conscious and couldn't afford those girls' wardrobes anyway. Maybe it's the blatant disregard for authority figures or a world without parents that's awash in fistfuls of greenbacks that go a long way? (Speaking of going a long way, or all the way as we used to call it back when I was a tot, these high schoolers are bordering on X-rated. Remember the tween and teen dramas of the 90's, like the original 90210, when it took Donna seven years to lose her virginity?)

So, please enlighten me. Why is it that successful, intelligent women who have families, a career, and a true understanding that life doesn't end after high school can't get enough?