Anyhoo – as it was raining ALL weekend I did the most sensible thing (apart from staying at home) and went to the cinema. Well actually I did the sensible option after sitting on an open top bus for an hour taking pictures and getting drenched! I was trying to do a photography project which Nick Exposed and Seeing Spots photography have put together called quotography - which is pretty challenging! I will let you know when the resulting pics from everybody are up. But eventually enough was enough and I ran for cover. I have been wanting to see Mirror Mirror as I love all things fairy tale! (and I’m also excited about Snow White and the Huntsman! ekk!)

Mirror Mirror is pretty much what I expected, a fun, easy humourous watch. Nothing to write home about but a nice movie to comfort yourself with. BUT, what I did find amazing where the costumes created by the late Eiko Ishioka (1938–2012), whom I have just found out about today. She has made many creative costumes which are just so much fun to look at – and her last offering for this movie is spectacular. They are crazy and off the wall whilst still managing to look beautiful. I will definitely be looking into her work more, she had an amazing talent. But whilst my eyes were enjoying the visual feast – I was surprised still at a wedding scene (I won’t tell you whose!). Everyone’s costume was made with African print material! At first I thought it was just a couple of the dresses then I saw every character was decked out in these amazing vibrant cloths!

I have married into an African family so I am increasing inspired by African material. It has so much life and fun and joyfulness in it – I have no idea why it is not used more! I realise there has been a trend fairly recently in using African prints on the catwalk and especially Gwen Steffani sporting some African creations from her L.A.M.B collection. And there are still some items in the high street but I don’t see them that often.

But costumes made from this material in a mainstream movie being worn by every character – regardless of age, race or gender? – Brilliant! If not a little random in the movie itself. Lets see more of this please!Speaking about random, the movie then turns to another culture altogether for an end number – any guesses what that might be? :) I say see the movie, even if it is just for the costume design (and Julia Roberts!)

I’ve heard of them before, of course, and I know who a few of them are, but in terms of being a team and how they came to be I had no clue. With the new Avengers movie coming out though, I’ve been a little excited about it and so have been brushing up on the Avengers.

I don't recognize 75% of these dudes. And there's like five Iron Mans?

It makes sense why I didn’t know WHO was an Avenger … they change all the time! I mean, look at this image above – how could any regular person keep it straight when there’s been hundreds of different versions of the Avengers?

The movie plot focuses on Nick Fury recruiting Hawkeye, the Hulk, the Black Widow, Thor, Captain America and Iron Man (and to be perfectly honest, it’s Tony Stark that peaked my interest in this originally – yum).

What I like most about the rotating roster of the Avengers is that it makes so much sense when confronting evil super-villians and alien threats to humanity. Think about it – it’s very unlikely that you will have a team of 4 or 5 that is perfectly suited for any encounter imaginable. That’s silly. Being able to swap out teammates depending on what you are about to face is an important quality of videogames, and makes sense that this option would also be optimal for the superhero team as well. Imagine if you had to choose your team for Final Fantasy or Mass Effect at the beginning of the game, and t hen weren’t allowed to change it ever again. It makes no sense!

When fighting something edible, you always want Quina - but that's the only time.

Having the Avengers do the same thing is smart organization of behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. in my opinion, and so even though it makes the timeline impossible for me to follow or understand, it makes for better defence against the masterminds of destruction. Tailoring your team to suit the needs of defeating a foe and being able to accomodate for some superheroes who might be too old, or injured, or busy with their own arch-nemeses at the time. It also means that everyone gets a break every now and then – which is good, because Tony Stark needs time to be the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist that got him to being Iron Man in the first place.

Also through my internet travels I found this super extensive list of all 116 different Avengers and who in Hollywood should play them. This. is. impressive.

I really think it’s a must-see in theatres, although whether I splurge for 3D is yet to be decided. Anyone else planning on hitting the theatres for this over the weekend? Let’s hear what you think about it!

Pictured above - sexiness, and five other people behind him.

Until next time!

