I've been looking forward to this extra hour for weeks!
I hope that you do something restful and renewing with that hour.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
My favorite night of the year
Tonight is my favorite night of the year. We get an extra hour of sleep! It is the night we turn back the clocks one hour!
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Saturday, October 18, 2014
The Fall Crud
The last few weeks our house has been full of 2 "sickies".
It all started with a runny nose and sore throat that was a "gift" from a cute 4 year old to my husband. She is a sweet girl, but her germs came home. My husband went to the doctor and did a course of ant-biotics. As we went to the pharmacy, I got my flu shot.
Fast forward a week or so. I was getting the warm sweats, sore throat and fatigue. While I was at the doctor for a physical, she looked in my ears, nose and throat and said I was probably in the middle of a virus and should feel better in a couple of days.
This past Monday I felt so awful - ringing ears, sinus pressure and pain - all the symptoms of an infection. The doc looked in my ears and said I was working on an ear infection. So I have been working on a course of anti-biotics and ear drops.
My husband has also been feeling crummy again. He went to the doctor on Friday. He has broncitus and has lots of coughing and wheezing with his asthma.
So basically, our house has been full of one or two sickies for the last month. We have been buying Gatorade in bulk, sleeping a lot and resting. We are running the humidifier 24-7 and taking hot showers to feel better. Yup, the life of a sickie!
It all started with a runny nose and sore throat that was a "gift" from a cute 4 year old to my husband. She is a sweet girl, but her germs came home. My husband went to the doctor and did a course of ant-biotics. As we went to the pharmacy, I got my flu shot.
Fast forward a week or so. I was getting the warm sweats, sore throat and fatigue. While I was at the doctor for a physical, she looked in my ears, nose and throat and said I was probably in the middle of a virus and should feel better in a couple of days.
This past Monday I felt so awful - ringing ears, sinus pressure and pain - all the symptoms of an infection. The doc looked in my ears and said I was working on an ear infection. So I have been working on a course of anti-biotics and ear drops.
My husband has also been feeling crummy again. He went to the doctor on Friday. He has broncitus and has lots of coughing and wheezing with his asthma.
So basically, our house has been full of one or two sickies for the last month. We have been buying Gatorade in bulk, sleeping a lot and resting. We are running the humidifier 24-7 and taking hot showers to feel better. Yup, the life of a sickie!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Treadmill Time
We finally got a treadmill. We ordered it a couple of weeks ago. When it was delivered, the belt/motor part was too heavy for us to carry downstairs. Oops!!
Yesterday we were able to have some friends come over and get it downstairs. It only took about 15 min, which surprised me. We then assembled it...took an hour and that surprised me!
Last night I did a quick 1/2 mile to make sure it worked.
Tonight I did my first real walk. 2 miles in 45 min with some hill time in that!
My husband also did some walking today too.
I am really happy and thankful for another way to keep ourselves healthy.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Busy busy!
Life has been crazy lately! We got to spend a weekend with my parents and another weekend with my in-laws.
Fall cleaning is in progress - caught up on dishes, not quite on laundry. We've also (with help!) installed a water softener. We have ordered and received a treadmill. I sure hope we get it to be functional soon! Making progress on it again tonight.
It hasn't really cooled down much. It has been a bit cooler in the mornings, but still scorching in the afternoon. I don't want to deal with cold, but I am ready to be done with summer.
Other than that, life keeps moving. I've got to get blogging more regularly again. I'll work on it!!
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Wizard of Oz is 75!
It has been 75 years since the iconic film The Wizard of Oz celebrated its premiere.
This is probably my favorite movie of all time. There have been a bunch of articles and vintage pics on the web. Here are a couple of articles if you are interested in reading more!
Facts you (probably) didn't know about The Wizard of Oz. I even learned some more from this one!
Newsweek celebrates by posting the original 1939 review for the film. It was widely given bad reviews, thought to be too long and the studio lost money on the initial run.
- August 12, 1939: The world premiere of MGM's The Wizard of Oz was held at the Strand Theatre in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
- August 15, 1939: The Wizard of Oz had its Hollywood premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
This is probably my favorite movie of all time. There have been a bunch of articles and vintage pics on the web. Here are a couple of articles if you are interested in reading more!
Facts you (probably) didn't know about The Wizard of Oz. I even learned some more from this one!
Newsweek celebrates by posting the original 1939 review for the film. It was widely given bad reviews, thought to be too long and the studio lost money on the initial run.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Summer Book Catch-Up
Here is the Books I've Read update from the last couple of months!
View: Legends of Threkelder by Nicholas Carew.
This book is he saga of an orphan boy who is taken in by a Crew of misfits. The Crew uses magic, battle and theiving on a mysterious mission led by the leader. Along the way this orphan learns about who he is and the legacy that he has inherited.
This was not the greatest book and I did not like the writing style. While the book was very detailed, it was too detailed! Not one I would read again, but they can't all be winners!
The Hanging Judge, by Michael Ponsor
This is a courthouse drama that focuses on the judge of a death row peanalty case - the first in the state in many years. Judge Norcross must remain impartial and conduct the trial in the best way. This proves difficult for him as he is battling the media and attempting to deal with his new love.
This was a great and fast paced book to read. It is a great addition to the courtroom drama genre.
This year's Institute focused on Seneca and Nero. I read the following books for the courses.
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern (Book Club #3)
Our third book club selection was this fantastic tale of dueling magicians, a very unsual circus and the power of love. The book finds two magicians who are going to duel - each will train his own magician and they will battle. The area is the mystical Night Circus. The Night Circus - only open from dusk to dawn, is a traveling circus that showcases the talents of some very interesting characters. As time goes on the two people that are dueling - Celia and Marcus - end up falling in love and work to end the duel and remain together.
This was a very good book. It was a bit difficult to get into, but then it was impossible to put down!! The love story was not too sappy (which was good). The writing was great - good imagery, fast paced. The time jumps got a bit confusing, but that added to the style and theme of the story.
American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
This is a tale of how the gods of different peoples have come together in America and are now fading away. Wednesday is leading the old gods (Thor, Ares, etc.) into battle against the rising new gods (TV, money, etc.). Shadow - a recent parolee- is learning about all of this as he goes along. He works helping Wednesday and along the way discovers more about who he is.
This book was recommended by my husband and I have to say I did not like it at all! It was long and meandering and often confusing. There were very few parts that made me want to keep reading. I only finished this book because I can NOT leave a book unfinished!!
Digital Fortress, by Dan Brown
The NSA cryptography unit is attempting to gain access to a newly released encoding file. The creator of the file has threatened to release the file, and it's key, to the public in order to expose America's secrets. However the creator of the file is murdered without sharing the pass key. The director of the cryptography unit sends a mild mannered linguistics professor to recover the key. Can they find the key, stop the program and save the sacred classified information before time runs out?
I love Dan Brown's writing style a lot. This book is fast paced and had just the right number of twists and turns to keep me happy. A great book!!
June
View: Legends of Threkelder by Nicholas Carew.
This book is he saga of an orphan boy who is taken in by a Crew of misfits. The Crew uses magic, battle and theiving on a mysterious mission led by the leader. Along the way this orphan learns about who he is and the legacy that he has inherited.
This was not the greatest book and I did not like the writing style. While the book was very detailed, it was too detailed! Not one I would read again, but they can't all be winners!
This is a courthouse drama that focuses on the judge of a death row peanalty case - the first in the state in many years. Judge Norcross must remain impartial and conduct the trial in the best way. This proves difficult for him as he is battling the media and attempting to deal with his new love.
This was a great and fast paced book to read. It is a great addition to the courtroom drama genre.
Summer Classics Institute Books
July
Our third book club selection was this fantastic tale of dueling magicians, a very unsual circus and the power of love. The book finds two magicians who are going to duel - each will train his own magician and they will battle. The area is the mystical Night Circus. The Night Circus - only open from dusk to dawn, is a traveling circus that showcases the talents of some very interesting characters. As time goes on the two people that are dueling - Celia and Marcus - end up falling in love and work to end the duel and remain together.
This was a very good book. It was a bit difficult to get into, but then it was impossible to put down!! The love story was not too sappy (which was good). The writing was great - good imagery, fast paced. The time jumps got a bit confusing, but that added to the style and theme of the story.
This is a tale of how the gods of different peoples have come together in America and are now fading away. Wednesday is leading the old gods (Thor, Ares, etc.) into battle against the rising new gods (TV, money, etc.). Shadow - a recent parolee- is learning about all of this as he goes along. He works helping Wednesday and along the way discovers more about who he is.
This book was recommended by my husband and I have to say I did not like it at all! It was long and meandering and often confusing. There were very few parts that made me want to keep reading. I only finished this book because I can NOT leave a book unfinished!!
August
The NSA cryptography unit is attempting to gain access to a newly released encoding file. The creator of the file has threatened to release the file, and it's key, to the public in order to expose America's secrets. However the creator of the file is murdered without sharing the pass key. The director of the cryptography unit sends a mild mannered linguistics professor to recover the key. Can they find the key, stop the program and save the sacred classified information before time runs out?
