Friday Night Links 8

Today I celebrate my third "nannyversary" --I now have three years of cooking dinner, doing laundry, and making beds under my belt. (Oh, and all the other million things I've done--I list those three tasks to keep my job description simple, but the truth is I've done EVERYTHING in this household. Today my list included scheduling fence repair, scanning documents, ordering glass tops for tables, making returns, hanging a curtain rod/curtains, going food and supply shopping, and researching driving schools. I don't always toot my own horn, but it's my nannyversary!)

Okay, digression over. How about a few existential/quarter-life crisis links?

I could (maybe should) watch this Elizabeth Gilbert video daily. (I even stole her phrase for my current about me.)

A good reminder that no one has it all figured out.

This isn't career advice: "words of wisdom unrelated to work, career-building, dollars, or getting ahead."

I get paid a plenty fair wage, but this parody video still feels appropriate to add to this link list.

And as always...

No School November

We're in the middle of a month aptly referred to as "No School November" by my kids at work. This week they only have three days of school, last week was four, next week is (their normal) four and a half, and the week after is two, followed by Thanksgiving break. Then it's December (which will also be obnoxiously lacking days of school).

Besides the educational concerns I have with how little time CPS kids actually spend in class, as a nanny/house manager I also have an added layer of responsibility during these days--getting my own to-do list done while also keeping the kids busy/productive. News flash: it is hard to get kids (teenagers) to do things on their days off.

On Tuesday, I let them loose in the kitchen. I told them to find a recipe for whatever they wanted to make and write down ingredients we needed. Then, I took them shopping (and crossed off a few errands of my own while we were out). Once we got home, I divided the kitchen up between the two of them and acted as sous chef for both. I told them that as long as they did most of the work to make the food, I'd do most of the cleaning. We ended the day with spicy peanut sauce noodles and lemon bars. Maybe not the most common dinner menu, but it kept them off their phones and computers for several hours. Win!

Today I did more out of the house stuff with both kids--aka, driving them to various appointments and practices around the city. I don't mind city driving as long as I'm not rushed, so it was actually a pretty relaxing day for me. I also spent two hours in the DMV, where I practiced the art of stillness as I had literally nothing else to do. Another win!

(Despite my wins, I'm glad that tomorrow is a) Friday and b) a regular school day.)

Big Hero 6

In keeping with tradition, Jesus and I watched a kid-friendly movie for our anniversary this weekend. Our (my) emotions don't differentiate between 'serious' adult films and fun family ones, so (in keeping with tradition) I cried on three separate occasions while watching.

I had no idea what to expect going into Big Hero 6. The trailers all feature a marshmallowy robot and a young boy, but beyond that the main plot struggle isn't clear unless (like Jesus) you're familiar with Marvel and/or obscure comics. The movie is set in San Fransokyo, a futuristic, whimsical, and fantastic combination of San Francisco and Tokyo, and while the robot (Baymax) and the boy (Hiro...like "hero") are the movie's main characters, there's a lot more to their story than just stopping a dude in a mask with millions of microbots.

Big Hero 6 is about knowing what you're good at, and using that to make the world around you better. It's about staying true to who you are in the face of great struggles, big successes, and surprising setbacks. It's about family, innovation, and finding humor in the little things. The running gag that had the whole theater laughing every time it came into play was as simple as a fist bump.

PS: If you see it in theaters, make sure to get there on time to catch the animated short Feast that plays before the main show!

Elise Gets Crafty

Last week when I reviewed Serial, I mentioned another podcast that I've listened to: Elise Gets Crafty. Recently I started listening again, and I have to say Elise gets me more and more...or rather, she gets herself and that helps me get me.

In Episode 002, she re-shares the audio from a video she made in 2011 about finding work after college. I wish I had heard this then (though who knows if I would have listened/followed her advice), because her thoughts are refreshing and normalizing--she admits that not finding a job/"the" job sucks, and as much as she wants to say "it all happens for a reason," she doesn't trivialize the search. It just sucks and that's what it is. I'm several years out of college and at a different point in my life, but her post-grad goal looks similar to what I've thought I want to do now, so a lot of her words hit home.

While I'm a quick learner, I'm a slow/deliberate processor, so in some ways I do feel like I'm just starting my post-college life and definitely still figuring out what I want to do. I needed to hear her quasi-motto, "just get started/figure it out as you go," because it's easy for me to get overwhelmed or caught up in details and freeze. A lot of what happens on this blog comes as a result of me just starting and figuring it out in real time. That's the beauty of online journals--there's no time to wait for the "perfect" moment. Especially when you've challenged yourself to post daily.

Next step: apply this mantra to my offline goals. (To be continued...)

Spaghetti (Squash) Carbonara

Until this weekend, I've never mastered the carbonara (spaghetti coated with a bacon, egg, black pepper & cheese sauce). My past attempts always ended looking like spaghetti with scrambled eggs and bacon. I can't say substituting the spaghetti with spaghetti squash is what did the trick, but it sure didn't hurt.

Like most of my recipes, I found a basic version online that I could tweak to my liking. I went with this one from Emeril Lagasse, trusting him to do this classic-dish-with-a-squash-twist justice. I didn't make many adjustments, but I did add some yogurt chicken to the finished product to round it out.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (feeds 4...or 2)

1 spaghetti squash (look for ones that are heavy)
4-6 strips of bacon, cut into strips (the short way)
about 1/4 c chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c white wine
2 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
1 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste (but be generous with with pepper!)

First, bake the squash to soften it. Preheat oven to 375. Cut the squash in half (you'll need a big/sharp knife for this) and scrape out the seeds. Place cut side down in a baking dish and add water to cover the bottom and up about 1/4 in. on the squash. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about an hour. (I'd check it sooner--mine got a little mushy.) Let the squash cool a little (drain the water if you can) and use a fork to scrape out the flesh into a medium bowl. If you scrape length-wise it should come out in strands, like spaghetti.

