Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Mini Book Review (sort of)
Room
By Emma Donoghue
I had this book on hold for about a million years at the library (I'm not much of a book buyer since I'm (a) cheap and (b) I generally don't ever read books a second time) so after waiting forever for this much hyped and anticipated book I was needless to say quite disappointed. It's a hot book right now on book club lists, getting talked about by everyone and so perhaps I had built it up a little too much in my mind.
The basic premise is this: A woman has been held captive in a single underground room since she was 19, is repeatedly raped by her captor and while there gives birth to a son who is now 5 years old and the narrator of the story. I guess this was the main drawback of the story for me. I found it dreadfully boring and slow to have it told through a child's perspective.
I am the kind of person who finds stories like this extremely fascinating when they are in the real news and apparently this story was inspired by one of those cases, so I thought I would like this story a lot more than I did. But, to be honest I didn't even read the whole book, hence the title of this post. I was so bored in the beginning I sort of skipped to the middle and then skipped some more to the end just to find out what happened and get it over with.
I don't know if it's because I just would have preferred to have the story told from a grown-up perspective or just that the kid kind of drove me crazy with the way he spoke. I mean, I get it, it's the only world he's ever known and his mother did a wonderful job raising him considering the circumstances but it just didn't resonate with me at all.
I would love to know what you thought about this book if you've read it already, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the only person who doesn't think this book is all that and a bag of chips. I guess I'll just stick with the true life stories from the news to satisfy my morbid curiosities.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Grass Isn't Always Greener, But I Promise It's Better
It took me moving out of Arizona to realize why I love it so much. Which basically is a total cliché, but hey it’s true. Our parents are natives and their parents are natives and their parents are native, so to say we are from Arizona is kinda an understatement.
When I first moved away to Mississippi, it happened to be a particularly rainy summer. I thought I’d be excited about that. I mean come on; it’s a requirement, all Arizonans LOVE the rain. However, after two weeks of nonstop rain in the cold (meaning 50-60 degrees, I told you I’m from AZ) weather, I was so sick of it! And then it hit me, my heart only belongs to Arizona’s rain. She had me at monsoon. (Swoon.) I love how the calm, blue sky gets suddenly temperamental and turns to shades of blue, gray and steel. The swirling dust suddenly becomes a rowdy student being called to settle down by the teacher. And the smells of that settling dust as it becomes wet with gloriously pure rain, I tell you if it came in a perfume I’d buy it. The rain brings just enough cool and clean to make the desert sparkle better than Windex.
Speaking of perfume, where the heck is the Arizona Orange Blossom Perfume? Is there no sweeter scent in this world? We go through those horribly, freezing winters ;) and then spring blesses us so kindly with the orange blossoms. That’s how Arizona is, constantly blessing the lives those who live there.
When someone talks about how the desert is bland and ugly, it’s like peeing on my cornflakes. Are you kidding me? Have you seen the sunsets? Do you not recognize God and beauty when you see it? There isn’t a more beautiful sight. The way the vibrant shades of pink, yellow and orange fuse together, it’s more delicious than butter melting on a blueberry muffin. Have you not seen the Grand Canyon? Me neither, but still I’ve seen pictures, and that place is majestic. Have you ever been up North? Greer, AZ? Aka the most gorgeous place on earth? Its beauty is sacred and spiritual. I love it so much one of my girls is named after the place. And what about when a Suarro blossom blooms? Do you not understand a miracle when you see it? Those cacti are the most resilient plants ever, and then they still have it in them to produce a blossom? Talk about strength. I see the beauty in that.
Let me tell you, I live in LA right now, of course LA is known for their traffic, but no one mentions how bad their freeways totally suck. Hellloooo, Arizona’s freeways! I’d drive them any day! Especially when they can take me places like Last Chance, Hobby Lobby (not one in LA), Carolina’s, Tia Rosas, Pete’s, Neilsens’, Costa Vida, El Charro, Gecko Grill, and the list goes on and on and on. The food…don’t even get me started…my stomach is growling…that is a whole other post…
Here is some extra proof how much I love AZ, in case you didn't believe me. This pic hangs in our living room:
When I first moved away to Mississippi, it happened to be a particularly rainy summer. I thought I’d be excited about that. I mean come on; it’s a requirement, all Arizonans LOVE the rain. However, after two weeks of nonstop rain in the cold (meaning 50-60 degrees, I told you I’m from AZ) weather, I was so sick of it! And then it hit me, my heart only belongs to Arizona’s rain. She had me at monsoon. (Swoon.) I love how the calm, blue sky gets suddenly temperamental and turns to shades of blue, gray and steel. The swirling dust suddenly becomes a rowdy student being called to settle down by the teacher. And the smells of that settling dust as it becomes wet with gloriously pure rain, I tell you if it came in a perfume I’d buy it. The rain brings just enough cool and clean to make the desert sparkle better than Windex.
