Restaurant Week is a genius idea. For those who aren't familiar, it's a stretch of 10 days or so where most of the nice restaurants in downtown Cleveland offer special deals and menus.

I talk to my parents regularly, but rarely do I get a call and see that it's coming from my Dad's cell phone. There's usually a slight sense of panic, like something might be wrong, especially because he's not the most chatty guy.

I was thinking yesterday about a quote I heard years ago about how good writing should make you feel like your head has been cut off.

I'm happy for Anne, surprised about Jennifer (and that trip on the stairs!), thought Jessica Chastain looked stunning, laughed at Seth's jokes (although, annoyingly, he did too), and went to bed way too late.

I've been out of town for a week, and I really have nothing literary to say other than that I read a book on the plane.

Was so happy to read this today. Congrats to Kate! I know I previously mentioned her desire to take over The Learned Owl Book Shop, and am delighted for her and this wonderful dream fulfilled.

I was on the toilet, if you must know. It was the early nineties, I was probably ten or eleven years old, and the magazine keeping me company at that moment was a Redbook with Meg Ryan on the cover.

I exchange Christmas cards with my third grade teacher, and in this most recent card, Mrs. Pace mentioned how much she enjoyed reading 'Schooled.'

Well, it's over. Monopoly has officially booted the Iron game piece in favor of--inexplicably--a cat.

I still have a little ways to go, but I am almost giddy with excitement already over finishing my next book. Now that I know what to expect once the writing is over and won't be so clueless during the process, I'm very much looking forward to it.

One of my favorite things in Cleveland is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It appeals to the writer in me, feeds my celebrity obsession, and reminds me of the music my dad listened to when I was growing up.

I read an article recently about how we tend to flip flop our meals when it comes to the digestive ideal. Most people grab a quick, scant breakfast (or skip it altogether) and end up overindulging come dinner time.

While in the hallway this morning at work, a woman who knows about my book (is she my anonymous pen pal??) asked me how sales were.

That I really should get a pixie cut, incorporate tons of sex into whatever I write or create, that an organized speech is always better than winging it (especially when alcohol is involved), dresses that fit are preferable to ones you spill out of, and that you can't ever beat Daniel Day-Lewis--even if you deserve to.

One of my resolutions this year involves reading more books, so I made a rather large book purchase over the weekend and am now happy to report that I will be reading all of these books in the near future.

So, remember when I said this? Well I take it back. Except the part about how I wouldn't be surprised to see him move up one day. And the part about Ohio State fans being kind of obnoxious.

Yesterday I received an anonymous note in my mailbox at work. The intrigue! It came in an interoffice envelope and was simply a print-out of this blog post from late December.

I went to time management workshop a few years ago as part of a weekend conference, and I remember it changing my life.