time for another *ING* list i think

...just a little survery of some stuff i've been enjoying lately...

watching:
life on mars
the second--and final--series is wrapping up on bbc america. i am glad they have refused to unnaturally prolong the "limbo" situation (if you're watching you know what i mean, if you aren't yet i don't want to spoil it) but i 'll miss this clever and amusing police drama. luckily the new series' of doctor who and torchwood start soon!
shameless
...was recently aired on either ifc or logo, though we have it on dvd. i was not entirely convinced that paul abbott could keep shocking/amazing/making me spit out coffee throughout an entire a second series, but i was so, SO wrong. i am as hooked as ever and cannot imagine what will befall the hapless gallagher clan next. (note: if this material was featured in a film it'd be R-rated for language, sexuality, adult themes, and...well...everything! if you are easily offended, skip this for sure!)
women's murder club
ok, it's not the DEEPEST program ever, but if you like an involving mystery show with a bit o' snappy dialogue and some strong roles for women, you could do worse than abc's new-this-season show. plus, it's on at 9pm on friday nights, which NOTHING EVER IS!

reading:
detective inspector huss by helene tursten
being a police procedural with a 40ish female protagonist, this is billed as "sweden's prime suspect" even though it is has little in common with that worthy title either thematically or stylistically. nonetheless it's a solid and involving mystery novel.

re-reading: the dares book...a few times, actually...i am kind of fascinated by this book. it's not really my style. i cannot really foresee directly borrowing or using many of the techniques or ideas used in this book. and yet, i have read every page of it at least three times. so far.

listening to: labyrinth by kate mosse; read by donada peters
i have come to the conclusion that it is safer to choose audiobooks by READER...since a great performance can elevate a commonplace selection as quickly as a monotonous or annoying voice can torpedo a wonderful novel. fortunately, in this case, the material and the narrator are equally terrific and i am trying to make this baby last!

downloading:
cool grungy/distressed typefaces from dafont.com and fontfreak.com
at the former you can even search by style...which is handy if you're looking for something in particular. some current faves: sidewalk, samarkan, and tattoo ink.

planning: a vacation to lake lure, north carolina with jeff's family in april. so far i've bought two guidebooks: insiders' north carolina's mountains and the ultimate guide to asheville & western nc by lee pantas; and i am very very excited about finally seeing the biltmore estate. if you have info or suggestions for things to do/see/eat in the area i'd be thrilled to hear them!

making:
cards for the february's month-long series of XOXO challenges at caardvarks, sponsored by queen kat designs

ordering:
no reservations, series one
lovely husband jeff LOVES anthony bourdain's manic and exotic part-food-show, part-documantary series. since we don't get the travel channel (on which it airs) i was excited to see it offered on dvd.

loving:
the short films, long trailers, newsreels, vintage documentaries, and actor profiles that air on turner classic movies. don't get me wrong, i love the FEATURES, too; but sometimes there is absolute *gold* between the films!

stockpiling:
foreign newspapers and travel books...especially those which use different alphabets, like bengali, hebrew, russian and arabic. i love the way they give a collage or card a little hit of immediate "exoticness" as well as providing the structure of text without the distraction of words i can read.

dreading:the icy-cold, wet-n-disgusting, surely blizzard-based comeuppance with which we will pay for this unseasonably warm and gorgeous week of 6o-degree temperatures and semi-sunny skies here in central new jersey. still, it's kind of worth it, though.