"Alias Grace"

As I've mentioned before, I'm a pretty big fan of true crime novels. I recently stumbled across Alias Grace, a novel by storytelling genius Margaret Atwood. While the book is a work of fiction it is based upon the 1843 murders of landowner Thomas Kinnear and his mistress/housekeeper Nancy Montgomery. The story follows Grace Marks, who was accused as an accessory to the murders and sentenced to life in prison when she was just 16 years old. Throughout the novel she recounts her life story to Dr. Simon Jordan, a psychologist trying to determine whether or not Grace is innocent. 

While the book was published in 1997 it reads like a Victorian novel, plush with detail and well-drawn characters. Atwood (from the perspective of Grace) takes her time telling the story, leaving no stone unturned. While tedious at times, the detail is important to the reader as they are put in the place of Dr. Jordan as he listens to Grace tell her side of the story. The real-life Grace Marks claimed that she did not remember the murders taking place, and in a time when psychology is just being established as a science, those who become close to Grace struggle to understand her role in the murders. 

Like any great storyteller, Atwood manages to move seamlessly through time as Grace talks about her experiences before the murders and while in prison, and across characters, as Grace and Dr. Jordan share their points of view. Atwood also includes a good deal of tension between characters, with some obvious friction between the young but worldly Dr. Jordan and his rather ignorant peers in Kingston. And although the story holds several surprises for the reader, the main question of Grace's innocence is left just as ambiguous as it was in real life. 

Overall Grade: B+

Beef with Broccoli

I can't quite remember where I got this recipe, but it's one of our top 10 dinners. It's easy and quick, and so delicious! You can modify this recipe to include your own stir-fry favorites--I'm just including our favorite veggies. 

Beef with Broccoli

For the beef:
2 T. soy sauce 
1/2 t. sugar 
1 lb. boneless sirloin (cut 1/4 inch thick)

Mix beef with soy sauce and sugar. Marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. 

For the sauce:
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. beef broth
1 t. sugar
1/8 t. sesame oil

Make sauce while beef is marinating. Add ingredients together; mix well.

For the stir-fry:
2 T. garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
3/4 C. carrots, julienned
1 bunch broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic and red pepper, cook until fragrant. Add beef and cook until almost done. Add carrots, broccoli, and water chestnuts. 

Saute for 2 minutes. Add sauce and cover until sauce thickens and broccoli is crisp. 

Serve over cooked brown or white rice. Enjoy!

Skillet Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli

It's been a long time since I've posted, so I thought I would celebrate my return with the recipe for one of our favorite meals. If there's one thing we love after a long day, it's a delicious dinner that can be cooked in one pot with leftovers to boot. This dinner answers all of those calls. 

Skillet Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli
*adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook*

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 T. unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/8 t. dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 C. uncooked ziti
2 1/2 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. heavy cream
1 bunch broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces
1 C. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 T. fresh lemon juice

Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 12-inch skillet with oil, add the chicken, and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl. 

Melt 1 T. butter in the skillet. Add onion, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1/2 t. salt. Cook until the onion is softened. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. 

Sprinkle the ziti evenly into the skillet. Pour broth and cream over the ziti and cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Reduce heat and stir in the broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli turns bright green, about 8 minutes. 

Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juices. Cover and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 more minutes. 

Stir in the remaining 1 T. butter, the Parmesan cheese, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

"Ready Player One"

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is one of the most engaging books I've read in some time. I have always been a borderline sci-fi fan, thoroughly enjoying the Ender series by Orson Scott Card and the mega-hit Dune by Frank Herbert, but I've never delved much deeper than these bestsellers. Steve, however, is a huge sci-fi fan and when he managed to polish this one off in only 2 days (maybe a personal best), I knew I had to check it out. The cover of the hardback edition alone is exciting, described by my friend and fellow blogger Patrick as something "straight from an 80's video game." (Okay, that was pretty loosely quoted-I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was definitely something like that.) 

Which, of course, is exactly what it's meant to look like. The premise of Ready Player One is fairly simple: the world is in a sort of pre-Apocalyptic, post-major disaster/energy crisis that makes reality fairly unpleasant. The solution? An awesome virtual reality world that allows a participant to be entirely immersed in the (made up) world around them, from sight to smell to touch. And the best part about this world, known as the OASIS, is that it's completely free for all users, which is why it is so widely used by the mostly homeless, slightly starving population of Earth. The world of the OASIS is based around 1980s pop culture, which takes the reader back in time to the days of Pac-Man and Blade Runner. Awesome. 

