“Decades ago, our ancestors realized that it is not just political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality - of humankind’s inclination towards evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world’s disarray.”
Today, as we slowly get into this new blogging routine, I want to just make up this quick post on what books and writing related materials I got for Christmas! I am going to go through each of these pieces shown above with my little Bryer bear, and let you know a little bit about them and how I am liking them all so far!
#1: First up was a little gift that I received from my brother and his girlfriend, because they know that I love journaling and writing in general. For those of you who aren't familiar, Wreck This Journal, is a popular journal brand created by Kerri Smith. These journals are bought to ruin essentially, and within each of the journals, their pages give you instructions to journal and do unordinary things, especially things to the journal itself. By the time you are done, the journal is a hot mess filled with random ideas and ripped pages. I am thinking it will be therapeutic for me.Â
This one in particular, the Wreck This Journal Everywhere, is especially fun because I spend a lot of time in the car and a lot of time traveling to different places, and most of the instructions inside involve picking up objects you find or interacting with people from different places. Another great part about this one that I love, is how small and compact it is. This will make it so easy for me to throw it in my purse or travel bags and get some fun use out of it while we are on the road. I am really looking forward to it!Â
#2: Below my new wreck it journal, is an 1967 copy of The Wind in the Willows By: Kenneth Grahame. My Dad is known for giving thoughtful gifts that most times involve thrifty finds, and he did not disappoint with this one. He explained that the story behind giving me this book was that he had a challenge for me.Â
As a back story, my Dad used to work doing wood and stone work on the lake at these millionaire houses, and one of the families he worked for had a quote from Wind in the Willows, wood burned into their boat house wall. My Dad was close to this family and they were very good to him while he worked there so receiving this book was sentimental for both of us. I have many memories of visiting there...but can’t seem to remember what was burned onto the walls for a quote. My challenge is...to read the book while at the same time noting quotes that I believe might have been found in the Miller’s boathouse. My only hint...was that it involves boats. How vague and helpful!Â
I myself have never read this book and am looking forward to something light in reading and something that brings me back to some of the books I read as a child. A lot of the reading that I do know is very dense and sometimes a light read is a relief! Let me know if you have read this one before, and how you liked it! I am interested to see how popular this story is!Â
#3: In short, this third item is an awesome looking leather bound journal that my Dad also gifted me this year, in hopes that it could hold a draft of a story or memoir piece that I will work on in the future. You can sort of make out the way it is bound on the outside, but what you cant see is its really pretty, vintage-looking latch to keep it shut and the hundreds of pages of blank recycled-looking paper. I love the look of it, the feel of the pages (which are super thick), and also that the pages are blank...which means I can sort of go crazy with the format of my writing, which sometimes is a nice break from straight and uniform! I have seen these in bookstores many times before, but never branched out to purchase one, which made it amazing to open up as a gift!
#’s 4 & 5: Ladies and Gentlemen...she has done it again...and I AM SO OVER THE MOON HAPPY ABOUT THIS. Gifts from both my Mom and my Dad (without even consulting one another, imagine that) are J.K. Rowling’s most recent screenplays relating to the Harry Potter Series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (also out in theaters as a film now...NO GIVING ME ANY INSIGHT YET. I HAVENT FINSIHED READING BEFORE I WATCH) and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I have been dying to snatch these of the shelves since they came out but told myself to wait and ask Santa instead. Surprise! My wishes were granted and I spent the whole day after Christmas with my nose in the Cursed Child. Finished it. Couldn't believe what I was reading. So good. I have so much more to say about it...but will save that for one of my next review posts instead. I have been a lover of Harry Potter and his world since I was in the first grade....so this was a Christmas gift MUCH appreciated and treasured for sure.Â
#6: Last is just a fun book for any of us who love to cook, love the way carbs make us feel energy wise, but don’t love the way all the extra carbs make us feel weight wise. I am only speaking for myself when I say that my body does not handle a lot of carbs well. I feel bloated and huge after indulging in some of my favorites, and though I know it is important to have some of the healthy carbs throughout the day to keep my energy up, I am not a huge fan otherwise. My brother and his girlfriend knew this about me so they picked me up this awesome cook book by Dana Carpender, that includes 1001 low-carb recipes including breads, appetizer and sweet treats! What is not to love?! Honestly. This will be amazing for switching it up and making up some meals that will satisfy me both ways; in hunger, and in body feels.Â
SO, I do tend to by myself goodies like this throughout the year, but it is always special to receive them from those that I love. Proof that they know me very well, but also provides so many hours of enjoyment for me as we roll into the new year!Â
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other special occasion or holiday that you celebrate, and hope that you had some fun gifts like these to open up or give as well! Comment below some of the things that you received or saw while you were out shopping this holiday season! I would love some recommendations and also, am always just super curious about other fun reads and writing items out there!Â
Thank you all so much for reading! Talk again soon!Â
Everyonehad sunglasses, and if you didn’t, if you were new, you got some because that was the law. Every child in the community was given life and then sunglasses. Inside or outside the house, regardless or what time or what stage the sun was shining or setting, you wore your sunglasses. And you weren’t allowed to speak of seeing or the eyes. Eyes were hidden for a reason.  Of course, all these laws made it very hard to tell what color someone’s eyes were or what make-up they wore to shape and lengthen their eyelashes. It made it hard to tell if a person had eyes or not and especially hard to tell if someone was referring to you when they yelled “hey you!”
