giddy-up, jingle horse

I made my first consumer foray into the bowels of Amazon with the wicked gift cards I got for my birthday. Unfortunately (I’d use a four-letter word here, but what would it help), Amazon won’t let you use an Amazon.com gift certificate at Amazon.de, meaning you’ll have to break up your orders to avoid paying customs, and you’ll have to pay about $16 per shipment on top of that instead of nothing. Oh well. Never look a gift card in the mouth.

I made a long thoughtless list and then placed a random order:

1. Among the Monarchs by Christine Garren – I have never read this poet so this goes on the “whim and a prayer” shelf.
2. Moscow to the End of the Line by Venedikt Erofeev – This is also known as “Moscow Stations” and I’ve been looking for it forever not realizing it had another title. It’s one of the “1001 Books You Must Read” books, and supposedly there’s a lot of drinking in it, squalor and cold weather.
3. Why Did I Ever by Mary Robison – My soon-to-be-ex-step-sister-in-law, whom I adore, has recommended Robison to me many times. Since she also recommended Lydia Davis, she enjoys great credibility. We also had a long conversation last time I saw her about the male vs. female writer (and artist) dilemna, i.e. why male writers are more popular and praised than females, and man did we come out punching! In other words, I am forgoing a lot of supposedly great books by men to read more books by women.

On another topic, in disciplined Germany you don’t put up the Christmas tree until the 24th, but being true ausländische iconoclasts, we are throwing that sucker up today. Break out the Charlie Brown and Sufjan Stevens and all those icicle ornaments!