I'm for sure a list maker. There's a scene in some silly Lifetime or Hallmark movie that I don't even remember anything about except for the scene when she talks about how much she loves literally crossing off something on her to-do list. That's how I feel, and why I can never use my iPhone for anything like that. It's not as fun to scratch off.
But, I will share with you what is on my list of some tasks I want to accomplish before the month is over. Even if I can't literally cross it off my list on the blog, I can use my readers to hold me accountable for some projects I want to try.
1. Utilize homemade weed spray and other garden pins in our yard.
2. Finally finish the gallery wall on the stairs.
3. Meal plan binder to make my life significantly easier, because doing this every week is almost torture, even though I know it needs to be done.
4. Homemade cleaners, now that I finally have some empty spray bottles.
5. Spring cleaning and de-cluttering.
What's on your list to accomplish this month?
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Book Review: Sharp Objects
I have to admit, I jumped on the Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) bandwagon this past year when everyone was talking about it on Twitter. I liked it well enough, but I didn't necessarily "get" why everyone was in love with it, and wasn't as involved in the story as everyone else seemed to be. It could have been all of the hype, and it could be that I didn't connect with the story as much as I expected to. But now I can understand the hype surrounding Gillian Flynn's work, thanks to Sharp Objects, which a friend recommended. And I loved it.
Sharp Objects tells the story of a newspaper reporter sent back to her hometown to cover the recent disappearances of young girls in the hopes that it will become "the next big story" (according to her boss). She finds herself wrapped up not just in the lives and disappearances of these girls, but also the life and death of her younger sister. And as the story goes on, we see how her past, her relationship with her mother, and her relationship with her half-sister ties into the story of these girls, bringing everything together in an ending that I didn't see coming and couldn't stop thinking about for days.
What I liked so much about Sharp Objects was the constant surprises of where the story was taking me. It was darker than I ever could have imagined, but it was dark in a way that makes you think and cringe a little rather than darkness that seems forced or even over the top. The story was well-told and the characters were strong. They were flawed and we could easily understand their motivations, all culminating in the so-surprising ending.
Sharp Objects tells the story of a newspaper reporter sent back to her hometown to cover the recent disappearances of young girls in the hopes that it will become "the next big story" (according to her boss). She finds herself wrapped up not just in the lives and disappearances of these girls, but also the life and death of her younger sister. And as the story goes on, we see how her past, her relationship with her mother, and her relationship with her half-sister ties into the story of these girls, bringing everything together in an ending that I didn't see coming and couldn't stop thinking about for days.
What I liked so much about Sharp Objects was the constant surprises of where the story was taking me. It was darker than I ever could have imagined, but it was dark in a way that makes you think and cringe a little rather than darkness that seems forced or even over the top. The story was well-told and the characters were strong. They were flawed and we could easily understand their motivations, all culminating in the so-surprising ending.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Chicago: The Non-Musical Edition
At the beginning of April, Nathan and I were just getting back from our trip to Chicago, which was fantastic. The weather wasn't as springy as we thought it would be, but it actually ended up being all right, because I never had to wonder if I would need a coat that day. (Hint: I always did.)
But aside from the weather woes, easily solved by coat-wearing, we really did enjoy our trip to the windy city. Here's our final itinerary, complete with my thoughts and recommendations.
Thursday: This was a half day for us, so we checked out the shops on the magnificent mile, including the American Girl doll store (Note: It was actually kind of hard to explain to someone--in this case, Nathan--the complexities that surround American Girl dolls.) Around sunset, we went to the John Hancock tower, hoping for some great photo opportunities. We got them.
Now, here is where I will preface that if we had to do this trip over again, I don't know if we would have not gone to the very top observation deck, but the bar/restaurant that's up there. We did the city pass (which I recommend a lot) which got us admission into five different attractions, with front of the line privileges. They were: Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Sears (Willis) Tower, John Hancock tower OR Museum of Science and Industry, and then the Art Institute OR the observatory. So, we could have gone to the Museum of Science and Industry instead if we'd just gone to the bar. BUT. While I have no comparison since we didn't go to the bar, what was kind of nice about the observatory was that we could really just walk around and take tons of photos at different places.
And here comes your next lesson. We went over to Giordano's pizza, which had been recommended, and it was a 45 minute wait when we got there. We decided we didn't want to wait, and then commenced to walk around the city for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what we wanted to eat. Somehow, we ended up at Giordano's again because we got turned around, so we decided just to eat there. Then the wait was an hour-plus. But all the time we spent was totally worth it for the most amazing pizza ever.
Friday: This was a big day for us. We went to the Field Museum AND the Shedd Aquarium. Lots to take in. The Field Museum had so many cool exhibits--one on dirt, one on cave paintings in France, and the T-Rex. We really could have probably spent a whole day here. The Shedd Aquarium was fun, as well, and there were cute baby belugas (which basically ensured that I sang the Raffi song all weekend) and an interesting exhibit on sharks. We ate dinner at Michael Jordan's steakhouse, which was amazing.
Saturday: We braved the El on the weekend to head out to the Frank Lloyd Wright house and Oak Park. As you learned before, my mom and I had looked at the houses he designed around Oak Park, but Nathan and I went inside the actual house he lived in. It was very cool for house nerds such as myself, though we both agreed that we wished there was more focus on his life than was provided. After a visit to Navy Pier, we also explored the city via water on an architecture tour, which was great because our tour guide was hilarious and also very knowledgeable.
Sunday: Now, we unintentionally booked our trip over Easter weekend, and I didn't think anything would be open that day so we got tickets to "The Book of Mormon." But, as it turned out, almost everything was open so we probably could have gone to a museum this day and might have had smaller crowds and gone to the play another night. We did go to the Sears Tower after the play though, and it was pretty busy, so maybe we planned right.
Monday: Our flight left Monday afternoon, so we spent the morning at the art institute. We hit up all of the high points and still had some time to explore some other exhibits. And surprisingly, we didn't have any flight trouble either way, except a few gate changes.
Chicago is definitely close enough to go back to, and I think there's still so much we could have done. I think a trip back is definitely in order.
But aside from the weather woes, easily solved by coat-wearing, we really did enjoy our trip to the windy city. Here's our final itinerary, complete with my thoughts and recommendations.
Thursday: This was a half day for us, so we checked out the shops on the magnificent mile, including the American Girl doll store (Note: It was actually kind of hard to explain to someone--in this case, Nathan--the complexities that surround American Girl dolls.) Around sunset, we went to the John Hancock tower, hoping for some great photo opportunities. We got them.
Now, here is where I will preface that if we had to do this trip over again, I don't know if we would have not gone to the very top observation deck, but the bar/restaurant that's up there. We did the city pass (which I recommend a lot) which got us admission into five different attractions, with front of the line privileges. They were: Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Sears (Willis) Tower, John Hancock tower OR Museum of Science and Industry, and then the Art Institute OR the observatory. So, we could have gone to the Museum of Science and Industry instead if we'd just gone to the bar. BUT. While I have no comparison since we didn't go to the bar, what was kind of nice about the observatory was that we could really just walk around and take tons of photos at different places.
And here comes your next lesson. We went over to Giordano's pizza, which had been recommended, and it was a 45 minute wait when we got there. We decided we didn't want to wait, and then commenced to walk around the city for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what we wanted to eat. Somehow, we ended up at Giordano's again because we got turned around, so we decided just to eat there. Then the wait was an hour-plus. But all the time we spent was totally worth it for the most amazing pizza ever.
Friday: This was a big day for us. We went to the Field Museum AND the Shedd Aquarium. Lots to take in. The Field Museum had so many cool exhibits--one on dirt, one on cave paintings in France, and the T-Rex. We really could have probably spent a whole day here. The Shedd Aquarium was fun, as well, and there were cute baby belugas (which basically ensured that I sang the Raffi song all weekend) and an interesting exhibit on sharks. We ate dinner at Michael Jordan's steakhouse, which was amazing.
Saturday: We braved the El on the weekend to head out to the Frank Lloyd Wright house and Oak Park. As you learned before, my mom and I had looked at the houses he designed around Oak Park, but Nathan and I went inside the actual house he lived in. It was very cool for house nerds such as myself, though we both agreed that we wished there was more focus on his life than was provided. After a visit to Navy Pier, we also explored the city via water on an architecture tour, which was great because our tour guide was hilarious and also very knowledgeable.
Sunday: Now, we unintentionally booked our trip over Easter weekend, and I didn't think anything would be open that day so we got tickets to "The Book of Mormon." But, as it turned out, almost everything was open so we probably could have gone to a museum this day and might have had smaller crowds and gone to the play another night. We did go to the Sears Tower after the play though, and it was pretty busy, so maybe we planned right.
Monday: Our flight left Monday afternoon, so we spent the morning at the art institute. We hit up all of the high points and still had some time to explore some other exhibits. And surprisingly, we didn't have any flight trouble either way, except a few gate changes.
Chicago is definitely close enough to go back to, and I think there's still so much we could have done. I think a trip back is definitely in order.
