Apparently there is snow in the forecast. A lot of snow. I just finished shoveling the driveway for the first time this year, a slushy wet mess that seemed to be something other than snow. Who knows whether we will get the foot of snow they are predicting.
I am probably one of the few people that enjoys shoveling snow. I don't enjoy it, in that I would love to do it every day, but since I took over the job willingly (as Nathan is at work generally when the snow starts and it seems to me that it's awfully unfair to have to drive home in a mess and then spend another half hour plus scooping the sidewalk), I find that I don't mind it. (Unless there is a ton of snow at the end of the driveway and I get splashed while hardly able to move the icy gunk.) The sound of the shovel scraping the driveway, sidewalks, and walkways remind me of being home, at our house in Colorado, and waking up to it and knowing that it had snowed. My dad carefully clearing the front walk, and driving us to school, except the one time I was too stubbourn to let him. I know I can do it, then sliding into a tree hardly halfway there. Now I am lucky enough to be able to stay home when it snows, cuddling with my puppy and shoveling the driveway.
I know that Shelby is not a child, but it seems to me that dogs have the same innocence and excitement over everyday things that makes me feel the same way, best illustrated by my little's time in the backyard. We spent a few minutes when I was done scooping running around the backyard in the dusk that was quickly turning to dark, and I watched her run around, so happy, with just some snow and basketball. I think we can all learn a lesson from that, finding happiness in everything around us.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Book Review: Wild
Book: Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Coast Trail, by Cheryl Strayed
Wild, From Lost To Found On The Pacific Coast Trail, is the story a journey--a journey of a woman hiking from California to Washington state, and a journey of a woman finding and understanding herself during the hike.
Even though I am not what you would call a "wilderness" person, I was immediately drawn in to her experiences hiking, and could easily visualize not only the places she went but the experiences she had on the way. She weaved in her personal life, too, and what experiences had gotten her into this situation. It was also interesting to read about the logistics of planning such a trip and how these plans often got changed based on the trail. She talks about the people she met and the different relationships along the way, which provided different perspectives of the same journey and added to the story. I also appreciated how it really was just a snapshot of this moment in time for her, rather than a long-stretching memoir of her life. While we did get some of her past, it was mostly as it related to the how and why she was on this journey, and she didn't explain too much of her life afterward. I think that can be hard for those writing memoirs to do, and it was very refreshing.
Wild, From Lost To Found On The Pacific Coast Trail, is the story a journey--a journey of a woman hiking from California to Washington state, and a journey of a woman finding and understanding herself during the hike.
Even though I am not what you would call a "wilderness" person, I was immediately drawn in to her experiences hiking, and could easily visualize not only the places she went but the experiences she had on the way. She weaved in her personal life, too, and what experiences had gotten her into this situation. It was also interesting to read about the logistics of planning such a trip and how these plans often got changed based on the trail. She talks about the people she met and the different relationships along the way, which provided different perspectives of the same journey and added to the story. I also appreciated how it really was just a snapshot of this moment in time for her, rather than a long-stretching memoir of her life. While we did get some of her past, it was mostly as it related to the how and why she was on this journey, and she didn't explain too much of her life afterward. I think that can be hard for those writing memoirs to do, and it was very refreshing.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Book Review: Heaven Is Here
Book: Heaven Is Here, by Stephanie Nielson
One of my favorite bloggers mentioned that she had been reading Heaven Is Here and loved it, and since I generally love everything she posts, I decided to check it out when I found it at the library. I decided to do a review for this book this week, with Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, because it's about being thankful, not just for the life you have, but the experiences that have brought you there. Nielson is also a blogger, and blogged about her everyday life. In 2008, she was in a plane crash, and the book is the story of her life before the crash and her life since: her recovery. Her story is a powerful one, and while it ends well, she discusses her struggles, too, and how she found the faith necessary to go on. I spent several nights bawling my eyes out while reading this book, but they were mostly happy tears, happy tears for her and the life she is getting back, even though it is changed. I love how the story is also about appreciating the joys in everyday life and being grateful for those you love.
One of my favorite bloggers mentioned that she had been reading Heaven Is Here and loved it, and since I generally love everything she posts, I decided to check it out when I found it at the library. I decided to do a review for this book this week, with Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, because it's about being thankful, not just for the life you have, but the experiences that have brought you there. Nielson is also a blogger, and blogged about her everyday life. In 2008, she was in a plane crash, and the book is the story of her life before the crash and her life since: her recovery. Her story is a powerful one, and while it ends well, she discusses her struggles, too, and how she found the faith necessary to go on. I spent several nights bawling my eyes out while reading this book, but they were mostly happy tears, happy tears for her and the life she is getting back, even though it is changed. I love how the story is also about appreciating the joys in everyday life and being grateful for those you love.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Book Review: Gone Girl
Book: Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn
It seemed like everyone was talking about Gone Girl this summer, so I was very excited when I found a copy at the library. It's easy to see why. It's for sure a page-turner. While I would definitely say that the mystery of Amy's disappearance is the heart of the story, the characters really steal the show. Flynn does a fantastic job of writing such deep characters and making us love and hate them all at the same time. Generally speaking, I prefer plot to character development, but the two were so intertwined in this book that it was hard to separate them, which did a lot for the story itself. The book didn't end nicely either--you are definitely left with an "icky" feeling that seems to be unresolved even though it is resolved. Definitely worth checking out, if you are able to find it at the library.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Book Review: Runaway Girl
During NaNo, I'll be posting a book review on Tuesdays and my NaNo update on Friday. So be sure to tune in for all reading, all writing, all the time.
Book: Runaway Girl: Escaping Life On The Streets, One Helping Hand At A Time, by Carissa Phelps with Larkin Warren
I was immediately drawn to this book because of all of the statistics I hear in my professional life: how important it is that every child has a caring adult in his or her life and how much of an impact it can actually make on that child. Runaway Girl is about Carissa and what her life on the streets as a runaway was like. But more than the shocking truth about her life on the streets, the book is about how certain people can impact others, especially children, and change the course of their lives by providing them with resources they need to succeed, particularly being a presence in their life. What's amazing is how much she accomplished because of the role certain individuals played in her life--even with setbacks on her path to scuess, she graduated from college and earned an MBA and is now reaching out to help other children. This story is very educational and inspirational and written in a way that really makes you aware of what some children are experiencing every day, and what resources are available to help them.
Book: Runaway Girl: Escaping Life On The Streets, One Helping Hand At A Time, by Carissa Phelps with Larkin Warren
I was immediately drawn to this book because of all of the statistics I hear in my professional life: how important it is that every child has a caring adult in his or her life and how much of an impact it can actually make on that child. Runaway Girl is about Carissa and what her life on the streets as a runaway was like. But more than the shocking truth about her life on the streets, the book is about how certain people can impact others, especially children, and change the course of their lives by providing them with resources they need to succeed, particularly being a presence in their life. What's amazing is how much she accomplished because of the role certain individuals played in her life--even with setbacks on her path to scuess, she graduated from college and earned an MBA and is now reaching out to help other children. This story is very educational and inspirational and written in a way that really makes you aware of what some children are experiencing every day, and what resources are available to help them.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
NaNoWriMo: Third Time's A Charm?
Today kicks of National Novel Writing Month, and this year I am a participant. Again-ish. As you might remember, I started NaNo twice and lasted maybe a few days (OK, one, ONE day, both times). I'm feeling a little better this time--I've had years to think about my book, have the framework in place, and have done a little research on actually writing a book and some of the questions I need answered. I'm not thinking it's going to be easy, but I feel a lot more secure in my planning. Turns out all you need is a little planning to feel better about life.
I'll be sure to keep you updated every Friday with my progress. Until then, happy writing.
I'll be sure to keep you updated every Friday with my progress. Until then, happy writing.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Not Quite A Puppy
Two years ago, we headed out to the farm with Leah to pick out a puppy, and came home with a puppy who had picked us (or at least that's what we tell ourselves). That means two years and a day ago, I was not a crazy dog lady, but what can I say, Shelby's pretty much the best. Here's the post from the day after we got her, and two years later, we love her kind of a lot.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Book Review: "The Book"
I gave Nathan a book for his birthday about dogs, but didn't expect that it would be something that he would (often) reference in relation to Shelby. So, now it is lovingly refered to in our house as "The Book," and it is interesting to know why Shelby does the things she does. Here is his review of Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, & Know, by Alexandra Horowitz.
I recently read a fascinating book by Alexandra Horowitz titled Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, & Know that takes a scientific look at why your dog does what she does and what she may be thinking when she's doing it. The author, who also happens to be a dog-person, has spent years studying the way dogs interact, and she also incorporates many studies on dogs and other animals to provide lots of evidence supporting her theories.
One of the most intriguing sections of the book to me was how dogs experience the world. First off, the author reminds us that a dog's world is close to the ground, which is common sense but not something I really considered. Imagine how different the world would seem if we were on our hands and knees all day long. Secondly, the average dog's senses are much different than a humans, because a dog's primary sense is smell. And the average dog's smelling power is 100 times better than ours. The strong smelling ability provides us with some insight as to how dogs are able to "magically" sense you from a distance. For instance, I've noticed that Shelby never barks when Whitney or I are coming to the door, even though she can't see us, but she will bark whenever it's a stranger, even when she can't yet see them.
And smelling at a distance isn't the only feat a dog can perform. A dog can tell how fresh a scent is based on the power of odor. Another seemingly magically feat is a dog's ability to detect oncoming seizures in humans (of course, they must first be trained to alert the human or someone else about the seizure for this trait to be effective) and the author theorizes that the dog can smell subtle changes in your body scent, as well as your behavior, to detect the seizure. A dog's hearing is also superior to a human's, and it's the second sense they rely on. Visual acuity is much less important to a dog. When the dog I grew up with got very old, he went blind, but never seemed too hampered by the loss of eyesight, and now I know why. As long as he could smell and hear, he could still experience the world in a meaningful way.
There are many other impactful pieces of information here for dog owners, including about whether dogs experience time in the same way we do (the answer: somewhat); doggy play and how dogs are one of the few species to self-handicap (explains how small dogs and big dogs effectively play together); and how dogs are effective communicators with humans. All interesting, assuming you're a dog lover, but it does get a bit scientific, so it could be tedious for a non-dog person. The last section I'd like to mention is how the author debunks what she calls "the pack mentality."
