I Suck at Girls: A Novel Review and so much more!

I already have a feeling this is going to be a "longer than expected" post so take a seat and grab a snack folks.

Okay, for the last few weeks I have been in a reading slump. I raced through 50 Shades of Grey (which I reviewed here) and since then I haven't found anything I wanted to pick up or even felt like taking a look at. Let's go ahead and call this phase "readers block" since I'm pretty sure it happens to me every so often. Anyway, I'm at Target last week looking through their new fiction selection to see if anything catches my eye and I come across Justin Halpern's newest little diddy. If you forgot, I LOVED his Shit My Dad Says (read more about it here) so I literally thought, "He's hilarious, this just might get me out of my readers block" so I purchased it.

Obviously, I LOVED it. Again, Halpern somehow got me literally laughing out loud (to myself mind you) by page 40 and continued to make me laugh all the way up until the last line. What a clown this guy is; no wonder he's hilarious, with a dad like that you really can't run out of material.

What I didn't expect was Halpern to evoke some sentimental and love-y dove-y emotions out of me. Turns out this little beauty isn't about just sucking at attracting the opposite sex but how to get past sucking at relationships and the opposite sex.

By the time shit started getting sentimental, it had me thinking about a topic that I haven't written about that I should have done awhile ago. The topic: moving in with your significant other.

Do you know how most people are full of shit and never tell the truth about situations because they want you to think their lives are perfect? Yeah this is exactly how I feel about moving in with the one you love. IT'S HARD. Why didn't anybody tell me that before M and I moved in together 2 years ago?! I'll tell you why, because nobody wanted to admit that adjusting to someone else's schedule and way of life is hard. Well here it is, that shit is hard. It's even more difficult when one person is completely Type A and neurotic about cleaning and organization and the other just isn't. Figuring out a happy medium to live in a balance with each other is hard, and it's an art if you can figure out how to do it correctly. Although moving in together was challenging, it thankfully didn't take more than a month or so for M and I to figure out how to "marry" our lives under one roof with little to no hiccups.

With that being said, living together should be considered an art because in my opinion it can make or break your bond, relationship, and love if you can't figure out how to mesh well. Apparently, Halpern thinks the same thing; here's the proof from his newest book I Suck at Girls


"When you move in with someone, you can't hide all the weird and annoying things you do, and while sometimes that unveiling ruins the relationship, often it seals the deal. It's like being a meat eater and having your vegetarian friend e-mail you one of those videos that shows you what goes on behind the scenes at a slaughterhouse; if you can make it past that, you'll probably be a meat eater for life."


I think what he said is so true; although difficult and challenging, moving in with your S.O. usually roots your bond much deeper than it was before.

What was really frustrating when M and I were moving in together is that everybody said how great living together is yada yada yada. They never said, "Well you have to adjust to each other's quirks first and then it's amazing". So now I'm saying it for those who haven't lived with or are about to embark on this journey, it's hard. Is it worth it? Of course. I'll tell you this, I wouldn't enter into a marriage without living with someone first because if you can work through those kinks, the beginning of your marriage will be a lot less stressful.

Anyone else have similar experiences? Please share, I love hearing that I'm not the only one ! It also makes me feel a little less crazy.

Recommendation: Must read! Be prepared to laugh your way through each and every page.

Love&Luck

Novel Review: 50 Shades of Grey

Okay I have been meaning to write a little something about this well known series and haven't gotten around to it. This will be brief but hopefully helpful.

About two months ago I had caught wind of this new series that was supposed to be a pretty saucy new book series revolving around a BDSM relationship (bondage, dominant, sadism, masochism). Well this is news because I'm pretty sure I've never read a book with a BDSM relationship or heard of one on the best sellers lists worldwide. So of course I had to see what all the hype was about and probably ended up reading all three books in the series within two weeks. Someone asked me yesterday, "How did the book make you feel?" and my answer was, "Hot and bothered". Simply put.

Here is one thing I will say, E.L. James did not in any way write the books well. What she was remarkable at was capturing attention and keeping the suspense building throughout the entire series. She does an excellent job getting your attention in the first novel by introducing us to the BDSM world and therefore making us read further to see what it's really about. Then she eloquently turns the series into a relationship centered series rather than a sex-centered series. Whether the relationship is strictly BDSM throughout, only you can find out by reading.