I love Dan Brown's writing style a lot. This book is fast paced and had just the right number of twists and turns to keep me happy. A great book!!
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Vacation
This summer we celebrated our 10th Anniversary. Our last 10 years together have taken us on many different journeys. We have gone on some really cool vacations - cruise, Disneyland, mountain get-aways, Carlsbad Caverns. Some very cool and exciting things.
To celebrate our 10th Anniversary we spent 3 days in Colorado. We had not planned on it, but it turned out being a trip of the things that we have done while dating or married.
On our first day we went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. While there we saw a planetarium show on the astronomy of the Maya. We then went to their special exhibit on the Maya. It was very cool and very interactive. The curators did a great job appealing to people of all ages. Very cool. That night we went to Casa Bonita since I had never been there. Casa Bonita is definitely an experience. The food wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I loved it!
On our second day we had planned to go to the Denver Zoo. However, when we got up it was pouring rain out! Denver had gotten 3+ inches of rain the day before and it was not letting up. So we went to the on-the-fly Plan B. We started the day at Hammond's Candy Factory to take the tour. After that, we did our shopping and wandered the mall. We then went swimming at the hotel pool (thank goodness an indoor and heated pool). After dinner we headed to a "bar-cade" called 1-Up. It is in downtown Denver and is a bar that has a ton of video games. My favorites were pinball and a 2 player Pac-Man. Josh did great on Donkey Kong Jr. and even got the high score!
Our third day we toured the Celestial Seasons factory. It was a fun little tour and I found a new tea that I love - it's a blueberry tea that tastes great iced! We then drove up to Estes Park and spent the afternoon wandering the downtown area. We dropped our stuff at the B&B and went back into town to have dinner. We ate at Poppy's Pizza and were able to sit outside by the river. This was one of the businesses that was damaged in the flood last year. It was a great day.
On our final day we had breakfast at the B&B with the other couple who were guests there. They are from France, just outside of Paris, and we had some very cool and interesting conversations. After breakfast we sat on the porch for a while to watch the hummingbirds (there were TONS of them!). We went into Estes again and did a bit more shopping then started to head home. We ended up stopping at a little cherry stand place that we stopped at during our 5th anniversary trip to Loveland. We ate lunch at Chili's and then finished heading home.
All in all, we had a great trip. It was nice and relaxing and I am very glad that we were able to be flexible with the weather, etc. This trip was a wonderful way to spend our 10th anniversary!
To celebrate our 10th Anniversary we spent 3 days in Colorado. We had not planned on it, but it turned out being a trip of the things that we have done while dating or married.On our first day we went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. While there we saw a planetarium show on the astronomy of the Maya. We then went to their special exhibit on the Maya. It was very cool and very interactive. The curators did a great job appealing to people of all ages. Very cool. That night we went to Casa Bonita since I had never been there. Casa Bonita is definitely an experience. The food wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I loved it!
Our third day we toured the Celestial Seasons factory. It was a fun little tour and I found a new tea that I love - it's a blueberry tea that tastes great iced! We then drove up to Estes Park and spent the afternoon wandering the downtown area. We dropped our stuff at the B&B and went back into town to have dinner. We ate at Poppy's Pizza and were able to sit outside by the river. This was one of the businesses that was damaged in the flood last year. It was a great day. |
| The beautiful panorama from our balcony. |
 |
| A "Tin-Man" at our B&B |
On our final day we had breakfast at the B&B with the other couple who were guests there. They are from France, just outside of Paris, and we had some very cool and interesting conversations. After breakfast we sat on the porch for a while to watch the hummingbirds (there were TONS of them!). We went into Estes again and did a bit more shopping then started to head home. We ended up stopping at a little cherry stand place that we stopped at during our 5th anniversary trip to Loveland. We ate lunch at Chili's and then finished heading home.
All in all, we had a great trip. It was nice and relaxing and I am very glad that we were able to be flexible with the weather, etc. This trip was a wonderful way to spend our 10th anniversary!
Friday, August 8, 2014
Summer!
It seems that in summer I do not want to get on my computer and blog! I have been spending lots of time binge-watching TV on Netflix, watching movies and reading. It has been so HOT that the only thing I feel like doing is hanging out in the basement.
I think I have watched almost all of the DVDs I have. Movies are a fun way to hang out in the basement. I've watched Frozen, Hunger Games, Despicable Me (1 &2), Shrek (1-4), Ever After...
I've lots watch of TV shows too! Orange is the New Black, Scandal, House. I'm totally enjoying hanging out and spending lots of time doing nothing!!
I'll have some posts coming up to catch up on life: a book catch up and a vacation post.
I think I have watched almost all of the DVDs I have. Movies are a fun way to hang out in the basement. I've watched Frozen, Hunger Games, Despicable Me (1 &2), Shrek (1-4), Ever After...
I've lots watch of TV shows too! Orange is the New Black, Scandal, House. I'm totally enjoying hanging out and spending lots of time doing nothing!!
I'll have some posts coming up to catch up on life: a book catch up and a vacation post.
Monday, July 14, 2014
2014 Color Dash
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Do all corgis love cheese?
One of the internet's best comedians is The Frogman. He has a corgi named Otis.
Frogman has teamed up with web comic artist Chris Gugliotti to create the weekly CorgLife.
This week's installment is about Otis's amazing cheese senses. It is TOTALLY Daisy!
Go read it!
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Summer Classics Institute Day 5 - Thursday
Today is the final full day of the Summer Classics Institute for 2014. We've had an amazing year and amazing courses.
We started the day with a delicious breakfast - biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, bacon and fruit. I know I say it every day, but Robin really fills me up! I had to have my after-eating walk so I could burn some calories.
We then headed to our final morning mini-course. Debby led us through 4th style painting in Pompeii. We then touched many topics that our text, by Mary Beard, discussed more fully. Debby does an amazing job pulling together images, text, literature and her knowledge into an amazing mini-course!
At seminar, we were joined again by the philosophy professor Rob. The Seneca text we discussed covered the topic of how we treat others. I am really enjoying the rhetorical aspects of Seneca and the effectiveness of his arguments.
Lunch was delicious. It was followed up by the post-calorie walk. This led into our final afternoon mini-course. Phil led us through debate and thought about how the Emperor Julian thought about Christianity. We also talked about rhetoric some more in the context of a "classical" education and the effectiveness of Julian's writings, argument and policies.
Our final public lecture was given by Debby Sneed - a PhD student in archaeology at UCLA. She gave a thought provoking overview of Pompeii and Herculaneum. She discussed the timeline of the eruption as well as the various stages of excavation at the sites.
We ended the day with our traditional "closing dinner" at Altitude's here in Laramie. I had great discussion with two of the participants and the Executive Director of the Wyoming Humanities Council. I think we had a lot of ideas that bounced around and some that may work to bring the Council to more Wyoming residents.
I'm looking forward to our final seminar session tomorrow. But for tonight, I am off to bed!
We started the day with a delicious breakfast - biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, bacon and fruit. I know I say it every day, but Robin really fills me up! I had to have my after-eating walk so I could burn some calories.
We then headed to our final morning mini-course. Debby led us through 4th style painting in Pompeii. We then touched many topics that our text, by Mary Beard, discussed more fully. Debby does an amazing job pulling together images, text, literature and her knowledge into an amazing mini-course!
At seminar, we were joined again by the philosophy professor Rob. The Seneca text we discussed covered the topic of how we treat others. I am really enjoying the rhetorical aspects of Seneca and the effectiveness of his arguments.
Lunch was delicious. It was followed up by the post-calorie walk. This led into our final afternoon mini-course. Phil led us through debate and thought about how the Emperor Julian thought about Christianity. We also talked about rhetoric some more in the context of a "classical" education and the effectiveness of Julian's writings, argument and policies.
Our final public lecture was given by Debby Sneed - a PhD student in archaeology at UCLA. She gave a thought provoking overview of Pompeii and Herculaneum. She discussed the timeline of the eruption as well as the various stages of excavation at the sites.
We ended the day with our traditional "closing dinner" at Altitude's here in Laramie. I had great discussion with two of the participants and the Executive Director of the Wyoming Humanities Council. I think we had a lot of ideas that bounced around and some that may work to bring the Council to more Wyoming residents.
I'm looking forward to our final seminar session tomorrow. But for tonight, I am off to bed!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Summer Classics Institute Day 4: Wednesday
Today at the Summer Classics Institute was the "Wednesday Slump". The Wednesday Slump is the day that the readings start blending together and we are citing the seminar or mini-courses in other contexts. This is the great part. Phil has been wonderful in making everything connect to each other and all the classes work so well. All of our new knowledge is working together and that is truly masterful! Kudos Phil!
The Wednesday Slump is also the day when we are all exhausted. Between so, so much food (kudos to Robin, our caterer), so much discussion and so much readings, there isn't much time for sleep. It really is starting to catch up.
Despite it being Wednesday Slump day, it was another amazing day at the Institute!
