Jeffery Deaver's Manhattan Is My Beat. I enjoyed this mystery, published in 1988. His writing was a bit immature, and the plot was filled with predictable twists. The theme of the young woman protagonist's obsession with fairy tales was a little forced. Still, it was a really enjoyable read. I liked it so much that I'm reading another one of his novels now.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Look At What Jason Can Do!
He took 7 of his old skateboards and made a cool bookshelf!
We asked for construction advice from my brother-in-law, Nathan, since he is famous for building furniture. He suggested using All-Thread as the uprights, with nuts and washers.
A helpful man at the hardware store suggested doubling up the nuts for extra stability.
It turned out awesome!!
(I assisted a tiny bit)
Friday, January 23, 2009
In the Aquarium
Big news, people! Jason is a sort-of grandpa! His mollies had babies!
Here's a picture of my flash, and all the possible parents, and two specks on the right, which are babies. Also visible is some algae growing on the glass.
The dad might be a molly or might be a swordtail. We've had a black swordtail for a couple of years now, and he used to have friends, but they died. Anyway, when we got these mollies, swordy starting suddenly showing off! He has a big, pretty fin on his back that he's been displaying while chasing the mollies around the tank. We weren't sure if it was mating behavior or fighting behavior. We still don't know, but our guess is mating behavior. We don't know if the swordtail (who has no sword, and therefore, we thought it was a female) is actually a molly. To me, they look the same.
Here's a close-up of a baby.
I count 7 or 8 babies. They're tough to count, since they're mostly black (some are speckled, and one is light-colored). The gravel in the bottom is black, so they're hard to spot. Plus, they move really quickly, so I might keep counting the same one. I haven't seen any get eaten so far. Hopefully they'll survive and grow up with us!
Here's a rare shot-glass shot of Skeletor, the albino catfish. He likes to hide when I try to take his picture. Too bad you can't see his pink eyes. Also visible: the snail who wants out of his shell.
Here's a picture of my flash, and all the possible parents, and two specks on the right, which are babies. Also visible is some algae growing on the glass.The dad might be a molly or might be a swordtail. We've had a black swordtail for a couple of years now, and he used to have friends, but they died. Anyway, when we got these mollies, swordy starting suddenly showing off! He has a big, pretty fin on his back that he's been displaying while chasing the mollies around the tank. We weren't sure if it was mating behavior or fighting behavior. We still don't know, but our guess is mating behavior. We don't know if the swordtail (who has no sword, and therefore, we thought it was a female) is actually a molly. To me, they look the same.
Here's a close-up of a baby.
I count 7 or 8 babies. They're tough to count, since they're mostly black (some are speckled, and one is light-colored). The gravel in the bottom is black, so they're hard to spot. Plus, they move really quickly, so I might keep counting the same one. I haven't seen any get eaten so far. Hopefully they'll survive and grow up with us!
Here's a rare shot-glass shot of Skeletor, the albino catfish. He likes to hide when I try to take his picture. Too bad you can't see his pink eyes. Also visible: the snail who wants out of his shell.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Book 7: The Wordy Shipmates
The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell. Oh, you know I like Sarah so much, but this one is dry and almost boring. It's about the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Company, who wanted to remain loyal to England while "helping" the Indians and escaping from Catholicism and the influence of "The Great Whore of Babylon," the Pope. They were rather boring, and a book about them is boring.
There are moments when Sarah's voice really comes through, sarcastic and hilarious. But mostly it reads like a dry history lesson.
I did read the whole thing, and pretty quickly, but it just wasn't the kind of humorous history that I expect from Sarah Vowell.
Maybe the most fascinating part was the description of a monster-baby that was stillborn to a woman who refused to toe the Massachusetts Bay colony line. The child "'had a face, but no head, and the ears stood upon the shoulders and were like an ape's; it had no forehead, but over the eyes four horns, hard and sharp.' Also, her 'nose hooked upward,' her back was covered in scales, 'it had two mouths' and 'instead of toes, it had on each foot three claws, like a young fowl, with sharp talons.'" A minister exhumes the body! And verifies that the body had horns and claws, scales, etc... That will stick with me for a while.
There are moments when Sarah's voice really comes through, sarcastic and hilarious. But mostly it reads like a dry history lesson.
I did read the whole thing, and pretty quickly, but it just wasn't the kind of humorous history that I expect from Sarah Vowell.