In a large saute pan, cook bacon bits. When they are just about done, drain most of the fat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for about 1 minute longer, add the wine and let simmer until all the liquid has evaporated, and then remove from heat.

In a bowl, whisk eggs and add cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Pour this into the bacon mixture and stir to warm the eggs/cheese. Here's where the magic either happens or doesn't--if the bacon is too hot, the eggs will scramble. The eggs shouldn't cook through, just make sure everything is coated. Add spaghetti squash and make sure that's completely coated as well. I had a little extra liquid at this point, so I turned the stove back on to cook that off and to make sure everything was heated uniformly.

Taste test, adjust seasonings, top with chicken, and serve!

This also makes great leftovers.

Extras: My love of Italian food runs deep and another classic Roman dish.

Sunday Night Survey: Three Years Edition

11-8-11 was the day Jesus and I made our relationship "official"--as in we had an intentional conversation about being a couple. We had been boyfriend and girlfriend in everything but name before then: going on dates, seeing each other exclusively, texting each other morning and night, and celebrating our birthdays together, but it's nice to have a day set aside to mark the "beginning" of our relationship. In the past three years, we've grown together through:

Laughing: together.
Texting: wayyyy more than we talk on the phone (match made in heaven).
Discovering: Chicago's neighborhoods.
Trying: new restaurants in new neighborhoods.
Fighting: when we get too hungry.
Taking: advantage of any free event we can. Like any. Seriously.
Watching: "our" TV shows together.
Dressing: up like our favorite characters.
Traveling: to central Wisconsin, Madison, Denver/Boulder, and central Illinois.
Introducing: each other to our families. (And our families to each other!)
Pretending: to be Romans.
Talking: about everything. And nothing.
Keeping: yearly traditions. In all seasons.
Annoying: each other every now and then.
Learning: lessons about how we work best.
Thinking: about the future.
Compromising.
Doing: nothing.
Redoing: date nights gone awry.
Matching: outfits.
Reading: selections for our book club of two.
Eating: sushi from Wal-Greens, Thai food on our anniversaries, vegan when it interests us, and every three hours on a good day.
Choosing: each other, every day.

If You Follow Me

If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First thoughts: a sweet, kind of strange tale that made me want to visit Japan. I liked the setting and themes and supporting characters much more than the protagonist.

Where I read: on the couch, in bed, instead of wasting time on the internet.

This story made Japan more real to me as a place that I could see myself visiting. The "wherever you go, there you are" theme struck me, and I always like to see how others interpret it. This version adds in another layer with garbage/how you dispose of things working as a symbol for routine/structure/rules/putting "things" in their proper places.

Favorite characters: Hiro and his shy yet direct way of communicating, Keiko for her genuine emotions.

Recommended for: world travelers, people who are quick to run from problems, lovers and fighters.

I connected with Marina, the protagonist, on some levels, but I also kind of hated her. She could be really dumb. And I spent most of the book not believing the relationship between her and Carolyn. It seemed too forced. The way both of their stories resolved at the end reinforced my disbelief.

Final thoughts: If I had met this book at a different time in my life, I'm not sure if I would have finished it. I'm glad I found it when I did. I would read more by Watrous.


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Friday Night Links 7

My 7th link collection on the 7th of November featuring 7 not-so-random links: writing, relationships, stillness, and politics. Happy Friday!

Let's start with a whole year's worth of writing advice.

Then there's what a writer can learn from a classic children's book.

A review of the movie I'm pretty sure Jesus and I will watch this weekend for our anniversary. (Note: I only read the first paragraph because I was afraid of spoilers!)

And a hint as to how else we are celebrating our three years as bf/gf.

Because not all romantic relationships are with people.

An excerpt from a book that I recently won through a Goodreads giveaway. (Can't wait to read the whole thing!)

"Are you reflected in the new Congress?" There are 2 straight white females under 45 with a bachelor's degree. There are zero like my boyfriend. (He say's that's okay...he didn't vote. Sigh.)

Thankful Thursday

Or for those of you (like me) who have a love/hate relationship with alliteration, Grateful Thursday.

I posted this picture on Tuesday, but it's sentiment still applies today (and there's no guarantee it'll apply much longer). I'm grateful that it's still fall--literally and temperaturely. Climately? I think you get what I mean. Not only does the calendar say yes, it's not quite yet winter, but the weather is also full-on fall.

Besides that weird hailstorm on Halloween, which we can blame on the souls of the departed or the undead or whatever, this fall has been gorgeous. Leaves are turning colors and, you know, FALLING off the trees instead of being pounded to the ground by the force of a billion heavy snowflakes. It's been a gradually changing SEASON instead of a whiplash-inducing switch from 80 degrees to 30. Yes, we've had some rain and some wind, but I don't mind all that within the context of a year's worth of weather patterns.

What I do mind is when it goes from summer to winter to winter to winter to summer again. I need transition periods. I need baby steps. I need the time to rake leaves between the lawn mowing and snow shoveling phases of the year.

I love you, fall, and I'm so glad you are real this year! Even when the streetlights come on at 3:45.

NaBloPoMo

Since I made it to Day Five, I'm going to make this public: I'm participating in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). You may have heard of its larger/more popular cousin, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which I aspire to/have thought about, but I'm not trying to write a novel in thirty days right now. Instead, I plan on blogging for thirty days. I've done monthly challenges before, but always with a theme. This time I'm following my curiosities and posting regular content daily.