Breakfast was some delicious French Toast, bacon and scones. Too much food, but oh so yummy! I sat with some old friends from the Institute and we had some pretty cool discussions. I followed up breakfast with my post-breakfast walk. I am glad we have a little bit more time in the day so that I can walk off some of those calories I ate!
In our Pompeii course this morning, we started by looking at the Temple of Isis in Pompeii. It is a great little sacred precinct that was remarkably well preserved. This segued into a discussion about art and expression in Pompeii. We talked about the public/private function of homes and then moved to looking at the different painting styles. We went through 3 of the 4 painting styles with tomorrow looking at the 4th style.
Today's seminar focused on only one treatise - Seneca's de celementia (On Clemency). The work that survives is only the first book and a portion of the second book (of three total). Our discussion centered around Seneca's rhetorical arguments and their effectiveness. After a very, very enlightening discussion, I think we all came to the conclusion that we wish more had survived!
Lunch was Robin's cabbage burgers and nachos. I was naughty and skipped the salad, so my plate was very brown and yellow (go Cowboys!). We topped the meal off with apple crisp followed by my post-calorie walk!
My afternoon mini-course with Phil focused on the Roman claim that Christianity was a superstitio. This word more accurately translates as "something that stands above traditional religion". It was not inherently negative in Rome at this time. We were able to pull together our discussions of the differences and the debate between the Christians and the Jews at this time, the fact that there was no coherent or unified belief for either of the sects, the assumption and absorption of local gods by the Romans and the function of Roman religious ritual in society. We finished with a discussion of the question if Christianity should be treated tolerantly by the Romans or should be persecuted by the Roman government. As always, more questions than answers, but great discussion.
Along with being the Wednesday Slump, it is also Classics Movie Night! Tonight we watched Quo Vadis. This 1953 epic runs at 171 minutes and was on 2 DVDs! Peter Ustinov played a wonderful depiction of Nero and was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that role. The film was made from the viewpoint of Nero as the "Antichrist" (as the opening narration calls him) who persecuted the Christians. It was a great film and one I may not have watched otherwise.
The Wednesday Slump is also the day when we are all exhausted. Between so, so much food (kudos to Robin, our caterer), so much discussion and so much readings, there isn't much time for sleep. It really is starting to catch up.
Despite it being Wednesday Slump day, it was another amazing day at the Institute!
Breakfast was some delicious French Toast, bacon and scones. Too much food, but oh so yummy! I sat with some old friends from the Institute and we had some pretty cool discussions. I followed up breakfast with my post-breakfast walk. I am glad we have a little bit more time in the day so that I can walk off some of those calories I ate!
In our Pompeii course this morning, we started by looking at the Temple of Isis in Pompeii. It is a great little sacred precinct that was remarkably well preserved. This segued into a discussion about art and expression in Pompeii. We talked about the public/private function of homes and then moved to looking at the different painting styles. We went through 3 of the 4 painting styles with tomorrow looking at the 4th style.
Today's seminar focused on only one treatise - Seneca's de celementia (On Clemency). The work that survives is only the first book and a portion of the second book (of three total). Our discussion centered around Seneca's rhetorical arguments and their effectiveness. After a very, very enlightening discussion, I think we all came to the conclusion that we wish more had survived!
Lunch was Robin's cabbage burgers and nachos. I was naughty and skipped the salad, so my plate was very brown and yellow (go Cowboys!). We topped the meal off with apple crisp followed by my post-calorie walk!
My afternoon mini-course with Phil focused on the Roman claim that Christianity was a superstitio. This word more accurately translates as "something that stands above traditional religion". It was not inherently negative in Rome at this time. We were able to pull together our discussions of the differences and the debate between the Christians and the Jews at this time, the fact that there was no coherent or unified belief for either of the sects, the assumption and absorption of local gods by the Romans and the function of Roman religious ritual in society. We finished with a discussion of the question if Christianity should be treated tolerantly by the Romans or should be persecuted by the Roman government. As always, more questions than answers, but great discussion.
Along with being the Wednesday Slump, it is also Classics Movie Night! Tonight we watched Quo Vadis. This 1953 epic runs at 171 minutes and was on 2 DVDs! Peter Ustinov played a wonderful depiction of Nero and was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that role. The film was made from the viewpoint of Nero as the "Antichrist" (as the opening narration calls him) who persecuted the Christians. It was a great film and one I may not have watched otherwise.
Summer Classics Institute Day 3: Tuesday
Today was another great day at the Summer Classics Institute.
We, of course, started the morning with a delicious breakfast by Robin. She is such a fantastic caterer and I find I'm never hungry while I am at the Institute. She feeds us well! We also had some amazing conversations at breakfast. I had the chance to sit with some people I had not sat with before.
We then went to our morning mini-course. Debby continued our lessons on Pompeii and Herculaneum. We started to look at the various grafitti and discuss how all the social activities in Rome were tied with the family and the home. I'm looking forward to the discussion on private buildings later this week.
We then headed to seminar to discuss more Stoic philosophy. A philosophy teacher also joined us. There was a lot of interesting discussion, especially between the Classicists and the Philosophers. Great as always!
We had our lunch - too full and too delicious. I tend to follow up all meals with a short walk while I am here. I definitely need the walking.
In our afternoon seminar with Phil we continued our discussion of early Christianity and Roman religions. The focus was on the secret or hidden nature of the new religion of Christianity. One of the main take-aways has been that the Christians did not participate in the daily social rituals of Rome - specifically worshiping the state gods with sacrifice. This is one of the reasons that the Christians were singled out in ancient Rome.
In the evening we had a great talk given by Lorenzo Garcia of UNM in Albuquerque. Lorenzo discussed the most complete section of Petronius' Satyricon - a dinner party (cena) given by Trimalchius. His talk led us through food as a cultural construct. We talked about Levi-Strauss's theory of food. The raw-cooked-rotten triangle and what it means for society, as well as the temporal and unexpected shift between the states of the food as a metaphor for how the host presents himself. It was a great talk and sparked a lot of conversation and thought.
Another day is down in the books for this year's Summer Classics Institute. It was a busy day and we are all feeling the effects of too much food, too little sleep and just the right amount of discussions!!
We, of course, started the morning with a delicious breakfast by Robin. She is such a fantastic caterer and I find I'm never hungry while I am at the Institute. She feeds us well! We also had some amazing conversations at breakfast. I had the chance to sit with some people I had not sat with before.
We then went to our morning mini-course. Debby continued our lessons on Pompeii and Herculaneum. We started to look at the various grafitti and discuss how all the social activities in Rome were tied with the family and the home. I'm looking forward to the discussion on private buildings later this week.
We then headed to seminar to discuss more Stoic philosophy. A philosophy teacher also joined us. There was a lot of interesting discussion, especially between the Classicists and the Philosophers. Great as always!
We had our lunch - too full and too delicious. I tend to follow up all meals with a short walk while I am here. I definitely need the walking.
In our afternoon seminar with Phil we continued our discussion of early Christianity and Roman religions. The focus was on the secret or hidden nature of the new religion of Christianity. One of the main take-aways has been that the Christians did not participate in the daily social rituals of Rome - specifically worshiping the state gods with sacrifice. This is one of the reasons that the Christians were singled out in ancient Rome.
In the evening we had a great talk given by Lorenzo Garcia of UNM in Albuquerque. Lorenzo discussed the most complete section of Petronius' Satyricon - a dinner party (cena) given by Trimalchius. His talk led us through food as a cultural construct. We talked about Levi-Strauss's theory of food. The raw-cooked-rotten triangle and what it means for society, as well as the temporal and unexpected shift between the states of the food as a metaphor for how the host presents himself. It was a great talk and sparked a lot of conversation and thought.
Another day is down in the books for this year's Summer Classics Institute. It was a busy day and we are all feeling the effects of too much food, too little sleep and just the right amount of discussions!!
Monday, June 16, 2014
Summer Classics Institute Day 2: Monday
Today was our first full day at the 15th Summer Classics Institute. By the end of the first day I am already feeling like I have always been here and I should always be here!
We begin the day with breakfast catered by Robin. I know that I will never go hungry when Robin is cooking! It is a nice way to start the day with some delicious breakfast items and some nice conversation. This morning I sat with some of the participants that I have met at previous events. We were all catching up with each other and exchanging stories of the past year.
My first mini-course of the day is with Debby on the Archaeology of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Debby's lectures are always great multi-media experience. We discussed the general history of the region. We had great discussion and it was really enhanced by the knowledge of the participants. He was able to share more about a caldera and how it is formed. Debby ended the lecture with some newsreel footage of the 1944 eruption of Vesuvius. I was totally amazed that everyone was standing in the street and just watching as the volcanic eruption approaching their homes.
Everyone then gathered for the morning seminar session. We are look at the Stoic Philosophy and Letters or Seneca. One of our major over-arching discussions was that Seneca was writing a How To Survive in Roman Aristocracy Under Nero. We also discussed how this Stoic philosophy applies to our lives today. In turn, we discussed if it is even appropriate to attempt to apply these ideas to our lives.
Lunch was again at the American Studies building catered by our wonderful Robin. At 8:30 pm I am still full!
