Confessions of a Bookaholic

What Might Have Been

2011-08-09T18:18:00.001-05:00

One Thousand White Women, Jim Fergus
In 1854 the Cheyenne tribe and the U.S. government met to negotiate a peace treaty. Among the Cheyenne requests was that the United States give them one thousand white women as wives. The request was not in jest; the tribe believed that a child belonged to its mother's clan, so the children of these unions would help to integrate the Cheyenne and the whites. Naturally, the government rejected the request.

In this novel, Jim Fergus wonders what would have happen if they hadn't. The book is told from the point of view of May Dodd, a white woman who becomes part of the government's clandestine "Brides for Indians" program. The book flounders a little initially as the author tries to make the program seem plausible, but once the background ends and we meet the brides the novel is absorbing. The women in the program are all fascinating characters, and May's observations as she adjusts to her new life are both honest and often heart wrenching. Reading this book didn't really make me wonder what would have happened if the thousand white women had existed, but it did make me think about how different things could have been between the whites and the Native Americans in those turbulent decades when the white pioneers headed west.

Borrowed from the library

Braaaains

2011-08-07T18:03:00.001-05:00

Running the same old routes can get tiring after a while, which is why I think this race looks awesome. If I still lived in the Northeast I'd be in!

From the race website:
Protect your brain and run for your life. This is one race where your legs giving out are the least of your problems. Run For Your Lives is a first-of-its-kind event, one part 5K, one part obstacle course, one part escaping the clutches of zombies — and all parts awesome.

My Obligatory Shuttle Retirement Post

2011-07-22T17:28:00.003-05:00

I've been debating whether or not to post anything about the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program because I wasn't sure I had anything to add that hasn't already been said. That's still true, but I have seen so many beautiful tributes that I thought I'd show them here along with my thoughts.

(source)

Although I technically work for the International Space Station (ISS) program, not the shuttle program, my work has been very much tied to the shuttle as it brings up most of the equipment we install on Extravehicular Activities (EVAs aka spacewalks), and most US EVAs are conducted by the shuttle crew while the shuttle is docked to station. So although my job is safer than most, its nature had already begun changing by the time STS-135 landed. Instead of focusing on the next flight, I'll be working on preparing ISS for maintenance and for the new commercial vehicles. I'll miss the excitement of a shuttle mission and the camaraderie I developed with the crews and the rest of the team during the training and preparation for flight. The shuttle has been America's program in space for as long as I've been alive, and its absence leaves a real gap. What saddens me most though is not the fact that the shuttle program is ending, but rather the lack of a defined plan for NASA's next program. I worry that the longer it takes to establish a new program, the more knowledge will be lost and the less the public will support our next mission.

View of the final landing taken from ISS (source)

For now, let's take a moment to acknowledge all the amazing accomplishments of the last 30 years.

Take a moment to peruse a multitude of beautiful photos from The Big Picture. Notice how many people went to great lengths to see the final launch; clearly space is still inspiring!

And finally, here's excellent video with footage from every mission.

Unknown Game Changers

2011-07-13T20:52:00.001-05:00

The Big Burn, Timothy Egan
This book tells the story of the formation of the Forest Service by Teddy Roosevelt and its first real test in a massive 1910 wildfire which destroyed much of Idaho and Montana. My dad recommended the book to me quite a while ago, but it sat quietly on my long "to read" list. However, once I visited the Grand Canyon and saw the massive amount of work completed thanks to Roosevelt's work, The Big Burn caught my eye again, and I'm glad it did.

The beginning is a little slow as Egan relates the circumstances which caused Teddy Roosevelt to begin championing the cause of conservation. It is mind boggling to imagine that were it not for him we could have strip mined the Grand Canyon and destroyed the forests in the Pacific Northwest. The pace picks up once the focus narrows on the dry summer of 1910 and the specific rangers, woefully short of resources, who were left to battle the three million acre blaze. The stories of their bravery and miraculous survival are as amazing as the destruction and death are disturbing. If you can make it through the first third, the story is well worth the read.

Borrowed from the library

Tastykakes in Space!

2011-07-08T18:49:00.002-05:00

...or should I say "Spacetykakes!"

Anyone who is from the East Coast or has visited has probably tried (and enjoyed) the ubiquitous Tastykakes. Tastykakes come in all styles and flavors and can be purchased at just about every grocery store and gas station. Whenever I'm home, I pick up some of my favorites: Lemon and Apple Tastykake Pies (or as I call them, Tastypies).

Apparently I'm not the only one who enjoys these sweet treats. Chris Ferguson, the commander of the final Space Shuttle mission which is currently on-orbit, is a Philadelphia native and brought some along with him on this mission.

He also brought a Chase Utley jersey up on his last mission, which makes my #26 jersey suddenly seem way less cool as it has never been in orbit. I wonder if he ever wrote Chase a letter like Mac did?

Congratulations Fergie, you're my new favorite astronaut!

New Chapters

2011-07-03T16:39:00.000-05:00

Medium Raw, Anthony Bourdain
Anyone who read Bourdain's first book, Kitchen Confidential, and is looking for a sequel needs to look elsewhere. Anthony Bourdain has come a long way from the bitter, cynical, darkly humorous, coke-addicted chef in the first book. Now he's a bitter, cynical, darkly humorous food writer/tv star. The main difference between the two books is that Medium Raw, much like The Guinea Pig Diaries, seems to be as much a compilation of separate essays as one coherent book. That said, the essays are still entertaining. The main exception occurs when Bourdain hovers too long on personalities in the food business without sufficiently making the reader care. For the most part, though, he hits his mark. He's witty and often (for me at least) laugh out loud funny. For someone who enjoys Top Chef and felt horrified by Fast Food Nation, this is a great choice. (Note: when tagging this post, I realized I have a LOT of food related tags. I guess I shouldn't be surprised!)

Borrowed from the library

Into The Wild Nerd Yonder

2011-06-28T17:46:00.001-05:00

Into The Wild Nerd Yonder, Julie Halpern
At 5:30 this Saturday, I walked upstairs and asked the Dude "How do you know when a book was great?" He smirked at me and answered "I'm guessing it's when you just read the whole thing in two hours." He was right. I sat down Saturday afternoon with Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, not knowing what to expect, and was immediately drawn in. The book chronicles' Jessie's sophomore year of high school, when the two best friends she has had since she was a toddler decide they want to become punks and Jessie isn't sure where she fits in any more. Based on that sentence, I'm sure you can tell that this could be just another teen coming of age story, but Julie's character is so clever, funny, and real that it loses any concerns about being cheesy. It is made stronger by the great supporting cast, including her older brother Barrett and her quirky parents. Jessie is smart and enjoys school, but worries about being nerdy, something I could definitely relate to. Is it better to be lonely and unlabeled or throw yourself in with a fun group that others call nerdy? I absolutely adored this book as it is just plain fun. I'll definitely be looking into Halpern's other novels even as I'm busy harassing all of you to read this book!

Borrowed from the library

Have You Ever Wondered?

2011-06-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

The Guinea Pig Diaries, AJ Jacobs
Since I really enjoyed AJ Jacobs' previous books, The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, I was really looking forward to The Guinea Pig Diaries. Unfortunately it didn't live up to all of my expectations. Unlike the previous books, this is a compilation of shorter experiences and experiments Jacobs has undertaken over the years. I missed the depth Jacobs reached in his other books, which took a year or more. That said, I still enjoyed The Guinea Pig Diaries, whose chapters ranged from the cringe inducing (his experiment with Radical Honesty), to the thought provoking (a piece on nude photos) and all the way to the humorous (his month doing everything his wife asked). If you haven't read his other books yet, I'd recommend those first. If you have, check this out from the library but don't spend your hard earned cash.

Borrowed from the library

Save the Library

2011-06-24T22:24:00.005-05:00

Behind every bill and budget decision is a lobbying campaign. Some are richly funded and others are grassroots and led by just a few people who are most affected. I think this one proves that how much money you have doesn't guarantee how effective you are; after all, who can resist a child whose threat is "or else"?

Save the Library!

Unexpected Heroines

2011-06-22T20:29:00.003-05:00

Among Others, Jo Walton
I decided to read Among Others after about the third time I saw it on a "must read" list, and I agree completely with its inclusion. Among Others is a haunting young adult fantasy/science fiction book which will appeal even to those who aren't as interested in genre books. It tells the story of Mori, whose backstory is revealed slowly throughout the book. She lives in what appears at first to be standard 1979 England but turns out to be a much more deeply inhabited world, shared with fairies and witches. The world is described so well that I was surprised to find myself in Houston sun and not in rainy Wales when I finished. Mori is a fanatical reader, which I loved seeing in a fictional character. I also enjoyed the way she could be an extremely strong and mature character yet still dealt with many of the everyday social concerns of the average teenage girl. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough due to its nuanced characters and broad appeal.

Purchased for Kindle

The False Princess, Eilis O'Neal
This young adult novel generated a lot of buzz and it's easy to see why. The story is a familiar one: a young woman who, at 16, learns that she is not the princess she was raised as but a changeling brought in to subvert a prophecy. Sinda is thrust into a new life as a peasant, but she soon finds that even though she isn't a princess, she is still special. She has to try to learn where she fits in, which is not an easy task. It's rare for me to recommend this, but I think this is a book that could have a great sequel. That said, the book stands wonderfully on its own and should appeal to adults of all ages.

Borrowed from the library

An Adult's Book

2011-06-08T19:41:00.003-05:00

The Children's Book, A. S. Byatt
At 896 pages, this may be titled The Children's Book but not many children could read it. The title refers to books that Olive Wellwood, an author of children's fairy tales, wrote for each of her children. The story as a whole refers around the Wellwoods (both adults and children), their extended family, and the many people in their orbit. I found the novel strongest when it focused on the characters and their interactions, but it stumbled when Byatt dove too deeply in explaining the political movements of the time. Often chapters felt like excerpts from a history book rather than a novel. However, as long as the action focused on the characters themselves, I was intrigued. I'd recommend this, with the caution to push through the tedious background sections.

Note: This book is one that counts toward my efforts in the Chunkster Challenge. My goal was the "Mor-book-ly Obese" level, which requires 8 books of at least 450 pages, of which at least three are over 750 pages. So far I have read four over 450 (and reviewed two of them here and here) and this one is my second 750+ (review of the first one here). If you're interested in a long read, check out some of the other reviews!

Lightning Strikes Twice

2011-06-04T19:55:00.000-05:00

Once again, Erik Larson has written an excellent non-fiction book which reads like a novel. I had planned to review it for you, but Melissa did such an excellent job that I think you should go read her review! Once you've finished that, go out and read the book!

I ordered Larson's next book, In The Garden of Beasts, which tells the story of the American ambassador as the Nazi party rises to power in Germany. It looks fantastic.

Happy Anniversary Layla!

2011-05-28T23:38:00.004-05:00

Last year, on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, we welcomed someone new into our home.

This year, on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, it feels like she has always been here.

Happy birthday Layla! I love you!

Howdy Strangers!

2011-05-18T22:20:00.004-05:00

Time flies...I just realized it's been a month since I posted! It's been a busy month for me though. I had a visit in Houston from my mom, then flew out to Arizona to spend a week with my dad exploring the area and hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (and back out)! I have lots of stories to tell and books to review from that time, but in the mean time, here's a story that got me excited for my next big event, the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Growing up with live music at Fest and meeting my now-husband, then 12 year old crush at that same music festival has made a special place in my heart for this.

And now, the great and gracious Paul Simon, and his lovely assistant Rayna...

April Showers Bring...

