The Book File No. 1: Are we there yet?

(the quick visual list of books. Don't worry, we're almost there!)






Time feels as if it were lingering on the last few days of a year that will never be experienced again. Unless Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure proves to be grounded in more scientific research than we thought, adventure and excitement for those stuck waiting for the ball to drop might need some encouragement.

If a trip with Keanu back to 1989 doesn't sound good, try these books fit for the most competent of explorers:


Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Explore the Regency Era! Okay, that might not make most people bubble but, reading Pride and Prejudice is akin to perfect skies and smooth sailing. At the core of this novel is the absolutely modern and engaging love affair between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. If love isn't in your future for this New Year's eve, then pick up a copy & experience the wonder and truth of their love affair. It's something that every modern girl is striving to find!

P.S.I loved the 2005 Film adaptation of this novel. I felt that they created a true portrait of the provincial nature of the Bennet Family.



Off the Map: Tales of Endurance and Exploration As Told by Fergus Fleming
Don't listen to me, listen to the publisher:
Tales of Endurance and Exploration offers 45 gripping accounts of some of the most amazing feats in the history of exploration. The tales are divided between three 'ages of exploration', each of which is prefaced by a lively essay introducing key aspects of the age in question and identifying themes that will be developed in greater detail in the stories that follow. Taken together, tales and introductions amount to nothing less than a complete, uniquely accessible, and supremely entertaining history of exploration.

From the Renaissance golden age of Columbus, da Gama and Magellan to the 20th-century heroics of polar explorers such as Peary, Scott and Amundsen, Cassell's Tales of Endurance and Exploration offers the reader an unforgettable and unputdownable collection of stories.

BRING IT ON!



Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
Exploration doesn't have to begin at LAX or John Wayne Airport! No, march right into the kitchen and pick up this tale of a fellow blogger ready to battle all of the great recipes of Julia Child! In Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, & Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living (yes, that was the acutal title-wow) by Julie Powell is the action packed fight of sister versus sister! Who will win?! I'll just take a seat next to the great culinary bake-off and eat all the toils of war! Napkin please...


The Elements of Style Illustrated by William Strunk, E. B. White, William Strunk Jr., Maira Kalman (Illustrator)
Where are my manners? How can I have style if I'm endorsing a great bake off against Julia Child? Maybe I should just make my point! The classic book on grammar by William S. Strunk has been updated to treat the modern day palette to a feast of wonderful watercolors and images. Who knew that Maira Kalman, Illustrator, could make grammar as sexy as she did?! More importantly, it can make the most of any drab afternoon or tea party.


The March of the Penguins by Luc Jacquet, Jerome Maison (Photographer), Donnali Fifield (Translator)
If the movie didn't capture your heart the first time, with those soft voice narrations and shots of icebergs, then may I make a suggestion? Luc Jacquet's book is a great retreat into the life cycle of an Emperor Penguin. Love and Survival does prevail within the pages of this book. And get this...you can even stay warm while cruising the Antarctica! Bogus! Whoops bad reminder of my opening hook! I'll get it right the next time-I swear!


So don't sit alone this winter! Head over to Barnes & Noble.com where all of these titles are readily available. (Damn, that just sounded like a commercial! Burr..)

THE BRUNETTE CONFIDENTIAL ROSETTA STONE

Several plans are in place to update the Brunette Confidential Blog for 2006. The general structure of blog entry's will give readers the opportunity to locate information based on a few new general topics. Shh..Here's the code to the stone:


MONTHLY WANTED LIST


Steal a glance at the Monthly Most Wanted List! Carry a loaded gun of ideas out into the field by getting first hand information on hot objects d'intrigue. Need I say more?

CASE STUDIES


Welcome to the Brunette Confidential Fiction Zone. Short entries will be based on Miss Brunette and other agents of adventure dealing with high-stakes games, mysteries, society, love scandals, and more in Orange County, California. In the future, new style agents will have the opportunity to lend stories to the cause of good fiction.


