2013

Moon Spotlight Savannah & the Georgia Coast

2013, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Travel Log /

When I started thinking about where we might move next, and started thinking maybe it would not be Gainesville, I realized I didn’t really know all that much about the coast of Georgia. I like the idea of the Georgia coast but that’s only from looking at some houses that are for sale and the prices of those houses.

I figured a guide book might be a good place to start to learn more about Savannah, Darien, Brunswick, St Mary and all points in between.

And it was. I really enjoyed the Moon Spotlight: Savannah & the Georgia Coast. I kind of want my next vacation to be a week traveling up and down the coast of Georgia.

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Lean In

1 Comment / 2013, Books in Bed, Feminism, Non-Fiction /

I wasn’t going to read Lean In — too much hype, too much angst, too much infighting.

But, Sheryl Sandberg is keynoting BlogHer ’13 so I figured the least I could do would be to read her book.

I’m glad I did.

No Sandberg doesn’t represent all women, or even most women I know. It’s impossible for ANY woman to represent ALL women, that doesn’t mean her message isn’t valid or appropriate or important or… right.

Yes, the point she’s addressing is that women have to step up errr lean in and make things better for themselves and for other women. That’s totally true. No, she’s not addressing the bigger systemic issues, the patriarchal issues, but she mentions that right up front (and several times) — she never suggested that the ONLY solution is for women to change. She said (several times) that these are things we can do, right now.

Things. We. Can. Do.

And I like that.

Because lord knows the system isn’t jumping up and down to change. Rich, white, men in power aren’t jumping up and down to change. Institutional discrimination. Cultural expectations. Psychological issues. Yea, there are a lot of things that have to change before the working world (and the world at large) is a better place for women (and as a result, a better place for everyone.)

But how do you change those things?

Slowly. Very slowly.

And, by doing the things YOU can do right now.

I get that.

Lean In isn’t a perfect book. I groaned a lot. I rolled my eyes at Sandberg’s stories because they are so … privileged… it was hard to look beyond the surface and really hear what she was trying to say.

Which is a problem I think most of us have.

When we try to talk to each other about race or religion or gay rights or women’s rights or any other social issue, we have a hard time relating to what others are saying and sharing because those aren’t our experiences. We have a hard time letting go of the details and looking at the big picture.

Sheryl Sandberg is a powerful, wealthy white woman none of which means she shouldn’t be sharing advice with those who aren’t powerful, wealthy white women.

Have you noticed powerful, wealthy men who give advice and talk about all of the things we can do to change, get ahead, succeed, don’t get slammed because they are powerful and wealthy and can’t relate…?

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Someday, Someday, Maybe

1 Comment / 2013, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Favorites /

When I heard Lauren Graham had written a novel, I knew I had to read it. But, I also knew it was highly likely that I’d hate it and hate myself for reading it.

Lauren Graham is Lorelai.

The only hope for me was — either Someday, Someday, Maybe book is so completely different that I forget who wrote it or it’s so Lorelai that I felt comfortable with the characters and the storyline.

Knowing that, I had to decide whether I wanted the print version or the audio version. Discovering Lauren Graham read the audio version didn’t make the decision any easier. See above. Either/or.

I ended up reserving both the print and the audio versions. I figured I’d go with whichever arrived at the library first… the print version arrived BUT I noticed the audio version was in transit and sure enough, it was waiting for me two days later.

I bit the bullet and took the print version back unread… and we started listening.

Oy.

Disconcerting at first but it grew on us quickly, (as Lauren Graham is so good at doing, right?)

At one point, we were picking up the little kids and I decided to freak them out by turning the cd on… mid-story.

They loved it. Immediately loved it.

And while they didn’t listen to the whole thing along with us, they did listen to bits and pieces and were in the car for the ending… which caused them to HOWL in outrage that it was OVER like THAT and WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

And omg you’d have thought Gilmore Girls was ending all over again.

I’m calling this a big win for us. We had a little bit of Lorelai-like fun and I’m very glad I went with the audio version. I suspect we wouldn’t have enjoyed the print version nearly as much.

(tiny note to self: we read this in May and it was counted in my May totals.)