2011-04-18T20:12:00.003-05:00

...delicious vegetables! The Dude and I (and Erin and Nujoud) joined a CSA this year, and we are really enjoying it! For those who aren't familiar, joining a CSA basically means you buy a share in a farm's crops and get weekly vegetable deliveries. We have only had two deliveries so far but we are already loving the fresh salad greens, snap peas, and green onions. Part of the appeal of the CSA was also that we would get to try some foods we usually don't eat. This week we had two challenges: beets* and mustard greens. Both of us expected we wouldn't like beets at all; neither of us had tried mustard greens before. We tried both of them (as well as some squash) tonight and we were pleasantly surprised!

For those who are interested, both were easy to cook.
Beets: peel beets, slice, and marinate in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic salt, and pepper. Grill to taste.
Mustard greens: cut out stems and roughly chop the greens. Carmelize onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, then add greens, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Cook the greens until they wilt but not until they are mushy.

I still don't think beets are my favorite vegetable, or even in the top 5 (hey, I love a lot of vegetables) but I enjoyed them!

*Every time I hear beets I think about Dwight Schrute. Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica!

Increasing Awesome

2011-04-16T23:09:00.002-05:00

When we're all let down by the government bickering, this guy can get us excited again. Non-space nerds, just watch the first minute for some motivating philosophy. Everyone else, you'll be sucked in at the end of that minute anyway and get to learn some great stuff about what NASA is doing!

Thanks Nujoud for sharing this!

A World At War

2011-04-15T16:59:00.003-05:00

Fall of Giants, Ken Follett
I am a big fan of Ken Follett, both of his many WWII dramas and of Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. In Fall of Giants he manages to combine both styles of writing and I think it works wonderfully. Fall of Giants traces characters from England, Germany, Russia, and America from the lead up to World War I through the end of the war. It is a huge cast of characters but Follett manages to move between them such that the reader isn't confused but at the same time, still gets enough focus on each story to really care about the characters. For those who do read it, the characters who caught my attention most were Ethel Williams, Maud Fitzherbert, and Gus Dewar. I absolutely recommend this book for just about everyone...whether you enjoy it for the historical fiction, the characters, or just the chance to become absolutely absorbed in another world for a while. Fall of Giants is the first book of a trilogy and while I know I have years to wait for book two, I can't wait!

Note: This book is one that counts toward my efforts in the Chunkster Challenge. My goal was the "Mor-book-ly Obese" level, which requires 8 books of at least 450 pages, of which at least three are over 750 pages. So far I have read four over 450 (and reviewed two of them here and here) and this one is my first 750+. If you're interested in a long read, check out some of the other reviews!

Quiet Bravery

2011-04-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

Every Man Dies Alone, Hans Fallada
This extraordinary novel was written in only 24 days by the author who survived Nazi Germany. It is loosely based on the story of Otto and Elise Kempel, a couple in Berlin who quietly dropped anti-Nazi postcards throughout the city at risk of their lives. In the novel, they become Otto and Anna Quangel. When their son is killed in the war, Otto and Anna realize they no longer believe in Hitler and feel they must act against him. Each postcard they drop could bring a death sentence. In my opinion, the book's strength lies not just in its portrayal of Otto and Anna, but in its ability to examine the psyche of many people, from the Jewish widow living upstairs to the SS officer investigating the postcards. As the novel progresses you are forced to see the many compromises and wrenching decisions people made during the dangerous times. The novel amazingly manages to combine a psychological examination with an action filled plot. I found the afterword about the author to be as interesting as the book itself; don't stop reading at the last page!

Note: This book is one that counts toward my efforts in the Chunkster Challenge. If you're interested in a long read, check out some of the other reviews!

Paws For A Cause

2011-04-05T21:13:00.002-05:00

This past Sunday, I participated for the second year in a really fun charity event: Paws for A Cause. It's a great twist on the usual run/walk a 5k for charity. Instead of going on your own, running a 5k, and getting a t-shirt, you bring your dogs, walk a 3k, and get bandanas for the animals. Last year the event was a 5k, but due to heat and distance a lot of dogs were wiped out early, so this year it was held in April instead of June and was limited to a 3k. This proved to be a perfect distance for Max and Layla, who slept away the rest of the afternoon.

The Dude and I were also lucky enough to be joined this year by Nujoud, Zara, and their dog Lotus. Zara has learned the word for "dog" and would occasionally point to one and inform us of its presence, despite the fact that we were constantly surrounded. She also enjoyed taking the free dog treats and feeding them to whoever was nearby. I think Max and Layla both fell in love! I had a great time not only with my own friends and pets but getting to see all the other dogs, which ranged from some type of miniature chihuahua (which literally disappeared in the grass when it squatted to pee) to three gorgeous Great Danes from the Great Dane rescue of Southeast Texas.

If you live near me, I hope you can make it next year. Even if you don't, suggest a dog walk to your favorite charity. I think it's a great fundraising idea!

I did my best to take pictures with one hand while the other hand was being yanked out of my arm by Max, who was making his best effort to sniff every dog in the area. Good times!

The Amazing Tiffany Aching

2011-04-03T18:16:00.001-05:00

Note: I wrote this entry after reading the first two books in the series but never published it. I've since read the last two books as well and enjoyed them just as much. Pick up the first one and I know you will love Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegle as much as I did! Thanks for the recommendation Audrey!

The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett
This was another Audrey recommendation and what a good one it was! I loved the matter of factness of the main character, nine year old Tiffany Aching, who reads fairy tales and thinks witches get short shrift. She won me over early on when she used her little brother as bait for a monster and attacked it with a frying pan. Soon enough she encounters a six inch tall, red haired blue skinned man, one of the "Nac Mac Feegle" or Wee Free Men. The Nac Mac Feegle were the highlight of the novel for me as they inject great humor as they go about their "stealin, drinkin, and eatin." The unlikely alliance between Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegle becomes critical when she has to rescue her little brother from the Faerie Queen. As soon as I finished this I was ready for more!

A Hat Full of Sky, Terry Pratchett
A Hat Full of Sky is the next adventure for Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men. Tiffany still longs to be a witch and gets the opportunity to train and learn how to use her great natural power. Unfortunately that power is a draw for bad as well as good and Tiffany has to learn who she really is in order to save her own life. The Wee Free Men are once again at their best, and Mistress Weatherwax, the most powerful witch in the world, is unexpectedly as humorous a witch as I have ever read about. I actually preferred this to The Wee Free Men, but I'd still recommend reading both for the sheer fun of them.

For those interested in more, the next two books are Wintersmith and I Shall Wear Midnight. They were both great reads. Also, Audrey reviewed all four books as well...check out her reviews!

Bibliovermis - The Wee Free Men
Bibliovermis - A Hat Full of Sky
Bibliovermis - Wintersmith
Bibliovermis - I Shall Wear Midnight

A Fine Piece

2011-04-02T16:54:00.003-05:00

Russian Winter, Daphne Kalotay
I had seen this book recommended a number of times and it did not disappoint; I devoured the entire novel in one (long) day! The story revolves around Nina Revskaya, a ballerina in the Bolshoi Ballet during the Stalin era who now lives in Boston. She has decided to auction off some of her extraordinary jewelry collection. Each piece recalls for her a story or an event in her life. The auction house is surprised when an anonymous donor comes forward with an unusual necklace which is a clear match to earrings and a bracelet donated by Revskaya. Nina clearly knows something about it, but refuses to speak to Grigori Solodin, the necklace's mysterious donor. As the story of Nina's life unravels, so too do many of Grigori's beliefs about himself. The novel touches on many themes and subplots but they are woven together beautifully.

Note: This book is one that counts toward my efforts in the Chunkster Challenge. If you're interested in a long read, check out some of the other reviews!

Pretty Pretty Pictures

2011-03-29T11:39:00.005-05:00

Every few months (and sometimes even more often!), NASA releases stunning images from Hubble or other missions. I remember when the Horsehead nebula was discovered and a family friend working on the program gave me a color 8x10 of this iconic image before it was released to the public. It hung in my bedroom for years!

Of course, if I go out into my backyard (or even look out the window from the Space Station), I am not going to see these beautiful, colorful images. This video is a great look into how they go from black and white to eye popping color.

Historically Hardcore

2011-03-22T20:59:00.007-05:00

With all the distractions in the world, it can be hard to get kids (and even adults) excited about going to a museum, which is why I think these ads for the Smithsonian are so amazing. What's even more amazing is that they were created for a class and that the Smithsonian asked their logo to be removed. I think the museums need to hire the talented designers (Jenny Burrow and Matt Kapler) who created these ads!

Happy Campers

2011-03-22T20:45:00.009-05:00

The Dude, Max and I all enjoy camping, but Layla hasn't had a chance to try yet because my Civic couldn't fit all four of us and the necessary gear. Luckily for her we recently got a new and bigger car so we didn't waste any time before hitting the road!

Because it's a new car, we got a fancy new cover for the backseat so that Max and Layla wouldn't mess it up. It acts kind of like a hammock so you end up with a flap between the two front seats. The dogs immediately realized this was prime chin rest territory and spent the whole ride angling for the best space. They seemed to like the sun roof as well.

I got a lot of reading done and tested out some of the new gear I got for a trip to the Grand Canyon later this year. Unfortunately the area we were in has been very dry so there was a burn ban, which meant no campfires. This was a crushing blow for the Dude. Luckily for him the so-called "Supermoon" was out this weekend so he could spend his evenings watching Layla try to protect us from everything that moved even as she fell asleep. All in all, it was a great weekend!

It's March Madness, Baby!

2011-03-15T21:53:00.003-05:00

Like so many other Americans, I know next to nothing about college basketball yet still take great joy in trying to fill out a winning March Madness bracket. Over the years, I've sometimes been reasonably well informed (having watched throughout the season) and sometimes been completely clueless (having watched less games than I can count on my fingers) and it seems to have no affect on my success, or lack thereof.

Which is why this year I am going with a new, foolproof method of predicting the winner. I'm all in!

P.S. For the record, I know this puppy is correct because it shows Penn State winning its first game!

Up, Up and Away!

2011-03-08T21:08:00.002-06:00

When the movie Up came out a few years ago, I loved the whimsical idea of filling your home with bright balloons and floating off on new adventures. It turns out I wasn't the only one who was captivated by this idea. Some of the brilliant guys at National Geographic decided to give it a try and they succeeded!

One of the things I found the most incredible about this was the size of each individual balloon. Although they were painted (covered?) to look like regular latex balloons, they were actually weather balloons which were each as tall as a person. I think taking the time to make the real house look as cheerful as the movie one made it even cooler!

Seeing this made me wonder what other movie scenes I would like to see in real life. I think a lot of the buildings and sets in Monsters Inc would be adorable! Any other suggestions?

Separation Anxiety

2011-03-06T19:55:00.008-06:00

I talk a lot about my dogs on here, but not much about my other pets. The Dude and I also have a cockatoo (Molly) and two rabbits (Silver and Littlefoot). We adopted the rabbits about 3 years ago under the condition that they would stay together. Apparently rabbits usually do not do well if they are caged with the same gender, but even though Littlefoot and Silver are both (neutered) males, they were best buds, and have been ever since we've had them.

