It has been a long, unpleasant day. I'm hoping for deep and dreamless sleep tonight.
Today brought more details about the imminent closing of Dutton's Bookstore in Brentwood. Dutton's is a great old independent bookstore, owned by the charming Doug Dutton, with whom I have had the pleasure of dining and conversing on a number of occasions. Dutton's has always been considered one of L.A.'s best bookstores (and probably its most "literary"), and it's a sad day in the local bookselling world.
I also learned today that Bungalow News, Pasadena's biggest newsstand (and my only local source for Chunky candy bars), closed on Sunday. Where will I buy Countryside now?
One of my favorite coworkers has been unhappy with her job for a while, and today she told me she has started looking for new work. This news wasn't exactly a bolt from the blue, but hearing it in such stark terms made me sad. These days, a "seasoned" co-worker is one who has been with the bookstore for more than six months. My friend has been there for nearly five years, and I will miss her in a way I can't imagine missing all those short-timers. She's not my best friend, but she's a great work friend and I have trouble imagining someone else doing her job.
Finally -- and this is going to sound crazy, but it really affected me -- I read this depressing Rolling Stone article about Britney Spears. After reading it, I can say with assurance that I know Britney doesn't give a shit what I or anybody else thinks about her, but watching her decline makes me feel sick, not only for her but also for myself and everyone else who so casually watches a life sink and ebb away without being able to do anything. I know that I am not personally responsible for Britney Spears's fucked-up existence, but I am part of the audience that is quietly watching; it makes me hate myself a little.
I also learned today that Bungalow News, Pasadena's biggest newsstand (and my only local source for Chunky candy bars), closed on Sunday. Where will I buy Countryside now?
One of my favorite coworkers has been unhappy with her job for a while, and today she told me she has started looking for new work. This news wasn't exactly a bolt from the blue, but hearing it in such stark terms made me sad. These days, a "seasoned" co-worker is one who has been with the bookstore for more than six months. My friend has been there for nearly five years, and I will miss her in a way I can't imagine missing all those short-timers. She's not my best friend, but she's a great work friend and I have trouble imagining someone else doing her job.
Finally -- and this is going to sound crazy, but it really affected me -- I read this depressing Rolling Stone article about Britney Spears. After reading it, I can say with assurance that I know Britney doesn't give a shit what I or anybody else thinks about her, but watching her decline makes me feel sick, not only for her but also for myself and everyone else who so casually watches a life sink and ebb away without being able to do anything. I know that I am not personally responsible for Britney Spears's fucked-up existence, but I am part of the audience that is quietly watching; it makes me hate myself a little.
5 comments:
I just read about that and wondered where you were going to land...
(I also heart the Chunky.)
D'oh, Will just corrected me. I knew that, I just had independent bookstore on the brain, I guess!
Don't hate yourself AT ALL. It's not as if we have much choice in watching her tailspin of a life. It's a story that's clobbering us over the head day and night. At least you read the story from a reasonably decent source. RS employs good writers. It's not like you sourced Star magazine. *gasp* Now THAT would be scandalous.
OH! I can't believe that somebody else reads Countryside! ( I mean whom I randomly found through a blogroll...) I love that magazine! I ended up also getting Backwoods Home, and Backyard Poultry. If you subscribe to Countryside, you get the most gorgeous seed catalogues in the post! /Fifi
The Dutton's news pains me, too. Such a huge loss for the city.
And I'm very curious about which coworker this is? Does this person's name start with an M?
And Bungalow News. No more Bungalow News? Do you know why it closed? Will Vroman's start carrying Countryside?
Gosh. All of this makes me said. And Ms. Spears, too.
Now I need a Chunky bar.
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