I've been plugging away trying hard to meet my goal of reading 75 books this year. I'm so close I can taste it! I'm going to have to be picky about my last few books to make sure I don't select a long, boring book that takes me extra time to read. Here's a short summary of what I read in October and November:
1. The Cuckoo's Calling - J.K. Rowling: I have a hard time describing this one to people. I enjoyed the story about a hard-luck detective asked to look into the death of a famous model. The writing was well done, and the characters were interesting but I felt the book was too long. I think if she could have taken a few scenes out she could have taken out 100 pages which would have made the story move a little more quickly.
2. The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater: This was a YA book selected as one of our book club selections for the year. I found aspects to this book to be refreshing and different that many, many other YA books. I like that the author steered away from the traps I feel many YA authors fall into. Unfortunately I can't get into great detail as I will spoil the plot but it was a good read. My only beef with it was that I had no idea it was going to carry on into a second book so I was disappointed I didn't have any closure, yet!
3. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods - Suzanne Collins: This series just does not get old! I am really enjoying each book and the new missions Gregor ends up on. Suzanne does a great job coming up with interesting settings and new characters. This journey has Gregor in search of a cure to a deadly virus. Read the series, it's a great one!
4. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood: I have always wanted to read this book ever since seeing part of the movie back in the 90's. This is the first book of Margaret's I've ever read and all I can say is that I can't wait to read more of her work. Her story of a future America where women are used essentially as concubines to reproduce is bleak and yet moving. I can see why it's considered a classic work of literature and made it onto the 501 Must Read List.
5. Coraline - Neil Gaiman: With every book I read of Neil's the more I fall in love with his work. The tale of Coraline is so wonderfully creepy!! I can't imagine reading it to my kids as it's a little too scary for little ones but I sure enjoyed it. Coraline discovers a new door in her house which leads to another home very similar, and yet very different to her own. Her other mother and other father want her to stay in their version of her house but Coraline soon realizes this is not a good idea. Original and creepy, a great mix!
6. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card: I'm on a roll with books that I've enjoyed! Again I felt this story had many original concepts and honestly an ending I didn't see coming until very close to the end. This story is about humans training children to help fight a race of bug-like aliens that attacked Earth in the past. I haven't had a chance to see the movie yet but hear it's a good adaptation to the book. The only thing I had trouble with in this book was the racism.
7. Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Jules Verne: Annnnnd here my streak of great, enjoyable books ends. I really struggled to get through this book. I know it's a classic but I found it to be very difficult to get through at times. While the idea had merit, Verne got so bogged down with the initial trip details that when they finally got there the centre didn't seem like a very interesting place to go. I'd have to say if you're going to read about the centre of the Earth go read the above mentioned series in #3.
November
1. Divergent - Veronica Roth: Finally! I waited over a year for this book to come out! Sadly there were so many details I didn't remember about the ending of Insurgent that I was baffled by a few things. I really did myself a disservice by not reading the last few chapters of Insurgent before picking this one up. Of the trilogy I have to say this was the slowest moving one but I think the ending fit the series so well done Veronica!
2. Dark Places - Gillian Flynn: This is the story of a young girl who had her family murdered when she was 7 and she was the key witness in getting her teen aged brother charged with the murders. As an adult Libby is paid to go back and talk to some of the people from her past to see if she really saw what she thought she saw. Gillian does a good job moving back and forth in the story from the sequence of events from the past to how Libby is discovering new facts in the present. Interesting and easy read.
3. When did you see her last? - Lemony Snickey: This is the second book in the series that follows Lemony as a preteen as an apprentice in secret society. In this story he's searching for a missing young promising scientist. It's a super enjoyable series!
4. Beatrice & virgil: Yann Martel: What a weird book! Generally it's about a successful writer named Henry who has suffered a writing setback and floats through a series of jobs and hobbies. The weird part is he stumbles upon a fan who requests Henry's help with his own writing about Beatrice and virgil, a story about a monkey and donkey who are friends. The story takes a turn I didn't expect and leaves you feeling a little creeped out. It's an odd book for sure!
5. Gregor and the Marks of Secret - Suzanne Collins: Book 4 in the Underland series and just as good as the previous books. I can't really say much about it without spoiling parts of the book so I'll just say it's really good!
6. The Fantastic Mr. Fox - Roald Dahl. Roald is another author I like who comes up with the most unique stories to tell. I enjoyed reading this one with my 5 year old son. I like how ingenuitive Mr. Fox was to keep his family and friends alive. Cute book.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
A Job Well Done
I just wanted to send a quick post out to everyone who contributed to our 2nd Because Edmonton Cares Diaper Drive in support of the Edmonton Food Bank.
We had our first company donation of 1,800 diapers which was a huge boost! We also had several people who asked their friends and family for diapers/formula in lieu of gifts at birthday parties; they raised hundreds of diapers and multiple cans of formula.
