Thoughts from October 1...at 1 AM

I've been awake for 23 hours y'all.

I want to say y'all there because I'm reading Jenny Lawson's new book, 'Furiously Happy', and as she's from West Texas, I, as a Canadian, naturally imagine that 'Y'all' would be a thing she would say. Despite copious evidence from her books and blogs to indicate otherwise.


Wait... I googled it.... she totally says 'y'all'...y'all. (I couldn't help myself, apparently when I'm sleep deprived I think I'm funny.)

Anyways, I wrote about her when I read her first book (the first time) and how it left me feeling inspired to write more, and write my own one day. (post here). And again I am certainly overwhelmed with that feeling, but not yet. 

Although I really do have an idea that's been percolating for about a year in my brain.

Ironic word choice since I don't drink coffee.

Even more irony then that I am awake at now 2:00 am.

24 hours Y'all!

So let's bring this round circle. Right now I've got the Bloggess on my mind not only because I'm reading her new book, but because in said book she talks about struggles with insomnia. And hello, 24 hours awake (which I know doesn't even remotely compare, but I'm feeling a little kindred right now).

Also she talks about a trip she took to Japan. And I literally was just there! I mean I got back yesterday... wait technically it's Thursday now... I got back on Tuesday.

Also she talks about the seriously strange things going on with the toilets in Japan... and that my friends is a post for tomorrow.....or maybe I really just mean later today?

Anyways. The point I'm trying to get to, (you see my thought process above has all been very clear and linear to this point) is that I'm going to write more.

So thanks for the motivation Jenny. Now I'm off to tweet this post at you, so I can imagine we are internet friends or something.

Really I need to go to sleep.

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Related side note.

I bought one of those fancy wake up light alarm clocks today, and I am super excited to try it out. The idea is that it starts getting brighter a half hour before your alarm to mimic sunrise (important here in Calgary since we've entered the season of crappily short days) and then you wake up all magical and relaxed and refreshed.

And I'm assuming feeling like Cinderella when her bird and mice friends sign her awake.

Not sure how refreshed I'll be when it starts it's thing in 4 hours tho...so yeah, more feedback on this to follow.

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And before I forget, please go buy and read Jenny's books. They are wildly hilarious, incredibly honest, and whether or not you've ever struggled with depression, anxiety, mental health etc., I promise you will find something in her to relate to.

Also, holy crap! It's October already. Frig this year is flying by!

Book Review: All the light we cannot see.

A few months ago, we were at my knit night book club and trying to decide on our next book. Anthony Doerr's 'All the Light We Cannot See' came up as a suggestion, and although we did not pick this book, when I found it on 2 for 20 at the airport in Vancouver a while later, I picked up a copy.

I just finished reading this book on Monday night and I have to tell you, not only is it a page turner, it's a beautiful book.

Doerr takes us back to Nazi occupied France and shows us the live of two young people during the war. Marie-Laure, a blind girl from Paris, who's father is the locksmith for the Natural History Museum, and growing up exploring there has given her a wonder for the world despite her blindness.

With the Nazi's on their way into France, Marie-Laure's father escapes the away from Paris to go live with his recluse uncle in the Breton town of Saint-Marlo by the sea.

Meanwhile in a mining town in Germany, the exquisitely white-blonde haired, blue eyed Werner is growing up with his younger sister in an orphanage run by a French speaking nun. Werner is a boy who is always asking questions, and when he finds a broken radio in the trash and fixes it his path is set. Soon he becomes the go-to boy in town for fixing electrical appliances and radios. A talent which is so remarked upon that it earns him a place in a prestigious academy for the Hitler Youth, and finally into the war against his will.

Throw in a Diamond cursed with the power to keep the owner alive forever at the cost of the lives of those around you, and a crazed Nazi gem collector and you've got all you need for an intriguing tale.

  “What do we call visible light? We call it color. But the electromagnetic spectrum runs to zero in one direction and infinity in the other, so really, children, mathematically, all of light is invisible.” 