Okay, that's the simple part. It gets ever-so slightly complicated once you get over the fact that the majority of the human species is running around making wild hand gestures and talking to themselves for most of their lives, believing that somehow this virtual world is more important than their own crappy reality. The co-creator of the OASIS and the world's richest man, James Halliday, has died and revealed to the world that he has hidden an Easter Egg inside the OASIS. Whoever finds three hidden keys and three hidden gates first will discover the Easter Egg--and become the sole heir/heiress to Halliday's ridiculous fortune. Most of the world becomes obsessed with the search, but many fall out of the running pretty quickly. Only those who dedicate their lives to the search, people known as gunters (for some reason I can't remember), are still looking for the Egg five years later, when the readers are introduced into the plot. 

Wade Watts (known as Parzival in the OASIS) is a full-time gunter and 18-year-old high school senior who has spent the past 5 years searching for the Egg. He knows more about the 80s than probably anyone who lived during that time period. He considers himself a pretty average person, both in reality and in the OASIS, until he does what no one else in history has...he finds the first key. Suddenly, Wade is the most famous person in the world, heralded by gunters who were losing hope and hunted by those who will do anything to find the Egg. Wade must solve the rest of Halliday's puzzles before time runs out and he is dead...either in the game or in the real world. Once the action begins the story races by until the reader can scarcely believe that they've reached the end. 

Ready Player One is by far one of the best sci-fi books I have ever read, and maybe one of the top 30 books I've ever read. And the best part? It's being made into a movie...

Overall Grade: A

Weddings, Working, and...Moving a lot of crap

If you've been tossing and turning at night, wondering what in the world happened to your favorite blog, I finally have time to write an explanation:

Blame it on Murphy's Law (the good version)

Most of you who read the blog regularly know that we have been preparing to move, which happened last weekend. I also got a call for a job interview about a month ago and a week later I had myself a full-time job! So, to celebrate our new busy lives, we decided to take a restful little drive halfway across the country to Arkansas (for the second time this summer) to visit family and attend a wedding. After 8 glorious days in 5 states we made it back just in time for me to start my job. And then we moved 3 days later. In that 3-week time span we also managed to pack our home, buy me a new professional wardrobe, and not have any fights or lose our minds. 

If that isn't a good enough reason for my hiatus, I don't know what is. Before I pass out from exhaustion I thought I would leave you with my latest project:

Yeah, I made that. Our wonderful friend Robert loves tigers and he just got married (I can't believe I just typed that sentence and everything about it is true), so when I found this hilarious kit for a cross-stitched tiger in the clearance aisle of a craft store about 6 months ago I thought to myself, "I absolutely want to take this project on for his wedding present." I'm sure his new wife is thrilled. This, by the way, took me 4 months. Which means they better keep it for at least that long before it ends up in the garage sale pile! 