Speaking of perfume, where the heck is the Arizona Orange Blossom Perfume? Is there no sweeter scent in this world? We go through those horribly, freezing winters ;) and then spring blesses us so kindly with the orange blossoms. That’s how Arizona is, constantly blessing the lives those who live there.
When someone talks about how the desert is bland and ugly, it’s like peeing on my cornflakes. Are you kidding me? Have you seen the sunsets? Do you not recognize God and beauty when you see it? There isn’t a more beautiful sight. The way the vibrant shades of pink, yellow and orange fuse together, it’s more delicious than butter melting on a blueberry muffin. Have you not seen the Grand Canyon? Me neither, but still I’ve seen pictures, and that place is majestic. Have you ever been up North? Greer, AZ? Aka the most gorgeous place on earth? Its beauty is sacred and spiritual. I love it so much one of my girls is named after the place. And what about when a Suarro blossom blooms? Do you not understand a miracle when you see it? Those cacti are the most resilient plants ever, and then they still have it in them to produce a blossom? Talk about strength. I see the beauty in that.
Let me tell you, I live in LA right now, of course LA is known for their traffic, but no one mentions how bad their freeways totally suck. Hellloooo, Arizona’s freeways! I’d drive them any day! Especially when they can take me places like Last Chance, Hobby Lobby (not one in LA), Carolina’s, Tia Rosas, Pete’s, Neilsens’, Costa Vida, El Charro, Gecko Grill, and the list goes on and on and on. The food…don’t even get me started…my stomach is growling…that is a whole other post…
Here is some extra proof how much I love AZ, in case you didn't believe me. This pic hangs in our living room:
In case you can't tell, on the outer edges are all the places Wesley and I want to visit someday; yet in the center where my heart is, where I want to end up...Arizona. Now, if I could only convince my husband...
Saturday, June 4, 2011
We LOVE These!
Woo-hoo!!! Thank you Unilever for finally bringing these to the US! I was first introduced to Magnum Ice Cream Bars 12 years ago when Keith and I visited Portugal. While there I learned first hand that in the US, we have less than impressive candy bars. Kit Kat Bars, for instance, are made by Nestle in Europe and have a better quality chocolate. More chocolate - not over loaded with sugary waxy-ness. Thank you for keeping the same European goodness with the Magnum Bar! (So good that Keith kept a couple of the wooden sticks as souvenirs with the date and location when we enjoyed them in Portugal.)
Move over Dove and Haagen-Dazs! Magnum is the real deal! A thick, rich, Belgium chocolate shell surrounds the creamy vanilla or chocolate ice cream. One will definitely satisfy your chocolate and ice cream cravings. We have had the Classic, Almond and Double Chocolate varieties thus far in our house. (Note: Do not eat the Double Chocolate just before bedtime!) I am looking forward to trying the double caramel. I found them at Wal-Mart for about $3.40 for a box of 3. Keith bought a couple boxes on sale at Basha's for $3.99. Watch for coupons, I've heard they're out there. This is my new stash. Sorry kids, I'm not sharing!
Move over Dove and Haagen-Dazs! Magnum is the real deal! A thick, rich, Belgium chocolate shell surrounds the creamy vanilla or chocolate ice cream. One will definitely satisfy your chocolate and ice cream cravings. We have had the Classic, Almond and Double Chocolate varieties thus far in our house. (Note: Do not eat the Double Chocolate just before bedtime!) I am looking forward to trying the double caramel. I found them at Wal-Mart for about $3.40 for a box of 3. Keith bought a couple boxes on sale at Basha's for $3.99. Watch for coupons, I've heard they're out there. This is my new stash. Sorry kids, I'm not sharing!
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