It was a good month at the theater! How about you?
Another month and another chance to contribute money to charity. Add your 5 words (or less!) to mine in a comment and earn $1 for charity. Once we get to $100 the person with the most reviews will choose the charity. Click here to see the past winners, the charities they chose and the other reviews you can add to. Anyone is welcome to join in at any time.
We’re at $12.
I hope that you will take a few minutes to participate when you can each month. It’s fun for me and for everyone else who reads it. I’m not looking for a critical review, just a few words about how you felt about the movie. This is ongoing so you can leave your 5 words anytime.
The Intern, 2015 (Cast-Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway, Reme Russo) Grade B+
The Hunger Games:Mockingjay, part 2, 2015 (Cast-Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman) Grade B
Elsie Bovary is a cow, and a pretty happy one at that—her long, lazy days are spent eating, napping, and chatting with her best friend, Mallory. One night, Elsie and Mallory sneak out of their pasture; but while Mallory is interested in flirting with the neighboring bulls, Elsie finds herself drawn to the farmhouse. Through the window, she sees the farmer’s family gathered around a bright Box God—and what the Box God reveals about something called an “industrial meat farm” shakes Elsie’s understanding of her world to its core.
There’s only one solution: escape to a better, safer world. And so a motley crew is formed: Elsie; Jerry—excuse me, Shalom—a cranky, Torah-reading pig who’s recently converted to Judaism; and Tom, a suave (in his own mind, at least) turkey who can’t fly, but who can work an iPhone with his beak. Toting stolen passports and slapdash human disguises, they head for the airport. from Goodreads
David Duchovny, who I haven’t really seen much of since the X-Files even though I know he has a new series, always won me over with his wry humor and the twinkle in his eye. So, I am so glad that I listened to him read his first novel. The book has illustrations that I might have to check out someday but listening to Duchovny voicing Elsie, the brave cow with a mission, was a perfect way to experience this short, zany book.
A cow, a pig, and a turkey walk off the upstate New York farm and head to the airport, what could possible go wrong? Quite a bit as you might imagine. I really hate to spoil much of the story past that point, because the insanity really should be enjoyed the first time when reading the book. Told from Elsie’s point of view this is the story of a cow finding out her fate in life and deciding not to accept it. She’s silly, witty and very up-to-date on pop culture so she’s a hoot to listen to. This book was fun, but you must start with the expectation of a madcap tale told by a playful talking cow. If you want something more refined then this probably isn’t for you. I’ll include the first paragraph and you can decide for yourself.
Most people think cows can’t think. Hello. Let me rephrase that, most people think cows can’t think, and have no feelings. Hello, again. I’m a cow, my name is Elsie, yes, I know. And that’s no bull. See? We can think, feel, and joke, most of us anyway. My great- aunt Elsie, whom I’m named after, has no sense of humor. At all. I mean zero. She doesn’t even like jokes with humans in them doing stupid things. Like that one that goes— two humans walk into a barn . . . Wait, I may not have much time here, I can’t mess around.
A few weeks ago I reviewed this book and talked about our intention to do it. Well, I’m a week in and Gage is on day 4. This diet is hard! It essentially starts as an elimination diet so you start with about 6 things to eat (all having to be cooked for 4 hours through stage 4) and add one fruit or vegetable each day. After 3 months we can try adding nuts (nutbutter, nut flour) and then beans soaked for 12 hours. It’s a healthy diet but one that will be difficult to do forever, I’m setting my sights for one year. Eventually I can add in dry red wine, my favorite anyway, so I’ve got something to look forward to!
Let me tell you a little about my experience mainly because I can accurately describe what I’m feeling and with Gage there’s a lot of guessing going on. I made a food chart for each food as I introduced it and then wrote the first two stages after the Intro so I could plan accordingly on the frig.
Then I spent most of the hours in each day in the kitchen and that is NOT an exaggeration. I’ve had to cook two chickens to make the needed healing broth of this diet (4 hours to cook and another hour to debird and put away). This is by far the messiest and grossest part of the cooking. I convinced my mom to come over and make applesauce with me since I’d never made it and it came out beautiful and delicious.
I’ll admit that my attempt to make pearsauce yesterday didn’t turn out as great.
I ate a lot of thisand this (obviously I’m a work in progress when in comes to eggs, this is my first one where I actually kept the yolk intact and I’ve since done it three more times). Everything must be made from scratch.
I felt pretty sick on day two and spent a good portion of the afternoon in bed. I had a blinding headache off and on for the first four days and I had ZERO energy those first few days. Even now on day 8 my energy is at about 50%. But I’ve never really felt hungry. All that protein is filling.
Ready for exciting part? I’ve lost 7 pounds! Not even trying, but there it is.