A Foodie Love Affair

One of our favorite things about living in Durham is the foodiness of the town (check out the proof here and here). I am a girl who loves to eat no matter who is doing the cooking and our new home really reflects this trait. This weekend Steve and I had a very foodie weekend, which in our opinion is the best kind. One of our good friends from Arkansas is living in Durham for the summer and we have taken it upon ourselves to take her to the best places to eat in town (we know, what a hassle!). Friday night we went to one of our absolute favorites in downtown Durham: Dame's Chicken and Waffles. When we first moved to Durham we had no idea the city was so diverse in its culture and it's cooking. Growing up in the Midwest we were exposed to totally different kinds of restaurants; date night would be spent at Chili's and a really fancy occasion would be celebrated at P.F. Chang's (for friends back home, here's a mind-blower: Durham doesn't even have an Olive Garden!). Since we've been living here we've tried everything from Singaporean to Mediterranean to Harlem's own chicken and waffles, a delicacy that is loved by many in our food-obsessed town. Dame's is always packed when we go but we will gladly wait the half an hour for the BEST macaroni and cheese I have ever had, accompanied by juicy fried chicken atop a moist sweet potato waffle. I know, sounds terrible, doesn't it? Steve had been asked to judge Durham Central Park's Chili Challenge this year, which I gladly tagged along for on Saturday morning. For $4 I got to try 5 different kinds of chili, along with some of our favorite salsa they decided to throw in the competition as well. Waiting for Steve to finish his judging duties I was given the opportunity to hang out in Central Park while the weekly Farmer's Market was winding down. Durham is surrounded by small farms and many of the restaurants around the area are committed to using local ingredients. Living in Durham has given us the opportunity to really think about what we are eating and where it is coming from, and while we can't always afford to eat local and organic the Farmer's Market at least gives us the chance to substitute some of our store-bought choices with locally grown ones. Again, this is something that we did not have the chance to do where we grew up. While the small farming community I grew up in had some roadside stands selling corn and peaches in the summer, almost all of our grocery shopping was done at the local Wal-Mart. We did the best we could with what was offered, but we had no clue that all of your food shopping could be done outside of the grocery store until we moved to Durham. Today we culminated our foodie weekend at the Food Truck Rodeo, another popular event that is hosted by Durham Central Park. About 5 times a year the food trucks from around the area line up in one place and visitors to the Rodeo are offered just about every kind of food you can think of (except funnel cake). Steve and I always find out about the Rodeo the day after it happens, so we were very prepared for this one. It was like the best State Fair you can imagine, without all of the deep-fried milkshakes and weird stuff served on doughnuts. At first we just walked from truck to truck checking out the menus and enjoying the smells that were wafting from the windows, but then we really dug in. First we tried a chocolate chai doughnut from Monut's Donuts (divine), followed by a pepperoni pizza slice from Pie Pushers (delectable) and a meatball hero from Valentino's (delicious). We couldn't decide on where to round out our meal with dessert, and by the time we got in line for The Parlour ice cream the line was stretched a half mile long and Cafe Prost was out of pretzels. So we drove to Cook Out and got some Coke floats instead (dang good). At this point Steve and I would prefer not to eat for a good long while (probably at least another hour or so), but it was an excellent weekend celebrating what Durham does best--cooking and eating! 

A look at Durham's Food Truck Rodeo

Moving Out: Four Weeks Before

Quick clarification for these moving ideas before we get started: I realize it is possible to move in one day. I just happened to start our moving process 5 weeks before we move to make the process as painless for us as possible because, like most of you out there, we are busy people and we would rather not spend a lot of time stressing out about packing and breaking stuff. I have moved houses and dorm rooms, and once we moved halfway across the country without breaking or losing a single item. The move coming up with be my 12th move. Feel free to leave comments with suggestions and your experiences, but also remember you don't have to listen to anything I have to say. These posts are strictly about how I am approaching this particular move. And I'm choosing to be as OCD as possible for small bursts of time because I feel that's easier than throwing things in boxes willy-nilly, and we have the luxury of time on our side. So, without further adieu...

Week 4: Get Rid of Your Junk...Seriously

I study in the school of "throwin' out your crap when you don't know what to do with it anymore." I am all about purging our household of unnecessary items, and about twice a year we will go through closets and find items to donate. I find that sometimes people are offended by my lack of emotional attachment to physical objects. BUT I do save things that are meaningful to me. I still have the teddy bear from before I was born, pictures from my childhood, my preschool graduation robe, and toys my grandfather made for me. And they are well-preserved in labeled storage containers. I just choose what objects mean the most to me physically (most of the aforementioned items are being saved for my children) and keep those around. The rest get tossed unless they serve some useful purpose. For example: I loved my Barbies growing up. I had BOXES of Barbie crap. I remember the great times playing Barbies with my mom and my friends, and how jealous they all were of my awesome stuff. However, I have none of those Barbies left because the memories are more important than the physical objects. Books, on the other hand, are always useful. Unless they are turning to dust I will hold on to those suckers for as long as I can (thanks for the new bookshelf, Dad!).

This week Steve and I are tossing out the junk and replacing some of it with new junk. In case you have problems with this step, here are some of the guidelines I like to follow:

• For clothes: If you haven't worn it in the past season (for example, if you didn't wear a sweater this past winter) you probably won't wear it next season (unless you're pregnant, then ignore this). If it doesn't fit you anymore, get rid of it. If you're keeping something because it was a gift but you actually hate it, get rid of it. Clothes are some of the best items to donate, but they're useless if they've been sitting in closets forever getting nasty. Give them to someone in need instead of making your closet look more full.
• For kitchen supplies: If you've never used it and have had it for more than a year, you'll probably never use it because you probably forgot about it. If something is melted or rusted, it's probably time to replace it. Some kitchen gadgets are totally useless. Alton Brown says that a flour sifter is the most pointless kitchen tool because a fine mesh strainer can be used with the same results, and it's useful for other things (like straining). If you are missing enough of a set of something for it to be embarrassing, replace it. Steve and I only had four glasses left after busting the rest of them in the dishwasher. So we bought some beautiful new ones to replace the old! This is also a great way to make your new home feel really new without spending a bunch of money (Bed, Bath, and Beyond 20% coupons are THE. BEST. EVER.).
• For books, movies, CDs, electronics, etc.: Use the same rules as above. If you forgot you had it, it's time to go. Amazon.com pays pretty good money with their trade-in program and it's free to ship items. Powell's Books is my go-to place for selling books, and they pay more if you get virtual credit to their store instead of real money (which I'm all about). Most public libraries take donations of books, DVDs, and CDs for their book sales. Electronics can also be recycled at Best Buy if they are no longer in working order.

