I keep hearing that LeVar Burton is bringing back Reading Rainbow with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. This is very exciting to those of us who grew up watching the show. Unsurprisingly, the initial goal of $1,000,000 has already been exceeded and the goal has now been raised to $5,000,000. The campaign has been going on less than a week!
What did surprise me was that the show apparently ran until 2006. Really?! I know I was a bit past the stage of needing help selecting chapter books by 2006, but I would have been prepared to state in court that the show had stopped airing sometime in the mid-90s. In my extensive research (I did two internet searches), I found that the show in fact ran all the way from 1983 through 2006. I could probably poke around a bit more and confirm this, but I'm too lazy to do so. I'll just remain stunned that the show I grew up on was still enchanting children a mere eight years ago.
If you also have fond memories of LeVar and his earring, please visit the Kickstarter page and consider donating. After all, a pledge of $10,000 gets you a dinner with the man himself AND you get to wear Geordi's visor from Star Trek! There is clearly something wrong with people because all of the $10,000+ donors so far have instead chosen to sponsor a school or some such rot.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Free books: BookShout!
If there is one thing I love, it's a free book. Today I discovered BookShout.com which offers both free and paid ebook downloads.
I clicked on a free copy of The Scarlet Letter and it appeared in an attractive, multi-page format in my web browser. I've only just started toying with it, but it looks like a pretty good site. They offer classics as well as newer fiction and non-fiction. The majority of the free books are in the public domain, but some are newer works the site is promoting. You can link to Twitter and Facebook and share your list of books with friends.
BookShout also offers you $1 of store credit for each friend you refer. So if you're not content with the free books, you have a chance to get some of the paid books free or at a reduced rate.
I clicked on a free copy of The Scarlet Letter and it appeared in an attractive, multi-page format in my web browser. I've only just started toying with it, but it looks like a pretty good site. They offer classics as well as newer fiction and non-fiction. The majority of the free books are in the public domain, but some are newer works the site is promoting. You can link to Twitter and Facebook and share your list of books with friends.
BookShout also offers you $1 of store credit for each friend you refer. So if you're not content with the free books, you have a chance to get some of the paid books free or at a reduced rate.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
The Secret Lives of Dresses
The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean is not a bad book. It is also not a great book. It's a lot better than many things that have been published and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, but if you are looking for something that will challenge you or even make you think just a little, look elsewhere.
Secret Lives is charming and comforting and the twists and turns of the plot should take absolutely no one by surprise. Dora returns home from college when her grandmother, Mimi, suffers a stroke. She begins running Mimi's vintage clothing shop and reliving memories of growing up amid Mimi's classic dresses and hands-off parenting. The big revelations that come in the last few pages of the book are as easy to spot as a pair of Mary Janes in a sea of Ugg boots.
Gee, I wonder what Dora's father (who was killed with Dora's mother in a car accident years ago) wanted to do instead of run the family department store? Whatever could it have been? And could it possibly have anything to do with Mimi trying her hand at writing fiction??? And why is family friend, Gabby, so giggly and scatterbrained lately? Oh well, I guess it's just a huge mystery that has nothing to do with her first husband moving back to town.
But these are minor annoyances. They are the kind of things we treasure in books designed to be light and fluffy. The only real bone I have to pick with McKean is her characterization of Camille and Tyffanee, two of Dora's relatives. The author doesn't miss a single opportunity to bash us over the head with how obnoxious and shallow these two are. I mean, they wear rhinestones, for goodness' sake. Obviously, this means they are mean and small-minded and possibly the Anti-Christ. We get it after about the second page, but McKean's hateful descriptions of people who would rather wear layered pink tank tops and miniskirts ends up making you want to defend these women even though Camille is a horror and her daughter is a Grade A certified sorority b****.
The only character McKean paints as even remotely complex enough for us to have trouble figuring out is Gary, Dora's flirty boss at the college coffee shop. Is he as into her as he appears at times or is Dora naively reading too much into a man who seems content to date a different girl every week and foist management of the coffee shop onto Dora? You'll have to wade through a sea of crinoline, tulle, and gingham to find out. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the swim.
I have complained about this book a lot, but it has some very good points. My favorite character is Maux, the Rockabilly salesgirl at Mimi's shop who deserves a book of her own. I want to read more about her Lucille Ball hair and future in air conditioner repair.