I enjoyed this book from page one through to the end. Marie-Laure and Werner are characters to fall in love with. However, it was the character in Marie-Laure's great uncle Etienne that really captured my heart, in him and in 'the Professor' you have someone who is so committed to sharing science and understanding about our world with anyone who is tuning in, that they are willing to risk anything.

So this summer, grab a copy of All the Light we Cannot See, and I promise you won't be able to put it down.

“A line comes back to Marie-Laure from Jules Verne: Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.”

Book Review: Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Last night I stayed up late to finish reading Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and I just have to say, it was fantastic.

I haven't been doing as much reading as usual this past month, but since I picked up Ayaan's memoir, I really haven't been able to put it down. The book details her life growing up in Somalia, escaping with her family to Kenya, and escaping an imposed marriage to Holland, where she gained refugee status, put herself through university, worked as a translator for other Somali refugees and eventually ran for Parliament, winning a seat and advocating for Muslim women's rights, by controversially promoting integration, closure of Quran Schools and challenging Muslims to question Islam.

While there is much to be learned in this book about the development of the current situation in Somalia, the persecution and abuse of women in many Muslim countries, their subsequent continued denial of rights even upon immigration to Western countries, and Islam in general; there is a second story in Ayaan's memoir that I found equally fascinating.

Through the book and her life, the reader has a front row seat on her mind and beliefs as she changes from a devout and proud Muslim to an 'apostate', 'infidel', unbeliever. You get to see the cracks in her belief form while she is still in Africa, and spring wide open when she studies psychology and political science in Holland. The reader is able to share in her journey from unquestioning submission to questioning, reason and embracing life to the fullest.

I highly recommend her book, to readers of all faiths and belief systems. I suggest you read it with an open mind and an open heart, as well as with the hunger to learn more about the way of life of people so different from your own that carried Ayaan through her own life.

I plan to follow up by reading Ayaan's other two books: Nomad and The Caged Virgin.

Have you read any of Ayaan's books? What book are you reading right now? Let me know in the comments.

Books to Read: Lev Grossman's The Magicians

I am a book junkie.

I think we've established this here on my blog.

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of my dad reading to me before bed, particularly the books: Charlet's Web, The Secret Garden, The Boy Next Door and this big old 365 days of fairy tales book.

By the time I was in grade three I was hooked on the Hobbit and Narnia. Later came the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Heralds of Valdemar.


Today my own personal library (and I think I have to call it library and not just collection) is well over 300 books.

This past week, I crushed another 3 (one of them in the last 24hours).

They are Lev Grossman's

The Magicians
The Magician King
The Magician's Land

They drew me right in, and wouldn't let me go until I finished them.

So why did I start this book review off by telling you about my favourite childhood books? Because if you are going to read these books, you need to have read and loved The Chronicals of Narnia and Harry Potter. Lev Grossman pulls these two worlds together and drops the mal adjusted Quentin Coldwater into them.

Quentin grew up reading the Fillory books (basically a twist on Narnia) and when, midway through his last year of highschool, he is accepted into North America's only magic school, Brakebills; he feels like he has finally found his own Fillory adventure.

However magic isn't the solution to happiness, and when, after 4 years of hard studying Quentin and friends graduate into the real world. They quickly find themselves throwing their lives away into drugs, alcohol and debauchery. Things are getting pretty bleak until they find a way into Fillory, which turns out to be real after all and more importantly, not as happy and wonderful as the children's books made it out to be.

Over the three books, with Quentin at the lead, Grossman explores what it means to find happiness and purpose in life and what people will sacrifice in the pursuit of it. This is Harry Potter and Narnia's dark and twisty and grimy older sibling. And if you've ever found yourself wishing you could escape your life and run off on a magical adventure, these books are for you.

Book Review: Yoga Bitch by Suzanna Morrison

I picked up Yoga Bitch in an airport on my way to Europe a couple summers ago. Between the title and the cover, how could I resist?