In just about 3 weeks we donated 5,000 diapers (twice our goal), 36 cans of formula, 14 tins of formula and 24 packages of baby wipes. The Edmonton Food Bank was taken aback at how large our donation was this time; we took up an entire pallet!
So I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who donated. It means so much to me that you took the time to sort through your closets, meet me for a pick-up, or go to the store and buy a donation. You are GREATLY appreciated and are helping to make this city even better.
A job well done Edmonton, a job well done.
We had our first company donation of 1,800 diapers which was a huge boost! We also had several people who asked their friends and family for diapers/formula in lieu of gifts at birthday parties; they raised hundreds of diapers and multiple cans of formula.
In just about 3 weeks we donated 5,000 diapers (twice our goal), 36 cans of formula, 14 tins of formula and 24 packages of baby wipes. The Edmonton Food Bank was taken aback at how large our donation was this time; we took up an entire pallet!
So I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who donated. It means so much to me that you took the time to sort through your closets, meet me for a pick-up, or go to the store and buy a donation. You are GREATLY appreciated and are helping to make this city even better.
A job well done Edmonton, a job well done.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
August and September Book Reviews
There's just so many wonderful stories out there I wish I had more time to read and then write about each one I encounter. Alas, I must keep these short or I 'll never do them anymore!
1. The Silver Stay - Jeannette Walls: What I liked about this novel is I think it's the first where she hasn't based it off her own, or the life of one of her relatives. It's the story of two sisters who are abandoned by their mother and need to make their own way to stay with an uncle they've never met. They encounter a bit more stability with their uncle but also some challenges with the community and an employer. What is sweet is they get to uncover bits and pieces of their mother's past and learn a little more about where they came from while growing closer to each other and their uncle. All in all very enjoyable.
2. Mistress of the Sun - Sandra Gulland: Sandra is the author of the Josephine B. Trilogy, which I really enjoyed, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It's about the woman who becomes the mistress of Louis XIV of France. There is a large back story of how she became noticed by Louis XIV and it takes up at least 1/3 of the book. The character is interesting though there is so much plotting and back-stabbing you tend to forget who is good and who is bad. The book is historical fiction so it is enjoyable but leaves you wondering what is real and what is not.
3. I Am Legend - Richard Matheson: One of my 501 books I was happy to read because I'd already seen the movie and enjoyed it. I was really surprised to see how very different it was from the movie!! Why did the movie not take more of the original story as it was well worth a translation to screen. The last known survivor on earth is fighting zombies that used to be his neighbours, friends, etc. and at the same time is trying to learn what happened. It's an incredible struggle for him to daily endure the taunts of these creatures and have no one and seemingly no hope. Give this book a read as the ending is well worth a good discussion with others who have read it.
4. InterWorld - Neil Gaiman: I pretty much love everything Neil writes so just go buy his stuff :)
This is a story of Joey who discovers he can walk between different variations of Earth and our timeline. He's not the only one as he's joined by the other versions of himself who can do the same thing! They battle two sets of other worldly beings who are bent on using the versions of Joey to their advantage. Pretty cool ideas and enjoyable for people of all ages.
5. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare: I saw this movie was scheduled to come out so figured I'd give it a try. What I like is that it has some original ideas when it comes to teen lit/fantasy. It even has some neat twists in the end. It's is much better than the movie (as usual) and if you've read the book you likely didn't enjoy everything the omitted that was great about the books. It's about Clary who discovers she has some abilities to see a secret world within our world. She realizes her mother has been hiding the truth from her and embarks on a journey to find out all the secrets as well as stop a madman who is threatening her family. Fun times.
6. The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing - Tarquin Hall: This is another adventure of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator. Right now I'd have to say this is creeping onto the lists of my current favourite series I'm reading. I love the character of Vish because he's smart and crafty but also vain, proud and humourous; to me it makes him more real than some other characters. These stories never turn out to be about just 1 case so I'll just say it's a super fun series and this one is mainly about the death of a "myth-buster" and Vish sets out to find out what happened.
7. Fortuna's Ghost - Evan Bly: This little gem is a graphic novel written by a friend of mine. He's one talented dude but you can only get his book by contacting me and I can have him send you one. The graphic novel is about love and battling worlds in space - pretty cool! You can also check out his awesome graphic work on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7hWkxBRevw
8. Let's Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny Lawson: A super humorous look into the life of The Bloggess herself, Jenny Lawson. She has a very peculiar sense of humour that can easily be attributed to her parents! I laughed out loud at times but also cringed during others. Enjoyable but not for faint-of-heart parents who may take exception to how she was raised.
9. The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds - Alexander McCall Smith: I believe this is the 9th book in the Isabel Dalhousie series. I enjoy Alexander McCall Smith's writing quite a bit but find Isabel a bit dull at times. Thankfully the situations he usually puts her in help drive the story and keep me in there when times get slow.
10. Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins: This is book 1 in a wonderful YA series written by the same author who wrote the Hunger Games series. You follow Gregor who accidentally follows his sister down a grate in the laundry room that takes him to the centre of the Earth where rats, mice and cockroaches are human-sized and can talk. He sets out on an adventure to help the "humans" of the Underland while also trying to discover what happened when his father disappeared. It's well written, original and engaging. Thumbs up!
11. Orange is the New Black - Piper Kerman: *sigh* I just did not enjoy this book. The TV series must be VERY loosely based on this book because I found myself struggling to get through it. The pacing was off, the details were unnecessary, and there was very little substance. Piper writes about her experience going to jail 10 years after being convicted of transporting drugs. I found the book to be a bit boring so I wouldn't suggest picking it up.
12. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane - Suzanne Collins: Book 2 in the Overlander series and again it was very enjoyable. I think my favourite part of this series is his sister Boots and Gregor's fierce desire to protect her. In this book Gregor sets out once again to help the Underlanders take care of a growing threat to their world. Great series for lovers of YA or kids ages 10 and up.
13. Who Could it Be At This Hour? - Lemony Snicket: Love it! This is book 1 in the 4 book series where we go back to when Lemony Snicket was a boy. He becomes an apprentice in an unusual organization and they set out to solve a crime about a stolen statue. Very smartly written and it's easy to love Lemony as a young boy.
14. Love's Sweet Bait - Jennifer A. Thomas: I was asked to read a short story by a friend of a friend and all I can say is that I'm so very pleased to be given the honour of reading it. The story centers on the life and love between Joshua and Catherine, a robot and a human. I finished the story in one sitting and was left wanting more. I wanted Jennifer to turn this short story into a novel so I could learn more about their era, their meeting, and their relationship growing from a working one to a partnership based on love and respect. It's incredibly sweet and made me cry. Exceptionally well written piece of work; watch out for Jennifer as I think she's got a great future in literature!
1. The Silver Stay - Jeannette Walls: What I liked about this novel is I think it's the first where she hasn't based it off her own, or the life of one of her relatives. It's the story of two sisters who are abandoned by their mother and need to make their own way to stay with an uncle they've never met. They encounter a bit more stability with their uncle but also some challenges with the community and an employer. What is sweet is they get to uncover bits and pieces of their mother's past and learn a little more about where they came from while growing closer to each other and their uncle. All in all very enjoyable.
2. Mistress of the Sun - Sandra Gulland: Sandra is the author of the Josephine B. Trilogy, which I really enjoyed, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It's about the woman who becomes the mistress of Louis XIV of France. There is a large back story of how she became noticed by Louis XIV and it takes up at least 1/3 of the book. The character is interesting though there is so much plotting and back-stabbing you tend to forget who is good and who is bad. The book is historical fiction so it is enjoyable but leaves you wondering what is real and what is not.
3. I Am Legend - Richard Matheson: One of my 501 books I was happy to read because I'd already seen the movie and enjoyed it. I was really surprised to see how very different it was from the movie!! Why did the movie not take more of the original story as it was well worth a translation to screen. The last known survivor on earth is fighting zombies that used to be his neighbours, friends, etc. and at the same time is trying to learn what happened. It's an incredible struggle for him to daily endure the taunts of these creatures and have no one and seemingly no hope. Give this book a read as the ending is well worth a good discussion with others who have read it.
4. InterWorld - Neil Gaiman: I pretty much love everything Neil writes so just go buy his stuff :)
This is a story of Joey who discovers he can walk between different variations of Earth and our timeline. He's not the only one as he's joined by the other versions of himself who can do the same thing! They battle two sets of other worldly beings who are bent on using the versions of Joey to their advantage. Pretty cool ideas and enjoyable for people of all ages.
5. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare: I saw this movie was scheduled to come out so figured I'd give it a try. What I like is that it has some original ideas when it comes to teen lit/fantasy. It even has some neat twists in the end. It's is much better than the movie (as usual) and if you've read the book you likely didn't enjoy everything the omitted that was great about the books. It's about Clary who discovers she has some abilities to see a secret world within our world. She realizes her mother has been hiding the truth from her and embarks on a journey to find out all the secrets as well as stop a madman who is threatening her family. Fun times.
6. The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing - Tarquin Hall: This is another adventure of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator. Right now I'd have to say this is creeping onto the lists of my current favourite series I'm reading. I love the character of Vish because he's smart and crafty but also vain, proud and humourous; to me it makes him more real than some other characters. These stories never turn out to be about just 1 case so I'll just say it's a super fun series and this one is mainly about the death of a "myth-buster" and Vish sets out to find out what happened.
7. Fortuna's Ghost - Evan Bly: This little gem is a graphic novel written by a friend of mine. He's one talented dude but you can only get his book by contacting me and I can have him send you one. The graphic novel is about love and battling worlds in space - pretty cool! You can also check out his awesome graphic work on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7hWkxBRevw
8. Let's Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny Lawson: A super humorous look into the life of The Bloggess herself, Jenny Lawson. She has a very peculiar sense of humour that can easily be attributed to her parents! I laughed out loud at times but also cringed during others. Enjoyable but not for faint-of-heart parents who may take exception to how she was raised.
