A Secret Love Affair

There exists an elite shelf of books in my repertoire.  It’s a secret society with high expectations for its members.  Not everyone can get in.  Not everyone can stay in.  Not everyone is worthy.  These books surreptitiously blend in to the 5-Star Club down the road but it is only a cover for their greatness.  These are my most favored books.  The books that, if the mood ever strikes, I will revisit with gusto.  They transcend.

I am a firm believer that books have a voice.  They come into your life at certain times and, I think, not by accident.  They hold your hand through seas of emotion and point you to shore when your compass has broken.  They rescue you.

It is not a coincidence, either, that these serendipitous adventures happen when you least expect it.  You think, “This looks like a fun read” or “I just need something to read while I wait on that other book” and the next thing you know you are sucked in.  You lose your breath for a moment realizing someone looked inside your soul and wrote their findings for everyone to see.  You connect.  And it’s amazing.

These moments, and these books, are few and far between but they do exist.  Have you ever experienced this?  What book touched you in the corner of your mind or heart that you didn’t know was there?  What book made you mourn a little when it was over?

If you’ve never experienced this then you might think I am a little crazed.  If you have, well then, you and I both know I’m not.

Review: The Queen of Attolia

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



So this is a YA series and the first book, The Thief, followed that. That is not to say it wasn't good because it was. It just didn't set any standards necessarily. The main character was a snarky kid that was a total badass by the end. It worked and I enjoyed it.

Then along came The Queen of Attolia and a shift happened. All of a sudden the snarky teenager became a man. He faced a life-altering disability and it forced him to grow up. Although this is still YA, it is deeper and more intense. Another reviewer made a really good point .. every sentence, every word in this book is important. There is no fluff. The story is complex and multi-dimensional. You learn so much over the course of the story and yet there is so much left to uncover.

If you like YA but want something with a little more substance, check this out. (Just make sure to read "The Thief" first.)



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Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Books happen to everyone differently. When a book is really good, sometimes it's just good timing .. and sometimes it's just a damn good book. This would be the latter.

As a reader I connected immediately with this story. I have never been in any of these particular situations but I COULD have been and I FELT like I had been. I cared so deeply for these characters by the end that I never wanted to find the last page.

The journey in this novel was wonderfully redemptive and healing. It hit all the right notes. The blend of traditional writing with receipts, notes and pictures was perfect. I loved the journalistic qualities and I found myself wishing more books were like this.

If you have an explorer's heart and a spirit of self-discovery, this book is absolutely for you. Grab your sunglasses (or not ) and enjoy the ride.

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Errr .. nevermind?

Well that was short-lived. How indecisive and embarrassing.

Dear Blogger,

I am so sorry that I contemplated breaking up with you.  You have been good to me and are undeserving of my finickiness.  I got word that the grass was greener on the other side of the blogosphere.  Turns out it was a false lead. 

Ever notice that in some of the brand new neighborhoods, the model home's grass is always a little "too" fresh and perfect?  Like say .. the dead of winter when everything else is brown and yet that particular yard maintains a pristine mid-April appeal?  Turns out it's spray paint.  Seriously. 

Now, I am not completely knocking the turf because I realize the grass underneath has to be in pretty decent shape so the paint can stick.  BUT, although the grass underneath has to exist, it does not have to be perfect.  That's what the paint is for.  The fine mist will cover everything and make the bad spots hard to find.  It's easy to be taken by the shiny exterior and the promise of perfection.  It's not until you notice the glean wearing off do you realize the error of your ways.

That's kind of my long-winded analogy of tumblr.  Did I give it my best shot and a completely fair chance? Probably not.  Did I give it enough of a chance to form a solid opinion? Yes, I think so.  It's not that I couldn't have washed off the paint, put in some hard work and came out with a great lawn.  I know I could have.  But I didn't want to.  I want a lawn that doesn't have to be coaxed too much.  I want a good foundation.  I want to plant flowers .. not re-seed.

All this to say is that I won't be leaving you, Blogger.  You've been to good to me.  You are uncomplicated and you meet my needs.  Sure I may need to update you and fix your patches but you never misled me.  Thanks for keeping my thoughts safe.

