I AM MY OWN WIFE * HORRIBLE BOSSES

I Am My Own Wife by Charlotte von Mahlsdorf - This is a great autobiography/memoir. Charlotte was born Lothar Berfelde in 1928, and always knew that he was female although physically, his body appeared otherwise. He was born into a wealthy and open minded family, with the exception of his father, who was a tyrannical abuser. Charlotte is now the proprietor of a museum in Mahlsdorf, Berlin. She survived World War II and the Cold War with some amount of aplomb, and tells her story with lyricism and wit. Near the end of the book she says:
My dream: nobody asks about religion, color of skin, philosophy of life, sexual orientation, political party, wealth or social position. Jews and Christians, heteros and homos, blacks and whites are seated at a beautiful round table outdoors, telling each other ancient stories. And nobody is arrogant or repeats what was blabbed at the taverns. Nobody is suspicious of the other.
I bought this strange little book at a garage sale last year, based on the cover and title, and then, based on the cover and title, avoided reading it all winter, thinking it would be super boring. It turned out to be fascinating. It's also been made into a play, excerpts of which are viewable on YouTube. It's a book about a different sort of a life, and I'm so happy that I read it. If the play comes to Chicago, I will be first in line to see it.

Horrible Bosses - This movie showed up on HBO recently, and we needed something light to watch. It's light alright, and at the beginning and end, it's even pretty funny. The whole middle of this one is a struggle, though. Three guys have horrible bosses and decide to do something about it.

Shark Tank - This is a reality TV show where entrepreneurs try to persuade rich guys (sharks) to invest in their companies or products. The entrepreneurs are often deluded, and the sharks are sharp, funny, often sarcastic, often sympathetic, and I can't get enough of watching the whole thing. Sometimes you think the sharks are ready to invest, and they all bow out. Other times, you think they'll never go for something, and they love it. I love "reality" TV!