THE STYLE FILE

The style file is based on the need of the fashion and body-conscious quick fix. Score privileged information on fitness, beauty, fashion designers or, more often than not, the best place to get the perfect t-shirt. It is Southern California after all!


THE BOOK FILE


The body needs resistance in order to grow. Likewise, an agent's mind needs resistance to develop all of the finest abilities to outwit the wicked. The Book File will be akin in scope to the greatness of the ancient Alexandria Library. Okay, maybe I'm pushing it....


HOUSE HIT LIST

The House Hit List is the vital source for 2006 home design. Be prepared to build your hide-out based on the Brunette Confidential undercover resource list.

MONTHLY COMMUNITY HERO BULLETIN


Hero's come in all shapes & forms. Often times these Heroes are shaped as an office building housing a not-for-profit organization or charity. Brunette Confidential wants to highlight heroes in the community fighting to create a brightly lit world.

Case Study No.1: Get Dressed

I had followed him in the car to South Coast Plaza.

His wife had left information that he would visit South Coast. It holds 2.8 million square feet of retail space and holds the highest records for sales at $800 per square foot. The vicinity was an easy location in which any person could easily blend. I kept pace behind him. Silently following him across the bridge. His white shirt and jean profile would be easy to loose in the holiday crowd.

He paid two women at the The Formosa Lounge to get inside the Christmas Eve party being held by the Waltons. I watched him walk in and greet a gentleman I had seen only in photographs. I wasn't expecting the event to be formal. The white lights, crystal chandeliers, and disco balls lent to the festive atmosphere. I stood inside the shop where I had been watching him. I promptly pulled the dress from the closest rack and changed in the dressing room.

The holiday music from the event was circulating into the dressing room. I heard the sound of a man walking down the marble hall. I was in the lingerie department and felt that the steps were too measured to be that of a grumpy husband or a perplexed boyfriend. I went to my handbag and found the small silver gun that I was licensed to use. Through the shutter dressing room door I held the gun at point blank. The man was standing on the other side of the door.

A voice called out to me, "It's Mr. Walton. My wife has told me everything. He's in the party. I can take you to him."

I knew that my suspect was gone. Mr. Walton wasn't aware that his wife had hired my suspect to kill him. He couldn't have remained calm knowing that his wife had an affair with this contracted killer. She had traveled down this road so that she could get the attention from her husband that she felt was long overdue. His death was meant to happen on Christmas Eve until his wife had called Brunette Confidential. She gave us all the details in order to keep him alive.

"Get dressed." Mr. Walton said.



The store was empty and I felt the instincts crawl inside me. I had Mr. Walton hide behind the marble register stand. The first shot came from the entrance to the store. The second had been closer. I yelled at him to drop his weapon. The third shot struck the marble counter where Mr. Walton hid.

In the reflection of a mirror I could see my suspect walking boldly down the aisle. I also had the opportunity to watch two men apprehend my suspect. I was a hired investigator. There was nothing else I could do. My suspect was being taken away.

Mr. and Mrs. Walton spent their Christmas Eve on a sail boat headed from Newport Harbor to Catalina. The wind was cold and not that of a summer boat ride, but they were alone with only the flight pattern of John Wayne Airport and the north star to guide them.

I returned to my agency and closed my first case. I wondered if this had only been a holiday gift? Could all my work be so simple? I kept the small corner table lamp on and I locked the door. It was nice to have a good ending.

Moleskinerie.com SPIES DISCOVERED!!!

Who hasn't heard of Moleskinerie.com? Lovely mouths and fingers have been gabbing and writing about the ongoing Wandering Moleskine Project. (For those absent that day: Several Moleskine notebooks have been marked & sent out into the world for people to draw, doodle, write, & anything else that can be put on a single leaf of paper. If you still don't get it: click here)

Or, maybe it was while you were standing in line for coffee that you pulled the arts section from the New York Times & had a read about the whole Wandering Moleskine Project? C'mon confess, are you an insider or an outsider to the whole affair?

