extravagant generosity

It is with a big grin that I can tell you that I have, in fact, now finished my 8th book of 2013! I have a personal goal of reading 12 books that are not mandatory school reading/research books in 2013. And a mere 12 books seem easy enough...but I find myself in November with only 2/3 of my goal met! My husband and I just finished reading "Practicing Extravagant Generosity - Daily Readings on the Grace of Giving", by Robert Schase (yes, I can't help but to pronounce it like schnoz, as in a big nose). This book was recommended by our Pastor and church staff in an effort to ramp up the commitment of monetary giving to our church. Yes, I'm talking about stewardship month.

Normally, I *DETEST* stewardship month. Year after year, the month in which the church staff take turns imploring the congregation for more money has done nothing but make me feel like a jackass for not having much money. And also a frivolous human being for spending money on yet another pair of shoes, instead of putting it in the collection plate. No one likes to feel guilty, myself included. So in the past, I have kind of skipped out on church services when I knew they were going to involve asking for money. I'm certainly not proud of it, but it's the honest truth. 

This year, I cannot believe how successfully my church pulled off stewardship month! I've never seen anything like it! Instead of the guilt trips like I was expecting, the sermons were filled with inspirational stories about ways we can build up our church into a community that fulfills each member's hopes and dreams. In one sermon, the older population from the church were asked to reflect on memories they have from Hope United Methodist Church, and how their lives have been changed by having Hope at the center. In another service, the church's youth organized the service, and the theme was what the children's dreams for Hope were. The children of our church yearn for a place that is accepting, loves everyone, reaches out to the community, and sings loudly and proudly. That right there is beautiful. That is what every church should strive to be. Seeing the dreams that our children have for our church makes me want to give anything I can so that our church can be that safe haven in the future. 
 
In addition to these powerful sermons, the congregation was asked to read about what it means to practice "Extravagant Generosity." I want to share with you a quote from the book that sums up the message quite elegantly:

"Extravagant denotes a style and attitude of giving that is unexpectedly joyous, without predetermined limits, from the heart. People who practice Extravagant Generosity change their lives in order to become more generous. They become rich in giving. They do not wait to be asked. When they see a need, they step forward to meet it, offering their resources as a means of help...They persist in doing good...They pray and hope and dream about the good they can accomplish through their gifts...People who practice Extravagant Generosity change lives."

Never before has a stewardship month been so successful in helping me to see that what I'm giving today has lasting importance on the potential of what our church can be in the lives of those who need it in the future. I have always enjoyed donating my time, talents, and money to organizations who are doing wonderful things to help people in this world. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to see my own church as one of those worthwhile organizations to start donating to. Well, better late than never :)

Cheers!

two thousand fourteen

Well hey there blogland! 

I know I am officially the most infrequent blogger on the planet, but I have a few minutes tonight {while multi-tasking and watching season 5 of Breaking Bad, of course}, so I thought I'd write up a little post!

Here we are in November!!! Today I realized that 2013 is almost to an end, and that means that 2014 is coming! The thought of 2014 immediately got butterflies going in my stomach, because 2014 is the start of a new set of adventures for us! My husband and I both graduate in May, and we will officially be a Doctor and a Physician Assistant, ready to take on the world with big kid jobs! It's such an AMAZING prospect, because I have NEVER ever ever been this close to the end of the "school era" of my life. After high school, there was college, in undergrad I was preparing for PA school, and now...now it will be time to put everything I have learned to use! It's daunting and thrilling all at once!!!

So, here are a few updates: Tyler has decided that he definitely is going to be a Family Medicine doctor, and he is going to be *amazing* at this! He has such a heart of gold, and he wants to be able to touch the lives of people from all walks of life; young and old (and in between), typical children and those with special needs, healthy and those who require multiple interventions...he is simply going to be incredible! I have never had such complete faith in one human being as I do him. I can't wait to see what he accomplishes in his career! He is in his final year of medical school, has his Masters in Public Health under his belt, and is gearing up for residency interviews --- which start this Friday! He has interviews in California (near Sonoma, yes please!), Salt Lake City, North Carolina, and all over Colorado. 

We find out in March what residency program he gets in to, or where he matches. It's the most nerve-wracking day to ever be designed on this planet. Tyler ranks his residency choices, and the residency programs rank the students who interviewed with them, then some sort of matching machine (robot?) decides which student should be happily attached to which residency program. On "Match Day", you'll find me popping Xanax on a regular basis in order to suppress a series of panic attacks. My heart is already racing, I must remember to keep this phrase in mind come March:



An update on me: I have been having a WONDERFUL year out in the world of clinical medicine! Patients > Powerpoints. I learn so much more effectively when I have a face and a story to put with a diagnosis! Some months are more challenging than others...those of you who are friends with me on facebook know that October was brutal! I had 3 days off the entire month, and was working >70 hours a week. Yuck! 7 day work weeks??? Get real!!! I mean, part of the reason I wanted to be a PA instead of an MD is so that I could work like 3 days a week. This month, however, I am in a rotation that understands the importance of easing into the workweek and also having early release for the weekends - so I have half days on Mondays and Fridays! This is much more up my alley.

Clinic is great. Not only do I learn so many things every day, but I also have a new awkward experience every day. Maybe I should start a series of blog posts called "Awkward Mondays" or "Embarrassed Wednesdays" or "Tongue-Tied Thursdays"...because I seriously have some outrageous stories to tell you all. What do you think??? I might seriously do this. 

In a completely unrelated note, but in keeping my blog tradition, I have to share with you guys that I finished my 7th book of 2013 {FINALLY}. I literally read it at a snail's pace. Like if a snail could read, that's probably how slowly I read it. And the masterpiece that I just finished is titled, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" - by the one and only Chelsea Handler of course. 