I'm doing this because:
I love this blog. It's my baby (my almost 6-yr old baby).
I love having this online journal/scrapbook/reference for my life. Just this past weekend I used my blog to look up the repair video I used to fix my washing machine last year, and I frequently check it to see when I watched a movie/read a book or what I did for certain holidays. While I could also document these things in a personal journal (which I do), the truth is it's just easier to search for things online.
Beyond loving it for myself, this blog is my resume and portfolio. Want to see what I've done for the past six years? It's all here. Need a few writing samples? Help yourself!
My writing improves when I stretch myself. I've written some neat poems during April. I've published original stories and nonfiction posts thanks to outside prompts.
Having an audience holds me accountable and keeps me honest. I would do this just for myself, but knowing this is all public adds another layer to my writing and makes me think about what I write/post--my personal journal is unfiltered/unedited.
I might learn a thing or two about a thing or two. Who knows? I might make it to November 30th with just writing fatigue and a few strange posts, but I'm pretty sure I'll also come away with a sense of accomplishment.

As always, thanks for reading & come back soon! (Like tomorrow, when I post again.)

Election Day 2014

Did you vote today? Remember, you can't complain about politics if you haven't done your share! Voting is super easy here--in Chicago we were able to vote early until Saturday at one of 50 locations, including libraries. And you can register and vote all in one shot. So easy! (Yes, I say this knowing that hundreds of "provisional" voters are stillllll waiting in line.)

I had no line at 10 in the morning and luckily, my polling place is only a few blocks away. I made the walk before work, did my civic duty and then my gainful employment duties, and I'm now watching election coverage. If you don't know much about Chicago/Illinois, you probably know that corruption is the name of the game around here, so I always find even these midterm elections pretty interesting. After all the mudslinging we've had to deal with, I like watching and seeing who came out on top. (Again, I say this knowing we might not know who wins the gubernatorial race until mid-November!)

On another, semi-related note: did you change the batteries in your fire/carbon monoxide alarms this weekend? Ideally you're testing the alarms monthly, so you know ASAP when batteries are running low, but a yearly switch out can't hurt. (We can file this little tidbit under Stuff House Managers Deal With.)

Breaded Acorn Squash

I did the sweet. I did the savory. Now let's try the slightly more labor intensive but still really tasty. Acorn squash is both versatile and simple, so I like to test out new recipes using it, knowing you really can't go wrong. These breaded rounds are as easy as egg, bread, bake.

I used this recipe as a basic guideline. My version below:

1 acorn squash, sliced into rounds (or quarters or chunks or whatever is easiest)
1/4 tsp salt (and a little more if you love salt, like me)
1/4 tsp pepper
chili powder, nutmeg, and cumin to taste (hearty shakes of all three)
1/4 c-ish cornmeal
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 425.
Spray the grill part of a broiler pan with non-stick spray and place over the base.
Slice and peel acorn squash--peeling is optional. I peeled a few rounds, but left the rest on because they do come off really easily once the squash is baked.
In one bowl, lightly beat egg.
In another bowl, combine cornmeal, breadcrumbs, and spices until well mixed.
Coat each round first in the egg, then in the dry mixture, pressing it on to coat it completely.
Place on broiler pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for about 15 minutes longer. Coating should be golden brown and squash should come away from the skin easily.
These are good right out of the oven, but they also reheat well.

Things I might try next time: more spices! It's hard to test how these are going to taste, but I ended up sprinkling more salt on after they were cooked. Also: cheese! I think adding grated Parmesan to the dry mixture would take these guys to the next level.

Sunday Night Survey: Extra Hour Edition

Happy November! A new month is always exciting, but going from October to November feels especially momentous. We end on a holiday that celebrates death and enter the month that is pretty much full of death (goodbye daylight, goodbye warmth, goodbye shaving). Okay, we also get a lot of life in the next four weeks: family, holidays, pumpkin pie. Here in Chicago, we said goodbye to October with a casual hailstorm and then had a gorgeous November weekend, so it all worked out. Here's what else is up:

Making: bison chili in the crock pot.
Eating: peanut butter M&M's by the handful.
Drinking: Halloween Wine!
Fixing: our washing machine. Again.
Buying: the biggest pliers I could find so we could fix the washing machine.
Doing: several loads of "catch up" laundry. You never realize how important clean underwear is until you have none.
Smelling: pumpkin spice and cinnamon apple flavored candles.
Cooking: Crispy Acorn Squash Rounds. (more about these tomorrow!)
Dressing: up as Scully from The X-Files.
Wondering: where/how to store a wig.
Practicing: my Spanish and my piano skills.
Watching: Obvious Child.
Doing: nothing and not feeling bad about it.
Reading: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
Following: this blog.
Taking: media coverage with a grain of salt.
Using: my extra hour to take a mid-day nap.

Against Football

Against Football: One Fan's Reluctant Manifesto by Steve Almond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First thoughts: This was tough to read mid-football season, especially in light of all the recent domestic abuse cases and more evidence of football's long-lasting effects on brain health. To be honest, this book told me a lot of things I already knew...it just brought these things to the front of my mind.

While I've watched football this year (and will watch it again), I haven't gone out of my way to see games. I've planned other events for Sunday afternoons, opting to not be home (where I usually default to watching whatever game is on).

Recommended for: football fans, sports fans in general.

Favorite quotes:

"As a population, we generally agree to regard that which is popular as worthy and that which is convenient as necessary." (this applies not only to football)

"You take a stand because it's the right thing to do, not because it's effective." (Almond's reasoning for why he's done with football, even if he knows his one-person boycott doesn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things...and again, this applies to more than just football.)

Final thoughts: I think people should read this.


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Scary Movies 2014

This October's collection of scary movies includes a classic, a new release, and a few recent randoms. While I truly enjoy a good scare, I'm excited to get back to watching "normal" things in November (up first, Obvious Child)! I'm sure I'll share a costume picture eventually...everyone have fun/be safe tonight!