I will warn you, if you can get through the first book without cringing too frequently at the use of "my inner goddess" among other phrases that are disturbingly overused, you will enjoy the series and maybe heat-up your sex life.

Like I said, I wanted to keep the review short and sweet and not give up too much. Although poorly written, I couldn't put the book down because I had to know what was going to happen next. James did a good job by throwing in a few right hooks that you wouldn't necessarily expect which kept things fresh as well.

Enjoy! Let me know if you read them and please tell me what you thought!

Love&Luck

Novel Review: The 5 Love Languages

I wanted to write about a tool that has helped mine and M's relationship over the years. M and I come from different backgrounds, had different childhoods, different life experiences and are just overall different people so it's sometimes hard to understand each other's point of view. The book The Five Love Languages really helped show us both how we each perceive and appreciate acts of love. For example, when M does the laundry, dishes, or cleaning, I interpret that as a sign of love. Weird? Maybe. But I think it has a lot to do with watching my parents as I grew up. However, M definitely does not perceive love when I do the cooking, cleaning, etc. so I had to find out how he interpretted love.

I've spoken to many couples who also found this book helpful. I also saw that Gary has written a 5 Love Languages of Children book which I think would be amazing for those who have kids.

Suggestion: A must read for any relationship. Whether you just started dating someone or have been dating someone for years, this book is incredibly helpful and may even help you understand your partner better.

I also want to let you know that the book is a little slow to start with, but the real life examples Chapman gives really help you understand the love languages better. I promise once you get going, you won't be able to put it down. Plus the book is relatively short and can be finished within a day or two.

Happy reading!

Love&Luck

Weekly Round-Up

I definitely need to start doing weekly recaps. Ever since I quit my "normal" job life has been easy breezy and very "unscheduled" which is really nice for me for a change. HOWEVER, with my irregular schedule between two jobs and everything going on in my family life recently, things are getting a little blurry.

Okay, first things first. I'm making a little move back home to live with Pops. He's a little lonely and let's get serious, I am too. I'll also be able to help take care of my grandmother once she gets home from her hospital stay which would help everyone out (Ma is a CPA so this isn't the ideal time for her to take off work).

Both of these things explains my absence from said blog lately, I'M SORRY! Things are just a little busy so once I get back on schedule I will be back to blogging like a maniac.

I'm also reading a new book, something light-hearted and love-y which is exactly what I need around Valentine's Day and this chilly MN weather. That being said, I will need to write a review on it and The Hunger Game series very soon. Like I said, so much to do!

I would also still like to blog in depth day by day or week by week my trip to France. Believe it or not, I haven't even finished uploading my photos to Facebook; has anyone else tried the new photo system? It sucks. Period. And takes FOREVER. Who has time?

Moving on. It's time for a little bit of celebrity gossip.

Photos of Beyonce & Jay-Z's child have finally gone viral. If you haven't seen them, here they are. I actually like the name Ivy. Blue? Not so much. Whatevs, isn't my kid.

Photos via http://helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com/

PS. How in the hell did B get back in such bootylicious shape so quickly? I'm starting to believe all these fake bump rumors. Maybe she loved her bod so much they went with a surrogate. Hey, her bod is fab, not sure if I blame her. See bod here:

B post baby B

Really what's up with this?

A teeny tiny more gossip (seriously I'm sorry but since I'm aiming to not buy gossip mags I feel the need to report to everyone else what I see on People). 

It's official, Katy Perry and Russell Brand are officially divorced. I'm still really upset about this! What is my problem? I'm a hopeless romantic that's what's my problem. Bah, oh well. Wonder who she'll date next/end up marrying? At least they had dignity and didn't draw out the proceedings with arguments about money and property.

Oh yeah, I 'spose it was Super Bowl Sunday last weekend. Not going to lie, I wasn't paying much attention to the game but WAS paying attention to who was there. For instance, JSimps. She is lookin' a babe I tell ya. Although her boobs are much when shown, her face looks amazeballs since she's been pregnant; I for one can't wait to see what that baby looks like. 