Maybe the most fascinating part was the description of a monster-baby that was stillborn to a woman who refused to toe the Massachusetts Bay colony line. The child "'had a face, but no head, and the ears stood upon the shoulders and were like an ape's; it had no forehead, but over the eyes four horns, hard and sharp.' Also, her 'nose hooked upward,' her back was covered in scales, 'it had two mouths' and 'instead of toes, it had on each foot three claws, like a young fowl, with sharp talons.'" A minister exhumes the body! And verifies that the body had horns and claws, scales, etc... That will stick with me for a while.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
It all comes around
Dreams do come true!
Do you remember my third post on this blog? Here it is. I was dreaming of getting the Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells.
Jason got me the 2009 version for Valentine's Day!
I already get to start using them, and so far I love them!
Do you remember my third post on this blog? Here it is. I was dreaming of getting the Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells.
Jason got me the 2009 version for Valentine's Day!
I already get to start using them, and so far I love them!
Book 6: The Partly Cloudy Patriot
The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell. I love Sarah! If you don't know who she is, you might have heard her squeaky little voice on NPR, or you might have heard her as Violet in the animated movie The Incredibles.
I wish I would have read this book seven years ago, when it first came out. It's still a fun, entertaining, and educational read, but would have been a little better in 2002. For instance, she spends some time on the 2000 election, and I feel so tired of thinking about that right now. I'm ready to think about the Obama presidency!
I do appreciate her summary of the difference in how the candidates were viewed: Al Gore was the super-nerd that the average and below-average kids wanted to beat up. George Bush was the cool guy, kind of a dumbass, that everyone wanted to be friends with. This sums it up perfectly! I remember one girl in law school trying to articulate why she could understand that people liked him: "like, you could just sit down and have a beer with him!" The professor was utterly disgusted.
But I think a lot of people felt that way -- put off by Gore's enormous, obvious intellect and his complete suitability and perfect preparedness for being President. He was TOO good. TOO smart. Bush was someone who made mistakes, just like normal people do! He didn't know that much about the world, just like most Americans don't! He was cool! He wasn't some politics nerd, worried about how our government works or what the Constitution says, let alone what it means!
Sarah loves U.S. history, and I love to read her telling of it. She especially loves Abraham Lincoln and his writing. She talks about what his speeches must have sounded like, how we imagine him having a big, booming voice, a Presidential voice. But all reports say that Lincoln had a squeaky voice, like a 6-year old girl. She says, "I personally suspect that Abraham Lincoln sounded exactly like me."
Sarah loves to travel around the U.S., even though she doesn't drive. She gets friends or family to drive her to tourist sites. One site that I want to visit is Carlsbad Caverns. Since my family moved to New Mexico, I have wanted to go there. It's not close to their town, so I haven't had a chance yet. But Sarah informs that there is a cheesy 1970s-renovated lunchroom in the caverns, and the Parks people HATE it and are so embarrassed by it. Legislation was passed in 1994 to prevent the National Parks Service from using federal funds to close the Underground Lunchroom. I want to eat there! Maybe this summer we will make it to the caves.
There are lots of other essays included. I recommend her highly.
I wish I would have read this book seven years ago, when it first came out. It's still a fun, entertaining, and educational read, but would have been a little better in 2002. For instance, she spends some time on the 2000 election, and I feel so tired of thinking about that right now. I'm ready to think about the Obama presidency!
I do appreciate her summary of the difference in how the candidates were viewed: Al Gore was the super-nerd that the average and below-average kids wanted to beat up. George Bush was the cool guy, kind of a dumbass, that everyone wanted to be friends with. This sums it up perfectly! I remember one girl in law school trying to articulate why she could understand that people liked him: "like, you could just sit down and have a beer with him!" The professor was utterly disgusted.
But I think a lot of people felt that way -- put off by Gore's enormous, obvious intellect and his complete suitability and perfect preparedness for being President. He was TOO good. TOO smart. Bush was someone who made mistakes, just like normal people do! He didn't know that much about the world, just like most Americans don't! He was cool! He wasn't some politics nerd, worried about how our government works or what the Constitution says, let alone what it means!
Sarah loves U.S. history, and I love to read her telling of it. She especially loves Abraham Lincoln and his writing. She talks about what his speeches must have sounded like, how we imagine him having a big, booming voice, a Presidential voice. But all reports say that Lincoln had a squeaky voice, like a 6-year old girl. She says, "I personally suspect that Abraham Lincoln sounded exactly like me."