Last week you should have gotten a pretty good idea of what you have. You may even already know what you want to get rid of. This week is the week that everything you won't be packing up and moving needs to get out of the house. Start going through your items again, this time with boxes in hand. If it needs to be trashed, throw it away. Separate items that you are planning to donate and sell. Go through one room at a time, one section at a time. Steve and I are doing one room a night to make it less stressful. At the end of the week we will take everything that needs to be donated to Salvation Army and ship out everything that will be sold. Plan a garage sale for the weekend if you have a lot to sell. This is also a good time to figure out if it's time to put certain things in the attic or in storage. Steve and I will have an attic for the first time in our new place, so we've also been determining what will be stored and packing those items in (labeled!) plastic storage bins. When all of your unnecessary and unwanted items are out of your house it will be so much easier to pack the rest of your belongings.

Goals for Week 5:

• Rid your house of all unwanted belongings (sell, donate, or throw away said belongings)
• Continue to prepare for packing by collecting packing materials and supplies

Next week: Pack, pack, pack!

Moving Out: Five Weeks Before

Steve and I will be moving to a new, bigger, shinier place in about a month (hooray!) and I've decided it's about time to start packing. As I may have mentioned in one or two (or all) of my previous posts, I have a little thing for Pinterest. Some of the posts that fascinate me the most are about organization, and genius ideas people grab out of thin air on how to pack, move, and store just about anything. I tend to be just a smidge crazy when it comes to organization, and moving is my favorite time of the year because I finally have a reason to go through all of our belongings and throw things out! I believe it's better to get rid of the old and bring in...well, nothing, really. (Unless it's more books! I'll always say yes to more books!) Steve has more of a hard time getting rid of things but is getting used to my incessant need to clean out the closets. Moving halfway across the country two years ago helped us to purge most of our...dorm crap. And gave us a great reason to go to IKEA!

Anyhoo, I started checking out some organization blogs to see if they had any useful tips. And while most had some pretty great ideas for how to store paper towels and canned goods, I only found a couple on how to organize before a move. Disappointed, I thought I would take a whack at writing down my own ideas for our move. So...here is my 5-week plan for moving our stuff.

Week 5: Plan of Attack

This week is a great time to go over everything you own and plan your pack-attack (ha ha). I'm going to call this the "mental inventory" phase. Making lists at this point can be handy, but I don't think it's really necessary unless you're going to be buying or getting rid of a lot of things. This week, go through each room and get an idea of what exactly you have. Dig through drawers and cabinets, go through storage boxes and bags, and check out what's hanging in closets. If you notice something that you don't want or need anymore, set it aside. If you notice something you need to replace, make a note. If you find something broken, rusted, or rotting, throw it away. If you're planning on packing it and taking it with you, leave it alone. It's not necessary this week to make decisions about things you may want to sell or give away unless they jump out at you right away. This week, you should just get an idea of what you have so you can figure out how you're going to move it. 

By this point, you probably have some idea of what your new place looks like and where you'll be placing people and furniture. If not, try to make some sort of plan so you'll know what you might need to buy or get rid of. For instance, if your new place has room for an office or a second bedroom, you'll probably need to prepare to buy furniture and decor for this space. If you're moving to a smaller space, you'll probably need to get rid of furniture. When you have a good idea of what you'll be taking with you, it's time to start gathering moving boxes and supplies and planning for the moving day. I've been hoarding moving boxes for a few months in preparation so we won't have to go out and buy any, but there are plenty of places to get boxes. Craigslist often lists them under their "Free" section from other people's moves. Just remember that cardboard boxes can carry insect eggs, (including roaches, yuck!) so be careful about where you get them or you might be inviting some nasty creatures into your new place. This is also the week to check into places to take donations around your area. If you do pull items that you plan on donating, get a plastic or cardboard box to be used specifically for these donations. The attack does not have to be planned all at once, so if you prefer take the whole week and do a small section at a time (master closet, bathroom cabinets, bookshelves, etc.). When you find something you don't want, toss it in the donation box or the trash. 