You glow Glen Coco

Next, I have such a HUGE surprise to announce in 2 weeks but I won't share until then. It doesn't have much to do with the blog but a lot to do with me. I'm very excited, to say the least. Stay tuned to find out!

Are you addicted to Pinterest yet? If you are, follow my boards here. Don't be surprised if I whore the crap out of your boards, I'm hooked to Pinterest and the inspiration and ideas it provides!

Last night I made Ashley from Inspired by a Love Story's recipe for shrimp fried rice here, it was a huge success and so easy! I encourage you to try it, you will love it!

Yum! Dad about died

I'm beyond obsessed with these free printables from Cupcakes and Cashmere's post pre Vday. How adorable? I must get. Why can't I come up with these great ideas on my own?

Also, have you checked out Veronika's blog yet? I have become obsessed with checking her blog regularly because she's a savvy shopper with great taste and just plain adorable! I feel like if I were slightly taller and model like and brunette, we could be twinsters in an alternate universe. She's beautiful, loves sales, keeps her style classic and simply while always adding a twist or pop of color, and shows pictures of her pup once in a while. Sounds like perfection to me. If you haven't, check her out, I know you'll love her blog. PS. the next time I get my hair cut you can guarantee I will walk out of the salon with her exact cut, love it!

Hey girl hey! photo via  V's blog

Next, check out girlfriend Sigourney's recipe for a cake cocktail. Seriously?!! I wouldn't bat an eyelash if I could drink my dessert AND get drunk! This cocktail sounds delicious, perhaps it would be perfect for an all girls Vday night celebration?! By the way, she primarily blogs about fashion and cocktails so if you need unique or new ideas beverages, check her out!

Is it embarrassing that for the last few paragraphs I had to multiple tab what I wanted to write about so I wouldn't forget?? When I find goodies I just love to share them with you so if it makes me nerdy, so be it. 

Can you believe it's Valentine's Day this week? Seriously where has the time gone? I feel so unprepared for this time of year but thankfully I don't need to have anything planned via M is in France. A nice Skype date over wine will suffice for both of us this year. 

Okay, I THINK that's it, for now. I'm turning back to my raspberry vino and Law & Order: SVU for the rest of the evening. Loving this Friday snuggled in bed!

Stay cozy and have a great weekend!

Love&Luck

Guest Post: Novel Review, Wheat Belly

This week Sara at From Pudgy to Paleo agreed to post her book review for Wheat Belly on my blog!

Here are her notes from the book, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and will start thinking twice about consuming wheat.

Besides reading Wheat Belly, I recently had the pleasure of seeing Dr. William Davis speak in Milwaukee. If you haven’t already gotten a copy of his book or checked out his blog you should! The entire premise of his book is that we as a society are overweight due to the consumption of wheat. The perspective he gives is unique and even if it doesn’t make you stop eating wheat it will help you to think more about your food choices.

         Before going into this book review you should know that clearly I am biased since I have long since removed grains from my diet but there’s a lot to be learned about wheat from Dr. Davis. 

For instance, “Whole wheat bread (glycemic index 72) increases blood sugar as much as or more than table sugar, or sucrose (glycemic index 59). … The extent to which a particular food increases blood sugar relative to glucose determines that food’s glycemic index.” (8 – 9) What’s the glycemic index of a Snickers bar you ask? It is 41, far better than that of whole grain bread. (page 34) 

So why does this matter you ask? “The higher the blood glucose after consumption of food, the greater the insulin level, the more fat is deposited.” (Page 35) There are certain foods, like eggs, that won’t raise your glucose level after being consumed and they do not add to body fat. (Side note: I am a now on a personal pursuit to fight for eggs, particularly eating the yolks. Stay tuned for that post!)

