in praise of the new

I think I may be a newness addict. I like new experiences, some only if I have analyzed them a bit. I will taste almost anything (there are limits) and I like discovering new music and books. Movies too, to a certain extent. It is harder to get me to sit down on the couch and watch a movie. Once I am there, though, I usually am hooked.

In that light, I ask you-what music do you tell people they *must* listen to? What books must they read? What movies must they see? What foods must they try? And....why?

I liked Ninth Gate, with Johnny Depp, although it missed a lot of really good parts from the book. It is still a cohesive storyline. Mean Guns, with Ice T and Christopher Lambert, is a trainwreck of a movie I will watch every time it is on. Alice, by animator Jan Svankmajor, is amazingcreepydark.

I have a hard time saying what music I recommend, because I like so many groups, so many singers, so many genres. Best I can do is what has my attention at the moment. Same with books. The Sweet Potato Queens books are a must read for any Southern girl. Heck, for any girl. Well, for anyone, really, who needs a dose of kick-in-the-ass to enjoy life. Goedel, Escher, Bach (see reading list) and the other Douglas Hofstadter books are excellent. So is Illusions, by Richard Bach. Ok, the book list would take up pages and pages, so I will also just keep posting what I am reading on the left side, there.