Goals for Week 5:

• Create mental inventory of belongings
• Begin gathering moving boxes and supplies
• Create plan for where things will go in the new house/apartment
• Create lists for things you will need to buy/sell when you move

Next week: Getting serious about cleaning out belongings & preparing your old place for the move 

"Kindred"

On April 23 I had the unique experience of participating in World Book Night with the public library I work for. World Book Night is sponsored by major bookstores and publishing companies, and during the day one million books are given away across the country. This was the first year our library participated, and we were very excited about the opportunity. We chose seven titles to be given away in our community and, overall, it was a great success. We are looking forward to the event next year, especially since we got to pick out free books as well! The most popular book we handed out was The Hunger Games, but in a close second was Kindred, by Octavia Butler. Published in 1979, this author and her books have never reached my radar but were highly praised by my boss and everyone who chose to take her book. I decided to give it a try.

Octavia Butler has the distinction of being one of the few female African American science fiction writers. Having won both the Hugo and Nebula awards, she is also the best known from that category. As embarrassed as I was having never heard of her, I was anxious to start reading her book, especially after the one-line description I heard over and over again: "It's African American science fiction set around the Civil War." Huh. Never heard of that before, but sounds good to me!

As you may have guessed from my previous description, Kindred is a science fiction novel primarily set in Maryland about 50 years before the Civil War. The main character, Dana, is a female African American writer from 1976 who has the unfortunate ability to travel back in time. She doesn't discover this ability until she is 26 and suddenly appears in a creek just in time to save the life of a little boy. She later discovers that this little red-headed boy is Rufus Weyland, future plantation owner and her great-great grandfather. Dana continues to be pulled to Rufus whenever his life (and her own, as a future relative) is in danger, which happens to be a lot for this danger-loving boy. And as an African American in the Antebellum South, Dana must learn to live as a slave while she is stuck in Rufus' time. Obviously, this transition is not easy for Dana or the reader. She endures hardships that few of us today can imagine. Butler obviously did her homework before writing this novel because the historical details are spot-on, but described so simply that the reader often forgets that this world is totally new to Dana. While slave narratives are not unusual to today's reader, it is unusual to find a book that can easily discuss discrimination in both 1825 and 1976.

Kindred is an excellent find as we enter the "summer reading" phase. While a little slow to start as Butler sorts through the difficult task of introducing Dana to her new world while keeping the reader on track, the novel picks up speed as the lines blur between Dana's reality and her "past life." Introducing the idea of time travel for an African American back to one of the country's darkest periods is genius...and terrifying.

Overall Grade: B+

Mmm...waffles

Like any normal young-ish people, Steve and I love breakfast. We love breakfast so much that it's a rare week when we don't have breakfast for dinner at least once. We also use breakfast night as one of our vegetarian dinners, which we try to do at least once a week. So in the end, we're killing two birds with our delicious breakfasty items. Our favorite breakfast item? Syrup. Closely followed by pancakes/waffles/pancake-waffle related items, but only because those things taste great with syrup. For this week's recipe I thought I would share the recipe we use for easy buttermilk waffles (with syrup). Enjoy!

Buttermilk Waffles
*adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook*

2 C. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 eggs, separated
4 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 C. buttermilk
Pinch cream of tartar

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. 

Separately, whisk together the egg yolks and butter, then add in the buttermilk. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until stiff peaks form. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the buttermilk mixture. 

Stir together very gently until just incorporated. There should still be a few lumps in the batter. Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Using your waffle iron according to instructions, cook the waffles. If desired, keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all waffles are cooked. We have a half waffle iron, and this recipe makes about 6-7 half waffles. 