OK, so I have had this on and off again relationship with Yoga for a few years now. Recently I've gone back to 'on again' and hopefully this time for good. So in the spirit of getting and staying excited about yoga, I thought I'd read one of my favourite Yoga books.

Yoga Bitch chronicles Suzanne Morrison's months spent in Bali studying Yoga at the feet of her personal guru Indra, before moving cross the country to New York to move in with her boyfriend and start life in the big city. The trip to Bali was intended to help her overcome a crippling fear of death while becoming the 'higher bird' and attaining enlightenment. Upon arriving in Bali however, she is confronted by a group of literal 'piss-drinkers' in the form of her fellow Yogis who partake in urine therapy each morning. More important, however, is during all those hours of meditation and breathing deeply she is also confronted with herself.

Suzanne has a pretty funny book trailer on YouTube in which she tries to answer some common questions about yoga, in her own personal way.



What makes this book so important for any young aspiring yogi to read, however, is the realness of her journey. Suzanne bares it all on her path to yogic enlightenment, and approaches yoga with a healthy dose of both skepticism and respect. She balances her earnestness for her practice with designer handbag coveting and chocolate coconut milkshake devouring. Reading this book, I can very easily envision myself in Suzanne's shoes, and both times I've read it, I've been inspired to one day make my own similar yoga retreat.

In fact, lately I've been inspired enough to do some more in depth yoga reading. I picked up a copy of The Textbook of Yoga by Yogeswar. (grabbed it second hand from Fair's Fair) The book details the practice and purpose of 36 Asanas  (positions), 4 Mudras (gestures, usually with the hands), 3 Bandhas (or energy locks, like mulabandha), 3 Kriyas (maybe has to do with breathing, clearly I need to read this book) and Pranayama (definitely has to do with breathing).

The aim of reading through this text, as I continue to practice Ashtanga is to develop a real deep appreciation and understanding for each movement and pose of my practice. Hopefully I'll be sharing some of this with the readers of my blog as I move along.

Do you practice Yoga? Have you read any good books about yoga lately?

Nerdfighters Book Club: Behind the Beautiful Forevers

If you spend any amount of time on YouTube, you're bound to find your way over the VlogBrothers channel eventually. If you do, and you are of substantial awesome character, you'll eventually come to identify yourself as a Nerdfighter. If you do, and you also happen to be a book junkie, you'll rush out to find a copy of Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers; all just because John Green told you to.

So that's how I came to pick up a copy of this book at the airport in San Diego (alongside another nonfiction book about life in India: Karma Gone Bad...the two books have nothing else in common apart from being enjoyable reads).

 Our task was to read the book by June 10th, I actually finished it a couple weeks ago, but am just getting around to writing about it now. Life is busy I guess.

The book is the nonfiction story of a number of residents of the Mumbai airport slum of Annawadi. The author spent time living with and interviewing Abdul, his family, neighbours and colleges over the course of a year or two, and the action of the novel centers around the 'burning of the One Leg'. While the story of Abdul and his family is central to the novel, I personally enjoyed the portrayal of some of the women in the book. Specifically the relationship between beautiful and dutiful daughter Manju, and her determined, some might say power hungry mother Asha. In fact, I'd argue that it is the strong female characters who drive the story and their families ability to either rise above the slum, or sink into it. Apart from Abdul who comes across as not yet a man, but certainly not a child, all of the male characters were either boyish youths or arguably inadequate men (in so far as being able to provide for their families).

The book is quite touching, and a balance between the tragedy and hope that drive the lives of those people living behind the beautiful forevers is maintained throughout. The title comes from the wall erected to hide the slum, baring advertising for "Beautiful Forevers"

Overall I enjoyed the book. However, I found it a bit difficult to follow through as the narrative jumped from character to character throughout; often leaving some stories hanging only to be retaken up at later points. Additionally, I wish the author could have spent a little more time with these people, I was left wondering what happens to them. But I suppose such is the nature of life, and Behind the Beautiful Forevers only aims to provide the reader with a fleeting glimpse into the lives of the people of Annawadi.