That is, until about two months ago. In the period of less than five days, Silver went from looking healthy to having a huge bald spot on his head. We took him to the vet who admitted he'd never seen anything like it and gave us some steroid cream to try out. While we were using the cream, Littlefoot and Silver had to be separated so that Littlefoot wouldn't lick the medicated cream off Silver's head and a) render it ineffective or b) poison himself since it's not meant to be eaten. To our delight, within two weeks the hair was almost completely grown back and we were able to put the rabbits back together. Until a few days ago, when a bald spot appeared again. The vet had mentioned that one possibility was that the dominant rabbit (which is definitely Littlefoot) could have been plucking/overgrooming Silver and causing the problem. Now that it's happening a second time, it seems more likely that it's a grooming problem and not a health problem. We're looking into a new hutch that keeps them separated but I am devastated to have to split them up as they have always seemed to enjoy each others' company. We're giving them one more try...fingers crossed that it works!

And the Award Goes To...

2011-03-03T17:36:00.004-06:00

I didn't watch the Oscars last week but I did think it would be fun to do my own Oscars for reading. So, for the first time ever, let me introduce the O.S.C.A.R. (Online Statuette Commemorating Alicia's Reading). I am limiting the selection to books that I read in 2010, but they could have been written any time. For some of them I will include nominees as well as a winner.

Best Actress (Female Protagonist)
Lady Margaret Beaufort, The Red Queen
Also nominated:
Elv, The Story Sisters (my review)
Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games trilogy
Annette Vallon, Annette Vallon (my review)

Best Actor (Male Protagonist)
Henry Lee, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Also nominated:
William Marshal, The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion (my reviews)

Best Supporting Actress
Minny Jackson, The Help (my review)
Also nominated:
Geillis Duncan, the Outlander series (my review)

Best Supporting Actor
Martin, Her Fearful Symmetry (my review)
Also nominated:
Henrik Vanger, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Documentary (Non-fiction)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot (my review)
Also nominated:
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Superfreakonomics, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (my review)

Best Animated Film (Young Adult/Children's Literature)
The Princess Academy, Shannon Hale (my review)
Also nominated:
Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, Adrienne Kress (my review)
The Uglies trilogy, Scott Westerfeld (my review)
Odd and the Frost Giants, Neil Gaiman (my review)

Best Costumes (Best Period Fiction)
The Greatest Knight, Elizabeth Chadwick (my review)
Also nominated:
The Red Queen, Philippa Gregory
The Scarlet Lion (my review)

Have any category suggestions I should add? You may notice I didn't include a "Best Picture/Best Book" category; it was just too hard to choose! I am sure I missed some great books and characters because I didn't do a good job keeping track of what I read last year, but I'm keeping track this year so next year's O.S.C.A.R.s will have an even more exciting field!

An Exciting Rendezvous

2011-02-28T19:30:00.001-06:00

Sarah put up an excellent post showing how the Shuttle and International Space Station rendezvous. It's chock full of pictures and behind the scenes info. Check it out!

STS-133 Rendezvous

When You're Not Looking

2011-02-23T18:26:00.001-06:00

I think most of us, at one time or another, wondered if our toys came to life when we left the room. It's a premise which has been covered in The Velveteen Rabbit, Toy Story, and many more books and movies. I know I always wondered about it. One thing I never wondered about, though, is what my books do when I leave the room. Apparently they are quite busy!

Best in Show

2011-02-16T18:20:00.004-06:00

The Westminster Kennel Club dog show was held recently and the winner was a Scottish Deerhound named Foxcliffe Hickory Wind. She beat out such tough competitors as Lennoxlove Susqudilla's Mini Cooper, Firethorn And Sandpiper Easy On The Eyes, Sunseeker Pirate's Code, and Clussexx Last Lion. No, I did not make any of those up; they all won Best in Breed.

So, in honor of this prestigious event, I would like to introduce two of the four legged members of my family with their new, more honorrific names.

Lady Jowlriffic Layla Fencejumper

Master Maximilian Doofball the Bestraddled

I have no doubt that they'll be turning heads at their next competition!

Please Take Me Back

2011-02-14T21:31:00.004-06:00

So you may have noticed that I haven't posted in, well, over a month. Sorry. I thought on this Valentine's Day all about love I'd beg you to take me back if I promise to post more regularly. And to send you flowers and chocolates. (well, maybe not that second part) I will also hold true to the spirit of begging to get you back by making lavish promises, or in this case, future blog posts.

Here's what I have coming up:
Lots of book reviews: highlights include Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures, Ree Drummond's (aka Pioneer Woman) Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, and Elizabeth Kostova's the Swan Thieves.
Pictures of my pets being cute: lately Max and Layla have started snuggling together in between sparring sessions and it's adorable!
Pirates: Arrr matey, I saw the pirate exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences.

And to bring this post full circle, here is my awesome Valentine's Day card from the Dude. Yes, that's a pirate. Apparently he found the card in the children's section. He knows me well!

Challenging Reading

2011-01-05T19:01:00.001-06:00

Anyone reading this blog probably knows that I don't really need to be challenged to read more. I had already decided to track my reading more this year (thanks for the inspiration, Janssen!) just out of curiosity. This Salon article suggested quite a few challenges on everything from thick books to zombie books. I may not need help reading more, but thanks to the internet, joining a reading challenge can be a social experience as well as an intellectual one. I'm hoping joining these challenges will bring me great discussions, new reading suggestions, and interesting blogs to read.

Without further ado, here are my choices:
1) Chunkster Challenge 2011 (http://chunksterchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/12/chunkster-challenge-2011-sign-ups.html)
I love digging into big books so this is a great challenge! My only debate on this is which level to sign up for of the 4 offered. Should I go for the Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? (description: This option is for the reader who can't resist bigger and bigger books and wants to commit to SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length; 2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length; 2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length)
...or risk failing and sign up for the Mor-book-ly Obese (description: For the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more)
Thoughts anyone?

2) 2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge (http://jamielovesya.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-young-adult-reading-challenge.html)
2010 was definitely a year of young adult books for me. I had no idea how much great YA reading is out there. These books are usually quick to read as well, which is great when time is limited. I'm going to wuss out here and do the "Mini YA Reading Challenge" which is 12 YA novels. I think I can easily read one per month, although since so many great series are out there I expect I'll be more likely to complete this in clumps. In fact, I'm already well on my way with this challenge as I read one YA book over vacation (and completely during 2011, not to worry!). I'll have a review up soon.

3) (sort of) I like the idea of the TBR challenge (http://www.roofbeamreader.net/2010/12/2011-tbr-pile-challenge-with-prize.html) but I don't know how many of the books in my pile have been there more than a year...I'm hoping not too many! I'm not signing up formally, but working through my big to be read basket in the library and the piles throughout the house is definitely a personal goal.

I know some of you have already committed to reading more or reading a different type of genre this year; is anyone else going to join a challenge?

Hello My Deer!

2011-01-02T21:37:00.003-06:00

My friends come from all over the United States and most of us believe that our state is the best. If we want some data to back it up, this link should be helpful...it shows something that each state is the best at. No surprise that Pennsylvania wins for most deer collisions, but would you have guessed that Colorado is #1 for beer production? Expect lots of new residents next year, Colorado!

Some other highlights: My engineer friends may want to consider a move to Delaware, since they have the greatest percentage of PhD level scientists and engineers. Illinois has the highest rate of gang membership...um, thanks, Chicago. If you have a lead foot, avoid Massachusetts since that state has the highest level of speeding tickets. Nevada is a triple winner with the lead in teen pregnancies, foreclosures, and meth use. Way to go Nevada! I would never have guessed that Ohio ranks first in swiss cheese production.

Check it out!
http://1bog.org/blog/whats-your-state-good-at/

What's your state the best at?

2010 In Review

2010-12-31T18:13:00.026-06:00

January:
Max watching PSU win the Capital One Bowl

February:
Made the library into a comfortable reading room.

April:
Tried deep fried bacon at the rodeo (it was gross!)...

...and visited Austin with my parents

May:
Camping at Brazos Bend State Park

June:
Welcomed Layla to the family

July:
Brewed our first batch of beer...

...watched The Netherlands in the World Cup...

...and went skydiving!

August:
Went to the Philadelphia Folk Festival

October:
Went to New Orleans to celebrate my first anniversary with The Dude!

November:
Returned to Pennsylvania for the wedding of a great friend (photo below courtesy of the Dude not leaving us alone)

December:
Spent a great Christmas with family and enjoyed real snow! (the handsome fella in this photo is my parents' dog, Duke)

2010 was a fun year for me. I have so much to look forward to in 2011!

Christmas Cheer

2010-12-15T21:09:00.004-06:00

In my house growing up, we traditionally spent Black Friday and the weekend after Thanksgiving decorating the house. Since we bought a live tree we wouldn't get that for another few weeks (and it often stayed up until it was needle-less in February) but the Christmas season started at the same time as the leftover turkey.

Now that I have my own house (and a fake tree), I have had to start my own traditions, but I still decorate on Black Friday. It's a great excuse to avoid the shopping that I can't stand. While I have lots of my old traditions, it's been fun to look for new ones as well. For the first time this year, the Dude and I made gingerbread houses (albeit from a kit we bought from Target). They turned out pretty well...that is, until the Texas weather went from almost-winter to almost-summer in about 12 hours and all the icing melted. We'll try again next year!

After talking about it the last few years, the Dude hung Christmas lights outside this year and I think they look great! ...even if my pictures don't reflect that. We are definitely not in the running for the most Griswold-ish house in our neighborhood, but we aren't the Grinches either.

Since I'm still making my own traditions, I've enjoyed looking at what others do. I've always kept most of my decorating in the living room, dining room, and kitchen, but after I saw this picture I think I may move it in to the library next year!

Has anyone else started their own traditions when they moved away from home?

A Non-Holiday Book

2010-12-08T18:31:00.002-06:00

This one gets its own review because it really affected me. Up front warning: this book is not cheerful. I promise to get back to holiday joy in my next post!

Room, Emma Donoghue

In Emma Donoghue's second novel, Room, the author shows once again that she is not afraid to dive headfirst into truly awful situations and turn them inside out. Room is a story told by Jack, a 5 year old who lives in Room with his Ma and his friends Bed, Duvet, and Wardrobe. As far as Jack knows, everything outside of Room is Outer Space and everything on tv is not real. When I say everything, I mean everything...rain, dentists, even other people. This is because Jack's mother was abducted before his birth and has been held prisoner in an 11'x11' room for the past seven years. As circumstances with their captor change, Ma realizes that it is time to try to escape if she and Jack are going to survive. But how do you explain escape to someone who doesn't understand there is a world to escape to?

Telling the story from Jack's point of view makes the story easier to read but also strips away much of the convention we associate with these types of situations. There is very little graphic violence or external input. What is left is an emotional tale that forces you to re-evaluate everything you think you know about the world and how you interact with other people. I knew going in that reading this would be difficult for me, but I'm glad I picked it up anyway. I was utterly absorbed from start to finish. This is not to minimize how disturbing and painful the book is at times, because it is both. However, it also brings a fresh, innocent perspective to a cynical situation.

I would cautiously recommend Room to those who think they could handle it. If nothing else it will force you to sit back, take a deep breath, and think.

A Dog's Life

2010-12-01T19:10:00.002-06:00

I think a lot of you already read Hyperbole and a Half but if you don't, start now. I love it when she blogs about her dogs. This recent post about "simple dog" and "helper dog" made me laugh out loud and snort. Layla is definitely simple dog. I also liked this older one where she tested simple dog's intelligence. Then Becca did the same test on her dog, which led to hilarious photos of a lumpy blanket wandering around her living room.

I realized I haven't been blogging about Max and Layla as much as I used to. I think part of that is because Layla is really difficult to photograph; she tends to come out as a big black blur, sometimes with scary green eyes, sometimes with no eyes at all. It doesn't really do justice to her cheerful, floppy demeanor in real life, especially since I know the best part of a post about dogs is pictures of said dogs. I did get a few decent ones though...can you tell what a sweetheart she is?

