Archive for the ‘Misc.’ Category
Finally, the trilogy is complete!
What’s Cracking Good — The Hunger Games trilogy
My sister called me a couple of months ago gushing about The Hunger Games.
“It’s a teen book,” she warned. “But it’s a really GOOD teen book.”
I have nothing against teen things (which anyone who reads this blog should know), so I checked it out at the library…and then read it in about 7 hours.
To sum it up, it’s a post-apocalyptic story about an ass-kicking girl trying to survive in a game where (teen) contestants have to kill each other.
“That sounds dark,” says my husband. Not at all teen-y.
There is some costume-y and lovey stuff that might be a little high school, but all in all — it’s action and excitement and cool story.
And then it continues for 2 more books!
Mockingjay, the third installment of the series came out on Tuesday. Now’s the time to tap into your inner teen and read them all!
Overstuffed in a bad way
What’s Cracking Good — A neat wallet
My wallet doesn’t close.
I haven’t tried that hard, but I can tell it would take some doing.
It’s stuffed with a bit of cash, a lot of receipts, ever multiplying rewards cards, about 5 credit cards (some multiples, some expired), about 3 different picture IDs, some business cards…and probably a couple of other things I’ve forgotten about.
I once saw Suze Orman on Oprah preaching something about your treatment of money relating to how much you have. No wonder I have so little. I’m borderline-abusive to my wallet.
I recently got an email with the ideal wallet contents, which includes:
The dirty dozen
What’s Cracking Good — Pesticide-free fruits & veggies
I bit into a delicious-looking apple last week — and it tasted like chemicals. I washed it well, but that faint bitter after-taste didn’t go away.
My apple wasn’t organic, and I knew better.
How?
Because I downloaded this adorable “dirty dozen” cheat sheet from mypapercrane.com noting the fruits and veggies that are best to buy organic.
See how cute they are:
Click the graphic, print it out, and let the cute fruits and veggies remind you of who’s good and whose dirty.
Diary of a bad journal-er
What’s Cracking Good — Journals
I’m a sucker for a cool journal. My office supply closet has more pretty notebooks than I can use.
That, however, is not a testament to my actual journaling abilities.
While I’ve always coveted cool sketchbook-style journals, I myself have never been good at keeping one.
At best, I’m an on again/off again journaler. I did have a 5-year diary which I faithfully kept for nearly 3-years, but really, that was the lowest common denominator in journaling. I had about 3 lines to sum up my day.
Still, it was fun to see how things had (or hadn’t) changed. I’d read entries to my husband from a year ago that would prompt responses like, “That was a year ago?”
I’d like to try again.
There’s a sketchbook project going on I could sign up for OR I could just start maintaining one of these cool journals:
- One Line a Day: A Five Year Memory Book, $16.95
- 5 Year Diary, $16.47
- 5 -Year Journal, $24
- What I Read, $8
- One Sketch a Day, $15.95
Happy napkin notes
What’s Cracking Good — Customized lunches
When I think about my childhood, one of the things that made me happiest was opening my sack lunch and finding a note from my mom or dad written on my napkin. Usually it was something like, “Have a great day” with a smiley face — or one of my dad’s goofy ghost guys drawn next to it. Nothing fancy — just a little surprise that made my day.
So when I saw the most recent Sharpie ad, I thought, “now THAT would be cool.”
Parents, take note!
And people say being like a sloth is a bad thing…
What’s Cracking Good — Baby sloths
Despite the menacing 3-inch claws, have you seen anything cuter than a baby sloth?
Meet the sloths from Amphibian Avenger on Vimeo.
Yay Mom!
My mom never made Rice Krispy Treats. Not once.
A few years ago I communicated the empty space in my heart that should have been filled with puffed rice cereal and marshmallows.
“You like those? I always thought they were disgusting,” she replied.
(Insert shock and awed look here).
My Rice Krispy Treatless childhood was one of her worst transgressions as a mom.
She left notes on my napkin inside my school lunch, let me watch the occasional Wonder Woman, even though it was past my bedtime, and started making my book report mask when I’d forgotten I had one due.
You know, that kind of mom.
As I got older, we didn’t see eye to eye on many things — like how old keys could double as a stylish accessory or the importance of blush in a makeup repertoire — but she was still supportive.
Now I’m a fairly successful, blush-wearing adult — much of which I owe to my mom.
I guess I can make my own damned Rice Krispy Treats.
Thanks mom!
About the photo: After a quick glance at this photo, I was like, “When was this taken? I don’t remember it.” My mom pointed to the baby at the bottom of the photo, “That’s you.” In this picture, my mom looks just like me. Or I look just like her. I guess I should have noticed that my dad looks like an extra in a Beach Blanket movie (he has slightly less hair now). I can only hope the resemblance stays intact when I’m older.
Looking for a good read
What is Cracking Good — A really good book
I love to read, but truth be told, I don’t do it enough.
Recently I had a 2+ hour wait in the San Antonio airport, which seemed as good a time as any to embark on a new novel. I perused the airport bookstore and after much deliberation, picked a title with an award seal on the cover.
It was not a good book.
Every character was completely unsympathetic (ie, a 19-year old guy looking for dead baby girl because he’s interested in seeing what a naked woman looks like. Ew.). The general population was cruel and selfish. Finishing left me no feeling of accomplishment, just relief that it was over.
Seeing that I probably read 0-4 books a year, the general feeling of distaste upset me. It’s not that I necessarily need a happy ending, I don’t. But I do like characters I care about. A story that makes me think.
I want my next read to be one of those books.
My sister, with whom I share book tastes, has given me a few suggestions, but I’d like more. I’ve looked on Twitter @phxreads, but I don’t know if I trust them.
Any suggestions?
If you want to sing out…watch Glee
We Gleeks have been waiting a long time for tonight, the beginning of the second-half of the first season of Glee!
In a (slightly) extended version of our favorite musical romp, the glee club kids are back from sectionals and preparing for their regional competition.
Tune in to get all of the most pressing questions answered, like:
- Will Schu and Emma Pillsbury start dating?
- Will the glee club win regionals?
- Will there be any musical numbers a la Finn’s “You’re Having My Baby” that make me run out of the room?
Make sure to set your Tivo/DVR –the new season starts at 8:28 Central on Fox. Missing those 2 “extra” minutes would be unfortunate.
Cracking Good namesake
What’s Cracking Good — English breakfasts
A decade ago, I joined my now-husband on a business trip to London. We stayed in a generic chain hotel (think Best Western) in a seedy part of town. I dragged my suitcase 5 or 6 blocks from the train station through a bad neighborhood at midnight to reach it. The accommodations, basic. In the middle of summer, there might have been a fan. The best part about the place was the breakfast, which they called, A Cracking Good Breakfast.
Eggs, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, and toast made up A Cracking Good Breakfast. After a humid night sans air circulation, I couldn’t wait for my breakfast. So much, in fact, I named my blog after it.
On my quest to go meatless on Mondays, I decided to try making the meal for dinner (with tofu sausages, of course).
Nothing basic about this breakfast.