We often hear about how dogs believe think of its family in the terms of a pack hierarchy, because dogs are descended from wolves. The author argues that while we see some instincts that remain from a dog's wolf ancestry, the thousands of years of domestication has significantly changed how dog's think about us. The author explains that domestication has hardwired dogs to see humans as what we would consider to be more of a family. For example, a family has rules that must be followed (such as, no barking in the house), but the dog doesn't likely put itself above or below anyone (though it may not consider all newcomers to be part of the family). The difference, argues the author, is that you don't have to show dominance to control your dog. It's likely the dog would willingly do what you want, if properly motived, because it's part of your family. What a dog retains from the "pack mentality," is that it cherishes being around its "pack," and can feel lonely when left out of a group.
All in all, I think that dog owners should definitely check out this book to gain a better insight of how your dog or dogs experience life. In this way, we can better relate and communicate what we want and expect from the dog.
I recently read a fascinating book by Alexandra Horowitz titled Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, & Know that takes a scientific look at why your dog does what she does and what she may be thinking when she's doing it. The author, who also happens to be a dog-person, has spent years studying the way dogs interact, and she also incorporates many studies on dogs and other animals to provide lots of evidence supporting her theories.
One of the most intriguing sections of the book to me was how dogs experience the world. First off, the author reminds us that a dog's world is close to the ground, which is common sense but not something I really considered. Imagine how different the world would seem if we were on our hands and knees all day long. Secondly, the average dog's senses are much different than a humans, because a dog's primary sense is smell. And the average dog's smelling power is 100 times better than ours. The strong smelling ability provides us with some insight as to how dogs are able to "magically" sense you from a distance. For instance, I've noticed that Shelby never barks when Whitney or I are coming to the door, even though she can't see us, but she will bark whenever it's a stranger, even when she can't yet see them.
And smelling at a distance isn't the only feat a dog can perform. A dog can tell how fresh a scent is based on the power of odor. Another seemingly magically feat is a dog's ability to detect oncoming seizures in humans (of course, they must first be trained to alert the human or someone else about the seizure for this trait to be effective) and the author theorizes that the dog can smell subtle changes in your body scent, as well as your behavior, to detect the seizure. A dog's hearing is also superior to a human's, and it's the second sense they rely on. Visual acuity is much less important to a dog. When the dog I grew up with got very old, he went blind, but never seemed too hampered by the loss of eyesight, and now I know why. As long as he could smell and hear, he could still experience the world in a meaningful way.
There are many other impactful pieces of information here for dog owners, including about whether dogs experience time in the same way we do (the answer: somewhat); doggy play and how dogs are one of the few species to self-handicap (explains how small dogs and big dogs effectively play together); and how dogs are effective communicators with humans. All interesting, assuming you're a dog lover, but it does get a bit scientific, so it could be tedious for a non-dog person. The last section I'd like to mention is how the author debunks what she calls "the pack mentality."
We often hear about how dogs believe think of its family in the terms of a pack hierarchy, because dogs are descended from wolves. The author argues that while we see some instincts that remain from a dog's wolf ancestry, the thousands of years of domestication has significantly changed how dog's think about us. The author explains that domestication has hardwired dogs to see humans as what we would consider to be more of a family. For example, a family has rules that must be followed (such as, no barking in the house), but the dog doesn't likely put itself above or below anyone (though it may not consider all newcomers to be part of the family). The difference, argues the author, is that you don't have to show dominance to control your dog. It's likely the dog would willingly do what you want, if properly motived, because it's part of your family. What a dog retains from the "pack mentality," is that it cherishes being around its "pack," and can feel lonely when left out of a group.
All in all, I think that dog owners should definitely check out this book to gain a better insight of how your dog or dogs experience life. In this way, we can better relate and communicate what we want and expect from the dog.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Overdue
In the days before the library emailed me with “advanced notice my book were due,” I have to admit I wasn’t too great about turning them in on time. In high school, I actually was summoned because of an overdue fine, that thankfully was resolved after I called and informed them I had turned the book in before it was due, and once they looked they found it and said it just hadn’t been checked in right.
And a few years ago, I had a hold on my account because I had reached the limit of overdue fines (something like $20). The problem was not only did I lose track of which books were due when, but I had so many checked out at a time, that by the time I realized they were overdue, the fines really stacked up.
But now that I get email reminders, I’ve been very successful, and only had a 35-cent fine. This 35-cent fine sat unpaid on my account for probably a year, because I use the self-checkout machine and don’t think it’s necessary to put a 35-cent charge on my debit card. That fine thankfully went away this year when Nathan picked up a book for me and paid the 35 cents promptly. The difference in our personalities is clear here.
I knew that I had four books due Friday, thanks to my email, and several days ago I gathered them up to return on one of my many trips past the library near our house. But did I return them? No. By the time I was home and had realized this, I was too settled (and waiting on the furnace guy to come) to leave the house on a cold blustery day. But the books needed to be returned, so Nathan and I walked Shelby down to the library to return them.
Shelby loves the walk to the library, and last time we were there I realized she had learned the routine. We cross in the same spot, walk over to the book return thingy, she waits while I empty the bag, then she leads the way back home, prancing the whole way. The leaves covered the sidewalks and Nathan and I held hands once the book bag was empty and talked about the day.
I’m probably going to have some overdue fines, because the library closed at 6:00 and I’m not sure my books will be checked in on time. But I’ll accept paying the $1.40 because it gave us that random, tiny moment, no matter how small it seemed in the grand scheme of our life, together on a fall night.
And a few years ago, I had a hold on my account because I had reached the limit of overdue fines (something like $20). The problem was not only did I lose track of which books were due when, but I had so many checked out at a time, that by the time I realized they were overdue, the fines really stacked up.
But now that I get email reminders, I’ve been very successful, and only had a 35-cent fine. This 35-cent fine sat unpaid on my account for probably a year, because I use the self-checkout machine and don’t think it’s necessary to put a 35-cent charge on my debit card. That fine thankfully went away this year when Nathan picked up a book for me and paid the 35 cents promptly. The difference in our personalities is clear here.
I knew that I had four books due Friday, thanks to my email, and several days ago I gathered them up to return on one of my many trips past the library near our house. But did I return them? No. By the time I was home and had realized this, I was too settled (and waiting on the furnace guy to come) to leave the house on a cold blustery day. But the books needed to be returned, so Nathan and I walked Shelby down to the library to return them.
Shelby loves the walk to the library, and last time we were there I realized she had learned the routine. We cross in the same spot, walk over to the book return thingy, she waits while I empty the bag, then she leads the way back home, prancing the whole way. The leaves covered the sidewalks and Nathan and I held hands once the book bag was empty and talked about the day.
I’m probably going to have some overdue fines, because the library closed at 6:00 and I’m not sure my books will be checked in on time. But I’ll accept paying the $1.40 because it gave us that random, tiny moment, no matter how small it seemed in the grand scheme of our life, together on a fall night.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Cornfields
Yesterday we went down to Elmwood to see Nathan's parents and let Shelby explore the cornfields. After his Grandma and Uncle came by, we decided to take a family outing to search for missed ears that could be fed to the squirrels. Shelby loved it, and being the grown up puppy she is, veered off from the rest of the crowd. I started following her, and she made up her own obstacle courses, jumping and running and ending by jumping up on my back, then starting over. She eventually decided to book it up the hill, so I followed and we weaved in and out of the rows. I started thinking about how much fun I was having, and how it is a uniquely midwest thing to experience. I thought about how peaceful it was, with the wind blowing and the husks rustling, and started writing about it in my head. Of course, then there was an unexpected turn.
Shelby had grown tired of exploring on her own, so we headed back to the house, with her close by my side. Then she saw Nathan, and wanted to play again. Unfortunately, her idea of playing was jumping the barbed wire fence. Nathan and I stood there, in disbelief she had done that, and then we looked over and couldn't see her. So we split up and eventually saw her running toward the house, which happened to also be toward the highway. I hoped that, like the last time she ran out, she would just run to the front door, and luckily she did. She had a really fun time, that's for sure (we think she was chasing an animal of some kind), but it was a little more scary for us. And definitely ended my peaceful moment picking up corn and listening to the wind.
Thanks Meagan, for posting about the changes in your life. We'll have to get together so I can drop off your bag, and I even have one for Mr. K as well.
Shelby had grown tired of exploring on her own, so we headed back to the house, with her close by my side. Then she saw Nathan, and wanted to play again. Unfortunately, her idea of playing was jumping the barbed wire fence. Nathan and I stood there, in disbelief she had done that, and then we looked over and couldn't see her. So we split up and eventually saw her running toward the house, which happened to also be toward the highway. I hoped that, like the last time she ran out, she would just run to the front door, and luckily she did. She had a really fun time, that's for sure (we think she was chasing an animal of some kind), but it was a little more scary for us. And definitely ended my peaceful moment picking up corn and listening to the wind.
Thanks Meagan, for posting about the changes in your life. We'll have to get together so I can drop off your bag, and I even have one for Mr. K as well.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Two Years
Today is my little blog's second birthday. It's amazing to me how much has changed over the past two years, and I love that my blog can document it. What hasn't changed is that I truly appreciate those who still read the blog, even when it is sometimes neglected. So, I'm going to give away one of my reusable library book bags to celebrate. Tell me in the comments about what changes your life has seen over the past two years by the end of the day Sunday for a chance to win. I will announce the winner Monday.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Garden Round-Up
Because it's October and the work on our garden seems to be winding down, I thought I'd document for you how the garden did this year. While Nathan has planted three-ish gardens, this one actually seemed to be the best. It was a little late the first year he lived here, but there were some tomatoes. The second year, we planted a bunch of veggies but couldn't get into the backyard for a lot of the summer. So this year's definitely gave us more bang for our buck.
Yesterday we dug up our peanuts, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, which I was very excited about. Unfortunately, we only had three little baby potatoes. But the rest of the garden still did OK. We had tons of tomatoes, herbs, and peppers, and not only were we able to enjoy them this summer, but I was also able to freeze them so we have them for chili this winter. Some of the tomatoes were used to make tomato sauce to use during the winter, too.
The herbs have also been frozen, some using this method, found via Pinterest. I was also able to make some pesto.
It took surprisingly little time to do all of these projects, since we did them all at once a couple of times. I'm sure it will be worth it this winter, too.
