weekend whimsy

My friends Mama  and CBW do this so well .. one has the train of thought thing mastered and the other rambles in an involving clever way.  Me?  I derail and often go off on tangents; but I have had some stuff and some kvetching I wanted to air, er, share.

So.

I just finished a really good involving moving well written young adult series ... no vampires or zombies or werewolves although the title might cause you to think otherwise: Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games.

I dont know how to explain it without telling you too much:  Take a nation called Panem, which occupies the landmass that is the present United States, where a parasitical fascist Capitol dominates 12 conquered districts. There was a thirteenth district but it was obliterated during a rebellion. Add a totalitarian government that keeps the subjected populations in line by threatened devastation, starvation, and brutality. Add one 16 year old girl with attitude, mix in the 'Games' a competition fought to the death in book 1 ...  the second two books (Catching Fire and Mockingjay) bring the not simple resolution and closure.

Then there's this boot thing.  I want a pair, need a pair, of boots.  If they are stylish which I admit is top priority they likely dont come in my size or if they do, they hurt.  Sigh.  I have ordered and sent back 4 pair of boots and now I am told boot buying season is ending, that I should have begun shopping in September when I was still wearing sandals.  GAH.

On the other hand I have finally found a mascara I love.  Maybelline Colossal Volum Express - from the clever spelling of this product I am assuming the ad agency copywriters must play Words with Friends which I adore but permits oddly spelled words, words you've never heard of AND proper names like Vera and Jane but not June (hello, its a month!) all this drives ToonMan nutz.

And my dirty little secret ... I am an All My Children addict.  I have tried to stop watching but I cant.  I have watched through the worst of headwriter Megan McTavish's (aka McTrash) inane storylines: Tad a killer? The unaborted/transplanted fetus storyline.   Then the horrific mess Pratt made of Bianca and Reese among other truly uncharacteristic plot 'twists'.  I tried to stop recently when it was clear the current storyline would end in Zach's death which the most recent headwriters have heralded loudly with all the flashbacks and lovely-dovey stuff all topped off by Kendall asking Zach (who hates Ryan almost as much as the fans) to go help rescue Ryan and Greenpee, er, Greenlee (he was framed by Dr ISaveLives Hayward for his 'murder' but Greenbean, er, Greenlee somehow ended up on trial and Hayward isnt even dead). Now thank you so much Kendall will spend the rest of her life (or until next sweeps) blaming herself for his death (which is a lot better,?!, really, than the grief sex she usually ends up having).   GAH.

What's your kvetch?  What's your most recent read or cosmetic (I am shallow) find?