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Reading in May

1 Comment / 2013, Books in Bed /

I’m having a hard time remembering what I read in May — that’s not good. So, let’s see…

I read 26 books and I quit two — one I’ll go back to some day, another I hope never to see again.

3 audiobook (one I haven’t written about, yet)
11 were non-fiction (10 of those were art/journal/collage/mixed media titles)
2 – Cybils Challenge
1 – Nancy Drew Challenge (and also From My Stacks)
1 – Book to Movie Challenge (I still need to watch the darn movie!)

And now that I’ve looked back, I read some good books last month. No idea why I was blanking out on what they were until I reviewed. I blame getting up at 4:30am (again) for no good reason.

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Nancy Drew Sleuth Book

2013, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, From the Stacks Challenge, Nancy Drew Challenge /

Ages ago, Texasebeth sent me a copy of The Nancy Drew Sleuth Book and it’s been happily on my shelf of Nancy Drews ever since.

I finally made time to read it last night and it was awesome. I did not own this book when I was a kid so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Turns out it’s the best (worst) of all things Nancy Drew (from that era.)

– “She’s so fat, someone should put her on a DIET!”
– “Gypsy palm reading is against the law in River Heights!”
– “Don’t all the people in Chinatown have almond shaped eyes?”

I could go on, but you get the point.

It’s awesome in its horribleness. And, Nancy is a great teacher! River Heights is just crawling with girl detectives thanks to her little club!

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168 Hours

2013, Books in Bed, Don't Read This, Non-Fiction /

Some people I know (ahem) swear by 168 Hours. Some of those people told me I should read it. Some of those people told others they should read it. Some of those people should be SHOT.

What a waste of time, speaking of time management. AHEM.

I thought the book might have potential and after the first chapter I was looking at time trackers (again.) Also, why isn’t there a 168Hours App? Seriously. You have this book with PRINTABLE PAGES and you don’t have an app? Ho hum. Also. AHEM.

No.

I quit the book half-way through it.

I don’t know if I’m just good at managing my time. Or if I’m not all that unhappy about not having time to do x, y or z so this book doesn’t speak to me. Or… I don’t know.

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Two Mixed Media/Collage Books

2013, Art, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction /

I enjoyed Collage Playground but most there weren’t a lot of new techniques in this one, for me. That doesn’t make it a bad book. I’ve just watched a lot of videos, read a lot of books and done a lot of collages in my day. I think I’d probably recommend this book to someone who hasn’t had a lot of collage experience. The step by step instructions were excellent.

I was a little disappointed with the Collage Discovery Workshop, at first. I think I was expecting more — possibly because I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Hellmuth’s work in person and the collages were a little simplistic considering some of the pieces I’ve seen. After I slept on that, I decided I actually liked her book. Rather than it just being a showcase of her talent, she brought collage to a place where anyone would feel like they could do this.

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NOS4A2

2013, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

I love Joe Hill. He’s so much better than his dad.

NOS4A2 was creepy — Christmasland, ugh. That’s some freaky stuff that can give a person nightmares if she spends too much thinking about it.

I loved Vic and Lou and Wayne and also Maggie and Tabitha (though I do find it disconcerting when authors give characters names of family members — I kept picturing Tabitha King, which didn’t work very well for this Tabitha.)

I was a little worried about the end but was happy with it when it was all over and done with. The ornament removal ending was the right ending. (The Acknowledgements and About the Font pages were also good. Don’t skip those and find yourself on the naughty list.)

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Two More Art Journaling Books

1 Comment / 2013, Altered Book, Art, Books in Bed, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

Yep, still all art journaling all the time around here. Or at least reading about art journaling and watching videos about art journaling. Not a lot of actual journaling going on, though. Not none, just not a lot.

The Art Journal Workshop was excellent. So excellent that I’m going to take a peek at the dvd that’s attached to the book. (I never do that.)

I’m also not much of a “prompt” kind of person but I really liked all of the exercises and prompts in this book. Of all the art journaling and mixed media books I’ve read recently, this is my favorite.

Painted Pages is not my favorite. It’s probably my least favorite. Not because it’s not a technique book but because the pages here just don’t work for me. Not a bad book, just not the book for me at all.

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