Since I have been tagged by Cole (again), here is my response to his meme-tag (is that a word?):

Number of books I own: Jeez. Around 100. Between me and man, we have books. Not a ton but enough to take up a couple of bookcases, some storage bins, and various other places.

Last book I bought: Gay Haiku by Joel Derfner. Joel is a great friend and a genius. Listen up people - A GENIUS. Run out and go get his book. It's everywhere. It's now. It's forever.

Last book I read: Gay Haiku. Hello! It was the last book I bought.

Five books that mean a lot to me: Hmmm. Tough but doable.

1. The All New Joy of Cooking by Rombauer, Becker, & Becker. A great place to find a basic recipe. It's been a great source of inspiration and motivation.

2. Naked by David Sedaris. This is the first book where I laughed, cried, thought, shared, and just basically reacted to. It may also be the first book that Mike and I shared. That maybe be a big reason.

3. Great Wine Made Simple by Andrea Immer. It's taught me everything I need to know about wine. I always recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to enjoy wine. Plus she and I once cooked together. She is quite the inspiration.

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. This is the book that inspired the Willy Wonka movie. I have read it over and over again. And it still is entertaining. I remember it being read to me in elementary. I remember taking it out of the library afterward to read it on my own. I remember thinking that Gene Wilder was good but the kid who played Charlie was weak. I am going to see the new Tim Burton movie. This book represents childhood to me.

5. Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Read the book twice. Saw the musical. Maybe it's because I feel like Elphaba at times. Outcast and misunderstood. The book and musical are worlds apart but the storyline is magnetic.

Okay, there it is. I may have a couple more books that I find dear to my heart but these are the first five that popped into my head. That may mean something. I guess I have to tag someone with this meme. Of the last three people I tagged, only one responded. So I will tag Todd again. And I will tag Hugo (even though he didn't) and, because I think he may be one of the funniest people I have read, Brian. Later.  ¶ 10:56 AM