Edited: Fixed link!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Read This 3/25/09
Change of Heart by Jodi PicoultMy review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jodi Picoult infused the belief systems of modern religions into the story presenting many interesting questions about vengeance and retribution along the way. While most of Change of Heart is the cliched woman against the world, I really appreciated the massive amount of research it took to write this novel so I was able to excuse the Lifetime-esque feel of the story.
Jodi Picoult weaves the story together devoting each chapter to one character's point of view. This writing technique is interesting because it allows us readers to identify with more than one character providing a fully rounded reading experience as we find we can relate in some way to character we may not have given much of a chance had this story been traditionally crafted.
View all my reviews.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Rainbow Fingers and Toes
A little background and a family secret--I come from a family of smokers. I was a smoker but quit--my dad's side, still smokes. We lost my uncle to smoking-related stomach cancer over the summer and that set my dad on a quit smoking path. He's tried everything before--many times over but he cared for my uncle during his final weeks and it really set the ball in motion to try again. So the last few months he's done the gum with no success, the patch with no success and Chantix with no success. He stopped for a few weeks then the recession nearly took out our company and that stress started him back up.
Now as much as this is a serious topic and I hope and pray my dad finds his way to being a non-smoker this next attempt is HILARIOUS! (If you think that makes me a bad person--keep reading!)
He found a local hypnotist who, for a fee, will make smokers quit smoking. Who could pass up 187 dollar path to smoking liberation? He signs himself and my step mom up immediately and they were to report to Hypno-Lady first thing Friday morning.
The following are the dramatic events they claim happened...
Hypno-Lady had them sit in a room together facing her. She then began to recite "I want to smoke but I love my body more. I love myself. I can do this." She then began having them tap their finger tips to various parts of their bodies while repeating the mantra. Tap tap tap on the head, tap tap tap on the forehead, tap tap tap in their armpits..."I want to smoke but I love my body more..." They continued tapping various body parts for an hour and fifteen minutes. (I would have paid $187 to watch)
After the tapping portion was concluded Hypno-Lady directed them to look at their hands and envision a rainbow of colors spewing out of them and after they saw the rainbows leaking from their fingers they were to envision the same of their toes. (Seriously, why couldn't I have seen this!)
They were to keep these visions of finger and toe rainbows for the next hour after which--tada...
They'd leave nonsmokers!
They are both still smokers...
Hypno-Lady is now $374 richer.
True story.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Test Taking+Fever=Bad Idea
I have been sick with some kind of bug for the last few days that's left me pretty much in bed with a fever. And it also happens to be midterm time. I had one midterm left to take and it was in my Drama class. I studied as best I could but honestly I was just not up for taking any kind of test at all. I got my test--I knew nothing. I mean, nothing. Okay, nothing is an exaggeration but not by much. I felt so lost and I know it was because my brain was just not working but I felt like an idiot! I work my way through the test as best I could when I got to the essay portion. The question was whether or not Freud's analysis of Hamlet was believable or not and I had 10 minutes to prepare and write a response.
Of course when I'm not sick it would have been no problem. Psychology and Literature--my two favorite things. But my 101.1 fever brain totally locks up. I ended up with a brief two paragraph essay with what are likely the most incoherent sentences strung together about Hamlet and Freud my professor has seen or will see in his teaching career. That essay was worth 50 points. Half the grade of my midterm. If I earn a 50% it will be a miracle. Just marvelous!
Of course when I'm not sick it would have been no problem. Psychology and Literature--my two favorite things. But my 101.1 fever brain totally locks up. I ended up with a brief two paragraph essay with what are likely the most incoherent sentences strung together about Hamlet and Freud my professor has seen or will see in his teaching career. That essay was worth 50 points. Half the grade of my midterm. If I earn a 50% it will be a miracle. Just marvelous!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Read This 3/19/09
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim EdwardsMy review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Kim Edwards crafted a wonderfully poignant story of how a single choice can haunt people for a lifetime. The The Memory Keeper's Daughter is eloquent and stunning as Edwards writes the parallel lives of her characters and how this one choice simultaneously binds and destroys them.
View all my reviews.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Read This 3/18/09
The Year of Fog by Michelle RichmondMy review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Year of Fog is a story of devastation, loss and the continued hope felt after a day on the beach ends tragically. Michelle Richmond's writing is beautiful and eloquent fully capturing the depth of despair. The Year of Fog laces past and present together into a well-crafted novel with fully developed characters. There are parts of the story that run a bit long but overall the story flows consistently.
View all my reviews.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Read This 3/16
Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom for You to Read with Your Child to Enchant, Enlighten and Inspire by Dharmachari NagarajaMy review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful book full of stories that help teach the basic Buddhist principles to children. The short stories are filled with examples of compassion and patience. The author also included basic instructions for teaching children the art of meditation. The artwork throughout is vivid and whimsical.