Monday, May 6, 2013
April Showers Bring May Flowers
And April absence brings May blogging? That's my attempt at being creative. Obviously I am still working on getting back into this whole writing thing. But I still (nerdily) chuckled at my little joke.
To start us off, I wanted to talk about my (sort of) participation in Camp NaNoWriMo in April. If I would have set my goal at 10,000 words, I definitely would have achieved it. But 50,000 did not happen unfortunately, a lot due to motivation and some due to life.
The more times I set specific word goals, the more I realize that writing for word count is not for me. I would assume that this strategy is one that would motivate me, because I am such a scheduler and words are easy to schedule in each day. But I feel that sometimes it takes away from the actual writing process, and I feel rushed and/or overwhelmed (depending on the day), which makes writing not as fun. I don't have the time to really think about what I want to write and how I want to write it without feeling on the clock.
Several months into deciding on my own writing process, I 've learned that a deadline is important, but since this is my first attempt at writing a book, the higher word count is not going to get me there. Based on how I write and think and feel, I should be writing less so I don't feel pressured or guilty if I don't achieve whatever goal I have set for myself. Because there are some days where I really exceed my goal and others where I don't.
So I think this was my last time participating in NaNo, at least with this book based on where it is. I find that difficult because I really like the idea of it--writing as much as you can without thinking about it as much--but I know that it's not as realistic for me based on my personality. But I guess we'll see what happens come July 1...
To start us off, I wanted to talk about my (sort of) participation in Camp NaNoWriMo in April. If I would have set my goal at 10,000 words, I definitely would have achieved it. But 50,000 did not happen unfortunately, a lot due to motivation and some due to life.
The more times I set specific word goals, the more I realize that writing for word count is not for me. I would assume that this strategy is one that would motivate me, because I am such a scheduler and words are easy to schedule in each day. But I feel that sometimes it takes away from the actual writing process, and I feel rushed and/or overwhelmed (depending on the day), which makes writing not as fun. I don't have the time to really think about what I want to write and how I want to write it without feeling on the clock.
Several months into deciding on my own writing process, I 've learned that a deadline is important, but since this is my first attempt at writing a book, the higher word count is not going to get me there. Based on how I write and think and feel, I should be writing less so I don't feel pressured or guilty if I don't achieve whatever goal I have set for myself. Because there are some days where I really exceed my goal and others where I don't.
So I think this was my last time participating in NaNo, at least with this book based on where it is. I find that difficult because I really like the idea of it--writing as much as you can without thinking about it as much--but I know that it's not as realistic for me based on my personality. But I guess we'll see what happens come July 1...
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Book Review: Here I Go Again
I love basically anything Jen Lancaster writes. Seriously. I find her memoirs to be (literally) laugh out loud funny and so spot on when it comes to her observations. And that didn't change when it comes to her novels, the second being Here I Go Again.
Here I Go Again is the story of a popular girl's reality 20 years later, and how her glory days of high school have affected her current not-so-glorious present. At her high school reunion, she is made aware of the success of everyone she used to look down on has had and is then given a chance to go back and change her decisions so she too will have the life that she wants. But changing the outcome of everyone's life won't be as easy as she thought.
What I love about this book is the character development, and how Lissy eventually realizes what truly matters to her and what kind of life she wants to lead. I thought that it was hilarious, yet also had serious undertones that tugged at my heartstrings, such as the relationships between parents and children, popular kids vs. not popular kids, and of course, Lissy and the men in her life.
I also love the high school reunion concept and even though I didn't go to high school in the '80s, I loved all of the pop culture references. I have always looked forward to my high school reunion, even when I was in high school, but now that it's a year away, it doesn't seem to be as exciting as it once was. I have often wondered what effect Facebook has had on reunions, in that it used to be you would learn all about people from your past every 10 years or so, but now, you know what everyone's up to every 10 minutes or so. But what's super fun about this book is that Lissy uses Facebook in her book, which I always love to see.
Here I Go Again is the story of a popular girl's reality 20 years later, and how her glory days of high school have affected her current not-so-glorious present. At her high school reunion, she is made aware of the success of everyone she used to look down on has had and is then given a chance to go back and change her decisions so she too will have the life that she wants. But changing the outcome of everyone's life won't be as easy as she thought.
What I love about this book is the character development, and how Lissy eventually realizes what truly matters to her and what kind of life she wants to lead. I thought that it was hilarious, yet also had serious undertones that tugged at my heartstrings, such as the relationships between parents and children, popular kids vs. not popular kids, and of course, Lissy and the men in her life.
I also love the high school reunion concept and even though I didn't go to high school in the '80s, I loved all of the pop culture references. I have always looked forward to my high school reunion, even when I was in high school, but now that it's a year away, it doesn't seem to be as exciting as it once was. I have often wondered what effect Facebook has had on reunions, in that it used to be you would learn all about people from your past every 10 years or so, but now, you know what everyone's up to every 10 minutes or so. But what's super fun about this book is that Lissy uses Facebook in her book, which I always love to see.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Chicago Book Reviews: Ernest Hemingway
I love Ernest Hemingway, as evidenced in this book review of The Sun Also Rises and The Paris Wife. And I have been lucky enough in my travels to see two of his (many) homes.
Oak Park is where Ernest Hemingway was born and raised, and back in 2010 my mom and I were able to tour his childhood home and the museum that is also in Oak Park.
Both were very enlightening for me in terms of learning about Ernest Hemingway and his early life and how that played into the person and the writer he became. Plus, I love touring any kind of historic house. Definitely worth checking out (with the Frank Lloyd Wright houses) should you ever find yourself in Chicago.
Oak Park is where Ernest Hemingway was born and raised, and back in 2010 my mom and I were able to tour his childhood home and the museum that is also in Oak Park.
Both were very enlightening for me in terms of learning about Ernest Hemingway and his early life and how that played into the person and the writer he became. Plus, I love touring any kind of historic house. Definitely worth checking out (with the Frank Lloyd Wright houses) should you ever find yourself in Chicago.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Chicago Book Reviews: Loving Frank
One of my favorite things about reading is all of the places you can go just by opening a book. But one of my other favorite things traveling and actually seeing some of the places in a book. And since Nathan and I spent Easter weekend in Chicago, I thought I dedicate a week to the city, featuring novels that take place in or around the city.
The first of these books is Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan. I read this several years ago after my mom and I took a trip to Chicago to celebrate my graduation. We actually spent the day in Oak Park outside of Chicago, which is not only a Frank Lloyd Wright destination but as we found out, an Ernest Hemingway destination. But more on Ernest tomorrow--today we're focusing on Frank.
Mom and I spent the afternoon on a walking tour checking out some of the masterpieces in the area, or as the web site calls it, the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District. Here's one of my favorites. Wouldn't you love to live here?
But back to the book. Loving Frank is the story of the relationship of Mamah Borthwick Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright, which starts when Mamah and her husband commission Frank Lloyd Wright to design a home for them. Both have spouses and children, but soon the relationship between the two quickly deepens into something deeper.
The story takes us through their affair, to Europe and back to Chicago, and we see this affair through their perspectives on how it changes their lives and the effect it has on their families, particularly their children. We see Frank and Mamah through each other's eyes and see them grow and change over the course of the relationship.
The characters in this book are real, in that I didn't necessarily love them all of the time. But it was easy to see the love they had for each other, which is most obvious in the end. And the end. So much to say about the end, but don't want to ruin it.
The first of these books is Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan. I read this several years ago after my mom and I took a trip to Chicago to celebrate my graduation. We actually spent the day in Oak Park outside of Chicago, which is not only a Frank Lloyd Wright destination but as we found out, an Ernest Hemingway destination. But more on Ernest tomorrow--today we're focusing on Frank.
Mom and I spent the afternoon on a walking tour checking out some of the masterpieces in the area, or as the web site calls it, the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District. Here's one of my favorites. Wouldn't you love to live here?
But back to the book. Loving Frank is the story of the relationship of Mamah Borthwick Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright, which starts when Mamah and her husband commission Frank Lloyd Wright to design a home for them. Both have spouses and children, but soon the relationship between the two quickly deepens into something deeper.
The story takes us through their affair, to Europe and back to Chicago, and we see this affair through their perspectives on how it changes their lives and the effect it has on their families, particularly their children. We see Frank and Mamah through each other's eyes and see them grow and change over the course of the relationship.
The characters in this book are real, in that I didn't necessarily love them all of the time. But it was easy to see the love they had for each other, which is most obvious in the end. And the end. So much to say about the end, but don't want to ruin it.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Friday Fancies: March 29
A bit short this week as I've been trying to catch up on blogging and working to (finally) check off some household projects plus writing and work. But it's an accurate picture of what I've been doing this week.
Browsing:
I loved Keds. And I love Kate Spade. Obviously this is a thing I really love. And the marketing of them is pretty great, too.
Another article on books about the wives of famous men (found via Twitter), this one particularly about Zelda Fitzgerald. I have Z requested at the library and can't wait for it and now I have a few other books to add to that list. There is also a brief mention of a book about the wife of Benedict Arnold, and I have to take the opportunity to recommend Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi, which is one of my favorite books, and it is also about Peggy Shippen Arnold. And on that note, read anything by Ann Rinaldi.
