this is hilarious:
which celebrities would you let raise your kids?
i am entertained.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
califoooooooornia
tomorrow evening i'm off to california! on saturday i'll hang out with my aunt and uncle, my cousin and her husband, and one year old jack, my cousin's son. according to facebook, jack just started to walk and is pretty pleased with himself. I CANNOT WAIT TO MEET HIM.
on sunday and monday i'll spend time at stanford at their accepted students' days. i have an open mind, certainly, but columbia's scholarship money is calling my name. my plan is to finalize my decision next week about which school to attend.
monday night i take the red-eye back to atlanta and arrive just in time to go to work. this, as you probably aren't surprised to hear, is the part of the trip i am least looking forward to.
on sunday and monday i'll spend time at stanford at their accepted students' days. i have an open mind, certainly, but columbia's scholarship money is calling my name. my plan is to finalize my decision next week about which school to attend.
monday night i take the red-eye back to atlanta and arrive just in time to go to work. this, as you probably aren't surprised to hear, is the part of the trip i am least looking forward to.
roasted corn salsa, attempt #2
my corn salsa turned out great the second time around! here is the recipe, modified from rachael ray's crazy one that didn't turn out so well:
1. saute a diced red onion. add half a finely chopped jalapeno and two cups of thawed frozen corn and cook some more. maybe another 3 minutes? salt and pepper it.
2. put the onion/corn/jalapeno mixture in a bowl and add half a pineapple, chopped pretty small. mix. eat. yum.
the salsa is a little sweet, but oh-so-yummy if you like a sweet-ish salsa.
i took this salsa over to mike and kelly's house last night, where we had chili (kelly made some great veggie chili for me - she is awesome!) and talked and played a new-to-us board game called alibi. alibi is basically the board game clue on steroids. very fun, though it took a while to get the strategy figured out. now let me tell you a story about my love of clue.
when i was younger my family would spend thanksgiving most years with my dad's family at my uncle's family's vacation home. it was this kind of paradise to me as a child, and i think those thanksgivings together are the reason i'm so close to my dad's family. there were maids who made our beds, stables with horses to ride, golf carts to drive around on, an indoor swimming pool, trees to climb, seated dinners, and lots of board games. one thanksgiving my cousin nate (who was, i think, approximately 6 years old at the time) recited all the presidents in order. i was obviously jealous. one thanksgiving we played clue approximately 30 times.* one thanksgiving we played this amazing game called murder in the dark; another time my uncle introduced the kids to the game 20 questions. MY FAMILY LOVES GAMES. i have very fond memories of this place and of playing with my cousins. and somehow clue is tied up in it.
*this is obviously a gross exaggeration.
1. saute a diced red onion. add half a finely chopped jalapeno and two cups of thawed frozen corn and cook some more. maybe another 3 minutes? salt and pepper it.
2. put the onion/corn/jalapeno mixture in a bowl and add half a pineapple, chopped pretty small. mix. eat. yum.
the salsa is a little sweet, but oh-so-yummy if you like a sweet-ish salsa.
i took this salsa over to mike and kelly's house last night, where we had chili (kelly made some great veggie chili for me - she is awesome!) and talked and played a new-to-us board game called alibi. alibi is basically the board game clue on steroids. very fun, though it took a while to get the strategy figured out. now let me tell you a story about my love of clue.
when i was younger my family would spend thanksgiving most years with my dad's family at my uncle's family's vacation home. it was this kind of paradise to me as a child, and i think those thanksgivings together are the reason i'm so close to my dad's family. there were maids who made our beds, stables with horses to ride, golf carts to drive around on, an indoor swimming pool, trees to climb, seated dinners, and lots of board games. one thanksgiving my cousin nate (who was, i think, approximately 6 years old at the time) recited all the presidents in order. i was obviously jealous. one thanksgiving we played clue approximately 30 times.* one thanksgiving we played this amazing game called murder in the dark; another time my uncle introduced the kids to the game 20 questions. MY FAMILY LOVES GAMES. i have very fond memories of this place and of playing with my cousins. and somehow clue is tied up in it.