Sarah loves to travel around the U.S., even though she doesn't drive. She gets friends or family to drive her to tourist sites. One site that I want to visit is Carlsbad Caverns. Since my family moved to New Mexico, I have wanted to go there. It's not close to their town, so I haven't had a chance yet. But Sarah informs that there is a cheesy 1970s-renovated lunchroom in the caverns, and the Parks people HATE it and are so embarrassed by it. Legislation was passed in 1994 to prevent the National Parks Service from using federal funds to close the Underground Lunchroom. I want to eat there! Maybe this summer we will make it to the caves.
There are lots of other essays included. I recommend her highly.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Book 5: The Gingerbread Girl
I forgot about this one: The Gingerbread Girl by Stephen King. Jason and I listened to this one on CD while driving back from New Mexico. Mare Winningham read it.
I always wish for King to write more stories and novels that don't involve supernatural elements, and here was one! Mare does a great job reading it, and is easy to listen to.
I haven't listened to a book on tape for a long time, so I kept tuning out and then having to remind myself to pay attention. I really liked the beginning of it, and the middle was okay, and the end seemed to drag on and on forever. I think it would have been better if I'd paid attention the whole time. I used to really enjoy books on tape, but I'm out of practice at listening for so long.
Yes, part of my job is listening, but it's usually about an hour at a time. I bet I listened to the first hour well, and then started to daydream and stopped paying attention.
So, I don't feel like I really gave it a fair listen. Perhaps I'll listen again sometime while cleaning or doing something else around the house, or while crocheting.
I always wish for King to write more stories and novels that don't involve supernatural elements, and here was one! Mare does a great job reading it, and is easy to listen to.
I haven't listened to a book on tape for a long time, so I kept tuning out and then having to remind myself to pay attention. I really liked the beginning of it, and the middle was okay, and the end seemed to drag on and on forever. I think it would have been better if I'd paid attention the whole time. I used to really enjoy books on tape, but I'm out of practice at listening for so long.
Yes, part of my job is listening, but it's usually about an hour at a time. I bet I listened to the first hour well, and then started to daydream and stopped paying attention.
So, I don't feel like I really gave it a fair listen. Perhaps I'll listen again sometime while cleaning or doing something else around the house, or while crocheting.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Book 4: Don't I Know You?
Don't I Know You? by Karen Shepard. I loved this book. A young boy finds his murdered mother in their apartment. Who did it? There are so many possibilities, and the writing is so good. Some lines are just poetry. You want to read it really quickly, to find out what happened, but you want to read it really slowly, to enjoy Shepard's talent.
There is a great description of an immigrant couple, of their lowly jobs in New York, how the mother crawls around on the floor hemming the clothes of people who stand above her. Then the simple line, "Back home, they were both physicists." (I don't have the book anymore, since I gave it to my dad to read, but it's something close to that.) She says so much with so few words. I will read anything else by her that I can find.
There is a great description of an immigrant couple, of their lowly jobs in New York, how the mother crawls around on the floor hemming the clothes of people who stand above her. Then the simple line, "Back home, they were both physicists." (I don't have the book anymore, since I gave it to my dad to read, but it's something close to that.) She says so much with so few words. I will read anything else by her that I can find.
Monday, January 12, 2009
What I've Read So Far This Year: The Sister, The 158-Pound Marriage, Hell's Kitchen
1. The Sister by Poppy Adams. I really enjoyed this book. Two sisters grow up in a big, old house. The older one leaves as soon as she can, and the younger stays behind. 50 years later, the older returns to live with her sister. The narrator is clearly untrustworthy, but we can't tell precisely what's wrong with her. Secrets from their childhood are remembered and revealed throughout the book. The narrator becomes more and more unreliable as the story progresses. Very enjoyable!
2. John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage. I love Irving's story-telling ability. This story's plot didn't grab me. It's about two couples in the 1970s who try to swap spouses without their children finding out, and without anyone getting hurt. It's okay, but seems very 70s to me, in a way that I'm not interested in at the moment. If you like Irving and this plot sounds good to you, check it out. I did like that the narrator (one of the husbands) was kind of a slimeball. It made it more interesting.
3. Hell's Kitchen by Jeffery Deaver. A mystery recommended by my Dad. Although my edition had terrible editing (are commas expensive to print??), there is nothing wrong with the writing! The book was quite enjoyable. I now have a stack of other novels by Deaver, and I plan to read them all. This one is about a pyromaniac in NYC, and especially in Hell's Kitchen. Though there is only one protagonist, several characters are developed. The history of Hell's Kitchen is fun to read. Best of all for a mystery, there is no way to guess the ending.