CeraTopz (@Cerajoy)

Follow us here! @thegeekmates

At first I brushed this concept off as something that is fine for some people sure, but not really for me. You know, I have my books (and as my husband will agree I have A LOT of books, still waiting very patiently to be read – although some may have given up all hope.) I could always see how useful the Kindle could be for commuters and travelers. All those books, all the in the small, but readable device. Some books are big, and on holiday most people will need to pack 2 or more which makes your case heavy. Fair dos. I still want my book. But as time goes on, I find myself looking at those with a Kindle, then turning away feeling slightly guilty as if I have been caught looking at some hot guy. Hmmm. What is going on here? Being a commuter myself in London, I see the number of people with real books dwindle and dwindle. In fact I usually feel like I am the only one, whilst those Kinmuters (see what I did there? oh dear – I’m gonna roll with it though!) smirk at me and shake their heads.

My gorgeous extremely clever niece Sophie wrote a great article that was published on this subject.  She loves real books too – more than me most likely! Her article is much more extensive and intelligent than mine, but one point she does make is that she loves to go into a bookstore but it is a fact that she is unlikely to actually buy a book from that shop. I agree with her, I am exactly the same. I am so happy in a bookstore and it would break my heart if these ceased to exist. But as she suggests, buying a book from there seems less appealing when you can get it for half the price on-line. And unless you have money to spare, you would of course go for the cost-effective option. I do. All the time. I rarely pay full price for a book – they are too expensive for me for the amount I read. And the ebook versions are even cheaper. Go figure.

The thought of the ebook taking over scares me especially since I really desperately want to write a book and get it published one day. If that ever happens I want it to be a real book. I want to be able to take it off the shelf and physically hold it, kiss it, show it to everybody! But since I haven’t even written one yet – the probability seems that if i get published in the future – it may just be in ebook form! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Lets face it – how much cheaper would that be to produce?! But I am also aware of the benefits it has for authors. There is more exposure, a whole new market of people looking for more efficient and convenient ways to read books. In fact ebooks have encouraged more people to read who usually wouldn’t have. And of course there are the success stories. Authors who have been rejected time and again by agents and publishers have published and sold their own ebook version on Amazon and ended up being extremely successful, and in turn getting representation (as you can’t ignore what the people like!) Some people have earned a lot of money doing it this way, and they get to keep a higher percentage of each sale (massively higher). So of course, like most things there are good and bad points. You’ve heard enough about this debate from others I’m sure, and I do not claim to have any expert knowledge at all.

So back to the Kinmuters. I decided to take a different route to work the other day – mainly because I wanted a seat and felt suffocated on my normal train. So I took the DLR (for those not familiar it’s kind of an overground train/tram) took my seat and got out my big fat book (Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend).

I was the first passenger in the four facing seats. Enter passenger number 2, opposite me. She immediately gets out her Kindle. Fine. The other two seats fill up. The guy next to me? That’s right, a Kinmuter too. And as I look across from us – yet another 2 kindles mock me. I am completely surrounded!. That’s fine. I can FEEL my book. I can see how much I have read. If I wanted to I could smell it.But I’m not going to risk looking crazy here. I just could, you know, if I wanted to. HA! I’m awesome. I’m almost on the verge of old skool. But I can’t concentrate. I keep looking up. I can’t tell what these people are reading! Grrrrrrr. They know what I am reading, but what are they absorbed in? That’s not the rules! You are meant to be able to see what the other person is reading. I wanna know! I might want to read it! I might want to reminisce on how good or bad that book is in your hand. I may want to secretly snigger at some weird or embarrassing title! WHAT ARE YOU READING?!!!! Humpf. So I am a lone real booker. Then suddenly the Kinmuter next to me gets up and another man takes his place. He places his bag on his lap and reaches in and then pulls out…………. a big fat REAL book. I am content. My faith has been restored. Hello friend :) And back to my story I happily go.

Will the ebook kill the traditional book? Eventually perhaps – but not yet. Will I get a Kindle? Unless it has more to offer me – not yet (but it has a touch screen…..)NO! not yet!

So firstly I must admit that I am a new recruit to the Hunger Games fan club. A few months ago my gorgeous cousin Maddie insisted that I read the book. Of course being into children’s and YA books I had heard of it but I have not immersed myself into that market as of late as I have just been so distracted with other stuff  (www.niarose05.wordpress.com). But sure I’d heard of it. I promised her I would read it soon. After several face book messages ‘have you read it yet!!!!’ and not getting it for Christmas (boo santa) I finally purchased it myself (actually I got all 3 books for £5 best bargain ever!) and sat down to read. And read. And read. And read……I could NOT put it down! Why oh why did I have to go to work? What an unwelcome obstacle! I was choked up at the Reaping, entranced by the characters and costumes of district 1, excited and nervous for Katniss, choked up again about another death, appaled by the very idea of the Game - it was awesome! Why had I waited so long? I promptly passed the book onto my colleague (who stayed up til 2am reading it then passed it onto her fiancée) and was eager to get into the second one. But I like to save things. AND the movie was coming out in a few weeks time. I wanted to see that first. I’m just like that.