9. The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds - Alexander McCall Smith: I believe this is the 9th book in the Isabel Dalhousie series. I enjoy Alexander McCall Smith's writing quite a bit but find Isabel a bit dull at times. Thankfully the situations he usually puts her in help drive the story and keep me in there when times get slow.
10. Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins: This is book 1 in a wonderful YA series written by the same author who wrote the Hunger Games series. You follow Gregor who accidentally follows his sister down a grate in the laundry room that takes him to the centre of the Earth where rats, mice and cockroaches are human-sized and can talk. He sets out on an adventure to help the "humans" of the Underland while also trying to discover what happened when his father disappeared. It's well written, original and engaging. Thumbs up!
11. Orange is the New Black - Piper Kerman: *sigh* I just did not enjoy this book. The TV series must be VERY loosely based on this book because I found myself struggling to get through it. The pacing was off, the details were unnecessary, and there was very little substance. Piper writes about her experience going to jail 10 years after being convicted of transporting drugs. I found the book to be a bit boring so I wouldn't suggest picking it up.
12. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane - Suzanne Collins: Book 2 in the Overlander series and again it was very enjoyable. I think my favourite part of this series is his sister Boots and Gregor's fierce desire to protect her. In this book Gregor sets out once again to help the Underlanders take care of a growing threat to their world. Great series for lovers of YA or kids ages 10 and up.
13. Who Could it Be At This Hour? - Lemony Snicket: Love it! This is book 1 in the 4 book series where we go back to when Lemony Snicket was a boy. He becomes an apprentice in an unusual organization and they set out to solve a crime about a stolen statue. Very smartly written and it's easy to love Lemony as a young boy.
14. Love's Sweet Bait - Jennifer A. Thomas: I was asked to read a short story by a friend of a friend and all I can say is that I'm so very pleased to be given the honour of reading it. The story centers on the life and love between Joshua and Catherine, a robot and a human. I finished the story in one sitting and was left wanting more. I wanted Jennifer to turn this short story into a novel so I could learn more about their era, their meeting, and their relationship growing from a working one to a partnership based on love and respect. It's incredibly sweet and made me cry. Exceptionally well written piece of work; watch out for Jennifer as I think she's got a great future in literature!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Because Edmonton Cares - Diaper Duty X 2
We're back at it again! Because Edmonton Cares will be volunteering at the Edmonton Food Bank on October 16th, 2013, and we are aiming to bring a boat-load of diapers and formula with us. Ok, maybe not a boat-load but for sure a car-load!
Last time we had our Diaper Drive the Food Bank let us know how much they greatly appreciated those diapers. They also mentioned that baby formula is listed as one of the Most Needed Items and asked us to help stock their shelves. When I volunteered there I was shocked to see the shelves almost bare of formula. For those mothers who really need it and are already struggling to put food on the table I can imagine how hard it is for them to pay for formula as it is very expensive.
Our goal this time is to collect 2,500 diapers and at least 25 containers of formula. With your help we can do it!!
The Food Bank takes opened packages of diapers so if you have some of those kicking around the house then please consider donating them.
I will be doing pick-ups around the city up until October 15th. If you have a donation please email me at becauseedmontoncares@gmail.com and I will arrange a pick-up with you.
Let's do this!!!
Last time we had our Diaper Drive the Food Bank let us know how much they greatly appreciated those diapers. They also mentioned that baby formula is listed as one of the Most Needed Items and asked us to help stock their shelves. When I volunteered there I was shocked to see the shelves almost bare of formula. For those mothers who really need it and are already struggling to put food on the table I can imagine how hard it is for them to pay for formula as it is very expensive.
Our goal this time is to collect 2,500 diapers and at least 25 containers of formula. With your help we can do it!!
The Food Bank takes opened packages of diapers so if you have some of those kicking around the house then please consider donating them.
I will be doing pick-ups around the city up until October 15th. If you have a donation please email me at becauseedmontoncares@gmail.com and I will arrange a pick-up with you.
 | |
| Our donation to the Food Bank in March |
Friday, August 30, 2013
May, June, July Book Reviews
I've been plugging away as much as I can in order to try and reach my goal of 75 books this year. I take books with me everywhere and even sneak in a few minutes while cooking dinner. There's so many great books out there and I wish I could find even more time to fit a few more in each month!
Sadly I'm getting worse and worse with remembering to write down my thoughts after I read them. Maybe a quarterly review instead of monthly? Or maybe I just need to be less lazy and get on it each month in a timely fashion!
1. The Slippery Slope - Lemony Snicket: Book ten in the series and only 3 more to go! What I liked about this book is that Sunny, the youngest orphan, really grows up. I liked that you get to see more of her personality and was given a bigger role in this book. Still an awesome series.
2. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell: This is a complex book, a little difficult to try and sum up in the brief recaps I like to post. Basically you follow six story lines and each storyline has something to do with the next. You journey through hundreds of years from the first story line to the last (thought really you have no idea how far in the future the last storyline is so it could be thousands). I found it to be touching, original and memorable. Previous to readying the book I had caught the movie so I did find that it helped quite a bit to be able to follow the story lines. The only part I found really difficult was the language used in the last storyline based in the far future. It's a bit spliced so I had to guess at some of it or just get the gist of it. A good read!
3. Dead Ever After - Charlaine Harris: FINALLY! I'm so happy to be done with this series as I felt it went on about 5 books too many. Sadly it was a lackluster ending. I know there's a lot of fans out there so I don't want to give anything away other than just saying I felt like this book was rushed and a cop out.
4. How to Tell if your Cat is Plotting to Kill You - The Oatmeal: Super humorous little book.Nothing much more to say about it than that!
5. In The Shadow of the Banyon - Vaddey Ratner: Loved this book, simply loved it. It's a very poetically written story about a young girl and her family struggling during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia during the late 70's when an estimated 2 million people lost their lives. Her family, once considered an extension of the royal family, is thrown onto the street to fend for their lives like the rest of the country. What makes this such an amazing book is that it reflects that of the author's own journey. Pick it up, the poetic legends her father tells her are quite magical.
6. Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell The Truth About Motherhood - this is a collection of short essays written by Canadian women about their introduction to motherhood. I'd have to say that I found very few to represent what I experienced and many to be glossed over. All in all it didn't really feel like the truth! A few authors kept it very, very real but the majority played it safe so they could come across as the most amazing mothers of the most amazing kids.
7. The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker: You've got to really admire authors that come up with original book ideas these days and this is one of those! Yes, it's about two mythical beings but it's not a typical fantasy book. One being is trying very hard to be human while the other is trying very hard to not be human. Together they try to make the best of their situation while not being discovered. The story also carries on to their pasts and how they arrived at that point together in New York. Great book, give it a try!
8. The Grim Grotto - Lemony Snicket: Book eleven...almost there! I can't say anything really stood out in this one. Like usual a fun read but I am starting to get anxious for the end of the series.
9. Power and Terror: Noam Chomsky - I've never ready Chomsky before but I can see why he's considered such a brilliant man, and to many governments, a bit of a troublemaker. Why? Because he says the things they don't want you to hear. This book is a series of interviews with Chomsky about 9/11, about terrorism and US Foreign Policy. He makes some really, REALLY good points about the US treating others as they treat themselves. It's eyeopening and worth the read if you'd like to find out some things about the world that don't always make it into the mainstream media.
10. 11. & 12. The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster: This was on our 501 Must Read list so I thought we'd give it a try for book club. I'm interested to hear what the other members think as it was not one of our normal type of picks. These detective books are not of a typical fashion and were more artistic and complex. Of the three stores I enjoyed Ghosts the most. Not for everyone but I still found them interesting.
13. Inferno - Dan Brown: I liked this one MUCH better than his last Robert Langdon story. What I liked about it is that I actually learned a few things about our world population vs. use of resources over our existence. Brown brings his usual intrigue to the story line but throws out some facts and figures I've never bothered to look up before. It also presents an interesting moral debate. All things you didn't think you'd find in a Dan Brown novel! If you like his other works you'll like this one.
14. Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls - David Sedaris: this is a collection of stories, some true, some not, but they're all pretty funny or at least mildly interesting. I like the stories that are about his life and childhood as his sense of humour is quite dry and I felt it translated well to book. I can see how his style of writing is not for everyone but I found the book to be worth the read as I did laugh out loud a number of tiems.
15. The Penultimate Peril - Lemony Snicket: Book twelve. I actually found this one to be quite sad! Why oh why can't someone just help these kids in a normal way?! Only one more to go....
16. The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman: Once again Neil shows exactly why I think he's a brilliant writer. This book is so lovely!! I can't even pinpoint exactly what makes this book so charming but it is. A man revisits some memories from his childhood when he returns to his hometown for a funeral. He remembers an amazing tale involving magic, other worldly creatures, and his neighbours at the end of the lane. The characters are rich, his writing is sweet and memorable, all-in-all a fantastic book!
17. Under The Dome - Stephen King: I watched the first episode of the tv series and decided this was a book I had to read. If you haven't seen the show it's about a town that is separated from the rest of the world when a dome is mysteriously placed over it. You can't break through it, you can't go under it, you can't go over it, basically they're stuck. This story takes place over the span of about 2 weeks and it's amazing to see what happens to their town in that time. If you love the tv series you'd be amazed at how much better the book is. I really enjoyed the purely evil characters vs the inherently good.
18. The End - Lemony Snicket: It's here! It's finally here! THE END. And yet as this book wraps up I just don't feel like it really IS the end. The author has left me feeling wanting that there was no definitive ending with the characters. It's been a month since I read this and am still feeling a bit of a loss for words other than to say I wish they'd wrapped it up neater.