It was ridiculous. It was raunchy. It made me LOL and snort. It wasn't good, but it was funny. I won't likely be rushing out to buy her 3 (?) other books anytime soon, unless any of you can convince me that they're worth it, but I'm glad I read it. It provided some comic relief on nights I wanted to cry from the stress of clinic. 

I'm glad to be done with it because I have 3 books I have been dying to read! Next on my list are "Revenge Wears Prada", "Allegient", and "50 Shades Freed". Considering I'm only a little more than halfway through my goal of reading 12 books in 2013...I better get going so that I can get reading!

Hope you all are doing wonderfully :)

Cheers :)

inside out and back again

Happy Friday, y'all! This week I successfully finished my 6th read of 2013 (halfway through my goal of reading 12 leisure books this year). My mom is in grad school to be a librarian, so she is constantly recommending little gems for me to read! This particular gem is called Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai. 




This novel incorporates much of the author's actual experiences as a young girl fleeing Saigon during wartime. It is written from the perspective of of a 10-year-old girl who loves long hair, papayas, and her home in South Vietnam. Together with her widowed mother and three older brothers, she is uprooted and journeys across the ocean to Alabama. In Alabama she must learn a new language, new cultural practices, and a new way of life. The author successfully draws you in to the 10-year-old protagonist's thought processes. She is sassy, determined, and wistful. I love her. 

This lovely story is a very quick read, I think I read it in 5 hours or so. I recommend it as little day trip in the mind of a child, it's always good to remember to look at life through the eyes of a child from time to time :)

Happy Reading!

Cheers

inferno

Tonight, I finally finished Dan Brown's latest installment, Inferno. I have been carrying around my copy of Robert Langdon's latest adventure since May, when the novel was released. For some reason, it just took me forever to get through! I suppose it could have something to do with my end-of-may Vegas vacation (no time for reading when you're busy sunning and drinking), and my "full-time job" (for which I am paying a hefty price to do) called 3rd year clinicals. Alas, I have finished it (and with this book, I have finished my 5th book of 2013 --- in case you didn't know, I have a personal goal of reading 12 books this year). 



I'm glad Dan Brown decided to stick with Robert Langdon for his protagonist in this story. In Deception Point and Digital Fortress (in which Langdon was not a character), I just pictured Robert Langdon as the protagonist anyway. It's just easier this way. 

This novel follows Langdon, a symbologist/art history nerd who teaches at Harvard, as he gets involved in an international life-and-death quest involving a brilliant lunatic of a genetic scientist. Naturally. As far as Dan Brown's novels go...this was not his best work. My enjoyment of Dan Brown novels goes in this order:

Angels & Demons > Da Vinci Code > Deception Point > The Lost Symbol = Digital Fortress = Inferno. 

In my (humble?) opinion.

However, if you're a Dan Brown enthusiast, you should probably just go ahead and read this. It's got adventure, art, architecture, mystery, bloodshed, and of course there's a girl. There's always a girl. Robert Langdon shows regular nerds out there that you don't have to be James Bond to always have a hot girl as your sidekick.

Grade: C+ / B-

Have you read this book? What did you think?
What are you reading lately? I need some amazing books on my "to read" list :)

Cheers!

shine

I'm embarrassed. It's been almost 5 months since my last post! YIKES, that's bad. I have ***so*** much to catch you all up on! Naturally, I shall start with a book review (#4 of 2013)...

I read the book Shine by Lauren Myracle in May. 


You know those books that just touch you to the core, and ignite in you the desire to help the world be a better place? Shine was one of those books for me. Shine takes place in a small, tight-knight, intolerant community in the South. The story follows the antagonist, Cat, as she reels from the news that her best friend was brutally attacked for being gay. Cat works diligently to try to solve the mystery of who in her community would take intolerance that far. With the gossiping religious folk in her community thinking that victim deserved his attack as punishment for his sins, Cat doesn't have much support in her quest. But when Cat uncovers a rampant meth use problem amongst her peers, some of the most unlikely people become suspects. 

This story is a mystery and coming of age story all at once. It addresses the monstrosity that is meth, and how drastically it impacts individuals and communities. It doesn't shy away from the theme of hate crimes, and the fact that it is an unfortunate reality still in 2013.

This book encouraged me to not give up on the world. Instead of shaking my head in shame at the horrific things that occur every day worldwide, I need to keep trying to be a part of the solution to the world's problems. Lofty goals? Yes. Cliche? Yes. Heartwarming and empowering? Also, yes.

For a powerful and sobering read, please check this one out. 

Cheers (and check back for a real life update on me, not just my reads)

fifty shades of f***ed up

Hey all!

I know, I know... I have been terrible at checking in on my blog. I pretty much remember to blog when we have a fantastic new recipe to share or when I have finished reading a book that doesn't have to do with medicine! Considering I've been mostly consumed by school reading since January, I haven't been able to read for fun too often. However, I did just finish Fifty Shades Darker (my 3rd read in 2013) over Spring Break, and I have to say that Christian Grey is 50 Shades of FUCKED UP!



If you read my review of Fifty Shades of Grey, then you know that I was very conflicted about the emotional journey I went on while reading it. Disgust and concern aside, by the end of the book, I decided I needed to know what was next for Christian and Ana.So I borrowed the sequel from my 18-year-old sister's college dorm roommate. Yup, sure did!

And I have to say to say that I was intrigued that there was much more of a "plot" this time around. Yes, there was kinky sex. Yes, there is this deep dark past of Christian's that is annoyingly alluded to for much of the book. However, a lot of his issues are revealed in this book (for better or for worse), so at least I finally understood some of why he is so damaged. It's still not one of my top 10 favorite reads ever, but I'm glad I understand Christian and the dynamics of Christian/Ana a little better now.