John Green also recommends you check out Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found by Suketu Mehta, for a different perspective on a different aspect of Indian Living (if you will). I'll have to put that on my too read list, unfortunately the haul I brought in last weekend at the Calgary Reads used book sale will likely keep me busy throughout the summer.

What are you reading lately? I recently reviewed James Watson's The Double Helix on my other blog, and in preparation for the TFIOS movie will be re-reading The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) this week.

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Completely unrelated, all while writing this post, I was annoyed by the sound of someone practicing singing their scales to the piano drifting in through my window. Yeesh! I hope this doesn't become a regular Monday night thing.

CBC Calgary Reads Book Sale 2014

My mother is going to kill me when she reads this post.

A constant theme on this blog is that 'I have a thing for books'. Like a serious love affair. Some people might even say a hoarder like tendency. But I just can't get enough of them. Reading them and buying them. Since moving to Calgary, with about 6 boxes full of books, my collection has grown to well over 300, of which I'd guess I've read 95%. Last night I even took the time to begin to log all my books into Good Reads.

This morning, before 10AM I added another 25 books to that collection. Going to the CBC Calgary Reads Book Sale may have been a bad life choice.

So while I may now be drowning under a pile of books to read this summer (did I say drowning, because I really can't think of anything I'd enjoy more), I'm going to have to insist you get yourself down to the book sale and indulge yourself. All the while supporting a good cause.

Details:

Where: Calgary Curling Club 720 3ST NW
When: Today May 24 until midnight
What: Pretty much all the books.
How Much: $3 hard covers and $2 soft covers. Plus $2 admission.

Creative Writing Level 1

Am I a writer?

I know I am a reader, between scientific papers and text books, fiction and non fiction novels, blog posts, news articles and magazines. My day is thoroughly filled with the written word. I could curl up in the library and spend the rest of my life with words.

But am I a writer?

As a scientist I write up my observations, I write papers and review articles, proposals and theses. I may one day write text book chapters. Prepare written materials for courses. And will certainly write grant applications, year after year.

For the past few years I've slowly come to identify myself as a blogger. Writing about my interests, about events in my life, whether small or profound, which I feel the need to share broadly with who ever out there might be reading.

A few months back I wrote about how all of the inspiring memoirs I've read (often by remarkable women) leave me wondering and wanting to one day write my own. And it seemed as though by committing that idea to text, I great part of me decided that yes one day I will do it.

So am I a writer?

(source)

Maybe not quite yet, but now I am determined to be.

And so, like many other great decisions in my life, last week I spontaneously signed up for a Creative Writing class at Mount Royal University, which was starting the following evening. I paid my tuition, picked up my textbook (Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft by Janet Burroway) and somewhat nervously embarked upon learning a new skill.

Keep in mind that I haven't taken, in the whole of my life, more English or writing classes than the bare minimum 1 per year high school requirement. Science and the arts tend to seem mutually exclusive no?

Bare in mind that I have always considered written communication to be my weak suit. Perhaps the years of (and still continuing) feedback that I can't spell to save my life have convinced me of this. Even after revisions anything I write remains littered with typos which I cannot seem to see.


But so far I've found the class to be quite interesting, and a breath of fresh air towards the end of the week spent in the lab. I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the bits and pieces I've written in during the class itself. And I hope that it will translate into new fevor for posting on my blog, I know I certainly intend to share some of my 'creative writing' in this forum.

20Something Blogging Prompt: Books Vs Kindle

This week's 20 Something Blogging Prompt raises the question: Books vs Kindle/Ipad/eReader whatever you use (personally I've got kobo going on my BlackBerry PlayBook).

If you've been reading my blog for any period of time, you'll know that my bookshelf features prominently. In fact way back when I did a post asking the question, "How many books is too many?" featuring three mostly full bookshelves in my living room. Since then a fourth has been added and is quickly filling as well.

Clearly for me there is no debate. Physical books are the way to go. Nothing quite compares with the coziness of curling up with a good book. Old book smell (which some of my very own purchased books are beginning to acquire) is amazing. And I certainly wouldn't read from a tablet in the bathtub (as many of my corner dipped books can attest to just how bad an idea that would be!)