Yesterday we dug up our peanuts, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, which I was very excited about. Unfortunately, we only had three little baby potatoes. But the rest of the garden still did OK. We had tons of tomatoes, herbs, and peppers, and not only were we able to enjoy them this summer, but I was also able to freeze them so we have them for chili this winter. Some of the tomatoes were used to make tomato sauce to use during the winter, too.
The herbs have also been frozen, some using this method, found via Pinterest. I was also able to make some pesto.
It took surprisingly little time to do all of these projects, since we did them all at once a couple of times. I'm sure it will be worth it this winter, too.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Checked Out
After Monday's post, it may not come as a surprise to you that I am also in the middle of several books, and have others I'm waiting to start. So rather than a book review, I thought I'd let you know what I have checked out currently. In no particular order:
Beautiful Ruins, Jess Walter
One Last Thing Before I Go, Jonathan Tropper
The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Clara & Mr. Tiffany, Susan Vreeland
Last Letter From Your Lover, Jojo Moyes
Beautiful Ruins, Jess Walter
One Last Thing Before I Go, Jonathan Tropper
The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Clara & Mr. Tiffany, Susan Vreeland
Last Letter From Your Lover, Jojo Moyes
Monday, September 24, 2012
Writing Update: All Over The Road
Every Sunday that I can, I listen to "Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40," because it reminds me of home--my mom and I used to listen to it on the way to and from church, and it just makes my Sundays feel a little more home-y. Sometimes Nathan and I are working on house projects, sometimes I'm picking up the house and getting ready for the upcoming week, sometimes we're out running around town. I will take what I can get normally, but it's a really fun day when I get listen from 40 to 1 and hear all of the songs, the listener requests, and, unfortunately, the Netflix commercials.
Yesterday, Bob (yes, we're on a first name basis) was talking about the phrase "all over the road" (because it's the name of Easton Corbin's new album), and I thought that it was the perfect way to sum up my recent writing experiences.
Perhaps I am too much of a multitasker, but it seems I can't focus on just one project--I have to have several going at a time. First, I outlined a book, worked on it a little, then decided (again) to back to my very first original idea that I was working on for the first Camp NaNo, and outline it to see if it would be more inspiring to write. Now poor second book got pushed aside while I work on the first one. I guess it's a good thing that I have two books going at once, but I suppose the challenge will be finishing one of them before starting something else.
I have also started to set a schedule for myself so my writing becomes more of a priority. At 3:00 every day I can, I settle down at my desk to at least write somethign, which many authors recommend. At the moment I don't have a set amount of time/words/scenes I have to work on, rather I write while I feel like it and then move on. It is working pretty well actually, and I'm not surprised. For someone who loves routine and organization, it sure took me a while to add some structure to my often-chaotic schedule.
Yesterday, Bob (yes, we're on a first name basis) was talking about the phrase "all over the road" (because it's the name of Easton Corbin's new album), and I thought that it was the perfect way to sum up my recent writing experiences.
Perhaps I am too much of a multitasker, but it seems I can't focus on just one project--I have to have several going at a time. First, I outlined a book, worked on it a little, then decided (again) to back to my very first original idea that I was working on for the first Camp NaNo, and outline it to see if it would be more inspiring to write. Now poor second book got pushed aside while I work on the first one. I guess it's a good thing that I have two books going at once, but I suppose the challenge will be finishing one of them before starting something else.
I have also started to set a schedule for myself so my writing becomes more of a priority. At 3:00 every day I can, I settle down at my desk to at least write somethign, which many authors recommend. At the moment I don't have a set amount of time/words/scenes I have to work on, rather I write while I feel like it and then move on. It is working pretty well actually, and I'm not surprised. For someone who loves routine and organization, it sure took me a while to add some structure to my often-chaotic schedule.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Bedroom Update: Nightstand Upgrade
In my recent end of summer summary posts, I talked about some indoor updates we had done that I hadn't blogged about. One of these is the new nightstands we got for our bedroom. Our old nightstands were free! from the closet downstairs, but weren't particularly nice looking or functional.
We figured out what color stain his parents used on the bed and got some at Menard's. However, whatever we got did not go very far and was gone by the time I finished the first nightstand. So I bought the gel kind, which smelled awful but did the job much more effectively.
Then I decided to upgrade to some nicer-looking knobs, since we only spent $60 total. And they look so pretty next the matching headboard. Even though they are now, once again, kind of covered in a lot of stuff.
So we literally drove all over town looking for something else, because in case you couldn't tell by all of the random stuff on the rocking chair, there just wasn't enough space for all of my stuff. This is where my OCD/Nathan's cheapness comes in though. See, Nathan's dad built our awesome headboard, so it has a cool stain that, as it turns out, isn't necessarily easy to match. And anything that was remotely close to what we wanted was more than we wanted to spend. Enter Ikea. I made my mom go buy two unfinished three-drawer nightstands, and we brought them back with us in March. Then they sat in the garage in their tiny boxes until we finally decided to put them together a few months later (aka, Nathan was cleaning out the garage and told me that we needed to get them done). Here they are in their unfinished glory.
We figured out what color stain his parents used on the bed and got some at Menard's. However, whatever we got did not go very far and was gone by the time I finished the first nightstand. So I bought the gel kind, which smelled awful but did the job much more effectively.
Then I decided to upgrade to some nicer-looking knobs, since we only spent $60 total. And they look so pretty next the matching headboard. Even though they are now, once again, kind of covered in a lot of stuff.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Book Review: Dearie
The Book: Dearie, by Bob Spitz
Why I Checked It Out: I think Julia Child is one cool lady, but I didn't know too much about her life, other than what I'd seen in Julie & Julia. I had seen her kitchen at the Smithsonian (the first time, because when we were there in March the exhibit was closed!), and wanted to know more.
The Plot: A very in-depth history of Julia Child's life.
What I Liked: I liked all of the context that is provided in the book. I really felt like we got to not only understand Julia Child's life but her feelings about her life and the feelings of the people in her life. There is so much detail that you feel like you are watching her live. I also love that she couldn't cook initially.
What I Didn't Like: This sounds pretty silly, but I wish there were more pictures. One of my favorite things about biographies are the pictures that hang out in the middle of the book that I can flip through. There are pictures at the beginning of the chapters though.
Do I Recommend It: Yes
Why I Checked It Out: I think Julia Child is one cool lady, but I didn't know too much about her life, other than what I'd seen in Julie & Julia. I had seen her kitchen at the Smithsonian (the first time, because when we were there in March the exhibit was closed!), and wanted to know more.
The Plot: A very in-depth history of Julia Child's life.
What I Liked: I liked all of the context that is provided in the book. I really felt like we got to not only understand Julia Child's life but her feelings about her life and the feelings of the people in her life. There is so much detail that you feel like you are watching her live. I also love that she couldn't cook initially.
What I Didn't Like: This sounds pretty silly, but I wish there were more pictures. One of my favorite things about biographies are the pictures that hang out in the middle of the book that I can flip through. There are pictures at the beginning of the chapters though.
Do I Recommend It: Yes
Monday, September 17, 2012
Staycation
Hello, and here I am, back again. Over Labor Day weekend, my parents came to visit, and then my mom and I spent the next week together--she had a Lincoln vacation and I had a staycation.
We had a LOT of fun while my dad was here. We got to watch the first Huskers game, shop for a door, put up some handrails so I don't potentially hurt myself when I fall up or down the stairs, and spend some time exploring Lincoln. We took the dogs (Macie the Newfoundland and Shelby, of course) to Branched Oak Lake and James Arthur Vineyard, Bread and Cup in the Haymarket, the stadium, and Pioneers Park. Everyone had a lot of fun, especially the dogs. Here they are swimming. Macie is a very experienced swimmer, and Shelby is the kind of swimmer that likes being in the water, but doesn't like everyone being all over the place. It's the herder in her.
We had a LOT of fun while my dad was here. We got to watch the first Huskers game, shop for a door, put up some handrails so I don't potentially hurt myself when I fall up or down the stairs, and spend some time exploring Lincoln. We took the dogs (Macie the Newfoundland and Shelby, of course) to Branched Oak Lake and James Arthur Vineyard, Bread and Cup in the Haymarket, the stadium, and Pioneers Park. Everyone had a lot of fun, especially the dogs. Here they are swimming. Macie is a very experienced swimmer, and Shelby is the kind of swimmer that likes being in the water, but doesn't like everyone being all over the place. It's the herder in her.
During the week, my mom and I worked on embroidering a set of dish towels for my cousin's bridal shower and watching Netflix. Oh yes, and drinking wine. We went garage sale-ing on Friday and she found lots of good stuff, plus some stuff for me. Over the weekend we had two bridal showers: one for my friend Leah and then one for my cousin. On Monday, we went and saw "The Words," which I highly recommend, not just because it is about writing. She and Macie left Tuesday though, so it was back to real life for all of us.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Summer Loving: Other Highlights
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
Of course, we have not spent all of our time working on the yard and the house (though somtimes it feels like it!). We have spent a lot of time enjoying everything summer has to offer. Some highlights:
*Weezer and Barenaked Ladies concerts in Omaha.
*Shelby and Nathan participated in the Lancaster County Fair agility competition and got third place in the beginner's division.
*Shelby also got to go swimming at the local water park and loved it.
*Time with good friends.
*Lots of eating outside--love the dog-friendly patios.
*Getting caught up on our Netflix Instant Watch list.
*New iPhone (in case you couldn't tell, I no longer use a camera. Too easy just to pull out the phone and take pictures!)
*Lots of reading and wine drinking.
I am so glad we had a good summer, even though it was so hot! but I have to admit I am looking forward to fall, which feels even closer now than before, thanks to Labor Day Monday. Hope you all enjoy your last summer weekend and day off!
Of course, we have not spent all of our time working on the yard and the house (though somtimes it feels like it!). We have spent a lot of time enjoying everything summer has to offer. Some highlights:
*Weezer and Barenaked Ladies concerts in Omaha.
*Shelby and Nathan participated in the Lancaster County Fair agility competition and got third place in the beginner's division.
*Shelby also got to go swimming at the local water park and loved it.
*Time with good friends.
*Lots of eating outside--love the dog-friendly patios.
*Getting caught up on our Netflix Instant Watch list.
*New iPhone (in case you couldn't tell, I no longer use a camera. Too easy just to pull out the phone and take pictures!)
*Lots of reading and wine drinking.