Apartment 143

The trailer makes this movie seem both scarier and better quality that what it is in real life. A family starts experiencing disturbing things in their home after the death of the wife/mother. They move and all seems okay until things start happening again: doors close on their own, lights go out, things move around--so the family has a team of paranormal investigators come and check things out. The movie is made up of the collected footage from this investigation, so we get a lot of plot through interviews rather than through action. Yes, it has some good scares/freak outs, but the story just isn't there.

Oculus

Here's a movie with a story. And a clearly haunted mirror. Kaylie is ready to put her past behind her, and invites her younger brother, Tim, to help her "destroy" the mirror that destroyed their family. With creepy visuals and unsettling flashbacks, Oculus weaves a tale of past and present that left me thinking about it days later.

Dead Silence

What I learned from Dead Silence is dolls are creepy and pregnant women aren't safe. This movie brought the gore along with plenty of suspenseful scenes. I like how it all tied up at the end, and while it did make me jump more than once, it wasn't so scary once the credits rolled and I turned my lights back on.

Annabelle

What I learned from Annabelle is dolls are creepy and pregnant women...wait a second. Yep, another haunted doll movie. This one does it better--scarier--with better acting and a more cohesive story.

The Shining

This one's been on my scary movie bucket list for a while (especially after reading the book last year), so I'm glad I finally saw it. It's definitely as suspenseful as everyone says it is! The Shining is a classic for good reason--it had Jesus and me researching background info and theories and googling facts about the making of the film.

Extras: last year's scary movie list and a scary sequel.

More Thoughts on Serial...

I haven't listened to today's episode yet (saving it!), but what I forgot to say yesterday is: I'm not a podcast/radio person, so it's kind of cool that I'm enjoying something so out of my norm. I know I'm not a podcast/radio person because I'm not an auditory learner. I learn by sight and by doing. Listening (active listening) is really hard for me.

Because of my slow auditory processing, I started Serial with hesitation. In fact, I almost didn't make it through the first episode. I laid on my bed while listening, but zoned out. To be fair, the first episode is longer than any of the others have been, but I still found it hard to concentrate on the show and not get lost in my own thoughts. I had to pause, get a glass of water, walk around a bit, and come back (I was listening on my computer because I hadn't figured out how to get it on my phone). Then I started rearranging my room while I listened. Magic. I'm sure the subject--namely, murder--helped to keep my attention, and without a doubt Sarah Koening knows how to craft a story, but slowly I got into the drama until I found myself stopping what I was doing to listen closer.

Back to podcasts: they're in a sort of "golden age" according to this article. It's true--I've heard about Serial from close friends, bloggers I admire, and now I keep seeing it featured in articles. One blogger in particular also has her own podcast, the only other one I've listened to besides random episodes of This American Life. I'm hoping Serial can work as listening practice for me and maybe I'll ease into a few more podcasts some day. This list from The Atlantic gives me a pretty good place to start.

Serial

Today was a Hump Day for the books. I haven't watched TV on a weeknight since the summer, but tonight all I want to do is let someone else do the entertaining while I turn my brain off. Game 7 is turning out to be just what I need, but I'd also welcome a new episode of Serial if one were to show up early.

Serial is the newest podcast from the folks at WBEZ Chicago (the same folks responsible for This American Life). It tells "one nonfiction story, week by week, over the course of a season." Its inaugural story is about a murder that occurred 15 years ago in Baltimore. New episodes come out Thursday mornings, so I'm eagerly awaiting tomorrow's segment. And cheering for the Royals.

If you haven't heard of Serial, or if you have and you haven't started listening yet, here's episode one (all episodes can also be found on the website, serialpodcast.org):

The Mondays

Today greeted me with a strong case of the Mondays. I couldn't want to do anything. Here's what Did and Did Not help along the way.

DID HELP:

Sunshine & 74 degree weather.

Coffee.

Listening to the most recent episode of Serial.

The practice of doing just one thing at a time. Then the next. And the next.

Knowing I had leftovers at home for dinner and wouldn't have to cook anything.

This video.

Pulling out my blog calendar and planning out November.

Part of a Seroogy's Mint Meltaway.

DID NOT HELP:

74 degree weather & my layered fall outfit.

Still being sore from this weekend's 5K.

Bear & Packer losses.

Getting spit on by some old guy at Whole Foods.

Wind.

Sunday Night Survey: 5K Edition

What a weekend! Glorious weather, a visit from my parents, pre-Halloween fun, a 5K, lots of food and laughs...I had it all these past few days. I'm so happy October turned into such a lively and activity-filled month.

Making: friends on the 5K course. (It helps when people recognize your costume.)
Smelling: someone's toots at the thrift store. (I got out of there pretty quick.)
Cooking: lasagna after a weekend of gastronomic adventures.
Eating: a fried chicken sandwich, a spicy skillet, thin crust pizza, chocolate, pastries, chips, lo mein...
Drinking: a few sips from my free race beer before confirming my distaste for beer.
Introducing: my parents to Jesus's family.
Running: 3.1 miles in my Fionna costume.
Walking: less than I ran during the 5K. Success! 
Cheering: on the young girl dressed as Frida Khalo who really didn't want to finish the 5K. (She went on to win the costume contest.)
Putting: my butt into gear for the final stretch of the race. (And beating Jesus by one second!)
Watching: The Shining.
Getting: the final touches for my Scully costume.
Buying: a tapioca/watermelon/kiwi smoothie.
Missing: my parents already...these weekends go by too fast.
Reading: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel.
Writing: book reviews and movie reviews.
Listening to: Serial. Who knew I would like a podcast so much?
Wanting: to run another 5K someday.
Needing: a recovery period first.

The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First thoughts: YES! This was so fun to read. The first few chapters were confusing until I got the hang of the changing dates and locations. Once I got to know the characters and their stories the book picked up and I was off on a magical journey. I loved the little nugget-like chapters.

Favorite characters: Bailey, for being the most relatable. Mr. Barris and his architecture were cool. I loved the descriptions of Friedrick's clocks.