Sadly I'm getting worse and worse with remembering to write down my thoughts after I read them. Maybe a quarterly review instead of monthly? Or maybe I just need to be less lazy and get on it each month in a timely fashion!
1. The Slippery Slope - Lemony Snicket: Book ten in the series and only 3 more to go! What I liked about this book is that Sunny, the youngest orphan, really grows up. I liked that you get to see more of her personality and was given a bigger role in this book. Still an awesome series.
2. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell: This is a complex book, a little difficult to try and sum up in the brief recaps I like to post. Basically you follow six story lines and each storyline has something to do with the next. You journey through hundreds of years from the first story line to the last (thought really you have no idea how far in the future the last storyline is so it could be thousands). I found it to be touching, original and memorable. Previous to readying the book I had caught the movie so I did find that it helped quite a bit to be able to follow the story lines. The only part I found really difficult was the language used in the last storyline based in the far future. It's a bit spliced so I had to guess at some of it or just get the gist of it. A good read!
3. Dead Ever After - Charlaine Harris: FINALLY! I'm so happy to be done with this series as I felt it went on about 5 books too many. Sadly it was a lackluster ending. I know there's a lot of fans out there so I don't want to give anything away other than just saying I felt like this book was rushed and a cop out.
4. How to Tell if your Cat is Plotting to Kill You - The Oatmeal: Super humorous little book.Nothing much more to say about it than that!
5. In The Shadow of the Banyon - Vaddey Ratner: Loved this book, simply loved it. It's a very poetically written story about a young girl and her family struggling during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia during the late 70's when an estimated 2 million people lost their lives. Her family, once considered an extension of the royal family, is thrown onto the street to fend for their lives like the rest of the country. What makes this such an amazing book is that it reflects that of the author's own journey. Pick it up, the poetic legends her father tells her are quite magical.
6. Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell The Truth About Motherhood - this is a collection of short essays written by Canadian women about their introduction to motherhood. I'd have to say that I found very few to represent what I experienced and many to be glossed over. All in all it didn't really feel like the truth! A few authors kept it very, very real but the majority played it safe so they could come across as the most amazing mothers of the most amazing kids.
7. The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker: You've got to really admire authors that come up with original book ideas these days and this is one of those! Yes, it's about two mythical beings but it's not a typical fantasy book. One being is trying very hard to be human while the other is trying very hard to not be human. Together they try to make the best of their situation while not being discovered. The story also carries on to their pasts and how they arrived at that point together in New York. Great book, give it a try!
8. The Grim Grotto - Lemony Snicket: Book eleven...almost there! I can't say anything really stood out in this one. Like usual a fun read but I am starting to get anxious for the end of the series.
9. Power and Terror: Noam Chomsky - I've never ready Chomsky before but I can see why he's considered such a brilliant man, and to many governments, a bit of a troublemaker. Why? Because he says the things they don't want you to hear. This book is a series of interviews with Chomsky about 9/11, about terrorism and US Foreign Policy. He makes some really, REALLY good points about the US treating others as they treat themselves. It's eyeopening and worth the read if you'd like to find out some things about the world that don't always make it into the mainstream media.
10. 11. & 12. The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster: This was on our 501 Must Read list so I thought we'd give it a try for book club. I'm interested to hear what the other members think as it was not one of our normal type of picks. These detective books are not of a typical fashion and were more artistic and complex. Of the three stores I enjoyed Ghosts the most. Not for everyone but I still found them interesting.
13. Inferno - Dan Brown: I liked this one MUCH better than his last Robert Langdon story. What I liked about it is that I actually learned a few things about our world population vs. use of resources over our existence. Brown brings his usual intrigue to the story line but throws out some facts and figures I've never bothered to look up before. It also presents an interesting moral debate. All things you didn't think you'd find in a Dan Brown novel! If you like his other works you'll like this one.
14. Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls - David Sedaris: this is a collection of stories, some true, some not, but they're all pretty funny or at least mildly interesting. I like the stories that are about his life and childhood as his sense of humour is quite dry and I felt it translated well to book. I can see how his style of writing is not for everyone but I found the book to be worth the read as I did laugh out loud a number of tiems.
15. The Penultimate Peril - Lemony Snicket: Book twelve. I actually found this one to be quite sad! Why oh why can't someone just help these kids in a normal way?! Only one more to go....
16. The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman: Once again Neil shows exactly why I think he's a brilliant writer. This book is so lovely!! I can't even pinpoint exactly what makes this book so charming but it is. A man revisits some memories from his childhood when he returns to his hometown for a funeral. He remembers an amazing tale involving magic, other worldly creatures, and his neighbours at the end of the lane. The characters are rich, his writing is sweet and memorable, all-in-all a fantastic book!