Watching:
Most of my time the past few weeks has been spent watching Netflix, because I've been trying to work through our instant queue as I work on other projects (to come in Apil!). Two birds, one stone, right? There have been some random movies that I've loved, including "Janie Jones" and "The Best & The Brightest" and some that I haven't really loved, like "Miss Nobody." And here I thought that I would love anything Leslie Bibb was in...
I've also started re-watching "Greek," which is one of my favorite shows of all times. While googling it, I found that they've added a two years later video to the Web site that shows everybody at Rusty's graduation. Check it out if you watched the show and loved it as much as I did.
Browsing:
I loved Keds. And I love Kate Spade. Obviously this is a thing I really love. And the marketing of them is pretty great, too.
Another article on books about the wives of famous men (found via Twitter), this one particularly about Zelda Fitzgerald. I have Z requested at the library and can't wait for it and now I have a few other books to add to that list. There is also a brief mention of a book about the wife of Benedict Arnold, and I have to take the opportunity to recommend Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi, which is one of my favorite books, and it is also about Peggy Shippen Arnold. And on that note, read anything by Ann Rinaldi.
Watching:
Most of my time the past few weeks has been spent watching Netflix, because I've been trying to work through our instant queue as I work on other projects (to come in Apil!). Two birds, one stone, right? There have been some random movies that I've loved, including "Janie Jones" and "The Best & The Brightest" and some that I haven't really loved, like "Miss Nobody." And here I thought that I would love anything Leslie Bibb was in...
I've also started re-watching "Greek," which is one of my favorite shows of all times. While googling it, I found that they've added a two years later video to the Web site that shows everybody at Rusty's graduation. Check it out if you watched the show and loved it as much as I did.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Writing Update: March
I am very happy to announce that my book is now more than 30,000 words. It's not quite halfway, but moer than I've ever written for this book or any other book, which is very exciting.
I have to admit that I did think I would be further in word count after my initial momentum, but it definitely slowed down, which surprised me as I started incorporating some of what I had written back during NaNoWriMo in November.
I have learned that my story is still evolving, and the way I am writing it is evolving, too. Thanks to a suggestion from my friend Kaitlyn, I'm writing the two stories completely and then incorporating them together, which will then let me decide how to incorporate them better.
So, with about 50,000 words left to write by May 1, I will be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo again, hopefully more successfully than last year. The timing is much more ideal and with my goal to write that anyway, I feel like I'll be much more successful.
I have to admit that I did think I would be further in word count after my initial momentum, but it definitely slowed down, which surprised me as I started incorporating some of what I had written back during NaNoWriMo in November.
I have learned that my story is still evolving, and the way I am writing it is evolving, too. Thanks to a suggestion from my friend Kaitlyn, I'm writing the two stories completely and then incorporating them together, which will then let me decide how to incorporate them better.
So, with about 50,000 words left to write by May 1, I will be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo again, hopefully more successfully than last year. The timing is much more ideal and with my goal to write that anyway, I feel like I'll be much more successful.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Book Review: The Aviator's Wife
I was at Barnes and Noble after Christmas and found The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin on the new releases table, and I couldn't resist buying it.
And I'm so glad I bought it, as it is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I read the book in record time because I couldn't put it down.
I didn't know very much about Anne Morrow Lindbergh before I started the book, but by the time I finished, I wanted to be best friends with her. The book told her story in a way that let us not only learn about her life but I also felt that Melanie Benjamin really let us get to know her imagining of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
The Anne Morrow Lindbergh of this book was a strong woman, and we saw her overcome all of the obstacles that were thrown at her, including fame and all of the consequences that came with it, including the kidnapping of her child. We saw her through the eyes of the public, the eyes of her husband and children, and the eyes of who she thought herself to be.
So, I will say the the greatest strength of this book is the character development. The plot is interesting, as she led a very unique, interesting life, but more than that, it was the insight into Anne Morrow Lindbergh's character that really made the book a great read.
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I didn't know very much about Anne Morrow Lindbergh before I started the book, but by the time I finished, I wanted to be best friends with her. The book told her story in a way that let us not only learn about her life but I also felt that Melanie Benjamin really let us get to know her imagining of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
The Anne Morrow Lindbergh of this book was a strong woman, and we saw her overcome all of the obstacles that were thrown at her, including fame and all of the consequences that came with it, including the kidnapping of her child. We saw her through the eyes of the public, the eyes of her husband and children, and the eyes of who she thought herself to be.
So, I will say the the greatest strength of this book is the character development. The plot is interesting, as she led a very unique, interesting life, but more than that, it was the insight into Anne Morrow Lindbergh's character that really made the book a great read.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Think Spring!: Bulletin Board
Back in September, Nathan and I went to Nebraska City for Applejack, and one of our stops was a flea market where I picked up a frame that I planned to use for jewelry. Then I realized that I missed having something on my desk for photos, etc. so I decided to make it into a bulletin board for that.
As you can see, it needed a fresh coat of paint.
After the paint, which was silver, I cut the corkboard to fit inside the frame and hot glued it to the inside. It wasn't especially sturdy, so I then cut a piece of cardboard to fit and hot glued it to the back of the corkboard.
Here it is finished, though it still needs some momentos on it.
As you can see, it needed a fresh coat of paint.
After the paint, which was silver, I cut the corkboard to fit inside the frame and hot glued it to the inside. It wasn't especially sturdy, so I then cut a piece of cardboard to fit and hot glued it to the back of the corkboard.
Here it is finished, though it still needs some momentos on it.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Think Spring!: Desk Storage
Now where were we? When we last left off in the story of the desk update, it had gotten a pretty new coat of stain. But there were some other updates that have been going on, including new fabric-covered boxes.
I am somewhat of a box hoarder, and with all of Nathan's Newegg shopping, we have a lot hanging around. I took three of them that were about the size I wanted and found some fabric to cover them with. A lot of the tutorials I found via Pinterest involved a sewing machine, and I was, well, kind of lazy. So instead I turned to my spray glue.
Here's Shelby checking out my materials, which include: two kind of fabric (I used a solid pink and a striped pink and green, and the amounts you will need will vary based on the size of your boxes. But you will need more of the one that you'll actually be covering the boxes with.), spray glue, ribbons, fleece, and scissors.
Step 1: Measure the box all the way around, then cut your fabric to fit.
Step 2: Spray the back of the box with the spray glue (probably outside) and then apply the fabric to the box. Continue until the entire box is covered. It doesn't have to look perfect.
Step 3: After I had finished, I realized that I wanted some fabric on the bottom so my desk wouldn't get scratched. So I got some white fleece and cut it to fit the bottom of the box and used the spray glue. As you can see, the white fleece wasn't cut perfectly, so I trimmed off the extra.
Step 4: I took the second fabric and cut it to fit the width of each individual side of the box and about half the height of the box. Then I used the spray glue to attach each panel over the top of the box so it was even on the outside with the other panels surrounding it.
Step 5: After everything was attached, I didn't love the way it looked when it was left unfinished, so I added a ribbon yesterday. I think it looks much more finished now.
There was another upgrade to the desk, and that is my jar of shards that I finally cleaned and put in a jar after almost a year. And, the bulletin board is also a new addition--check back tomorrow for a tutorial on that.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Friday Fancies: March 15
Browsing
No words necessary other than Veronica Mars Movie.
Pinning
Lots of garden things this week--as I've said before, spring is on my mind!
Plant Markers
Weed Spray
Landscaping
Oh, and how cool is this: An illustration of how Disney couples met.
Reading
Have been devouring Kristin Hannah books, thanks to my the two my friend Kaitlyn let me.
Listening
I think this is one of the coolest-written songs I've ever heard. I love the play on words
Watching
Season finales of "The Lying Game" and "Switched At Birth." Yes, still love anything ABC Family puts out there. (Except "The Secret Life of an American Teenager.")
I'm still liking "Smash" even though I seem to be the only one really.
No words necessary other than Veronica Mars Movie.
Pinning
Lots of garden things this week--as I've said before, spring is on my mind!
Plant Markers
Weed Spray
Landscaping
Oh, and how cool is this: An illustration of how Disney couples met.
Reading
Have been devouring Kristin Hannah books, thanks to my the two my friend Kaitlyn let me.
Listening
I think this is one of the coolest-written songs I've ever heard. I love the play on words
Watching
Season finales of "The Lying Game" and "Switched At Birth." Yes, still love anything ABC Family puts out there. (Except "The Secret Life of an American Teenager.")
I'm still liking "Smash" even though I seem to be the only one really.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Omaha Is Not Our Home-aha...
...so going there in the middle of the week and sightseeing is kind of like we had a mini-vacation.
As I mentioned yesterday, Nathan took the day off on Tuesday and we went to Omaha for what I will call a day date. The first summer we were dating, he took me on an all-day date, which invovled the SAC museum and Mahoney Park in Ashland and then a small-town play. This was similar, though it wasn't all-day, but also not a half-day, so thus, the day date moniker.