So as soon as it came out last Friday, I dragged my husband to our nearest cinema – promising him that it would be brilliant, in fact I even left work early to catch an earlier showing. Now, movies of your favourite books are very often, let’s be honest, a bit rubbish. Even if they are good stand alone movies, I’m not sure why there is never quite enough satisfaction in them for me. Perhaps it’s because of my love for that particular book and remembering the emotions I experienced whilst reading it. Maybe because reading for me is very indulgent, I feel like I am rewarding myself or giving myself some well deserved time off to enter another world for a while. Maybe it’s just the simple fact that I already know the story line, the characters and how it will end. And the movie has to live up to my expectations of the world I have created in my head of course. For whatever reason, I am accustomed to this book to movie fact BUT I still get excited to see the movie versions. Of cousre – we all do right? But for me even more so with The Hunger Games. Oooh oooh oooh I couldn’t wait. (In fact I need to admit to my best friend that I have seen it already. Without her. Sorrrrryyyyyy! please still love me!) And I must say they did a good job! I thoroughly enjoyed the movie!!! Of course as my case stands it was not as quite good as the book – don’t expect it to be – but it was SO much fun to watch. Yippee! Instead of rambling on, here are a list of  my good and bad points…

Good Hunger

• Detail – especially how they made the District 12 costumes come alive – cool cool cool!

• Sets – almost everything looked how I had imagined it – apart from the Cornucopia – but I can deal with that :)

• Music and cinema dramatics – for both parts where I was choked up in the book (fans you KNOW which parts) the added music and dramatics completely sucked me in – I was blubbing. And I felt extra anxious for Katniss as she was going up the tube eek!

•  The casting – great job! Here are my favourites…

Katniss

• Katniss especially – Jennifer Lawrence is a good actress, very pretty but not in an annoying way, and although slim, not a stick figure (whoop!)! Doesn’t have to do much to portray her emotions – they seem to come naturally for her. Great strong heroine with good morals. More of those please!

Effie

• Effie Trinket – Elizabeth Banks is perfect for this role – she portrays the shallow and mind numbingly insensitive character better than I had imagined her! She is not mean with her insensitive comments and manner about the games – she actually believes she is being nice and the tributes are lucky to be surrounded by shuch lovely things! She is great to watch on screen – she has put just the right manner into her character.

Rue

• Rue – super cute! Amandla Stenberg plays Rue with a watchful and resourceful streak – as she is in the book. I love the cheekiness they added to this character in the film – I didn’t get that from the book? Shame that they rushed the bonding between her and Katniss though :(

Cinna

• Cinna – well Lenny Kravitz is just the definition of cool anyway – but he rocks this role. Pretty much how I pictured him, he cares about Katniss and wants to try to prepare her, and it is obvious he does not favour the games like others in his district – and the scene between him and Katniss just before the game begins is moving. Oh and he is probably one of the few men in the world who can wear gold eye liner and look good!

Gale

• Gale – We don’t see much of him in the first movie but I am sure there is more to come! And erm kinda easy on the eye – I dread to think how young he is though so I will end this point!

Bad Hunger

• Relationships/Character development – There was so not enough chemistry and tension between Katniss and Peeta (although I thought the added clips of Gale watching her in the games was a bonus that added a bit extra that the book couldn’t do) Also they cut sort the relationship between Katniss and Rue – still touching but not quite so much. I felt you needed to have read the book to understand some of the relationships, as in the movie they are rushed and I’m not sure a non reader would feel as connected to some of the characters.

• Content missing – yes, I know that you have to cut a story to fit into film format but I hate the missed out parts – it wasn’t too bad in HG and they did make it a long movie but I felt that at parts things were just missing – even if I couldn’t put my finger on it. One part was the end – I’m sure in the book Katniss ruffles Peeta’s feathers with a did she didn’t she mean it scenario – but it wasn’t there! Gone! Maybe they will start the next movie with it?