Next on the reading list:
Fifty Shades Freed. Yep. You know me --- I'm a girl who likes to see a series through! Whether or not I love the book, I want to know what happens for the characters so that I can sleep soundly at night. Haha...but really, sometimes I literally stay up at night wondering what is going on in the lives of fictional characters. Pathetic, but true...

Also...I still love to imagine just how good looking Christian Grey is supposed to be. And of all the hot men in the world, I always go back to this picture of Matt Bomer in my head! (and yes, I know he's gay. He's just an incredibly good looking person!!!)



Have you read this series? What did you think about them? And who wants to loan me the 3rd book in the serious???

What good books have you read lately??? (not that I have time to read them...)

Happy Spring to you!!!
Cheers :)

heaven is for real

Hey there, beautifuls!

I have officially finished my 2nd book of 2013, and I have to say --- I haven't had a book impact me in this way in a while! I read Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo.


Heaven is For Real chronicles the experiences of the Burpo family in 2003. Todd Burpo is a Protestant Pastor in Nebraska, and had known since he was 13 years old that he wanted to be a pastor. In the Spring of 2003, Colton got very sick with an acute case of appendicitis that went undiagnosed for 6 days before he eventually underwent emergency surgical removal of his ruptured appendix. The Burpo family was relieved and grateful that Colton survived the ordeal, and everyone was ready to put the incident behind them. 

However, over the next few months, Colton started mentioning things that puzzled his parents. He had a real concern about whether people had Jesus in their heart when they passed away. Why would a 4-year-old boy be frantic over whether a deceased stranger knew Jesus? The more Colton's parents began to probe and ask questions, the more they realized something incredible had happened to Colton. Colton nonchalantly told his father that while the surgeon was removing his appendix, he was watching everything outside of his body, while sitting in Jesus's lap. Colton was able to describe what his parents were doing during his surgery, information that the parents had not told Colton. Colton was able to describe Heaven in terms that are consistent with the Bible, disclosing details that are not taught in 3-year-old Sunday School. Colton told stories of meeting other children, and of meeting his Great Grandfather (whom had passed away long before Colton was born).

For me, the most jaw-dropping moment of the book was when Colton described meeting his sister in Heaven. Colton's mother had miscarried a child when she was 8 weeks pregnant, and grieved that loss deeply. They never knew the sex of the baby, but experienced a void where that little life would have been. Colton's parents had certainly never told him about this miscarriage, not exactly a conversation you have with a then-3-year-old. Colton told his parents that he met his sister, who has no name, and that his sister told him she died in his mommy's tummy. How would Colton know all of this? 

The story of Colton meeting his deceased sister in Heaven was poignant for me. I have always been pro-choice. I believe that in every incident of rape or incest that results in pregnancy, the woman should have the right to decide how to proceed with the pregnancy. Though I have been confident in my pro-choice beliefs, I have always been unsure about when exactly "life" starts. Is it at conception? Is it at birth? Is it at the 3rd trimester? This segment of the book changed how I look at abortion. Pursuing a career in medicine, it is fairly easy for me to depersonalize abortion and think of it as a few cells that have been multiplying...not yet a child. But the fact that Colton met his sister in Heaven, and that he proclaimed, "She's okay. God adopted her" --- really has got me second-guessing my previous feelings on the topic.

The cynical and scientific side of me immediately jumps to questioning the validity of the story. How do we know what Colton really revealed to his parents? Was Todd Burpo looking for a payout by writing a book about his son's experience? Was he looking for a slice of fame or to increase the numbers within his congregation? But all of these questions I found myself asking go against the very purpose of the book - and that purpose is the strengthening of faith - faith in God, faith in Jesus, and faith that Heaven is real. 

It made me smile to read Colton's accounts of what God is like, what Jesus is like, what angels are like, and what Heaven is like. It bolsters my hope in a wonderful after-life, and uplifts me. His description of beauty, rainbows, light, and peace are exactly what I hope for Heaven to be. I also smiled when I read that Colton told his dad there are lots of animals in Heaven - it's comforting to know that our on-Earth companions will be at our side once again in Heaven. 

I HIGHLY recommend this book to you! It is only 150 pages, and reads super super quickly. Even if you aren't a religious person, I think you'll enjoy it. At least your curiosity might be piqued enough to investigate the notions of religion and Heaven further. It can't hurt to take a look at this one!

Have you read this book?
What did you think?
Cheers to this beautiful read :)

francesca's kitchen

Howdy! I hope you are all enjoying the new year! I have really cleaned up my eating habits, and I feel wonderful! The sunshine is shining bright in the sky here in Colorado, giving me lots of opportunities to get outside and be active with my puppy dogs without freezing my butt off!

I finished my first book of 2013 --- and of course I had to share my read with you :)

Francesca's Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli


This lovely story follows Francesca Campanile, an elderly Italian woman with a great love for good food and big families. With her husband having passed away years ago, and her children grown and now living all across the United States, she has a persistent loneliness and lack of purpose. She decides to answer a local advertisement for a nanny position. Loretta is a single mother to Penny and Will, the loves of her life. But she can't seem to catch a break. She feels like she is drowning and can't find the piece of her life puzzle that brings calm and happiness. Francesca's presence in her home brings a new love for cooking and re-instills the value of "togetherness" in the little family. Francesca needs the family, and the family needs her.

This book is happy and warm, a little gem. Not necessarily the best book I have ever read, but it is encouraging to read stories where hope leads to happiness in a world where much sadness is experienced. 

I started Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo last night, and of course I'll report back to you with what I think of it when I'm finished :)

Happy reading!
Cheers!

welcome to twenty thirteen

Hey all! I know it has been a month since I have posted! I am surprised at myself, because I finished finals for my 4th semester of PA school on December 14th, so I figured I would be on here before this! I had an intense and amazing fall semester, and I can't believe I only have 1 semester of classes left before I hit my clinical year! SO EXCITING!!!