With affection,

HWE

PS - Yes, I know I could probably have just deleted the prior post and most of you would have been none the wiser but you know what?  Sometimes I would just rather be silly.

< Hold Music >

I have decided to make the jump to Tumblr.  I will be formatting and updating for the next day or two so thank you for your patience.  I will post my new URL once it's ready.  I LOVE having you read my blog and I don't want to lose any of my audience so please update your Dashboards or Quick Links so that you can find me at my new home. See you soon! <3

Oh, Fall, how I love thee...

I LOVE Fall!  The crisp weather, the warm colors and the spice in the air all give me a certain energy that I can't get any other time of the year.  I adore it!  Favorite. Time. Of. The. Year.

With that being said, I have lived in my home for almost four years and I have yet to capitalize on the Autumnal inspiration around me and get in the decorating mood.  I just haven't made the time.  Well this is the year!  I am determined to decorate for the holidays and start some traditions!  I will post pictures of my efforts once I am done but, for now, I will leave you with the pictures that I will use as my inspiration.  Happy Fall!

Review: Heist Society

Heist Society by Ally Carter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



What a great story! This was definitely the YA version of Ocean's 11 (great movie btw!). Seriously though, if you liked that movie then you should read this book. It's the same as far as a cast that is a motley crew and an "impossible" job and deadline but the author didn't copy any of it. It was new and creative and I enjoyed every second of it. I will be reading the second book shortly.



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Is it a boy or girl?

So I am at the age (as well as most of my friends) where starting a family becomes a real reality and, for some, top priority.  A year or two ago I came across something called a "Chinese Gender Prediction" calendar.  It predicts the gender of your baby based on the mother's age at conception and the month it was concieved.  At first I gave the chart about as much thought as I do daily horoscopes (as in none) but, over the years, I have noticed an unsettling fact:  It seems to be right!?

I have gone through m-a-n-y combinations of friends/relatives/coworkers/etc and, aside from the occasional set of twins, this graph has only been wrong once!  Those odds are a little too good, for me.  This calendar was at the front of my mind today because a couple of my friends just found out they are having a baby girl .. and yes .. that was the prediction I made several months ago based on this calender.

So all in all I find this graph to be both intriguing and creepy.  I am SURE it is wrong in some instances .. I just haven't come across them yet.  So, if you are reading this and are expecting but don't know what it is, check this out and see what it says.  I would love to know if it turns out to be true.  At least you can get a head start in picking names, right?

Please Bow to Your Inner Cleaning Sensei

If you've never been to bluntcard.com .. now's the time .. h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s!



It's that time of the year!  Time for Spring Fall Cleaning!  You may be scratching you heads and going "Um, Jess, you are a little confused.  It's totally the wrong time of year.  That's why it's called Spring cleaning .. you do it in the Spring!".  Well yes and no.  Yes, you do a major clean-athon in the springtime but it's important to do it right before winter, too. Hence my "Fall Cleaning" post.

Now, I could totally write something and try to be witty and motivational but why reinvent the wheel?  My friends over at ApartmentTherapy have already compiled the perfect list and broken it down for each of us.  Happy cleaning!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apartment Therapy believes that cleaning, like karate, has different levels of mastery. There are those who can drop-kick a closet full of dust bunnies in seconds, and those (like us) who aren't the sloppiest kid in the class, but fall way behind the black belts. Whether you're a beginner or a master, we've provided a fall cleaning checklist that will match your skill level.

- White Belt: It's not exactly a seasonal checklist, but FlyLady's Crisis Cleaning Guide breaks up the art of the binge clean into 15-minute intervals. Baby steps.

- Yellow Belt: You probably thought Martha Stewart's seasonal cleaning checklist would require the skills of a brown or black belt, but it's a surprisingly simple guide with only one or two feats of strength. (We'd personally skip the suggestion to wipe down the ceiling.)

- Orange Belt: TLC Home's fall cleaning guide is broken up into 5 major categories. You'll feel the burn with tasks like cleaning the furnace and deep-cleaning the carpets.