2. John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage. I love Irving's story-telling ability. This story's plot didn't grab me. It's about two couples in the 1970s who try to swap spouses without their children finding out, and without anyone getting hurt. It's okay, but seems very 70s to me, in a way that I'm not interested in at the moment. If you like Irving and this plot sounds good to you, check it out. I did like that the narrator (one of the husbands) was kind of a slimeball. It made it more interesting.
3. Hell's Kitchen by Jeffery Deaver. A mystery recommended by my Dad. Although my edition had terrible editing (are commas expensive to print??), there is nothing wrong with the writing! The book was quite enjoyable. I now have a stack of other novels by Deaver, and I plan to read them all. This one is about a pyromaniac in NYC, and especially in Hell's Kitchen. Though there is only one protagonist, several characters are developed. The history of Hell's Kitchen is fun to read. Best of all for a mystery, there is no way to guess the ending.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Resolution update
This past week, I lost about 1.5 pounds. I also lost some fat from my upper body, where I don't need to lose fat. My arms are smaller when relaxed, but the same size when flexed, so it was fat that was lost. I can see my shoulder muscles fairly clearly. I hope the fat loss spreads to the rest of my body this week! I want to see some ABDOMINAL definition!
This week, I'm going to try to tighten up my eating. I will continue with the exercising -- that was perfect this week and I don't see any reason for it to change.
This week, I'm going to try to tighten up my eating. I will continue with the exercising -- that was perfect this week and I don't see any reason for it to change.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Terrariums
These are the living gifts that I mentioned before Christmas. I made some little terrariums in jars.
I put rocks in the bottom, and then some aquarium charcoal (to help keep them clean), and then soil. Then more rocks on top, to make a landscape.
Some are drier, with succulents growing in them. Some are more damp, with ferns and moss. I did not have the best luck with the ferns or the moss. I followed the directions, and kept them moist, and kept them in dim light. I think they needed a little more light, maybe? I hope the ones I gave away will thrive (who wants to give a gift that fails?).
I still have a couple at my house, too, and I'm trying to get them going better. My ferns have died, but the one I gave to Mom didn't look as bad. Maybe she'll have the ferny touch and get hers to be happy again.
I put some little animal figurines in them. Also, Mom's had a little white slug that came in her fern. I left it up to her to decide to keep it or take it out. It's sort of cute, like a snail in an aquarium. I know they are a garden pest because they eat plants, but I don't know if one little slug can kill a plant, or if it takes a bunch of them to be a problem.
I think a really cute terrarium would have ferns with little dinosaurs living amongst them! From what I understand, and imagine, GIANT ferns and dinosaurs lived at the same time. So, someday I may make a Triassic terrarium. If I find some dinosaur figurines, which seems totally possible. And if I can keep a fern alive. :)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Cinnamon Ricotta snack
Here's a surprisingly good snack. I don't know why I even tried it, since it sounds so weird to me. But I did!
1/4 c. skim or part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 c. berries
1 tsp. cinnamon
Again, with the no pictures.
1/4 c. skim or part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 c. berries
1 tsp. cinnamon
Again, with the no pictures.
Waldorf-y Salad recipe
Here's something yummy!
This is based on a Waldorf Salad, which I've never eaten. This version is good, though. If you use the smaller amounts given, it should be around 500 calories for the whole thing.
1 - 2 cups of cooked chicken, cut up
1/2 - 1 cup of plain yogurt
half an apple, cut up
a handful of grapes
1/8 - 1/4 cup of sliced almonds
a splash of lemon juice
I forgot to take a picture before I ate most of it. Sorry!
This is based on a Waldorf Salad, which I've never eaten. This version is good, though. If you use the smaller amounts given, it should be around 500 calories for the whole thing.
1 - 2 cups of cooked chicken, cut up
1/2 - 1 cup of plain yogurt
half an apple, cut up
a handful of grapes
1/8 - 1/4 cup of sliced almonds
a splash of lemon juice
I forgot to take a picture before I ate most of it. Sorry!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
New Year's Cliche Resolution
This winter, I am going to lose 10 pounds of fat! I have all this good muscle that I've built up over the past few years, but it is covered in a layer of fat. I want to see the muscles. I want to see my abs for once in my life.
I love exercise, so that's not a problem. I will keep up my normal habit of working out almost every day. I'm actually shortening the time I spend on it to about 35 - 40 minutes a day. Usually I spend at least an hour a day. Mixing things up is a good way to make changes in a body. I'm doing heavy lifting three days a week and cardio intervals two days a week. I'll add a steady state cardio day and a yoga day each week.