First things first --- just want to inform you all that I did meet my goal of 12 books read in 2012. Kind of had to cram books in on break time (summer, Thanksgiving), since after studying 8 hours a day every day, the last thing my eyeballs usually feel like doing is reading a book, even if it is for leisure! My last book of 2012 is something special to me, it is a little book called 

God's Minute: 365 Daily Affirmations for Positive Prayer
 

Each night before bed, my husband and I would read the quote and the accompanying Bible Verse. It took no more than 30 seconds, and it was always a great note to end the day on. Reminded, right before bed, that God is looking out for me, holding my hand through trying times, and supporting me to be the best version of myself I can possibly be. It was a great habit to get into, and I'm glad we saw the entire book through! 

I recommend this little gem for sure!

I am currently reading Francesca's Kitchen --- and I hope to be able to finish that + at least one more book before I get back to school! I would like to say my goal is to read 13 books in 2013, but I think I'll stick to my one book/month goal --- let's not get too lofty, here :)

Any recent book recommendations? I think next on my list is Fifty Shades Darker and Heaven is For Real {I realize I sound like an insane person, listing those two vastly different books int he same sentence}. Whatever, I like variety :)

Cheers to a good read!
Cheers to 2012 --- the experiences it brought and the lessions I learned!
Cheers to 2013 --- may I become an improved version of myself!   

fifty shades of emotions

Hey friends! I know I've been a stranger...back to school will do that! I just wanted to stop by for a little book review! If you can't guess from the title, I finally read Fifty Shades of Grey. Book #11 out of my goal of 12 books in 2012! Yay :) I wanted to read this book, just to know what all the hype and fuss was about, so I read it. 

My first reaction:

• Why are people calling it "housewife porn" like that's a bad thing? If wives everywhere are reading this sexy book, it's probably increasing married sex rates everywhere, and thus saving marriages everywhere! {Like my logic?} Kudos, E. L. James, you have probably done what therapy couldn't for some couples. 

My second reaction:

• Whoa. That was INTENSE. 

I went through just about every emotion under the sun with this book. The book follows Anastasia Steele as she is finishing up her undergraduate experience. She fills in for her roommate {Kate}, and interviews the young, strikingly handsome, self-made billionaire Christian Grey for the school newspaper. The effect that Christian has on Ana is immediate, undeniable, and a first for her. As they keep finding reasons to meet again, it becomes clear that the electrical energy dancing between the two of them will quickly lead to something. When it does, it is hot. It is kind of a fantasy novel then, because Christian Grey is just incredibly alluring, even on paper. 

However, as things progress, and Christian's kinky preferences become more apparent, I was a little put off. Not unlike our lead character Ana. I found myself amazed at the way with which the author successfully got me to mirror Ana's emotions throughout the story. My "Fifty Shades of Emotions" response goes as follows:

• Attraction to Mr. Grey
• Jaw dropped at his erotic nature
• Unease about his intensity
• Creeped out by his possessive/stalkerish tendencies
• Vehement feeling that Ana should say "no" to Christian's indecent proposals
• Sadness when Ana is subjected to her first "spanking" by Christian. I can't tell you how strange this whole scene was for me. Christian "punishes" Ana for rolling her eyes at him. And this punishment involves a spanking session that is meant to be erotic, yet stinging. The aftermath is that Ana feels diminished, and as small and valueless as a person can. Then Christian tries to make it okay. And I cried. I cried because I feel like this is what any victim of abuse may go through. The assailant trying to justify his/her actions, and the victim learning to trust the assailant and letting him/her do as he/she pleases out of love for the assailant. It was a very confusing emotional response. And I kind of wrote Mr. Grey off at that point. 
• Pity for Mr. Grey when you find out more about the childhood that gave him such a tormented soul with an aversion for typical expressions of love
• Wary intrigue as he opens up his mind and sexual sides to Ana
• Turned on by the loving side of him that is capable
• Disgusted by the dominant side of him that is also capable. 

Mr. Grey is like a double-sided coin. The shiniest, most irresistible coin you've ever seen. This book made me think a lot about S&M and the psychology behind it all. Which, I have never done before. And it turns out the psychology of that kind of sexuality is extremely complex. There are 2 consenting adults, right? Well, what if the dominant adult has captivated the submissive adult with his charm and wit and dazzling looks, then is she influenced to do things she doesn't want to do? Does that make it still 100% consenting and okay? She literally goes through the emotions that an abuse victim does, which is anguishing to read.

This novel certainly was interesting. Interesting in content, style, storyline, and themes. It is thought-provoking in ways I never thought possible, and left me with a lot of questions. 

Questions that just may be answered in the sequels...

 

Yes, I am planning on reading the sequels. Such an relationship develops between Ana and Christian, and I need to know what happens. Turned out to be much deeper of a story than I anticipated. 

Also --- Christian Grey is just a fantasy character. I like looking at who the public would like cast as Christian if a movie adaptation were ever made {how would they pull that off??? I mean, it is very pornographic...}

I was picturing Matt Bomer the ENTIRE TIME. A stunning man (also gay I heard).

Intriguing and fantastical. Not the best book I've ever read, but not as shallow as I thought it was going to be. Unique and unexpected --- Cheers to reading :)

wicked bossypants

Hi, Strangers!!!
 

I know, it's been a month since the last time I have posted...and I also realize that the last time I posted...it was a book review. And probably the post before that, too. Haha. 