But wait, I said in the introduction that I have and do read using Kobo on my BlackBerry tablet. What gives!

Here are 3 times when the tablet, digital book method trumps paperbacks.

1. Traveling light: this summer I headed cross the Atlantic with only a purse and a backpack. I read four books on that trip. The only way I could do that (and still have room for clothes in my bag) is with my ereader. On the other hand, I brought and read 6 physical books when I was in Cuba for a week on a resort....so there is a time and a place.
2. The book is only available in hardcover right now: I have occasionally purchased and digitally read a book because I didn't want to wait the year or so for the paperback, and I certainly didn't want to pay the $30 plus for the hard cover edition.
3. You've just finished book 2 of 3 and need to start the final book right away, that driving to Chapters would take way too long so you just download it. Lazy Sunday afternoon and not having the patience to wait for the anticipated conclusion to a trilogy or series has on occasion led to spontaneous digital purchases.

Those remain however the only time's I've done the eReading thing. I must confess, I find it awkward to hold the readers, hard on my eyes and I hate when the batteries run down and you find your reading tethered to an outlet. I'm afraid that I will always be a book buyer. Like many a young brunette, Disney watching girl, I've dreamed my whole life of the library the Beast gifts Belle.... however unlike some prince charming dependent Disney princess, I'm gifting it to myself!

So how about you, books or eReaders? and why, or when?

The Natural History Museum, London

I'm currently reading a truly fascinating non-fiction book, 'Between Man and Beast: An unlikely explorer, The evolution debate, And the African adventure that took the Victorian world by storm'. Penned by Monte Reel, I first picked up this book at Chapters, minutes before seeing the Lego movie. Distracted by the sheer awesomeness of said movie, and the two other books I purchased that day, this one hid out under a pile of laundry for a couple weeks. (yes it is possible in my apartment to have a pile of laundry stay in one place for that long... ah well).

Getting to the point, I picked up the book to start reading it today and it is thus far epic. Following the story of Paul Du Chaillu as he adventures into Africa to go after the near mythical gorilla, with alternating chapters featuring the dawn of the Natural History Museum, the evolution debate and Darwin's writing and publishing of 'The Origin of Species.' The book reads like some perfectly crafted, terribly exciting fictional tale; it's truly amazing just how exciting the dawn of modern science really was! (for an equally enthralling tale of discovery, try Francis Crick's What Mad Pursuit).

When I finish reading, I'll have to write a review post on the book overall, in the mean time however, I realize I haven't shared my photos from my visits to the Natural History Museum in London from this past summer. So lets finish out this post with all this pictures of taxidermied animals you could ever want to see (which aren't featured on the Bloggess).

The Museum exterior is beautiful, and covered with examples of flora and fauna. Fun point from Between Man and Beast, one wing is covered with (at the time) still living species and the other with extinct ones. This was an effort of the museum driving force Richard Owen to establish that there is no connection between extinct species and current ones, in an effort to discredit growing support for transmutation (which would become the theory of evolution).

The hall of dinosaurs was pretty cool, though it has nothing on the Royal Tyrrell Museum, right here in Alberta.

 The hall of mammals was amazing, especially when you consider than many of the specimens are over 100 years old.

A photo montage of everyone's favourite extinct flightless bird, the dodo!

And finally, me with my main man (sorry Kevin) Darwin! (speaking of which the Darwin center recent addition at the Museum was a huge let down... although I suppose would be great for kids and lay audiences).

Public museums like this one, and ones all across the US and Canada are one of the most important things for disseminating science, and raising interest in our natural world. Best of all, admission is often free or inexpensive (usually in the form of a donation). I highly encourage you to find the nearest natural history museum or science center and spend a day (importantly you should not be in a rush, take the time to read the information presented with the specimens or displays) and explore your own world a little more. You never know in what way you might be inspired.