I know that many of my friends have referred to things they are addicted to, for example Diet Coke and Target, as being “like crack” to them and Dr. Davis uses this reference in his book when discussing wheat. He explains “Not only does wheat exert effects on the normal brain, but also on the vulnerable abnormal brain, with results beyond simple addiction and withdrawal.” (Page 45) He uses an example that I found fascinating about schizophrenics and how their condition improved with the removal of wheat. He writes “…four week sans wheat and there were distinct and measurable improvements in the hallmarks of the disease: a reduced number of auditory hallucinations, fewer delusions, less detachment from reality. Psychiatrists then added the wheat products back into their patients’ diets and the hallucinations, delusions, and social detachment rushed right back.” (Page 47) 

There’s a similar effect when wheat is removed from the diets of children with autism. “The most comprehensive clinical trial to date involved fifty-five autistic Danish children, with formal measures of autistic behavior showing improvement with gluten elimination (along with elimination of casein from dairy). (Page 47) He further writes “It is unlikely that wheat exposure was the initial cause of autism or ADHD but, as with schizophrenia, wheat appears to be associated with worsening of the symptoms characteristic of the conditions.” (Page 48)

            I know what you're going to say, "Sara, I’m not schizophrenic, I don’t have ADHD and I don’t know anyone with autism, how will removing wheat affect me in a positive way?" Well first and foremost, weight loss. “Just among the last thirty patients who eliminated wheat in my clinic, the average weight loss was 26.7 pounds over 5.6 months. 

The amazing thing about wheat elimination is that removing this food that triggers appetite and addictive behavior forges a brand-new relationship with food: You eat food because you need it to supply your physiologic energy needs, not because you have some odd ingredient pushing your appetite “buttons,” increasing appetite and the impulse to eat more and more.” (Page 70)

I’m happy with my weight, what else have you got? Well, how about some help with diabetes.

I think most Americans would agree that even before Paula Deen’s big announcement about being diabetic, it was a problem, in nearly epidemic proportions, within the United States. “The archaeological record and observations of modern hunter-gatherer societies suggest that humans almost never developed diabetes nor died of diabetic complications before grains were present in the diet. The adoption of grains into the human diet was followed by archaeological evidence of increased infections, bone diseases such as osteoporosis, increased infant mortality, and reduction in life span, as well as diabetes.” (Pages 97 – 98) He further states “The number of Americans with diabetes is growing faster than any other disease condition with the exception of obesity (if you call obesity a disease).” (Page 100) He cites multiple doctors who are now treating diabetes as a disease of carbohydrate intolerance. “Dr. Volek and his team have repeatedly demonstrated, in both humans and animals, that sharp reduction in carbohydrates reverses insulin resistance, postprandial distortions, and visceral fat.” (Page 111) 

Regardless if you are diabetic, pre-diabetic or are not concerned about diabetes at all these facts should startle you, at least a little bit. During his presentation Dr. Davis showed a chart with the percent of adults with diabetes in the United States from 1980 until 2009, the cases of diabetes increased rapidly from year to year. According to his presentation the Center for Disease Control is estimating that in the future everyone will have diabetes. Their answer for this problem is medication, not a change in nutrition.

So why should you remove wheat from your diet if these aren’t problems for you? Wheat is a highly addictive food. Dr. Davis writes “Once having gained entry into the brain, wheat polypeptides bind to the brain’s morphine receptor, the very same receptor to which opiate drugs bind.” (Page 49) He then discusses the drug naloxone which is injected into those suffering from a drug overdose, the example he uses is heroin. This drug makes the person instantly not high. 

How does this relate to wheat you ask? “In lab animals, administration of naloxone blocks the binding of wheat exorphins to the morphine receptor of brain cells. Yes, opiate-blocking naloxone prevents the binding of wheat-derived exorphins to the brain. The very same drug that turns off heroin in a drug-abusing addict also blocks the effects of wheat exorphins.” (Page 49) He refers to a study at the University of South Carolina where wheat-consuming participants were given open access to a table full of wheat filled foods and were told to consume as much as they wanted.  Those participants who were given the drug naloxone consumed 33 percent fewer calories at lunch and 23 percent few calories at dinner than those given a Placebo. (Page 50) “Wheat is one of the few foods that can alter behavior, induce pleasurable effects, and generate a withdrawal syndrome upon its removal.” (Page 51) Seriously wheat is as addictive as drugs. That’s enough to scare me away from eating it.

If you look at the packages around you at the grocery store all of the studies and information provided within this book are validated. There is wheat in almost everything we consume. Dr. Davis believes this is due to wheat’s addictive nature. The more people consume, the faster they buy, the more money the companies make. Take a look at the labels of the things you buy on a regular basis, I think you’ll be surprised at how many of the products you consume contain wheat.