Nonetheless, I am very happy to report to you that I have completed two more books, which brings my 2012 total to 10! [For those of you who don't know, I have a personal goal of reading 12 books this year]

Here are my book reviews :)

Book #9 : Bossypants by Tina Fey

Let me just say that I LOVE TINA FEY. Now that that's out there, I can tell you that, while her book was a lot of fun, it wasn't what I would call a good book. I admire her breaking the comedian mold and brazenly being a comedienne who doesn't give a shit about whether or not people like what she does or says. She has made a name for herself, has one of the most famous impersonations ever (Sarah Palin, dontchaknow), and is the boss of her own TV show (30 Rock, in case you don't pay attention to TV ever). Her book is like an exaggerated Tina Fey history, or her favorite snippets and defining moments throughout life. 

My husband and I actually decided to read this book together, meaning that I read the entire book out loud to us! I read it before bed, in the car, wherever we were with a little time to kill. We both had dozens of LOL moments, because she just uses the most fabulous phrases to describe the numerous awkward situations she has been the star of in her lifetime. 

My only regret is that I am about 15 years too young to understand a lot of the pop culture references she uses throughout the book. We spent a lot of time googling the names of kind of famous people from the 80s. 

Overall, I grade this book a B. No real plotline, just chapters of Tina Fey rambling about this or that. It's funny, and I love Tina Fey (though not 30 Rock). Have you read this book? What did you think?

Book #10 : Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Wicked is not exactly a new book. It was first published in 1996. I first read it in 2006 I think. And I LOVED it when I read it. It wasn't until I saw the play Wicked (which is based on this book) in April, and I didn't recognize the ending, that I realized I never finished the book! Sure enough, when I picked up my copy of Wicked in May, I realized my bookmark was wedged in the pages, about halfway through the book! So, I recently picked it up where I left off in '06.

Wicked is basically the Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. And I am a HUGE FAN of books based on different perspectives (Room, The Art of Racing in the Rain!!!) The story of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) begins before her birth, as you learn about the history of Munchkinland, Oz, and her parents. She is born green, and, because of this, is feared by all. You can certainly gain some empathy for a little 2-year-old who is hated and feared because of how she was born. The story follows Elphaba as she goes to college and rooms with Glinda (yes, the Good Witch) --- my favorite part! There are political goings on in Oz, propaganda led by the Wizard, and assassin missions throughout the city. Then comes Dorothy Gale. Dorothy doesn't actually arrive into the plot until page 330, but the history of Elphaba all leads up to this encounter with Dorothy over those damned ruby slippers. 

Wicked is so unique, and is a passionate tale of a girl who grew up in response to how those around her treated her. A victim of circumstance who got a bad rap. I recommend anything by Gregory Maguire, as he does a great job of creating a back-story about individuals typically portrayed as villains (Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister).

What's on your nightstand? What's on your Nook? I think I have time for one or two more books this summer! One is going to be Fifty Shades of Gray (just because I'm so damned curious!) and the second isn't decided yet...

Until next time! CHEERS and READ ON :)

readathon

Hey y'all! It's book review time again :) I have MANY goals to accomplish over the summer, and one of my goals I am doing well with is reading as many leisure books as I can. During the school year, I tried to read books that had nothing to do with school, but I didn't have the time or the energy at the end of the day to stay awake for longer than 10 minutes of bedtime reading. I am steadily trucking along towards my goal of reading 12 books in 2012, and I have my latest 3 book reviews for you! 

 

Book #6 : The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham

Madeleine Wickham (pen name is Sophie Kinsella, author of the Confessions of a Shopaholic series) does it again. And by IT, I mean she writes a book that is very typical of her, starring a female protagonist who has a penchant for keeping secrets from her loved ones and enjoys champagne a great deal. So, the vibe is the same as most (all?) of her books I have read. The aforementioned protagonist eventually lands herself in a great deal of trouble by keeping secrets for so many years, and instead of coming clean, she digs herself a great big hole in an effort to keep her secrets hidden. 

It's not that I disliked the book, I just thought that eventually she would be a little more creative with her plots. But I suppose that's why authors develop a fan base --- because the fans repeatedly get what they want. This fan is kind of over it (does that make me a fan at all?) I think that after reading 8 of Wickham/Kinsella's books...I'm calling it quits. Except of course, for when it comes to the continuation of the Shopaholic series. I'll read it. I know it.

Book #7 : Divergent by Veronica Roth

I had been hearing a little buzz about Divergent from a few friends who insisted it was on par with the Hunger Games. So, naturally I had to check it out. Similar writing style for a similar audience (young adult), similar overall theme (futuristic America turned dystopia), with a strong female protagonist and a bit of a love story sprinkled in. All things I love in a story. So overall I did enjoy this book. This book lacked a little of the power of the Hunger Games, you know, the way that book made your heart race throughout its entirety? 

What it lacked in power, this book made up with in the topic of human nature. It made me question a lot of what characteristics of ours are inherent versus learned, come naturally versus difficult to embrace, deep within our soul versus easily discarded under the right circumstances. This story follows a 16-year-old girl as she decides her fate, and what faction she will live with for the rest of her life. Will she choose to stay with her family in the Abnegation faction and be defined by selflessness? Or will she transfer factions and choose Amity (peacefulness), Dauntless (bravery), Candor (honesty), or Erudite (intelligence). Each faction places one human characteristic above all others and strives to be defined by that one characteristic. I would say this is a worthwhile series for you to get into if you like the dystopian theme :)

Book #8: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Not going to lie, the badass tree logo on the front of this book is rekindling my desire to get a small tree tattoo. I have wanted a tree tattoo since like 2004...and I have been diligently trying to not become a completely tatted up work of art (supposedly it's more difficult to be taken seriously in the professional world...whatever)...but the Amity symbol makes my mind race with redesigns and ways of making it my own. 