17. Under The Dome - Stephen King: I watched the first episode of the tv series and decided this was a book I had to read. If you haven't seen the show it's about a town that is separated from the rest of the world when a dome is mysteriously placed over it. You can't break through it, you can't go under it, you can't go over it, basically they're stuck. This story takes place over the span of about 2 weeks and it's amazing to see what happens to their town in that time. If you love the tv series you'd be amazed at how much better the book is. I really enjoyed the purely evil characters vs the inherently good.
18. The End - Lemony Snicket: It's here! It's finally here! THE END. And yet as this book wraps up I just don't feel like it really IS the end. The author has left me feeling wanting that there was no definitive ending with the characters. It's been a month since I read this and am still feeling a bit of a loss for words other than to say I wish they'd wrapped it up neater.
Monday, August 26, 2013
No Homeless
No Homeless. Those are two words that you can take in two different ways. A few weeks back these words were spray painted on a local church. The church is looking to lease their land to an organization that wants to build an assisted living complex and many of the local residents are against it.
No Homeless. The other way to look at these words is in a positive way; the end of homelessness. There are several residents who support this project and it's encouraging to see as our city is in year 4 of a 10 year plan to end homelessness.
Since this program was announced it has been a heated debate. Many times I've had to walk away from the computer, put down my phone, or close my mouth for fear I'll upset friends I care about. The hardest part is that even though I use this community on a daily basis, I don't actually live in it. It makes me feel that I don't have as much of a say because no, it is not technically in my backyard. But I do want to say that it would be welcome in my backyard. Some may not believe me when I say this but it is true. Even my husband said he'd have no problem with it.
Why?
Because I had the privilege of working for an organization that helps the homeless through shelter, employment, education, and assisted living. I was able to see first-hand how amazing these programs are, the life-changing work they do, and the kindred souls who use these programs.
Did I start out feeling this way about the homeless and working poor? No. It took time, education, an open mind and an open heart.
I implore the people of this city to stop bickering, stop fear mongering, stop putting each other down; we are all in this together. Instead, let's take the time to get educated with an open mind and open heart.
There's many ways to educate yourself on those that need assisted living. The easiest way to get started is to read this blog from the Mustard Seed. Specifically you can get started with an article from June 2012, written by a friend of mine called Why People Are Homeless and work from there.
Check out the link above under 10 Year Plan. It will give you tonnes of stats, and information about our city's 10 year plan to end homelessness. I also really like this page on Causes and Myths
If you want to dig a little deeper then call one of the local shelters and ask for a tour. It's 30 minutes - 1 hour out of your time that can help you to understand homelessness. I'd even suggest calling those with assisted living/transitional housing programs so you get an even clearer picture. Most of these organizations jump at the chance to show you the progress being made.
And if you really want the whole shebang ask one of these organizations if you can speak with someone who was formerly homeless. I dare you not to cry when you meet them and hear their story. Good tears, or sad tears, you will cry.
When working with the homeless one of my former bosses used to always say 'I hope to work myself out of a job'. I never forgot this as shouldn't this be the end goal of every non-profit? But to get to this point we, as a community, need to support one another. Let's try to make this a great city for everyone who lives here.
Take the time, educate yourself, open your mind, open your heart.
No Homeless. The other way to look at these words is in a positive way; the end of homelessness. There are several residents who support this project and it's encouraging to see as our city is in year 4 of a 10 year plan to end homelessness.
Since this program was announced it has been a heated debate. Many times I've had to walk away from the computer, put down my phone, or close my mouth for fear I'll upset friends I care about. The hardest part is that even though I use this community on a daily basis, I don't actually live in it. It makes me feel that I don't have as much of a say because no, it is not technically in my backyard. But I do want to say that it would be welcome in my backyard. Some may not believe me when I say this but it is true. Even my husband said he'd have no problem with it.
Why?
Because I had the privilege of working for an organization that helps the homeless through shelter, employment, education, and assisted living. I was able to see first-hand how amazing these programs are, the life-changing work they do, and the kindred souls who use these programs.
Did I start out feeling this way about the homeless and working poor? No. It took time, education, an open mind and an open heart.
I implore the people of this city to stop bickering, stop fear mongering, stop putting each other down; we are all in this together. Instead, let's take the time to get educated with an open mind and open heart.
There's many ways to educate yourself on those that need assisted living. The easiest way to get started is to read this blog from the Mustard Seed. Specifically you can get started with an article from June 2012, written by a friend of mine called Why People Are Homeless and work from there.
Check out the link above under 10 Year Plan. It will give you tonnes of stats, and information about our city's 10 year plan to end homelessness. I also really like this page on Causes and Myths
If you want to dig a little deeper then call one of the local shelters and ask for a tour. It's 30 minutes - 1 hour out of your time that can help you to understand homelessness. I'd even suggest calling those with assisted living/transitional housing programs so you get an even clearer picture. Most of these organizations jump at the chance to show you the progress being made.
And if you really want the whole shebang ask one of these organizations if you can speak with someone who was formerly homeless. I dare you not to cry when you meet them and hear their story. Good tears, or sad tears, you will cry.