We started at the Joslyn before heading down to the Old Market. It was a little cold for browsing but we wandered around the little shops anyway. There was hardly anyone out and about at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday (I know, why not?!), which made for nice shopping.
We really had some great sucess at the used book store. Nathan found three books he had been looking for for a while AND as fate would have it (because I truly think it was fate that brought me together with this book), he also found me the last Besty-Tacy Treasury I needed. I didn't even know this book existed, but I'm so excited because 1. I have the others and this completes my collection and 2. the forewords are by Judy Blume and Ann Martin. I think it was fate, because it was in the science fiction section incorrectly, just sitting there on top of the books, and what are the odds that someone looking in the science fiction section would have a wife who would buy that exact book because she's crazy about the series? Right? He said he almost didn't say anything because why wouldn't I have it? But I didn't!
After a very exciting book shopping experience, we went to Upstream for a drink. That was surprisingly busy for 4 p.m. actually. We planned out our Chicago trip, which took longer than it probably should. To do so, we wrote down all of the places we wanted to go and then looked on the iPhone maps what was near each other. It's pretty nerdy but totally us.
We had dinner and then went to see "The Lion King," which was the whole reason we went to Omaha on a random Tuesday anyway. I have never seen anything quite like it. I was prepared for the awesomeness of the costumes because I'd heard they were amazing but wow. It was incredible. The story was not as easy to pick up on as the movie, in my opinion, but it was really just fantastic. I've never heard a standing ovation so loud before. It was also fun to see so many kids there (though the ones around us were pretty well-behaved so maybe that helped) because it reminded me of when my mom took me to see my first play--"Annie"--and how magical I thought it was. I'm so glad that they all could have the same experience with a pretty cool play.
As I mentioned yesterday, Nathan took the day off on Tuesday and we went to Omaha for what I will call a day date. The first summer we were dating, he took me on an all-day date, which invovled the SAC museum and Mahoney Park in Ashland and then a small-town play. This was similar, though it wasn't all-day, but also not a half-day, so thus, the day date moniker.
We started at the Joslyn before heading down to the Old Market. It was a little cold for browsing but we wandered around the little shops anyway. There was hardly anyone out and about at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday (I know, why not?!), which made for nice shopping.
We really had some great sucess at the used book store. Nathan found three books he had been looking for for a while AND as fate would have it (because I truly think it was fate that brought me together with this book), he also found me the last Besty-Tacy Treasury I needed. I didn't even know this book existed, but I'm so excited because 1. I have the others and this completes my collection and 2. the forewords are by Judy Blume and Ann Martin. I think it was fate, because it was in the science fiction section incorrectly, just sitting there on top of the books, and what are the odds that someone looking in the science fiction section would have a wife who would buy that exact book because she's crazy about the series? Right? He said he almost didn't say anything because why wouldn't I have it? But I didn't!
After a very exciting book shopping experience, we went to Upstream for a drink. That was surprisingly busy for 4 p.m. actually. We planned out our Chicago trip, which took longer than it probably should. To do so, we wrote down all of the places we wanted to go and then looked on the iPhone maps what was near each other. It's pretty nerdy but totally us.
We had dinner and then went to see "The Lion King," which was the whole reason we went to Omaha on a random Tuesday anyway. I have never seen anything quite like it. I was prepared for the awesomeness of the costumes because I'd heard they were amazing but wow. It was incredible. The story was not as easy to pick up on as the movie, in my opinion, but it was really just fantastic. I've never heard a standing ovation so loud before. It was also fun to see so many kids there (though the ones around us were pretty well-behaved so maybe that helped) because it reminded me of when my mom took me to see my first play--"Annie"--and how magical I thought it was. I'm so glad that they all could have the same experience with a pretty cool play.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Book Review: Circle Dogs
Yesterday, Nathan took the day off and we had a middle of the week date to Omaha. (More on that tomorrow!) We started at the Joslyn Art Museum, which had an exhibit on illustrations by Dan Yaccarino. These were really neat and it was my favorite exhibit--thankfully the guide pointed it out or we would have missed it!
Of course, since the museum gift shop had some of the books for sale, I had to get some because I love cool kids books. The first one we picked out to take home was Circle Dogs, by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Shockingly, based not only on the title but also our obsession with Shelby, it's about two dogs.
This is a great children's book because it's simple, it has lots of shapes in it, and it's hilarious. I personally love it because it basically describes Shelby's day, from waking up (stretching and good morning kisses) to her naps (with the twitching) to waking up (because of the mailman, which she did today) to eating and sleeping again.
The other book we got was Dan Yaccarino's Mother Goose, which is his interpretations of Mother Goose rhymes, and the illustrations are pretty great.
I also considered All The Way To America and Doug Unplugged, but those will have to wait for another trip, I suppose.
Check out all of his books here.
Of course, since the museum gift shop had some of the books for sale, I had to get some because I love cool kids books. The first one we picked out to take home was Circle Dogs, by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Shockingly, based not only on the title but also our obsession with Shelby, it's about two dogs.
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This is a great children's book because it's simple, it has lots of shapes in it, and it's hilarious. I personally love it because it basically describes Shelby's day, from waking up (stretching and good morning kisses) to her naps (with the twitching) to waking up (because of the mailman, which she did today) to eating and sleeping again.
The other book we got was Dan Yaccarino's Mother Goose, which is his interpretations of Mother Goose rhymes, and the illustrations are pretty great.
I also considered All The Way To America and Doug Unplugged, but those will have to wait for another trip, I suppose.
Check out all of his books here.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Think Spring!: My Desk Makeover
It was more than two years ago that Nathan and I (or just Nathan) took on my desk project. To refresh your memory, here it what it looked like when we finished.
And that above is what it has looked like for the past two years. (Except for the fact that I got some marker stain on it. And there's a ton of stuff in all of the shelves.) It wasn't that I didn't want to stain it, but more that I couldn't commit to what color exactly I wanted it.
But that decision was finally made (officially) back in September. Nathan got me a new chair as a surprise that matched the dark wood of these framed prints that I got for my birthday also a couple of years ago.
We had a very scientific way of finding stain. Because the frames matched the chair pretty well, we decided to take one off the wall and with us to the hardware store. We picked out stain and brought it home, but as I was applying it, it wasn't quite the color it needed to be. Luckily we still had some stain leftover from when I finished our Ikea nightstands. It ended up being the perfect match for the chair and the frames.
It seemed like it took forever for it to finally be finished and ready to put back inside. There were many coats of stain and poly. But it turned out just right and it looks much better than it did before. I'm really glad that we took the time to build something that works just right. Here's what it looks like today. Literally. I just took this picture.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Friday Fancies: March 8
Friday Fancies is a compilation of my past week + whatever else I might find interesting.
Browsing
Here's an interesting article on what the heck happened to "Up All Night" found via twitter. I actually kind of like the show within a show concept.
Beverly Cleary's childhood home is for sale. I'd totally move in. How cute is it?
Also found via twitter, I loved this article on ghost writing the Sweet Valley books. I remember when I found out that the Babysitters Club books were written by ghost writers and how upset I was, even though now I think it would be a pretty cool job.
Here's what happens when you combine two writers at a brunch (also known as a fancy word for breakfast and lunch combined) hyped up on caffiene. Laura was nice enough to have me as a guest on her monthly video digest. Tune in to see what we think of Galentine's Day, the Oscars, and Downton Abbey.
Pinning
This week's theme: paleo versions of foods I was once obsessed with:
Paleo Girl Scout cookies
Petite Vanilla Scones
Pigs in a Blanket
Now, who's going to come up with a recipe for Paleo Doritos?
Reading
Rules of Civility
Listening
I am kind of desperate to buy the "Nashville" soundtrack.
Watching
"Switched at Birth" had an all-ASL episode that was awesome.
"Body of Proof" gave me nightmares.
"Hart of Dixie" got "Run From Wade" stuck in my head for the rest of the week.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Checked Out
It's been a while since I've talked about the books I've read that maybe didn't get a book review. So, here's a look at what I've checked out from the library lately:
The dog who danced, Susan Wilson
Listening in, a John F. Kennedy biography
The best of me, Nicholas Sparks
Marilyn Monroe, Keith Badman
A little bit wicked, Kristin Chenoweth
Keepsake, Kristina Riggle
The good girls revolt, Lynn Povich
Domestic Affairs: A campaign novel, Bridget Siegel
Bridge of scarlet leaves, Kristina McMorris
My reality, Melissa Rycroft
The dog who danced, Susan Wilson
Listening in, a John F. Kennedy biography
The best of me, Nicholas Sparks
Marilyn Monroe, Keith Badman
A little bit wicked, Kristin Chenoweth
Keepsake, Kristina Riggle
The good girls revolt, Lynn Povich
Domestic Affairs: A campaign novel, Bridget Siegel
Bridge of scarlet leaves, Kristina McMorris
My reality, Melissa Rycroft
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Think Spring!: A Guest Bathroom Update
It feels like a huge accomplishment that we finally painted the last room in the house that needed to be painted. Surprisingly, the last one was the one that I think I hated the most, but it was the last to go.