Anyway...Insurgent was a great follow up to Divergent. Full of action and furthered my questions about the reality of human nature. Is the world black and white? Can we separate the good and the evil? The brave can be cruel. The peaceful can be naive. What characteristics define you as a person? And are the characteristics that define you what you strive to be on a daily basis, or do you strive to improve upon your weaknesses? 

Lastly --- Really, Ms. Roth? You're leaving me with a massive cliffhanger until November of 2013??? Well played. I will be waiting in line somewhere to read your follow up when it is released! 

What great reads are you working on? I am finally going to read Bossy Pants by Tina Fey --- so excited! Naturally, I'll report back to you with my opinion of it. 

Read on!

Cheers :)

reading rainbow

Hey bookworms!

So I am so happy to announce that I have completed my second book of the summer (books #4 and #5 of the year...still trucking along to my goal of 12 non-school-books in 2012!) I will actually be THRILLED if I make it through 12 leisure books this year! 

Book #4: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

I first heard of this book from a friend who recommended it to me, then mentioned that Leonardo DiCaprio is supposed to star in a film adaptation of it at some point in the future. Uhhh if Leo is making a movie of it --- it has to be amazing, right??? When I went to buy the book, I had to purchase it in the US History section. WTF? I have never truly read a historical nonfiction book I don't think. I was skeptical, but the prospect of me reading a book that Leo will later star in won over the skepticism. 

 

I'm pretty sure I started this book in February...and it took me 4 months to read! Not that it is a bad book, it just alternates between entrancing and dull...

The chapters that had me hooked followed H.H. Holmes in the late 1800s. He is a wealthy physician with gorgeous blue eyes that make the ladies melt. He also has a habit of wooing then killing these ladies. Oh and he further dissects his cadavers in the basement of his self-designed mansion, that has a built-in sound-proof vault and a kiln for disposing of the evidence. (Leo is rumored to be playing this character in the film adaptation)

Between the H.H. Holmes chapters is the story of the development of the Chicago World's Fair, which took place in 1893. The architects, the landscape architects, the mayor, the builders...there were hundreds of thousands of people involved in the development of this fair, which included hundreds of buildings that overall covered over a mile of land just outside of Chicago. They faced setback after setback, whether it be another architect dying from cholera, a frigid winter that delays building, or one of many workman's' strikes that occurred during that time period. 

The story of H.H. Holmes and the Chicago World's Fair eventually collide, as Holmes uses the popularity of the fair to find his new victims. 

I actually learned a lot from this book, about Shredded Wheat, Walt Disney, the invention of the Ferris Wheel, and Buffalo Bill. Not the most gripping book, but certainly different from my usual book choices, and I really hope to be able to see Leonardo DiCaprio's interpretation of Holmes on the big screen in the near future! In summary, I recommend it, but grade it a B- .

Book #5: Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (the author of the Confessions of a Shopaholic series --- aka Sophie Kinsella)

After reading a book as serious and dark as The Devil in the White City, I needed a girly pick-me-up book. I've mentioned to you all in the past how I like to alternate between serious and silly books, it keeps my reading life balanced somehow! 

 

This book follows three lovely London ladies, in the prime of their lives. Best friends, the trio works for an upscale London magazine. Maggie is the magazine's editor, is due any minute to have her first baby, and has absolutely no idea what to expect from motherhood! Roxanne is a sun-kissed freelance writer, whose heart belongs to a married man. And Candice is a perpetual do-gooder, constantly trying to better the world to compensate for the many lives her father ruined when he was alive. The three women each encounter life-changing challenges, and try to manage these challenges without the support of each other. 

A very quick read, it is a sweet story of friendship and loyalty. I recommend it if you need a bubbly pick-me-up and if you enjoy this type of writing style :) Overall grade of B+

Currently: working on The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham, re-reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire, and a few bedside table books. I think I'm going to start Divergent (by Veronica Roth) tonight, too!

On my summer list of books sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, I have:

- Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo

- Little Bee by Chris Cleave

- Shine by Lauren Myracle

- Francesca's Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli

- Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

- Dog Years by Mark Doty

- Blink by Malcom Gladwell 

That doesn't even include books I don't own that I want to read!

- Bossy Pants

- The Glass Castle

- The Tiger's Wife

- Fifty Shades of Grey

- The Book Thief

- Chelsea Handler books

and I'm sure there are many more in my head!!!

Is there anything you think I should add to the list???

I will be pretty busy with reading but I would LOVE to make it through this whole list!

What are you reading right now? Read anything amazing lately?

CHEERS :)

pinterest, much?

Hey Blogland!!!

I have been MIA lately due to this small thing called grad school. Takes up a ridiculous amount of time, and blogging is usually the first thing to go when I'm lacking free time!

But I did thought I should check in, say hello, and share a few things with you!

A little background --- I love pinterest. Don't we all? From adorable pictures of kittens and puppies cuddling to delicious recipes to innovative DIY projects, there is just so much to enjoy on that website! The last month, I have actually had it on my "to-do" list to actually make something that I see on pinterest. Here are some of the pinterest things I've done:

I've made lemon crinkle cookies:

I've made homemade scarves out of old T-shirts

I tried marbling my nails (HORRIBLE FAIL --- these are NOT my nails, haha)

 

and yesterday, I made the Date Jar! (Or Pineapple can in our case)

The idea behind the Date Jar is so cute! Couples tend to get in a rut of the types of dates the go out on. "Dinner and a movie? Order me the usual." Or in Tyler/my case, we just don't go on dates anymore really. We are so busy during the week, that during the weekends we just want to snuggle with the dogs on the couch. Which is fine, but sometimes we have got to just MAKE ourselves go on a date! Case in point, it is March 4th and we still haven't gone on our Valentine's Day dinner date.