• The control room – although effective in showing us how the competitors are continuously watched (big brother style) I’m not sure it was necessary? At least not so much. Also it made it seem a little unbelievable when they seem to magically make some of the obstacles appear out of nowhere? But I guess it is set in the future! What do I know?

• Scare factor – Now I hate gore myself – it makes me dizzy – but I think the rating for this film made the games part a little tame. I can see why due to the age range of the readership for the book, and it was skillfully done (quick editing, no close up gore) and the audience had to use their imagination which is good. But even so it felt it could have been a lot more frightening and tense – still without the use of gore.

The first part of the movie was very detailed and quite the same as the book – but I feel like they had to rush through the rest of the movie a bit to compensate this. The actual games seemed kind of short to me. However I still think it was done brilliantly and it was worth getting excited about. Watch it! Watch it! Watch it! I don’t think you will be disappointed. I think this has actually proved to me that it is actually beneficial to read a book before the movie version – because if you can get over the changes and the bits left out etc – you actually already have a better understanding of the characters and for me the movie acts as an enhancement of your enjoyment of that particular story.

And now I cannot wait to read the second book on the plane this Saturday – I actually can’t imagine what will happen in the next book – apart from a major love triangle?!?! More games?! I don’t know!!!!! Thanks Maddie for introducing me :)

Do your weekend plans include seeing The Hunger Games?

I have to be honest here and tell you that I feel like I am the only person on the planet that has not read the book yet. I should probably get reading. But since I am disclosing, I have never read any of The Twilight books either. However, I have watched one or two of the movies. Cannot remember which ones though. So yep, I am a bit late in this regard.

I just feel like I have such little down time, and when I actually do have a moment, I am writing on the blog. So reading for enjoyment isn’t on the priority list. If I am reading something, it usually has to do with my profession and how I can enhance what I am currently doing.

Pushups in the Prayer Room was the first book I read for enjoyment in over two years. And I read it twice!

So back to the movie…are you excited to see it or are you concerned it will be lost in translation?

One of my yearly goals is to read at least two books a month.
So far I’m only a little behind schedule, although I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up with a few of the selections I have coming up in the next month or two (John Adams!).

I actually read more than two books a month, but in particular I’d like to include at least one biography and one book that falls in either the family/relationship/organizational or spiritual/religious category.
I don’t mind deviating  once in a while, but that is more or less my monthly goal.

One of my life goals is to read a book on each president, so I’m happy to make a little progress on that front.
So far I’ve read:
His Excellency – George Washington
Decision Points – George W. Bush
An American Life – Ronald Reagan
small portions of My Life – Bill Clinton
small portions of John Adams – Adams

I’d love some presidential biography suggestions!
Oh, and I already have Mornings on Horseback (Roosevelt) and Truman by David McCullough. Just haven’t read them yet.

I meant to post my progress each month but I’m a little behind here so I’ll try to catch up.

August:
Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow – finished
This was pretty good. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re a worrier. I think, as women, we all fall into that category to some degree, but I didn’t really connect with this book. I’m not sure if I didn’t give it enough thought, if I’m not honest with myself about how much I’m anxious, or if I’m really not a worrier. Just didn’t resonate much. Still, I’m glad I read it.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – finished
I loved this book. To be honest, it was kind of depressing, but I love unexpected endings. I was completely taken in by the first chapter; her writing style is beautiful. I can see why this is a classic (unlike some others that fall in the same category).

September:
The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer – finished
This book is a treasure if you’re considering teaching your kids at home. This is by far the most useful book I’ve read on home-schooling. She also lists curriculum recommendations for each grade, preschool through highschool.

Decision Points by George W. Bush – finished
This is the best political autobiography I’ve ever read, partly because it was entertaining and easy-to-read, and partly because he didn’t get bogged down in writing about every single day of his political career. I think the way he divided the book by the major decisions was brilliant and kept it from being ridiculously long like some of the others I’ve attempted (950+ pages of Bill Clintons My Life, anyone?).
Overall, I really enjoyed it.

October:
Rekindling the Romance by Dennis and Barbara Rainey – finished
This book is divided into a sections: one for the wife, one for the husband. I didn’t read the second part but I enjoyed the portion written for wives. It gave me a little more insight into understanding how my husband thinks.
And that’s always a good thing.

