Stuff I Like: Anne Tyler, ‘The Middle,’ Sirius XM radio

Breaking news editor Grace Hobson shares what she’s into right now:

“Vinegar Girl”

I watch way too much TV (I’ll get to that in a minute), but I am also always in the middle of a book. My delight right now is “Vinegar Girl” by my absolute favorite author, Anne Tyler. She is the master dissector of human beings and, especially, the human family. What I love about this modern telling of “The Taming of the Shrew” is that the crazy quirkiness of the Battista family harkens back to the Anne Tyler book that started it all for me, “The Accidental Tourist.” Home from college one winter, I laughed so loud as I read it late at night that my mom asked me the next day, “What in the world are you reading?” She’s a devoted fan now too.

“The Middle”

So, the TV thing. Sure, I love all that my streaming apps have to offer: “Veep,” “Divorce” on HBO Go; “Transparent,” “Catastrophe,” “Mozart in the Jungle” on Amazon Video; “Grace and Frankie,” “House of Cards” on Netflix. But the go-to show for me is on network TV. “The Middle” (7 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC) is the only show that’s not only appropriate for our 12- and 7-year-old kiddos but the only one we all die laughing at.

Laura Bauer’s candy jar

 

A Cornell University study says the office candy jar can make you gain 7 pounds a year, but other writings show how a colleague’s generosity is a morale booster. A Star reporter, Laura keeps spirits high with a clay jar full of chocolate on the corner of her desk. Everyone’s work can be stressful. A little chocolate and conversation can soothe that beast.

74 Harley Street

 

This line of beautiful, creatively designed hand-crafted jewelry is the work of my lovely friend Susan Mayer. She takes vintage pieces — compasses, dress clips, skeleton keys, lockets, other super cool finds — and marries them with gorgeous glass beads to create modern conversation pieces. I even have a necklace made from an antique cigarette lighter. My favorite is a piece she made for me when I was the best “man” in my dear friend’s wedding. She turned a vintage jeweled shoe buckle into a “bow-tie” necklace; I get compliments every time I wear it. 74harleystreet.com has a list of retailers.

Sirius XM Satellite Radio

 

When our family bought a new van, we got satellite radio free for a year, and now we gladly pay for it. Wow. All the great talk options aside, we love it for actual music. I love that you can pause a song or play it again and that the digital screen tells you the song name and artist. My son and I bond over our game of turning off the info and seeing who can first guess song title and artist. (He always wins.) But the best part is the “Favorites” feature you program by artists or songs — anywhere they are playing in the channel lineup, the alerts take you there. The kids are loving “HandClap” right now. For me, alerts for Talking Heads, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and U2 make my morning commute speed by.

Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar

 

I bought this in 2012 in preparation for P90X and managed to make it through the 90-day workout without ever once doing a pullup. My husband and son have used it; I have not. Now I’ve set a goal to do a pullup — one! — by my 50th birthday in October. So far, I’m increasing grip strength by hanging and doing some flexed arm hangs. I’m super sore from just that, but at least this contraption is being used for more than my purse hanger.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Stuff I Like: Anne Tyler, ‘The Middle,’ Sirius XM radio."