So, to make a Date Jar, you buy craft popsicle sticks, and write date ideas on them! I did SUCH randome ones. From "donate blood together" to "Bed and Breakfast in Estes Park" to "puzzle and pizza night" --- I just made a bunch of dates that we would both love to do! I then labeled these date sticks with colored stickers, which indicate whether the date takes some planning, is a stay-at-home date, or whether it requires nice whether. Then once every other week, we can draw a stick and that is the date we are going to do! I'm super excited about it :)

Color-coded sticker key, I taped it to the side of our Date Jar 

Last night was our first date stick, and we drew "Read a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book together." So we went over to Barnes and Noble, found the young readers section, and found the choose-your-own-adventures. We spent a couple of hours reading and laughing as we did the book together last night. It was so fun, and very different from how we usually spend Saturday nights!

Also...I'm totally counting that book as my 3rd read of 2012 (I still have that goal of reading 12 books this year). I know it's kind of a cheat...but whatever. It's over 100 pgs and I read it, so I say it counts :)
Have you done anything fun off of Pinterest lately???
What are the best/most creative dates you have been on before?

Hope all is well with each and every one of you!
CHEERS!

committed

Friends, it is with a HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF that I am able to announce to you that I have at last finished reading the book Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert, my second book of 2012.

I am willing to bet that many of you thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. I read it a few years ago and fell in love with Gilbert's story of finding peace within herself after a dramatic divorce. It wasn't a page-turner, but rather every page made me think. I adored it. It took me months to finish, but merely because I wasn't in any hurry to finish it. 

I bought Gilbert's "follow-up" to Eat, Pray, Love because I thought it might contain some of the wit, travel, and personal growth segments that I enjoyed so much in Eat, Pray, Love. I was wrong. While this book took me months to finish (5 to be exact), it was not because I was enjoying it immensely and wanted to avoid the end. I have been pleading with the book to go by faster. Begging it to end. Willing myself to read more than 15 pages at a time (nearly impossible with this book). 

 Unfortunately, Committed is no where NEAR the "gem" status that Eat, Pray, Love is. Committed is more like Gilbert's frantic attempt to make peace with the institution of marriage. It is like a diary filled with her frustrations and inner arguments...and most diaries probably shouldn't be published.  

You guys know me, I tend to find the positive in any movie, book, tv show...I rarely review things poorly. While this book had some interesting historical facts on the evolution of Western marriage (yes, hundreds of pages are devoted to the history of Western marriage), these tidbits are not enough to make a good book. I found it overall dull, dragging from page to page. And Gilbert's constant insistence that living life as an unmarried childless woman is completely fulfilling almost made me feel like she was defending her choices too much. Like maybe she doesn't really believe that herself, you know?

I am certainly glad to bid adieu to this book, and do not recommend it to you! At least not if you are looking for a book similar in any way to Eat, Pray, Love. Maybe read it if you are interested in the history of marriage practices. Or if you need a bedside book that will put you to sleep within 20 minutes. I must say I am dedicated when it comes to finishing books; I don't like to give up on books, just in case they are going to be amazing in the end. Not the case with this book, though!

I started The Education of Little Tree last night, a book my grandma gave me for Christmas, and I'm hoping that it has a lot more zest and good writing than Committed did!

What's on your bedside table right now?

Cheers!

genesis

Happy Weekend to you all!!!
I realize I have yet to update you all on how my holidays went and what I've been up to on break, but that will come, I promise.

This post is to discuss my first "book" of 2012. This may be somewhat of a cheat. That's why I have "book" in quotation marks. There are two reasons why this is probably a cheat:

1) I started it in 2011. Then does it really count as a 2012 read?
2) What I read is the book of Genesis, 1 of the many books within the Bible (which is also a book).

Nonetheless, this is my blog, and the reading of 12 books is my goal, so I'm going to consider it a book I have completed in 2012. It is over 100 pages, the majority of which were read after NYE, and that's my justification.

My husband and I aren't overtly religious, but we do like to say prayers of thanks for all of our blessings in life, and I do like the type of person that religion encourages me to be. Anyway, last fall we decided we'd eventually like to read the Bible from cover to cover. It's not like a goal that we have to accomplish within a year or anything like that, just eventually. Like a perpetual work in progress. Now we read it right before bed when we're not too tired (actually - I read aloud, Tyler listens with his eyes suspiciously closed). And I like it. I like it because we have a version of the Bible with modern day language, which removes a lot of the effort that I usually have to put forth into figuring out what exactly is being said. I like it because we discuss things we don't understand or even agree with. Can you be religious and disagree with the Bible? I guess so, because that's how we operate.

I'm just excited to have started on the journey of reading the most popular book in the history of the world! The book of Genesis is a great book - one where I learned a lot about the history words like Isreal, God, Hebrew. I like reading the Bible because even if you think you know a story, Hollywood has done a good job at romanticizing everything. Take the movie The Ten Commandments for instance. Imagine my surprise upon reading the first part of Exodus last night that there is no forbidden love story between Moses and an Egyptian woman! I guess I assumed it was all straight from the Bible...kind of dumb, I know.

And I must add that I will be quite impressed with us if we ever get through the whole thing! Although, maybe after reading the whole Bible I will have finally learned humility and thus won't be impressed with myself...nahhhh ;)

Have any of you read the Bible in its entirety before?
Working on it currently?
(reminder --- comments from friends and followers, both old and new, are highly encouraged!)