*this is obviously a gross exaggeration.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
roasted corn salsa, attempt #1
tonight i'm going to dinner at mike and kelly's and i'm bringing two homemade salsas! or, i hope i'm bringing two homemade salsas. last night i dutifully followed a rachael ray recipe for roasted corn and pineapple salsa that turned the corn into hard kernels made for some chickens. UGH. this afternoon i'll make another attempt at the recipe...but minus the roasted aspect. fresh (um, frozen and thawed) corn and pineapple salsa, here we come!
i'm also attempting a roasted tomato salsa...but roasting tomatoes is something i've tried before and i'm feeling much more positive about this recipe...
recipes to come if they turn out well!
i'm also attempting a roasted tomato salsa...but roasting tomatoes is something i've tried before and i'm feeling much more positive about this recipe...
recipes to come if they turn out well!
this pie graph is a perfect example of why we shouldn't care what the average american thinks about complex issues. 47% of people disapprove of the healthcare law when 48% of people will readily admit they have no idea what is in it?? ARGH.
this is how i would run a poll:
question 1: name something in the new healthcare law.
[if unable to name something, stop the poll. if able to name something, continue.]
question 2: do you approve or disapprove of the healthcare law?
this is how i would run a poll:
question 1: name something in the new healthcare law.
[if unable to name something, stop the poll. if able to name something, continue.]
question 2: do you approve or disapprove of the healthcare law?
Monday, March 26, 2012
wow - really interesting: unborn afghan child said to be 17th victim of shootings
i had wondered why bales was being charged with 17 counts of murder, not 16 as had been initially reported. i guess this is the answer.
does the us government have an official stance about when life begins? it would appear, from this law, that they do. i would love to learn more about the impetus behind writing this into the uniform code of military justice.
i had wondered why bales was being charged with 17 counts of murder, not 16 as had been initially reported. i guess this is the answer.
does the us government have an official stance about when life begins? it would appear, from this law, that they do. i would love to learn more about the impetus behind writing this into the uniform code of military justice.
Friday, March 23, 2012
on staying up until 2:48am on a school night
the hunger games movie was totally worth staying up until 2:48am for and then waking up at 6:30am to go to work. i am saying that now. how will i feel at about 1:30pm, when the post-lunch sluggishness hits? probably pretty bad, but i can always take a nap when i get home. AND I INTEND TO.
i won't ruin the movie for the 99.9% of the world that did not go to the midnight showing - though it felt like 99.9% of the world was actually at the theater with me watching the movie. especially the 16 year old girls of the world. though, in front of us sat two good-looking, straight-looking, 21-ish guys who apparently also enjoyed the books enough to come to the midnight showing. this entertained us.
the hardest part was getting to the midnight showing. i may have dozed through some episodes of 30 rock beforehand, but was ready to go once we got there. all in all, i think the movie was great. was it a perfect adaptation of the book? no. but if you expect that you will always be disappointed. good acting, beautiful shots of the north carolina mountains - those were the highlights. and peeta was hot.
i also may have literally jumped into willis's lap during the scariest part. like, half my body got there unconsciously. we know i'm not good with scary.
i won't ruin the movie for the 99.9% of the world that did not go to the midnight showing - though it felt like 99.9% of the world was actually at the theater with me watching the movie. especially the 16 year old girls of the world. though, in front of us sat two good-looking, straight-looking, 21-ish guys who apparently also enjoyed the books enough to come to the midnight showing. this entertained us.
the hardest part was getting to the midnight showing. i may have dozed through some episodes of 30 rock beforehand, but was ready to go once we got there. all in all, i think the movie was great. was it a perfect adaptation of the book? no. but if you expect that you will always be disappointed. good acting, beautiful shots of the north carolina mountains - those were the highlights. and peeta was hot.
i also may have literally jumped into willis's lap during the scariest part. like, half my body got there unconsciously. we know i'm not good with scary.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
right now:
it's 80 degrees, the sun is shining, and the pollen count is like 9,000 (apparently 1,000 is high, so...it kind of feels like you're swimming through the air, it's so thick with pollen). i've gone to the gym the past two days, so i can relax this evening with no guilt. my tivo is full. last night we won 2nd place at trivia. i'm 32 hours away from the hunger games movie. i'm reading some sherlock holmes on my kindle and loving it. i finished all my grading, so i can breathe a sigh of relief until my kids turn in projects on monday. i'm engrossed by the this american life retraction of their apple story from january.