Despite my laziness in posting their pictures, the dogs are doing well. Max got a cold last week, which he generously shared with Layla, so I have had the pleasure of listening to dogs sneeze for the past few weeks. They both excel at looking pathetic to get whatever they want from me then running away acting normal. Dogs 1, People 0.

Last night I watched the old Claymation "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" special. I had forgotten that whenever Rudolph's nose lights up it makes an odd high pitched whining sound. This intrigued both dogs. I love it when they hear a strange sound from the tv. The ears perk up and the head cocks to the side. Even better is when one of them actually walks over to see where the noise is coming from. The Dude has a birthday card which features dogs barking "Happy Birthday to You" and used it to mess with them quite a few times. I did the same with Rudolph. Dogs 1, Alicia 1. It's a tie! I'll call that good for now.

Well by now I figure I have bored and/or alienated pretty much all of my readers so my work here is done. I hope you're all enjoying the Christmas lights as much as I am now that I don't have to resent them!

Preparing for London 2012

2010-11-22T19:11:00.004-06:00

The summer of 2012 may seem far away for most of us, but around the world elite athletes are hard at work preparing for the Summer Olympics. Competing at this level requires daily practice and intense focus.

Of course, many athletes compete in sports which are not a part of the Olympics. Every four years a number of test events are added and these athletes hope that their sport will be selected to become a permanent part of the Games.

Here, we see team USA's rising stars Max and Layla practicing their routine for the exciting new "synchronized napping" event. Go team!

In Which Christmas Takes Over

2010-11-16T18:03:00.005-06:00

Every year when Christmas items appear in stores in October (or even earlier) I complain loudly about how terrible it is that Christmas is inexorably swallowing Thanksgiving and now even Halloween. I refuse to buy anything until after Thanksgiving. Even then, I avoid the insanity of Black Friday and indulge in a day at home in sweatpants eating leftovers and decorating for Christmas.

Which is why I am not proud that today, on November 16, 2010 (9 days before Thanksgiving) I succumbed to the onslaught. I will give you one guess as to which Christmas character could breach my defenses.

Ready?

If you guessed Charlie Brown, you are right.

So, here they are in all their glory. Sparkly, puffy, sticker-y glory.

(Yes, these are puffy stickers with confetti inside! You would have bought them too.)

I can't be the only one who has cracked...what has put you over the top?

He is Penn State

2010-11-10T18:44:00.004-06:00

For those non-Penn State fanatics who read this blog (I think there may be one of you out there), you may not know that last week marked a milestone for the Nittany Lions' favorite octogenarian, Joe Paterno. For the other 99% of you, this is old news but hopefully you can share it with someone who isn't a fanatic and convert them to our side!

With the Nittany Lions' 35-21 win over Northwestern on Saturday, Joe became the only Division I football coach to reach 400 victories. Yes, you read that right. In a sport where teams play 12 games per year, he has won 400 times.

As always when Joepa reaches a milestone, I am proud not only of his success on the field but also off it. Joe and his wife Sue have donated more than $5 million to Penn State to build the Paterno library. People like to joke that most schools name the library after the president and the stadium after the football coach; Penn State did it the other way around. Joe has turned down many chances to go to the NFL and make more money because he loves Penn State and the opportunity to work with athletes at such a critical turning point in their lives. From day one he made his goal "Success with Honor" and I believe he has succeeded remarkably well.

During the post game celebration (at about 4:30 in the video below) Joe addresses the question of why he has stayed so long. Anyone who has been in that stadium when everyone is cheering will know why I get chills watching.

"They ask me why I stayed here so long, and you know what...look around."

I also enjoyed this video produced by Penn State. Although it's a bit on the sappy side, I loved the historical footage.

Now that we've celebrated this incredible achievement, let's follow Joe's advice and go beat Ohio State!

Recent Reads

2010-11-04T17:45:00.003-05:00

Odd and the Frost Giants, Neil Gaiman
This enchanting story was recommended to me by the incomparable Audrey of Bibliovermis. For those of you who enjoy reading enough to a) read my blog and b) presumably read some of the books I recommend, don't click on this link. Because it will take you to a really awesome review which requires no reading at all but instead uses creative pictures. Hmph. You clicked, didn't you? Well, here's my review anyway.

I thought this was an excellent fairy tale that felt as though it had been told for hundreds of years even though I had never read it. Odd, our hero, runs away from home because winter is never ending (literally) and he can't stand to stay with his mother, stepfather, and multiple not so nice step-siblings. He encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle, who turn out to be gods who have been tricked by the Frost Giants. In order to bring spring back and save his village, Odd must go to the land of the gods and defeat the Frost Giants; no small task for a 12 year old with a bad leg and a crutch.

I will refrain from telling more about the plot because it is a short book, but I recommend this to readers of all ages. The edition I had also included lovely illustrations by Mark Buckingham which added to the spare, wintry feel of the book. What a great contribution to World Book Day!

A Secret Kept, Tatiana de Rosnay
One of the hardest things for an author or artist to do is to follow up a debut smash hit with an equally smashing second offering. This task was near impossible for Tatiana de Rosnay given the amazing quality of her first book, Sarah's Key (see my review). A Secret Kept has quite a few similarities: a family in France dealing with secrets from many years ago while trying to navigate present tension. Unfortunately the story here was neither as compelling nor as well fleshed out as Sarah's Key.

The book begins when Antoine takes his sister Melanie to Nourmoutier for her 40th birthday. As children they had spent weeks there every summer but after their mother died while they were children, the family never returned. The trip stirs up a memory for Melanie that drastically alters their view of their mother and her death. Antoine sets out to learn more about the mother he never really knew. I was disappointed that I had trouble understanding many of the characters' motivations and frequently felt confused by their actions. The ultimate reveal was a bit of a letdown for me. Had I read this book without comparing it to Sarah's Key my review might have been better, but this just couldn't live up.

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, Adrienne Kress
This was another Audrey recommendation and I adored it! Alex is an independent, smart ten year old who lives in a small town with her uncle. When a new and different teacher comes to her school her life is soon turned upside down as she learns he is the heir to a pirate treasure. When he is kidnapped Alex has to put her ingenuity to work to rescue him from the world's most deadly pirate.

The tone and style of the book reminded me a of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was filled with quirky characters and sly references (Alex tracks the ship to both Port Cullis and Port Wine). I hear this movie may be made into a movie and if done right it will be excellent. In the meantime, I will hope for a sequel!

Pirate Dessert

2010-11-04T17:35:00.005-05:00

I few weeks ago I was meandering through the interwebs and stumbled on a thing of beauty: the apple pie-rate ship. That's right, an actual pirate ship made out of apple pie. Immediately this beautiful baked good rocketed into my list of top 10 awesome edibles. Although I make an excellent apple pie (if I do say so myself), I realized that my skills lie in the round, flat pie arena and that even a small fishing vessel, let alone a full sized pirate ship, would be beyond my feeble landlubber talents. So I sent the apple pie-rate link to the most talented baker I know: Erin!

I suggested to Erin that a duo or even a fleet of apple pie-rate ships, perhaps floating through a blue candy see with whipped cream whitecaps, would make an impressive (and delicious) Thanksgiving centerpiece. Oddly though, Erin seemed to think that this brilliant idea might be "too much work" on top of making turkey, stuffing, and all the sides for 12 people while hosting a half dozen family members. I know, I was shocked too. So I sadly resigned myself to a life without an apple pie-rate ship and buried my face in my grog.

That weekend I headed over to the aforementioned Erin's house for one of our favorite activities: a fancy lunch consumed while spending a few hours watching a girly movie whose entire plot could be deduced from a thirty second preview. It's a great time. But this weekend was even greater as she told me she had baked me a surprise. What could it be, I wondered? Eyeball cake balls for Halloween? Some kind of pumpkin delight? But NO! Better!

An APPLE PIE-RATE SHiP!!!

Feast your eyes on its pirate-y, apple-y, doughy glory!

Reader, this was as tasty as it was good looking. Erin has redeemed herself...at least until I get another idea. Like a pirate's treasure island made out of baked goods. Hmm...

*Please excuse the terrible picture quality; another skill I lack is using my phone camera!

Halloween Hoopla

2010-10-26T18:28:00.006-05:00

Despite what stores would have you think, it's not Christmas yet...it's almost Halloween! Here are some of my suggestions for a good time.

Watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" on Thursday, October 28 at 8pm/7pm Central. This is my second favorite Charlie Brown special (if you don't know my favorite already, click here).

If you're looking for some Halloween reading, I recommend checking out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The Dude and I checked out the audiobook for a recent road trip and we both really enjoyed it. I never thought I'd be discussing Jane Austen's romantic triangles in the same conversation as learning about the differences between single bladed and double bladed swords but there's a first time for everything!

Last but not least there's the easiest, oldest, and best way to celebrate Halloween: buy too much candy and enjoy the "leftovers" when all the trick or treaters are gone! (or sooner, if you can't take the temptation)

Who's got fun Halloween plans this year?

Get Out the Vote!

2010-10-26T18:21:00.004-05:00

As you've probably noticed from ads and street signs, it's election season. Everyone has something they want to change or improve in their local or national government and this is the most important way to be heard, so get out there and vote! It's one of your greatest rights and privileges.

Here in Texas we have the option of early voting, which makes the process a lot more convenient. Harris County readers can find early voting locations here: Harris County Early Voting

In Harris County you can generate a sample ballot here and get non-biased candidate information in the League of Women Voters Guide.

If you live elsewhere, a simple Google search should be all it takes to find all the information you need. Now get out and vote!

Smell Like A...Monster?

2010-10-20T21:11:00.003-05:00

I loved the Old Spice commercials that came out a few months ago but I adore Sesame Street's take on the ad campaign. Looking good, Grover!

A Different Point of View

2010-10-07T17:51:00.004-05:00

I saw this picture on a couple different websites today. No matter how many times I see it, I need a second look to figure out what's going on.

As cool as it would be if these were books under plexiglass, they are actually repeating tiles made from pictures of the shelves of a local bookstore. I'd love to stop by here the next time I'm in NYC!

Forgiveness and Football

2010-10-03T10:23:00.003-05:00

Today Donovan McNabb and the Redskins (it sounds weird to even say that) return to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. The Eagles are led not by young QB Kevin Kolb but by Michael Vick, who has been playing incredible football in the last few weeks. Sounds great, right? Except I still haven't figured out what I think about Vick.

When he was convicted of running a dog fighting ring I felt it was unforgivable and that I could never respect him again as a person, let alone root for him in football. But now I have been wondering whether I'm being too harsh. I am a strong believer that our justice system should not only focus on punishment but also rehabilitation. Outwardly, Vick seems to have rehabilitated and be truly sorry for his actions. But how do I know whether that's true? I don't think I ever will.

The Sports Guy wrote a great article about this very topic; his wife still hates Vick but he disagrees. I think this is a really polarizing subject because it gets to the heart of a crisis in this country as more and more people are incarcerated.

What do you think? Do I trust Vick's current actions and wholeheartedly root for him? Or does someone who treats animals so badly never deserve success?

Fall is Here! ...sort of

2010-09-28T20:45:00.008-05:00

Yesterday when I stepped outside for work in the morning, it was colder outside than inside for the first time this year. In Texas this is cause for celebration! Then last night, the Phillies clinched the NL East championship, which is becoming a fall tradition. Today at the store the flowers on display were fall colors, not summers, and I was thrilled to pick some up as well as some miniature squashes for a festive centerpiece. Welcome home, fall!

