Friday Five

1. This is awesome. It's an article in the Globe about a program run by the Boston Conservatory to provide music lessons, not just therapy, to kids with autism spectrum disorders. I'm a firm believer in the arts as a tool for kids with disabilities to shine and gain confidence, so this is super-exciting to hear about.

2. At a meeting today (hoping to get more involved in disability things up here) I was told about Natalia Zukerman, a singer/songwriter/painter, who, among other things, has dyslexia. Go check her music out, it's great!

3. I haven't been reading as much, because school and revisions are eating my life. I'm almost finished with The Catcher in the Rye. I know it's a love-it or hate-it book. So far, I love it. Holden's voice is intriguing to me, and it's one of those reads where the voice gets stuck in your head. Yesterday I found myself taking the back way to school "so I could feel like I lived in real as hell city, god damn it."

4. My to-read pile is huge. Like HUGE. And I've got more coming, because Kristen Hubbard's Like Mandarin has been pre-ordered, and I need to get The Liar Society. So much good YA, and also Stephen Fry's talk reminded me that I need to read Oscar Wilde. Once an English major, always an English major.

5. My birthday box from my parents came. I am going to snuggle up with Thin Mints and new headphones, and not go outside. I already wrestled cane, coffee and umbrella once today. (Note to self: the three do not mix. They REALLY don't.)