Thursday, March 31, 2011

Delete

3.31.11 - Delete. To remove bu striking out or canceling.


Sometimes it feels so GOOD to press the delete button! Just cleared out a bunch of old contacts from my phone and email. 



Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Okie-Doke

3.30.11 - Okie-Doke. Believing a lie; falling for a scam; a con-game; untruths; fraud, etc.


What Grandma keeps falling for now that BG is hanging with her more frequently! The girl get flat-ironed hair because she remembered a Grandma caveat...smart girl!



Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Drats

3.29.11 - Drats. Damn - used as a mild oath.


BG - after making a fried egg for breakfast: Drats - I should have made sausage!



Monday, March 28, 2011

Blargh

3.28.11 -  Blargh

I can't think of a word today...blargh!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

H - Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick (391 pages)

This book represents three of my favorite things...supernatural events, young adults and its a series! I was introduced to this book by a friend of mine, Dawn. She follows what I read and she suggested this book. The suggestion and the loaning of the book came right on time as it was Friday evening and I had not yet cracked open my book for the week! Sometimes that happens. So, on Friday night, when I cracked this one open - I found myself forcing the book close at about 2a and about half of the book devoured.


This book tracks the life of high school sophomore Nora Grey and her best friend Vee. Nora's father has been murdered and her mom has to work out of town to make enough money to continue to pay for their house, expenses, etc. In a bit of a nod to Twilight (though I am not sure that the author wants that comparison) Nora gets a new Biology partner that she can't stand but with whom she ends up falling in love. In many ways this is a standard YA love romance, but in other ways it feels a little bit more than that.  


Patch (the boy) and Nora's story is simple at the surface...but he is a fallen angel with some issues to work out on Earth and she is the daughter of a murdered man who longs for answers to what truly happened. In true YA fashion - there is a lot of kissing, but it never moves past that since they are teenagers. There are fights, misunderstandings, and even some tragedies...is this Pulitzer Prize winning fare - but it is engaging and that always gets a vote from me. Try this one out if you are in the mood for something off of the beaten path!



Wimpy

3.27.11 - Wimpy. A timid or unadventurous person.


BG and I saw Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. It was cute.



Saturday, March 26, 2011

Facts

3.26.11 - Facts. Something believed to be true or real.


Putting up my daily facts on The Facebook, is one of the highlights of my day!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Mundane

3.25.11 - Mundane. Relating to, characteristic of, or concerned with commonplaces; ordinary.


Ryan: Taste that deviled egg, it is sub-par, mundane
Me: Then why would I want to eat that??





Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Blues

3.23.11 - Blues. A style of music that evolved from southern African-American secular songs and is usually distinguished by a strong 4/4 rhythm, flatted thirds and sevenths, a 12-bar structure, and lyrics in a three-line stanza in which the second line repeats the first.


Tonight my mother and I taught BG about the blues! We created some really fun songs...da duh da duh...

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Eclectic

3.22.11 - Eclectic. Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sourxes, systems or styles.

My friend Thomas says that I need to choose more eclectic words of the day...words like eclectic.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Unproductive

3.21.11 - Unproductive. Not productive; idle.

Having the same variation of the same argument every two weeks is unproductive - the outcome is the same; neither of us wins. UGH!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Accomplished

3.20.11 - Accomplished. Successfully completed; achieved.


Today I only had a few things on my list to get done - the main thing was to complete my outstanding book reviews! Thanks to both Barnes and Noble and Starbucks (wi-fi) I was able to knock all three reviews out! 



X - X in Flight - Karen Rivers (250 pages)

As you may recall, this year's book project is to read a book for each letter of the alphabet (title and again for author). So what can happen, unfortunately, is that you get default books here and there simply because they meet your criteria. This book falls somewhat into that category. I found the story hot and cold. 


The title X is Xenos a bi-racial, First Nations (what equivalent to the Native Americans) boy with pimples, angst and the surprising ability to fly. This book actually follows three teens X, Ruby (a classmate) and Cat (X's girlfriend). The author chooses to move the story along by flipping the perspective in each chapter. X's chapters are told in letter form (first person). He is writing to Ruby - a girl he rarely interacts with but believes that they may be good for one another. Ruby's chapters are told in second person (a la Bright Lights, Big City - Jay McInerney). I will admit that these were the hardest chapters to get into because it was a foreign way to read. Finally Cat's chapters were told in the standard third person.


These teens basically go on about what is going wrong in their lives, believing that this is all that there will ever be to their lives. Angsty for sure - but at times highly entertaining and engaging and poignant. The novel sort of plods along for a majority of the pages - but just when I was about to give up the last 50 pages sucked me in and held me captive. Like the teens that they are - poor decisions are made, actions regretted and lessons are taught and learned. 


In this debut novel - Rivers displays an interesting writing style. I was not sure that I got it at first, but slowly it was worth the price of admission. This is the first in a trilogy (lucky for me Y and Z follow) centering on a character with supernatural abilities and a few people in their lives. I will check out the others in the series but will space them out. This book left me thinking - as isn't that the sign of something to come?

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Tattoo

3.19.11 - Tattoo. A permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment or by raising scars.


Today I added to my collection of tattoos...it's an addiction.



Friday, March 18, 2011

Alien

3.18.11 - Alien. A creature from outer space.


I saw a great movie tonight, "Paul". He is an alien and he is hilarious! Kudos to cast and crew - really well done! It is rated R so not appropriate for the kiddies!



Thursday, March 17, 2011

Madness

3.17.11 - Madness. Enthusiasm; excitement


I love the Madness that is March!!
 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Green

3.16.11 - Green. Green color of pigment; resembling the color of growing grass.


I had to make a quick trip to Target this evening so that I could buy a green blouse...no green = no jeans tomorrow. I love jeans, had to get the top!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Reunion

3.15.11 - Reunion. The act or process of coming together again.