The First American : the Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands – still working on
My first fail. Technically, I’ve been working on reading this book for over a year. Which means it’s been sitting in various places around my house collecting dust and making me feel guilty for only reading half a page every month.
It contains a lot of good information, and seriously, Franklin was brilliant, a genius, but this book definitely falls into the category of the way-too-detailed biographies.
I’ll keep slogging through and finish up sometime this month.

November:
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where you Are by Ann Voskamp
I’ve just barely started this book, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. Voskamp writes beautifully; everything she writes is poetic.

The First American : the Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands

December:
Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck

A Mom After God’s Own Heart: 10 Ways to Love your Children by Elizabeth George

January:
John Adams by David McCullough

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

And that’s a far as I’ve made it on my list.
Does anyone have any great books to suggest?
I’d love to hear them!

By Sam Ann

Imagine this:

You live in post-apocalyptic North America, a land now called Panem. The beguiling, rich Capitol, the center of Panem, is surrounded by the 12 districts which provide the Capitol aristocrats their clothes, food, coal and their sacrifices.

Each year, the twelve districts are expected to send one boy and one girl – between the ages of twelve and eighteen – to participate in the Capitol’s maniacal scheme for revenge, the Hunger Games. A vicious fight to the death, televised for all of Panem to see.

And you’ve just volunteered yourself to go in your younger sister’s place.

“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins takes you into this world of hardships and death through the life of Katniss Everdeen, sixteen-year-old survival-girl extraordinare.

While this book was originally created for young adult audiences, it is a thought-provoking read for all ages and both genders.

The Times called it “moving, vivid and consistently well written dystopian adventure” that is “an outstanding book fr both genders that grips like a man-trap”.

The Sunday Telegraph called it “terrifying, exhilerating and unexpectedly thought-provoking.”

It was only a matter of time until a script was formed and a movie set into motion.

With a brilliant cast made up of, to name a few, Jennifer Lawrence (“X-Men: First Class”), Woody Harrelson (“Zombieland”), and Stanley Tucci (“Burlesque”), the movie adaption has promise.

The movie is set to hit theaters March 2012 and a trailer has already been released.

I have to concerns for this movie.

My first, and most prominent, worry is that the movie will turn out like the movie adaptation of “Eragon”, another great book that’s fascinating characters and thrilling plot were butchered by the big screen.

“The Hunger Games”, much like “Eragon”, contains interesting backstories for each character, place and symbol that are important to the overall story. If any are lost in the process of production, a viewer may be unable to understand what is going on.

My second worry is that it will turn out like “Twilight”, another teenager craze. Will all the books that come out from here on out be post-apocalyptic? I hope not; “Hunger Games” is a nice relief from the vampire-obsession that has taken over the book shelves.

Despite my worries, I have become more excited for the release of the film now that the cast – and trailer – has been released. With so many popular actors, how on earth could this movie go wrong?

Have you ever paced between the shelves of a bookstore, looking for a new something to read? Have you ever stopped, looked to your left, and spotted the most beautiful, intriguing, bizarre cover that has ever been seen and without even looking at the title, thought: “Hey, that looks good”?

How many of those books have actually been worthwhile?

If you’re sitting at your computer considering what sort of blog this is, try not to jump to any grand conclusions that I am a writer from a famous company like the Wall Street Journal. I probably won’t read every book I mention – although I will make an effort to. I probably won’t have heard of most of the authors I mention – although I will give background and research thoroughly.

I am not a professional; I am a college student. My whole life has been balanced by writing stories and reading them. I’ve read classics such as “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I enjoy historical fictions, fantasies and even mysteries. I’ve even read Twilight.

In all honesty I have very few role-models. Those I can name off the top of my head are Nathaniel Hawthorne, Libba Bray of “A Great and Terrible Beauty”, and “The Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins. While Bray and Collins are not yet as historically relevant as Hawthorne, they have had a profound effect upon my own writing and have therefore burrowed their way into my heart.

The goal of this blog is to keep readers in the know concerning authors, new-and-upcoming books, and movie adaptions. Posts will be consistent and weekly and contain what I consider to be the most interesting information of the current week. I will try my best to portray my personal opinions as well as those of professionals.

Allow me to be the window into the world of written word. Allow me to tell you all about it, so that you can read all about it.