PS: If you are craving some truly excellent "secret lives", check out The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Secret Lives is charming and comforting and the twists and turns of the plot should take absolutely no one by surprise. Dora returns home from college when her grandmother, Mimi, suffers a stroke. She begins running Mimi's vintage clothing shop and reliving memories of growing up amid Mimi's classic dresses and hands-off parenting. The big revelations that come in the last few pages of the book are as easy to spot as a pair of Mary Janes in a sea of Ugg boots.
Gee, I wonder what Dora's father (who was killed with Dora's mother in a car accident years ago) wanted to do instead of run the family department store? Whatever could it have been? And could it possibly have anything to do with Mimi trying her hand at writing fiction??? And why is family friend, Gabby, so giggly and scatterbrained lately? Oh well, I guess it's just a huge mystery that has nothing to do with her first husband moving back to town.
But these are minor annoyances. They are the kind of things we treasure in books designed to be light and fluffy. The only real bone I have to pick with McKean is her characterization of Camille and Tyffanee, two of Dora's relatives. The author doesn't miss a single opportunity to bash us over the head with how obnoxious and shallow these two are. I mean, they wear rhinestones, for goodness' sake. Obviously, this means they are mean and small-minded and possibly the Anti-Christ. We get it after about the second page, but McKean's hateful descriptions of people who would rather wear layered pink tank tops and miniskirts ends up making you want to defend these women even though Camille is a horror and her daughter is a Grade A certified sorority b****.
The only character McKean paints as even remotely complex enough for us to have trouble figuring out is Gary, Dora's flirty boss at the college coffee shop. Is he as into her as he appears at times or is Dora naively reading too much into a man who seems content to date a different girl every week and foist management of the coffee shop onto Dora? You'll have to wade through a sea of crinoline, tulle, and gingham to find out. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the swim.
I have complained about this book a lot, but it has some very good points. My favorite character is Maux, the Rockabilly salesgirl at Mimi's shop who deserves a book of her own. I want to read more about her Lucille Ball hair and future in air conditioner repair.
PS: If you are craving some truly excellent "secret lives", check out The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Funeral Textbooks: Dying for Something Better
I'm in a Funeral Service Education program in preparation for becoming an embalmer and funeral director. I'm in the middle of my third semester and I've noticed an alarming trend in my textbooks. The books that are specifically about funeral service are often poorly written.
My business and sociology textbooks have been fine, but I'd say over half of my funeral textbooks have contained typos and bad grammar. One of the most distressing problems is the use of the wrong homophones (there instead of their, etc.). I think this problem stems from the fact that these books are usually written by funeral professionals rather than professors or professional writers.
It's really discouraging that these wonderful resources are marred with amateurish mistakes. But it comes down to poor editing. If someone other than the author took the time to read through the text, a lot of these problems could be caught before publication. The worst is when the book has already been through several editions. Some of these mistakes have probably been there since the book was first published.
My business and sociology textbooks have been fine, but I'd say over half of my funeral textbooks have contained typos and bad grammar. One of the most distressing problems is the use of the wrong homophones (there instead of their, etc.). I think this problem stems from the fact that these books are usually written by funeral professionals rather than professors or professional writers.
It's really discouraging that these wonderful resources are marred with amateurish mistakes. But it comes down to poor editing. If someone other than the author took the time to read through the text, a lot of these problems could be caught before publication. The worst is when the book has already been through several editions. Some of these mistakes have probably been there since the book was first published.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Jane Green House Party!
I belong to House Party, which is a pretty neat website where you can sign up for the chance to host a party to promote various products or media events. To my great excitement, they are offering a Jane Green House Party. She is a witty British writer who is coming out with a new book called Tempting Fate.
Jemima J and Babyville are two of her books I've read and both are very enjoyable. Jemima J is very much in the tone of Bridget Jones's Diary. Jemima transforms her life in order to land the guy of her dreams and it's actually very inspiring the way she exercises a newfound self-control in order to drop her extra pounds (of which there are MANY) and become the sexy, stylish woman she's always wanted to be. Babyville is about several women in various stages of motherhood and it's funny and well-written, but not as good as Jemima J.
So what House Party will do for those lucky few who are selected is send them a box filled with goodies. I did a Silk Fruit Smoothie party one time that was delicious and great fun. The Jane Green kit provides copies of a couple of her books as well as tea and cookies so you can have a real girltimeteapartyconfab and talk about the books. I'm additionally excited because the cookies are Moravian cookies and I was raised Moravian.