Weird sidenote: I planned this post as I drove home and Jen and I must have been on the same wavelength because she had the same idea today...check out her decorations!

Attention Bookworms!

2010-09-21T20:27:00.004-05:00

One of the best things about reading so much is sharing the books I love with other people and getting recommendations in return. And one of my favorite people to share with is Audrey! Now she started her own awesome blog where she reviews her books...in pictures!

Visit Bibliovermis!

(for those wondering what a "bibliovermis" is, check the funny FAQ)

ARRR!!

2010-09-19T11:21:00.003-05:00

Well hello there mateys! This is yer old pal Deckswabber Bessy the Mad! Time flies fast when yer sailing the seas! It's already been a year since the last time we celebrated International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

There are lots of ways to celebrate! Mayhap ye want to know yer own Pirate Name...here's how!

Raise a glass of grog, hoist the sails, and count yer booty! ARRRRR!

Awesome Recycling

2010-09-14T20:33:00.006-05:00

Hey strangers! I have a huge backlog of books to review so I may just give up and start from scratch. Or maybe I'll build one of these...

(source)

Yes, that is an amazing desk made out of books!

In other news in my life, football has finally started! It was a rough weekend for both the Nittany Lions and the Eagles but I'm hopeful things will look up as the season goes on. It's still hot in Houston but the evenings are beginning to cool off a tiny bit, which has me excited for camping once the weather cools off! Right now we can't camp because there's no way to fit me, the Dude, Layla, Max, and all our gear into the "big" car, which is my Civic. Anyone want to sell me a cheap roof rack?

What excites you about fall?

Now That's a Philadelphia Fan

2010-09-02T21:09:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of the700level.com:

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson were at the Phillies-Dodgers game on Tuesday night when Sweet Dee went into labor. The Inq's Michael Klein reports that the couple left the game, and Olson later gave birth to a baby boy, Axel Lee McElhenney, who will probably be the funniest son of a [talented actress] alive. Klein has more on the story here, and Olson's quote gives us some indication of the baby's birthright:

"As soon as Ryan Howard hit a three run home run, we felt comfortable leaving to go have our baby."

SO WAIT. WAIT. YOU LEFT EARLY???

The Ultimate Home Library

2010-08-27T20:07:00.003-05:00

I've written before about some excellent home libraries (including my own!). But this one takes the cake. It's not just a home library; it's a second home that was made into a library and integrated seamlessly with the first house.

(source)

Real estate is cheap in Texas. Hey, a girl can dream...

Dreaming of Sloth

2010-08-15T19:18:00.003-05:00

I've got my fingers crossed that tomorrow will be my last crazy day at work (for now) as we head outside for a 3rd EVA to fix a failed pump module on ISS. As I dream of vacation, hanging out like a sloth (or with a sloth) sounds better and better!

A lot of this footage may look familiar from this post, but the great thing about this video is that you learn about the day to day life of the sloths and their personalities. I'm definitely a Delilah!

My Philosophy Exactly

2010-08-08T19:43:00.002-05:00

(source)

A Cozy Corner

2010-08-06T10:14:00.002-05:00

I have been working some crazy hours this week, but I will share this fantastic home library with you. Have a great weekend!

(source)

Don't Wait Too Long

2010-07-24T21:20:00.003-05:00

For the past few days I've been adoring this laid back tune from Madeleine Peyroux, "Don't Wait Too Long." She has one of those voices and styles that make you sure every song you hear is something you've known all your life. I think she would be fantastic at the folk festival! Here's the video.

What new songs do you feel like you've known forever?

So That's What You Do With an Aerospace Engineering Degree

2010-07-21T21:53:00.003-05:00

Last week, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane...and I loved it! I've always thought I'd go skydiving some day, so when a group of coworkers decided to go I was excited. I expected that at some point I'd be terrified but it didn't happen. The toughest thing would be jumping out of the plane, but the instructor takes care of that for you. It was a blast!

If you ever get the chance to do this, I highly recommend it!

I Write Like...

2010-07-15T20:22:00.002-05:00

Today I stumbled across I Write Like, a website which lets you paste in some of the text you've written and find out which famous author you write like. I tried three of my recent blog posts and was told I write like either J.K. Rowling (yes!), Margaret Atwood (superb!), and someone whose name I've already forgotten (my brain only has so much space). I didn't think much of it further than something to amuse myself while I was bored until I saw this on Paper Cuts:

I entered my last blog post and was told I write like Edgar Allan Poe. (Judging from the Twitter traffic, so do a lot of other people.)

Pretty neat. But then a colleague plugged in a paragraph from Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” and was told it sounded like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Now THAT made me laugh!

Jobless Recovery

2010-07-08T19:45:00.004-05:00

If you have been watching, reading, or listening to the news lately you've probably heard the term "jobless recovery." On the one hand, I can understand how some economic indicators are improving, thus the recovery. On the other hand, with unemployment at 10% and rising (consider how many people have just stopped looking for jobs) it's hard to call it recovery. Sometimes it's easy to just take these terms at face value, but I liked the way Cory Doctorow questioned it and summed the problem up perfectly:
If the thing you use to measure the health of your economy has gone up, but no one has a job, then surely you are measuring the wrong thing to gauge the health of your nation.

Go here to read the full article.

Why I'm an Engineer

2010-06-29T21:39:00.002-05:00

A lot of engineers really enjoy math, but most of us would never dream of majoring in it. This does a lovely job of summing up why.

(source)

In other news, the rest of my life has been pretty run of the mill lately. I've been reading a lot and have probably 10 books to review, so I'll most likely just give a sentence or two about each. Layla continues to settle in nicely. I'm looking forward to my three day weekend! Maybe during that time I'll be motivated to post something more in depth, but I'm not making any promises.

Recent Reading

2010-06-26T21:38:00.005-05:00

Here is my long ago promised catch-up post. You'll have to settle for abbreviated reviews since there are so many to include! Happy reading!

Under the Dome, Stephen King
I haven't read Stephen King before but I may have to start because I really enjoyed this. One morning an invisible, impenetrable dome simply appears over a small town in Maine. As the citizens both inside and out try to figure out what to do about it, King takes the opportunity to examine how people react when the consequences are radically different. The characters in this book were what made it great. Although it was a long story, I didn't find it drawn out. For those who enjoy science fiction, it does have a bit of that twist, especially at the end.

The Help, Kathryn Stockett
I'd heard so many great things about this book that I just figured there was no way it could possibly live up to those expectations. Unbelievably, it did. I was completely absorbed by the lives of blacks and whites in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. When young white girl Skeeter Phelan sets out to interview black maids, neither she nor the maids have any idea what they will learn. I absolutely recommend everybody read this, although it's so popular that you may have to wait in line for quite a while!

A Reliable Wife, Robert Goolrick
This was highly recommended on a number of book blogs but it didn't have a great effect on me. It's about a woman who answers an ad to be the wife of a man in the frozen American Northwest. They marry without really knowing each other and it turns out they both have secrets. I found I couldn't relate well to either of the main characters which is probably why I didn't enjoy it as much as others.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
Here's another must read for everyone. This book can appeal to a wide range of readers, whether you like science, faith, family, or any other topic. Although it's non-fiction, I found that a lot of the book felt like fiction in how it sucked me in. The book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cancerous tumor cells were extracted and used for research and never died. Lacks and her family never knew that her cells were famous worldwide. The book alternates between the story of the cells and of the family learning of all they have done. It raises so many great issues for thought and discussion without dragging through political discourse or too much science. Go read it now!

I Know This Much is True, Wally Lamb
This was a recommendation from a fellow book lover and I can see why she enjoyed it so much. Dominick's twin brother Thomas has extreme mental problems and Dominick struggles to understand how his twin could be so different from himself. In learning about them we also get the story of their past and their families. It's a dark book at times but feels real and I definitely enjoyed it.

The History of Love, Nicole Krauss
This was a re-read for me because the first time I read it, I fell so completely under its spell that I finished in just a few hours and couldn't remember many details later. I tried to go back and read it slowly but got completely enveloped again, which just shows how good it is. The novel swirls around the fictional book The History of Love and those who have been affected by it. The author does a great job of incorporating lots of humor without sacrificing gravity. If you pick this up, make sure the rest of your weekend is free.

Girl Mary, Petru Popescu
I'm not a religious person, but when I do contemplate religion I've never thought much about Mary. In my mind she's always been a bland, passive character in a pale blue robe. But who was she really? And more interesting, who was she before she was a mother? In this novel Mary is absolutely captivating, a leader of her tribe who has absolute faith in God yet still questions everything. This is a woman who could stand up for herself and change the world. My old image of Mary has been absolutely overhauled thanks to this intriguing novel.

Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich
In today's economy, a lot of focus is placed on the unemployed. However, most of us don't spend a lot of time thinking about the working poor: people who have one or even two jobs but still don't earn enough money to truly live comfortably. Barbara Ehrenreich set out to explore what this is like by working in these jobs and trying to live only on what she made. While I found her an annoying narrator, it was worth the read to learn so much about a culture I was completely unaware of. Pick this up the next time you make fun of someone for working at Walmart.

The Enchantress of Florence, Salman Rushdie
I admit I was a bit intimidated by Salman Rushdie and expected his work to be dense and deeply philosophical. I was only partly right. I did have to focus on the read but it was a pleasure to dive into his long, swirling thoughts and richly embroidered descriptions. The power of love was at times magical in a way that reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Laura Esquivel. The intricate story traverses hundreds of years throughout Asia and Europe and as such it can be hard to follow occasionally, but it's worth the work to unravel it.

Extreme Irony

2010-06-07T22:18:00.003-05:00

(source via BoingBoing)

The oil spill pains me greatly so I am resorting to expressing myself with humor.

Canine Cloud Nine

2010-06-06T20:46:00.006-05:00

We take our pets' well-being very seriously here. In addition to walks and play time in the backyard, we offer numerous spa and meditation services.

Here, Max shows off the "sideways contortionist" yoga pose. Don't try it at home; this takes years of practice.

After a tough workout, let those tired muscles recover with a dip in the spa.

Of course, after a long day of yoga and spa treatments, it's important to take some time to meditate and center yourself. And if you happen to fall asleep during the squirrel chasing affirmations, we won't tell.

Welcome Home Layla!

2010-05-31T16:44:00.005-05:00

About a month ago, the Dude noticed an ad online for a 15 month old Lab/shepherd mix who needed a good home. We gamely resisted for a few weeks and then the ad disappeared, so we assumed she'd been adopted. When the ad popped up again last week, we couldn't resist any longer and asked for pictures. 4 days later, Layla came home with us.

Who could resist this goofy face?

Layla is only 15 months old but she is a big girl weighing 80 pounds! The Dude summed up her personality perfectly as "that girl who is 6 feet tall in eighth grade." She hasn't quite grown into her body yet so she can be a little ungainly at times, but she and Max are having lots of fun running around! She came home Saturday morning, which worked out well because it gave us three full days at home for her to learn our routines and for us to adjust to being a two dog family.

Layla is a sweet girl who tries to lick your face when you pet her. Her hobbies include swimming in the kiddie pool, eating ice cubes, fighting with Max for toys, and sleeping. This dovetails in well with Max's hobbies, which include thinking about getting into the kiddie pool, eating ice cubes, fighting with Layla for toys, and sleeping.

We're so glad to have you here Layla! I hope all of you enjoyed your holiday weekend as much as we did!

Successful Failure

2010-05-26T18:08:00.003-05:00

As the future of NASA is being molded, a lot of buzzwords are being thrown around. Game-changing. Bold. Innovative. One word that you probably aren't hearing with regard to NASA's future endeavors is "failure." And that can be a problem.