I would strongly suggest picking up this book. It’s a great reference point to help you convince those around you to begin their way towards a Paleo way of life by first removing wheat. After sharing much of this books message with my parents they have finally decided to try and make some dietary changes to better themselves and I couldn’t be more excited. Have you read the book? If so, what did you think about it?

Really readers, I hope you check it out! Eliminating wheat can do wonders for your health and body (I'm getting there, weeding out all of my wheat items so I can be wheat free finally!). 

Love&Luck

Novel Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

Readers, do I have a good-y for you. Up on deck this week is Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain which I gave a preview of not too long ago.

Racing is told through the eyes of a dog named Enzo, an incredibly cognitive four-legged mix breed who chronicles his life with his master Denny.

First of all, FINALLY a story told through the eyes of my favorite companion animal; so often we refer to our family pets as dear to our hearts as we do a fellow human so it has been a long time coming that a novel is written through their compassionate eyes. Isn't it always weird that your dog knows when you're upset, had a bad day, or are hours/minutes/seconds away from going into labor? (Our old dog Ginger was acting so weird and wouldn't leave my moms side the day she had my brother). Also I am an avid dog lover, and I mean AVID, so of course I got excited when my friend recommended this novel.

Back the topic at hand, Enzo is a mix breed pup who is adopted by Denny; of course they develop the strong bond that many human's do with their dogs but Enzo describes in detail how he views their world and their friendship. They enjoy watching racing videos together- Denny drives race cars as a hobby- and Denny talks Enzo through the emotions he has during a race, tips for winning, advice on how to read the track and becoming one with your car. Then all of a sudden Denny meets a woman, and the best part of this event is when Enzo describes his jealousy of Eve (Denny's wife) and his conflicting emotions with wanting Denny all to himself versus his acknowledgement of Denny's happiness with Eve which ultimately leads to Enzo's happiness. I think this is something that is common between many couples with companion animals, it's practically the same situation when a parent "loses" their child to their future partner, etc. In reality, the person doesn't leave the relationship but instead the bond changes and creates conflicting emotions of jealousy and happiness.

Stein beautifully intertwines how the art of racing cars can reflect the process of life itself and how it may seem like such a simple task, to drive a car, there are really many different aspects in order to successfully drive and win a race. Just as in life, the grand scheme of things seems so simple: born, grow, live, change, love, die. But the process is so much more than that and contains so many recipes and rules on how one should live.

With that being said, I don't want to get into too many details of Racing because it is a rather short novel and I was able to read the majority of the book in ~2-3 hours (~300 pages), but I will leave you with some quotes that will hopefully pique your interest and get you to read this novel.


Suggestion: Must read, especially for dog-lovers and those who love great life lessons.

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life, as Eve felt the joy of life. To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter each day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to. When I am a person, that is how I will live my life."


"Hands are the windows to a man's soul...They say that the senses do not operate alone, but rather are combined together in a special part of the brain that creates a picture of the body as a whole: sensors in the skin tell the brain about pressure, pain, heat; sensors in the joint and tendons tell the brain about the body's position in space; sensors in the ears track balance; and sensors in the internal organs indicate one's emotional state. To voluntarily restrict one channel of information is foolish for a racer; to allow information to flow unfettered is divine."


"What is the real truth regarding the death of Ayrton Senna, who was only thirty-four years old?...He died that day because his body had served its purpose. His soul had done what it came to do, learned what it came to learn, and then was free to leave."


"The race is long. It is better to drive within oneself and finish the race behind the others than it is to drive too hard and crash."


And last but not least, it's true, I'm a HUGE sucker for novels that include the title in the conclusion or moral of the story...


"I know this much about racing in the rain. I know it is about balance. It is about anticipation and patience. I know all the driving skills that are necessary for one to be successful in the rain. But racing in the rain is also about the mind! It is about owning one's own body. About believing that one's car is merely an extension of one's body. About believing that the track is an extension of the car, and the rain is an extension of the track, and the sky is an extension of the rain. It is about believe that you are not you; you are everything. And everything is you."