If you haven't heard of House Party, you should look at their website. They may not have any parties that interest you and you may not get chosen for the party of your choice, but it's really exciting when you get to host one and that box arrives on your doorstep. I'll definitely be looking for more of their book opportunities in the future. Did I use the word excited enough?
Jemima J and Babyville are two of her books I've read and both are very enjoyable. Jemima J is very much in the tone of Bridget Jones's Diary. Jemima transforms her life in order to land the guy of her dreams and it's actually very inspiring the way she exercises a newfound self-control in order to drop her extra pounds (of which there are MANY) and become the sexy, stylish woman she's always wanted to be. Babyville is about several women in various stages of motherhood and it's funny and well-written, but not as good as Jemima J.
So what House Party will do for those lucky few who are selected is send them a box filled with goodies. I did a Silk Fruit Smoothie party one time that was delicious and great fun. The Jane Green kit provides copies of a couple of her books as well as tea and cookies so you can have a real girltimeteapartyconfab and talk about the books. I'm additionally excited because the cookies are Moravian cookies and I was raised Moravian.
If you haven't heard of House Party, you should look at their website. They may not have any parties that interest you and you may not get chosen for the party of your choice, but it's really exciting when you get to host one and that box arrives on your doorstep. I'll definitely be looking for more of their book opportunities in the future. Did I use the word excited enough?
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Unplanned
I just made one of my rare visits to Twitter (where you should follow @JustNotMyTypee) and came across a tweet from Tyndale House Publishers about a free ebook. I have enjoyed many books from them in the past, so I clicked on the link to check it out. But what caught my attention as soon as I reached the site was a different book.
Staring out at me from the cover of a book called Unplanned was Abby Johnson. I'm not sure if it was the title of the book or her face that drew me in first. She just looks nice and she looks like she has a story to tell.
It turns out Abby used to be the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic until she personally witnessed an abortion procedure for the first time. She was so horrified by what she saw that she joined the Coalition for Life. How interesting is that? This is a woman who clearly knew what she was getting into when she took that job and, I'm assuming, was in favor of abortion until she actually saw one being performed. I can't wait to read her story.
I have a personal interest in this topic because I volunteer with the Christian Life Home, which is an organization in Raleigh, North Carolina that offers support and housing to young girls and women facing unplanned pregnancies. I firmly believe that parents and the community have the responsibility for educating young people in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, young women have the ultimate responsibility for preventing pregnancy in their own lives, and that once an unplanned pregnancy has occurred, it is the mother's responsibility to see it through. Making a mistake doesn't give you the right to take someone else's life.
The argument most people give for a woman's right to have an abortion is that life doesn't begin until birth, or the third trimester, or whatever arbitrary deadline they set. But if that's true and the only thing an abortion destroys is some parasitic tissue growing inside a woman's body, why was Abby's mind completely changed by her contact with the procedure? I have not yet read the book and so I can't answer this question myself, but clearly she saw something that opened her eyes to the crime that is committed every time a woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy.
There are women in my life about whom I care deeply who have had abortions, and I don't believe that people who are pro-choice are evil. I simply believe they are blind to the fact that abortion is wrong. If they truly saw it as an injustice and a morally reprehensible act, they wouldn't support it.
Staring out at me from the cover of a book called Unplanned was Abby Johnson. I'm not sure if it was the title of the book or her face that drew me in first. She just looks nice and she looks like she has a story to tell.
It turns out Abby used to be the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic until she personally witnessed an abortion procedure for the first time. She was so horrified by what she saw that she joined the Coalition for Life. How interesting is that? This is a woman who clearly knew what she was getting into when she took that job and, I'm assuming, was in favor of abortion until she actually saw one being performed. I can't wait to read her story.
I have a personal interest in this topic because I volunteer with the Christian Life Home, which is an organization in Raleigh, North Carolina that offers support and housing to young girls and women facing unplanned pregnancies. I firmly believe that parents and the community have the responsibility for educating young people in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, young women have the ultimate responsibility for preventing pregnancy in their own lives, and that once an unplanned pregnancy has occurred, it is the mother's responsibility to see it through. Making a mistake doesn't give you the right to take someone else's life.
The argument most people give for a woman's right to have an abortion is that life doesn't begin until birth, or the third trimester, or whatever arbitrary deadline they set. But if that's true and the only thing an abortion destroys is some parasitic tissue growing inside a woman's body, why was Abby's mind completely changed by her contact with the procedure? I have not yet read the book and so I can't answer this question myself, but clearly she saw something that opened her eyes to the crime that is committed every time a woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy.