The PROBLEM is dieting. I love junk food! I love to drink beer! I love to eat great, nutritional food all day long and then eat a huge amount of crap at night! Today is Day 2 of my dieting plan. I am doing okay so far. I'm cooking a variety of foods so I don't get bored, and I'm eating 5 times a day to ward off hunger. I'm not eating super low-cal, but concentrating on good, healthy foods and no junk, and a reasonable number of calories for someone my size. I'm going for 1800 calories a day, which for me has been a weight-loss number in the past, provided I'm working out hard and eating good food. If I were to eat less than that right now, I would feel like crap -- exhausted, starving, grumpy, weak. I may be able to scale it down a bit if I need to later. I can't imagine eating the 1200 usually recommended by women's magazines! I would be so sick!
I've lost 1 pound already! Only 9 more to go.
I love exercise, so that's not a problem. I will keep up my normal habit of working out almost every day. I'm actually shortening the time I spend on it to about 35 - 40 minutes a day. Usually I spend at least an hour a day. Mixing things up is a good way to make changes in a body. I'm doing heavy lifting three days a week and cardio intervals two days a week. I'll add a steady state cardio day and a yoga day each week.
The PROBLEM is dieting. I love junk food! I love to drink beer! I love to eat great, nutritional food all day long and then eat a huge amount of crap at night! Today is Day 2 of my dieting plan. I am doing okay so far. I'm cooking a variety of foods so I don't get bored, and I'm eating 5 times a day to ward off hunger. I'm not eating super low-cal, but concentrating on good, healthy foods and no junk, and a reasonable number of calories for someone my size. I'm going for 1800 calories a day, which for me has been a weight-loss number in the past, provided I'm working out hard and eating good food. If I were to eat less than that right now, I would feel like crap -- exhausted, starving, grumpy, weak. I may be able to scale it down a bit if I need to later. I can't imagine eating the 1200 usually recommended by women's magazines! I would be so sick!
I've lost 1 pound already! Only 9 more to go.
Francis Hates Yoga
I did a yoga practice tonight that involves a breathing technique called "Breath of Fire." It's basically a fast sniffing, in and out, or a light panting through the nose. It really freaks out the cat! I've been doing this kind of yoga for several years, and he has always hated it, but he learned to stay out of the room until I'm done.
Tonight, he came running in, squealing at me, and chomped on my calf. Then he jumped up in the air to grab onto my arm and bite it! I had to put him out of the room and tell him to go see what Jason was doing.
He gave me a meaningful, "You are betraying me!" look and sat in the hallway outside the room, with his back turned to me, hunched up angrily.
When I've visited my family, their cats were also upset by Breath of Fire, and also refused to just go into another room.
Oh, cats!
Tonight, he came running in, squealing at me, and chomped on my calf. Then he jumped up in the air to grab onto my arm and bite it! I had to put him out of the room and tell him to go see what Jason was doing.
He gave me a meaningful, "You are betraying me!" look and sat in the hallway outside the room, with his back turned to me, hunched up angrily.
When I've visited my family, their cats were also upset by Breath of Fire, and also refused to just go into another room.
Oh, cats!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Little House Ornaments
These are some of the Christmas ornaments that I made this year. I gave them to family members as gifts. Once the recipients knew that I had made them myself, they were big hits!
You can click on the photos to make them bigger. I showed all the sides, since they have some cute stuff all the way around.
Francis likes to help me take photos.
Some are springtime cottages.
Some are gothic, winter houses.
One is decorated for Christmas.
And one is an adobe.
You can click on the photos to make them bigger. I showed all the sides, since they have some cute stuff all the way around.
Francis likes to help me take photos.
Some are springtime cottages.
Some are gothic, winter houses.
One is decorated for Christmas.
And one is an adobe.
New Glasses
Here I am in my new glasses. I love them! 
They have transitions lenses, so they automatically turn into sunglasses when they sense UV light. Yep, just like my high school physics teacher's aviators. Next, I'm going to get a retractable key ring to put on my belt.
They also have anti-glare coating, which is really nice. I didn't get it last time, and I regretted it on several occasions.
They have transitions lenses, so they automatically turn into sunglasses when they sense UV light. Yep, just like my high school physics teacher's aviators. Next, I'm going to get a retractable key ring to put on my belt.They also have anti-glare coating, which is really nice. I didn't get it last time, and I regretted it on several occasions.
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