If you can't get out to a physical museum anytime soon, I highly, highly recommend you spend some youtube time with Emily of The Brain Scoop. As a volunteer at the U. of Montanna Zoological Museum, and now a feature of the Field Museum in Chicago, you get to go behind the scenes and discover first hand a little more about our natural world!

Books Lately

Since I was travelling pretty much constantly this past month, I've done quite a bit of reading lately. If you click around up in my navigation bar, you might have noticed that I have set myself the task of reading 100 books in 2013. Unfortunately despite my best efforts this last little while, with less than 4 months to go, I am still 49 books short.

So I thought I'd take a brief moment to share some books I just finished, and some of the ones I'd like to tackle next.

 Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Because whenever I fly, I pick up an airport book or two. I find that for the most part, books you buy at airports are always a good read, and these two are no exceptions. While the Kite Runner depicts the friendship between two boys from different social classes growing up in Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns focuses on the hardships faced by Afghan women. Both books provide the reader with an inside view of daily life over the past 30 years in country exposed to the Western World often only through news media. More importantly however, both books offer a truly moving glimpse on the depth of human emotion,  commitment and endurance, as the characters try to find a place of happiness amid truly unimaginable cruelty.

Which brings me to the next couple books I'm eager to read.

Khaled Hossieni's most recent work "And the Mountains Echoed", although I'm debating whether I want to pick up the hard cover or go with a digital copy for now. And Shilpi Somaya Gowda's "Secret Daughter", which I have had on my bookshelf here in Calgary for two years now but haven't read yet.

And finally, two books that I am constantly picking up, and almost buying every time I'm in Chapters, both with a common theme. Chris Bohjalian's "Midwives" and Ami McKay's "The Birth House". I have to say I have something of a fascination with the idea of midwifery and so both of these books should be enjoyable reads for me.

What books are on your fall reading lists?

20 New Books

You may be wondering why I've dropped of the face of the internet this past week. I was scrambling to hand in a full draft of my research proposal to my Supervisor before he dropped off the face of the earth (literally, he went to Patagonia in Southern Brazil) for a month. Then I needed to catch up on a few days sleep, all while reading the last Wheel of Time novel, A Memory of Light (amazing!).

Speaking of books, one of my 25 things before 25 was to read 20 new books, and I recently (and just in time, my birthday is next Sunday) crossed that one off the list. Here they are:

1. Yoga Bitch
2. Mammoth Hunters
3. Plains of Passage
4. Shelters of Stone
5. Eddie Would Go
6. Blight of Mages
7. We Need to Talk About Kevin
8. Assholes Finish First
9. Towers of Midnight
10. Gathering Storm
11. Redoubt
12. Dragon Keepers
13. The Land of Painted Caves
14. I'll Seize the Day Tomorrow
15. Dragon Haven
16. City of Dragons
17. The Fault in Our Stars
18. The Emperor of All Maladies
19. What Mad Pursuit
20. Uglies

And since finishing that list: Pretties, Specials, Looking for Alaska and A Memory of Light.

So you can say I read a lot. For every one 'new' book on that list I probably re-read 2 more.

For 2013, and my new list I'll be trying to read 100 books in 1 year. You can click the link in the header bar to watch that list grow! But of course to hit that number, I'll need suggestions, do you have any for me?

What books should I read in 2013?

12 days of Listmas: The books I want for Christmas

Today Kev and I were in the book section of Walmart, and I dropped a hint that books are always a good choice for gifts for me.

Additionally I have been hooked on the vlogbrothers of late, and John Green writes books, book of the year type books.

So I thought what's a quick to put together list for Saturday Night, considering one didn't happen yesterday (grad student winter formal, Kevin bought me flowers, my insides are full of mush).

12 days of Listmas: books to buy me for Christmas

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Like I said I've been watching a lot of the vlogbrothers videos, and am intrigued to read this book asap. Lucky for me I told my brother (currently working at a book store to buy it for me). Check out the vlogbrothers on Youtube here!!