I am so glad we had a good summer, even though it was so hot! but I have to admit I am looking forward to fall, which feels even closer now than before, thanks to Labor Day Monday. Hope you all enjoy your last summer weekend and day off!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Summer Loving: Indoor Improvements
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
While the outside of the house has been the main focus for us, we have also done a few improvements to the inside of the house. Some of these include:
*New nightstands for our bedroom.
*A new chair fabric for my writing desk.
*A freshly-painted laundry room/guest bathroom.
I have lots of before and after photos and possibly-helpful tutorials for these projects, so I'll separate them out into more detailed posts next month. Who knows, there might be more indoor projects to add to that list, too.
While the outside of the house has been the main focus for us, we have also done a few improvements to the inside of the house. Some of these include:
*New nightstands for our bedroom.
*A new chair fabric for my writing desk.
*A freshly-painted laundry room/guest bathroom.
I have lots of before and after photos and possibly-helpful tutorials for these projects, so I'll separate them out into more detailed posts next month. Who knows, there might be more indoor projects to add to that list, too.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Summer Loving: Outdoor Improvements
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
Nathan especially has been spending a lot of time outside this summer working on the yard, and I've been known on occassion to help him out. One of the biggest projects he has taken on are the raised beds, which you've seen before here.
Now, the beds have not only filled in, but the path has been laid down.
The bases were still really awesome though, because they swiveled, so Nathan removed all of the broken webbing and ordered vinyl strap material off the internet as a replacement.
He first drilled holes on each side of the chair and cut the straps to the right length. Once the straps were cut, he drilled holes on either end and made a triangle shape on the ends so they would fit underneath the chair frame. The straps then must be stretched acrros the frame, and plastic pins fit in the holes in the frame. Here's a work in progress:
I had planned on making chair covers for them, but then we found these at Target on clearance for $8, which is cheaper than it would be if I made them.
Nathan especially has been spending a lot of time outside this summer working on the yard, and I've been known on occassion to help him out. One of the biggest projects he has taken on are the raised beds, which you've seen before here.
Now, the beds have not only filled in, but the path has been laid down.
I love the way this turned out, and Nathan put a lot of work into it. It's especially nice to sit on the back patio with a drink when it's cool and see how nice the beds and the path look. Speaking of sittting...
We also added a new seating area on the newly expanded back patio. We had some chairs that went with our patio table originally that started falling apart, because they used the vinyl webbing and it eventually started tearing.
The bases were still really awesome though, because they swiveled, so Nathan removed all of the broken webbing and ordered vinyl strap material off the internet as a replacement.
He first drilled holes on each side of the chair and cut the straps to the right length. Once the straps were cut, he drilled holes on either end and made a triangle shape on the ends so they would fit underneath the chair frame. The straps then must be stretched acrros the frame, and plastic pins fit in the holes in the frame. Here's a work in progress:
I had planned on making chair covers for them, but then we found these at Target on clearance for $8, which is cheaper than it would be if I made them.
So that's how we were able to repurpose chairs we already had to create a fun seating area. I also added a coffee table I found at Target, as well.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Summer Loving: Antiques Road Show & Other Travels
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
Back in July, I was able to take 10 days off and spend some time with my mom in Colorado. But we started our 10 days visiting my grandparents and also going to Antiques Roadshow in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Back in July, I was able to take 10 days off and spend some time with my mom in Colorado. But we started our 10 days visiting my grandparents and also going to Antiques Roadshow in Rapid City, South Dakota.
We all brought treasures with us--I had my minature books and a bracelet, my mom had a Santa figurine and her collection of glass cocktail toothpicks, my grandma and aunt both brought jewelry, and my grandma also brought a ship in a bottle she got when she worked at the POW camp in Scottsbluff in exchange for a suitcase. We didn't make it on TV (even though I thought we had the coolest stuff) but we had a lot of fun.
The rest of the week, I was able to see some friends and spend time with family and do a lot of summer Colorado things I've missed, like swimming in the lake. We also worked on a couples shower we were having for my best friend from high school. It was a "Colorado Living" shower, so we used blue, red, and yellow for the colors. Mom made table squares and napkins, and we used mason jars with candles. Joe did the catering, BBQ pork and beef + all the best sides that go with it, and we had lemonade and tea with vodka. We were having so much fun that I didn't take any pictures to share with you, of either the process or the finished product. Nathan was able to come out for the weekend, too, so we had a fun mini-vacation together, too.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Birthday Cake
My mom always made the best birthday cakes. They would be round two-layer cakes with buttercream frosting (that we would get to have on graham crackers, too, if there was extra), with our names iced on the top and, of course, candles for every year, served on a cake plate.
When we registered for the wedding, I made sure I included it so I also had a cake plate, almost exclusively for birthday cakes. Sadly, the poor guy has hardly been used at all, and never for a birthday cake. So this year for Nathan's birthday, I decided to put it to use.
Thanks to pinterest, I found a recipe for lemon-blueberry marble cake, on a blog called Lick The Bowl Good. I was a little worried as I started making it because it was a little more detailed than I thought I could handle (I mean, there was actual cake flour involved!) but they looked OK when they went in the oven and when they came out. I actually did the recipe a little differently, because I didn't have three round cake pans. I halved it, and split it between two pans, and the cakes came out just a little smaller, which was fine because it wasn't serving very many people. I also totally used the jar of jam vs. making them.
The frosting recipe, however, was something I knew was above my skill-set (and timeframe. and patience level.) So instead I used a basic white icing glaze, from Martha Stewart, which was preferable for Nathan anyway because he doesn't like frosting all that much. It didn't look as pretty though.
So there you have it, my first birthday cake baking experience. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.
When we registered for the wedding, I made sure I included it so I also had a cake plate, almost exclusively for birthday cakes. Sadly, the poor guy has hardly been used at all, and never for a birthday cake. So this year for Nathan's birthday, I decided to put it to use.
Thanks to pinterest, I found a recipe for lemon-blueberry marble cake, on a blog called Lick The Bowl Good. I was a little worried as I started making it because it was a little more detailed than I thought I could handle (I mean, there was actual cake flour involved!) but they looked OK when they went in the oven and when they came out. I actually did the recipe a little differently, because I didn't have three round cake pans. I halved it, and split it between two pans, and the cakes came out just a little smaller, which was fine because it wasn't serving very many people. I also totally used the jar of jam vs. making them.
The frosting recipe, however, was something I knew was above my skill-set (and timeframe. and patience level.) So instead I used a basic white icing glaze, from Martha Stewart, which was preferable for Nathan anyway because he doesn't like frosting all that much. It didn't look as pretty though.
So there you have it, my first birthday cake baking experience. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Top Summer Reads: 5 to 1
Today we have the top 5 of my summer reads. They are new releases by authors I love, so it's no surprise I enjoyed them as much as I did.
1. The song remains the same, Allison Winn Scotch
My favorite part about this book was the look at music and how important it is in our lives. I also thought the characters were so well-written, as was their journey from beginning to end.
2. The next best thing, Jennifer WeinerI loved the look behind the scenes of producing a TV show. I liked how the main characters weren't perfect, too.
3. Another piece of my heart, Jane Green
This seemed like a very real situation, and one that is applicable to many people who have divorced and remarried. I thought looking at these relationships on that level was very moving.
4. Jeneration X , Jen Lancaster
Another hilarious memoir. I love her chapter on flying, because that is how I feel sometimes. I like how real Jen Lancaster is, and how easily I can relate to what she is writing about.
5. Spring fever, Mary Kay Andrews
I didn't start out loving Mary Kay Andrews' books, but this was one of the best. I loved the twist ending.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Top 20 Summer Reads: 10 to 6
In the mix today, we have almost all new releases--except for one memoir that came at the end of my "JFK era" phase, though it was also released recently.
6. I’ve Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would--I thought the premise sounded kind of impossible, but it wasn't. I again loved the way technology is starting to become incorporated into novels.
7. Where We Belong, Emily Giffin
A look at motherhood, adoption, and figuring out who we really are. I liked this book a great deal, but it did not move to the top of my list of my favorite Emily Giffin books.
8. Sea Change, Karen White
This book felt a little darker than Karen White's other works, but still incorporated the history of the south and the spiritual elements that I love about her other books.
9. The shoemaker's wife, Adriana Trigiani
I liked Adriana Trigiani's take on historical fiction, because I love her other books. The love story spanned decades and continents.
10. Fairy Tale interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio
A look at the friendship between JFK and his assistant, very moving.
6. I’ve Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would--I thought the premise sounded kind of impossible, but it wasn't. I again loved the way technology is starting to become incorporated into novels.
7. Where We Belong, Emily Giffin
A look at motherhood, adoption, and figuring out who we really are. I liked this book a great deal, but it did not move to the top of my list of my favorite Emily Giffin books.
8. Sea Change, Karen White
This book felt a little darker than Karen White's other works, but still incorporated the history of the south and the spiritual elements that I love about her other books.
9. The shoemaker's wife, Adriana Trigiani
I liked Adriana Trigiani's take on historical fiction, because I love her other books. The love story spanned decades and continents.
10. Fairy Tale interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio
A look at the friendship between JFK and his assistant, very moving.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Top 20 Summer Reads: 15 to 11
Today, we're back with books 15 to 11. Some of these are new summer releases, but others have been around and I'm just now finding them.
11. Promises to keep, Jane Green.
Anyone who isn't bawling their eyes out at the end of this book is crazy. One of Jane Green's first books set in Amercia (as far as I could tell).
12. Wife 22, Melanie Gideon.
This was a unique premise, about a woman who is completing an online marriage survey. It was a bit predictable, but I liked the way she incorprated technology (Facebook, texts, Google searches) into the book.
13. Eighteen acres, Nicolle Wallace A political thriller--I liked the way we had the perspective of three women and how the plot connected all of them.
14. Where she went, Gayle Forman A Young Adult book that is a sequel to If I Stay. I liked that the book was told by Adam's point of view this time, and how the events of If I Stay impacted him.
15. The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty
A new release--Since I am loving the early 1900s, with my recent obsession with "Downton Abbey," this was fun. It was an interesting take on a woman's life during this time and very unpredictable.
11. Promises to keep, Jane Green.
Anyone who isn't bawling their eyes out at the end of this book is crazy. One of Jane Green's first books set in Amercia (as far as I could tell).
12. Wife 22, Melanie Gideon.
This was a unique premise, about a woman who is completing an online marriage survey. It was a bit predictable, but I liked the way she incorprated technology (Facebook, texts, Google searches) into the book.