I'm interested to see how this translates to film. There's so much to be done with the visuals. Reading this also made me want to go to the circus (which I then did).

Where I read: in bed, on the couch, way too late into the night, all morning while I should have been getting ready for work...

Recommended for: circus/magic lovers, lovers of a story, dreamers, fantasy seekers, people who need a literary escape.

Favorite quotes:
"I have seen a great many things that I might once have considered impossible, or unbelievable. I find I no longer have clearly defined parameters for such matters. I choose to do my work to the best of my own abilities, and leave others to their own." -Mr. Barris

"You're not destined or chosen. I wish I could tell you that you were if that would make it easier, but it's not true. You're in the right place in the right time, and you care enough to do what needs to be done. Sometimes that's enough." -Celia Bowen

Final thoughts: I know I'm late to this party, but party on!!


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Why I Enjoy Every Book I Read

If you are a follower of this blog in any capacity, you've probably noticed that I enjoy reading. A lot of writerly types do. (And should!) Most weeks (usually Saturdays), I post a review of a book I recently read (imported from my Goodreads reviews, which is a great site for me to keep track of books I've read/want to read). More often than not these are positive reviews, which could convince a reader that I'm too nice and not a trustworthy (read: honest) reviewer. How can I like so many books? Why are the bad eggs so few and far between? I assure you there is a logical explanation for this.

Four Reasons Why I Like Everything I Read:

1. I read what I like. First and foremost, I don't start books I'm not interested in reading. I don't care how many other people enjoyed it; if I read summaries/reviews and I can't convince myself to try, I don't. There are way way WAY too many books for me to waste time on something that doesn't suit me. This right here is the biggest reason why I rarely write "bad" reviews. Can't write them if I don't read them. Example: Fifty Shades of Gray, etc. I feel no shame in not giving these books even a chance at a review.
2. I test read. Once I decide I am interested in a book, I give it the 50-100 page test: I read at least 50 pages and usually no more than 100 before giving up or going full throttle. If I'm not impressed after that, I quit. Just like that. Again--there are SO MANY other books out there, so why waste time on something I'm not into? I know that many readers feel like they've "invested" time into books and don't want that time to go to "waste," but here's the thing: hating the book for the first half AND the second half doesn't save you any "invested" time...it just makes you hate the whole book and wastes a lot of time. You can always try reading that book later on in life--sometimes you need to wait for the right season in your life for certain books. I don't review books that I haven't finished (besides putting them on a Did Not Finish list on Goodreads, so if you want a taste of what I'm not into at this moment, check that out), so again we've cut down potential "bad" reviews. Example: Steve Jobs. I even read past 100 pages for this one because I was so sure it couldn't be as boring as it was. Spoiler alert: it's boring for someone not enamored with Apple in any way.
3. I look for the good. If a book has passed both the initial interest and 50-page test and I finish it, there's a good chance it's because I legitimately liked it--but beyond that, I'm a silver lining type, so even if it was a rough read, I'll find something redeeming about the book. A character I liked, a concept that's intriguing, the pace, the cover design, the nugget of truth buried somewhere inside: all reasons for me to give a positive (though still honest) review. Example: Divergent, etc. I hated parts of these books, but they take a few hours to finish and they're set in Chicago.
4. I take a step back. If a book passes the initial interest and 50-page test and I can find little to no silver linings, I might not like it. And STILL: it's a published book by a person who took time to write it. Just because it's not the right book for me doesn't mean someone else won't enjoy it, or maybe I'm just not reading it at the right point in my life.  Example: Ready Player One. This book wasn't written for me, but I can understand why others might enjoy it.

If, despite all tests and rose colored glasses, I truly don't like a book, then you'll know. There are books that I finish because I'm positive they can't end as badly as they're progressing. When they do end badly, I feel tricked. (Example: A Disorder Peculiar to the Country. So much promise, so little follow through.) I try not to get to that point, so I do what I can to read books I enjoy and books that make me feel, think, and want to write my own things.

I know there are arguments for reading "challenging" books that aren't necessarily enjoyable, but I don't believe challenging and entertaining are mutually exclusive. I'm also not a literature professor, (paid) book critic, or an editor, so I can read whatever I please. (If you made it this far, what I'm trying to say is: it just pleases me to read.) 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

We left our X-Men in 1962, after they intervened in the Cuban missile crisis. Fast forward to "the future" and 1973, and you have the setting(s) for the most recent X-Men installment, Days of Future Past. In the future, mutants have come under attack by Sentinels (robots built to annihilate mutants). A small group of surviving X-Men sends Wolverine back to 1973, when Mystique killed the mastermind behind the Sentinels (which only sped up their production and added to their mutant-killing efficiency, as Mystique was caught and her DNA was extracted for scientific use).

Wolverine's mission (and the bulk of the movie's action) is convincing Mystique not to go through with the assassination, in the hopes that the Sentinel program won't progress. There are, of course, several other things to take care of for that to happen and what seems like a straightforward plan gets a few snags along the way. Professor X--Charles Xavier--is holed up in his defunct institute while he staves off paralysis with the help of a serum that also dulls his telepathic powers. Magneto is imprisoned below the Pentagon. Mystique is as headstrong and unwilling to listen to logic as ever. Wolverine has his work cut out for him.

Luckily, as the viewer, all you have to do is sit back and watch him/them work. Which I suggest doing, preferably with some popcorn.

An Alice Survey

Instead of recapping my whole weekend in this survey, I'm going to focus on yesterday afternoon. Jesus and I went to an interactive adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, called just Alice. It was set not only in the Neo-Futurarium theater space, but also throughout the Andersonville neighborhood and in several local businesses.