From the work I've done with NASA in the past few years, I have learned that we have an extremely risk-averse culture. I'm sure some of you are thinking "Well, isn't that a good thing? We don't want to repeat Challenger or Columbia." And that's true. Ignoring risks is dangerous. But in order to do great things, we have to be willing to evaluate risks and accept some of them. We aren't doing that right now and I worry that we aren't going to get where we want to go until we stop seeing risk as a red light and start seeing it as an opportunity for improvement, consideration, and evaluation.

Wayne Hale wrote an excellent blog post today explaining how failures can lead to exactly the kind of leaps for mankind NASA wants to be known for. I encourage everyone (NASA dorks and non-NASA dorks alike) to check it out. I especially liked his closing line:

Try something. Be bold, revolutionary, even game changing. Just don’t be surprised if you have to pick yourself up off the ground and dust off your pants from time to time. It’s the American way.

Sloths in Motion

2010-05-22T16:10:00.003-05:00

I have talked a lot about sloths on here but other than Sid in Ice Age, I haven't had much footage to share. That has all changed thanks to the Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. I particularly enjoyed the romantic Lady and Tramp spaghetti scene with two sloths and a green bean.

Meet the sloths from Amphibian Avenger on Vimeo.

Wow. Just Wow.

2010-05-18T18:22:00.003-05:00

I'm busy this week working on the current shuttle mission, for which I'm the lead in my group. It's without a doubt my favorite part of my job so it is bittersweet since this will be my last shuttle flight as a lead. It's easy to get bogged down in the day to day details and forget that the work I do is just plain cool.

Photos like this, though, remind me how amazing it is.

(source via Bad Astronomy)

Yes, that is the International Space Station and space shuttle Atlantis passing in front of the sun. Incredible!

An Eloquent Letter

2010-05-14T19:05:00.002-05:00

I am struggling to find the words to frame this letter. Nothing I can say will add to its eloquence. From a mother of a gay son, to the town newspaper.

Sunday, April 30, 2000
By SHARON UNDERWOOD
For the Valley News (White River Junction, VT)

Many letters have been sent to the Valley News concerning the homosexual menace in Vermont. I am the mother of a gay son and I've taken enough from you good people.

I'm tired of your foolish rhetoric about the "homosexual agenda" and your allegations that accepting homosexuality is the same thing as advocating sex with children. You are cruel and ignorant. You have been robbing me of the joys of motherhood ever since my children were tiny.

My firstborn son started suffering at the hands of the moral little thugs from your moral, upright families from the time he was in the first grade. He was physically and verbally abused from first grade straight through high school because he was perceived to be gay.

He never professed to be gay or had any association with anything gay, but he had the misfortune not to walk or have gestures like the other boys. He was called "fag" incessantly, starting when he was 6.

In high school, while your children were doing what kids that age should be doing, mine labored over a suicide note, drafting and redrafting it to be sure his family knew how much he loved them. My sobbing 17-year-old tore the heart out of me as he choked out that he just couldn't bear to continue living any longer, that he didn't want to be gay and that he couldn't face a life without dignity.

You have the audacity to talk about protecting families and children from the homosexual menace, while you yourselves tear apart families and drive children to despair. I don't know why my son is gay, but I do know that God didn't put him, and millions like him, on this Earth to give you someone to abuse. God gave you brains so that you could think, and it's about time you started doing that.

At the core of all your misguided beliefs is the belief that this could never happen to you, that there is some kind of subculture out there that people have chosen to join. The fact is that if it can happen to my family, it can happen to yours, and you won't get to choose. Whether it is genetic or whether something occurs during a critical time of fetal development, I don't know. I can only tell you with an absolute certainty that it is inborn.

If you want to tout your own morality, you'd best come up with something more substantive than your heterosexuality. You did nothing to earn it; it was given to you. If you disagree, I would be interested in hearing your story, because my own heterosexuality was a blessing I received with no effort whatsoever on my part. It is so woven into the very soul of me that nothing could ever change it. For those of you who reduce sexual orientation to a simple choice, a character issue, a bad habit or something that can be changed by a 10-step program, I'm puzzled. Are you saying that your own sexual orientation is nothing more than something you have chosen, that you could change it at will? If that's not the case, then why would you suggest that someone else can?

A popular theme in your letters is that Vermont has been infiltrated by outsiders. Both sides of my family have lived in Vermont for generations. I am heart and soul a Vermonter, so I'll thank you to stop saying that you are speaking for "true Vermonters."

You invoke the memory of the brave people who have fought on the battlefield for this great country, saying that they didn't give their lives so that the "homosexual agenda" could tear down the principles they died defending. My 83-year-old father fought in some of the most horrific battles of World War II, was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart.

He shakes his head in sadness at the life his grandson has had to live. He says he fought alongside homosexuals in those battles, that they did their part and bothered no one. One of his best friends in the service was gay, and he never knew it until the end, and when he did find out, it mattered not at all. That wasn't the measure of the man.

You religious folk just can't bear the thought that as my son emerges from the hell that was his childhood he might like to find a lifelong companion and have a measure of happiness. It offends your sensibilities that he should request the right to visit that companion in the hospital, to make medical decisions for him or to benefit from tax laws governing inheritance.

How dare he? you say. These outrageous requests would threaten the very existence of your family, would undermine the sanctity of marriage.

You use religion to abdicate your responsibility to be thinking human beings. There are vast numbers of religious people who find your attitudes repugnant. God is not for the privileged majority, and God knows my son has committed no sin.

The deep-thinking author of a letter to the April 12 Valley News who lectures about homosexual sin and tells us about "those of us who have been blessed with the benefits of a religious upbringing" asks: "What ever happened to the idea of striving . . . to be better human beings than we are?"

Indeed, sir, what ever happened to that?

(Source: http://www.andrewtobias.com/newcolumns/000504.html via BoingBoing)

Odds and Ends

2010-05-11T20:58:00.004-05:00

I keep thinking of things to write but not actually writing them, so I am just going to do a brain dump and start clean.

Thing 1:
13 Things that saved Apollo 13
I admit I haven't read this entire series yet but it's been really interesting so far. Amazing how much of it still applies to missions today.

Thing 2:

(no, not that Thing 1 and Thing 2)

I loved this video that Becca passed along. If only my childhood toys had included "barrier breaking feminist vision"!

Thing 3:
Right now I'm reading Sarah Vowell's latest book, The Wordy Shipmates. This woman cracks me up. Daily Show viewers and NPR listeners may recognize her as the nerdy snarky girl with the twangy voice (yeah, I know that's not too specific). When I read her writing, I can hear her speaking in my head and I know we'd have a great time hanging out together. It got me thinking about my ultimate ladies only dinner party. Only fabulous women would be invited, women who can hold their own talking about anything and still crack me up. They are all brilliant, fearless, and unafraid to speak their minds. Although I could go totally historical, there are too many options, so I narrowed it down to the past 100 years and came up with this list (in no particular order):
Sarah Vowell, author
Molly Ivins, journalist and author
Tina Fey, actress/comedienne
Frances Perkins, first female Cabinet member (loved this book about her)
Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady
Katharine Hepburn, actress
Julia Child, chef
Lillian Moller Gilbreth, industrial engineer (and mother of the Cheaper by the Dozen family)

Assuming my imaginary dinner table seats 12, that leaves me three more spots. Who else should I invite? (Note: Oprah will not be invited)

Thing 4:
When I write off the top of my head, I use an abundance of parentheses (do you mind??)

Cutting off your nose to spite your face

2010-05-05T20:52:00.003-05:00

(source)

Ok, so I admit that this might not be the most apt metaphor; I used my own alternate suggestion as the title of this post. That said, I absolutely agree that cutting library hours, staffing, and entire branches during a recession is a terrible idea. Libraries do a lot more than provide free novels to entertain us. They offer job search resources to those who can't afford it elsewhere. They offer training classes to give people critical skills. They serve as community centers and hubs for information. When resources are scarce, as they are now, it's important to carefully weigh decisions about what gets cut and what gets funded. Libraries might seem like an easy choice to cut but when you think about their true impact on the community, there's more than meets the eye. No matter what decisions your community, state, or country is faced with, take a moment to think through what we really lose when programs are cut.

The Dark Side of Perfection

2010-04-30T23:40:00.005-05:00

I usually review books as I read them but I have been thinking about some past books I enjoyed so I'm going to group them by subject. Enjoy!

As long as people have been living together they have been trying to figure out the best way to govern themselves. And throughout all that time, they still haven't perfected it. Winston Churchill observed, "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." Dystopias imagine possible attempts at perfect government and explore how they could go wrong. In these books, as in real life government, there is a struggle to balance the rights of the individual with needs of the communities. Dystopias often have a sci-fi bent but in the best ones, this blends seamlessly into the background and the characters take center stage.

Here are some of my favorite dystopias for readers of all ages. If you have a suggestion for one I should read, let me know in the comments!

The Giver, Lois Lowry (juvenile/young adult)
Jonas is an intelligent, thoughtful eleven year old who is apprehensive about his birthday. In his community, when you turn 12 you are assigned to the profession you will hold for the rest of your life. In a community where sameness is valued, Jonas doesn't know what to think when he is singled out to be the community's "Receiver of Memories," the only person who remembers everything that happened in the past. He meets an old man, the Giver, and learns that much of what he has been taught is not true and that there may be value in difference.

Uglies, Scott Westerfield (young adult)
I just read this first novel in a trilogy after hearing a lot about it, and the moment I closed it I was ready to read the next one. In this world, everyone receives plastic surgery when they turn 16 so that they are beautiful. Before the surgery they are "uglies" and after they are "pretties." Tally is a rebellious young ugly who can't wait to have her surgery. When she learns that her new friend Shay doesn't want the surgery and plans to escape, Tally can't understand why. She ends up having to make tough choices to protect her friend and in the process learns that there is more to the surgery than she ever knew.

Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro (adult)
The story in Never Let Me Go unfolds slowly and deliberately, revealing its secrets in due time. It tells the story of Kathy, who at first seems a normal young girl at boarding school in Britain. Over time we learn that Kathy and the other children at her school are clones who have been created to be organ donors. Kathy and her friends struggle to live normally and find meaning in their lives. They are encouraged to create art and the best pieces are selected by a mysterious "Madame," who later in the story offers a unique perspective on Kathy's life. This novel is much more introverted and emotionally focused than some of the other action oriented books on my list, but it is more compelling because of that.

The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (adult)
This is probably one of the most well known dystopias in English literature. Offred, the main character, is a handmaiden for a well placed commander and his wife in the Republic of Gilead (located in the former United States). She has this role because she is still fertile and as such is quite valuable. However, when she has a child it will belong to her mistress and be treated as though Offred had no relation to it. Offred remembers the time before the theocratic Republic of Gilead was formed, when women had rights. The commander remembers this time as well and begins to do forbidden things with Offred, such as playing Scrabble and taking her to secret parties. I remember the first time I finished reading this closing the book and simply sitting and thinking for quite a while. Margaret Atwood has written several other dystopian novels but this is by far my favorite.

I Liked This Alot

2010-04-20T19:54:00.003-05:00

When I was young I always had trouble remembering whether "a lot" was one word or two. Maybe that's why, now that I'm an adult, it's one of the many errors that really drive me nuts. I wince when I see a misplaced apostrophe or a misused their/there/they're; I sigh when someone writes "c u l8r!" But it's when I see "alot" that I get steamed. Of course, that was all before I learned to love the alot, a large, snuggly animal which is found all over the internet. Friends, let me introduce you to my new pal the Alot!