13. Eighteen acres, Nicolle Wallace A political thriller--I liked the way we had the perspective of three women and how the plot connected all of them.
14. Where she went, Gayle Forman A Young Adult book that is a sequel to If I Stay. I liked that the book was told by Adam's point of view this time, and how the events of If I Stay impacted him.
15. The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty
A new release--Since I am loving the early 1900s, with my recent obsession with "Downton Abbey," this was fun. It was an interesting take on a woman's life during this time and very unpredictable.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Top 20 Summer Reads: 20 to 16
My poor library account says "you currently have no books checked out." That is almost unbelievable, because I have always had books on hand this summer. So, to catch us up, I'm going to post five of the top 20 books I've read this summer each day this week. Here are my first five:
16: Between you and me, Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
The authors of The Nanny Diaries, oneof my favorites, are back with a book about family. And fame. And what happens when these two interact.
17: Wallflower in bloom, Claire Cook
Another book about families and fame. This was a fun read--I felt like I was watching "Dancing With The Stars."
18: Alphabet weekends, Elizabeth Noble
An interesting look at the start of a romantic relationship between two friends.
19: Savannah blues, Mary Kay Andrews
One of Mary Kay Andrews' older works, but it was fun to see the other side of the story (I had read the sequel before the original book).
20: Southern charm, Tinsley Mortimer
A look at life in New York City from the eyes of a socialite.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Summer's End
It may not be true, but it feels like summer is basically over. Today is August 1, and on top of that, I saw kids around the schools this morning while Shelby and I were out taking a walk. Soon, we will have all sorts of traffic, Shelby will spend every afternoon barking at kids, and, oh ya, the relaxed mentality I've been loving since summer started will turn into productivity. (I hope.) Hopefully the weather will at least cool down a little if we have to let go of summer.
Even though I'm not in school, I still think of summer as break (in case you couldn't tell by the lack of my posting). I've been working, of course, because you can't really get a break from work for the summer unless you're a teacher or have another really cool job. But I've also been reading, watching the TV shows that are so ridiculous they have to be shown in the summer (or just the really good cable ones that I'm behind on thanks to not having cable), starting random projects, trying to help out with the garden, and traveling.
I'll be sure to catch you up on all of the happenings soon, especially on the books I've been reading and the projects I haven't necessarily been completing.
Even though I'm not in school, I still think of summer as break (in case you couldn't tell by the lack of my posting). I've been working, of course, because you can't really get a break from work for the summer unless you're a teacher or have another really cool job. But I've also been reading, watching the TV shows that are so ridiculous they have to be shown in the summer (or just the really good cable ones that I'm behind on thanks to not having cable), starting random projects, trying to help out with the garden, and traveling.
I'll be sure to catch you up on all of the happenings soon, especially on the books I've been reading and the projects I haven't necessarily been completing.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Pages In Time
It's probably because I've always been a reader, but when I think about the books that I've read, I think about who I was, where I was in life, when I first read them. Of course, this can't apply to all of the books I've read, because sometimes I read just to read, but I certainly remember my favorites.
Take Harry Potter, as an example. I was able to read the first two without waiting, but had to wait for the rest of the series to be released. When the last one was released, I was in D.C. for an internship, and it was my last day being there. I thought I had reserved it at the local Borders, but when I got there, they had not saved me a book like they said they would and they were out. On top of that, they told me that no other store in the city had copies. I cried on the metro on the way back to my dorm, until I realized that since I didn't have the book to read anyway, I could spend all day looking for a copy. Of course, the first store I went to, the store where I had gone for my first author event, had it, and I spent the day finishing it. (Note: On principle, I protested Borders. I'm not saying that's why they went out of business...I'm just making the comment.)
Other individual books have held their place in my memory--the book I was reading when I first talked to Nathan (a Phillipa Gregory), the books my mom read to me (A Wrinkle In Time, Where The Sidewalk Ends), the first book I remember reading by myself (Little House In The Big Woods). I loved the Princess Diaries books, and used to go to the bookstore the day they came out; the first ones I was still in high school, and the last one, I got on my first business trip in Arizona.
Today, a new book from my favorite author, Emily Giffin, comes out and I feel like it's Christmas. But I also remember first reading them--the first two after my first semester of college and the most recent one on my day off, right before we got married, plus the two between--and I love seeing how much has changed. So yes, while I am of course excited to sit down and read (or devour) the book, I also love how it, like so many others, reflects the changes in my life and lets me look back on the journey of life that has lead me to where I am today.
Take Harry Potter, as an example. I was able to read the first two without waiting, but had to wait for the rest of the series to be released. When the last one was released, I was in D.C. for an internship, and it was my last day being there. I thought I had reserved it at the local Borders, but when I got there, they had not saved me a book like they said they would and they were out. On top of that, they told me that no other store in the city had copies. I cried on the metro on the way back to my dorm, until I realized that since I didn't have the book to read anyway, I could spend all day looking for a copy. Of course, the first store I went to, the store where I had gone for my first author event, had it, and I spent the day finishing it. (Note: On principle, I protested Borders. I'm not saying that's why they went out of business...I'm just making the comment.)
Other individual books have held their place in my memory--the book I was reading when I first talked to Nathan (a Phillipa Gregory), the books my mom read to me (A Wrinkle In Time, Where The Sidewalk Ends), the first book I remember reading by myself (Little House In The Big Woods). I loved the Princess Diaries books, and used to go to the bookstore the day they came out; the first ones I was still in high school, and the last one, I got on my first business trip in Arizona.
Today, a new book from my favorite author, Emily Giffin, comes out and I feel like it's Christmas. But I also remember first reading them--the first two after my first semester of college and the most recent one on my day off, right before we got married, plus the two between--and I love seeing how much has changed. So yes, while I am of course excited to sit down and read (or devour) the book, I also love how it, like so many others, reflects the changes in my life and lets me look back on the journey of life that has lead me to where I am today.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo: Seeking Inspriation
Man, if Camp NaNoWriMo was read 50,000 books during the month of June, I'd be rocking it. All of my favorite authors have new books that I've managed to score at the library, so I have been reading, reading, reading. And loving it.
Reading/writing my book? Not so much. My book is not interesting to me, and I wonder, if I'm bored writing it, will people be bored reading it? I expressed this to my friend Laura at the Camp Social this week, and she said all of the authors she has talked to say the same thing at some point in the process. So at least I'm not alone here. BUT I am sure that didn't happen to them during camp month. So my solution?
Start a completely different project. Yes, this is truly crazy. But for the first time, I was out and about and struck with an idea and it wouldn't leave my head. So I've been thinking about it, writing down notes, writing an intro, and loving it.
My word count has taken a hit, as in it hasn't really gone anywhere. But I have found my insipration again, and I guess that counts for something, right?
Reading/writing my book? Not so much. My book is not interesting to me, and I wonder, if I'm bored writing it, will people be bored reading it? I expressed this to my friend Laura at the Camp Social this week, and she said all of the authors she has talked to say the same thing at some point in the process. So at least I'm not alone here. BUT I am sure that didn't happen to them during camp month. So my solution?
Start a completely different project. Yes, this is truly crazy. But for the first time, I was out and about and struck with an idea and it wouldn't leave my head. So I've been thinking about it, writing down notes, writing an intro, and loving it.
My word count has taken a hit, as in it hasn't really gone anywhere. But I have found my insipration again, and I guess that counts for something, right?
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
A Birthday Dog
The little Shelberton turned two this weekend. Obviously we got her a present, which she did not like so much, and she got to go over the Gram's and hang out for a little bit. Last year, I made her a cake using this recipe but this year we're taking her to the doggie buffet at our favorite restaurant, which they have every Tuesday. Obviously she is like her mother and wants to have a week-long birthday celebration, though let's be honest: She's pretty spoiled every day.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo: Setting Up Camp
Word Count as of 6/8/12: 1,732
If you look at my word count and how much I'm technically supposed to be writing every day, I'm technically not doing super great at Camp NaNoWriMo. But, in Whitney-land, which is what matters, I'm very happy with those 1,732 words.
I am hoping that doing Camp NaNoWriMo gets me in the habit of writing. While it would be awesome if I could actually get the 50,000 words, I will be happy with any amount of words I have, because that's more than I had before. And as much as I try to convince myself, I know that my personality is not one that can just write. Oh no. Of course there has to be overthinking.
The first few days of Camp NaNoWriMo, I was writing every day. Not so much for the end of the week, because I'm kind of bored of my book. I know, not a good sign. But I am hoping that taking some time to get re-energized will bring new perspective and new ideas.
I have set up my computer in the dining room, and I love it. I feel like it's a vacation away from my desk, with pretty flowers from my friend Helen still thriving, and Shelby lying nearby, keeping an eye on me. I've also been out to a camp social with my friend Laura, and we got . . . some . . . writing done. But a lot of fun was had by all.
Overall, I know I need to do a lot more writing this weekend and early this week, before I have my gum graft on Thursday. Hopefully I won't be out of commission long afterward. But no matter what my count is, I'm still happy with my progress.
If you look at my word count and how much I'm technically supposed to be writing every day, I'm technically not doing super great at Camp NaNoWriMo. But, in Whitney-land, which is what matters, I'm very happy with those 1,732 words.
I am hoping that doing Camp NaNoWriMo gets me in the habit of writing. While it would be awesome if I could actually get the 50,000 words, I will be happy with any amount of words I have, because that's more than I had before. And as much as I try to convince myself, I know that my personality is not one that can just write. Oh no. Of course there has to be overthinking.
The first few days of Camp NaNoWriMo, I was writing every day. Not so much for the end of the week, because I'm kind of bored of my book. I know, not a good sign. But I am hoping that taking some time to get re-energized will bring new perspective and new ideas.
I have set up my computer in the dining room, and I love it. I feel like it's a vacation away from my desk, with pretty flowers from my friend Helen still thriving, and Shelby lying nearby, keeping an eye on me. I've also been out to a camp social with my friend Laura, and we got . . . some . . . writing done. But a lot of fun was had by all.