]]> http://shalinijena.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/drugged-o/ Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:46:19 +0000 shalinijena http://shalinijena.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/drugged-o/ http://shalinijena.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/harry-potter-an-odyssey/ Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:05:06 +0000 shalinijena http://shalinijena.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/harry-potter-an-odyssey/ http://karmamusings.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/how-would-you-survive/ Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:36:07 +0000 Gurukarm http://karmamusings.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/how-would-you-survive/ If you look back over the book reviews I’ve done here, you might think I read two or three books a year, at most. In reality, I devour books. I read at least two to three a week, often more. But, because I read for escape, and most of those don’t stick with me, I don’t take the time to write anything about them.

I’ve just finished Room, by Emma Donoghue, and I know this book is going to stick with me for a very long time. A train friend was reading it recently and highly recommended it, but when she told me its basic premise, I thought I’d never be able to read it – as a mom, it sounded like it would cut way too close to the bone. Then I picked up a copy last night at Barbara’s in South Station on my way home (having finished my last book, Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier, on the subway) and, skimming the first two or three pages, I was immediately hooked. The book came home with me, and I finished it today.

You may be wondering, what was that basic premise? Told in the voice of Jack, a just-turned-five-year-old boy, it’s about his and his Ma’s life as prisoners in an 11 by 11 foot room. This is their entire world, and it’s all Jack has ever known.

Ma is a now-27 year old woman who was kidnapped by a man unknown to her from her college campus at age 19. She has lived as his prisoner and sexual slave for over seven years in Room, and for the last five, has protected and nurtured and raised her son in astounding ways.

Jack is a most intriguing mix of nearly grown up, and still practically a toddler. The name of every item in Room, including Room itself, is capitalized in his mind, and because mostly there is only one of everything, nothing is “the” Room, or “the” Bed, or “the” Rug – it’s Room, Bed, Rug, Duvet, Skylight (which looks straight up and is their only view to Outside), investing them with life and personalities of their own.

Jack has mad-crazy language skills (in spite of being a bit shaky on grammar upon occasion) and also math skills. He can repeat back, perfectly, whole lines of what he hears on the TV, in a game he and Ma call Parrot. His vocabulary and understanding are extensive.

Whereas one might think Ma would be nearly catatonic after all those years mostly alone (her captor, who she and Jack refer to as Old Nick – because, like Santa, he only comes at night – comes to Room for only a little while a few times a week), she has made every effort to keep herself – and thus Jack – sane and as whole as possible, teaching him everything she can.

Ma and Jack have a small black-and-white TV that gets only a couple channels via Bunny (the antenna ears), and Ma has taught Jack that everything he sees on TV is fantasy (as she says later, “why teach him there are things and places out there he may never get to see or experience?”) To keep their brains from “becoming mushy” they only watch one or two shows a day, the rest of the time reading, talking, exercising, napping, playing – living as normally as Ma can make it. Jack thinks the things he sees on the TV are each their own planets – the Dora planet, the medical planet, the news planet, the animals planet.

Now, however, Jack is five, and Ma finds out that Old Nick’s living situation has become very tenuous – he has been unemployed for over six months and may be close to losing his house. She decides it’s time for them to formulate an escape plan. Of course, she’s thought of a million escape plans over the years, none of which were feasible enough to try, because of the fortress-like nature of Room, gradually revealed throughout the story. The only plan she did try resulted in Old Nick breaking her wrist, which has never properly healed.

But now her desperation is coming full bloom – Jack cannot stay in Room any longer, they both need the world. So she starts “unlying” to him – explaining that much of what they see on the TV is, in fact, real, and does exist. She tells him about her Mom and Dad, and brother Paul, that they have relatives, people who care for her and will also care for Jack. Together they work out a plan to get Old Nick to take Jack out of Room, making him think Jack is very very sick and needs a hospital, whereupon Jack will run away and get help.

While escape doesn’t work quite according to plan, in the end (about halfway through the book) it does work. Then both Ma and Jack have to start learning what it means to be living Outside, and how their lives will go on from Room.