The afternoon mini-course I am taking is with Phil Holt on Pagans and Christians. We had a nice background discussion on the Roman religio and how they thought of their religion. One of the main things that we will be looking at is how Christianity was viewed through the eyes of the Romans. This is going to be an awesome course because this is how I have studied the religion of this time and place.
This year the public lecture is at 4pm instead of 7pm. I must say that The schedule made the day flow much better. Tonight we had a lecture by Kurt Raaflaub on Tacitus and how his historical works reflect Tacitus's experience under the early Empire. This was a great tie-in with last year's thoughts on the Greek historians and reading their works within the context of their experience.
Following the lecture, I headed to dinner with a number of people. We headed down to a local pub/restaurant. Still full from lunch, I ate some delicious nachos and have some more for a late night snack!
It has been a busy but amazing first day of the Institute. I am looking forward to all of the connections between the mini-courses, seminar and public lectures.
We begin the day with breakfast catered by Robin. I know that I will never go hungry when Robin is cooking! It is a nice way to start the day with some delicious breakfast items and some nice conversation. This morning I sat with some of the participants that I have met at previous events. We were all catching up with each other and exchanging stories of the past year.
My first mini-course of the day is with Debby on the Archaeology of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Debby's lectures are always great multi-media experience. We discussed the general history of the region. We had great discussion and it was really enhanced by the knowledge of the participants. He was able to share more about a caldera and how it is formed. Debby ended the lecture with some newsreel footage of the 1944 eruption of Vesuvius. I was totally amazed that everyone was standing in the street and just watching as the volcanic eruption approaching their homes.
Everyone then gathered for the morning seminar session. We are look at the Stoic Philosophy and Letters or Seneca. One of our major over-arching discussions was that Seneca was writing a How To Survive in Roman Aristocracy Under Nero. We also discussed how this Stoic philosophy applies to our lives today. In turn, we discussed if it is even appropriate to attempt to apply these ideas to our lives.
Lunch was again at the American Studies building catered by our wonderful Robin. At 8:30 pm I am still full!
The afternoon mini-course I am taking is with Phil Holt on Pagans and Christians. We had a nice background discussion on the Roman religio and how they thought of their religion. One of the main things that we will be looking at is how Christianity was viewed through the eyes of the Romans. This is going to be an awesome course because this is how I have studied the religion of this time and place.
This year the public lecture is at 4pm instead of 7pm. I must say that The schedule made the day flow much better. Tonight we had a lecture by Kurt Raaflaub on Tacitus and how his historical works reflect Tacitus's experience under the early Empire. This was a great tie-in with last year's thoughts on the Greek historians and reading their works within the context of their experience.
Following the lecture, I headed to dinner with a number of people. We headed down to a local pub/restaurant. Still full from lunch, I ate some delicious nachos and have some more for a late night snack!
It has been a busy but amazing first day of the Institute. I am looking forward to all of the connections between the mini-courses, seminar and public lectures.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Summer Classics Institute Day 1: Welcome Dinner and Opening Lecture
Today was our first night at the 15th Summer Classics Institute in Laramie. I rolled into town after an uneventful drive through the canyon. I checked into the hotel (remember my splurge?) and reconnected with a participant from two years ago (my first Institute on The Odyssey). The hotel is beautiful and is such a great splurge for me.
I got settled and headed out to do "big city" shopping at Wal-Mart. On my way out I ran into the professors who will be teaching this week!
We all met at a local Italian restaurant - Lucciano's - for bonding, conversation and yummy food! The buffet was delicious and I was stuffed after we got done. This year's Institute has 12 participants, plus the variety of professors and support staff who also rock!
The program coordinator told a story at dinner that made me laugh. She was over at the dorms this afternoon and there were two girls asked if she was with the music camp. She told them that no, she was here with the Classics Institute - ancient history. The girls looked at each other and said "super nerds"! So at dinner we decided that first time "campers" are "nerds" and that repeat "campers" should be called "super nerds"! So I guess that this year I am at "Super Nerd Camp"!
We then headed to our old haunt at the UW Law School for our opening lecture. This year Phil gave our opening lecture on The Emperor and the Philosopher: Nero, Seneca and Their World. The lecture was great, as always. Phil started with an overview of the Roman Republic, civil wars and Julio-Claudians leading up to Nero. He also included an overview of philosophy and of Seneca and the Stoics in particular. I just love Phil's off-beat humor and he had some amazing slides.
The Wyoming Humanities Council has video taped the lecture and will post it online at some point. I will most definitely post the link when it is up. I really, really hope they will also post a link to his power-point because that is something that everyone should see!
After the lecture I headed back to the hotel, prepared myself for our first full day tomorrow and showered. Now it's blogging and then off to bed for me!
I got settled and headed out to do "big city" shopping at Wal-Mart. On my way out I ran into the professors who will be teaching this week!
We all met at a local Italian restaurant - Lucciano's - for bonding, conversation and yummy food! The buffet was delicious and I was stuffed after we got done. This year's Institute has 12 participants, plus the variety of professors and support staff who also rock!
The program coordinator told a story at dinner that made me laugh. She was over at the dorms this afternoon and there were two girls asked if she was with the music camp. She told them that no, she was here with the Classics Institute - ancient history. The girls looked at each other and said "super nerds"! So at dinner we decided that first time "campers" are "nerds" and that repeat "campers" should be called "super nerds"! So I guess that this year I am at "Super Nerd Camp"!
We then headed to our old haunt at the UW Law School for our opening lecture. This year Phil gave our opening lecture on The Emperor and the Philosopher: Nero, Seneca and Their World. The lecture was great, as always. Phil started with an overview of the Roman Republic, civil wars and Julio-Claudians leading up to Nero. He also included an overview of philosophy and of Seneca and the Stoics in particular. I just love Phil's off-beat humor and he had some amazing slides.
The Wyoming Humanities Council has video taped the lecture and will post it online at some point. I will most definitely post the link when it is up. I really, really hope they will also post a link to his power-point because that is something that everyone should see!
After the lecture I headed back to the hotel, prepared myself for our first full day tomorrow and showered. Now it's blogging and then off to bed for me!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Getting Ready - Summer Classics Institute 2014
In just a few days I'll be headed to one of my favorite weeks each year! The Summer Classics Institute, hosted by the Wyoming Humanities Council, will begin this Sunday in Laramie!
I am getting very, very excited. This year's topic is the Reign of Nero. I've completed the readings for my morning mini-course on Pompeii with Debby Snead as well as most of the readings for my afternoon mini-course on Christianity in the time of Nero with Phil Holt. I'm working on my seminar readings this week - selections from the writings of the philosopher Seneca.
This year I am staying in a local hotel rather than the dorms. I wanted to spoil myself a little and I definitely wanted to take advantage of the AC provided at the hotel. The last 2 years I learned that Laramie gets H-O-T in June.
I am so excited for this upcoming week of learning, networking and being with people who are just as passionate about this time period as I am. My plan is to "live blog" the Institute each day again this year. Look for my daily posts starting on Sunday.
If you are interested in participating in the Summer Classics Institute, the public lectures or would like to learn more about the Wyoming Humanities Council, please visit their website at thinkwy.org.
I am getting very, very excited. This year's topic is the Reign of Nero. I've completed the readings for my morning mini-course on Pompeii with Debby Snead as well as most of the readings for my afternoon mini-course on Christianity in the time of Nero with Phil Holt. I'm working on my seminar readings this week - selections from the writings of the philosopher Seneca.
This year I am staying in a local hotel rather than the dorms. I wanted to spoil myself a little and I definitely wanted to take advantage of the AC provided at the hotel. The last 2 years I learned that Laramie gets H-O-T in June.
I am so excited for this upcoming week of learning, networking and being with people who are just as passionate about this time period as I am. My plan is to "live blog" the Institute each day again this year. Look for my daily posts starting on Sunday.
If you are interested in participating in the Summer Classics Institute, the public lectures or would like to learn more about the Wyoming Humanities Council, please visit their website at thinkwy.org.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
My First 10K
This year on Memorial Day I had the chance to participate in my first 10K race. I walked the BolderBoulder 10K in Colorado with family. It was a truly amazing, and crazy, experience.
I knew it was a very huge event, but I was floored at just how big it truly was! We arrived in down town Boulder and there were people everywhere!! Being a small-town lover, I expected things to get overwhelming pretty quickly. Yet, everything was so organized and went smoothly that I soon forgot about the thousands of people there.
We started our walk and finished in just over 2 hours. Not bad for a 10K while walking with a total of 5 people in our group!! There were people cheering along the whole route - playing music, singers, belly dancers, people spraying walkers with the hoses, and even a slip n slide. It is certainly a Boulder experience. After we finished the race, we got our "snack bag" and ate in the field house watching the final walker finish (an older gentleman who recieved a standing ovation from the packed stadium). We then saw the women's and the men's "professional" races over the TV screens and saw them finish.