2. The emporer of all maladies: a biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I once took an anthropology of plagues course in undergrad, and loved it, the textbook for that course was like a narrative of diseases. I can only imagine this book will appeal to me in a similar way.

3. Bruce: The innocence, the darkness,the rising. Biography by Peter A Carlin. I have held off on buying this book myself based on the assumtion someone else will likely get it for me. (I love Bruce Springsteen, my one and only tattoo is of lyrics from one of his songs).

4. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. I have been waiting for the end of the Wheel of Time series forever, then Robert Jordan passed away one book before the end. They brought Sanderson on, and 1 book became 3. Technically this book doesn't release until Jan 8, but a pre-order would be a great gift.

5. The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julien Rubinstein. A book recomending in a John Green video about books. The synopsis sounds great. Plus I always love true stories.

6. I don't know how she does it by Allison Pearson. This book was recommended to me by a neuro-opthalmologist in an elevator this Friday, during an afternoon which left me with much to think about; least of all that I should read this book.

7. Uglies by Scott Westefeld. Another John Green recomendation. Plus its a book about a dystopian future, so how can it be wrong?

8. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore. And I guess by extension copies of Graceling and Fire, which I don't actually own. If you liked the Hunger Games (I did) I promise you'll like Graceling.

9. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. The synopsis of this book reminds me heavily of the movie The Way (post about it here) so it should be a good read.

10. Bobcat, and other stories by Rebecca Lee. Lately I've been making an effort to read more Canadian Literature, and this one comes highly recommended.

11. Doppler by Erlend Loe. Common an endearing story about a man and his moose. Need I say more?

12. The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Kevin recently said this was one of the few books he's read cover to cover and enjoyed in full. I guess I should see what pulled him and two thousand years of readers in.

What books are you hoping for for Christmas? Or perhaps more importantly, what books are you going to enjoy reading in your time off over the holidays?

The First Day of Listmas: A Gift Guide
The Second Day of Listmas: Holiday Movie Picks
The Thrid Day of Listmas: Things I put off till the last minute

VlogBrothers? whaaat

Ok, so I was just watching this week's My Drunk Kitchen (developing a serious YouTube addiction I know) and Hanna featured Hank from a channel called the VlogBrothers... so I naturally clicked along, and pretty much fell in love!

Nerd alert! It was clear within about 10 seconds that these are my kind of people... I mean look at the bookshelves in this video....look at my book shelves.... Similar no? Anyways, wanted to share this video of recommendations for Christmas book gifting. And tell you a few I put on my list from it!


Here's what... based on this video.... I want to read ASAP

The emperor of all maladies: A Biography of Cancer.

The ballad of the whiskey robber.

Uglies.

The Magicians.

So if you're wondering what to get me this year any of the above would do... and I promise not to buy them myself until after the holidays.


Currently reading: The Land of Painted Caves....almost done it too!

Cheers!

How many books is too many?

I like books. I like to buy them, and read them. I like to fold down the corners of pages rather than use a bookmark. I love to read in a bubble bath, and have on occasion dipped the corner of a book in the water. I can honestly say you'll never convert me to an eReader, there's just too much goodness that comes from a printed book.

Like every little brunette girl, I wanted what the Beast gave Belle, a library, walls covered floor to ceiling in books, beautiful books. Since moving into my own apartment over a year ago, I've started to make that happen (well many of the books I've had for years, half of the boxes I drove across the country were books).

This is what my living room looks like...it might be time for a fourth set of shelves soon. And some art/photos over the TV.

Lots of nicknacks live on my shelves with the books... and some shoes that don't have any other homes. Also a set of tiny mice from Ikea.

There's all sorts of books on my shelves including some old school medical encyclopedias, some cook books, and a heck of a lot of fantasy books (pushes nerd glasses further onto nose). If you look real close you can see the twighlight books live in disgrace at the bottom.

Book shelves, for all their inherant beauty are a pain in the but to dust tho... Fun fact most of these books I've read at least 3 times! Which in some ways justifies me owning rather than borrowing from a library.