Our laundry room/bathroom is in the basement and has a tiny window that is covered up, so why in the world it was painted dark gray/brown, I will never know, other than obviously different tastes. On top of that, the space behind the washer and dryer was still a completely different color, so that bothered me pretty much every time I did laundry.
Our laundry room/bathroom is in the basement and has a tiny window that is covered up, so why in the world it was painted dark gray/brown, I will never know, other than obviously different tastes. On top of that, the space behind the washer and dryer was still a completely different color, so that bothered me pretty much every time I did laundry.
Here you can see the color on the walls and how dark it is even though we have all of the lights on. I always felt bad about sending our guests down to the dungeon...
Here is the inspiration for what I wanted to do with the laundry room. This laundry hamper came back with us on one of our trips from Colorado. I like having a hamper down in the laundry room for all of the household laundry, like dish rags and towels and such. Before it just sat on the washing machine.
Here's what it looks like now. We painted the walls yellow to kind of match the top of the hamper. Also, we have tons of yellow paint left from painting our bedroom.
All of the trim got painted white instead of gray and it makes everything seem a little happier now. We also replaced the dark black rugs and striped shower curtain with white, and that bird rug is kind of my favorite thing. It took many a trip to Target to find just the right one. I laugh every time I look at it though because I think, "Put a bird on it!" from Portlandia. But I did. I put a bird on the bathroom.
Now my cute vintage hamper looks less out of place than before. I also found a place to hang up most of my Christmas card photos. I got this frame as a graduation present, and it's pretty cool because you just take the top part of (it's magnetic), lay everything out, and then put the top back on. At least that's how it's supposed to happen. I held it up and all of the photos came flying out, so I had to tape everything down to keep it in place.
I'm not going to say that doing laundry is really fun now that the room is cute, but it does make it a little more enjoyable to be in a room that's a lot less gloomy.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Think Spring!
Nathan and I just watched "Funny Face" the other day, and randomly, "Think Pink!" pops into my head. (And if you know me, you know that it stays in my head for about five hours thanks to my awesome ability to get anything stuck in my head.) Maybe it's because of that song, or maybe just because all I can do is think about spring, but either way, it's the title of word fancies' theme this month. A monthly theme--very exciting.
But what is the "Think Spring!" theme all about? Well, I associate spring with fresh starts and finally being motivated to get some projects done. (I think it's the sunshine that motivates me.) So most of my posts will be about home happenings, whether it's sharing a room that got a fresh coat of paint (maybe in October and I just haven't put it up yet?), a project finally completed (most have to do with frames), or even just the list of spring cleaning tasks I hope to tackle before the month is over. Heck, even the blog might continue to get a makeover.
I am really excited about this monthly theme, for several reasons. One, it's a chance for me to share with you some projects I haven't yet. Two, it's a great kick in the butt to get some things done. And three, it leaves me some time to really focus my writing motivation on my book. (I hit 20,000 words yesterday, thanks to a seven-hour brunch at Panera yesterday! Quarter of the way to my goal--and my Kate Spade purse.)
So be sure to tune in tomorrow as we kickoff Think Spring! with a look at our recently updated (back in October) guest bathroom/laundry room. I kind of love it.
But what is the "Think Spring!" theme all about? Well, I associate spring with fresh starts and finally being motivated to get some projects done. (I think it's the sunshine that motivates me.) So most of my posts will be about home happenings, whether it's sharing a room that got a fresh coat of paint (maybe in October and I just haven't put it up yet?), a project finally completed (most have to do with frames), or even just the list of spring cleaning tasks I hope to tackle before the month is over. Heck, even the blog might continue to get a makeover.
I am really excited about this monthly theme, for several reasons. One, it's a chance for me to share with you some projects I haven't yet. Two, it's a great kick in the butt to get some things done. And three, it leaves me some time to really focus my writing motivation on my book. (I hit 20,000 words yesterday, thanks to a seven-hour brunch at Panera yesterday! Quarter of the way to my goal--and my Kate Spade purse.)
So be sure to tune in tomorrow as we kickoff Think Spring! with a look at our recently updated (back in October) guest bathroom/laundry room. I kind of love it.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Friday Fancies: March 1
Thanks to Oscar Week last week, we didn't have Friday Fancies. So some of these are kind of old, but share-worthy all the same.
TVLine asked what shows its readers wanted remade or revived. Here's what they found. My vote's for "Veronica Mars."
This is an interesting article from USA Today found via Twitter that talks about the growing popularity of novels about the woment behind famous men. Some of them I have read and loved, like The Paris Wife, Loving Frank, and The Aviator's Wife. Defnitely some other books in here I'd love to check out.
I actually am not watching "The Bachelor" this season. I know, shocking. But I thought this article was interesting in terms of the psychology behind reality TV show relationships.
The Lincoln Journal Star had a column recently about a movie premiere in Lincoln for the novel based on Bess Streeter Aldrich, an Elmwood native.
TVLine asked what shows its readers wanted remade or revived. Here's what they found. My vote's for "Veronica Mars."
This is an interesting article from USA Today found via Twitter that talks about the growing popularity of novels about the woment behind famous men. Some of them I have read and loved, like The Paris Wife, Loving Frank, and The Aviator's Wife. Defnitely some other books in here I'd love to check out.
I actually am not watching "The Bachelor" this season. I know, shocking. But I thought this article was interesting in terms of the psychology behind reality TV show relationships.
The Lincoln Journal Star had a column recently about a movie premiere in Lincoln for the novel based on Bess Streeter Aldrich, an Elmwood native.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Table Settings
With three kids, my mom tried split the chores three ways, and we'd rotate each week: set the table, put the dishes away, or do the dishes. Setting the table was always my favorite task, not only because it was the easiest but also because it was the most fun. I loved putting the plates out, making a pattern with the different-colored plates or giving the girls pink and the boys blue.
And when company came, my mom would always save this task for me because she knew how much I loved it. (And maybe because she knew I really couldn't do much to help with the food?) Together, we'd add leaves to the dining room table while Steph and Joe and Daddy would help carry up chairs. We'd pick out the table cloth--the red and blue checkered, the sailboat checkered, the pink and green and blue checkered--and lay them out before getting the spray bottle and stretching them to get out the wrinkles.
The plates would be carried out from the kitchen, or sometimes if we were lucky (VERY LUCKY) we'd get to use the pink china and grape glasses. More often, the fancy silverware that was my dad's mom's would get pulled out from the buffet, along with the platters and salt and pepper shakers and candlesticks. Then we'd lay everything out, remembering how the placement went thanks to our cotillion training and the little tricks we'd picked up since. (The knife, spoon and fork were all in a fight. The fork left because the spoon and the knife were right.) And I would still try to make a pattern with the plates.
As I get ready for my dinner parties now, setting the table is still my favorite part. I rearrange the living room depending on many people we need to seat, put up the leaves in the drop-leaf table my father-in-law built custom for us, and lay out the tablecloths. Of course, one thing we didn't think of when designing the table was what size tablecloths we would eventually need, and I think of how excited I was when my dad and I realized that shower curtains fit just right, and together, my parents and I picked out the first shower curtain tablecloths for the first dinner party with them at our house.
It's fun for me to pull out some of our "fancy" things when we have people over--the silverware my family got us for a wedding gift that is essentially the same pattern as the one that was once my grandma's, the platters and pitchers and glasses from family and neighborhood friends, the plates and bowls from my aunt, the place card holders from a friend. There are so many people associated with our dinner parties that it seems as though everyone we love is there, even just in spirit.
And even when it's just me, my process is the same as it always was when helping my mom in our dining room with the view of the mountains. And especially when it's just me, I wish my mom was here so she could help me make sure the tablecloth is even on both sides.
And when company came, my mom would always save this task for me because she knew how much I loved it. (And maybe because she knew I really couldn't do much to help with the food?) Together, we'd add leaves to the dining room table while Steph and Joe and Daddy would help carry up chairs. We'd pick out the table cloth--the red and blue checkered, the sailboat checkered, the pink and green and blue checkered--and lay them out before getting the spray bottle and stretching them to get out the wrinkles.
The plates would be carried out from the kitchen, or sometimes if we were lucky (VERY LUCKY) we'd get to use the pink china and grape glasses. More often, the fancy silverware that was my dad's mom's would get pulled out from the buffet, along with the platters and salt and pepper shakers and candlesticks. Then we'd lay everything out, remembering how the placement went thanks to our cotillion training and the little tricks we'd picked up since. (The knife, spoon and fork were all in a fight. The fork left because the spoon and the knife were right.) And I would still try to make a pattern with the plates.
As I get ready for my dinner parties now, setting the table is still my favorite part. I rearrange the living room depending on many people we need to seat, put up the leaves in the drop-leaf table my father-in-law built custom for us, and lay out the tablecloths. Of course, one thing we didn't think of when designing the table was what size tablecloths we would eventually need, and I think of how excited I was when my dad and I realized that shower curtains fit just right, and together, my parents and I picked out the first shower curtain tablecloths for the first dinner party with them at our house.