Overall, I know I need to do a lot more writing this weekend and early this week, before I have my gum graft on Thursday. Hopefully I won't be out of commission long afterward. But no matter what my count is, I'm still happy with my progress.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Reading Lists: Key West Picks
Sometimes, I am very similar to a small child. Most particularly when I travel long distances. In fact, I was whining at the Fort Lauderdale airport during our 2-hour layover (because we were soooo close) and Nathan turned on Netflix for me on the tablet, probably because my whining reminded him of a small child. (Except I wouldn't let a small child watch "Dawson's Creek," that's for sure.) But I was able to get a lot of reading in, and here are my thoughts on what I read during my summer vacation.
MWF Seeking BFF, Rachel Bertsche.
Lately I have been reading a lot of memoirs, and some of my favorite memoirs are the ones that are almost more like blogs. While I love reading about people who are famous, I also love everyday peole who have ideas and go with it, develop a following, and write awesome books. This is one of them--Rachel moves to Chicago with her husband but realizes that while she is not lacking in love, she is lacking a best friend, as they all still live in Chicago. She decides to go out on 52 friend dates in a year to get to know new people, and her book details these dates and the results. She also discusses the more scientific/pyscholgica/sociological parts of friendships. What I found most interesting in her discussion was that there are health benefits of having friends, the difference between husbands and wives and their outside friendships (men think of wives as best friends but women need other friends to be their best friends), and how facebook has impacted friendships since its existence.
Skipping a Beat, Sarah Pekkanen.
Yes, I did bawl my eyes out on the plane when I finished this book. (Of course, I did so subtley.) I had read Sarah Pekkanen's first book and loved it, so I requested the second one at the library. It tells the story of a marriage, falling in love and falling out of love, and how the marriage was brought back to life after her husband's heart attack. I loved it because it was full of emotion and all of the characters were likable and you wanted everyone to be happy in the end. But it was also a real-life perspecitve on love that is hard to come by--it's not a happily ever after you find in most chick lit, but a happily ever after that you find in real life.
The Secret Lives Of Dresses, Erin McKean
My friend Kaitlyn recommended this book to me a while ago, and my library request finally came through right before I left. The book is about a woman who comes home to take over her grandmother's vintage store, after the grandmother becomes ill. This experience, and the power of the stories behind the clothes, change her life and help her realize who she wants to be and who she has always been. I love the premise that everything has a story, not just people, and how interesting these stories can be and how much they can relate in our everyday lives and memories.
Hissy Fit, Mary Kay Andrews.
The first time I read Hissy Fit, in college, I hated it. But I found it in my last box of books from home and decided to give it another chance, as I have read most of Mary Kay Andrews' other books now and love them. I have no idea what I was thinking the first time I read it, because it is a perfect beach read for people like me who love all things houses, decorating, etc. There was romance and mystery, too, of course, and overall I recommend it as a perfect pool/beach/plane read.
MWF Seeking BFF, Rachel Bertsche.
Lately I have been reading a lot of memoirs, and some of my favorite memoirs are the ones that are almost more like blogs. While I love reading about people who are famous, I also love everyday peole who have ideas and go with it, develop a following, and write awesome books. This is one of them--Rachel moves to Chicago with her husband but realizes that while she is not lacking in love, she is lacking a best friend, as they all still live in Chicago. She decides to go out on 52 friend dates in a year to get to know new people, and her book details these dates and the results. She also discusses the more scientific/pyscholgica/sociological parts of friendships. What I found most interesting in her discussion was that there are health benefits of having friends, the difference between husbands and wives and their outside friendships (men think of wives as best friends but women need other friends to be their best friends), and how facebook has impacted friendships since its existence.
Skipping a Beat, Sarah Pekkanen.
Yes, I did bawl my eyes out on the plane when I finished this book. (Of course, I did so subtley.) I had read Sarah Pekkanen's first book and loved it, so I requested the second one at the library. It tells the story of a marriage, falling in love and falling out of love, and how the marriage was brought back to life after her husband's heart attack. I loved it because it was full of emotion and all of the characters were likable and you wanted everyone to be happy in the end. But it was also a real-life perspecitve on love that is hard to come by--it's not a happily ever after you find in most chick lit, but a happily ever after that you find in real life.
The Secret Lives Of Dresses, Erin McKean
My friend Kaitlyn recommended this book to me a while ago, and my library request finally came through right before I left. The book is about a woman who comes home to take over her grandmother's vintage store, after the grandmother becomes ill. This experience, and the power of the stories behind the clothes, change her life and help her realize who she wants to be and who she has always been. I love the premise that everything has a story, not just people, and how interesting these stories can be and how much they can relate in our everyday lives and memories.
Hissy Fit, Mary Kay Andrews.
The first time I read Hissy Fit, in college, I hated it. But I found it in my last box of books from home and decided to give it another chance, as I have read most of Mary Kay Andrews' other books now and love them. I have no idea what I was thinking the first time I read it, because it is a perfect beach read for people like me who love all things houses, decorating, etc. There was romance and mystery, too, of course, and overall I recommend it as a perfect pool/beach/plane read.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
"P" Night
Today is a very special lady's birthday--my mom turns...29...today!
When we were in Key West, the family was talking about childhood memories, and one of my favorites was "P" night. Every Friday, "P" night, we'd have pizza and pop and get to watch a movie. Because I was always a nerd, I named it "P" night. It was all very exciting and a change from our everyday life.
I mentioned this to my mom a couple of years ago and she said that she would do it because by the end of the week she was tired of cooking and wrangling three kids and that was a good solution. I told her that she ruined "P" night for me because it was always something awesome, but I realize that really, this whole story is kind of representative of our relationship and how it has changed over the years.
I had the best mom growing up, a mom who even when she wasn't trying to gave us the best memories. She was always there for us and even though I didn't realize how awesome it was at the time, my parents came to watch nearly all of our events--plays and concerts and tennis matches and lacrosse games and gymnastics meets, etc. She would pick us up from school, make cookies with us, help us with our homework.
And now, she is one of my best friends--and we have the kind of relationship where she can tell me the secret behind "P" night. And now, we can have a different version of "P" night, where we get pizza and salad take out and cupcake wine and sit on the couch and watch one of the many similar shows we watch. Again without trying, she has given me memories and tradtions--going to PF Changs before I leave on the train, shopping trips, walks around the neighborhoods with the dogs.
In April I went back to help my parents pack up our house and I realized that I wasn't as sad as I expected. Because, as I told her, she is always home for us, and she and my dad will make wherever they end up our home, because we will be together, probably having "P" night.
When we were in Key West, the family was talking about childhood memories, and one of my favorites was "P" night. Every Friday, "P" night, we'd have pizza and pop and get to watch a movie. Because I was always a nerd, I named it "P" night. It was all very exciting and a change from our everyday life.
I mentioned this to my mom a couple of years ago and she said that she would do it because by the end of the week she was tired of cooking and wrangling three kids and that was a good solution. I told her that she ruined "P" night for me because it was always something awesome, but I realize that really, this whole story is kind of representative of our relationship and how it has changed over the years.
I had the best mom growing up, a mom who even when she wasn't trying to gave us the best memories. She was always there for us and even though I didn't realize how awesome it was at the time, my parents came to watch nearly all of our events--plays and concerts and tennis matches and lacrosse games and gymnastics meets, etc. She would pick us up from school, make cookies with us, help us with our homework.
And now, she is one of my best friends--and we have the kind of relationship where she can tell me the secret behind "P" night. And now, we can have a different version of "P" night, where we get pizza and salad take out and cupcake wine and sit on the couch and watch one of the many similar shows we watch. Again without trying, she has given me memories and tradtions--going to PF Changs before I leave on the train, shopping trips, walks around the neighborhoods with the dogs.
In April I went back to help my parents pack up our house and I realized that I wasn't as sad as I expected. Because, as I told her, she is always home for us, and she and my dad will make wherever they end up our home, because we will be together, probably having "P" night.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Florida Sunshine
Over Memorial Day weekend, Nathan and I took a trip with my family down to Key West to visit my aunt and uncle. We had a fabulous time and really enjoyed getting the chance to relax and take a break from real life.
Some of our vacation highlights, other than spending time with family:
Some of our vacation highlights, other than spending time with family:
- CUBAN FOOD (that's, as always, my No. 1 thing, though tapas comes in at a close second now.)
- Parasailing, snorkeling and jetskiing
- Sunset at Mallory Pier and the cat guy
- Shopping on Duval Street
- Sloppy Joe's
- Nerd Day, which included visits to the Hemingway house, lighthouse museum, Truman house, Audobon house, and the Custom House. Yes, many houses.
- Sunset cruise, where we saw the green flash (we think) and drank (maybe too much) champagne
- Enjoying time out on the water and by the pool
- Late-night chats and glasses of wine
Friday, June 1, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo, We Hold You In Our Hearts...
...I know at least one reader who knows how that ends.
After trying one day of actual NaNoWriMo two years in a row, I'm starting off Camp NaNoWriMo today. There are a few reasons I think I will be more successful this time.
1. The timing is way better. November is not a good month for me work-wise or life-wise. June, on the other hand, is looking pretty relaxed.
2. I have been doing a lot more research the past few months--I am hoping this will make it easier to get in the mindset of my setting/time frame.
3. Camping is a lot of fun.
This morning, I thought I would sit down and make a detailed outline, but yesterday while driving I had an idea that totally changed the make up of my story in terms of how it is told. So it actually ended up taking hardly any time to outline what I wanted, and I was able to start writing right away. So, my current word count stands at 738 as of this morning.
Of course, writing 50,000 words in one month will take away time I have for the blog. I'm planning on three posts a week, with a NaNoWriMo update on Fridays. Stay tuned during my camp experience!
After trying one day of actual NaNoWriMo two years in a row, I'm starting off Camp NaNoWriMo today. There are a few reasons I think I will be more successful this time.
1. The timing is way better. November is not a good month for me work-wise or life-wise. June, on the other hand, is looking pretty relaxed.
2. I have been doing a lot more research the past few months--I am hoping this will make it easier to get in the mindset of my setting/time frame.
3. Camping is a lot of fun.
This morning, I thought I would sit down and make a detailed outline, but yesterday while driving I had an idea that totally changed the make up of my story in terms of how it is told. So it actually ended up taking hardly any time to outline what I wanted, and I was able to start writing right away. So, my current word count stands at 738 as of this morning.
Of course, writing 50,000 words in one month will take away time I have for the blog. I'm planning on three posts a week, with a NaNoWriMo update on Fridays. Stay tuned during my camp experience!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Backyard Happenings
About a month ago, we had a dirt party to do some work in the backyard. And the main result was this project: Nathan's raised beds.