all in all, life is pretty good right now. i don't have much to blog about - things are really just going along like normal - but normal-good, not the normal-ugh that sometimes exists. so: hooray.
all in all, life is pretty good right now. i don't have much to blog about - things are really just going along like normal - but normal-good, not the normal-ugh that sometimes exists. so: hooray.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
what i'm listening to right now
"waiting for my real life to begin," by colin hay:
pandora found this for me; it's perfect music for a lazy sunday. i'm doing laundry, cleaning, making my lunches for the week - and this is accompanying me.
pandora found this for me; it's perfect music for a lazy sunday. i'm doing laundry, cleaning, making my lunches for the week - and this is accompanying me.
grad school updates
i'm going out to stanford at the end of march for their accepted students weekend. as i've never spent any time in palo alto, i want to get a feel for the school and the town before i can say yes to them. and that's where i was until very recently: assuming i like stanford when i go out there, i was ready to say yes to going to school there.
and then: on friday i got a LARGE scholarship offer from columbia. stanford will not be offering me any scholarship money (i checked), and columbia has offered to pay 75% of my tuition. first world problems!!! incredibly flattering that they like me this much (the scholarship is both merit and need based). but it complicates things. mom and dad were visiting this weekend and we spent a lot of time talking out the two options - they are so good at that, and i appreciate it so much. columbia has really moved up in my estimation now that it is going to be much cheaper for what will be an almost identical degree. well: not exactly an identical degree...but a degree that will play an almost identical role in getting a new job, moving up in my career, etc.
i am more torn now than ever.
and then: on friday i got a LARGE scholarship offer from columbia. stanford will not be offering me any scholarship money (i checked), and columbia has offered to pay 75% of my tuition. first world problems!!! incredibly flattering that they like me this much (the scholarship is both merit and need based). but it complicates things. mom and dad were visiting this weekend and we spent a lot of time talking out the two options - they are so good at that, and i appreciate it so much. columbia has really moved up in my estimation now that it is going to be much cheaper for what will be an almost identical degree. well: not exactly an identical degree...but a degree that will play an almost identical role in getting a new job, moving up in my career, etc.
i am more torn now than ever.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
"did you just resign?"
this was asked of my this morning, and the answer was yes. but...only sort of yes. i announced to my principal my intent not to come back next year. i won't be signing my new contract. i'm going to graduate school full-time! this is a decision i've known i was going to make for a while; i did get into a part-time program where i could stay at my current job, but that isn't where my heart is. so: full-time i know for sure. which program: that i'm still working on...
but to resign...this sounds so harsh, so final, like i'm walking out in a huff, and that isn't the case at all. so i'll reframe it: i'm not renewing my contract.
that sounds much more like it.
this was asked of my this morning, and the answer was yes. but...only sort of yes. i announced to my principal my intent not to come back next year. i won't be signing my new contract. i'm going to graduate school full-time! this is a decision i've known i was going to make for a while; i did get into a part-time program where i could stay at my current job, but that isn't where my heart is. so: full-time i know for sure. which program: that i'm still working on...
but to resign...this sounds so harsh, so final, like i'm walking out in a huff, and that isn't the case at all. so i'll reframe it: i'm not renewing my contract.
that sounds much more like it.
Monday, March 12, 2012
first day back at work from spring break: observations.
1. i walked 11,817 steps today. this is my new record, though the competition is only a week old. i spent an hour at the gym on the treadmill and elliptical machine, so this obviously helped me obtain this record.
2. it WAS good to be back at work, even though i wanted spring break to continue. i had a meeting with a parent that i thought was going to be BAD and SCARY and it was neither. i sort of got asked for parenting tips. whenever this happens - and it happens every once in a while - i used to totally avoid answering the question because i don't have children and i don't know how to be a parent. and then a coworker/mentor of mine told me that sometimes we do know more. and it's okay - parents want input. and now i don't shy away from offering advice, though it is no less bizarre.
3. during a faculty meeting today i miiiiiight have been on my computer, reading articles about march madness like this one: "what your bracket says about you" - i love it!
4. extremely loud & incredibly close is SO GOOD and also SO HEARTBREAKING at the same time. tragedy through the eyes of a child - even if it's fiction - is so powerful. love the author's writing style, too - this is the first of his books that i've read.
and now, my friends, i will slide into a prone position on the couch and let my eyes glaze over as i watch tv. hooray!