It's fun for me to pull out some of our "fancy" things when we have people over--the silverware my family got us for a wedding gift that is essentially the same pattern as the one that was once my grandma's, the platters and pitchers and glasses from family and neighborhood friends, the plates and bowls from my aunt, the place card holders from a friend. There are so many people associated with our dinner parties that it seems as though everyone we love is there, even just in spirit.
And even when it's just me, my process is the same as it always was when helping my mom in our dining room with the view of the mountains. And especially when it's just me, I wish my mom was here so she could help me make sure the tablecloth is even on both sides.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
I've noticed something lately. While movies and TV shows were quick to incorporate technology such as smart phones and social media into story telling, books are further behind in doing so. It's not especially noticeable until you come across a book that has done a fantastic job using modern-day methods to tell a story. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? is an example of such a book, because it uses emails, letters, faxes, etc. as part of the narrative, and it really adds to the story.
It also adds to the character development. When I'm writing an email, it's capturing my thoughts and telling the recipient who I am as a person. The same can be said for reading the character's emails. We have insight into how the characters are thinking and what makes them who they are and show us their motivation for why they do what they do (which then moves the plot forward).
The characters themselves are unique and kind of quirky, which really made the book hilarious to read. At the same time, they had depth and background that made them very real and I felt for them as I learned of their past struggles.
Overall, this is definitely worth checking out, and I really enjoyed it.
I've noticed something lately. While movies and TV shows were quick to incorporate technology such as smart phones and social media into story telling, books are further behind in doing so. It's not especially noticeable until you come across a book that has done a fantastic job using modern-day methods to tell a story. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? is an example of such a book, because it uses emails, letters, faxes, etc. as part of the narrative, and it really adds to the story.
It also adds to the character development. When I'm writing an email, it's capturing my thoughts and telling the recipient who I am as a person. The same can be said for reading the character's emails. We have insight into how the characters are thinking and what makes them who they are and show us their motivation for why they do what they do (which then moves the plot forward).
The characters themselves are unique and kind of quirky, which really made the book hilarious to read. At the same time, they had depth and background that made them very real and I felt for them as I learned of their past struggles.
Overall, this is definitely worth checking out, and I really enjoyed it.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Writing Update: February
I really tried to kick it into gear this month with my writing by getting into a routine and planning for my writing times. (I also have been trying to avoid the DVR, Netflix, and Hulu during the day unless I'm folding laundry.) And it has really been successful for me. As you may have noticed, I started updating my blog more. (You're welcome, Mom!) But I also started to focus more on my novel. I have set a goal to finish it by the end of April, and I have set weekly word count goals for myself to help achieve this.
I would say that it helps that I already had nearly 28,000 words written from NaNo this past November, but in all actuality, it doesn't help a ton. Rather than finishing that draft and then reworking it to be what I want, I completely started over and will instead be going down a different path with it. Luckily, there are still parts in that draft I can use. Unluckily, it hurts my heart to cut out some of the scenes I already had written.
But I know it's for the best. On my way back from New Jersey last month, I re-outlined the book and focused it more. I added some characters, lost some characters (sorry, guys!) and adding a new frame story. While I had orignially planned on using excerpts of a letter to signify time change between the stories, I now am focusing on the relationship between my main character and her granddaughter, giving her granddaugher more of a story, too. I am really happy with this change, as I was able to really expand on my opening scene and make it much stronger. (It went from 500 words to almost 5,000 words! Plus interesting plot development.)
I also changed the perspective from first person to third person, which is mostly working out for the better. There are still some parts that would be easier to write in first, I think, but I like that writing in third is forcing me to "show, not tell" more so than when writing in first. The main challenge I have is trying to figure out what to call my characters in the scenes (prounouns, by name, by relationship?)
One major change in my writing process is that I'm writing chronologically, which also seems to be helping. Back in November, I was skipping all over the place, which made it hard for me to really determine what scenes needed to be added and which needed to be flushed out. It is not easy for me to keep going, because sometimes I have a great idea for a scened I want to start mostly because I'm hating the scene I'm currently writing. But in the long run, I think writing this way will make the book stronger overall and more seamless for me when writing.
Current Word Count: 11,184
I would say that it helps that I already had nearly 28,000 words written from NaNo this past November, but in all actuality, it doesn't help a ton. Rather than finishing that draft and then reworking it to be what I want, I completely started over and will instead be going down a different path with it. Luckily, there are still parts in that draft I can use. Unluckily, it hurts my heart to cut out some of the scenes I already had written.
But I know it's for the best. On my way back from New Jersey last month, I re-outlined the book and focused it more. I added some characters, lost some characters (sorry, guys!) and adding a new frame story. While I had orignially planned on using excerpts of a letter to signify time change between the stories, I now am focusing on the relationship between my main character and her granddaughter, giving her granddaugher more of a story, too. I am really happy with this change, as I was able to really expand on my opening scene and make it much stronger. (It went from 500 words to almost 5,000 words! Plus interesting plot development.)
I also changed the perspective from first person to third person, which is mostly working out for the better. There are still some parts that would be easier to write in first, I think, but I like that writing in third is forcing me to "show, not tell" more so than when writing in first. The main challenge I have is trying to figure out what to call my characters in the scenes (prounouns, by name, by relationship?)
One major change in my writing process is that I'm writing chronologically, which also seems to be helping. Back in November, I was skipping all over the place, which made it hard for me to really determine what scenes needed to be added and which needed to be flushed out. It is not easy for me to keep going, because sometimes I have a great idea for a scened I want to start mostly because I'm hating the scene I'm currently writing. But in the long run, I think writing this way will make the book stronger overall and more seamless for me when writing.
Current Word Count: 11,184
Monday, February 25, 2013
Oscars 2013: Recap
Some random thoughts from last night's Oscars as written down on the back of my picks. (Of which, I got 11/24. That is pretty good for me.)
--I loved that the guy who accepted the award for "Brave" was wearing a kilt.
--Playing the "Jaws" theme to get people off of the stage was hilarious.
--Has there ever been a tie before? History in the making.
--The "Sound of Music" bit before Christopher Plummer came on stage.
--The "Sound of Music" bit before Christopher Plummer came on stage. (Yes, I will list it twice because it was the highlight for me.)
--The Academy museum sounds pretty cool.
--Loved the quote from Nora Ephron in the memorial montage: "The hardest thing about writing is writing."
--Daniel Day-Lewis had a great acceptance speech.
--Jennifer Lawrence is pretty awesome.
--Michelle Obama presenting best picture.
--Ben Affleck. (Written in all caps)
Also:
--I love Anne Hathaway's hair. Did not love the dress but the back was neat.
--We played Oscar bingo with cards from How About Orange, and it was super fun.
--Seth MacFarlane was not as bad as he could have been. He had some funny moments and also some really questionable jokes, but overall, I was surprised that is wasn't the worst hosting I've ever seen.
--I loved that the guy who accepted the award for "Brave" was wearing a kilt.
--Playing the "Jaws" theme to get people off of the stage was hilarious.
--Has there ever been a tie before? History in the making.
--The "Sound of Music" bit before Christopher Plummer came on stage.
--The "Sound of Music" bit before Christopher Plummer came on stage. (Yes, I will list it twice because it was the highlight for me.)
--The Academy museum sounds pretty cool.
--Loved the quote from Nora Ephron in the memorial montage: "The hardest thing about writing is writing."
--Daniel Day-Lewis had a great acceptance speech.
--Jennifer Lawrence is pretty awesome.
--Michelle Obama presenting best picture.
--Ben Affleck. (Written in all caps)
Also:
--I love Anne Hathaway's hair. Did not love the dress but the back was neat.
--We played Oscar bingo with cards from How About Orange, and it was super fun.
--Seth MacFarlane was not as bad as he could have been. He had some funny moments and also some really questionable jokes, but overall, I was surprised that is wasn't the worst hosting I've ever seen.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Oscars Week 2013: Movie Reviews & My Picks
For the conclusion to our Oscars week, I thought I would (finally!) focus on the movies that I've seen this Oscars season. I was actually surprised there were so few that I'd seen, as I had wanted to see a lot of them (Anna Karenina, Argo, Hitchcock, Les Miserables, Lincoln, and Wreck-It Ralph). But here they are:
Brave: I was surprised by "Brave," as I didn't think the preview accurately prepared me for what the movie was actually about. But aside from that, I was surprised by the message that it put out there, and really liked that message, even though I didn't love the plot as much as I thought I would.
Flight: I was also surprised by "Flight," even though I did know that it took a different focus than I expected, even after being warned. I thought the acting was the main strength of the movie, as it seemed to be a story that really moved forward based on the characters vs. the plot. I will say that I kind of never want to fly again now.
Silver Linings Playbook: When previews for this movie started coming out, I knew I had to see it. And when it started receiving all of its "Oscar Buzz," I knew it wouldn't disappoint me. And it didn't. It wasn't predictable, which it could have been, because I think the relationship in the movie are complicated and real and I liked that.