I'll confess to you. I'll tell you that once I had read that NY Times article I was enamored by the whole project (because, yes, I was one of the outsiders who hadn't heard about it until then. I was in the midst of some deep undercover action in the OC. How many cases can a girl handle?) In fact, I loved the concept so much that I took that article home to my computer & did some research. I found a waiting list of men, women, and children that were in line to receive one of the several moleskine that were traveling the world. I couldn't sign up fast enough. & Sniff- Sniff! I got a sad little email telling me that the list was in fact closed and I wouldn't be participating in the project. My hopes of getting involved with Moleskinerie.com were over....

Until, my "Top 5 Undercover Gifts" caught their eye. Yes, Moleskinerie.com gave a nod & a post to Brunette Confidential for GIFT PICK NUMBER 3: The Moleskine Reporter Notebook a.k.a. Recruit an Agent

What can I say, I might not get the opportunity to write a secret file into one of the wandering moleskine notebooks, but at least I can have the satisfaction of knowing that good taste can bring people together. If it weren't for the moleskinerie.com and their moleskine spies, this sweet rendez-vous between blogs would never have happened. I feel like I've just been kissed!

Top 5 Undercover Gifts

Tis the season & like most people, there are gifts that still need to be given. Here is a top 5 list of stuff for stockings, work parties, or maybe a guilty little something for you!

1. Wrap the Keys to the Yachet...

Although, if you are like most people & can't buy this little yacht floating in Greece, chances are you'll need to audition for this TV show. & that's totally free!!!!!!

Heck, I actually learned to single & double water ski on a boat that a friend of mine won off the Price is Right.

Brunette Confidential rule # 1: Anything is possible.

2. Role Play

If you can't afford the yacht, chances are you can just play the part. This sweet little raincoat makes even the worst holiday moment a little less washed up.

Sailor Pet Outfit

3. Recruit an Agent.

Essential to following any scheme. Vital to cracking any code. Great at quickly writing down some hottie's phone number. The moleskine reporter notebook is the only way to truly recruit new agents or deconstruct a vixen's plan.

4. I've Got Your Back!

The art of seduction is the best way to keep the game on. Let Club Monaco help to keep the mystery alive and surprises jaw dropping.

5. Smile to Kill

That doesn't sound very festive, I know. But, remember that a beautiful smile will get you anywhere you want. It'll get you aboard yachts, smoozing puppy loves, writing down secrets, seducing strangers, and looking good for photo opts from now to New's Year. So, just remember to brush your teeth and spend time smiling at strangers and kissing love ones! Because that, darling, is priceless.

Brunette Confidential Listed In Top 6 MSN Search!

Just in.....

Brunette Confidential has been listed as a top six MSN search for results listed as "im to old to get hired." If you're found this blog, let me be the first to tell you:

No! You aren't too old to get a job! There are always lame jobs to be had! Cheer up, folks, it's never that bad!

Here's the link so you can check it for yourself:

im to old to get hired

For the broke and the booming, the old and young, please keep visiting Brunette Confidential. Agents are currently in operation to make the world a place in which we can all dream and live the life we seek. Some of those agents are currently on coffee breaks as well....

ADVICE: Don't hate your job, Talk to the Owner About It

Wait... Is that really sound advice? Well, it was, indeed, the sound advice given to me today. And at that point I realized I had completely misjudged my co-worker and put my foot in my mouth.

