culture schmulture

A few posts back I went on about how this was to be the year of the classics, citing Dumas, Bronte, Tolstoy, and while I am slowly making it through the great books, I have sort of stumbled upon some equally great books.

To preface, I sort of rejected the whole chick lit movement for a long time, I just felt like those books were whiny and too stereotypically female and just not worth my time. Then a couple years ago I picked up an Emily Giffin book at the airport and just could not put it down. I think it was Something Borrowed. The flight during which I devoured most of the book was to NYC for a photo shoot and I just could not get through that shoot fast enough! I had to get back to my hotel room and finish the book. I did finish it and then left my hotel in SoHo just long enough to find a bookstore to get her follow up novel,

Something Blue. So obviously they were good enough to keep me more entertained inside a Holiday Inn express in Manhattan than exploring that city! I later learned that Emily Giffin is married to one of the execs at my company and I met her at a local signing. She's great, read her books :)

This past week at work was full of very tedious retouching and was virtually meeting free, so I had a lot of me time at my desk. I often will listen to an audio book while I work and while perusing iTunes, I saw the Shopaholic series. I downloaded the last book first (Shopaholic and Baby), don't ask me why, and it was so cute. I never realized those books were by a British author and set in London, which for some reason, elevates them for me just a tad. Now I am obsessed, almost through the first one (Confessions of a Shopaholic). It is scary how relatable this book is. I think I used to be one. Not just a shopaholic, but just totally blind to my finances. I really had no idea what I used to spend money on and would have no problem dropping obscene amounts at the mall a couple times a month. I was

alone in a big city and I guess I just felt I owed it to myself to splurge. I have been a lot better in the past couple years and since we got married, I don't think a dollar has been spent that I can't account for. And I feel sooooo incredibly good about it.

Guess what movie I'll be renting this weekend?

We are currently going through a class, Financial Peace University. It is taught by Dave Ramsey, a financial guru who is funny, smart and very down to earth. We coincidentally started the class about a month into our marriage and I cannot recommend it enough for couples. It just puts you on such a good path together. For me, it has become sort of a game now to see what I can avoid spending or at least to really consider most purchases. Not to go on about it, but if you have any turbulence in your financial life or want good, easy to understand advice about investing and retirement, I highly recommend it. We have also made some great new couple friends at this class and, miracle of miracles, we have started going to the Catholic church where the class is held. I guess that's what we need right now and I feel so happy to be back in a church routine. I don't know why really. That is another post entirely.

Anyway, has anyone else read these books? Thumbs up or thumbs down?