The dirt area around them will eventually be a path with a trellis in the middle. And they are no longer empty. This weekend, we (me) designed and (Nathan) planted them. And because Shelby has been very clingly lately, she sneaks her way into the photos.
This is the perennial bed, which, assuming all of the flowers live, will be the same every year.
However, we thought it would be fun to redesign them each year, too. So this ended up being the annual bed.
When we picked out flowers, we used the color wheel for inspiration. The bottom tier of both is yellow, orange, whites, and pinks. The middle tier is purples, reds, greens, and pinks. And the top tier has purple fountain grass and other tall plants. When we grouped them, we put complementary colors across from each other. It took a lot of effort, but the result is worth it. I'm already looking forward to summer when the bed get filled in.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Kitchen
Finally, an update on our kitchen. It is probably the best thing ever, and it made our house feel instantly changed. But I will let the pictures do the talking.
This is entirely new storage. There used to be a large ovehead cabinet where the fridge is, with the bakers rack next to it. The rolling dishwasher hung out in the corner where the fridge is. This is my favorie new part because it's my little "baking area." The cabinet above has all of my baking ingredients.
See how pretty it is? Oh ya, my step stool (to reach the higher shelves) has a nice little space now, too.
This is another side that saw a lot of chance. The dishwasher is now built-in and next to the sink. Weird, right? The counter space above it is all new. It is the "prep" area, because all of the cutting boards hang out in the cabinet under the knife block.
This is entirely new storage. There used to be a large ovehead cabinet where the fridge is, with the bakers rack next to it. The rolling dishwasher hung out in the corner where the fridge is. This is my favorie new part because it's my little "baking area." The cabinet above has all of my baking ingredients.
The bottom right cabinet has some pots and pans, but we keep the ones we use almost daily hanging up on the wall. Our pot rack is simply a coat hook from Target.
This side of the kitchen was realtively smilar, only the corner cabinet was a weird cabinet that went all the way back, and the bottom cabinet used to be four drawers. I realized we didn't need drawer space, but cabinet space, so we adjusted. And if you can believe it, that is all of the counter space we had originally.
This is another side that saw a lot of chance. The dishwasher is now built-in and next to the sink. Weird, right? The counter space above it is all new. It is the "prep" area, because all of the cutting boards hang out in the cabinet under the knife block.
Here is a close up of the countertop. It looks a little greener here than it is in real life, but it isn't plain black like we had planned on.
This is my other favorite part. This sink is giant and it is perfect for soaking pans effectively and holding lots of dishes. They thought I was kind of weird when I requested it, but it is perfect for what we want.
And here is the dishwasher, pretty and built-in. It's still hard for me to get out of the habit of leaving while it's running.
Still to come in the kitchen makeover is the door to the backyard, but that is not as essential now that we have the garage. Which is Shelby's new favorite hang out.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Shelby's Worst Enemy
This weekend, Nathan and I went to a vintage market, and came home with the ultimate treasure. Everyone, meet our new dog, Sheldon, aka Shelby's worst enemy.
Sheldon is a ceramic sheltie who holds money, and Shelby spends most of her time barking at him or ignoring him. He is the quiet guard dog who sits by the front door.
Sheldon is not the only change that's been happening. We've made lots of changes lately that you all haven't been udpated on, so tune in this week for the scoop.
Until then, Sheldon will sit and wait. Patiently.
Sheldon is a ceramic sheltie who holds money, and Shelby spends most of her time barking at him or ignoring him. He is the quiet guard dog who sits by the front door.
Sheldon is not the only change that's been happening. We've made lots of changes lately that you all haven't been udpated on, so tune in this week for the scoop.
Until then, Sheldon will sit and wait. Patiently.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Unfinished
I will admit it, I watch a lot of TV. I love TV. And the past few weeks have been full of season finales, or in some unfortunate cases, series finales. I know I am probably overreacting, but I need closure! I wish networks would decide earlier on when they are canceling things so they don't end with a cliffhanger. Best Example This Year: The Finder, Fox. Now I will always wonder what happened. Best Example Ever: Reunion, Fox. Still bitter about it. I see the common theme, here, too...
But on the other hand, I have been obsessing with new TV this week, and you can, too, thanks to TV Line.
But on the other hand, I have been obsessing with new TV this week, and you can, too, thanks to TV Line.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Friday Fancies
There is something about cupcakes for me--I can see commercials for any other kind of food or drink, but if I see a picture of a cupcake (or watch 2 Broke Girls) I have. to. have. one. Basically, I totally want one of these in my house.
A good site if you are like me and obsessively read everything a good author has written.
In my opinion, this was one of the best articles my friends posted on facebook about Maurice Sendak after his death this week. (Yes, Facebook is the source of most of the articles I read.)
I am totally loving this for our front door instead of a wreath.
Yesterday I tried to make dry dog shampoo for the super smelly dog that showed up (aka, Shelby, but normally she is so obsessed with being clean). It didn't work, but I did mix a little soap with some water and sprayed it on her, whch seemed to help.
A good site if you are like me and obsessively read everything a good author has written.
In my opinion, this was one of the best articles my friends posted on facebook about Maurice Sendak after his death this week. (Yes, Facebook is the source of most of the articles I read.)
I am totally loving this for our front door instead of a wreath.
Yesterday I tried to make dry dog shampoo for the super smelly dog that showed up (aka, Shelby, but normally she is so obsessed with being clean). It didn't work, but I did mix a little soap with some water and sprayed it on her, whch seemed to help.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Book Review: Mrs. Kennedy & Me
Mrs. Kennedy & Me is the memoir of the Secret Service agent assigned to protect Mrs. Kennedy. Because of his position, we are able to see what Jackie Kennedy's life was like in the White House behind closed doors. I learned a lot about her and her time as first lady in this book, as it rarely discusses JFK. Instead, we get stories of Jackie's travels and her time at home and insight to what it is like to constantly have a Secret Service agent with you--and what it is like to be that agent assigned to protect the most powerful family in the country.
What I found most interesting about this memoir was the perspective Clint Hill had on the assasination and the emotional impact it had on his life and his relationship with Jackie. Thus, it is not a memoir soley about Jackie or Clint, but a memoir of their relationship and how it impacted her life in the White House.
What I found most interesting about this memoir was the perspective Clint Hill had on the assasination and the emotional impact it had on his life and his relationship with Jackie. Thus, it is not a memoir soley about Jackie or Clint, but a memoir of their relationship and how it impacted her life in the White House.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Book Review: Once Upon A Secret
In keeping with our patriotic theme from yesterday, I have two political memoirs to review today and tomorrow about the Kennedys. But these memoirs are by people who were close with the President JFK (in today's case) and the First Lady Jackie Kennedy (tomorrow's book) in ways that were not as documented in the history of their lives.
Once Upon A Secret, by Mimi Alford, is the memoir of JFK's mistress. She was an intern in the White House press office, and news of her affair with the president only came out recently--the book was just published this year.
There are so many things I liked about this book, which is not so much filled with details about their actual affair, but the context surrounding it. For starters, I loved getting a glimpse into life in the White House press office, back before the Internet dominated the news cycle. I also love this time period, and Alford does a fantastic job of setting the scene for you in that time period, providing the social context, as well. For example, she discusses how JFK's womanizing was not more of a story than it was. A lot of it, she said, had to do with the fact that he was a well-loved president, especially by the press, and people didn't want to believe that about him.
But what was most interesting was that she is easy to relate to. The memoir talks about her life afterward, and how she considers her self to be a footnote to a footnote in history. She says that she didn't have any influence over the president, she just knew him and loved him. She also talks about how keeping this secret impacted her life, both for the bad and for the good. I think that this can be applied to anyone's life, in that sometimes these notable moments in life can lead you down a path that has unexpected influence on you.
If you decide to check this book out, I highly recommend the audio book version. As is the case with most of the books I listen to, I end up sitting in my car for a while because I didn't want to stop listening.
Once Upon A Secret, by Mimi Alford, is the memoir of JFK's mistress. She was an intern in the White House press office, and news of her affair with the president only came out recently--the book was just published this year.
There are so many things I liked about this book, which is not so much filled with details about their actual affair, but the context surrounding it. For starters, I loved getting a glimpse into life in the White House press office, back before the Internet dominated the news cycle. I also love this time period, and Alford does a fantastic job of setting the scene for you in that time period, providing the social context, as well. For example, she discusses how JFK's womanizing was not more of a story than it was. A lot of it, she said, had to do with the fact that he was a well-loved president, especially by the press, and people didn't want to believe that about him.
But what was most interesting was that she is easy to relate to. The memoir talks about her life afterward, and how she considers her self to be a footnote to a footnote in history. She says that she didn't have any influence over the president, she just knew him and loved him. She also talks about how keeping this secret impacted her life, both for the bad and for the good. I think that this can be applied to anyone's life, in that sometimes these notable moments in life can lead you down a path that has unexpected influence on you.
If you decide to check this book out, I highly recommend the audio book version. As is the case with most of the books I listen to, I end up sitting in my car for a while because I didn't want to stop listening.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Just 5 Days In The Capital City
I wish I could work a "Wicked" reference into all of my post titles. It's probaby a little late, but I wanted to (finally) give a summary of our Washington, D.C. trip we took at the end of March. We tried to plan our trip around the cherry blossoms, but most of them had bloomed the week before. In fact, this was one of the few late bloomers we saw around the Jefferson Memorial.
But overall, we had a very fun trip. We unintentionally split up our days into themes, which actually ended up being kind of cool because a lot of what we were seeing fit together.
Day 1: D.C. Highlights
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| Washington Monument |
We started at the Capitol and then walked the mall, intending to stop at the monuments as we went. But before we got there, we decided to detour to the Archives, because the line was relatively short. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, etc. there was a very cool exhibit on Ben Franklin AND we also saw Laura Ingalls Wilder memorabilia: the homestead claim Pa filed in South Dakota.
We then resumed our monument tour, minus the Lincoln because it looked really crowded, we both had already seen it, and the reflecting pool was under construction. After looking for ages, we finally found the Jefferson, MLK, and FDR. I still think FDR is my favorite one.
We stayed in Dupont Circle, and for dinner we had Greek food at one of the restaurants I had always wanted to go to during my internship. It was definitely worth the wait.