On the other hand, I had the best fortune I've had yet at this interior design job-- A Field Trip! It almost didn't happen but, indeed my co-worker and I set about convincing the project manager that it would be essential to review some of the competition's work and steal ideas (not lamps or terry cloth robes from the model homes because those things are glued down). So you might understand how I felt like my co-worker and I were on the same wave. Yet, as it happened, the moment played out in the midst of Santa Ana (say San-Tana if you're in) and across from the romantic Santa Ana Train depot. We had been stuck in traffic when I blew my cover about, well, hating my job. She had the good graces of have her step-father introduce her to the owner of the company and therefore, side-stepping, the whole interior design assistant world. But, after a much promised blog concerning the secret report and lifestyle of such a position, I have to say that it sucks. Image such an antiquarian system such as handwriting receipts for furniture purchases for two full eight-hour days. It kind of grows old in the wee hours of the afternoon or when your hand cramps and you can't control the little seizures that cause your fingers and forearm to tremble. I'm not a fool (not completely or at least only 5/16th of the time) and I understand as much as the next underdog that a girl has to pay her dues but, after a month and a half of this same sort of tedious work, I hate it. In fact, I've already researched ten different restaurants to serve, bartend or clean freaking dishes at-when I realized my cell phone was dead. I couldn't even fool myself about getting a different job that day. & I couldn't even call to limo to whisk me away! I'd have to stay in order to take the train back home.

Which brings me to my next point, I love the train. I'll swear to you that in my lowly and exciting life that the high points are at the regular interval of about 7:00AM and 6:00PM. I'm en route with the train. It's a cinematic experience everytime and I have yet to stop being fascinated with the whole process of travel. That is even to say when on Tuesday, the bus that was meant to pick me up and take me to that train, failed to stop and pick me up, and left me crying for an hour and a half on the street until I was picked up. But, those tears were more about disliking my job and the current state of my affairs then anything else. Yes, everybody needs a moment of "woe-is-me." However, the sweetest man in the world rescued me from the cold streets of Aliso Viejo. He got my address under my sobs of distress and went on to tell me his the quick version of his life story. In a nut shell, he left the Philippines and his wife and four children and arrived in Irvine. I was alarmed at this point because this street smart girl had seen pick-up lines. Thank goodness, he kept talking. He worked hard so that by the end of the first year he was able to bring his wife to America. The following year, they had both raised enough money to fly their children to Orange County and live by Disneyland. Now, they like to eat sushi buffets as a family. He also was quite impressed that the home that he and his wife bought at $187k are now selling for $547k. He finished his story by saying, "See, now you don't have to cry any more." He followed his advice with a sweet little laugh. I had stopped my tears long ago. Really, I started crying again when this private little shuttle bus pulled up to take me home. I had been standing on cold street, looking at beautiful stars, and wondering where I had gone wrong. My moon is suppose to be in Jupiter! Whatever, that means! But, it's supposed to be a time of good luck. I guess I will just keep waiting for luck to orbit into my universe. But, maybe the bus driver had after all made a point.

Standing with my co-workers and menacing project manager, I fell in love with these sweet lofts that had already sold out. The whole get-up reminded me of my old Chicago days. Who isn't interested in a loft when a sweet little detached home starts at a million in the Orange County area. Maybe I was so heavily romanced by the model homes because I wasn't sitting at my cubicle and stapling receipts to purchase orders!

I looked at my watch and I had to run to catch the train. The mean project manager (or insensitive project manager, I'll let you choose adjective's) said, well, miss brunette, won't you be happy getting home early, wait, what time do you usually get home from work? I said 7:00-7:30. She gasped that it took me an hour and half to get home. Honestly, what OC girl can avoid traffic? I think she was asking these questions so I'd miss my train and have to wait an extra forty minutes. But, I gave them the hand (all the fingers at once) and my most dashing and sincere smile (note my profile shot). I was off and running in no time.

I ran to the station. The romance of the pueblo cantina styled train station had brought me back to the early days of Santa Ana's history. I had one minute left so I dashed through the lobby and out to the tracks. But, something was wrong. Too many people were milling about and the white lights were flashing. A man in a members-only jacket said that the southbound train track had cracked and that only one train track was available. My luck....

You know what....I had a great time listening to the real horror stories of train delays. Trains crashing into cars, people jumping in front of trains, and general train malfunctions. It wasn't the stories that made it great. It was that sense of camaraderie. An epiphany clicked in head. Aha! Camaraderie and common courtesy are some of the very things that any person hopes to experience at work. The train arrived only a few minutes late and I had a total stranger show me how she knits on the train. My final question is: What does it say of a business if a girl finds a better environment in the streets and on public transportation routes than at the office?