Waiting: for our lobotomized White Rabbit to take us on our journey.
Playing: the part of Alice along with about ten other audience members.
Noticing: all the little details throughout our experience: chalk drawings, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, masked actors, unmasked but strangely dressed actors, treats, and tea were everywhere we turned.
Growing: far too big for some spaces.
Following: the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole and through quite an adventure.
Shrinking: down to sub-normal height.
Agreeing: with the Dodos.
Disagreeing: with the Dodos.
Trusting: the White Rabbit despite warnings to do the contrary.
Smiling: at the antics of characters on the streets.
Listening: to the story of a very strange dream in an even stranger store.
Walking: down the sidewalk and
Keeping: an eye out for curious things.
Eating: a lollipop.
Dancing: in a tavern because why not?
Watching: chapter six as it played in the back of a van and I sat in a child's chair in an alleyway.
Drinking: tea under the table.
Playing: rock/paper/scissors with the Queen.
Wondering: how we came up on an extra Alice and what she carried in her suitcase.
Realizing: it was tons and tons of bouncy balls as her suitcase fell open and they went rolling and bouncing down the sidewalk.
Helping: her pick them up and watching her disappear again.
Trying: to learn a math lesson from the Mock Turtle.
Being: interrupted by songs and dances and silly lessons.
Singing: along with made up songs.
Standing: on trial for crimes we didn't remember committing.
Learning: arbitrary rules.
Hoping: it wasn't off with our heads.
Hearing: a spoken poem.
Closing: our eyes for the finale.
Opening: our eyes to see scattered playing cards in place of the people who we were sure stood in front of us.
Making: it back to the theater alive, awake, and Alice no longer.

Sometimes you're Alice, sometimes you're the Cheshire Cat.

We the Animals

We the Animals by Justin Torres
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Just as I was putting the finishing touches on a post explaining why I seem to like every book I read, this nugget of a story came into my life. While it wasn't awful, I only finished it because it was so short and I was sure the ending would validate the rest of the story. (It didn't.) Regardless, here's proof that I don't like everything I read, an exception that proves my rules, which I plan on posting later this week.

First & last thoughts: This book was happy sad. A fast, concentrated read of related vignettes ending in a longer (stranger) vignette.

Read: in bed on a Saturday morning.

Recommended for: I really don't know. Definitely not me.


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Friday Night Links 6

This week was like a weird time warp for me. My boss was on a business trip, so I stayed at work a few nights, playing the live-in nanny. The live-in nanny is always on call, even when she has most of the day to herself, so weeks like these leave me feeling out of sorts until I can come home and use my own shower and sleep in my own bed. Today I was back to my comfortable reality: sleeping in, making myself breakfast, riding my bike to and from work, and hanging out in Target for far longer than I planned. I'm feeling much better, and ready for the weekend--a belated birthday dinner tonight and volunteering at Ringside for Mercy's Sake (for my third time!).

Since Boss's Day was yesterday and Sweetest Day is tomorrow, here are some sweet bossy links. (Unrelated: sweet and bossy is how I would describe my childhood self.)

Sweet!

Boss Lessons from a musician.

Chicago's sweet history shows why it was the Candy Capital of the World.

How to feel like a boss.

Sweetest Day used to be October's candy-centric holiday.

10 things this blogger has learned on her way to becoming her own boss.

X-Men: First Class

The latest movie in the X-Men franchise, X-Men: Days of Future Past comes out on DVD today, so I'll be reviewing that soon. First, here's what I thought of it's prequel, X-Men: First Class, which I saw in theaters back in the summer of 2011 and re-watched earlier this year. The fact that I watched it twice says a lot about this origin story.

First Class is not only a prequel to Days of Future Past, but is also set before any of the original X-Men movies, in 1962/during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Well, first it takes us back to 1944 and both Nazi-occupied Poland and the kitchen of a Westchester County mansion, where we meet Erik Lensherr, Charles Xavier, and Raven Darkholme as their pre-X-Men/Brotherhood of Mutants selves. (That's Magneto, Professor X, and Mystique for those of you, like me, who are unfamiliar with this world.)

These three eventually join up (back in 1962) and learn that there are kind of a lot of people--mutants--like them, with powers ranging from control of the elements to flight to strength to telepathy. A non-mutant (muggle?) and supportive CIA agent gets them government sponsorship with the idea that they will recruit like-minded mutants to help diffuse the missile crisis, which (surprise surprise) was started by another (evil) mutant with his own gang of genetically-advanced pals.

As far as origin stories go, this one has it all: peppy montages filled with familiar X-Men franchise characters and Rocky-style training, the USSR, clever foreshadowing, thinly veiled commentary on intolerance and prejudice, and Kevin Bacon.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Acorn squash will always be my first squash. Spaghetti squash might turn out to be my favorite, and butternut is super easy/versatile, but acorn is where I'm learning the culinary ropes of winter gourds. Last year I sliced up the acorn squash I picked up randomly at aldi, topped each slice with butter and brown sugar, and roasted it to creamy perfection. This year, I'm starting off with something more savory than sweet: stuffed squash. I leaned on Martha Stewart for the basics, but played around a bit with textures and flavors.

Here's her take (with my substitutions/additions in parenthesis):

• • 2 acorn squash, halved crosswise and seeded (I only used one, but still used about 1 c rice)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 pound cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and diced small (I used white)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • (1 carrot, peeled and diced)
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (I used a rice pilaf mix)
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 
    
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, season cut sides of squash with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and turn cut sides down. Cover sheet tightly with foil and roast until tender, about 35 minutes.
  • 
    
  • Meanwhile, in a medium straight-sided skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are golden, 8 minutes. Add rice and broth and bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes. (I used a regular pot and just added in my veggies--carrots, mushrooms, onion--to cook along with the pilaf.)
  • 
    
  • Remove squash from oven and heat broiler. Carefully scoop out 2 to 3 tablespoons flesh from each squash half and stir into rice; season with salt and pepper. Divide rice mixture among squash halves, sprinkle with Parmesan, and broil until melted, 2 minutes. (I had plenty of rice pilaf to spare, so these were not only stuffed, but overflowing acorn squash. Still super tasty.)