All in all, this was a great day and one I am very proud of!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Book Club 2: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Book Club has been a wonderful experience. We finished our 2nd book this week and it's one that I chose! Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan, is an awesome tale that blends technology and books.Clay comes upon a strange bookstore - a 24-hour bookstore to be precise. He ends up with a job as the night shift clerk for Mr. Penumbra. Clay can not figure out how the bookstore stays open since they never sell anything! But it doesn't take long for Clay to discover that there is more to Penumbra and his bookstore than meets the eyes.
Clay and his tech-saavy friends figure out the secret of the bookstore - it is part of a society called Festina Lente that works to decode the life-work of various prior members. Clay, Penumbra and their friends go on a quest to solve the ultimate mystery of this group and to validate the use of technology in the pursuit of the answers.
This was a great read for book club. We had many interesting discussions about the blending of technology and print, our legacy and the power of believing in ourselves. A definitely good read!
I followed this up with the pre-quel novella Ajax Penumbra, 1969. This quick read tells how Ajax Penumbra got involved with the Festina Lente group. Penumbra's journey takes him across the country and into the depths of San Francisco. This was a good read as well. I loved it!
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
No Place Like Oz and Dorothy Must Die
In the last couple of weeks I have read two books set in the world of Oz. This probably wasn't the best idea to read them in the spring ... crazy thunderstorms, tornado warnings. You know, the weather that takes girls from Kansas to Oz.
I read the prequel novella for a series that I am really enjoying called No Place Like Oz, by Danielle Paige. Two years after Dorothy returned to Kansas farm life with Aunt Em and
Uncle Henry after her trip to Oz, Oz is all she can think of. On her
16th birthday, Dorothy wishes to go back to the magic and color of that
fantastic world. Some ruby slippers appear in her room, she clicks three times, says "There's no place like Oz" and Dorothy gets
her wish. She returns to Oz as a hero: cyclone-rider, Witch-killer.
Upon her arrival, she learns that Glinda has been kidnapped. Dorothy, along with a reluctant Aunt Em and Uncle Henry (who were along for the ride this time) must try to find Glinda and rescue her. Once they rescue Glinda they can head home. But is that what Dorothy really wants? Or, will the fame, color and magic of Oz be what she wants more of.
This was another in my new favorite (made-up) genre of "twisted tales". It is fast paced and fairly well written. I could definitely see where the characters were going and what their motivations would be, but I am still a little shocked at how they got from point A to point B. It certainly provided a lot of back story for...
Dorothy Must Die, by Danielle Paige. Fast forward to more modern times. Amy Gumm lives in Dusty Acres - a sad trailer park community with no color - with her pain-killer addicted mom. Amy also got in a fight with the schools resident "mean girl" - a pregnant teenager who manipulates Amy in order to get a rise out of her. Amy's mom heads off to a tornado party (does anyone really have those?) and the storm actually does come! Amy is wisked off in the tornado and plopped down in Oz.
This Oz is not the one she grew up reading and watching on TV. This Oz is drab and plain scary. This oz is broken. After wandering and getting herself into trouble, Amy is rescued by a group of witches and wizards known as the Council of the Wicked. They are "recruiting" Amy to kill the evil Princess Dorothy. Dorothy has access to magic and is ruining Oz in an attempt to create the life she wants. The Council believes that the only way Dorothy can be killed is by someone from her own land.
Amy must find a way to kill Dorothy and return Oz to its beautiful self. Amy has no intention of killing Dorothy in the beginning. Yet, as she works more with the council, then undercover as a maid/servant to Dorothy, Amy truly believes that Dorothy is now evil. Dorothy must die!
Twists, turns, action and relateable characters. This book was a quick but intense read. ::::warning: there are quite a few (okay, a lot) of curse words in the book::: I loved it though. I couldn't stop reading it until I got to the very last page! I think kept trying to turn the pages and read the next one but IT IS NOT EVEN PUBLISHED YET!! Definitely one I will get on release day!!
I read the prequel novella for a series that I am really enjoying called No Place Like Oz, by Danielle Paige. Two years after Dorothy returned to Kansas farm life with Aunt Em and
Uncle Henry after her trip to Oz, Oz is all she can think of. On her
16th birthday, Dorothy wishes to go back to the magic and color of that
fantastic world. Some ruby slippers appear in her room, she clicks three times, says "There's no place like Oz" and Dorothy gets
her wish. She returns to Oz as a hero: cyclone-rider, Witch-killer.Upon her arrival, she learns that Glinda has been kidnapped. Dorothy, along with a reluctant Aunt Em and Uncle Henry (who were along for the ride this time) must try to find Glinda and rescue her. Once they rescue Glinda they can head home. But is that what Dorothy really wants? Or, will the fame, color and magic of Oz be what she wants more of.
This was another in my new favorite (made-up) genre of "twisted tales". It is fast paced and fairly well written. I could definitely see where the characters were going and what their motivations would be, but I am still a little shocked at how they got from point A to point B. It certainly provided a lot of back story for...
Dorothy Must Die, by Danielle Paige. Fast forward to more modern times. Amy Gumm lives in Dusty Acres - a sad trailer park community with no color - with her pain-killer addicted mom. Amy also got in a fight with the schools resident "mean girl" - a pregnant teenager who manipulates Amy in order to get a rise out of her. Amy's mom heads off to a tornado party (does anyone really have those?) and the storm actually does come! Amy is wisked off in the tornado and plopped down in Oz.This Oz is not the one she grew up reading and watching on TV. This Oz is drab and plain scary. This oz is broken. After wandering and getting herself into trouble, Amy is rescued by a group of witches and wizards known as the Council of the Wicked. They are "recruiting" Amy to kill the evil Princess Dorothy. Dorothy has access to magic and is ruining Oz in an attempt to create the life she wants. The Council believes that the only way Dorothy can be killed is by someone from her own land.
Amy must find a way to kill Dorothy and return Oz to its beautiful self. Amy has no intention of killing Dorothy in the beginning. Yet, as she works more with the council, then undercover as a maid/servant to Dorothy, Amy truly believes that Dorothy is now evil. Dorothy must die!
Twists, turns, action and relateable characters. This book was a quick but intense read. ::::warning: there are quite a few (okay, a lot) of curse words in the book::: I loved it though. I couldn't stop reading it until I got to the very last page! I think kept trying to turn the pages and read the next one but IT IS NOT EVEN PUBLISHED YET!! Definitely one I will get on release day!!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Emerald Green and Son of Neptune
I seriously read WAY more than I blog anymore. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I get online on my tablet more than my actual computer?
I just finished reading the third book in the Precious Stone trilogy. Emerald Green, by Kerstin Geir, is the action-packed conclusion to this time-traveling mystery series. As the book opens Gwen is still suffering from her heart-breaking conversation with Gideon. She must still see him daily though and that makes things tough.
In the mean time, the Guardians are pressuring Gwen and Gideon to find Paul and Lucy (who stole the second chronograph), catch them and return the chronograph so that both units can "close the circle". It is legend that once the circle is closed the world will be given the ability to cure all illnesses and disease, thus making everyone immortal.
Gwen and her BFF Lesley, end up working with Gideon and his brother (after reconciling with Gideon) and Gwen's gargoyle friend Xemerius to uncover the truth about the chronograph and immortality. They travel through time, learn some shocking truths, and ultimately help make the best decision for humanity.
I again recommend this series to fans of fantasy, suspense, action and history.
I also finished reading Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan. This is the second book in the Heroes of Olympus series. This book finds our old friend Per
cy Jackson (!) as he meets up with the kids from Camp Jupiter. Juno sends them on a quest to find the missing legion's standard, release the guardian of the gates of death and return to camp to help fight off Gaia's army of evil monsters. All this amounts to a new adventure that is filled with action, twists and turns and fills over 500 pages!
Riordan is one of my favorite YA authors and I absolutely love the blending of Greek/Roman mythology with the YA genre of action, heroes and self-discovery. For all the Percy fans, this one is a must read!!
I just finished reading the third book in the Precious Stone trilogy. Emerald Green, by Kerstin Geir, is the action-packed conclusion to this time-traveling mystery series. As the book opens Gwen is still suffering from her heart-breaking conversation with Gideon. She must still see him daily though and that makes things tough. In the mean time, the Guardians are pressuring Gwen and Gideon to find Paul and Lucy (who stole the second chronograph), catch them and return the chronograph so that both units can "close the circle". It is legend that once the circle is closed the world will be given the ability to cure all illnesses and disease, thus making everyone immortal.
Gwen and her BFF Lesley, end up working with Gideon and his brother (after reconciling with Gideon) and Gwen's gargoyle friend Xemerius to uncover the truth about the chronograph and immortality. They travel through time, learn some shocking truths, and ultimately help make the best decision for humanity.
I again recommend this series to fans of fantasy, suspense, action and history.
I also finished reading Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan. This is the second book in the Heroes of Olympus series. This book finds our old friend Percy Jackson (!) as he meets up with the kids from Camp Jupiter. Juno sends them on a quest to find the missing legion's standard, release the guardian of the gates of death and return to camp to help fight off Gaia's army of evil monsters. All this amounts to a new adventure that is filled with action, twists and turns and fills over 500 pages!