- Blue Belt: The fall cleaning guide from How Stuff Works has a long list of indoor and outdoor tasks, ranging from wiping down light fixtures to cleaning the gutters.

- Green Belt: Zabitatz includes a lot of the same suggestions as the other checklists mentioned, but steps it up a notch with instructions to clean the grill, chimney, refrigerator coils, and storm window screens.

- Purple Belt: In comparison to the rest of the bunch, Real Simple's fall cleaning checklist is surprisingly complex, with tips to touch up exterior house paint, declutter the attic, and caulk around doors and windows.

- Brown Belt: Not for the novice cleaner, Organized Home provides a detailed checklist that covers everything from stocking up on sidewalk salt to draining sediment from hot water heaters.

- Black Belt: The Home Know-It-All provides a list that's deceptively short. They expect some serious cleaning skills from their readers, with tasks that include cleaning out the garage, inspecting the chimney, and checking the roof shingles.

Review: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This was my first experience with graphic novels and it turns out I am quite pleased. I never thought illustrations would enhance the story like it did. I can completely see why everyone is giving this book such high regards. All that said, I am only giving this book three-stars because I just didn't enjoy it THAT much. Maybe I am not politically-minded enough. Maybe I am not liberal enough. Maybe I am just not plain cool enough. I don't know what it is but me and the book never really "clicked”. I mean, sure, I read the entire thing and it never felt forced but would I read it again? Nope. Would I recommend it? Not to everyone I know (which denotes a 5-star read). In the end, I am still very glad I read this book. It was worth the time, if for no other reason than I have discovered new territory in literature. and I deem that a success.



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Perspective? Check!

Happy Monday, everyone! There's a new week in front of us and an opportunity for a fresh start.  Let's make the best of it!

I feel that one of the better benefits of marriage is the opportunity to have a "mirror" shoved in your face at any time.  This may not sound fun for someone else, but for me, I love it.  It keeps me honest and I love the security in knowing that Mark can totally call me out about what I am doing or saying and it's done in unconditional love and not hurtfully.  I respect and trust his opinion immensely so I want to know what he thinks and how he feels.

As I am sure you all can gather, last week was a little draining.  Emotionally (and physically) I was exhausted by the weekend.  As I was discussing things with Mark on Sunday, he made a very poignant observation about me.  I take on others' problems (or at least my perception of them) and then react as if they are my own.  I definitely need to stop this.

If something happens to someone else then it happens to someone else.  Even though a situation would freak me out or overwhelm me, that doesn't mean it will be that way for those involved.  I am a huge planner. I crave control and order. I love surprises and being spontaneous in regards to a lot of things in my life but not when it is life-altering.  Going on vacation but not sure what we will do?  Let's wing it!  Made a specific to-do list for Saturday but something better came along?  Scrap it!  Start a family or invest money? Plan! Plan! Plan!  It's just the way I operate. I would prefer to work things out ahead of time, as much as possible, and be mentally prepared going into a situation.  It's not that, once I have a plan, I can't break from it.  It's just my security blanket knowing that there is a little structure hidden somewhere.

This is not how everyone operates and that is totally OK.  The world would be very boring if everyone was like me.  There has to be risk-takers and, apparently, I am friends with a lot of them.  I love all of them but I can't treat their decisions like they are my own. I can't internally-stress about whether they have made the right choices and I certainly can't pretend that things emotionally affect us the same way.  (As a side note:  Please know that I keep any and all opinions to myself unless asked directly by the person involved.  I am not one to blab my opinions about personal matters (which I realize are totally out of line sometimes) to anyone but my husband.  To each their own. I always tread very lightly and NEVER want to overstep appropriate boundaries and be hurtful. If I have done that to you, please know that I apologize and it was never on purpose.)

Anyways, these are the kinds of things that I need to change about myself. I need to be proactive about stopping undue stress and being overly sensitive to situations that don't involve me.  It's unhealthy and I can't keep it up.  After these realizations on Sunday, I have been able to release a lot of stressors in my life.  I have given them up and I feel lighter already.  Will this happen again in the future? Sure.  There is a learning process but I do believe huge progress has been made.

