Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
I've read this book already once before and laughed my head off. It's a diary of Anne Lamott's first year as a single mom to her baby Sam. Now I'm re-reading and going "ew....really?" And it also makes me realize that I'm really, really glad that I'm not doing the single mom thing. I don't know how women do it. I'm so dependent right now on Chris to keep the house together, because my idea of a craaaazy evening is to flop around trying to find the position that best allows me to breathe. I can't even imagine doing it all myself once the baby is born. So as funny as I found this book when I was single and childless, now it's definitely gotten a more poignant tinge to it as I imagine how I would respond to certain situations. But hysterical.
We were laughing the other day that I'm probably the first woman in history NOT to get the nesting instinct. I'm more of a cuckoo bird than you thought. Cuckoos wait for other birds to build their nest, and then they go lay their eggs in them. "How about you nest, I'll take advantage of it." Good thing our parents came in and took care of the whole nesting thing for me. Phew! Instead my nesting instinct has taken the form of going over and over and over finances obsessively. I've been fine tuning our budget down to the dollar for each pay period for the next year. I've moved money from account to account. I've plotted how grey my hair can get before I go back to get my hair done. I've talked to the short term disability people so much that they've taken to asking me "um....why are you calling?" So if that counts as nesting, I'm all over it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go troll the arcade to see if anyone dropped any quarters.
Labels: Books, pregnancy
To Hell with All That
The full title of the book is "
To Hell with All That Loving and Loathing our Inner Housewife" by Caitlin Flanagan.
Short version: An absolutely hysterical take on weddings, babies, married life, and contemporary vs 1950s life.
Long version: Well there isn't much of a long version as the subtitle sums it up pretty nicely. Throughout the book Caitlin Flanagan take a long look at 1950s marriage and housewifery, and compares it to the authenticity we are desperately seeking. The book is a quick read, with sections I subjected my poor hubby to while he desperately attempted to watch the military channel. To a certain extent, this is a 2000s Erma Bombeck. It's short, it's entertaining, it's light. Pick it up.
Labels: Books
How Far are you Willing to Go?
Along the lines of "The Omnivore's Dilemma", "Fast Food Nation" and other books that guarantee you will never eat again, I read "
The Hundred Year Lie". It's a book that delves into how toxic our bodies have become thanks not only to farming methods, but also because of household chemicals, medicines and their misuse, widespread use of plastics, fluoridated and chlorinated water, and vaccines. And as with a lot of books of this type, it's both
appalling and informative. But the flip side of this is...how far are you willing to go to detox.
The basic premise is that the rise of synthetic chemicals in every facet of our lives has increased our body burden - the number of chemicals that are residing in your liver and fat cells - and caused side effects that aren't always measurable in the lab. The reason it's so difficult to pinpoint these side effects is because it's hard to find the exact blend of chemicals any one person can be exposed to. So while an individual chemical alone may be relatively inert, in concert with other chemicals, it can lead to an increase in a whole host of medical problems. Which are then treated with more chemicals, which cause more side effects, which require more chemicals....
So to the "how far are you willing to go" part. Obviously the best thing you can do to decrease your body burden is to decrease your exposure. And that's where decision making comes in.
- Vaccines - Carriers of poisons or socially responsible thing to do?
- Rid yourself of plastics as much as possible - rotsa ruck raggy. Even rice comes in a plastic bag. And there aren't tons of glass food storage options out there.
- Rid yourself of household cleaners - er. yeah. There are natural household cleaners that you can make, the question is the tradeoff between time and health. Some of you aren't even using household cleaners (ahem) but the rest of you need to add recipes to the cleaning time.
- Eat Organic and Macrobiotic - actually this is sort of interesting. The author references Weston A Price early in his book, then at the end encourages a Macrobiotic diet. Weston Price is a big believer (from what little reading I've done) that animal products are perfectly healthy if they're organic. Macrobiotic diets eschew animal products at all. But in fairness, what they do have in common is that both discourage eating processed foods as the source of many of our health problems.
For all I'm sort of heckling the above, I'm not disagreeing that a lot of it would be a good thing. But the issues with doing all of these things are time, money, and availability. Oh and the vaccine thing runs afoul of the law. Eating organic/macrobiotic and ridding yourself of toxic household cleaners eliminates a lot of those convenience items that we like in a world where both partners may be working outside the home. And the non-plastic thing, well... I just read
an article about how plastic baby bottles made by several leading manufacturers are leaching dangerous levels of chemicals known to harm animals. To which my question is...what are my options? Are there still glass baby bottles out there? And in a more general way, while a few things are in cardboard boxes, the vast majority of packaged items in the grocery store come in plastic.
So overall, definitely a good read, definitely great things to consider. But it's tough to keep up to the level of changes you would have to make to make a significant decrease in the body burden.
One final thought - a tiny thing in the book that made me laugh. He talks about going to the
Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida to detox. And he mentions some big stars who have gone as well. Including Mick Fleetwood. Wait, what?! Wasn't that guy the king of recreational drugs? What did they do, replace all of his blood and organs with those of a newborn? (snarkfest is over now.)