Day 2: American History
One of the main things I HAD to do when we were in D.C. was tour the White House. We went through our representative back in February to schedule it, and our tour was set for 12:30. We went to the White House Visitor's Center before, which had displays of furniture, china, and other White House artifacts before getting in line. The line for the White House was one of the longest we had to wait in, and I have to say I was not as impressed as I thought I would be. We got to see a few of the rooms, but there was no guided tour or real information on the rooms while you were in there. We did see the first dog while waiting in line though, so that was worth it.After the White House, we headed to the American History museum. Unfortunately, the pop culture and sports exhibits were closed, but we did get to see the Star Spangled Banner and the First Lady exhibit.
By this time, we were so overwhelmed by all of the people, so we went and had a drink before checking out the Portrait Gallery. This is my favorite art museum. There was also an exhibit on the art of video games, and I think that was Nathan's favorite.
We had dinner at Zola, nearby, a recommendation from a friend. It.Was. Amazing.
Day 3: Art & Journalism
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| Top Floor of the Newseum |
We also got to see some unique exhibits at the National Gallery of Art. One of the big ones was Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-And-Flower Paintings by Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800), which was on display outside of Japan for the first time. We also got to see sculptures (Nathan's favorite) and Impressionst paintings (my favorite).
Even though we had already walked a ton, we decided to head over to Georgetown to look at the campus and grab dinner.
Day 4: Nature
We started our "nature" morning out at the zoo, looking at all of the animals, and of course, the pandas. Then we stopped at the aquarium. This was interesting because it featured the sea life you would see in different ecosystems, but it was a little disappointing because there was not a lot there.The Natural History museum was by far the busiest museum we had been to yet. But we did get to see the fossils, the hope diamond, and a really cool exhibit about forensic anthropology, which I loved because it was like the show "Bones" in real life.
My wonderful cousins hosted us for dinner that night, which was a ton of fun.
Day 5: The Unexpected
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| National Botanic Gardens |
Overall, I have to say it was one of my favorite trips we've been on.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Running With Shelby
Yesterday, I went and watched my awesome friend Leah run the Lincoln half-marathon. I have never watched a marathon (or half) before and couldn't believe how many spectators were out and how many people were running (this year, 10,000). I also couldn't believe how entertaining and inspiring it was.
I am not a runner--in fact, I've always hated running. The sports I played in high school, volleyball and tennis, required little running for that very reason. But currently, I am doing couch to 5k to get ready for the Purple Stride in June. Here is the team page if you want more info.
This morning, I got up to run and was equipped the inspiration I got yesterday watching the marathoners. Today was the day I had to run more than walk, too. However, I've found that the secret to not hating running is to have a dog with you. Normally, Shelby runs either way ahead of me (at the beginning of the run) or way behind me (when she is tired). Today, though, she ran next to me pretty much the whole time.
The other best part of running with Shelby is I can motivate myself by reminding her that we only have a minute left and to keep on going. Hello, of course she doesn't need to know that but I do, and having her with me means I don't look like a crazy person.
Overall the run went pretty good, until I got home and had to lie on the kitchen floor because I felt faint. There will be no half-marathoning for me, I think.
Oh, and there is a new trend in Lincoln I am not too happy about. The past few times we've gone, Shelby has had a random, leashless dog run up to her and scare her. Today's was fine, because it was smaller than she was, but last week, some black lab came running up to her and the owner didn't make much of an effort to come get him. Then on our way back, we ran into them again, and the lady barely held onto him, while laughing with her friend about how "her dog had scared that little dog earlier." I'm sorry, but I don't think it's funny that your giant lab came running after my dog, who is already extremely cautious of other dogs.
End my "leashless dogs" rant, but I have to say this bothers me as much as the high schoolers who leave chocolate out all over the sidewalks.
And yes, I suppose I am a crazy dog person.
I am not a runner--in fact, I've always hated running. The sports I played in high school, volleyball and tennis, required little running for that very reason. But currently, I am doing couch to 5k to get ready for the Purple Stride in June. Here is the team page if you want more info.
This morning, I got up to run and was equipped the inspiration I got yesterday watching the marathoners. Today was the day I had to run more than walk, too. However, I've found that the secret to not hating running is to have a dog with you. Normally, Shelby runs either way ahead of me (at the beginning of the run) or way behind me (when she is tired). Today, though, she ran next to me pretty much the whole time.
The other best part of running with Shelby is I can motivate myself by reminding her that we only have a minute left and to keep on going. Hello, of course she doesn't need to know that but I do, and having her with me means I don't look like a crazy person.
Overall the run went pretty good, until I got home and had to lie on the kitchen floor because I felt faint. There will be no half-marathoning for me, I think.
Oh, and there is a new trend in Lincoln I am not too happy about. The past few times we've gone, Shelby has had a random, leashless dog run up to her and scare her. Today's was fine, because it was smaller than she was, but last week, some black lab came running up to her and the owner didn't make much of an effort to come get him. Then on our way back, we ran into them again, and the lady barely held onto him, while laughing with her friend about how "her dog had scared that little dog earlier." I'm sorry, but I don't think it's funny that your giant lab came running after my dog, who is already extremely cautious of other dogs.
End my "leashless dogs" rant, but I have to say this bothers me as much as the high schoolers who leave chocolate out all over the sidewalks.
And yes, I suppose I am a crazy dog person.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Friday Fancies
It's been a while since we've had a Friday Fancies post, but here we go. It seems like Friday really is almost over, but I've been busy working on some long-overdue projects, including redoing my desk chair using this tutorial. (Thanks, Pinterest!) But I did "draft" a few links that I wanted to share, so it will just be short and sweet.
I just recently saw this commercial and it reminds me of my dad! But his additional warnings when I got my first subaru were about listening to the radio.
Some fun things were posted on facebook this week: Disney princess costumes and this blog post about being happy. I think I do all of those things, even though I do consider myself to be pretty happy.
Books I've finished this week: Girls In White Dresses, by Jennifer Close. All That Matters, Jan Goldstein.
I just recently saw this commercial and it reminds me of my dad! But his additional warnings when I got my first subaru were about listening to the radio.
Some fun things were posted on facebook this week: Disney princess costumes and this blog post about being happy. I think I do all of those things, even though I do consider myself to be pretty happy.
Books I've finished this week: Girls In White Dresses, by Jennifer Close. All That Matters, Jan Goldstein.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Book Swap: My Thoughts On "Dune"
What I Liked
Reading Dune didn't feel like I was reading a book that was written decades ago. The major themes of the book are still relevant to today, particularly the environmental ones. I was most surprised at the dominance of woman characters in the book--Jessica is a strong character, both in personality and in status. I was also surprised by the nontraditional relationships between men and women shown in the book, particularly that of the Duke and Jessica. Because this was written in a time period where for many women, marriage was preferable to having a career (can you tell I've been watching "Mad Men" lately?), this really surprised me.I also liked the character development--it seemed like there were a lot of characters, but there was always the opportunity to understand their motives, their inner thoughts, and their relationships with the other characters.
What I Didn't Like
I have to say that Dune was very hard for me to get into. I had actually already started reading Dune on our plane trip back from Europe, and just couldn't connect with the story. I also put off starting it again for the book swap--Nathan finished Gone With The Wind at least a month and a half ago, and I just finished Dune recently. However, once the action got started, I couldn't put it down.Oh, and the Baron really creepd me out.
A Different Perspective
I think the only science fiction book I have ever read is A Wrinkle In Time. The main reason I don't read science fiction is that I have a bad imagination. I imagine practical things, so taking me out of reality and putting me in a world where I have to imagine planets and places and a completely different life is hard for me. Also, I don't understand why techonolgy we have now is not available in the future. (Though Nathan informed me that they explain this further in the later books.) Thus, Dune really took me out of my comfort zone. But once I was able to stretch my imagination, I found I really enjoyed the story.Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Book Swap: Nathan's Thoughts On "Gone With The Wind"
What I Liked
I felt like Scarlett is a woman before her time, as she’s extremely independent and strong-willed, and unlike the women surrounding her, she’s not afraid to go after what she wants—something that seems to be a social no-no. When Scarlett applies herself, she can do anything she wants, as she’s clearly intelligent and has the drive to succeed. What she doesn’t care about, she completely ignores. As a character, it’s hard to not like Scarlett, because I found it fun to read along as she plows the various challenges life presents her. Her character’s flaw of not caring about things that don’t interest her (politics, the war, making friends with other women, and considering what other people think about her actions) further add to her challenges, as they all seem to be key ways of life in the South). Through her faults, we learn about the South’s general perception of events and provide a good reason as to why Scarlett is able to succeed in times when everyone around her is falling apart. I also really liked how Margret Mitchell was able to create a story where the South comes alive. She paints a picture of a wonderful place where everyone is happy, including many of the slaves, because they are part of an idolized society where the world is nothing but parties and having fun. And despite how terrible the idea of slavery is, I found myself thinking that the South was a wonderful place that ended up being ruined by the Yankees, and all because Mitchell does such a good job of making everything in the South appear as a noble pursuit filled with honor and a sense of justice. To be able to take an ideal that’s so wrong and make it seem to be right is truly impressive writing.What I Didn’t Like
The one thing I didn’t like about Mitchell’s writing was how she would randomly switch character perspectives. One moment Scarlett would be having some type of inner dialogue, and then, someone else would begin talking—but you don’t know who it is until a paragraph later. The writing style provides a kind of flow as it goes along, but as I’m used to Sci-Fi and Fantasy styles (where there are many characters and everyone is typically identified before they start speaking), I find that change to be confusing. Maybe it was the overall length of the story (though this is shorter than many of the Fantasy books I read), but the story also seemed to bog down after Scarlett marries Rhett. I found myself wondering how two people who were so in love appear to drift apart so quickly. It’s as if the moment Scarlett puts Ashley in charge of the mill, Rhett gives up on them as a couple. After he’s waited so long, it seemed out of character to me, but that’s just my opinion.A Different Perspective
Gone With The Wind is a certainly a book that’s “out of my wheelhouse,” in terms of genre, but I certainly enjoyed it. I don’t have any problem with reading fiction, but when I read, I prefer to take myself to somewhere that I can imagine something I’ve never seen or thought of before. With some fiction, I find that reading about the normal lives of people don’t provide the type of mental release I’m looking for reading. With Gone With The Wind, I was able to imagine the beauty of the South and follow along with the “adventures” of Scarlet, which made the book tremendously enjoyable.
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