"Swallow Me Whole"

It's so rare for me to read something that doesn't feel like a repeat of something I've read before. Growing up as an avid reader, getting my bachelor's degree in English literature, my master's degree in library science, and planning to spend my professional life surrounded by books, I have read a lot. I even tried to pinpoint how many books I've read throughout my life, but I lost track somewhere around 400 (basically, I read A LOT). So it's not unusual for me to finish something and say, "yeah, that reminded me of *insert book title here*." The last time I really read a book that I felt was truly different from the rest was when I discovered Erin Morganstern's incredible debut novel The Night Circus. That is, until my friend and fellow librarian Patrick finally convinced me to read my first graphic novel. Patrick is our library's unofficial graphic novel/comics librarian and one of the masterminds behind the wildly popular Comics Fest in Durham (and author of his own blog: 741.5 and Then Some--gotta love Dewey Decimal jokes!) This year's Comics Fest featured award-winning author and artist Nate Powell and, after a strong recommendation from Patrick, I decided to read his Swallow Me Whole. 

I don't feel comfortable really reviewing this graphic novel because it's the first one I've ever read, and I don't know the first thing about them. However, I can tell you that it was the 2009 Eisner Award winner for Best Graphic Novel, and it was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. And I finished reading it in about 2 hours, which tells you I liked it enough to not put it down until the end. I had trouble when I first started with the text bubbles, (Which order do I read them in? Who is speaking now?) but I got over that quickly enough. I did not grow up reading comics as a child so I'm also not used to paying so much attention to the detail in the art. Once I really got going, though, I really got going. 

Swallow Me Whole is about stepsiblings Perry and Ruth. Perry has the annoying ability to see a tiny, creepy wizard who randomly appears to give him "missions," which often require him to draw for hours. Ruth obsessively collects insects and hears them speak to her at night. While Perry fights his psychological disorder throughout the novel, Ruth succumbs to her illnesses and the reader literally must watch as they overtake her life. Drawn in sharp black and white illustration with surprising emotion, this graphic novel forces readers to deal with the reality of mental illness and the death of loved ones. The words often blend into the background of the illustration so it often appears as though you're watching the story unfold instead of reading it. Powell really seems to know how to capture his audience and tease them with questions of reality. The whole concept of tiny wizards and goddess frogs is funny until the reader is forced upon the realization that those are the character's realities. 

Swallow Me Whole was a great graphic novel to begin with, and I am looking forward to reading more. Please leave me a comment if you have any suggestions for what I should read next! 

"Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper-Case Closed"

I'm sure most of you are thinking, "Great, thanks for choosing such a cheery and uplifting book to do your first book review on!" To you naysayers out there I have one thing to say: I have a thing for true crime, so get used to me throwing in some gruesome novels every once in awhile. I'm the girl who reads books about serial killers while watching Law and Order with the crime reports from the newspaper spread out in front of me. Okay, slight exaggeration. But at the moment, it's better than the unabridged journals of Sylvia Plath I was reading.

Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper-Case Closed was written by crime novelist Patricia Cornwell (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2002) after she discovered some shocking evidence about the "true identity" of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper during a trip to London's Scotland Yard. Jack the Ripper terrorized the streets of London's East End during the fall of 1888 as he brutally murdered five prostitutes over a three-month period. London's Metropolitan Police were never able to capture the Ripper, and this serial killer has since become one of the most famous around the world. Conspiracy theorists and true crime-aholics alike have become obsessed with uncovering the identity of the Ripper, and Patricia Cornwell couldn't help but join the fray.

This book has been on my reading list for some time and after I ran across it on the shelves of the library I work at I couldn't help but check it out. I have read Patricia Cornwell's Postmortem, which I enjoyed, so I thought this book would at least keep me entertained. I really should have taken a hint from the long, awkward title Cornwell chose for her investigative report on the "true identity" of Jack the Ripper.

From the beginning this book made me roll my eyes every few pages. After studying numerous Ripper letters and the thin police reports that still exist in London's city records, Cornwell came to the conclusion that Jack the Ripper was actually Walter Sickert, a German-born actor and artist who studied under Whistler. Sickert was well-known for his wandering habits, his charm, his secret studios, and his sometimes violent paintings and sketches. Sickert also had some kind of genital defect that may or may not have left him mutilated as an adult, and all of these things somehow lead to the conclusion that Sickert was the Ripper of the East End. To be fair, I began reading this book as a skeptic, and it probably would have taken a lot to convince me. But honestly, the identity of the most famous serial killer in history has been unknown for almost 125 years and Cornwell said herself that the amount of evidence that exists from the crimes is dwindling to almost nothing. This book simply does not make a strong enough case.