Now if anyone needs me, I'll be out back planting my organic garden.
Labels: Books
Glamorous Disasters by Eliot Schrefer
It seems a little silly to critique a book, only to say... "eh". But darn it, I went through it just to come to the end and be whelmed. The basic story is a guy who grew up poor in Virginia makes it to Princeton only to find himself tutoring rich kids for the SATs at exorbitant rate. The story traces his interactions with a completely stereotypical dysfunctional rich family. Mom & Dad are overachievers to self absorbed to worry about their kids' well being. The son is partying with alcohol & drugs. He has no motivation because the mother pays a lot of people to be motivated for him (and when necessary, take the tests). The daughter is essentially a young Paris Hilton. And into this mess comes our protagonist with his own baggage, living in Harlem while catering to wealthy Manhattanites and trying to keep the family afloat back home. Will he manage to survive the mean streets of Harlem, get the girl, and still maintain his integrity? Will you care?
Labels: Books
"The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
You will never read a better-written history book than this one. “The Devil in the White City” is the story of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. It starts from the moment the congress gave Chicago the World’s Fair over NY City in 1890 until the magical run of the World’s Fair. The tale follows two men. First there are the woes and tribulations of Daniel Burnham who did the yeoman’s work of making the fair come to life, despite numerous obstacles. Along the way there are the illnesses of Frederick Law Olmstead, already in his 70s, the death of a beloved partner, the political infighting, the bad weather, an economic downturn, and the short time frame. Yet they managed to produce a miracle. The White City was the world’s fair grounds eventually produced by the greatest architects of the time in a mere 3 years. The devil was H.H. Holmes a charming serial-killer, who ran the “World’s Fair hotel” upstairs and the gas chamber downstairs. Throughout all of it weaves the feel of the times – names already famous at the time, and names who became famous in part because of the World’s Fair, products that were introduced and fabulous new inventions. And best of all to leaven the mix is plenty of humor.
It’s an easy, educational, and entertaining read. Pick it up.
Labels: Books
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt & Stephen J Dubner
I read this book a few months ago - long before I started blogging again, and it a good, fascinating read. I definitely recommend it....with a caveat. But first, a clarification. I am pro life. Always have been. But I'm even more so because my husband is adopted. The idea that someone could have killed him in the womb makes me more than a little sick. So there were a few chapters that I skimmed/skipped over, which I guess were supposed to be the showcase chapters. In it, Levitt makes a hypothesis that the drop in crime that happened in the mid to late 90s was the result of the legalization of abortion. His theory is that there were less unwanted babies, and therefore less crime. Or as I think of it, the "Minority Report" approach - kill people before they have a chance to commit the crime. All of this comes up now because it appears that
Levitt's work is flawed. So as you can guess, I'm not too bummed out to hear that there's not a direct correlation.
One other thing to be aware of - Levitt has apparently been a golden boy for a while, so be prepared for self congratulation. If any of your co-workers patted themselves on the back as much as Levitt & Dubner do, you'd probably smack them around.
Regardless, this book is still
very interesting, and I would highly recommend it. But if you're really good, get it from the library or buy it used and don't put an additional penny in this man's pocket.
In the hopperBooksConfessions by St Augustine (yes, I've still got it)
The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank
MoviesShall We Dance
Election
Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire
The Polar Express
Labels: Books
Eragon/Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Eragon and
Eldest are the first two books of Christopher Paolini’s “Inheritance” trilogy. The third book has not yet been released. For fantasy fans, these books have all of the standard characters – elves, dwarves, and men combating a single evil overlord who is threatening to take over their world. In reading this I had a great time playing “find the influence” – with the most obvious leaders being JRR Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and Anne McCaffrey’s “The Dragonriders of Pern” series. There was even a fight scene that was obviously a child of “The Matrix”. In the fantasy world, these influences are really good ones – well done, and well known for good reason. But it tends to bring a bit of a complaint in that the influences are so strong that there is little new in the book. On the flip side, new and fresh tends to reside in the world of sci-fi, while fantasy tends to be a regular novel with flying horses or elves. It’s hard to be new and fresh when the fantasy world has the same shorthand for various creature types – elves are beautiful, lithe, quick, and tricky, dwarves are stocky, ground-loving stone-workers, humans not quite up to the strength of the dwarves or the magic of the elves, who still manage to earn the respect of their more talented brethren.
Having said that, the novels are very entertaining, and perfect for the target audience – teen fantasy buffs. To give a little background,
Eragon was written when Paolini was 15 (and freshly graduated from HS), and Eldest was completed when he was 20. So there’s definitely a younger tone to these books than you get from something like “Dragonriders”. It doesn’t detract from the story; Paolini is very talented and creative. Just know what you’re getting when you start reading.