(source)

Tax Day Follow Up

2010-04-18T21:37:00.004-05:00

My Tax Day post garnered a great comment from Becca...check it out! I thought this cartoon from Paul Krugman's blog sums up a lot of the contradictions Tea Partiers are spouting.

Happy Tax Day!

2010-04-15T21:11:00.002-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock lately you've probably heard of the Tea Party movement. It will come as no surprise to most people reading this that I strongly disagree with them. That said, it can definitely be hard to explain to people why I don't mind paying taxes (which explains why you will never hear a politician say "Taxes aren't so bad.")

So with all that in mind, I adored this article about how and why a writer learned to love Tax Day.

Happy April 15!

A Potent Potpourri of Recent Reading

2010-04-14T20:14:00.004-05:00

The Scarlet Lion, Elizabeth Chadwick
This is the sequel to The Greatest Knight, which I really enjoyed. It did not disappoint. While much of the first book covers William's rise to prominence, in the sequel he is already extremely powerful and no longer young. He learns that the political battlefield can be more stressful and even as dangerous as the traditional battlefield. William struggles to maintain his character and morals in a world which is increasingly filled with shades of gray. Unlike many sequels I felt the quality didn't drop off between the books. I hope Chadwick continues to write more about that time period.

Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager, Diana Gabaldon
I had heard of the popular Outlander series a number of times but didn't know much about it except that it was a "bodice ripper," aka a historical fiction romance. That was enough to keep me on the other side of the fence until Kasia of Good Finking, whose taste I generally share, said she tried it and was totally sucked in. I picked up Outlander, the first book in the series, just before I got the new day bed for the library. I spent all day that Sunday reading it and was totally hooked. The series tells the story of Claire Beauchamp, a nurse during World War II. While in Scotland she visits a stone circle and is pulled back in time to 200 years earlier, where she meets Jamie Fraser and falls in love. The book definitely has some romance aspects but I really enjoyed both the character development between Claire and Jamie as well as the modern view of historical daily life. I ended up getting the next two books (Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager) as well and they were fun reads but not as great as the first. Still, I'll probably check out the remaining volumes from the library just to find out where the story goes. These would be great vacation books.

House Rules, Jodi Picoult
I bought this because Heather had read Jodi Picoult's most recent book and highly recommended it. Unfortunately I didn't realize Heather had the most recent paperback and I got the most recent hardback. Fortunately this was a lucky mistake as I really enjoyed it and now the two of us can trade and each read some more! I won't go too much into the details of the book except to stay that it's typical Jodi Picoult, which I've written about before. That said, I enjoyed it and learned a lot about Asperger's syndrome. If you've liked her books before I'd recommend this although it's not in my top 3.

Princess Academy, Shannon Hale
The new blog I wrote about earlier this week is written by an elementary school librarian, so she reads (and recommends) a lot of young adult literature. I've been hearing a lot about the great quality of YA books out there these days so I thought it would be worth checking out. Princess Academy was a great start. It tells the story of Miri, a teenager who lives in a small village high on a mountain where everyone quarries stone to sell to the "lowlanders." Miri is petite and her father has never let her work in the quarry. She feels useless and frustrated at her inability to help. One day a messenger from the king comes to the village to announce that the prophets in the capital have seen that the next princess will come from Miri's mountain. All the young girls are taken away to learn how to be princesses at the princess academy. When Miri is taken away from her family and home she learns things that could change life for her whole village. Miri was a great character who made me chuckle. I enjoyed watching her grow and try to decide what was really important to her. Two teenage thumbs up!

Journeys to Space

2010-04-14T19:42:00.001-05:00

The Big Picture has a great entry today with lots of space pictures including the International Space Station (ISS), shuttle, Russian Soyuz rockets, and more. Enjoy!

The Big Picture in Space

A Kid in a Candy Shop

2010-04-12T20:08:00.002-05:00

For the past week I've been working nights on console supporting the current shuttle mission. The good news is that it's been going well, so I haven't been too busy on console. The bad news is that I have had more free time than I usually want at 3 am. As a result I was browsing through some blogs last night and stumbled upon Everyday Reading. By the end of the shift, I had this list of books to read.

Library here I come!*

*once I'm awake during business hours, of course.

Rodeo Houston

2010-03-19T19:23:00.007-05:00

I finally pulled a bunch of pictures off my camera, including those from the Houston Rodeo! John and Nujoud invited us to join them in a suite to see the Black Eyed Peas. The suite was, well, sweet! (Sorry, I just had to say it.) Of course before we went to the suite we had to enjoy one of the most important parts of the rodeo: the food! For those of you who haven't had this experience, the rodeo is known for everything fried, batter dipped, and on a stick. This year we discovered a new delicacy: chicken fried bacon! We had to try it.

The good news for our overall health is that this was disgusting! You could barely even taste the bacon flavor...it was just greasy. Two bites were enough for me and it was time to eat the yummy food. Dinner included a roasted turkey leg and a corn dog I split with the Dude. Mmm! Then we headed inside for the actual rodeo events. I had a great time watching the bull riding and calf roping, but my favorite event was the new "mutton busting." This is where 5-6 year olds are put on the back of sheep as big as they are and hold on as long as possible. It was hilarious! Unfortunately it was at the other end of the arena so I couldn't get many good pictures, but in this one you can see a little girl holding on tight.

The final event of the evening was the Black Eyed Peas concert. They put on a great show, although it was strange to see their super-futuristic costumes in the middle of a dirt floor.

I never thought I'd be the type of person who'd like the rodeo but I surprised myself! Who else has been surprised by something you never expected to enjoy?

Howdy Strangers!

2010-03-17T19:03:00.003-05:00

I have been neglecting the blog lately and had great plans for a big post today about one of my favorite holidays. Then, 4 slices into prep for our beef and Guinness stew, I cut my finger (my middle finger, of course). So now I have a big paper towel wrapped around it which makes typing a challenge. I guess you'll all just have to contain your excitement for a few days; not a challenge I'm sure. In the mean time, happy Saint Patrick's Day!

What I've Read: A Long Overdue (and Overlong) Post

2010-02-28T17:24:00.006-06:00

Annette Vallon, James Tipton
I got this book from the bargain section and had no idea what to expect. The jacket said it was a novel about William Wordsworth's first love, a French woman who he fell in love with on the eve of the French Revolution. Not knowing a lot about that time or about Wordsworth meant that I learned a lot and I'm definitely interested in finding out what was fact and fiction. The beginning of the book, which was more of a love novel, was nothing special, but about 1/3 of the way in the Revolution hit full swing, the action picked up, Annette began to figure out what she was about, and I was hooked. For all my readers who like to read about strong, independent women (and I know there are a lot of you), this will be an enthralling read.

The Sealed Letter, Emma Donoghue
Most historical novels show the reader the contrast between the past and the present. The Sealed Letter managed to both highlight the differences but also remind us that some things never change. It's the story of two friends, Emily "Fido" Faithfull and Helen Codrington and how they weather the storm of Helen's divorce from her husband. Just as it is now, the public is fascinated by the gruesome details of Helen's affairs and the couples' personal lives. Although it was slow at points, I enjoyed the twist on a traditional tale.

Interred with Their Bones, Jennifer Lee Carrell
I picked this up on the bargain shelf at the bookstore a few months ago with the idea that it would be a fun read for a trip when I wanted to read a lot without thinking too much. Well, I got one out of two. I read it during a relaxing camping trip a few weeks ago and it was definitely a page turner. The novel is a page turner mystery about people searching for the original manuscript of one of Shakespeare's lost plays. The concept was good but the plot was unbelievably convoluted and I had trouble following it at times.

The Forgery Of Venus, Michael Gruber
The first few times I heard about this popular novel, I thought the plot sounded too contrived for me to enjoy it. But after numerous strong reviews from diverse sources I added it to my list. As a result I was surprised when I found a hardcover copy for $5.98! I'm never one to put down a bargain book so I grabbed it, and as soon as I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It's the story of a painter in present day New York City whose style and technique belong in an older era. When he joins a clinical trial for a new drug designed to increase creativity, he finds himself traveling back first to his own youth and then to that of a famous painter. Soon he's not sure what is real, past and present, and when a painting by an old master is discovered the reader no longer knows who the real artist is. It was an unexpected page turner!

Moderately Extreme Makover: Library Edition

2010-02-23T17:27:00.009-06:00

Although having my own library is one of my favorite parts of our house, in recent months it has become a bit chaotic and filled with piles of wedding stuff, books to shelf, and papers to put away. In addition, the ancient chair I had was comfy but just not right for reading. All that made sitting in there to read extremely distracting and I was more likely to just read on the couch and get annoyed when I was interrupted.

Recently I saw a daybed/sofa I loved at World Market (where else?). I knew it would be perfect for the library but couldn't justify buying it when the room was messy and I rarely sat there. But a few weeks ago the Dude got new furniture for the man cave and ended up needing to clean out his closet. When I saw it filled with neatly stacked clear containers my type-A, OCD, neat freak side finally overcame my avoidance tendencies and I knew what I had to do. Less than a week later, the clutter is gone and the library makeover is complete!

Unfortunately for you there are no before pictures so you can just use your imagination. Quite appropriate for a room I use to read, don't you think?

The beautifully neat (and way less full) closet.

Note the cleaned off desk and lack of piles on the floor.

And now for the best part...the daybed! I got some bright pillows to lighten up the room and a pretty basket to hold all the books I am waiting to read. The sides of the daybed can either be up (as shown here) or down (for stretching out legs or nap time). The wreath above it was a Christmas present from my friend Heather. It's actually made out of pages from my favorite books! Before you get concerned that she tore up books, don't worry...she printed them onto vellum. How great it is that gift??

In this picture you can see the view as you walk in and see the side of the daybed folded down.

It's so exciting when a room really comes together! I can't wait to spend a long time holed up in the library with a great read.

February Reading

2010-02-21T16:11:00.005-06:00

The Piano Teacher, Janice Y.K. Lee
This story is set in Hong Kong in the 1940s and 1950s, which is a place and time I don't know much about. It tells the story of two affairs; one between an Englishman and a Eurasian woman on the eve of World War II, and the other between an married American woman and an Englishman. I didn't know anything about the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and actually ended up doing a bit of research online so I'd have a better understanding of the events. While I did enjoy it, I felt some of the characters were not developed as much as I would have liked. Despite that it was a fascinating look at a society I knew nothing about.

The Story Sisters, Alice Hoffman
I chose to read this because I had enjoyed another of Alice Hoffman's books, The Probable Future. The Story Sisters was even better. It's the tale of the three Story sisters and the world they weave for themselves as they grow up and deal with life changing events. The story is haunting and cobwebbed with fantasy that feels completely real. The characters are all well developed and I was completely entranced from start to finish. While the main focus is on the girls' emotional development, the plot is strong and often surprising.

Playing the Enemy, John Carlin
This book was the basis for the recent movie Invictus, which I had seen and enjoyed. The book is less rugby-focused than the movie and focuses more on the political challenges Nelson Mandela faced in ending apartheid in South Africa. I learned a lot about the process which I had never known before. At times the author seemed to be so enamored of Mandela that he lost his way in explaining how this man changed his country, but that is a small complaint. Having seen the movie and read the book, I was impressed (for the most part) with how true to life the movie was. I recommend them both! (Note: apparently the book has been re-released under the title Invictus, but the content remains the same.)

The Greatest Knight, Elizabeth Chadwick
I've been reading a lot of historical fiction but this novel is set further back than most as it takes place in 12th century Europe. It follows the rise of a knight who serves Henry II, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his sons Young Henry and Richard (the Lionhearted). I was thoroughly engrossed throughout. The author did a great job of making William Marshal, the protagonist, seem like a real man and not a mythical perfect knight. There's a sequel coming out March 1 and I will definitely be getting it!