When working with the homeless one of my former bosses used to always say 'I hope to work myself out of a job'. I never forgot this as shouldn't this be the end goal of every non-profit? But to get to this point we, as a community, need to support one another. Let's try to make this a great city for everyone who lives here.
Take the time, educate yourself, open your mind, open your heart.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Snap Crackle Pop Part II
On Sunday, June 9th, 2013, some of my family members came and walked with me in the Walk to Fight Arthritis. It was my first time walking in this event but it won't be my last.
As mentioned in my earlier post I have been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my ankles. Since then I have also been diagnosed with Cervical Osteoarthritis (in my neck) and it's causing my discs to 'slip'. Both cause me daily pain. Some days are really manageable and I can almost forget about it. Some days I'm in bed because nothing is helping.
I feel old. It's hard to describe being in your 30's and suffering the daily pain that you don't usually experience until your 60's or 70's. I feel so limited and restricted. The hardest part is knowing that this is just the beginning; from here it's only going to get worse.
For the most part I try not to let it get me down but it's hard to do when I see my weight creeping up. Those 5lbs that took me 4 months of hard work to get off have reappeared. When I do something slightly active my muscles let me know they have been forgotten about for the past 4 months. It's very difficult going from being a very active person to a very stationary person.
So, what does one do? I compromise. I'll never be as active as I used to be or I want to be so I find ways to feel like I'm at least doing something, anything.
I try to sneak in a little bit of extra walking in a day with my nice orthopedic shoes. I have a Fitbit that helps remind me when I need to put in a little extra effort and take a few more steps in my day. I also try to bike here and there though it gives my knees some trouble (we're still going through tests to find out what's wrong with my knee). I try to space out my times on the bike to give myself time to heal.
My husband bought us a weight set so I can focus on doing some weights that help build up the muscles around my neck to try and take away some of the headaches.
I drink more water. After first being diagnosed I let myself eat whatever I wanted because I was depressed. It was my way to feel better without crying in front of people or constantly talking about it. I love food, LOVE FOOD, and will always let myself have treats because to me, that's part of life. But I am curbing how many I have by trying to fill in the snack spots with more water.
And I read. I like going online and reading the blogs, tips, discussion boards, etc. offered by the Arthritis Society. It helps me to feel less alone. It makes me feel like there are people out there trying to do something to help the millions of people like me. It makes me feel comforted.
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So I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who supported me in my Walk to Fight Arthritis. Your money went towards education, research and support programs. I thought about each and every one of you while I did my walk. I also think about you often when I'm having a bad pain day; I think about your support, your encouragement, and your shoulders I lean on. And to my family who walked with me, I can't express how much it meant to me, mad love!
Thank you so much everyone!!
As mentioned in my earlier post I have been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my ankles. Since then I have also been diagnosed with Cervical Osteoarthritis (in my neck) and it's causing my discs to 'slip'. Both cause me daily pain. Some days are really manageable and I can almost forget about it. Some days I'm in bed because nothing is helping.
I feel old. It's hard to describe being in your 30's and suffering the daily pain that you don't usually experience until your 60's or 70's. I feel so limited and restricted. The hardest part is knowing that this is just the beginning; from here it's only going to get worse.
For the most part I try not to let it get me down but it's hard to do when I see my weight creeping up. Those 5lbs that took me 4 months of hard work to get off have reappeared. When I do something slightly active my muscles let me know they have been forgotten about for the past 4 months. It's very difficult going from being a very active person to a very stationary person.
So, what does one do? I compromise. I'll never be as active as I used to be or I want to be so I find ways to feel like I'm at least doing something, anything.
I try to sneak in a little bit of extra walking in a day with my nice orthopedic shoes. I have a Fitbit that helps remind me when I need to put in a little extra effort and take a few more steps in my day. I also try to bike here and there though it gives my knees some trouble (we're still going through tests to find out what's wrong with my knee). I try to space out my times on the bike to give myself time to heal.
My husband bought us a weight set so I can focus on doing some weights that help build up the muscles around my neck to try and take away some of the headaches.
I drink more water. After first being diagnosed I let myself eat whatever I wanted because I was depressed. It was my way to feel better without crying in front of people or constantly talking about it. I love food, LOVE FOOD, and will always let myself have treats because to me, that's part of life. But I am curbing how many I have by trying to fill in the snack spots with more water.
And I read. I like going online and reading the blogs, tips, discussion boards, etc. offered by the Arthritis Society. It helps me to feel less alone. It makes me feel like there are people out there trying to do something to help the millions of people like me. It makes me feel comforted.
.jpg)
So I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who supported me in my Walk to Fight Arthritis. Your money went towards education, research and support programs. I thought about each and every one of you while I did my walk. I also think about you often when I'm having a bad pain day; I think about your support, your encouragement, and your shoulders I lean on. And to my family who walked with me, I can't express how much it meant to me, mad love!
Thank you so much everyone!!
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