further January learnings

So. Post vacation. Literally on the way home from the airport got another call to work for Saatchi on a haircare brand which shall-not-be-named. A wonderful job, kind of a tight brief - so tight it gives you a wedgie. Off premises which was nice. For the first time I really got to experience the life of a truly independent (working in your underwear at home) freelancer: like everything else when you are actually doing it, it's different from the way you picture it beforehand (see Stumbling On Happiness which I just finished). Other winter reading: educational, xmas gift from my sis: The Trial of Queen Caroline a riveter. And then the usual bus-station/airport trash: the truly awful Death Dance by the ex-DA Linda Fairstein, and kind of a keeper, Lake In the Clouds, an historical novel set in the American frontier in 1802. And then the extraordinary - and similarly themed Bad Man Ballad, also a gift from Sara, for Dane. And while we're talkin about Injuns let's read some more of these First Americans Series by Kathleen and Michael Gear (how do married people write 12 books together?). And um about ten other detective type thingies so forgettable. And meanwhile I got to listen to (so it feels like I read) Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, a short story collection (now, I'm thinking, not a form that takes well to books-on-tape) by Harumi Murakami and Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein. And on the same theme Elements of Typographic Style and also, Stop Stealing Sheep and Learn How Type Works. Haven't yet gotten to my new OneClub annual but have been diving into the eye-popping Chip Kidd: Book One. In the meantime avoiding The Pursuit of Victory on my bedside table and slowly making my way through The Selfish Gene so I'll be ready for the next TED conference - yay! - in March.