  
  
• Can be scooped out and served in one dish, or enjoyed straight from the squash bowls!

Sunday Night Survey: The Marathon Edition

While I was not one of the 45,000 who ran 26.2 miles today, I was among those who watched. I'll never understand why running a marathon is so exciting to so many people, but if they're happy, I'm happy. And a lot of people were super happy. Like they had SMILES on their faces as they rounded the corner and headed into mile 15, where I stood. SMILES. (Along with a few tears and a lot of grimaces and sweat-wiping and snot-blowing.) Baffling.

No running for me, but I still kept busy this weekend:

Making: the most of a sunny weekend.
Smelling: crepes at the Wicker Park Farmers Market.
Cooking: stuffed acorn squash with help from Martha Stewart.
Eating: at home to save money for upcoming birthday dinners.
Drinking: a Bloody Shandy at Dunlay's on the Square.
Watching: a marathoner jog over to his two granddaughters and kiss each one on the head before continuing his race.
Crying: after witnessing such a sweet moment.
Cheering: on thousands of runners, especially my friend Megan and the many Mercy Home Heroes.
Walking: home from my marathon spot. (I guess I was inspired?)
Witnessing: the aftermath of one car accident and one bike accident on my way. Be careful, people on roads!
Putting: things into perspective.
Getting: a hair cut for the first time since January.
Buying: Aldi's Halloween Wine.
Spending: quality time with others and myself.
Wondering: where I can find a nice pair of Scully glasses.
Missing: my boyfriend and my brother, who had a bro weekend together in Madison.
Shopping: for furniture I neither need nor have room for.
Ordering: prints of my summer pictures for albums.
Reading: Xenocide by Orson Scott Card.
Writing: a to blog list, a to do list, and a wish list.
Playing: more Duolingo vocab games to retain my Spanish.
Listening to: my neighbors's 2 am off key sing-a-long and drum circle.
Wanting: time to s l o w down.
Needing: discipline.

The Ten-Year Nap

The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First thoughts: The pacing takes some getting used to. Having long chapters punctuated by shorter vignettes confused me until I got the rhythm of it. Finishing felt like waking up from a long nap.

Where I read: in bed and on my couch.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy a slow burn, parents, women, people who feel like they've put their lives on hold after having children.

I resonated with most all of the 40-something women/mothers:
Amy-in her head a lot and some of her jokes fail because of that...other people don't always follow her inner monologue/trail of thought.
Jill-really good at school, likes constant feedback, finds it hard to translate that into the real world.
Roberta-has great connections to her world, but isn't sure that she's found her passion yet.

Favorite quote (because it describes this book so well): "Like most people, he'd somehow recently lost his patience for the slow unraveling that took place in novels, the need for the reader to wait in order to find out what happened in the end." (Amy, p 232)

Final thoughts: reaffirmed my appreciation for Meg Wolitzer and the in-depth character study.


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Friday Night Links 5

I wanted to collect spooky links all month and share them with you on Halloween, but then you'd miss out on being scared for all of October, with Halloween as the capstone to the creepiness. Let me get you up to date on your hauntings.

First, October's schedule of scary movies--you'll never miss out (at least if you have cable)!

Why do people believe in ghosts?

These photos prove that fear is universal. And funny.

In case you've ever wondered why clowns are scary.

Some of the world's creepiest places.

And for Chicagoans: sign up now for the Pumpkins in the Park 5K on October 25!

Mirrors & Lamps

Yesterday at work, I picked up a mirror and a lamp for an interior decorating project. (Since I just saw Oculus this weekend, I'm pretty sure the mirror is haunted, but that's another story.) Then, last night I started reading Girl in Need of a Tourniquet: Memoir of a Borderline Personality and came upon this line:  "I resisted change. My resistance limited the memoir to mirror rather than lamp."

Interesting. Sometimes I wonder if what I'm doing here (on my blog, in my journal, through the constant monologue in my head) is just a whole bunch of mirrors. I can reflect myself over and over and over (accurately or distorted--as if I were looking into a funhouse mirror). I can write the same story a million times. I don't know if that's necessarily a bad thing, but I hope someday I can write a lamp instead. At least for variety's sake.

Apple Crumb Muffins

I'm not ready for pumpkin-flavored things just yet (and don't get me started on "pumpkin spice" flavors), but I am feeling all about the apples right now. Besides the walnut apple maple granola, throwing together a traditional apple crisp is fairly simple and results in the perfect late night snack or breakfast. If you want to spend a little more time in the kitchen, though, I recommend muffins. I made some last weekend for a get together at Jesus's brother's house. The recipe is straightforward, but the crumb topping takes these muffins to another level. They're like a glamorous comfort food.

Apple Crumb Muffins (I skipped the glaze as to appear more diabetes-friendly, but it sounds amazing) by Sally of Sally's Baking Addiction

Crumb topping (I had leftovers, so I'll be making an apple crisp soon!):
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c unsalted butter, melted
2/3 c flour

Muffins:
1/2 c unsalted butter, softenened
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c yogurt (I used greek, but any plain yogurt or sour cream will work)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c milk
1 1/2 c diced apples (I used 1 1/2 large gala apples & I didn't peel mine)

Glaze:
1 c powdered sugar
3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Make the crumb topping by combining all ingredients except flour in a medium bowl. Once mixed, stir in the flour until thick and crumbly. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425. Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with muffin cups...or do what I did, which is use foil-lined muffin cups on a baking sheet. (Just be careful with how full you fill your cups!)
In a medium bowl, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (1 minute).
Add sugars and beat on high until creamed (2 minutes).
Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla and beat on medium for about a minute until ingredients mix, then on high until everything is a uniform consistency.
In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and slowly mix with a rubber scraper.
Add milk and stir until just combined.
Fold in apples.
Spoon batter into muffin tin. I had enough for about 14-15 regular muffins.
Press crumb topping into the tops of each muffin.
Bake at 425 for five minutes, then drop the oven temperature to 350 for 15-17 more minutes.