Okay. So Gage started Thursday after school and I did have to allow a few things from stage one (homemade applesauce and bananas) to get him through. He cried about eating stuff he didn’t want and not having snacks or chocolate, but he was doing okay. Then yesterday morning he woke up, ate half a banana, vomited, went to bed, vomited some more and pretty much spent 8-2 in his bed or ours preferring dark and quiet.
I read that this might happen and that it was actually a good thing since it meant that the bad gut guys were detaching themselves, but I still worried. Then I got him to keep some applesauce down and he bounced back. Like really bounced back becoming chatty for the rest of the day and actually eating chicken/squash broth soup with carrots! Seriously, I didn’t really think that could happen.
This diet is going to change my life tremendously. I will now have to spend more time in the kitchen than I really want to and forgo eating out. I made Gage a promise that we’d evaluate how things were going at the six month mark and see if we thought it was worth it. There are only two things that would make me change my mind about that, Gage losing too much weight or the docs finding something at his scope in January. Wish us luck!!!
I needed a pick-me-up last night so I took 45 minutes and completely changed the layout and look of the blog. I needed it, but don’t know if I’ll keep it. What do you think?
Once you figure out a few of the titles for this quiz I know it will make the rest easier (hint-they all share a common word)! I’ll give you a few extra points if you know the author. And, as you can see, Razzi was very interested in this quiz.
Leave your guesses in a comment. Good luck!
No Googling or looking at other commenter answers. Yes, we’re going by the honor system 🙂Play every week or just one time, you are always welcome 🙂 It only takes once to be eligible for a prize.
The Wife’s Tale by Lori Lansen
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
Unabridged audio read by Richard Ferrone, who did an excellent job, 11.5 hours.
The night after the fourth of July, Layton Carlson Jr., of Red Wing, Minnesota, finally got lucky. And unlucky.
He’d picked the perfect spot to lose his virginity to his girlfriend, an abandoned farmyard in the middle of cornfields: nice, private, and quiet. The only problem was . . . something smelled bad—like, really bad. He mentioned it to a county deputy he knew, and when the cop took a look, he found a body stuffed down a cistern. And then another, and another.
By the time Lucas Davenport was called in, the police were up to fifteen bodies and counting. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, when Lucas began to investigate, he made some disturbing discoveries of his own. The victims had been killed over a great many years, one every summer, regular as clockwork. How could this have happened without anybody noticing? from Goodreads
I love this series, obvious by the fact that I’ve read the series from the beginning. Lucas, a detective, handles only those cases that the politicos need to have disappear. His role is more of a mentor as he works with the police all over Minnesota, but he still manages to get his hands dirty. He is great at what he does and possesses an authority that others look to in a time of crisis.
This was a strong story in the series. There was one scene where a girl gets killed that really bothered me but other than that it was all the usual violence. I’ve missed Lucas and his family and co-workers, who all show up at some point. I’ve always loved his relationship with Letty, his daughter who he adopted in one of the earlier books and this was no exception. Letty wants to do what Lucas does and he’s both scared and proud. Letty is on her way to Stanford but has time to work with Lucas on this last case.
This series is perfect for anyone who likes police procedurals or detective series that are quick and satisfying reads. I’d start at the beginning so that you can see the transformation of Lucas over the years.
Unabridged audio read by Santino Fontana, 13 hours
When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.
There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.
As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder. from Goodreads
So this creepfest begins in a New York City bookstore where our neighborhood psycho, Joe, becomes obsessed with Guinevere Beck during the few minutes she was in the bookstore. Using all of the tools that technology allows he finds and follows her and finds a way to secure her cell phone and boyfriend, leaving Beck little chance but to fall into his web.
Everyone I know and love as bloggers has loved this one and I tried to take some time after I finished to figure out why I didn’t like it. I really, really didn’t like it. Was it that Fontana’s narration was too good and made me feel like I had just spent time with a scary sleazeball at a bar? Was it the 2nd person point of view that left nothing redeemable in Joe? Could it have been the glaring holes/ridiculous plot points that made this seem silly? I don’t know. Everyone else loved these things about the book but they didn’t work for me.
Joe was a scary dude and I was relieved when our time together was over.
Kathy sent me the cds and I would be happy to pass them on if anyone is interested. Listen and see for yourself if you love it like the masses 🙂 Leave me a comment and I’ll send it your way.
So, I’m listening to David Duchovny’s book right now and laughing out loud at the antics of the talking animals. So, why not see if you can match the name of the animal with the book they narrated? If the character’s name is in the title there will be a blank space!!!
Leave your guesses in a comment. Good luck!
No Googling or looking at other commenter answers. Yes, we’re going by the honor system 🙂Play every week or just one time, you are always welcome 🙂 It only takes once to be eligible for a prize.
WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET?