All this to say that it was a productive weekend and I am happy to have last week behind me.  Sometimes you have to break down and numb out to get to the real root of an issue and that's what happened to me.  Everything was stripped away and I was left with just the truth to face.  Sometimes it hurts but it is SO worth it in the end.

Review: An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't

An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't by Judy Jones

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



meh.

Although informative, I did not like the way the book was written or presented.

I expected more.



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Review: Night

Night by Elie Wiesel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is such a difficult book for me to rate. I am giving it five-stars because it deserves it .. but I never want to read this book again.

This story was horrific. I have absolutely no perspective when it comes to this brand of terror. This book, which was simply written, recounts the tragedies of the Holocaust. I had to put it down several times. It made me sick. Every time I picked it back up, I had to take a deep breath. I reminded myself that no matter how awful it is to read .. it is not a measurable fraction of how bad it was to live.

Bravo to all the survivors (of the Holocaust or 9/11 or anything) that have the courage to tell their story. It's a lesson that needs to be shared and a lesson that does not bear repeating. May, one day, a book be enough.



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Toasted Quinoa with Root Vegetables

This was my first experience with quinoa but not my last!  It was so good that I am officially making this my "go to" grain.  Quinoa is a whole grain and cooks up much like rice does.  It's very tasty and, the best part is, it's a complete protein!  It has all the essential amino acids, which makes it ideal for meatless cooking :) I know you will love it!



1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup stock (vegetable, chicken, whatever you prefer)
1 pinch of salt (only if your stock is no-sodium or low-sodium)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 heavy pinch (about 1/4 tsp) cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans are best), toasted

1.  In a dry saucepan over medium heat, toast the quinoa grains until you begin to smell them.  This will take about 5 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil until melted.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the oni ons are translucent.  This will take about 5 minutes.
3.  After the quinoa is nicely toasted, add in the broth and salt and stir to combine.  Bring the pot to a boil, cover, and then reduce to a simmer.  Stir occasionally and cook until the liquid has been absorbed.  This will take approximately 20 minutes.
4.  Once the onions have become translucent, stir in the sweet potatoes, mushrooms and cayenne.  Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the sweet potato is tender.  This will take approximately 20 minutes.
NOTE: Depending on the water content of your veggies, you may need to add liquid towards the end so they don't stick and burn.  Just keep and eye on the pan and stir every once in a while.  You will most likely be fine but, if not, just add a splash of stock or water to keep everything moving.
5.  A few minutes before you are ready to plate, add the nuts to a small dry sauté pan and heat them over high heat just until you smell them.  Keep tossing them so they don't burn.

To serve, spoon the quinoa on a plate and place the vegetables on top.  Sprinkle with the toasted nuts.

Review: Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can now see why it is a classic. I never read this until now and I am so thankful I waited. It would have been ruined had it been over-analyzed in my high school English classes.

As a side note: I didn't know anything about this book before I read it except for the fact that it had been banned from several library systems and schools in its hay day. Now that I have read it... wow. People seriously censored a book about censorship? Well isn't that a bit embarrassing!?



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It really is a little magical!

I am a total sucker for marketing sometimes.  I soothe myself with the fact that, at least I acknowledge it, right?

Well anyways, when Mr. Clean came out with the magic eraser a few years ago I HAD to have it.  At first I only used it "as directed" and it worked like it claimed, however, over the years I have begun to experiment with getting more bang for my buck.  Let me tell you .. this little sponge can do a lot more cleaning than advertised!

One of the many ways I have found it useful is actually regarding dishes!  I have a couple hand-me-down casserole dishes and sheet pans.  I don't know about you but no matter how much I scrubbed mine there were always a few stains left.  They weren't food stains but usually left from baked in non-stick cooking spray or something over the years.  Either way, although it was sanitary, it left my dishes showing their age and I didn't like it.