Riordan is one of my favorite YA authors and I absolutely love the blending of Greek/Roman mythology with the YA genre of action, heroes and self-discovery. For all the Percy fans, this one is a must read!!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Stupid Weather
It is early May, so I must be about to rant about weather. It has been beautiful outside for a week. Today was in the upper 60s, but turned cloudy and rainy in the afternoon. Well we were getting ready for bed and it's sinking snowing! Grrrrrr.
I hate Spring!
Monday, May 5, 2014
Book Club 1: A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Baeh
This is a review of a very intense book.
Did you know that I joined a book club? Yup! A few of my co-workers and I formed a book club and we've read one book so far. The book was chosen by the one guy in our group.
In A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider, by Ishmael Baeh, the author tells of his childhood growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone. The book opened with Ishmael describing his group of friends wearing Nikes and rapping.
Ishmael faces many trials as he grows up being forced into the army, fighting in the war, and his long road to recovery and rehabilitation He is so very inspiring. Ishamel's writing is insightful and positive, despite all that he has gone through. A Long Way Gone is an honest, real account of this young man's life. It is extremely intense and often graphic. This is not something that I would have chosen to read on my own, but it gave me something to think about.
We've started reading our second book club selection - something I've chosen. You will have to wait for a while for the review of it though!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Book Review Catch-Up
As I said the other day, I'm a little behind on my blogging. Here are some of the books that I have read while I've been away from the blogosphere.
Swipe, by Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs is a novella that takes place between books 3 and 4 of the Virals series. In this instalment, the authors blend the Bones character of Tempe Brennan with the Virals pack. The Virals get to go to San Diego Comic Con with Tempe. While they are there a replica Terminator prop gets stolen. Tempe and Tory use their forensic skills and the pack uses their super-human senses to help solve the mystery.
This was a great, quick mini-read to get me into the Virals groove before I read...
Exposure, by Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs, the fourth book in the Virals series. The book opens with the kidnapping and ransom of twins who attend the same school that the pack attends. Tory and her friends can't manage to stay out of trouble (in the chronology of the book, they just got done testifying in the Gamemaster trial). Tory is determined to find her classmates and along the way her friend also gets kidnapped. Tory focuses almost solely on finding the missing teens.
This was another great book. The pace was great - I read the 432 pages in just 4 days. Lots of action. The authors are getting very good at making the mystery a little bit faster and out of my reach so I am constantly surprised.
Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life, by James Patterson, is a fun little YA novel about a 6th grader named Rafe. Rafe has to endure the pressures of middle school, a mean step-dad and having no friends. So Rafe and his imaginary friend Leo come up with a plan to have Rafe break every single school rule.
This was very cute! I loved the blend of cartoons (a la Wimpy Kid) and prose. The book was quick, action packed and funny.
The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus 1), by Rick Riordan, is a return to one of my favorite series. Jason doesn't know who he is, or where he is, but strange things begin to happen to him. Monsters. Camp Half-Blood. Demigods. Now Jason and his friends Piper and Leo must go on a quest to rescue Hera and (hopefully) find this lost hero named Percy Jackson.
This is an awesome return to some of my favorite books. Jason is a Roman demigod. I loved this blend of Greek and Roman mythology with the action and adventure of a YA novel. This is looking to be a great series.
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| I love this cover! |
This was a great, quick mini-read to get me into the Virals groove before I read...
Exposure, by Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs, the fourth book in the Virals series. The book opens with the kidnapping and ransom of twins who attend the same school that the pack attends. Tory and her friends can't manage to stay out of trouble (in the chronology of the book, they just got done testifying in the Gamemaster trial). Tory is determined to find her classmates and along the way her friend also gets kidnapped. Tory focuses almost solely on finding the missing teens.This was another great book. The pace was great - I read the 432 pages in just 4 days. Lots of action. The authors are getting very good at making the mystery a little bit faster and out of my reach so I am constantly surprised.
Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life, by James Patterson, is a fun little YA novel about a 6th grader named Rafe. Rafe has to endure the pressures of middle school, a mean step-dad and having no friends. So Rafe and his imaginary friend Leo come up with a plan to have Rafe break every single school rule.This was very cute! I loved the blend of cartoons (a la Wimpy Kid) and prose. The book was quick, action packed and funny.
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| Continuation of a great series! |
The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus 1), by Rick Riordan, is a return to one of my favorite series. Jason doesn't know who he is, or where he is, but strange things begin to happen to him. Monsters. Camp Half-Blood. Demigods. Now Jason and his friends Piper and Leo must go on a quest to rescue Hera and (hopefully) find this lost hero named Percy Jackson.
This is an awesome return to some of my favorite books. Jason is a Roman demigod. I loved this blend of Greek and Roman mythology with the action and adventure of a YA novel. This is looking to be a great series.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
In like a lion...out like a...lion?
The following post has been written on an exhausted evening. Be prepared for rambling, repetition and awful writing!
April is almost gone and it feels like it came in like a lion and has stayed a crazy, cold, angry lion! April is always a busy month for us. We have both of our birthdays, 4 other close family/friend birthdays, and the end of Lent and Easter. Sometimes April feels like we just run on and on without stopping.
This year we had all the "traditional" fun of the various events. We had family come to visit 2 weekends in April. I got started on yard work (ugh! more on that when I have a better attitude about it). Lots of calls, video chats, cards. Typical April.
We also had to travel for my husband's grandmother's funeral. It was a long and busy week seeing all the family that had gathered there. The service was nice and she was buried next to her husband.
Despite all that, day to day life continues. Our pup dealt with a broken toe nail that included 2 trips to the vet and lots of "tripod-ing" it. We did learn that corgis, or at least Daisy, are weenies and will stop at nothing to avoid hurting more - even if it includes letting the broken nail hang on by one piece and hurt every time it is brushed or hits something. The vet said that most dogs would have just gnawed and ripped the hang-nail off within a day. Not Daisy! She waits two and a half weeks and then the vet has to do it! Guess she really is my baby!
I've read a bunch more books. You'll have to wait until I am not so tired to get a post about them. I also finished crocheting my "Bulldog Blanket" that I've worked on for the last year and a half. Yeah. Crazy slow on that.
Our weather has alternated between 70s and sunny one day and 30s-40s, cold and rain/snow/sleet falling. Sometimes we get both extremes in one day! I wish nature would just hurry up and make up its mind. It needs to be summer weather. Sorry to all the folks who like winter, but I do not!
We are also busy planning and figuring out our summer. I'm thinking we will have family visit us at some point, participate in both the Bolder Boulder (10K on Memorial Day) and the Color Dash (5K in July), vacation, I'll go to Nerd Camp, go visit family, sing a bunch for church and hopefully get some rest. We will have to see about that rest though!!
Monday, April 7, 2014
I may like reading more than blogging!
Between Lenten activities and spring-time activities, I have been a busy person! That does not, however, mean I've stopped reading. In fact, I finished two books over the weekend and I have one more that I didn't review.
So here are my quick reviews of what I have read lately!
Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli, is a story of a very young boy trying to survive during World War II. Misha is a gypsy who has somehow (we don't know how) been separated from his family. He falls into line with a group of orphaned Jewish boys. They survive by stealing food and hiding out in different places. Misha and the boys are moved to a ghetto and he befriends a Jewish family. The story follows him as the family and he attempt to survive the Holocaust. I never read this book before, but the ending made me cry. A difficult read, but good book.
The Magician, by Michael Scott, is the second book in the Nicholas Flamel series. Twins Sophie and Josh travel with Flamel and Scatty to Paris in an attempt to escape the evil Dr. John Dee. While in Paris they meet up with Count Saint-Germain (who in this series is a good guy - in the Precious Stone books he is evil) and his wife Joan of Arc. Saint-Germain and Joan help Sophie to learn more about her powers and to hone them.
In the mean time, Josh is feeling left out because his powers have not been yet Awakened. He is becoming more distrustful of Nicholas as time goes on and Sophie is starting to see Josh's point of view. Josh, Scatty, Nicholas and the crew are working hard to save Sophie from the evil Dr. John Dee.
Dr. Dee has teamed up with Niccolò Machiavelli - an Italian who in this time period is in charge of the police in Paris and is also a rival to Dee. Dr. Dee and Machiavelli are able to get to Josh and convince him that he wants to be Awakened and that they are the best people to help him get this to happen. Cue the crazy manhunt and evasion through the catacombs of Paris.
I was very surprised that I liked this book so much. The first in the series left me feeling ho-hum, but I picked this one up at the library and gave it a chance. It is quite a long read at 464 pages, but the quick pace and lots of action kept me engaged!
Confetti Girl, by Diana Lopez, is a cute YA read. Lina is a middle school girl who loves socks, has a crazy best friend and is trying to find her way through life having recently lost her mother. Lina's BFF Vanessa lives across the street with her divorced mom who is "a man-hater". The girls must navigate life as they play volleyball - badly with an awful coach - work on school projects and start to figure out and like boys. They also want to try to fix their parents. This is a great story of what life is like in middle school. I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and one of the better books I've read. Also, the fact that Lina loves socks as much as I do helped quite a bit!!