Violet found herself guessing as she sat on the side of the river and held Liam’s hand. Guessing was normal, she couldn’t just come out and ask. She instead watched the way his cheeks moved. If the skin under the sunglasses moved upward and bunched up tight, she’d guess he was squinting…or was he winking? After a complex analysis, she told herself maybe she didn’t see skin bunching at all. Perhaps he was just blinking. Still, she couldn’t ask.
“You know, I’ve see-…well…your cheeks sort of do this thing where they move sometimes and is it because well…you’re…
“You can talk like that around me Vi. I wont tell.
She sighed with relief
“Is it because you are squinting? Or are you winking? It’s so hard for me to tell, and I feel like I have no idea what you’re thinking when I can’t see (she whispered) your eyes.”
One of the things I wanted to provide you all with on this blog in particular, were book reviews based on all sorts of different genres and authors.Â
With three books just being wrapped up for me in between school and work, you can expect reviews on David Sedaris’ Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, and two others.Â
No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.
We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
For all of you who didn't know, today we lost actor, comedian and wonder to watch in all aspects, Robin Williams. So in honor of him, poetry and the love for life in general, this picture.Â
One of my favorite authors to read since my Senior year of high school has been David Sedaris. He is known all around the world for his comedic way of capturing life experiences through memoir and short stories such as: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk and Naked. My mother and I saw him do a reading in Plymouth a few years back, and he had us laughing the ENTIRE show. I highly recommend his articles and novels to anyone who wants a good laugh, or just wants to be reassured that their life is not the only one with an added bit of crazy in it. I found this fun question and answer between him and an interviewer online a bit ago: it definitely will give you an idea of what his writing and personality is like! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!Â
Interview:
Q. Am I wrong for thinking it’s a bit much that my co-worker is leaving early to tend to her sick guinea pig?
DS: I’ve never worked in an office, but it’s my understanding that on Fridays in the summer, anything goes.
Q. Do you have a comedian who cracks you up as much as you crack the rest of us up?
DS: I don’t know that she calls herself a comedian, but I always laugh at Julie Klausner’s “How Was Your Week,” podcast. The “Super Ego” podcasts make me laugh as well.
Q. David, how do you feel about pontoon boats?
DS: I don’t trust them!
Q. Should I be frightened by the fact that my husband considers your father a role model?
DS: Not at all. My father has many good qualities. He’s disciplined, he doesn’t curse, and he’s quick to forgive.
Q. How would you feel if you found out one of your closest friends had a tail and neglected to mention it to you?
DS: At first I’d be angry. Then I’d ask, very gently, if I could brush it out and braid it.
Q. How do you think a lady should eat corn on the cob?
DS: On a bench, with hobos.
Q: How do you feel about being part of my son’s HS required reading?
DS: I hate thinking that anyone might have to read something I’ve written. Having to write a paper about it makes me feel even worse.
Q. If you’re stuck at an airport, and there are no seats available at your gate, is it OK to sit on the floor?
DS: I wouldn’t do it, but perhaps that’s due to my age. If you’re twenty-five or under I suppose it’s okay.
Q. What’s your favorite word or phrase? Least favorite?
DS: I don’t have a favorite, but there are lots of words and phrases that get on my nerves. Lately I hate it when you offer someone something and they turn it down saying, “I’m good.”