2. it WAS good to be back at work, even though i wanted spring break to continue. i had a meeting with a parent that i thought was going to be BAD and SCARY and it was neither. i sort of got asked for parenting tips. whenever this happens - and it happens every once in a while - i used to totally avoid answering the question because i don't have children and i don't know how to be a parent. and then a coworker/mentor of mine told me that sometimes we do know more. and it's okay - parents want input. and now i don't shy away from offering advice, though it is no less bizarre.
3. during a faculty meeting today i miiiiiight have been on my computer, reading articles about march madness like this one: "what your bracket says about you" - i love it!
4. extremely loud & incredibly close is SO GOOD and also SO HEARTBREAKING at the same time. tragedy through the eyes of a child - even if it's fiction - is so powerful. love the author's writing style, too - this is the first of his books that i've read.
and now, my friends, i will slide into a prone position on the couch and let my eyes glaze over as i watch tv. hooray!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
sad times - duke won't be playing in the acc finals tomorrow. sigh.
this made me feel a little bit better. very very cool.
(thanks to whitney for posting this on facebook!)
this made me feel a little bit better. very very cool.
(thanks to whitney for posting this on facebook!)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
yesterday, while looking online for fun bars to go to in pensacola, the internet found us an irish pub that advertised live music. whoopie! this is right up our alley. we arrived, and were greeted with this sign:
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this was only the beginning of our evening in an alternate universe.
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"what is that," you say? that is...dollar bills staple-gunned to the ceiling and to every other available surface in this restaurant/bar which was ENORMOUS, and other claire got lost on the way back from the bathroom before alcohol was even involved. this place was SUPER cheesy - not an irish pub like our favorite back in atlanta where the bartender/owner is from ireland and runs the place out of love. mcguire's, here in pensacola, is a tourist trap and exists only to live out irish stereotypes. the dollar bills are everywhere because you can give them a dollar and get a card making you an honorary irish person for life.
pause for you to stop vomiting.
we did not leave upon realizing the cheesiness...we just did a LOT of people-watching and a lot of "this would never happen at limerick junction back in atlanta." the music was pretty good (and the musicians sounded irish, which we appreciated) and the beers were delicious (they brew the beer on site, supposedly).
after a couple minutes we realized the two men sitting at the table next to us were blind. and that they come here a LOT. they knew all the words to the songs and pounded their beers on the table in time to the music, they were friends with the waiters, and the band came over to say hi to them during a break. i made up the story that these two dudes live at a blind people home that has an activities shuttle that drops them off at this bar and then picks them up late at night. (we did not stay long enough to find out if that was true or not.) we DID stay long enough for this to happen: the waiter comes by the table. blind guy #1 whispers something in his ear. waiter helps blind guy stand up, holds out his arm for blind guy to grab, and then proceeds to slowly walk him to and back from the bathroom. (you will recall that other claire got lost going to the bathroom - it was in another time zone.) the same situation happens half an hour later, as another waiter takes blind dude #2 to the bathroom. truly just the sweetest thing.
and thennnnnn the blind dudes came over to our table and talked to us. just hello and have you come here before and isn't the music great and we hope "you beautiful ladies" enjoy yourselves. note: i was flattered by his "you beautiful ladies" comment even though he could not see me. hahaha - whatever! he could tell i was beautiful! how they knew we were sitting at the table next to them, i don't know; presumably their sense of hearing, etc. is finely tuned...and i'm not exactly the quietest person. we also think blind dude #1 had some sight. i'm obviously a medical professional who can make these diagnoses.
.jpg)
this was only the beginning of our evening in an alternate universe.
