My first ever Hot List

 1. John Steinbeck.
On Saturday morning on the subway I finished reading John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. It was an incredibly quick read (Started reading on Thursday, finished on Saturday... reading maybe an hour to an hour and a half/day), but impeccably well-written. I think John Steinbeck is rising to become one of my favorite authors of all time. In this novel we are introduced to Cannery Row, in Monterey, California. This small town gets by on fish canning, Lee Chong's tiny store but abundant supply of goods (and goodwill), Dora's Bear Flag whorehouse (operating illegally and under the protection of large charitable donations by the proprietress, the stunning, red-haired Dora), Doc's benevolence, and the sneaky, fool-hardy but good-intentioned actions of Mack and the boys up at the Palace Flophouse. This is certainly the best read I've had since coming to Korea, and I highly recommend it to those of you who enjoy fiction. This book runs very similar to Grapes of Wrath, without all the extra bulk. This is a story of the lives of what could very well be twenty or so real people in a real place.

 This man is my new hero/idol/obsession/favorite author

I'm hoping to pick up East of Eden or Tortilla Flat sometime soon. Both are supposed to be incredibly well-written, and having already read Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, and The Pearl, I feel like I must immediately absorb all of the rest of this great authors literary cache. Seriously, I become increasingly convinced that John Steinbeck is the true American writer of the 20th century.

It's unfortunate that English books are so damn expensive over here. I MUST go to What the Book? a.s.a.p.

2. Dumbfoundead.
A Korean American rapper from Koreatown, LA, California, this guy has hilarious rhymes, and his latest song, a collabo with Sam Ock, is basically on repeat for me these days. I've watched about a dozen rap battles he's done with grindtime, a battle rap organization in the States, and seriously, he is the funniest battler out there. He's clever as can be, and the music he's produced reflects that. "Hollyhood Rats" and "Rapper Os" are absolutely hilarious, and Night Riders and Different Galaxies are just brilliant. Also how can you hate on a guy who samples audio from the 1990s classic, Home Improvement?

3. Hello Kitty.
Seriously, I'm part embarassed by this newfound obsession, part completely okay and happy about it. I just can't get enough of this unbelievably cute little cat. It's particularly ironic given my absolute aversion to the species, but with that little pink bow, and the cute clothes she's always got, I just can't say no. Maybe this is just me attempting to relive my childhood, but everytime I see something Hello Kitty related, I pause and look and seriously think really do need a hello kitty toilet seat cover, or a hello kitty license plate (you  know, for the car I don't have).

4.McDonald's coffee
This only makes my list because I get it probably 4-5 times/week. I just can't say to no to a little java, and it's about the only place I can get decent coffee in my area. To get any where else, I have to take a bus or subway, and that's a pain, so every morning before school I go to mcdonalds to get my fix. I have coffee at home but it's instant, and that kind of sucks.

That's all for now folks. The only reason I made this list was for Cannery Row. I had to share it's amazingness with everyone. Plus, y'all, dumbfoundead is pure freaking genius.