View all my reviews.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Facebook Changes---PSA
Facebook changed its homepage last week. I checked my privacy settings and found they were all set back to the default settings leaving all of my information wide open. My husband's Facebook settings were also changed.
So if you have a Facebook page double check your settings so you can be sure they are the way you had them set before the change.
That's my PSA for today! =)
So if you have a Facebook page double check your settings so you can be sure they are the way you had them set before the change.
That's my PSA for today! =)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
My "Rockin" 2nd Grader
It's the little things that sometimes make my day--today it was a letter from M's teacher from second grade. It read:
Dear -A- Family,
It truly made my day!... This morning I heard a student say, "Oh, no! I lost my dollar." In the blink of an eye... C -A- pulled a quarter out of his pocket and handed it to her. Wow! What a "Rockin" kind of person C is!
FYI~Mrs. -O-
He's a good boy. The "rockin" reference is how he's known at the school--apparently he's always singing and playing air-drums, air-guitar and singing songs with the teachers at recess and stuff. Thankfully he's only broken out in song at the wrong time once.
Dear -A- Family,
It truly made my day!... This morning I heard a student say, "Oh, no! I lost my dollar." In the blink of an eye... C -A- pulled a quarter out of his pocket and handed it to her. Wow! What a "Rockin" kind of person C is!
FYI~Mrs. -O-
He's a good boy. The "rockin" reference is how he's known at the school--apparently he's always singing and playing air-drums, air-guitar and singing songs with the teachers at recess and stuff. Thankfully he's only broken out in song at the wrong time once.
Martyring Abuse--Not Cool
The incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna is disturbing on many levels but largely because they are glorifying an abusive relationship. Chris Brown repeatedly punched Rihanna in the face, left her bloody and bruised, and yet--to the public's eye--refuse to address the issues. The couple is back together and the violence WILL continue. The severity of this beating shows it has been violent in the past. But Rihanna will play martyr ("I can fix him! I can love him more!") and abused girls and women everywhere will look at her and say, "Wow, she won't even leave with all her resources--what chance do I have with nothing."
While both Chris Brown and Rihanna may not have chosen to be role-models and they probably do not want that responsibility, their career choices place them firmly in front of the eyes of children, teenagers and young adults. Neither of them are expected to stand in front of cameras and air their dirty laundry in a neat after-school special kind of way. We do not need to see Rihanna crying on 20/20 to understand she is a battered woman but both of them need to let the public know they are getting help--separately.
But that doesn't happen in our society of putting on Perfect Shows--Chris Brown is just misunderstood, Rihanna will "do what the law requires of her" during her day in court and thousands of battered girls and women will silently wonder, "What choice do I have now? Where is my martyr?"
I encourage everyone to read Nickelodeon Thinks Using Your Fists Makes You Cool from Deep South Moms and think about the messages our society sends our children.
While both Chris Brown and Rihanna may not have chosen to be role-models and they probably do not want that responsibility, their career choices place them firmly in front of the eyes of children, teenagers and young adults. Neither of them are expected to stand in front of cameras and air their dirty laundry in a neat after-school special kind of way. We do not need to see Rihanna crying on 20/20 to understand she is a battered woman but both of them need to let the public know they are getting help--separately.
But that doesn't happen in our society of putting on Perfect Shows--Chris Brown is just misunderstood, Rihanna will "do what the law requires of her" during her day in court and thousands of battered girls and women will silently wonder, "What choice do I have now? Where is my martyr?"
I encourage everyone to read Nickelodeon Thinks Using Your Fists Makes You Cool from Deep South Moms and think about the messages our society sends our children.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Read This 3/9/09
Velocity by Dean KoontzMy review
rating: 2 of 5 stars
Velocity is a typical Dean Koontz novel. The storytelling flows with graphic imagery as a bar tender finds himself needing to make difficult choices. While the character development is a bit weak, Velocity is quick-paced and full of action.
View all my reviews.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Wanna Win a Book?
Check out Bargain Briana's 1000th Post Give Away!
Bargain Briana posts great deals that everyone can enjoy on items most people use at the places people shop!
Click the above links or click her button in my new "The Buttons" section on the right under "The Friends".
Bargain Briana posts great deals that everyone can enjoy on items most people use at the places people shop!
Click the above links or click her button in my new "The Buttons" section on the right under "The Friends".
Friday, March 6, 2009
Blog Neglect
Yep, I am guilty.
Sadly, it will continue for a couple more weeks while I push through midterms and a few reports.
I will catch up soon! In the meantime I can post a song. =)
Sadly, it will continue for a couple more weeks while I push through midterms and a few reports.
I will catch up soon! In the meantime I can post a song. =)
Monday, March 2, 2009
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