.jpg)
"what is that," you say? that is...dollar bills staple-gunned to the ceiling and to every other available surface in this restaurant/bar which was ENORMOUS, and other claire got lost on the way back from the bathroom before alcohol was even involved. this place was SUPER cheesy - not an irish pub like our favorite back in atlanta where the bartender/owner is from ireland and runs the place out of love. mcguire's, here in pensacola, is a tourist trap and exists only to live out irish stereotypes. the dollar bills are everywhere because you can give them a dollar and get a card making you an honorary irish person for life.
pause for you to stop vomiting.
we did not leave upon realizing the cheesiness...we just did a LOT of people-watching and a lot of "this would never happen at limerick junction back in atlanta." the music was pretty good (and the musicians sounded irish, which we appreciated) and the beers were delicious (they brew the beer on site, supposedly).
after a couple minutes we realized the two men sitting at the table next to us were blind. and that they come here a LOT. they knew all the words to the songs and pounded their beers on the table in time to the music, they were friends with the waiters, and the band came over to say hi to them during a break. i made up the story that these two dudes live at a blind people home that has an activities shuttle that drops them off at this bar and then picks them up late at night. (we did not stay long enough to find out if that was true or not.) we DID stay long enough for this to happen: the waiter comes by the table. blind guy #1 whispers something in his ear. waiter helps blind guy stand up, holds out his arm for blind guy to grab, and then proceeds to slowly walk him to and back from the bathroom. (you will recall that other claire got lost going to the bathroom - it was in another time zone.) the same situation happens half an hour later, as another waiter takes blind dude #2 to the bathroom. truly just the sweetest thing.
and thennnnnn the blind dudes came over to our table and talked to us. just hello and have you come here before and isn't the music great and we hope "you beautiful ladies" enjoy yourselves. note: i was flattered by his "you beautiful ladies" comment even though he could not see me. hahaha - whatever! he could tell i was beautiful! how they knew we were sitting at the table next to them, i don't know; presumably their sense of hearing, etc. is finely tuned...and i'm not exactly the quietest person. we also think blind dude #1 had some sight. i'm obviously a medical professional who can make these diagnoses.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
update:
"i'm so white that my nose is sunburned from my walk" should actually read "i'm so white that my nose, chest, and shoulders are EXTREMELY pink and it looks like i'm wearing a bright white tank top, even though i'm not."
least favorite part of sunburns: how they trick you into thinking you don't have one, and then emerge out of nowhere over the next several hours. sheesh.
"i'm so white that my nose is sunburned from my walk" should actually read "i'm so white that my nose, chest, and shoulders are EXTREMELY pink and it looks like i'm wearing a bright white tank top, even though i'm not."
least favorite part of sunburns: how they trick you into thinking you don't have one, and then emerge out of nowhere over the next several hours. sheesh.
spring break, day 1
i am my mother, example #7: i bought, and am currently wearing, a pedometer.
[pause for the laughing to subside.]
a couple years ago my mom bought, and wore, a pedometer. she would pretty diligently try to get to 10,000 steps per day, as apparently 10,000 steps is 5 miles and this is what we should all be doing on a daily basis according to lots of important health people. in general, this is probably a pretty good plan, as it is motivation to exercise every day. if my mom was close to 10,000 steps at the end of the day, though, she would walk around inside the house until she got there. this was entertaining, and definitely a reason to make fun of her.
fast forward to the present. i have been wanting a pedometer, as i'd be interested in knowing how much walking i do on a normal day, just doing my job and such, and then how many i add on by going to the gym or going for a walk. yes, i realize this is nerdy, but whatever. i want it. so i bought one on amazon.com and it arrived yesterday just in time for my trip to florida for spring break. woo hoo!
today is my first day with the pedometer, as yesterday was mostly spent in the car and then eating delicious greasy mexican food. things i have learned on day one:
1. my pedometer is a liar. i did a trial walk through the condo where we're staying; i walked 100 steps. the pedometer registered 118 steps. i did another trial walk and it registered 109 steps. curses! i'm going to have to adjust appropriately, but i don't exactly know how to. i guess i need to get to 10,900-11,800 steps in a day, according to this silly pedometer, in order to actually reach 10,000.
2. as of right now i've gone 9,129 steps today:
(my pedometer has the time on it! and it resets automatically at midnight! and remembers 6 past days of steps! now, if only is was accurate in measuring steps...)
3. my step count was helped by an hour long walk before lunch. this is the view from the condo where we're staying, and i walked on a path right by the beach. it was lovely, but VERY windy.
4. i am so white that my nose is a little sunburned from my walk. oops.
4a. i went to the dermatologist on monday and got a clean bill of skin health. woo hoo!
5. now other claire and i are having our own happy hour, so i need to go.