"That which we manifest is before us"


Coincidentally I am at my parent's this weekend, babysitting our family dog while they are out of town. So here I am, giving my dog extra tummy rubs, throwing her toys a couple more times, taking her for just one more walk, soaking in the appreciation that I have for this creature who stands lower than I on the totem pole but provides me with so much love, support, strength, laughter, and tears. I have gone through the whole losing a pet thing before, something I will never forget that Racing happened to bring back to the surface. Although Maggie is only 2, the precious years of life and energy always seem to pass too quickly; so here I am, tearing up with joy after completing Racing and making sure I give extra attention and love to Maggie.

Who knows, maybe she understands way more than I think and she is stuck keeping her thoughts to herself because her tongue was designed long, flat, and loose.

Spoiled rotten.

So fellow novel lovers I will leave you with a favorite quote from John Grogan...

Animal lovers are a special breed of human, generous of spirit, full of empathy, perhaps a little prone to sentimentality, and with hearts as big as a cloudless sky.

As you can tell, that is where I chose my blog name from, great words aren't they?

Enjoy your day of rest!

A New Novel, Finally!

I have finally chosen my next novel. I promise it doesn't normally take this long and usually I have a long list of books to pick-up next but this time around I am in a bit of a "fall funk" so I won't to choose wisely in hopes this next novel would spark some inspiration or hope.

So please get excited to soon read a review on...

I have been wanting to pick up this book for awhile and have finally gotten around to it. Except I'm buying it on my Kindle so I suppose I'm not really "picking it up". Whatever, you get the point. Stay tuned.

I'm just about to head off to yoga for some much needed R & R- Monday's are usually a drag for everyone but today was especially hard for some reason which makes me more excited to pick up a new read.

Have a great week everyone!

Is insomnia considered a hobby?

I know, I know...it's been forever. To be truthful, the time I feel most like writing is during the day. But guess what else is a priority from 7:30-5? My amazing job in the copier world. By the time I get home from yoga after work it's already 7pm and I am exhausted from putting all my energy and effort into copiers (get excited, this could be you).
However, I have this neat little trick that if I don't have a set schedule (5:30 am, 11pm sleep routine) I end up awake all hours of the night and cruising in and out of sleep through most of the day- my dad says I get this from his side, a bunch of night owls apparently. Sometimes, I like it. Most of the time it means I am cleaning at 2am or painting my nails at midnight, the list goes on and on. So although I was in bed at 10pm on a Friday last night, here I am wide awake on Saturday, blogging at 1am.
With that said, I wanted to share some recent good-ness that I have ventured across. Michael's grandparents gave me this cookbook recently

The key words you should be aware of are "low in sugar, fat, and calories" while simultaneously being able to eat the things you love most. It has everything from cocktails to salads to desserts and tomorrow I will be creating the "Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup" as well as "Oven Fried Zucchini Rounds" (picture below). One of my favorite healthy snacks as of late are "Zucchini Chips": thin slices of zucchini baked at 450 topped with parmesan cheese. They are delicious and easy, thank you Mom! So I figured, why not make them a little bit more delicious with some bread crumbs right?! I will post pictures and tell you how they were tomorrow. 

For the good stuff, I want to talk about Anna Karenina and The Paris Wife.

I want to start by saying that like every good English degree holder, I felt that I had to read Anna Karenina because it was a historical book and it's a classic...yada yada yada. I will tell you know, don't go there unless you have to. Basically, it takes place when divorces were just beginning to surface but were still scarce enough to "ruin" a woman if she were to divorce her husband. Well, Anna happened to marry a man who seemed like a good fit instead of her soulmate, had a son with him, and they both led their separate lives but were bound together through law. Until the day she meets Alexey Oblonky, whom she falls passionately in love with and they create a love child who she ends up despising. Long story short, her husband won't grant her a divorce so she can be with Oblonsky (I get it, he wants her to suffer they way he did) and she is a jealous, emotional wreck so she throws herself in front of a train. Did I ruin it for you? I hope not because it took about a million pages to get that point.

 In the end I was honestly hoping more than 1 person would commit suicide, is that incredibly terrible of me? The low down being, decisions in life were no longer made based on obligation in society but by personal preference, feelings, love. 