Cheers to literature that sparks discussion :)

room

Well, with only 3 days to spare, I am happy to report that I have finally finished my 12th book of the year! Reading 12 books in 12 months was one of my goals for 2011, and I am thrilled that I met my goal! Thankfully, I was way ahead of the count before I started school, because I haven't had much time for leisure reading since June! Here is the list of my 2011 reads and links to my book reviews if you're curious about any of them :)

1. Mini Shopaholic

2. The Help

3. The Art of Racing in the Rain --- Tied for my top read of 2011!!!

4. Twenties Girl

5. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

6. The Girl Who Plays with Fire

7. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

8. Shanghai Girls

9. Hunger Games --- Tied for my top read of 2011!!!

10. Catching Fire

11. Mockingjay

12. Room --- see review below

Room, a novel by Emma Donoghue, is unlike anything else I have ever read. Inspired by true events, although a fictional story, Room is narrated by our 5-year-old protagonist Jack. Jack's mother was kidnapped off the streets at 19 years old, and has been held captive by Old Nick for 7 years. Jack was born into captivity and has never set foot outside of their soundproof, escape-proof shack located in Old Nick's back yard. To Jack, Room is home. 

Eventually fed up with the life of slaves, and willing to risk everything for freedom, Jack's mother devises a plan for escape. Throughout the book, Jack's perspective on reality undergoes drastic changes. To begin with, he only knows tangible things in Room to be real; everything else is only on TV. Then, his mother tries to explain to him about the world outside of Room. But how impossible would it be to imagine the vastness of the world having never set foot in it? Then, upon his escape, he must relearn everything he thought he new about the world.

Though the setting is a seemingly tragic situation, Room is a beautiful story. It is one about the bond between a mother and a son. It is one about how confinement affects human development. And it is a story of healing after pain. 

This book is told from a perspective unlike any I have ever read, and I highly recommend it. It is thought-provoking, and unique in that a 5-year-old is the hero of our story. :)

What were your favorite reads of 2011???

I still have 2 1/2 weeks left of break and I'd love to squeeze in a few more reads!

I've been working on Elizabeth Gilbert's Committed, her follow-up to Eat, Pray, Love for nearly 6 months...and let's just say it's nothing like her best seller! Any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Cheers to literature and expanding our viewpoints beyond any perspective we've ever imagined :)

the hunger games

Howdy! 

Today I took Part 1 of my Anatomy FINAL [Hallelujah!!!], and I have declared the rest of today a closed book/notes day! Now, let me tell you a little bit about the hold Anatomy has taken on my life this summer. 2 hours of Anatomy lecture 4 mornings each week. 8 hours of scheduled dissection lab per week. But, you see, this part is sneaky. They schedule you for 8 hours, but one week my lab group actually spent 22 hours in lab. I keep waiting for that to be comical to me, but it's still too soon ;) 

Dissection lab was such an incredible opportunity for me for SO many reasons. Obviously, I learned a hellofalot! Like, a lot a lot. I am incapable of learning anything else right now, so don't bother to try to get me to listen to anything you might need me to remember later, because I most likely won't even comprehend what you are saying. It is such a blessing that my PA Program [yeah, for you new readers, I started school to become a Physician Assistant in June] has such an incredible lab opportunity. I am so grateful for the body donors for choosing to let me become educated so well on the human body. Being thrown into an interesting/uncomfortable-at-first situation such as cadaver dissection with 3 strangers also forces pretty quick bonding. So, from this experience, I made 3 really wonderful friends. What better way to get to know someone than stick them in a lab together for hours upon hours?!?! But here is a picture of my lab group, affectionately known as "Team Dubs" because we're the W last names in our class :)

This picture cracks me up, it's our typical attitudes during lab. Clearly, I was irritated often enough to earn the reputation a the one with attitude. Haha :)

Anyway [you know how I like my tangents], my point in explaining the time commitment of Anatomy to you is that it has kind of taken over my life. I was reading Anatomy terms/study guides every night before bed, and often dreaming about it. I even would startle awake in the middle of the night by a single anatomical word that seemed to be screaming at me in my head. Sound asleep one second, then "GUBERNACULUM!" and I was awake.

I mean, as nice as body parts are, I got pretty tired of thinking about Anatomy even in my sleep. So I decided to do a bit of light leisure reading before bed. I was thinking I would read for maybe 15 minutes each night just to calm my brain a bit, and direct it to thinking about other things. So I picked up The Hunger Games, a book I bought months ago that has been sitting oh-so-patiently on my bookshelf. Well, turns out that book is not the kind you read calmly for 15 minutes before bed! It is a *page turner*!!! I'm talking on the same level as Angels and Demons or Harry Potter #6. Oh yeah. I ended up reading it in 4 days just so that I could focus on studying again haha. I adored it! And here is my book review for you:

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

 Sometime in the future [no, this book isn't strange sci-fi futuristic], North America is destroyed by natural disasters. The surviving people live in Panem, a nation divided into a Capitol and twelve districts. The Capitol maintains its power over the districts in every way possible, and namely they do so by controlling the food available to its people. One way the Capitol asserts its power is to mandate the annual Hunger Games, a brutal fight-to-the-death between 24 of the districts' children. 

One girl and one boy from each district are chosen by lottery to go fight in these nation-wide televised games. Out of the 24 contestants, only 1 can survive. Katniss Everdeen is the book's protagonist. A 16-year-old girl who comes from extreme poverty seems the most unlikely of champions. She, and a classmate named Peeta, are chosen to represent their district in the Hunger Games. The desolate arena in which they are dropped into to fight for their lives holds every form of danger imaginable - and beyond. 


This book reminds me a bit of a cross between The Giver and 1984. It is suspenseful, involves a love story, yet is a wonderfully easy read. Central themes include the fight for self-preservation - both instinctually and societally. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a gripping read! Plus, The Hunger Games is coming out as a movie in March of 2012, and the cast looks phenomenal!You'd better read it before it comes to theaters!


The Hunger Games was my read #9 of 2011 [I think I might hit my goal of 12 books!], and it is actually the first of 3 in the series. I requested the sequels Catching Fire and Mockingjay from my school's interlibrary loan, and I can't wait to read them!!!


Anything exceptional you've read lately?
Cheers [to great lit!]