So here are my quick reviews of what I have read lately!
In the mean time, Josh is feeling left out because his powers have not been yet Awakened. He is becoming more distrustful of Nicholas as time goes on and Sophie is starting to see Josh's point of view. Josh, Scatty, Nicholas and the crew are working hard to save Sophie from the evil Dr. John Dee.
Dr. Dee has teamed up with Niccolò Machiavelli - an Italian who in this time period is in charge of the police in Paris and is also a rival to Dee. Dr. Dee and Machiavelli are able to get to Josh and convince him that he wants to be Awakened and that they are the best people to help him get this to happen. Cue the crazy manhunt and evasion through the catacombs of Paris.
Confetti Girl, by Diana Lopez, is a cute YA read. Lina is a middle school girl who loves socks, has a crazy best friend and is trying to find her way through life having recently lost her mother. Lina's BFF Vanessa lives across the street with her divorced mom who is "a man-hater". The girls must navigate life as they play volleyball - badly with an awful coach - work on school projects and start to figure out and like boys. They also want to try to fix their parents. This is a great story of what life is like in middle school. I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and one of the better books I've read. Also, the fact that Lina loves socks as much as I do helped quite a bit!!
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Sapphire Blue, by Kerstin Gier
So I just finished reading the second book in the Precious Stone Trilogy. Sapphire Blue, by Kerstin Gier, picks up right where Ruby Red leaves off. Gwen has had a crazy week. She learns she carries the family gene for time travel (which she knew nothing about), has been sort of introduced to a secret society and their plans to complete the "Circle of the Twelve", met and fallen in love with a handsome time travellernamed Gideon.
Gwen's life only gets more complicated in this installment. She must travel back in time to meet Count Saint-Germaine - the founder of the Alliance and a generally creepy guy. In the mean time, she and Gideon (and all the creepy members of the Inner Circle) are trying to stop two rogue members, Paul and Lucy, and regain control of the second chronograph.
Between all that, seeing ghosts and demons and navigating her crazy family, Gwen must survive high school in London! What a crazy life!
I loved this second instalment very much. I am looking forward to reading the third! I definitely recommend this book to all who like fantasy and time travel.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
The Summer Classics Institute is coming!
I am so very, very excited to share that I will be attending the 15th Summer Classics Institute this June. This is my third year to attend the Institute and we will be studying the reign of Nero! It is a return to one of my favorite time periods in the Roman Empire - the excess of Nero contrasted with Stoic philosophy.
I have registered for mini-courses that will be very cool. I get to take an archaeology course from Deborah Sneed (a really awesome archaeologist I took a course from last year) on Pompeii and Herculanium. I also get to take a course from Dr. Phil Holt entitled "Pagans and Christians (and Lions, Oh My!)". Who doesn't love mixing study of religion in the Roman Empire with a reference to the Wizard of Oz?
Our seminar course will be looking at the writings of the Stoic Seneca. It will be a great contrast to the excess and the sheer volume of archaeological remains of Nero's Rome.
If you are in the Laramie area the third week in June, I most certainly recommend attending the Summer Classics Institute! Check out the Wyoming Humanities Council website to register.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Hilda the Wicked Witch, by Paul Kater (Hilda #1)
Grimhilda (Hilda to friends if she had any) is lost in modern day life. She is working to find her way home and doing as many wicked deeds as it takes her to get there. There are many obstacles for Hilda - horseless carts (cars), ruffians (bikers), a strange drink that gives her energy (coffee). It's endless.
Can Hilda find her way home and embark on her next journey (taking down that black haired girl with an apple)? You never know.
I really liked this one. (**Disclaimer - there is quite a bit of PG-13 language.) I recommend for all who like twisted fairy tales.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Shulman
I read another great YA novel. The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Shulman, follows a high school aged girl, Elizabeth. Elizabeth writes a paper on the fairy tales recorded by the Brothers Grimm. This leads Elizabeth to begin working at a library as a page. The library houses artifacts from many different collections, but the prize collection is the Grimm Legacy. The Grimm collection holds magical items that are the basis of many of Grimms' fairy tales.There is, of course, a problem. The pages (all teenagers who serve as "gophers" for the librarians) work together to help find out who is targeting the pages and stealing the magical items and replacing them with non-magical items.
Filled with re-tellings of fairy tales (a topic that is fascinating me lately), action, mystery, magic and an enchanting story. This is the first in a series and I am pretty sure that I will be reading the rest of the series!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Update
It seems that I keep doing this during the winter. I'll be absent from blogging for a few weeks, do a "catch-up" blog and promise to be better about blogging, then be gone again for a few weeks. Yikes! And, not very interesting for you, my faithful readers.
The last couple of weeks have been really busy. The big news here is snow. I am so over snow. We have had 2-3 separate occasions of 6"+ of accumulation. The latest round, starting on Friday night, is again, over 6". It is so cold this time - it is 0 degrees out at 8:00 pm. I am just tired of this snow. Over it!
Other than this weather nonsense, things have not been much different from a typical winter. Our days are busy with life - meetings, music rehearsals, hanging with Miss Pup. We are getting ready for Lent which starts this coming Wednesday. At least the days are getting longer, even if our "friend" the ground hog predicted 6 more weeks of winter. I've also been doing lots of reading and watching Netflix. I guess that's all you can do when the weather is this awful.
I am awaiting spring and summer by making plans. I have registered to walk the Bolder Boulder at the end of May. It will be my first 10K and I get to walk with some of my husband's family. I heard that the Summer Classics Institute is a go for this year (yeah!) and we will be studying the reign of Nero (double yeah!).
Be on the lookout for a book review coming up!
The last couple of weeks have been really busy. The big news here is snow. I am so over snow. We have had 2-3 separate occasions of 6"+ of accumulation. The latest round, starting on Friday night, is again, over 6". It is so cold this time - it is 0 degrees out at 8:00 pm. I am just tired of this snow. Over it!
Other than this weather nonsense, things have not been much different from a typical winter. Our days are busy with life - meetings, music rehearsals, hanging with Miss Pup. We are getting ready for Lent which starts this coming Wednesday. At least the days are getting longer, even if our "friend" the ground hog predicted 6 more weeks of winter. I've also been doing lots of reading and watching Netflix. I guess that's all you can do when the weather is this awful.
I am awaiting spring and summer by making plans. I have registered to walk the Bolder Boulder at the end of May. It will be my first 10K and I get to walk with some of my husband's family. I heard that the Summer Classics Institute is a go for this year (yeah!) and we will be studying the reign of Nero (double yeah!).
Be on the lookout for a book review coming up!
Monday, February 17, 2014
Book Reviews!
The last couple of weeks have been very cold and snowy. While I really dislike the weather, the crummy weather gives me an excuse for staying in and reading all day!
I read Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card. This novel, written in the 1990s, follows the story of Ivan - a Ukrainian born boy whose family immigrates to America after the fall of the USSR. Growing up Ivan loved to run. He ran for fun and for sports events in high school and college. Ivan followed in his father's footsteps and studied the history of his homeland - Russia, the ancient land of Rus - and begins work on his dissertation on the history of Russian fairy tales.
Ivan heads to Kiev to do research and then tops his visit off with a visit to Cousin Marek's farm. While on a run in the countryside he encounters something that the saw as a kid - a beautiful girl asleep on a pedestal surrounded by a vicious bear in a moat. Ivan blinds the bear with his track skills (shot put and distance running), leaps across the moat and kisses the girl. She awakes and he agrees to marry her.
There is only one problem, Katerina is from the 890s. Her homeland and people are being attacked by the Widow - Baba Yaga - and Katerina must return home with her betrothed (Ivan), lead their people into battle and defeat Baba Yaga.
I love this novel and it is the 3rd or 4th time that I have read it. It is an amazing and fantastic tale that weaves the fairy tales that we know, Russian history and the development of language and culture into a tale of suspense and action. And it is ultimately a love story. Worth a read for sure!
I also read Ghost Town, Saranormal #1, by Phoebe Rivers. This short little book is about a girl who moves from California to a New Jersey sea town with her dad. They move into the upper floors of a creepy, ru
n down house owned (and occupied on the bottom floors) by Lady Azura. Sara has all the normal problems that a 13 year old girl who moves has: she misses her friends, she is worried about finding her place and this new town, and she is struggling to put on a happy face for her dad. There is one problem though - Sara can see spirits and there are a LOT of them in this new place.
The novel follows Sara as she navigates these crazy people and crazy places to become who it is she will be in this new town. Filled with ghosts and self-discovery, this is a quick read that made me wonder what else is in store for our heroine.
I read Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card. This novel, written in the 1990s, follows the story of Ivan - a Ukrainian born boy whose family immigrates to America after the fall of the USSR. Growing up Ivan loved to run. He ran for fun and for sports events in high school and college. Ivan followed in his father's footsteps and studied the history of his homeland - Russia, the ancient land of Rus - and begins work on his dissertation on the history of Russian fairy tales.Ivan heads to Kiev to do research and then tops his visit off with a visit to Cousin Marek's farm. While on a run in the countryside he encounters something that the saw as a kid - a beautiful girl asleep on a pedestal surrounded by a vicious bear in a moat. Ivan blinds the bear with his track skills (shot put and distance running), leaps across the moat and kisses the girl. She awakes and he agrees to marry her.