[pause for the laughing to subside.]
a couple years ago my mom bought, and wore, a pedometer. she would pretty diligently try to get to 10,000 steps per day, as apparently 10,000 steps is 5 miles and this is what we should all be doing on a daily basis according to lots of important health people. in general, this is probably a pretty good plan, as it is motivation to exercise every day. if my mom was close to 10,000 steps at the end of the day, though, she would walk around inside the house until she got there. this was entertaining, and definitely a reason to make fun of her.
fast forward to the present. i have been wanting a pedometer, as i'd be interested in knowing how much walking i do on a normal day, just doing my job and such, and then how many i add on by going to the gym or going for a walk. yes, i realize this is nerdy, but whatever. i want it. so i bought one on amazon.com and it arrived yesterday just in time for my trip to florida for spring break. woo hoo!
today is my first day with the pedometer, as yesterday was mostly spent in the car and then eating delicious greasy mexican food. things i have learned on day one:
1. my pedometer is a liar. i did a trial walk through the condo where we're staying; i walked 100 steps. the pedometer registered 118 steps. i did another trial walk and it registered 109 steps. curses! i'm going to have to adjust appropriately, but i don't exactly know how to. i guess i need to get to 10,900-11,800 steps in a day, according to this silly pedometer, in order to actually reach 10,000.
2. as of right now i've gone 9,129 steps today:
(my pedometer has the time on it! and it resets automatically at midnight! and remembers 6 past days of steps! now, if only is was accurate in measuring steps...)
3. my step count was helped by an hour long walk before lunch. this is the view from the condo where we're staying, and i walked on a path right by the beach. it was lovely, but VERY windy.
4. i am so white that my nose is a little sunburned from my walk. oops.
4a. i went to the dermatologist on monday and got a clean bill of skin health. woo hoo!
5. now other claire and i are having our own happy hour, so i need to go.
Monday, March 5, 2012
what i'm listening to right now
"poison & wine," by the civil wars:
shout out to veronica for encouraging me to listen to this band. i fell in love immediately!
shout out to veronica for encouraging me to listen to this band. i fell in love immediately!
Friday, March 2, 2012
what is going on in syria - especially if reports are true that they are denying entrance to the red cross and red crescent - is repulsive and inhumane and makes my stomach hurt. i just made a little donation to the international red cross, and you can, too.
i get frustrated by this: i ask a current events question every day to my students, and i would ask them about this, but they have no idea where syria is, nor do 99% of them care. granted, when i was 17, i'm sure i was the same way. but it's just frustrating to feel like i'm the only person who urges them to pay attention to the greater world around them. it is an uphill battle, and on this friday before spring break i'm too tired to fight it.
i get frustrated by this: i ask a current events question every day to my students, and i would ask them about this, but they have no idea where syria is, nor do 99% of them care. granted, when i was 17, i'm sure i was the same way. but it's just frustrating to feel like i'm the only person who urges them to pay attention to the greater world around them. it is an uphill battle, and on this friday before spring break i'm too tired to fight it.
also...my dear, dear 91 year old grandma is in the hospital - she just had surgery - and if you could send some positive thoughts her way, i would be grateful. i am very close to her - she lived with us and then next door until i was in 4th grade - and she needs some strength right now. sounds like she's doing well, but extra positive thoughts being sent into the universe never hurt!
many thanks, friends.
many thanks, friends.
yesterday at yoga, i did a full bridge pose. a real one. until yesterday i had only been able to push up onto the top of my head - i couldn't push up all the way so that just my hands and feet were supporting me. this bridge thing is HARD. but yesterday my instructor came over and had me grab onto her ankles (why this helps, i don't know - but it did) as she stood behind me and then she kept encouraging me to push all the way up - and i did! this may not sound very exciting to others - i'm know some people (kelly) could get down on the ground and do this immediately. but for me this was VERY exciting. i squealed a little bit. and i didn't die coming back down to the ground. which is, you know, a victory in and of itself.
i love yoga because you use the strength of your body to...strengthen your body. yoga makes me feel strong. it makes me feel proud of this body, no matter its imperfections.
i love yoga because you use the strength of your body to...strengthen your body. yoga makes me feel strong. it makes me feel proud of this body, no matter its imperfections.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
february: 3, 4, & 5
february's reading material!