It is a strict grain-free, lactose-free, and sucrose-free meal plan.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Of all dietary components, carbohydrates have the greatest influence on intestinal microbes (yeast and bacteria) which are believed to be involved in intestinal disorders. Most intestinal microbes require carbohydrates for energy. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet works by severely limiting the availability of carbohydrates to intestinal microbes.
When carbohydrates are not digested, they are not absorbed. They remain in the intestinal tract, thus encouraging microbes to multiply by providing food for them. This can lead to the formation of acids and toxins which can injure the small intestine.
Once bacteria multiply within the small intestine, they can destroy the enzymes on the intestinal cell surface, preventing carbohydrate digestion and absorption. At this point, production of excessive mucus may be triggered as the intestinal tract attempts to “lubricate” itself against the irritation caused by the toxins, acids, and the presence of incompletely digested and unabsorbed carbohydrates.
The diet is based on the principle that specifically selected carbohydrates, requiring minimal digestion, are well absorbed leaving virtually nothing for intestinal microbes to feed on. As the microbes decrease due to lack of food, their harmful by-products also diminish. No longer needing protection, the mucus producing cells stop producing excessive mucus and carbohydrate digestion is improved. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet corrects malabsorption, allowing nutrients to enter the bloodstream and be made available to the cells of the body, thereby strengthening the immune system’s ability to fight. Further debilitation is prevented, weight can return to normal, and ultimately there is a return to health. from Goodreads
I left the whole description in case you wanted a more detailed overview of some of the science behind the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). Now let me tell you what has led us here (by us I mean me and Gage). Gage stills has terrible reflux, even on Zantac, and it’s been going on since July. But even before that his stomach was a mess. He was on Zantac pretty much for 3 years before which I am positive led to his gut being in such bad shape now. He isn’t growing up or out much either. All of these things led me to this book, but there is one more important reason I know about this book. This is the foundation for many kids on the spectrum being recovered, ie. losing their diagnosis. I know people don’t like to believe things without a ‘study’ behind them, but all you have to do is talk to parents. I mentioned to Gage’s teacher yesterday that we would be starting this soon and she said her friend started the GAPS diet (similar to SCD and the other game changing diet for kids with autism) for her son on the spectrum and he lost all of the problems that gave him a diagnosis in the first place. I’ve resisted this diet to this point because I was hoping gluten/casein/soy free would be enough. I don’t think that anymore.
So, that’s how we got here and I’m so glad that we are finally taking this step, for our whole family. I’ll be starting the intro diet this week, chicken, chicken broth, and eggs and Gage will start next week. The first week or two might be a bit rough and make us sick as we kill off the bad guys but as we slowly add foods back in we should start to feel better. It works much like the elimination diet that I talked about from a book this summer only carbs will be gone for the duration of the diet. To cure things like colitis or Crohn’s disease it takes a year or two and then you can try adding forbidden foods back in. If your gut is properly healed you should be able to tolerate them better.
The science, studies, personal stories of success and details of the diet are included in the book. The updated version even includes a chapter on autism because it has become such a savior to many parents with kids with autism or related conditions. It’s not an easy diet and I’m nervous. I had to tell Gage he wouldn’t be able to eat chocolate for awhile and that did not go well. If you are interested in learning more you can visit the website. This book is a must read for those with gut diseases like Crohn’s, colitis, CF, and yes, I consider autism one of those that starts in the gut.
Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I went to the best local bookstore yesterday, loganberry Books in Cleveland Heights and they were on the middle of a 100,000 book inventory. I loved the store so much I wanted to make sure I spent some money there. That was the only reason I came home with six new books. Really 😉
This is Your Life, Harriet Chance by Jonathan Evison (arrived in the mail from the generous Diane)
With her husband Bernard two years in the grave, seventy-nine-year-old Harriet Chance sets sail on an ill-conceived Alaskan cruise only to discover through a series of revelations that she’s been living the past sixty years of her life under entirely false pretenses. There, amid the buffets and lounge singers, between the imagined appearance of her late husband and the very real arrival of her estranged daughter midway through the cruise, Harriet is forced to take a long look back, confronting the truth about pivotal events that changed the course of her life.
How to Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh (bought from Loganberry Books, a local bookstore)
Thich Nhat Hanh says that when we relax, we “become calm water, and we will reflect reality as it is. If we’re not calm, the image we reflect will be distorted. When the image is distorted by our minds, it’s not the reality, and it causes lots of suffering.” With sections on healing, relief from nonstop thinking, transforming unpleasant sounds, solitude, being peace, and more, How to Relax includes meditations you can do to help you achieve the benefits of relaxation no matter where you are.