There are women in my life about whom I care deeply who have had abortions, and I don't believe that people who are pro-choice are evil. I simply believe they are blind to the fact that abortion is wrong. If they truly saw it as an injustice and a morally reprehensible act, they wouldn't support it.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Flight Behavior
I might not have thought much about the weather, but I had just finished reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.
The weather in my part of North Carolina has been downright frightening recently. Much like in Flight Behavior, we experienced unseasonable warmth leading up to Christmas and had a few days of heavy rain that left the creek behind the house much higher than I like to see. It didn't last as long as in the book and the repercussions weren't as dire, but it's unsettling to see life imitate art (even if that art is already imitating life) right in front of you.
In Kinsolver's novel, the freakish weather is not freakish at all. Dellarobia Turnbow, the woman whose life is turned upside down by these weather patterns, learns that the changes are quite natural and expected now that the earth's climate has been so wrecked by global warming. But the biggest change the weather brings to Dellarobia's life is not the threat to her land and livelihood, it's an awakening to the possibilities hidden in her own life. Dellarobia has long ago resigned herself to a largely unfulfilling life as a wife and mother. This is not the life she wanted for herself, even though she is the object of jealousy for some women in town. Cub, her husband, is a kind and dependable man, but she resents him for tying her down early in life. Her ship has sailed and any chance of furthering her education, station in life, and personal satisfaction seems beyond her grasp.
She has a multitude of butterflies to thank for opening her eyes. Global warming drives countless Monarch butterflies from their usual roosting spot in Mexico to the mountains of Appalachia, specifically the mountain above Dellarobia's house. What she first takes as a personal warning from God turns out to be a sign of something deeply wrong throughout the world. And her in-laws are even less thrilled to hear about global warming than they are about the orange butterflies perching in their trees and holding up their logging contract. What was once an invisible rift between Dellarobia and the people around her begins to grow very noticeable. Her only allies in learning about what brought this "miracle" to her land are her precocious young son, Preston, and Ovid Byron, a visiting lepidopterist who gently guides her to an understanding of the bigger picture these creatures represent.
Much as Dellarobia anxiously watches the Monarchs for signs that they will survive and find their way to a better life, the reader watches Dellarobia and hopes that she will find her way out of her own personal crisis into a beautiful future. Great for lovers of Kingsolver's other works and anyone interested in the way the world around us shapes our lives.
The weather in my part of North Carolina has been downright frightening recently. Much like in Flight Behavior, we experienced unseasonable warmth leading up to Christmas and had a few days of heavy rain that left the creek behind the house much higher than I like to see. It didn't last as long as in the book and the repercussions weren't as dire, but it's unsettling to see life imitate art (even if that art is already imitating life) right in front of you.
In Kinsolver's novel, the freakish weather is not freakish at all. Dellarobia Turnbow, the woman whose life is turned upside down by these weather patterns, learns that the changes are quite natural and expected now that the earth's climate has been so wrecked by global warming. But the biggest change the weather brings to Dellarobia's life is not the threat to her land and livelihood, it's an awakening to the possibilities hidden in her own life. Dellarobia has long ago resigned herself to a largely unfulfilling life as a wife and mother. This is not the life she wanted for herself, even though she is the object of jealousy for some women in town. Cub, her husband, is a kind and dependable man, but she resents him for tying her down early in life. Her ship has sailed and any chance of furthering her education, station in life, and personal satisfaction seems beyond her grasp.
She has a multitude of butterflies to thank for opening her eyes. Global warming drives countless Monarch butterflies from their usual roosting spot in Mexico to the mountains of Appalachia, specifically the mountain above Dellarobia's house. What she first takes as a personal warning from God turns out to be a sign of something deeply wrong throughout the world. And her in-laws are even less thrilled to hear about global warming than they are about the orange butterflies perching in their trees and holding up their logging contract. What was once an invisible rift between Dellarobia and the people around her begins to grow very noticeable. Her only allies in learning about what brought this "miracle" to her land are her precocious young son, Preston, and Ovid Byron, a visiting lepidopterist who gently guides her to an understanding of the bigger picture these creatures represent.
Much as Dellarobia anxiously watches the Monarchs for signs that they will survive and find their way to a better life, the reader watches Dellarobia and hopes that she will find her way out of her own personal crisis into a beautiful future. Great for lovers of Kingsolver's other works and anyone interested in the way the world around us shapes our lives.
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