Make the glaze by whisking together all ingredients and drizzling over warm muffins.

Enjoy immediately or the next day!

Speaker for the Dead

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First thoughts: Wow. I wish this could be a movie (Orson Scott Card has explicitly stated it won't/can't be). The dialogue/philosophy are great and there are some spot on one-liners. True, not a lot of action (way less than Ender's Game for sure), but plenty of drama/thinking/gorgeous and exotic scenes. Some parts remind me of The Sparrow, one of my all-time favorites. All-in-all, a thought-provoking look at how we approach foreign/strange/other cultures.

Where I read: in bed, on a plane, on the couch, wherever I could.

Favorite character(s): Ender, because of his wisdom. I also appreciated the many active and engaged women in the story.

Recommended for: sci-fi buffs, philosophers, people with prejudices, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, and those who've read other books in the Ender Series.

Favorite quote(s):

"Humankind almost never forgives true greatness." -Dom Cristao

"The tribe is whatever we believe it is." -Human

"As long as you keep getting born, it's alright to die sometimes." -Ender


View all my reviews

Friday Night Links 4

We live in a pretty cool world. I know you know that, and I know I know that, but sometimes we need reminding. So. Here are some reminders:

Would you wait for your walk signal if this dancing traffic light was at your intersection? More importantly, would you dance?

This bike lock would not have helped my situation in August, BUT it's still pretty cool.

It's craigslist, but just for art. Because art doesn't have to be fancy schmancy to be legit.

The tiny home movement meets extreme environmentalism meets deliberate living: cool!

It's nice when science backs up something you've known for a while.

Happy Friday!

The Pretty One

Let me be (one of) the first to say: Zoe Kazan is brilliant. I loved Ruby Sparks, which Kazan starred in, wrote, and produced. I really want to see What If, her newest collaboration with Daniel Radcliffe. For now, I'll settle for The Pretty One--a dark comedy featuring Kazan as twin sisters Laurel and Audrey.

Any similarities to The Parent Trap stop at the singular redhead playing twin sisters--The Pretty One focuses on the differences between two identical humans and what it takes to become more like yourself. Kazan's comedic timing is spot on as she transforms from awkward, unsure of herself Laurel to elegant and on top of it Audrey and back again. And Jake Johnson as Basel? Perfect.

Audrey comes home, where Laurel lives with their dad, to celebrate her and Laurel's birthday. A car accident which results in short term amnesia allows Laurel to first believe she is Audrey, then to actually live Audrey's life. While it's funny watching Laurel/Audrey struggle to understand her new life--re-learning how to be a real estate agent, gauging her feelings for her "boyfriend," trying to maintain friendships--it's also painful and tragic. I cheered when she "got" something about being Audrey while at the same time mourning the fact that the most "Laurel" parts of her were missing.

Tears were shed before I reached the happy ending of this dramedy--and even in the happiness I knew there'd be more tears for the characters in their futures. This type of movie doesn't appeal to everyone, but (I've said it before) I like when there's a little discomfort at the end of a story. Life is like that sometimes.

Moment to Moment

[I was going to post a movie review yesterday, but something else--these thoughts--came up. Reviews can wait. Also, I'm still processing some of these thoughts, but I think the most important part is to get words outside of my brain so they can exist in the open air. Bear with me while I process online/in public. That's the boiled-down and historically-accurate essence of a blog.]

So. Today is October and I hate October. Not October itself, and not even what it stands for--I've come to appreciate Halloween, I enjoy scary movies, and I've added quite a few squash recipes to my repertoire. I guess what I hate is shorter days that feel longer, a slimy gray fog that seeps into every nook and cranny of my psyche, and (if I'm being truly honest) that ubiquitous pink.

I'm trying something new-ish this October (well, this week for starters...baby steps) in order to put off that seasonal cloud: doing one thing at a time. It's not revolutionary. It's not even an original idea--I found it here. I started playing this "game" on Monday--one where I do the one thing I'm doing as best as I can, then I do the next and the next. I'm not always winning at this game, but I'm playing. And I've found (so far) that when you do the things you do, you feel pretty good. Even when it was just sweeping the floor or brushing my hair--I swept the crap out of that floor and brushed my hair like I was Rapunzel herself.

Mindfulness won't necessarily vanquish seasonal depression, but it will hopefully keep me mentally aware enough that I can continue on with my life without letting the fog take over. As I reach my third year in this apartment, at my job, and with my boyfriend (a lot of things happened in the fall of 2011!), I'm realizing that my current living situation is the first one post-high school that's lasted longer than a year (or a semester). Since 2006, I haven't existed in one place without going through some sort of transition every few months.

I've come to embrace transitions as periods where I can shake things up a bit, do a little mental housecleaning, and feel like I'm improving myself--even if all I'm really doing is sweeping my "stuff" under the proverbial rug. After three years with no natural transition, I'm finding that it's gotten a little crowded under said rug. What I mean is: I'm not used to sitting with this stuff.

My first inclination was/is to pretend it doesn't exist. I'm awesome at denial. If that doesn't work, I'll force a transition by rearranging a room, signing up for a fitness challenge, joining a writing-centric blog community, or jumping from one experience high to the next. None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but when the excitement wears off, I enter robot mode until I can find something new. Not this year. I hope that by making my neuroses public, I'll hold myself more accountable for them.

So:
I'm not going to let stuff get in the way of my stuff.
I'm not going to pretend my stuff doesn't affect those around me.
I AM going to look at my stuff, live with my stuff, and deal with my stuff.

Thanks for reading as I figure out what my life is!