Here is my recommendation: read The Awakening and call it a day. Similar principles behind the plot and I'm not sure it's even 100 pages long. Personally, it changed my life in college; a real eye-opener on women in society. It really does boggle my mind how different women were treated decades ago, can you imagine not being able to make your own decisions? We wear certain clothes so we won't be judged could you imagine marrying someone so you would be presented a certain way in public? Sounds like a big barf-fest to me. 

The Paris Wife

I will tell you right now, READ IT. I was absolutely smitten with this novel. McLain's writing style was simply amazing and the way she referenced Hemingway was surreal. 

I should preface this by saying that a year prior to reading this book, I had spent an entire semester studying Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Willa Cather so Hemingway's style and works were quite fresh in my memory. McLain tells the story of Hemingway's first wife and how simple and happy their life was before he became a household name. My favorite part is also the part where the book takes a serious turn when they make the trip to Spain while Hem is in the midst of writing a new book (later to be titled Sun Also Rises) and McLain literally takes you into the exact examples that Hem uses in this book which I can only give her serious credit for- she had to spend hours pouring over his work trying to decide which parts to write about. Unfortunately, the book doesn't end how I wanted it to, if you know Hem you know he has 4 wives so it really can't get great (even though it's non-fictional she stays pretty close to the border). Hem ends up being 4 women deep and one unhappy ending later but at the very least Hadley ends up happy with a man who believes in monogamy. 

I know the summary was short but I really don't want to ruin any details, the book is simply amazing and you would be crazy not to pick it up. McLain interlaces romance, ambition, betrayal, the Expat years and more into one amazing page-turner. 

Recommendation: Read Sun Also Rises and then Paula McLain's The Paris Wife. When you're done with that I know you will be eager to read A Moveable Feast and perhaps A Farewell to Arms. Please be prepared, Hem isn't the most cheery of writers as he led a very depressed life full of alcoholism. 

I loved Sun so much that I wanted to name my daughter after Bret (come on, a woman with balls like that? How could I not?!). I have this weird fetish of wanting to name my children after books that I love (I also like Bennet after the Bennet sisters in Pride and Prejudice, really I can't choose just one sister to name a daughter after). 

Okay, I feel good about this post. Let me know if you check out either reads.

Cheers!

S#*! I WISH My Dad Said...

You may have heard about or seen Justin Halpern's $#*! My Dad Says anywhere from Barnes & Noble, to Target or on a morning talk show. I first heard about this laugh-out-loud book on a morning talk show where Halpern was being interviewed about said book; then, I noticed the book on an end-cap in Target while searching for a new read and originally wanted to buy it for Michael since he's not much of a reader and getting him interested in a book is like pulling teeth so I thought, what better than a short novel (less than 200 pages) that contains mostly quotations from Halpern's father.
Whether you enjoy reading or not, this book is a MUST. Halpern's father reminds me of someone like my grandfather or another father from that generation who always kept his relationships with his children at a distance and never really had anything "lovey-dovey" to say besides smart-ass comments about how you keep screwing up. Although I would find it hilarious for my children to be brought up with a father that was this hilarious, part of my thinks maybe my children would end up emotionally scarred or worse...so maybe this isn't my ideal method of parenting, but HILAROUS nonetheless.

Here is a nice preview and some of my favorite quotations:

On Yard Work
"What are you doing with that rake?...No, that is not raking...What? Different styles of raking? No, there's one style, and then there's bullshit. Guess which one you're doing."


On Proper Etiquette for Borrowing His Car
"You borrowed the car, and now it smells like shit. I don't care if you smell like shit, that's your business. But when you shit up my car, then that's my business. Take it somewhere and un-shit that smell."


On Getting a Job as a Cook at Hooters
"You, my good man, are not as dumb as I first fucking suspected."


On Taking My First Girlfriend to Las Vegas
"Vegas? I don't get it, neither of you are old enough to gamble. You're not old enough to drink. The only thing you're old enough to do is rent a hotel and-ah, I gotcha. That's smart."


On Furnishing One's Home
"Pick your furniture like you pick a wife; it should make you feel comfortable and look nice, but not so nice that if someone walks past it they want to steal it."


On My Interest in Going Skydiving
"You won't go do that, I know it...Son, I used to wipe your ass, I know you better than you know you...Fine, Mom used to wipe it, but I was usually nearby."