Rosa Parks:Mother of the Civil Rights Movement by Wil Mara (bought from Loganberry Books, a local bookstore)
Rosa Parks was born in the South at a time when African Americans were treated like second-class citizens. By refusing to accept the status quo, Parks sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and went on to become known as the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. The well-organized chapters help students identify key details while the photographs, timelines and other text features encourage students to make connections between historical events and enable students to better understand the text.
Last Night’s Reading:Illustrated Encounters With Extraordinary Authors by Kate Gavino (bought from Loganberry Books, a local bookstore)
Why do we go to book readings? For a chance to see the authors we love come to life off the page, answering our questions and proving to be the brilliant, witty people we catch glimpses of through their work. Illustrator Kate Gavino captures the wonder of this experience firsthand. At every reading she attends, Kate hand-letters the event’s most memorable quote alongside a charming portrait of the author. In Last Night’s Reading, Kate takes us on her journey through the literary world, sharing illustrated insight from more than one hundred of today’s greatest writers—including Zadie Smith, Junot Diaz, Lev Grossman, Elizabeth Gilbert, and many more—on topics ranging from friendship and humor to creativity and identity. A celebration of authors, reading, and bookstores, this delightful collection is an advice book like no other and a love letter to the joy of seeing your favorite author up close and personal.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (bought from Loganberry Books, a local bookstore)
Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.
Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver (bought from Loganberry Books, a local bookstore)
Continuing the story begun in The Bean Trees, this novel features the characters Taylor and Turtle as they witness an event whose repercussions will change their lives forever.
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes (bought from Loganberry Books, a local bookstore)
Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages… maybe ever.
It’s time for another update on my music project. Two summers ago I started using this book as a guide to explore music with my son. Gage has been a party to some of the journey, but not all. I try to play at least parts from every album for him, except the explicit ones, and some he likes and some he covers his ears. He is probably more discerning than I am. This post is more for me than you because I know that these lists can get boring, but feel free to comment if I’ve listened to a favorite of yours (whether I liked them or not :)). Happy listening.
This go round I’ve decided to list them in the order I liked them best.
Thriller by Michael Jackson– first and only album I begged my dad for money to buy. I remember him counting out change from our change bucket.
Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits – love, love, love
Pearl by Janis Joplin – So talented and such a shame she died so young.
Parachutes by Coldplay – loved it
Dare by the Human League – fun 80’s album with a favorite
In Our Heads by Hot Chip – a great new discovery
Make Yourself by Incubus – nu-metal? surprisingly, I liked it!
Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave – Love this dark and moody album.
Aqualung by Jethro Tull – Liked the whole album.
Murder Ballads by Nick Cave – the dark murder ballads (something I’d never heard) was really cool.
Off the Wall by Michael Jackson – Can’t go wrong with Michael.
Bad by Michael Jackson – a much more polished Michael.
Come Away With Me by Norah Jones – easy listening
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John – I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Elton John.
Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson – It’ll make you want to dance!
Songs of Love & Hate by Leonard Cohen – Like him better than Dylan.
British Steel by Judas Priest – Not a hard rock girl but I liked this one.
Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane
A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay – didn’t love as much as the first
Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen – Not my favorite of his.
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly – It was ok, a little dopey.
Morrison Hotel by The Doors– My third Doors album that I just thought was okay.
Tusk by Fleetwood Mac – Didn’t like as much as Rumours.
Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – My least favorite of the three.
Safe As Milk by Captain Beefheart – Hippy dippy, but the best name ever!
Are We Not Men? We are Devo! by Devo – Too frenetic for me.
Be by Common – not for me.
Cross by Justice – Let’s dance!
Chicago by Chicago Transit Authority – Easy, a little boring.
A Love Supreme by John Coltrane – I like jazz, but really only in person.
What People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not by Arctic Monkeys – eh, nothing special here
Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart – Eek! A double album of music I didn’t like!
Never Mind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols – Couldn’t really understand them.
Maggot Brain by Funkadelic – Took me a few tries to get this one but it is fun to move to.
Blueprint by Jay-Z – This didn’t elevate rap for me.
Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds – Too much country for me.
Gris Gris by Dr. John – This is an album? Not much here.
Now I Got Worry by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – too much screaming
The Score by The Fugees – Loved one song. A lot.
Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters – Grunge or grunge-like has never been my thing.
The Intern, 2015 (Cast-Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway, Reme Russo) Grade B+
Creed, 2015 (Cast-Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad) Grade B+
The Hunger Games:Mockingjay, part 2, 2015 (Cast-Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman) Grade B
Guarding Tess, 1994 (Cast- Shirley MacLaine, Nicolas Cage) Grade B-
Run All Night, 2015 (Cast-Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, Vincent D’Onofrio, Common)
Once you figure out a few of the titles for this quiz I know it will make the rest easier (hint-they all share a common word)! I’ll give you a few extra points if you know the author. And, as you can see, Razzi was very interested in this quiz.
Stacy's Books 