Cornwell uses Portrait of a Killer to introduce some facts and inflate others. She takes reports from the doctors who examined the bodies of the victims and plays make-believe with what she thinks might have actually happened, because she obviously knows more than the ill-trained, inexperienced surgeons who were physically at the 19th century crime scenes. Granted, Cornwell probably does know more about forensic science and solving crimes than these doctors, as well as most of the detectives who worked for the Metropolitan Police in 1888. But Cornwell says herself in the book that the body is the most important piece of evidence in a homicide and without them, it appears that instead she insists on turning fact into fiction to prove Sickert was the Ripper. Cornwell also develops an annoying habit of explaining how the case could have been solved had Jack the Ripper committed his crimes in 2002. The author spends too much time distracting the reader away from the actual crimes with these anecdotes and exaggerations, and the book is not any better for it. 

Unfortunately, the book is also not any better because of writing skill or good editing. It sounds as though Cornwell sat down and started writing, and whatever she came up with they published. While there are several grammatical and spelling errors, the book just does not flow well. The chapters are mashed awkwardly together with titles that do not make sense. She jumps from one subject to another within the chapters, and as far as I can tell the only flow the book has is that she follows the murders chronologically. At best, Cornwell has managed to convince me that Sickert probably wrote a few of the Ripper letters. He also sounds like a terrible husband. Other than that, I can't say that this book has shed any more light for me on the Jack the Ripper mystery. If you are interested in a book about Jack the Ripper, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper by Philip Sugden has gotten excellent reviews. I have added it to my reading list and will perhaps do a review on it in the future, in comparison with Portrait of a Killer. 


Overall Grade: D

My First Sewing Project

I would like to introduce everyone to the newest member of our family. Steve and I get a little obsessive about who we add to our little household, so I'm confident that we will all get along nicely. Everyone, meet my Brother 60-stitch computerized sewing machine! 

I have been looking at machines for a few months in preparation of all this free time I keep mentioning. I've looked at a lot of different brands and models and talked to several people who have some sewing experience, and I've found that Brother is a great brand, especially if you're like me and you don't want to spend a lot of money. I found this one on Amazon at a great price, and I couldn't beat the great reviews it has gotten either. I was looking for something simple to use since I will be learning how to sew on this machine, but I also wanted a machine that would do some fancy things too (this one has quilting and buttonhole features). Basically, it's the perfect machine for me and I've been looking forward to having the time to play with it. I finally got to drag it out of the box this weekend. After carefully reading the instructions, Steve and I successfully threaded a bobbin and got the needle (automatically) threaded. After some high fives I got to work on my first project. As a graduation gift my mom and grandma (who are great sewers and the reasons I thought I should probably learn this skill) got me a bunch of sewing "haberdasheries" and "notions," so I was all set to go. I thought the most simple project for my new machine would be a summery table runner. I know the basics of hemming and pinning, and I really just wanted to learn how to sew in a straight line with the machine. To start the project, I cut the fabric (after washing it) down to size to fit our dining table. I didn't want the long part of the table runner to hang down the sides like most do on our table, so I decided to leave about two inches on both long sides of the runner. After cutting I was left with a strip of fabric about 3' x 1'. 

I pinned a one inch hem around the whole thing and got out the machine to finish the hemming. I know my cuts aren't straight and I got a little distracted from the stitching at times (that's what we get for babysitting a house full of dogs) so my hems aren't straight either. But it's the first thing I've ever really made on my machine, and I'm pretty happy with the results! I love how the fabric looks on our table and I'm really looking forward to my next project. 

Happy Mother's Day!

I realize I'm a few days late with this post, but I blame our friends in Arkansas for getting married and dragging us across the country (losers). However, we were able to see our mothers around Mother's Day, so we can't be too upset about that. For my mom I decided to make something this year now that I have a little more free time. Think of this as my first project in my new "Crazy Crafty" life. 

My mom has always loved singing me the song "You Are My Sunshine." For as long as I remember she would sing it on special occasions or when the mood struck, no matter how many eye-rollings she had to endure. I even got a recorded card singing it to me once. This song will always be associated in my mind with my mom, and when I saw some art pieces on Pinterest using the lyrics to this song, I knew it was a perfect idea for a gift. Mother's Day just happened to be the next convenient holiday. 

"You Are My Sunshine" painting on canvas

First I had to decide what I wanted the painting to look like. I already had the canvas and I knew I wouldn't be able to fit all of the words to the song on the canvas, so I decided to do the first half of the lyrics. I saw several different versions of the song on Pinterest, and the one I liked the best used different fonts and colors for the main words of the song. Instead of using stencils I decided to print off the words using different fonts from the computer and cut out the words. This took a lot more time because it was like creating my own stencils but I liked that I had a lot more say over which fonts I could use and how big the letters would be. From there, I traced the letters and painted them in using colors I thought fit the text. I picked out a nice sky blue for the background et voila! A lovely piece of art for my mom's sewing room. 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! You're the best! 