Snack Time!

2010-02-17T21:30:00.005-06:00

I have two events in the next two days for which I need to bring food so tonight I made a big batch of oatmeal craisin chocolate chip cookies. Can you tell what I had extra of in the pantry? As I was taking them off the cookie sheets to cool I saw that one had split and turned into a heart. Too bad I'm a little too late for Valentine's Day!

Of course, I wouldn't want to feed anyone else something that I don't eat myself, so I figured it was my duty to do some...um...quality control. Yeah, that's what it was. I'm happy to report the cookies passed!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T18:25:00.005-06:00

Although this is my first Valentine's Day as a married lady, it's actually my 7th V-day with the Dude. This is good since I had to work console and as a result, we aren't doing anything special. Since the Dude prefers not to have his picture on the blog, I thought I'd share this great photo of my dad escorting my mom and the Dude's mom down the aisle. Thank you to our parents for showing us how happy and loving a marriage can be! I hope all my readers are spending the day with someone you love!

NPR sees you through the Zombiepocalypse

2010-02-04T20:25:00.006-06:00

After my previous cannibalism post I figure I've gotten rid of anyone reading this blog looking for intelligent discourse. And so, I bring you "Wait Wait Don't Eat Me," a hilarious parody of NPR during a zombie apocalypse.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/36750

Commas and Cannibals

2010-02-04T19:49:00.006-06:00

If you laughed or even grinned, go read Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

(Note: I have spent the last three days trying to decide what to write about the NASA budget announcement and I can't make my thoughts coherent. So I decided to go with the lighter side of things.)

Quakers: The First Wal-mart

2010-01-20T20:11:00.003-06:00

As many of you know, I am a Quaker. I'm proud of the long tradition of justice and peace from my community. But what I didn't know was that Quakers were also early entrepreneurs and businessmen. This great BBC article explains how Quakers had a near monopoly on sweets and chocolates in Britain. It was fascinating to see a completely different side of things!

BBC News - How did Quakers conquer the British Sweet Shop

New Year, New Books

2010-01-19T22:00:00.004-06:00

Her Fearful Symmetry, Audrey Niffeneger
One of my favorite books is The Time Traveler's Wife, which was Audrey Niffeneger's first book. When I heard that her second novel was being released I was eager to get my hands on it, but I decided to show some restraint and not buy it until it came out in paperback. Imagine my surprise when I found not one but four copies of Her Fearful Symmetry on the shelf in the library! I really enjoyed it but it is a great departure from her debut novel. Her Fearful Symmetry tells the story of twins Julia and Valentina. When their aunt (their mother's estranged twin sister) dies, she leaves them her apartment in London, but only on the condition that their mother never sets foot inside. The book turns out to be a dark, twisted, Victorian story in the best sense. Although I found parts of the ending a little farfetched, I enjoyed the plot twists and the quirky characters, especially the poignant story of Martin, the compulsive agoraphobic upstairs neighbor. I hope your library has four copies as well!

The Checklist Manifesto, Atwul Gawande
This book was recommended on the Freakonomics blog (I think) so I decided to check it out. The author, a surgeon, explores how simple checklists at critical points can have dramatic effects on the outcome of complex processes. Although it dragged at times, overall I found it fascinating. All my pilot friends will definitely enjoy the discussion of how aviation embraced checklists and how new ones are developed and tested.

The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova
Vampires are pretty much the hottest undead creatures out there these days so it's no surprise that The Historian has been at the top of the bestseller list for months. That said, I haven't been swept up in the vampire craze and didn't really understand the fuss about this book. Finally I gave in and picked it up at the library. I think it is a cross between The DaVinci Code and Dracula. It was definitely a page turner and kept me engrossed, but to be honest I enjoyed the historical lesson as much as the vampire story. It's told as a story within a story which was confusing at times but also allows the many threads to wrap up with increasing speed as it progresses. This was a fun read but a long one.

The Final Season of Lost

2010-01-19T21:54:00.002-06:00

There are plenty of people today who complain that smart tv doesn't exist any more (or never did). These people have plenty of evidence to support their claim (see also: Jersey Shore). However, there is still thought provoking, smart, exciting tv as well, and my favorite example is Lost. I can't wait for the final season to start in just a few weeks! As always, The Onion shares my views...err, well, sort of.

Lost Fans Become Even More Annoying

(thanks to John for the passing along the link)

What I read during last week's work trip

2010-01-12T20:02:00.004-06:00

Superfreakonomics, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
I read Freakonomics a few years ago and still follow the New York Times' Freakonomics blog daily, so I was thrilled to see that another book was out. Like its predecessor, Superfreakonomics looks at every day situations and breaks them down logically to see what really makes us tick. The unintended effects of our decisions (and legislation) can be both tragic and comical. After you read this you will never look at the world the same way again.

The Weight of Silence, Heather Gudenkauf
This novel tells the story of two young girls who go missing one morning and follows the fallout as people question each other while trying to find them. The two seven year olds are best friends even though one of them, Calli, has been mute for the past three years. The story alternates between the search and exposition of the stories of their families. Although I enjoyed the book very much, I would have liked it more if the author delved into the characters and relationships. I wonder why Calli's mother would marry her father, an abusive drunk, instead of her high school sweetheart who clearly still cares for her. The novel does explore why Calli became mute, and more important, what will make her talk again. I read this in the airport and on the plane and it held me rapt; hopefully it will do the same for you.

Yuletide Projectiles

2010-01-06T19:53:00.004-06:00

In the past few weeks I have seen quite a few Christmas trees by the curb to be picked up by the trash truck. Some people brought their trees to the recycle center, which made me happy. But these gentlemen took re-using their tree one step further.

For anyone who launched model rockets as a child, you remember threading the rocket on a pole so it would launch straight then stepping back and hoping for the best. Multiply that by about 1000 pine needles, and you get this video. Awesome.

Attack of the Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons

2010-01-06T19:37:00.004-06:00

I am a big fan of Calvin and Hobbes and one of my favorite themes in the comics was always the twisted snowmen he made. I did attempt to make them myself a few times in high school but I had neither the skill nor the right snow to make them look this good. If I drove past one of these houses I'd definitely get a chuckle!

Calvin and Hobbes Snow Goons

It's hard to pick a favorite but I would have to go with the protesting snowmen.

Have a happy merry joyful Chrismakwanzukkahfestivusnewyear!

2009-12-23T15:12:00.005-06:00

I have been neglecting the blog lately and that is going to continue as the Dude and I leave tomorrow morning for a visit with our families in Pennsylvania. We missed the big storm last weekend but hopefully snow will still be on the ground when we get there! I hope all of you enjoy your holidays, wherever you are and whatever you're celebrating!

I'll leave you with a few overdue pictures of our Christmas decorations!

Streaking!*

2009-12-16T20:51:00.007-06:00

When most people think about Penn State athletics, they think of football. When you ask most people about a long time, winning coach at Penn State, they think of Joe Paterno.

Most people should think again.

Tomorrow night and the Penn State women's volleyball team and their coach Russ Rose will be playing for their 101st consecutive win, Coach Rose's 1000th win, and their 3rd consecutive national title. Yes, you read that right. The last time these girls lost was in 2007. I caught them on tv once a few years ago and was hooked instantly. Women's college volleyball is nothing like the games you play at barbecues or on spring break; these are incredible athletes who make the ball float, slam, and appear to defy gravity on a regular basis. A good hit percentage in volleyball is similar to pro baseball: above .300 is good, above .4oo is amazing. Penn State has a senior hitter averaging better than .500 this year!

Tomorrow night's game is going to be nationally televised on ESPN2. I hope lots of you get the opportunity to watch these amazing athletes...and of course to root for PSU!

Let's go Lions!

*Disclaimer: No, I'm not talking about that kind of streaking. There will be no trench coats in this post!

Picture source: www.gopsusports.com

In Which I Can Finally Prove I Am Right

2009-12-15T19:40:00.004-06:00

Although I like to believe that I'm always right, I rarely have hard facts to back it up. But today the Freakonomics blog (one of my favorites!) linked to an article in The New Scientist comparing dogs to cats. The pets were evaluated quantitatively in eleven categories and dogs came out on top, 6-5! Of course this was no surprise to me...I've always loved dogs since I convinced my mom to let me bring one home when I was five years old.

Dog lovers rejoice!

(A picture of my parents' dog Duke, because I figure you're tired of pictures of Max)

Happy Birthday Max!

2009-12-09T19:54:00.008-06:00

Tonight Max ate adult food for the first time instead of puppy food so I'm calling it close enough to his one year birthday.

Last year at this time the Dude and I had just moved into our new house and I was planning our wedding. Since we were so busy, we told everyone we weren't going to get a dog until after we were married, about 10 months away. Within a month, we had Max. He was 8 weeks old, weighed less than 10 pounds, and had us at hello.

No wonder we couldn't resist!

We watched him grow and counted how many tiles he touched when he slept. They're 18" square and when he got here he could stretch out and still be all in one tile. Here he is on Thanksgiving just a few weeks ago, stretched out in the kitchen and touching no less than eight tiles. He weighs in at 50 pounds.

Happy Birthday Max!

The Best Christmas Special Ever: TONIGHT!

2009-12-08T16:22:00.004-06:00

Sorry for the late notice but I just found out that THE BEST CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EVER is airing tonight! That's right, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" airs tonight at 7:00 Central (8 Eastern). Get ready!

I don't remember when Charlie Brown became my favorite Christmas special. I couldn't tell you why it's my favorite. It could be the excellent music, the humor, the dancing, or the chill I get every year when Linus tells the Christmas story (whenever I hear the King James Bible version of it I hear it with Linus' lisp). The show is somewhat religious, which I am not, but I think the show does a great job of getting across what Christmas is all about: inclusion, acceptance, generosity, and love for each other. Oh, and a lot of dancing.

(Linus tells the Christmas story)

I wanted to gather all my Charlie Brown Christmas paraphernalia for you and take a picture, but after two attempts I realized again I had forgotten something and decided it was good enough. So friends and family, if I left out something you gave me, please don't be offended. This time of year it's spread out all over the house!

(In the picture: 5 books, 5 ornaments, the Charlie Brown Christmas game, a skating pond where the characters skate while a song plays, the DVD, and two stuffed animals. Not in the picture: the soundtrack CD, numerous Christmas cards, and whatever else I forgot)

Something about the special just gets to me. I watch the whole thing with a dopey grin on my face. I dance along with the characters. The Dude even let me have the DJ play "Linus and Lucy" (the Peanuts theme song) as the recessional at our wedding. Don't worry, I danced then too.

After I watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas," it officially feels like a special time of year. I hope all of you have a tradition that makes you as warm and fuzzy inside as this makes me! Because, as Linus knows, "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Classics Revisited

2009-12-08T15:29:00.004-06:00

I've been home sick for the last few days with bad cold. This happens to me (and lots of other people) just about every year, so I have a routine to deal with it that involves chicken soup, grapefruit juice, and daytime tv. That probably sounds familiar to anyone reading this. When I start to get a little better and run out of Law and Order reruns I want to read, but I often don't have the concentration to continue my current book (in this case a 600 page tome about the 14th century). So, I turn to my childhood favorites. For the last few days I've been rereading the "Little House" books, but I also enjoy Roald Dahl, The Little Princess, and whatever else my upstairs library offers.

Do you have sick time habits that you'd like to share? What children's books do you return to over and over?