This is a finely-crafted, incredibly engaging book. I never once got tired of Jack’s voice; his thoughts and experiences and the ways he expresses them ring true in every line. The author tells us, It was not Old Nick’s evil that fascinated me, but the resilience of Ma and Jack: the nitty-gritties of their survival, their trick of more or less thriving under apparently unbearable conditions. Because of this, there are no specifically horrific parts meant only to terrorize the reader. I was always aware, as an undercurrent, of the terrible circumstances of Ma’s and Jack’s existence, but the love and light and life that they shared together was the most stand-out part of the story.

Ms. Donoghue has done a remarkable job of showing us exactly their resilience and desire to survive. You should read this book.

When it comes to financial planning, the Amish do not have secrets.  What they do have, however, is common sense, discipline and the ability to look towards the future.  Instead of living in the present and getting what they want right now, they wait and reap plenty of rewards.

I am just going to get right to it and say that I love this book!  I really do.  Financial books, in general, are boring.  Let us just admit that right now my fellow paycheck to paycheck friends.  Making you feel like your lack of a solid 401K and Roth IRA leave you doomed forever.  In fact, I have avoided reading any book about finances in a very long time because I always end up feeling inadequate and unprepared.  {Maybe I am.}  Lorilee Craker does not do make you feel this way in Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing and Saving.  In fact, you might even feel a little smarter when you have finished.

What you will find in this book are real life tips and tricks that everyone can appreciate.  And use!  Imagine that.  You learn how to do with what you have in a positive way.  Leaving you the money later to do what you want without feeling guilty.  Imagine being able to have the things you really want, without the financial burden.  And the things you really need, without the worry of where the money will come from.

This is not your standard, “You must do this to get this result.” book.  You can adjust the ideas presented to your lifestyle.  To your personal financial situation.  Keep your cable television if you want to.  You decide how you can make the financial practices of the Amish fit into your life, and not the other way around.

Through and through Lorilee Craker made Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing and Saving easy to relate to.  In an economy where financial reality is harsh for most, this book makes you feel like ‘giving up’ doesn’t have to mean ‘going without’.  And you will only know what I mean if you pick up this book!  Which you definitely, definitely must do!

I received this book free from BookSneeze in exchange for a written review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I started the Zoloft last night.  Absolutely no reason not to.  I still had pills left from when I was on them before.  And they are maybe 3 months old.  That means still okay.  She prescribed the same dosage.  So I could do it and I didn’t have to go and visit the pharmacy.

I guess I had the naive idea that maybe a bedtime start would make things go more smoothly.  Well it is not.  I am exhausted.  Beyond exhausted.  I’m surprised I’ve gotten done what I have today.  Like most of the laundry in my room put away.  And the dishes are done in the dishwasher.  I couldn’t even get the kids through a sitting of home school work.  I just don’t have it in me.  My eyes are barely staying open.  So I’ve been trying my best to stay moving.  Or at least engaged in an activity.

And then?  There’s the icky “I am so going to throw up!” feeling.  I have been gagging all morning and I even ate right away when I got up.  I was hoping that would make taking the Lamictal easier on my stomach and therefore help me avoid additional side effects due to the Zoloft addition.  That plan failed.  My guess is that the mix of them in my head is bringing this on.  So I hope they get used to each other soon.  And yes, I very rarely eat when I take my morning dosage because I’ve been on it so long that generally there’s no issue if my stomach does happen to be empty.

Despite all the tired, I do feel somewhat better today.  Placebo?  Relief?  I know it helped last time, so I have a lot of hope that it will work this time as well.  And?  Yesterday I got news that actually made me feel like I can have a little interest in our move home.  Which has certainly elevated my mood quite significantly.

I am not saying a single word right now because decisions have not been made.  But?  This could make me much happier.  Although seriously less financially stable.  Maybe needing food stamps kind of financial change.  Even if I still have to deal with the craptasticness** of winter though, this would be better.  Even though it might only make Wisconsin an additional 12-18 month delay.  That’s still 2013 and not 2012.  And a year to maybe convince my husband to stay where we’re potentially heading.  Or it might just bring us to the decision to head elsewhere.  Still.  It’s something.  And that’s better than nothing.

And really quickly – I emailed the woman who I have been in touch with for the book review that I put out on Monday.  And I got a total thumbs up from her!  She said the review is exactly the type of thing they are looking for and that she looks forward to seeing more reviews from me!  Woohoo!  I actually feel a bit like a real writer.  Not just a bumbling rambler with a blog.

**And yes, I do realize that craptasticness isn’t a word.  But you must admit you like it!