11 science fiction stories, by philip k. dick (a long time ago my uncle matt recommended philip k. dick short stories as something i'd probably enjoy reading, and he wasn't wrong! thanks, uncle matt! this collection of short stories is one that amazon.com put together for the kindle and sold me for $0.99. let me just say that philip k. dick entertains me and this book was worth every one of those 99 pennies and then some. there is one story in here that is a science fiction christ story. try to wrap your brain around THAT. [this story is called "the skull," and it is totally worth reading - and is out of copyright, so you should be able to read for free.] several stories involve the cold war never ending, and one of these stories has each side building robots to join in - you can definitely tell that he's writing in the 50s and 60s. i'd definitely recommend these stories as perfect ones to read before you fall asleep!)
in the garden of beasts, by erik larson (attention: do not attempt to read this book as your relaxing-while-getting-ready-to-fall-asleep book. this book requires CONCENTRATION and APPRECIATION for all larson's researching. the premise: the experiences of the american ambassador to germany [and his daughter] from 1933-1937. hitler's starting to go crazy. the ambassador tries to warn FDR. FDR and his peeps do not want to listen. while i really did enjoy this book, it is tedious at times - the author's research has resulted in copious details that will start to annoy you [or, they started to annoy me]. i read this for book club - which i led - and was glad that i had that to push me through to the end. a very interesting and well-written story, but not a relaxing read.)
the night circus, by erin morgenstern (this book was good and all, but as i read it all i could think about was another circus book that beats the pants off this one: water for elephants. i read the last 50 pages of water for elephants at a dead sprint because i HAD to know what would happen; i then re-read them at a normal pace so i could appreciate the details of what was happening. [all of a sudden this book review turned into a review of another book. oops. here i am, back on topic!] so THIS book is about a magical circus, and it was entertaining but i never felt like i really got to know any of the characters. the circus itself was developed as a character, but the people working there? not so much. i give this a luke warm review. don't rush out to buy it. there was no speeding through the last pages to find out the ending - i wasn't that invested. but i didn't dislike the book, either.)
11 science fiction stories, by philip k. dick (a long time ago my uncle matt recommended philip k. dick short stories as something i'd probably enjoy reading, and he wasn't wrong! thanks, uncle matt! this collection of short stories is one that amazon.com put together for the kindle and sold me for $0.99. let me just say that philip k. dick entertains me and this book was worth every one of those 99 pennies and then some. there is one story in here that is a science fiction christ story. try to wrap your brain around THAT. [this story is called "the skull," and it is totally worth reading - and is out of copyright, so you should be able to read for free.] several stories involve the cold war never ending, and one of these stories has each side building robots to join in - you can definitely tell that he's writing in the 50s and 60s. i'd definitely recommend these stories as perfect ones to read before you fall asleep!)
in the garden of beasts, by erik larson (attention: do not attempt to read this book as your relaxing-while-getting-ready-to-fall-asleep book. this book requires CONCENTRATION and APPRECIATION for all larson's researching. the premise: the experiences of the american ambassador to germany [and his daughter] from 1933-1937. hitler's starting to go crazy. the ambassador tries to warn FDR. FDR and his peeps do not want to listen. while i really did enjoy this book, it is tedious at times - the author's research has resulted in copious details that will start to annoy you [or, they started to annoy me]. i read this for book club - which i led - and was glad that i had that to push me through to the end. a very interesting and well-written story, but not a relaxing read.)
the night circus, by erin morgenstern (this book was good and all, but as i read it all i could think about was another circus book that beats the pants off this one: water for elephants. i read the last 50 pages of water for elephants at a dead sprint because i HAD to know what would happen; i then re-read them at a normal pace so i could appreciate the details of what was happening. [all of a sudden this book review turned into a review of another book. oops. here i am, back on topic!] so THIS book is about a magical circus, and it was entertaining but i never felt like i really got to know any of the characters. the circus itself was developed as a character, but the people working there? not so much. i give this a luke warm review. don't rush out to buy it. there was no speeding through the last pages to find out the ending - i wasn't that invested. but i didn't dislike the book, either.)
do you ever have a super-productive morning, and by mid-afternoon you've done so much work that it is physically impossible for you to do any more? this happens to me. this is happening to me right now. i have hit my work capacity for the day. i should get to leave early!
i am sad that it doesn't work this way.
i am sad that it doesn't work this way.
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