His stuff is good.

Chuck Klosterman is my favorite non-fiction writer (he’s in the middle of the picture above. He has glasses and shaggy bangs). I fell in love with his work several years ago, when I read his debut book Fargo Rock City, which discusses the impact heavy metal had on rural kids (particulary those in Klosterman’s home state of North Dakota). His other works include Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs and Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story. His insights are always funny and interesting, regardless of whether or not I agree. His latest book is no exception. An anthology of previously published articles and a new novella, Chuck Klosterman IV dishes on Britney Spears, Radiohead, Val Kilmer, and more. One of the most interesting passages in the book is his discussion of the American need to be liked by other countries, and why this notion is patently ridiculous. There’s also an excellent story about an old man, a zoot suit, and the police and a convincing article on why we shouldn’t be afraid of our toasters. Also, many of the articles start with a weird, hypothetical question, such as the one on page 225:

Think of someone who is your friend (do not select yout best friend, but make sure the person is someone you would classify as “considerably more than an acquaintance”).

This friend is going to be attacked by a grizzly bear.

Now, this person will survive this bear attack; that is guaranteed. There is a 100 percent chance that your friend will live. However, the extent of his injuries is unknown; he might receive nothing but a few superficial scratches, but he also might lose a limb (or multiple limbs). He might recover completely in twenty-four hours with nothing but a great story, or he might spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Somehow, you have the ability to stop this attack from happening. You can magically save your friend from the bear. But his (or her) salvation will come at a peculiar price: if you choose to stop the bear, it will always rain. For the rest of your life, wherever you go it will be raining. Sometimes it will pour and sometimes it will drizzle–but it will never not be raining. But it won’t rain over the totality of the earth, nor will the hydrological cycle be disrupted; these storm clouds will be isolated, and they will focus entirely on your specific whereabouts. You will never see the sun again.

Do you stop the bear and accept a lifetime of rain?

Seriously, how can you not love writing like this? I definitely recommend this (well, really all his books), especially if you are in your late twenties/early thirties or have a real interest in popular culture. You’re guaranteed an entertaining read.

I love Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals. I know people tend to find her annoying, and I’m amazed that she manages to have 5 shows (30 Minute Meals, $40 A Day, Inside Dish with Rachael Ray, Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels, and The Rachael Ray Show) and a magazine (Every Day with Rachael Ray). I’ve seen the magazine and all the shows, and while they are all okay, my favorite remains the original 30 Minute Meals, to the extent that I have my mom tape it and mail it to me on a regular basis (I don’t have Food Network). I just love to watch Rachael cook. She’s goofy and hyper, but she gets it done every time. Frequently, she makes things that I would never eat, like veal and anchovies, but I’ve gotten some really great dessert recipes from her (peanut butter cup sundaes!), and I know how to make cheese sauce now. I pick up tips all the time, and I know all sorts of things about herbs that I’ve never eaten: thyme is lemony; cumin is smoky but not hot; if you can’t handle cilantro, try coriander, etc. I never thought of grilling a pineapple until I saw her do it, and her raves inspired me to try arugula (hated it). The woman eats a ton of vegetables, and I think that must be her secret. How else would she have so much energy (and look so good)? While I haven’t jumped on her cauliflower bandwagon, I am eating more spinach, and I’m always hoping she’ll make an entire meal that I’ll be willing to try. My fingers are crossed.

My husband has this unnatural fear of Reese Witherspoon. He refuses to watch any of her movies, because he finds her “creepy.” I, obviously, do not understand this. I haven’t seen that many of her movies, either, but that’s based on lack of interest in the films, and has nothing to do with Reese personally. However, while I don’t find this picture intimidating, I don’t think it’s all that flattering either:

Her hair is kind of weird, and that turtleneck just emphasizes her chin, which is a pretty prominent feature anyway. But since this picture was taken, a lot has happened to Reese. She won a Best Actress Academy Award, and filed for divorce from her husband. Generally, celebrity break-ups don’t faze me, but this one made me sad. They were such a cute family. According to reports, after the break-up, she stopped eating for a while, and then turned to running for therapy. I don’t know if this is true, but one thing is for sure: post-Phillippe Reese is stunning. She looks awesome. Good hair, good color choices, good arms. Well done.

‘Tis the time of year for change. As spring approaches, it seems that women can’t just can’t help themselves. We like to shake off our winter doldrums, in favor of new looks for spring. This is just as true for celebrities as it is for us regular folks: just look at Cameron Diaz’s lovely soft brown hair, or Posh’s new blond crop. Since everyone seems to be turning over a new leaf, I thought I’d introduce a new category: Celebrity Makeovers. The first? Lindsay Lohan.

Okay. I’ve been annoyed for Lohan for the past few years. When Mean Girls came out, I really liked her. She was pretty and talented, and seemed like she had the potential for a great career. Plus, she was so cute in The Parent Trap. I just really had high hopes. And then, well, you know…there was the freakish weight loss, the gallivanting with Nicole Richie, the awful blond hair, the permanent orange hue of her overly tanned skin, the constant partying, the rehab…ugh. Lindsay got old fast and I totally lost interest in her.

And then this picture emerged (courtesy of popsugar).

What is this? Is she on set? Actually working? Is her hair really a nice, deep auburn? Is her skin a normal color for a redhead? Is her makeup attractive and well-applied? Is she slender without being bony? Could this be?

Maybe Lohan is making a comeback. Maybe there is hope for her yet. Maybe I’ll start caring again. We’ll see.