I do recommend these books for fantasy buffs – for adults they’ll be a quick read, despite the bulk of the book. And if you liked the “Lord of the Rings” movies, but didn’t like wading through Tolkien’s dense prose, these will fill that gap nicely while still being readable
In the HopperConfessions of an Ugly Step Sister by Gregory McGuire
Confessions by St Augustine
The Last of the Plantagenets by Thomas B. Costain
Labels: Books
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Let's start with a list of people who should not read this book:
- Vegetarians
- People offended by graphic discussions of sex
- People offended by graphic discussions of alcoholism
- People offended by graphic discussions of drugs and drug abuse
- People offended by crude language
- Anyone who eats at a restaurant
If you manage to get past all of that, this book is hysterical, fascinating, and depressing at times. If you have ever wondered what's REALLY going on in the kitchen at your favorite restaurant, this book is the tell all that you've been looking for. But be careful what you wish for, you may very well get it. The reality is that the restaurants that Bourdain's worked in are in part about satisfying the customer, and in part about conning the rubes. The chef is the master administrator, prima donna, creative genius, bean counter accountant, purchasing department, and, from the sounds of it, complete lunatic. While the front of the restaurant may be sophisticated with elegant discourse, the kitchen is the bluest of the blue collar empires.
Interesting book, but not always spell binding. If you press through the slow parts, you're generally rewarded with something more interesting.
In the Hopper
Books
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
Confessions by St Augustine
Movies
Men In Black II
Singles
The Alamo
Labels: Books
5 in 10 Cookbook by Paula Hamilton
Ok, yes, I know... a cookbook. But as this is one of the favorites on my shelf, you'll just have to bear with me. The concept is that all of the recipes in this little cookbook are 5 ingredients or less in 10 minutes or less. In other words, for those of us who go to work and then have to actually have dinner in the evenings, this is a godsend. One of my husband's favorite dishes is in here - Pork Adobo, along with my favorite snack soup - Almond Squash Soup. This is not the fare that you would serve your elegant company, but at the end of a long day, this is the place to find some gooooood stuff.
Bon Appetit!
Labels: Books
Lance Armstrong’s War by Daniel Coyle
This is one I read this summer...
Background du jour – I’m a cyclist, or was one for years. Of late I’ve discovered the joys of not fighting the traffic in my very bike unfriendly town, and did you know that when you aren’t riding 10 hours of week, you can actually do
other things? But I still love watching the spring racing classics, the TdF, and, of course, my husband’s cyclocross races.
For those not so blessed with cycling experience or even cycling interest, this is still a quick, fun read. Everyone has heard of Lance Armstrong – one of the few to transcend a fringe sport in America. This gives a rare insight into the world of cycling that is actually understandable to anyone who’s not really sure what all of those odd jersey colors really mean in the TdF. Coyle does a fabulous job of explaining just enough to put everything in context, but not so much to confuse the beginner and bore the tifosi. (Italian for "fan") But for those of us who are immersed in cycling, this is like gossip central, and high entertainment to boot. We LOVE finding out that our favorite lieutenant, Floyd Landis, trained in the middle of the night because his parents flogged him with work. They were hoping to shake him out of the silliness of riding his bike for a living. I personally enjoyed reading about the gutsiness of my favorite rider, Tyler Hamilton, no matter how sadly that story ended. And of course, the little stuff about Lance’s day to day training and habits will be having my spandex-sporting brothers and sisters obsessing for years.
Daniel Coyle's writing style is classic "Outside" magazine - an easy read for those not so immersed in the sport, lots of info for those who are. It's a fine line to walk, but he does it well.
If you like sports at all, this is a good read. If you like cycling in particular, this is a fantastic read. It’s not going to change the world, but it’s a quick, fun time.
Labels: Books
The Liar's Club by Mary Karr
Let's start with a brief intro, shall we? I am Captain Wonderbread, middle America, suburban wife with a dog. I like it. I don't need to get painful tattoos, or kick small puppies to impress anyone with my mysterious darkness. As a matter of fact, I sort of make it my life's mission to NOT wallow in squalor, and I tend to be drawn to light books, light movies, and light music. My husband and were talking recently and I told him that even at my most angry, I was only Alanis Morissette "How dare you dump me you rotten &%*(@#&%@" angry and not Ani di Franco "All men should be castrated" angry.
So this is important to know because The Liar's Club is
not a sunshine and light kind of book. This has to be one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read, about some of the darkest subjects. It's the autobiography of a woman who grows up mostly in East Texas (with a stint in Colorado), the daughter of an alcoholic/drug addicted manic-depressive mother with a string of failed marriages, a dark past and a streak of flamboyance that scandalizes the neighborhood. Her father is the solid presence through the turbulent times, a blue-collar refinery worker trying to do the best he can for his family. Most of the book focuses on Mary Karr's life from ages 8-13.
Alas for me, I think this is the kind of book that giving much more detail to would only detract from the actual reading of it. I have no where near the writing skills of Ms Karr. So I'll just go with...Hmmm...I don't yet have a ratings system. How about - just go read it. If even Polly Whitebread likes it (or can recognize the artistry), then surely it's worth a second look.
In the HopperKitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory McGuire
Confessions by St Augustine
Labels: Books