This is an awesome vintage toy microscope, next to a tiny clay lizard man I made back in grade 10, in front of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth books which I highly recommend.

Last night I bought another two books! I really may have a problem!

What was the last book you read?

Fascinated With Fridays : 3 Separate Things

Here's what's captured my interest this Friday!

As the re-release of the 1998 must have toy, the Furby, is making headlines this week, Hello Giggles had a fun post featuring other toy fad's of the 90s. Many of which, skip-its, pogs, floam; were immediately banned from my elementary school. (krazy bones, and snap bracelets were also banned from the play ground, but interestingly did not make the list).

As I finally got around to opening the cover of this summer's AIHS Research News, the first story drew my attention. University of Alberta law professor Timothy Caufeild's book 'The Cure for Everything' is supposed to be worth a read. In it he debunks many health myth's and cures, often using himself as a guinea pig, all in an effort to drive home the message that healthy living really is the cure for everything. Don't have time to read the book? You can just read his article on the Huffington Post "9 Health Myths Debunked."

Source: losingfat-findingme.tumblr.com via I'm going to Asia on Pinterest

I've been feeling in a bit of a lab related rut lately, maybe too many days spent on the same equipment, maybe just contemplation about being one year in with no end in sight. Anyways this leads me to wanting to feel more motivated, get successful, I know there have been a bunch of posts round the blog-o-sphere recently about 'Eating your Frog' so here's one about 'What Successful People Do with the First Hour of Their Work Day." How do you start off your day, with a specific ritual? I'd love to try to get into some wake-up sun salutations.

Fascinated with Fridays: Betty White

Oh Betty, she recently celebrated her 90th birthday. I recently red her new book:  if you ask me. (and  of course you won't)

This book was quite simply one of the cheeriest things a person could ever read. I went through it in about 3 hours, and smiled the whole time, no matter the topic. It's bassically a collection of stories from the course of her life dealing with an assortment of topics. More importantly if features a sections about animals, how much she loves them, and why they're just all around better than people.

I immediately gave my copy of this book to a friend to read, and now I'm recommending it to you all. If everyone could just aspire to be as genuinely a wonderful person as Betty White, then I'm pretty sure we could achieve world peace, an end to climate change, and save all the endangered species from extinction.

Another person we should all be more is George Takei, but that's another story for another day, right now I found this on his facebook, and laughed out loud.

Great advice Betty, so now I just need to grow a vagina, and rock some serious myography experiments next week.

Happy Friday all!

Bossypants and no pants days

Just finished reading Tina Fey's autobiography, Bossypants (really only stared it 2 days ago, so it's fast reading people, especially if you are enjoying your summer of unemployment as I am).

From her introduction:

If you are a women and you bought this book for practical tips on how to make it in a male-dominated workplace, here they are. No pigtails, no tube tops. Cry sparingly. (Some people say "never let them see you cry." I say, if you're so mad you could just cry, then cry. It terrifies everyone.) When choosing sexual partners, remember: Talent is not sexually transmittable. Also, don't eat diet foods in meetings.

*And if that paragraph makes you laugh, chuckle, smile, or even just continue breathing normally, then definitely read her book. In fact even if you stop breathing altogether in reaction to your perceived lack of comedy in that paragraph, read it anyways, just because.

And me, as a woman about to permanently enter a male dominated workplace (academia yeesh) by starting grad school next year; loved it.

Anyhow, today I am not wearing my bossypants (do I even have those? yes, they're burberry pants that I got for 30 dollars at a thrift store, and they are bad ass, in a norwegian curling team kinda way, has it been too long since the last winter olympics for that reference, yes, but I don't care). Today so far is looking like "no pants day #2". Does this mean I'm currently wearing a pair of boxers instead of pants, yes, but also more importantly, it's part of my summer plan of wearing shorts skirts and dresses as frequently as possible, befor heading back into the lab in septemeber (mandatory full length pants!).


Anywho, getting back to blogging, hope that was moderately funny for you, if not refer to the * above, and follow those suggestions for my blog.