So. After reviewing books and movies for this year's Oscars, here's how I would decide the Oscars Sunday. These aren't all of the categories, just the ones I had a strong opinion on based on what I've seen and read.
Best Picture: Silver Linings Playbook
Actor In A Leading Role: Denzel Washington, Flight (This was tough for me, as I really thought Bradley Cooper was fantastic in "Silver Linings Playbook.")
Actress In A Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Actor In A Supporting Role: Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Actress In A Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables (Even though I haven't seen it, I love her.)
Animated Feature Film: Brave
Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Writing, Adapted Screenplay: Lincoln
Brave: I was surprised by "Brave," as I didn't think the preview accurately prepared me for what the movie was actually about. But aside from that, I was surprised by the message that it put out there, and really liked that message, even though I didn't love the plot as much as I thought I would.
Flight: I was also surprised by "Flight," even though I did know that it took a different focus than I expected, even after being warned. I thought the acting was the main strength of the movie, as it seemed to be a story that really moved forward based on the characters vs. the plot. I will say that I kind of never want to fly again now.
Silver Linings Playbook: When previews for this movie started coming out, I knew I had to see it. And when it started receiving all of its "Oscar Buzz," I knew it wouldn't disappoint me. And it didn't. It wasn't predictable, which it could have been, because I think the relationship in the movie are complicated and real and I liked that.
***
So. After reviewing books and movies for this year's Oscars, here's how I would decide the Oscars Sunday. These aren't all of the categories, just the ones I had a strong opinion on based on what I've seen and read.
Best Picture: Silver Linings Playbook
Actor In A Leading Role: Denzel Washington, Flight (This was tough for me, as I really thought Bradley Cooper was fantastic in "Silver Linings Playbook.")
Actress In A Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Actor In A Supporting Role: Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Actress In A Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables (Even though I haven't seen it, I love her.)
Animated Feature Film: Brave
Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Writing, Adapted Screenplay: Lincoln
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Oscars Week 2013: Argo
The books I chose to read for this year's Oscar week were chosen somewhat at random, but in the end it worked out to be almost a science. I wanted to read books that had movies that were nominated for best picture. Because I don't like to see a movie before reading the book, I wanted these to be movies that I hadn't actually seen. It also went by what I could find at at the library.
And while I normally try to avoid book covers with the movie image on them, it's appropriate for this week to show you that cover with my review.
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The Book: Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off The Most Audacious Rescue in History, by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio
Nominated For: Actor In a Supporting Role, Best Picture, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Book Review: I think Argo was my favorite Oscar book I read for this week. It had less of a novel feel than the other two books. (I felt that Team of Rivals was a mix of novel and biography.) It was very straightforward and very interesting. I appreciated that there was some historial context in the beginning of the book to help frame the story, especially since I was not alive for the events that occurred in the book. I also liked that it seemed to me that I was getting an inside look at the CIA, like I was watching an episode of "Alias" maybe.
Book vs. Movie: I think everyone I know saw this movie except for me. I'm actually glad that I was able to read this book before the movie, as I think the context will help me enjoy the movie a little better. I was on the edge of my seat while reading the book, so I can only imagine how seeing these events unfold can be as impactful.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Oscars Week 2013: Team of Rivals
The books I chose to read for this year's Oscar week were chosen somewhat at random, but in the end it worked out to be almost a science. I wanted to read books that had movies that were nominated for best picture. Because I don't like to see a movie before reading the book, I wanted these to be movies that I hadn't actually seen. It also went by what I could find at at the library.
And while I normally try to avoid book covers with the movie image on them, it's appropriate for this week to show you that cover with my review.
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The Book: Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin
Nominated For: Actor In a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Actress In a Supporting Role, Best Picture, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Production Design, Sound Mixing, Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Book Review: History is an interesting thing, and the point that Doris Kearns Goodwin best makes in Team of Rivals is that history relies on context, and we need that to understand the bigger picture. In the introduction to the book, she says, "Without the march of events that led to the Civil War, Lincoln still would have been a good man, but most likely would never have been publicly recognized as a great man. It was history that gave him the opportunity to manifest his greatness, providing the stage that allowed him to shape and transform our national life."
Yes. History gave him the opportunity to manifest his greatness. But this is something that we can't understand until there is context, and we can only see his greatness by looking at how this history, Abraham Lincoln's history, shaped his world and the world to come. When we look back at the decisions made by that generation, the lives they led, and the world they lived in, we have to look at everything to truly understand the history there. What I enjoyed about Team of Rivals was the amount of context Kearns provided, the details about all of the major players to help me understand more about this fascinating time in America's history, and the man behind it.
Book vs. Movie: "Lincoln" was one of the Oscar movies I wanted to see, and I can see how the movie would still be able to provide a lot of the context that Team of Rivals has, but in a visual way instead of a more biographical way. The movie would be able to show the time period and give us the context of history in a different way than the book does while still getting the same points across.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Oscars Week 2013: Life of Pi
The books I chose to read for this year's Oscar week were chosen somewhat at random, but in the end it worked out to be almost a science. I wanted to read books that had movies that were nominated for best picture. Because I don't like to see a movie before reading the book, I wanted these to be movies that I hadn't actually seen. It also went by what I could find at at the library.
And while I normally try to avoid book covers with the movie image on them, it's appropriate for this week to show you that cover with my review.
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The book: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
Nominated For: Best Picture, Cinematography, Directing, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Production Design, Sound Editing, Sound mixing, Visual Effects, Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Book Review: For no reason really, I have never picked this book up before now, even though it has been very well-received and I have seen it at the library often. I was glad that Oscar Week gave me the push I needed to check it out.
It took me a bit to get into the book, I will say, but only because the style and format was so different than what I normally read. However, I really enjoyed it once I got used to it, and I think that it is so applicable to the story, and the story wouldn't have been so engaging if it was written any other way.
Book Review: For no reason really, I have never picked this book up before now, even though it has been very well-received and I have seen it at the library often. I was glad that Oscar Week gave me the push I needed to check it out.
It took me a bit to get into the book, I will say, but only because the style and format was so different than what I normally read. However, I really enjoyed it once I got used to it, and I think that it is so applicable to the story, and the story wouldn't have been so engaging if it was written any other way.
The best part of this book is the end's ambiguity. I love books that keep me up at night rereading, that make me want to ask people if they've read it so that we can talk about it, and that really keep me thinking long after the book is finished.
I also loved this quote, which I think perfectly summarizes the book:
"The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?"
Book vs. Movie: I can definitely see advantages of a film adaptation for this book, as the story is so dependant on creating a visual world for the reader. (Though I did discover that there is an illustrated version of the book that I think I would really enjoy.) For people like me who don't have the best imagination, I think I would really enjoy seeing the scenes of the book; however, I will say that there are some scenes I'm not sure I'd be able to watch based on my reacation to reading them.
I think that the advantage of seeing the ending vs. reading would help me understand the ending better, but I also wonder if if would take away something, as well.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Oscars Week 2013: The Nominees & Other Fancies
The Oscars are less than a week away, and I can hardly wait. So this week, I'll not only be talking about the movies, but the books behind some of the nominated films. If you need a primer on what's been nominated this year, here they are.
If you're anything like me, you're probably going to get distracted on that site for a while. My favorites:
Oscar Love Letters. "Gone With the Wind" and "The Sound of Music" in the same place? Yes.
Best Picture Oscar Statues. Love trying to guess what movie each statue represents.
Historical Timeline. Not only is it fun to go back in time, but I love that I can take the timeframe of my novel (1950s-1960s) and see what kind of movies and celebrities would be shaping pop culture then.
Oscar Questionnaires. It's not only fun to read the answers, but see who handwrote vs. typed and who had much to say and who didn't.
Now, that should hold you over for today. Be sure to check back tomorrow for my first Oscar book review.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Valentine's Day Library: 2013
I'm sure after a week of checking out our past year's Valentine's Day books, you're all wondering what books made an appearance this year. So, without further ado:
Nathan: City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels. I wrapped them all up in this bag.
Whitney: The Remains of the Day (though I like my book's cover better than this one), Rules of Civility, and Me Before You.
We just had a nice night at home. I made this treat for dessert. Delicious, and I felt OK about it because it has vegetables in it. A dessert with vegetables is the best way to eat vegetables in my opinion.
Nathan: City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels. I wrapped them all up in this bag.
Whitney: The Remains of the Day (though I like my book's cover better than this one), Rules of Civility, and Me Before You.
We just had a nice night at home. I made this treat for dessert. Delicious, and I felt OK about it because it has vegetables in it. A dessert with vegetables is the best way to eat vegetables in my opinion.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Valentine's Day Library: 2012
One "thing" that I really liked about Nathan when we started dating was that he liked to read probably as much as I did. (As evidenced on this blog thanks to our book swap and other times he has done reviews.) So one tradition we've started right away was getting each other books for Valentine's Day. So this week, even though I know I've covered this other years, I thought I would spend each day sharing which books we got for each other, and some thoughts on these books. (Five days=five years. Works out perfectly.)