From Your Little'Uns

I think I will always be that daughter who is twelve years old in her father's eyes, even though I passed that age a long time ago. While this can be difficult sometimes, especially as I moved halfway across the country from my family barely two years ago, it's nice to know that as I grow older I will still be someone's little girl. That is why I would like to dedicate this post to my father, who's celebrating his birthday today. I think it's important to celebrate the individuals in one's life, and in times like these when the basic rights of individuals are put into question it becomes even more important to step away from the issues and focus on those who make up your surroundings. So today my brother and I are going to tag-team this post to celebrate our dad.


Matt: It is my honor to contribute to my sister's post about our dad to celebrate his birthday. As the older brother of our family, my Dad's impact on me has been immeasurable. Growing up he was our leader and my mentor. We were very close and I believe had much in common. Even today we share interests in our relationship that I am thankful for. The bond we have now is not explained by chance but by love and experiences together.


Megan: My dad and I don't have much in common. I feel that this is important to our relationship because although he likes baseball and I like books, and he would prefer to be outdoors building something while I prefer to be indoors on the computer, we are still able to have lengthy conversations several times a week. The older I have gotten the more obvious it has become that even though he knows I don't care who won the game last night and I know he has no clue who Jeffrey Eugenides is we still share a bond that will never change and can never be broken, no matter how different we may be.


Matt: Back in the days when I was a Little Leaguer and Megan was playing with dolls my dad was an indestructible man who could do anything. From the handyman who provided for the family to coach who helped me to succeed to fishing guide for irreplaceable memories on the lake, his role in my life has been essential. I don't take the dad I had growing up, the one who loved and sacrificed for Megan and me, for granted. As time has gone by, the natural tendency to move on and experience life might have widened a gap in our relationship. With my dad, this has not been the case. Yes, I have ventured out like my sister, but he was managed to support me in a way I couldn't have asked for. So many times he drove hours to lend a helping hand or to visit. The dad I have as an adult is a little different from the one I had growing up. He's a little older and a little wiser. He hasn't lost his passion for creating and adventuring. He knows himself better, which has made him gentler and more patient.


Megan: My father is a man who has known loss and heartache, yet he stands out for his warm personality and great sense of humor. As his only daughter I have been able to see him grow more loving and carefree the older he has gotten, as if his experiences have allowed him to define what is truly important in his life (besides fishing, buying new trucks, and baseball season). He is a man who is dedicated to his children to the point of sacrificing things for himself in order to give us more. My dad still tells me he is proud of me, and he still brags to his friends about our achievements. Dear ol' dad risks his back every time our young cousins are around in favor of horsing around and is well known for telling "stories" (which explains why we believed in flying Ninja Turtles for so long) and playing practical jokes at work. He is creative and full of life, yet humble and willing to fall back in the crowd if only to give his children more room in the spotlight.


All of these things have made us proud to call you dad, and we are thinking of you from one side of the country to the other! This day and this post is for you, Dad! Happy birthday!

Welcome, welcome, to the 74th edition of my blog

Not having made a New Year's Resolution for 2012 because, honestly, I forget them by January 3 every year, I decided to make a Star Wars Day Resolution (May the Fourth Be With You!--celebrated with a little Return of the Jedi action). Spending most of my last semester of school on Pinterest (parents and teachers insert doing homework here) I discovered a lot of really great blogs out there. Which, of course, led me to think, "Hey! I can do that too! I know how to cook, and I want to be a craft maniac when I'm done with school!" 

All Hunger Games and Star Wars jokes aside, I've missed having the opportunity to have some quality me-time. Now that I've officially (and by that I mean in two days' time) graduated from graduate school I have some free time on my hands. And people, I haven't had free time since I was six. The last two weeks have been a little awkward for me as I insist that I have homework that needs to be turned in and papers that need to be written, only to find out that these elusive homeworks and papers DON'T EXIST. Stephen has been very patient with my crazy meandering throughout the house looking for things to do, and the words "stir crazy" have come to mind more than once. To alleviate said craziness we end up with this formula:

recent graduate+random amounts of free time+okay ability to write, bake, and create=blogging adventures

Let's see how it goes.