I had a great reunion with my college friend Stacie! We determined that it has been 9 years since we have seen each other! Entirely too long!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Anything

3.14.11 - Anything. (pronoun) Any object, occurrence, or matter whatever. (adverb) to any degree or extent; at all
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all





Sunday, March 13, 2011

Behind

3.13.11 - Behind. In arrears; late


I am behind on book reviews, though caught up on books. As a matter of fact - I have less than 100 pages left in this week's book (which I started today)! That is good because I will need all of the extra time this week to actually write 3 reviews!! My goodness!



Saturday, March 12, 2011

Speechless

3.12.11 - Speechless. Temporarily unable to speak, as through astonishment.


Sometimes I look at my child and I am speechless. I am so blessed to have a girl who is a beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside and who keeps me on my toes! Everyday is not sunshine and roses - but, sunshine and roses are sometimes overrated.

M - My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands - Chelsea Handler (213 pages)

I am not a fan of Chelsea Handler, have never seen her show and when I have caught glimpses of her shtick I often find her irritating. So color me surprised at deriving some actual laugh out loud enjoyment from this memoir. 


Chelsea's drug-addled attempts to hook-up with many and varied men from her early to mid twenties provided a lovely escape from the mundane. Oftentimes Chelsea found herself in absolutely cringe-worthy situations which made me both want to read on and simultaneously close the book! My favorite story came from the telling of her short fling with a Vegas stripper. You must read it to find out more.


This book is not at all for the feint of heart. Chelsea is crude, explicit and without remorse. I might call this a guilty pleasure as it was often unnerving to be seen reading this book in public - but the humor infused in this quick read got me through those trying moments pretty easily. If reading about dalliances with little-people and encounters with even odder cruise ship performers are not your cup of tea, you will want to skip this book. But if you are interested in seeing how someone could hit bottom and make their way back to the top, this glimpse into a life is well worth your time. 

Friday, March 11, 2011

Amiable

3.11.11 - Amiable. Friendly and agreeable in disposition; good-natured and likeable


BG: Grandma - you are amiable.
Grandma: Sometimes...
BG: Come on Grandma - I have to use this word in a sentence as many times as I can this weekend, just be amiable.



Thursday, March 10, 2011

Culinary

3.10.11 - Culinary. Of or relating to the kitchen or cookery.


Although I work at a culinary school, today was the first day that I was able to cook in one of the kitchens! Thanks to Chefs Hutchins and Getchell for teaching my team and I many cool things!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Resilient

3.9.11 - Resilient. Returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched. Springing back; rebounding.

My dear friend Stacie gave me a great compliment this morning. She told me that I was resilient and this week I feel like that is the truth! Thank you Stacie!


Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Trifling

3.8.11 - Trifling. Lacking in usefulness or value

The moving company that I scheduled is trifling! How can you verify an appointment at 2p today and then cancel at 5p?? Ugh! Thanks to my friend Erica I had a back-up plan - but please!! 

Monday, March 7, 2011

To Do List

3.7.11 - To Do List. A piece of paper, body part, or electronic device that lists tasks that need to be completed.

Contrary to popular belief...I an not a fan of to do lists. I love every other kind of list, but a to do list makes me feel like a failure for not completing all of those things to do. My to do list is mocking me right now - fail. 

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Irk

3.6.11 - Irk. To be irritating, wearisome, or vexing to.


No one irked me and I hope I haven't been irksome to anyone else, I just like the way the word irk sounds.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

C - Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Line of Girlie-Girl Culture - Peggy Orenstein (288 pages)

This is not a memoir, not a novel but pure non-fiction discussing the "pinking" of little girls in today's society. Being the mother of a 10-year-old girl, I was intrigued when I heard Orenstein and Diane Rehm discussing it on NPR. There was a time when children's television shows were not created just to sell toys to children. When I was a kid it was very hard to find a Sesame Street t-shirt, much less a stuffed toy - today you cannot throw a rock without hitting some merchandise targeted towards our kids.


Today pink = green (money) in the world of marketing. Princesses and everyday items tinted pink are pervading the psyche of the young girl. Orenstein queries what is actually wrong with the Cinderella image. Nothing at all if your goal is to be valued solely for your looks and to be rescued from a bad or poor existence by a handsome and wealthy guy. There can be no higher value in a princess than materialism. She also notes that princesses are not exactly the girl-bonding sort (check out any merchandise that features all of the princesses together - they are often back to back, none actually looking at another). There is very little room on a throne. This is not exactly the best way to win friends and influence people! Self-realization has been replaced by self-marketing. 


Sometimes I felt the book was a bit heavy-handed, I mean - I want my daughter to chose pink if she likes it - but I also want her to be able to wear soccer shorts and Converse tennis shoes if that strikes her fancy (and it often does). Orenstein brings up many great points, especially points related to the marketing of things to young girls. It was enough information to keep me a little more vigilant about the movies, books, and TV that my daughter consumes - but it also allows me to have conversations with her about what it is she is watching and the impact it may have on her. 


If you are the mother of a young girl - this is an extremely informative and eye-opening read. Check it out. 
  

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Drowsy

3.3.11 - Drowsy. Dull with sleepiness; sluggish


Slightly drowsy tonight - still have a few tasks to complete.



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Overwhelmed

3.2.11 - Overwhelmed. To affect deeply in mind or emotion.


So much on my plate right now...my tiny plate is overwhelmed.
  

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Spacers

3.1.11 - Spacers. Are rubber bands or sometimes metal appliances used in orthodontics before braces are applied on teeth or a palatial expander is applied in the mouth and are put on the molars at the second orthodontic appointment.


BG got spacers today...she is a little sore and my checkbook is a lot lighter.