So, one day (totally fed up, mind you), I decided to give them one last chance before tossing them in the trash and getting new ones.  Enter ... the magic eraser!  It removed the stains, albeit with a little elbow grease, and left them sparkling like new!  I couldn't believe it! I even took my nail and tried to scrape at the stains and nothing but the eraser took care of it.  After the dishes were clean I ran them through the dishwasher to sanitize them since I am pretty sure you're not supposed to ingest whatever magical ingredient makes them work so well.

Anyways, I just thought I would share this little tip.  It also works well on smooth-surface cook tops and fabric!  (As far as fabric is concerned, this truly is one of those products you should test on an inconspicuous spot first.  I know most products say that but this time it actually matters.)  Happy cleaning!

Review: Demonglass

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm pleased to say that this was even better than the first one. There were so many twist and turns that I never got bored. I hate that the third book doesn't come out for several months because I would read it immediately. The reader is left with a huge cliffhanger at the end of this. I loved it!

PS - I am totally split between Team Archer and Team Cal. Hopefully the third book will help me decide :)



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Thinking Outside the Box

One of my favorite organizing tricks is not using something for its intended purpose.  This originally stemmed from a lack of funds but soon turned into a creative outlet.  What do I mean?  Well, as you know, I am a huge fan of "a place for everything and everything in its place".  I love the idea of having a specific home for everything.  With that being said, I ran into a problem with my jewelry.

During college I worked in a trendy boutique that mainly sold jewelry.  I had a love of earrings and such beforehand but that job took it to a whole new level.  Over the years I have purged and purchased ... lost and found … broken and fixed many different pieces.  I finally came to the conclusion that there had to be a simpler way of keeping track of everything.

The first thing I did was take care of my necklaces.  I don’t know how much time I spent untangling chains but it was too much.  They sell plenty of fancy little wire sculptures to hang necklaces on but I was never satisfied with them.  They always seemed too flimsy or too small to meet my needs.  I ended up finding the perfect solution in key ring wall hooks.

There are several options out there so I am sure you can find a style you enjoy.  What makes them so perfect is that they are made to hold keys so they are sturdy and capable of holding a large quantity of items.  It works like a charm for keeping chunky beaded necklaces and fine chain necklaces from becoming permanently attached.

The next quest was to find a solution for my dangly earrings.  I went to a salvage store and bought a large picture frame for $1.00.  I then went to World Market and bought (on clearance) a loosely woven place mat that coordinated well with the frame.  I staple-gunned the place mat to the inside of the frame where the glass would have been.  I mounted it on the wall and it worked great!  I am now able to easily hang all of my earrings in pairs and effortlessly see, at a glance, what I have and what I don't.

The final aspect was bracelets and stud earrings.  I have an old wooden box on my dresser where I keep the rest of my jewelry.  Personally, I don't have many bracelets so those weren't really an issue (I just keep them in a stack) but the stud earrings were.  They roll around everywhere and are smaller and easier to lose track of.  The perfect solution for me was a daily pill organizer.  It keeps all the studs separated and easy to keep track of.  It's also great for traveling!

Some times it will be hit or miss.  Just experiment and see what you can come up with.  None of the items I used were for their intended purpose and yet they worked flawlessly.  You never know how creative you can be until you try.

Review: It Had to Be You

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I have mixed feels about this book but overall I really liked it. This is a typical romance novel in many ways but this also took me by surprise. The back story of the main protagonist is much darker than I had expected and it colored the entire storyline. It was very heavy in certain spots and I would never have expected that from a genre that typically sprouts mindless books about sexathons. On that same note, another unexpected facet of the book was it's focus on football. I mean, sure, I read the synopsis and I knew it had something to do with football but I figured the writer would throw in "quarterback" and "touchdown" a few times and call it a day. Since the main character starts off knowing nothing about the game, the reader ends up getting an education along with her. I was quite impressed with several sections of the book. She actually kept my attention throughout several multi-paged, play-by-play descriptions of what was going on. It probably didn't hurt either that I read this a week before football season starts and it couldn't have been better timing :)



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Review: Hex Hall

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was a fun read. The main character is pretty hilarious and I got hooked by the end. I plan on reading the second one ASAP. If you like the paranormal genre but are tired of moody vampires .. check this out.



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