If you only read one thing this month...

Read How We Are Hungry by Dave Eggers. I don't think the short story gets enough attention by book readers, so if you're hesitant to pick up a collection start here.

If you have time to read two things, next you should try out Adam Haslett's You Are Not a Stranger Here, another collection of short stories.

The collections are similar in their insightful details and accurate portrayals of humanity. They don't take themselves too seriously, but still manage not to be obnoxious.

Back to How We Are Hungry, as I make my way through this collection, treating it like that piece of chocolate cake you both want to devour and savor, I have to wonder how he does it. Where do these characters, these situations, these images come from? The more I read the more I want to hang out with Dave Eggers, hope that his creativity rubs off on me. Instead, I did the next best thing. I Googled him. And found my dream job.

If you have 25 minutes, watch this TED talk by Eggers. 826 Valencia sounds like an amazing work environment. Could you imagine? All day to write and then helping students after school? I would love to be an intern there. The original location is in San Francisco, which is awesome, but there is also one in Chicago, 826CHI. So you can bet I'll be checking that out.

Actually, I shouldn't say it that way, assuming I'm going to be in Chicago. It's just hard not to think about my future as figured out when I'm feeling so good about these volunteer programs. I haven't blogged about them much lately, for just that reason: I don't want to get my hopes up, I don't want to say it's going to happen and then have my plans change or not work out. These programs seem too good to be true--at least, for me. I've always known pantyhose and pants suits weren't my thing, but neither is manual labor.

Now with two interviews in Chicago next week and two other programs in the process of reviewing my applications, I'm starting to see myself there. So pray for my interviews and for discernment! I'm trusting that these good feelings, the right vibe I'm getting, is divinely inspired.