There is only one problem, Katerina is from the 890s. Her homeland and people are being attacked by the Widow - Baba Yaga - and Katerina must return home with her betrothed (Ivan), lead their people into battle and defeat Baba Yaga.
I love this novel and it is the 3rd or 4th time that I have read it. It is an amazing and fantastic tale that weaves the fairy tales that we know, Russian history and the development of language and culture into a tale of suspense and action. And it is ultimately a love story. Worth a read for sure!
n down house owned (and occupied on the bottom floors) by Lady Azura. Sara has all the normal problems that a 13 year old girl who moves has: she misses her friends, she is worried about finding her place and this new town, and she is struggling to put on a happy face for her dad. There is one problem though - Sara can see spirits and there are a LOT of them in this new place.
The novel follows Sara as she navigates these crazy people and crazy places to become who it is she will be in this new town. Filled with ghosts and self-discovery, this is a quick read that made me wonder what else is in store for our heroine.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
New Recipe...Mini Mac and Cheeses
Today I went to a baby shower and brought an appetizer to share. The mom to be loves Mac and cheese so I thought mini macs would be fun. I did some googling and came across a recipe (pasted below). They came out pretty darn tasty! Definitely something I'll make again!
Two-bite Mac and Cheese Cups
http://www.fifteenspatulas.com/mac-and-cheese-cups/
Yield: 24 mac and cheese cups
Ingredients:
8 oz elbow macaroni
2 tbsp butter
¼ tsp paprika
2 tbsp flour
½ cup milk
8 oz Cracker Barrel aged reserve, grated
4 oz Cracker Barrel sharp cheese, grated
Directions:
Grease a nonstick mini muffin pan very well with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, then cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package says. My elbow macaroni said to cook for 7 minutes, so I drained it after 5. After you've cooked and drained the pasta, return the empty pasta pot to the heat and turn the heat down to medium. Melt the butter and add the paprika. Add the flour and stir the mixture around for 2 minutes. While whisking, add the milk. The mixture will be very thick, but that’s intentional. Just make sure you have stirred out any lumps. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheeses and drained pasta, stirring it all together until the cheese and sauce are well distributed.
Portion your mac and cheese into the muffin cups, either with a spoon or a 3-tbsp cookie scoop. Pack the mac and cheese into the muffin cups with your fingers really well. If you don’t pack the mac and cheese down, they won’t hold their shape when you take them out after baking, and you certainly don't want them to fall apart.
Bake the mac and cheese cups for 15 minutes until bubbling and gooey. Remove them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes, then carefully run a plastic knife or toothpick (assuming you need to not destroy the nonstick coating on your pan) around the edges to loosen. Remove the mac and cheese cups from the pan and garnish with chopped chives or scallion greens. Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Seeing Progress...Sort of
I am feeling much better about myself as the months are going on. The numbers on the scale are not moving which is a bit disappointing. I am down another pants size down which is awesome!
Here is a pic of me from Monday!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Mirror Mirror, by Gregory Maguire
I just finished reading Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire. I find that I am being drawn to books that retell various fairy tales and children's stories.
In Mirror Mirror Maguire repaints the Snow White tale in 16th Century Italy. I loved how he weaves in history (and gossip) about Lucrezia and Cesare Borgia, their father Pope Alexander VI into a story that as modern Americans are familiar with (thanks to the Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney).
This book was a pretty easy read and I am fairly familiar with the medieval history of Italy so the setting and the portrayal of some of the historical characters was familiar.
I don't have much more to say about this book. It was really good - one of Maguire's best non-OZ books!
In Mirror Mirror Maguire repaints the Snow White tale in 16th Century Italy. I loved how he weaves in history (and gossip) about Lucrezia and Cesare Borgia, their father Pope Alexander VI into a story that as modern Americans are familiar with (thanks to the Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney).
This book was a pretty easy read and I am fairly familiar with the medieval history of Italy so the setting and the portrayal of some of the historical characters was familiar.
I don't have much more to say about this book. It was really good - one of Maguire's best non-OZ books!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Sick
I started feeling pretty yucky on Sunday afternoon and by the time I woke up on Monday, I was feeling worse. Clammy, cold sweats, achy, headache, throat pain, plugged ears, sinus pain. I went to the doctor and she said....
FLU
They did the nasal swab (yuck - very uncomfortable) and the test was negative. However, with my symptoms and with the illnesses going around we are treating this like flu.
So I have anti-virals and orders for rest and fluids and no work until Wednesday.
FLU
They did the nasal swab (yuck - very uncomfortable) and the test was negative. However, with my symptoms and with the illnesses going around we are treating this like flu.
So I have anti-virals and orders for rest and fluids and no work until Wednesday.
Friday, January 17, 2014
5 Question Friday ~ January 17, 2014
I haven't done a 5QF post for a while, so I thought I'd do one tonight!
1. What is your most essential appliance?
If you think about "traditional" appliances, the most essential one would have to be the washer/dryer. Last month when the pipes froze to the washer and we couldn't do the (dreaded) laundry for nearly a week, life was miserable.
2. Have you ever used the phrase "when I was a kid" to someone younger than you?
Yes. I have found that since I was 30 I say this more and more to kids. "When I was in school we had homework every day." or "When I was a kid we had to do....". I feel like an old fuddy-duddy.
3. Do you sing to yourself?
Yes. Songs that are popular and songs that I make up. So often in fact that I don't always know I'm singing them aloud. Everything is better with a song.
4. What book do you read again and and again?
Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Oz series by L. Frank Baum. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
5. What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
I go to the bathroom. I always have to when I get up in the morning. Always.
1. What is your most essential appliance?
If you think about "traditional" appliances, the most essential one would have to be the washer/dryer. Last month when the pipes froze to the washer and we couldn't do the (dreaded) laundry for nearly a week, life was miserable.
2. Have you ever used the phrase "when I was a kid" to someone younger than you?
Yes. I have found that since I was 30 I say this more and more to kids. "When I was in school we had homework every day." or "When I was a kid we had to do....". I feel like an old fuddy-duddy.
3. Do you sing to yourself?
Yes. Songs that are popular and songs that I make up. So often in fact that I don't always know I'm singing them aloud. Everything is better with a song.
4. What book do you read again and and again?
Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Oz series by L. Frank Baum. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
5. What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
I go to the bathroom. I always have to when I get up in the morning. Always.
Friday, January 10, 2014
What happened to....?
Today as we were doing our workout, I was checking myself out in the mirror. Yeah, I'm that way. I said to my workout buddies, "Hey. What happened to my butt? It's gone!"
Moral of the story: when you start getting healthy you lose lots of things...including your butt.
Moral of the story: when you start getting healthy you lose lots of things...including your butt.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Revenge Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger
In the week after Christmas I spent some time reading the sequel to the book The Devil Wears Prada. I had seen it at the library and heard a bunch of good recommendations from the Internet and from friends. So I went to the library after Christmas and the book was in and I checked it out!Revenge Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger, joins our heroine Andrea (Andy) Sachs 10 years after she quit working for Miranda Priestly by yelling at her and storming out on a trip to Paris Fashion Week. Andy has had a lot of changes in her life - new apartment, new boyfriend, new job. Andy and her (then)-nemesis Emily - first assistant to Miranda and antagonist to Andy ten years earlier - have joined together and started a profitable new "high fashion" wedding magazine.
The book opens on Andy's wedding day. She is all dressed in her gown and make-up and hair, spending a few minutes to herself before the ceremony. Her mother-in-law calls Andy and reminds her to get the family heirloom she will be wearing from her fiancee. Breaking all wedding "rules", Andy goes into Max's room to get the necklace. Max is in the shower, so Andy goes into his gym bag and discovers a letter from her mother-in-law to her groom. The mother of the groom is telling her son that he is "too good" for Andy and he should take the run-in with his ex-girlfriend during his bachelor party weekend as a sign that Max should get back together with her.
This is the first event in a series of more troubling events during this year and a half. Andy and Max must deal with this lie of omission after the wedding (which she goes through with). Andy, who thinks she has the flu following the wedding, discovers that she is pregnant. Andy and Emily begin to get calls from the publishers at Elias-Clark - and from Miranda - requesting a meeting. The meeting leads to an offer from Miranda to buy their magazine. Emily and Andy have opposite opinions on selling the magazine and tensions get higher and higher.
A number of run-ins with Miranda, disagreements about their business and magazine with her friend and business-partner, and omissions and lies from her husband (and on her part), on top of a not expected pregnancy and the stress of newlywed life create for flashbacks, stress and drama.
I loved this sequel. The author has waited a number of years on this one and it was definitely worth it! For anyone who enjoyed the movie The Devil Wears Prada, or the book (even better!), I wholly recommend Revenge Wears Prada!
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