This year, we're adding a few more books. We went out this weekend to Barnes and Noble a did a little joint shopping. It was fun in the beginning to try and hide around the store and hope that we didn't figure out what books we were getting, but eventually i needed help at the "Buy two get the third free young adult fantasy table" and Nathan needed help navigating the store. (because all of the books he had researched were in totally random places, like by the bathroom...what? That required an actual sales person.). So I'm not ruining the surprise by telling you what books we got this year.
Nathan: City of Bones, Unwind, and Pathfinder
Whitney: The Night Circus, Anna and The French Kiss, and Walking Back to Happiness
Last year, we went to the bookstore together, which is one of our favorite dates. From last year's post: It was fun in the beginning to try and hide around the store and hope that we didn't figure out what books we were getting, but eventually I needed help at the "Buy two get the third free young adult fantasy table" and Nathan needed help navigating the store. (Because all of the books he had researched were in totally random places, like by the bathroom...what? That required an actual sales person.)
This year, we're adding a few more books. We went out this weekend to Barnes and Noble a did a little joint shopping. It was fun in the beginning to try and hide around the store and hope that we didn't figure out what books we were getting, but eventually i needed help at the "Buy two get the third free young adult fantasy table" and Nathan needed help navigating the store. (because all of the books he had researched were in totally random places, like by the bathroom...what? That required an actual sales person.). So I'm not ruining the surprise by telling you what books we got this year.
Nathan: City of Bones, Unwind, and Pathfinder
Whitney: The Night Circus, Anna and The French Kiss, and Walking Back to Happiness
Last year, we went to the bookstore together, which is one of our favorite dates. From last year's post: It was fun in the beginning to try and hide around the store and hope that we didn't figure out what books we were getting, but eventually I needed help at the "Buy two get the third free young adult fantasy table" and Nathan needed help navigating the store. (Because all of the books he had researched were in totally random places, like by the bathroom...what? That required an actual sales person.)
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Valentine's Day Library: 2011
One "thing" that I really liked about Nathan when we started dating was that he liked to read probably as much as I did. (As evidenced on this blog thanks to our book swap and other times he has done reviews.) So one tradition we've started right away was getting each other books for Valentine's Day. So this week, even though I know I've covered this other years, I thought I would spend each day sharing which books we got for each other, and some thoughts on these books. (Five days=five years. Works out perfectly.)
Whitney: Great House and The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels
Nathan: This Book Will Change Your Dog's Life, Why Does My Dog Do That?, and Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel
Some Reasoing: In case you couldn't tell, this was our first Valentine's Day with Shelby. (How cute is this face? She looks so little compared to now.)
I had never read The Pioneer Woman's blog, but really wanted to read the book, so I was glad Nathan got it for me. As for Great House...it's maybe still in my to-read pile. I should get on that. Nathan's books were themed around big, exciting events during 2011, getting a dog and also visiting Europe and the Sistine Chapel on our honeymoon.
Whitney: Great House and The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels
Nathan: This Book Will Change Your Dog's Life, Why Does My Dog Do That?, and Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel
Some Reasoing: In case you couldn't tell, this was our first Valentine's Day with Shelby. (How cute is this face? She looks so little compared to now.)
I had never read The Pioneer Woman's blog, but really wanted to read the book, so I was glad Nathan got it for me. As for Great House...it's maybe still in my to-read pile. I should get on that. Nathan's books were themed around big, exciting events during 2011, getting a dog and also visiting Europe and the Sistine Chapel on our honeymoon.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Valentine's Day Library: 2010
One "thing" that I really liked about Nathan when we started dating was that he liked to read probably as much as I did. (As evidenced on this blog thanks to our book swap and other times he has done reviews.) So one tradition we've started right away was getting each other books for Valentine's Day. So this week, even though I know I've covered this other years, I thought I would spend each day sharing which books we got for each other, and some thoughts on these books. (Five days=five years. Works out perfectly.)
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Nathan: Lamb and a Huskers trivia book
Whitney: The Believers and the yellow roses in the photo!
Some Reasoning: Nathan got Lamb by Christopher Moore because my sister told him he would like the author. And he does! I think since this book he has read every Christopher Moore book he can find. The Believers was really good, and one of the first "literary" books I had read in a while. (I blame that on taking too many English classes my last semester. All I wanted to read was light reading for a while.)
Monday, February 11, 2013
Valentine's Day Library: 2009
One "thing" that I really liked about Nathan when we started dating was that he liked to read probably as much as I did. (As evidenced on this blog thanks to our book swap and other times he has done reviews.) So one tradition we've started right away was getting each other books for Valentine's Day. So this week, even though I know I've covered this other years, I thought I would spend each day sharing which books we got for each other, and some thoughts on these books. (Five days=five years. Works out perfectly.)
Whitney: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and The Rim of the Prairie
Nathan: The Graveyard Book and James and the Giant Peach
Some reasoning: Nathan got me The Rim of the Prairie while we were visiting the Bess Streeter Aldrich house in Elmwood, the first time I went to his house and met his parents. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society he just picked out. The Graveyard Book is by Neil Gaiman, one of Nathan's favorite authors, and I got him James and the Giant Peach because it was his favorite book when he was younger.
Whitney: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and The Rim of the Prairie
Nathan: The Graveyard Book and James and the Giant Peach
Some reasoning: Nathan got me The Rim of the Prairie while we were visiting the Bess Streeter Aldrich house in Elmwood, the first time I went to his house and met his parents. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society he just picked out. The Graveyard Book is by Neil Gaiman, one of Nathan's favorite authors, and I got him James and the Giant Peach because it was his favorite book when he was younger.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Friday Fancies: February 8
It has been a long time since we've done a Friday Fancies, even though it's my favorite kind of post--a collection of interesting-to-me things I've read/watched/found this week that didn't quite fit into the blog as a full post.
-The season premiere of "SMASH" was Tuesday and I kind of loved it. And here's a random observation for you. When Karen signed her Playbill from new-character-whose-name-I-can't-remember's (oh wait! Kyle? But I already had that all typed out.) collection of failed plays, I noticed it was in color. When we were in NYC, we went to a preview (Dead Accounts, starring Katie Holmes) and got a Playbill that was printed in color. We learned from a woman there that they are printed in color for previews, but then in black-and-white once it's not in preview anymore. See?
Did you also see that it's autographed? We went back to the stage door to see the actors, and got a quick glimpse of Katie Holmes as she dashed to the car. But back to SMASH now. Also while we were in NYC, we saw an announcement that SMASH filmed where we were a few days before. I took a picture of it but it was much too fuzzy to post.
-Other TV randoms: This week I noticed that two of my favorite shows made an appearance on new shows. On Monday's episode of "How I Met Your Mother," Bob Saget and Dave Coulier made a little "Full House" reference, in an episode with Robin Sparkles that I seriously loved. Then, Tuesday's episode of "Raising Hope" had Jimmy and Christine from "Yes, Dear," as well as the studio boss guy, and they made references to their kids. Loved "Yes, Dear" and thought the reference was very fun.
-I was very relieved to see that my favorite Monopoly piece will not be retired: the thimble. Instead, the iron will be replaced with a cat, thanks to fan votes. Of course, iron manufacturers had something to say about it.
-Not sure why, other than maybe because it makes me feel better about the fact my library books are hardly more than a few days late, but I love stories like this about library books being returned years later.
-This really bothers me. So NOT Anne.
-The season premiere of "SMASH" was Tuesday and I kind of loved it. And here's a random observation for you. When Karen signed her Playbill from new-character-whose-name-I-can't-remember's (oh wait! Kyle? But I already had that all typed out.) collection of failed plays, I noticed it was in color. When we were in NYC, we went to a preview (Dead Accounts, starring Katie Holmes) and got a Playbill that was printed in color. We learned from a woman there that they are printed in color for previews, but then in black-and-white once it's not in preview anymore. See?
Did you also see that it's autographed? We went back to the stage door to see the actors, and got a quick glimpse of Katie Holmes as she dashed to the car. But back to SMASH now. Also while we were in NYC, we saw an announcement that SMASH filmed where we were a few days before. I took a picture of it but it was much too fuzzy to post.
-Other TV randoms: This week I noticed that two of my favorite shows made an appearance on new shows. On Monday's episode of "How I Met Your Mother," Bob Saget and Dave Coulier made a little "Full House" reference, in an episode with Robin Sparkles that I seriously loved. Then, Tuesday's episode of "Raising Hope" had Jimmy and Christine from "Yes, Dear," as well as the studio boss guy, and they made references to their kids. Loved "Yes, Dear" and thought the reference was very fun.
-I was very relieved to see that my favorite Monopoly piece will not be retired: the thimble. Instead, the iron will be replaced with a cat, thanks to fan votes. Of course, iron manufacturers had something to say about it.
-Not sure why, other than maybe because it makes me feel better about the fact my library books are hardly more than a few days late, but I love stories like this about library books being returned years later.
-This really bothers me. So NOT Anne.
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