There you go! Hope you enjoy! Have a great weekend everyone :)

A Much Overdue Blog...Me & Mr. Darcy

Readers,

I'm so sorry about how long I have taken in between posts, but I have a good excuse I promise! It just so happens that we have moved again, to Fort Myers, Florida (picture to follow). Let me tell you, I didn't think life got any better than in California...but it turns out it can! It's about 10 degrees warmer here but a little humid which I wasn't used to because the air in CA is very dry but, low and behold, I am a true Minnesotan and can conquer any type of weather so humidity can kick rocks! We have only been here for 5 days and yet we are already acclimated into Ft Myers life: we have taken 2 trips to the beach already, done shopping of sorts, and I have already cooked a very hefty meal for Michael and 2 of his teammates. Currently I am writing to you in our air conditioned living room (believe it or not my legs would be VERY sweaty if I took the computer outside and tried to write) and I remembered that on our trip cross country from California to Florida I finished a book that Mandy (also known as THE best friend) sent to me for Valentine's Day, Me & Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter.

First things first: obviously I was excited to get a started on this novel because once again, the length of the book takes place in England (love it!), and also because I am obsessed with Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice so anything involving characters from said novel get me really excited. The novel began with Emily, the manager of a quaint bookshop in New York whose ideal man is Mr. Darcy from Austen's classic novel, which if you can believe, I have never thought about but when you put all of his qualities together are actually the make-up of a nearly perfect man describing him as possessing such qualities as "dark, brooding hero who's incredibly dashing and has all this repressed passion that's just waiting to be unleased". In theory, Mr. Darcy does sound quite dashing and utterly romantic but by the end of the novel Emily learns that these qualities are not what she's looking for because "mysterious, dark, and brooding" are actually a pain in the butt to live with and would rather have a guy who just throws his feelings out on the table. The novel continues as Emily spends her holiday in England on a journey to view places that inspired Austen or places she lived, worked, etc. But what would a romantic novel be without a little love, right? So along the way our main character, Emily, seems to develop this love/hate relationship with another fellow on the trip; but the real kicker is that her relationship with this fellow completely mirrors that of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet from Austen's Pride and Prejudice. And this might sound ridiculous but the most annoying part is that Emily doesn't realize the irony of her relationship to her favorite novel until page 299 while the entire time I am thinking in my head "come on lady, get with the program! how do you not see the similarities?". Oh the irony of it all.

Emily continues with "Suddenly the parallels are too many to ignore and it's like a light goes on in my head. Hang on a minute. This could be written about me and Spike, just replace the names (of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet) and it's us. No sooner has the thought struck than I can't believe I haven't noticed this before." Hallelujah! Finally she realizes it.

A very interesting twist to the book was that Potter decided to throw in a bit of "magic". Throughout, Emily encounters illusions? daydreams? of meeting THE Mr. Darcy. I really loved that Potter never clarifies whether Emily actually sees this brooding Mr. Darcy or whether they are figments of her imagination.

The book overall is adorable and I loved that the majority of it took place overseas it was just a littler unnerving that the main character was so slooowww to take notice to the similarities between her own relationship with that of Mr. Darcy and E. Bennet, oh well a slight hiccup in an uber-cute tale about, wait for it, pride and prejudice. 

Fort Myers Beach, our new home. AKA Spring break central

Brought to you by the pool

Today I'm writing poolside in the 79 degree California weather :) Ahh to be this lucky I am blessed. Last week I finished a novel titled I Remember You by Harriet Evans. I picked up this book at Target because of the cover (pathetic I know, you'd think someone with an English degree would know better than to judge a book by its' cover) and because it's based in English which I find a setting I am leaning towards more and more; perhaps because I've never been there. Here are my thoughts in a nutshell:
Evans writes a classic love story of two childhood friends who had seemingly been through everything together from day one but find themselves hardly knowing each other at all when a series of events comes between the two forcing their relationship to a make or break situation. What is this mysterious event that pulls a lifelong friendship apart? That is the real climax of the tale. Obviously it is a gloriously happy and love-y ending but the kicker was actually very shocking and threw a nice loop to the plot. Definitely a "pool read" or for you Minnesotans that are following a "snowstorm read". I'd suggest checking it out or you're welcome to borrow when I'm back in town :)

Happy day everyone :)