Week 1 of 2021: Can We Get a Do-Over?

A new year is generally looked upon as a fresh start- for exercise, organization, attitude, etc... 

However, just six days into this new year, the US Capitol was stormed by insurgents. For me, it had shades of 9/11. I had an online meeting with my group from work and instead of the usual pleasantries we start meetings with, it was extremely somber. We were all in shock (although not thoroughly surprised) and were trying to make some sense of what was happening. Obviously, we couldn't.

I think I've said before that I am not a person that's well-versed in politics and thus I tend to keep my political thoughts to myself. All I can say is that I sincerely hope that this country can start to heal and that people can begin to look beyond themselves. 

::now back to our regularly scheduled inane blog topics::

• We're having Pulled Pork Nachos from Katie's Cucina tonight for dinner. I think I've shared this recipe before, but I really do love it. It's a nice departure from typical Mexican nachos.

• Construction continues in our living room on the built-ins. I've always dreamed of a room in my house with shelves that I could display my favorite books, photos, and knick knacks, and John is making that dream come to life!

• It's freezing in New England. No surprise there, as it is January. I'm sure I'll jinx us, but the snow has been minimal so far, and I'm totally fine with that.

• I think I mentioned in my last post that we're re-watching Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. We've made it to Season Two and I'd forgotten that there are some really dull episodes in this season- specifically the one about the drunken artist that Benjamin wants to buy a painting from. 

• In other TV news, I tried to watch the Call the Midwife Holiday Special on PBS.org, but it buffered every minute or so, so I only made it through the first 30 minutes. Bummer, because I like it so far!

• And we watched The Flight Attendant on HBO MAX. It's based on a book by Chris Bohjalian (whose books I love, but strangely I have not read this one) and stars Kaley Cuoco (from Big Bang Theory). It's a great thriller series and has some good dark humor moments. I highly recommend!

• I'll be posting my reviews of my books read in 2021 here on the blog, as I have been doing. So far I've already read two books! (Although, technically I started the first one in 2020). I am trying to be more intentional about shutting electronics/TV down earlier at night and reading longer. Hopefully this will result in more books read and better sleep.

• In an effort to make you smile, I leave you with this.

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #1: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Summary: New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939 – and then sets its sights on France.

An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.

For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.

The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbruck, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents – from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland – as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.

Rating: A. I LOVED this book. And there is no concise way to summarize this book- the above lengthy description is needed. The characters were rich and fascinating and while the backdrop was, as well, it was also extremely sad. My parents went to Auschwitz and said it was extremely moving and somber. I'm not sure I'll make it to Auschwitz, but reading this book gave me insight into what Nazi concentration camps were like.

Book #2: Poppy Redfern & the Fatal Flyers by Tessa Arlen

Summary: It is the late autumn of 1942. Our indomitable heroine Poppy Redfern is thoroughly immersed in her new job as a scriptwriter at the London Crown Film Unit, which produces short films featuring British civilians who perform acts of valor and heroism in wartime. After weeks of typing copy and sharpening pencils, Poppy is thrilled to receive her first solo script project: a fifteen-minute film about the Air Transport Auxiliary, known as Attagirls, a group of female civilians who have been trained to pilot planes from factories to military airfields all over Britain.

Poppy could not be more excited to spend time with these amazing ladies, but she never expects to see one of the best pilots die in what is being labeled an accident. When another Attagirl meets a similar fate, Poppy and her American fighter-pilot boyfriend, Griff, believe foul play may be at work. They soon realize that a murderer with a desire for revenge is dead set on grounding the Attagirls for good...

Rating: A-. This was another great historical fiction piece, although not quite in the same realm as Lilac Girls. This mystery series is fun (this is #2 in the series) and I look forward to the development of Poppy's character in future installments.

"There's Shrimp In the Eggrolls" and Rounding Out My 2020 Books

 

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If you haven't watched the Amazon Prime series Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, you must. PERIOD. End of story.

My favorite quote from the first episode is when Mrs. Maisel (Miriam/Midge) is addressing her wedding reception (predominantly Jewish) and she shouts out, "There's shrimp in the eggrolls!" I seriously laugh every time I think of this. And it's not even the funniest line. 

We're re-watching the series and we just started season two. The first episode of season two has probably some of the best one-liners. OK- you have your marching orders- watch it. Laughing is good.

Let's see if I can wrap up the reviews for the rest of the books I read in 2020.

Book #57- The Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews

Summary: This is the 28th book and the seventh Christmas mystery in the Meg Langslow series. Meg’s running Caerphilly’s Helping Hands for the Holidays project, in which neighbors help each other with things they can’t do and can’t afford to have done. Her hopes for a relatively peaceful (if busy) Christmas vanish when someone murders Harvey the Hoarder, whose house the Helping Hands were decluttering. Was there any truth to the rumor that he had something valuable hidden beneath all his junk? Was one of his friends, neighbors, or relatives greedy enough to murder him for the rumored treasure? And what about the magpie that has been bringing her family bits of tinsel and costume jewelry—does the bird’s latest gift hold a clue to solving the crime?

Rating: B+. This installment of Meg Langslow & her crazy family/circus was good and it had a holiday "feel good" message. I do wonder when Andrews will run out of topics for this series, but she's already got another one in the works...

Book #58- Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

Summary: Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a Cherokee father and white mother, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit is one of poverty and violence - both from outside the family and also, devastatingly, from within. When her family's darkest secrets are brought to light, Betty has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters in her rural town of Breathed, Ohio. Despite the hardship she faces, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters and her father's brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all she bears witness to, Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write.

Rating: A-. This was a really good book but not easy to read. (If you've seen Hillbilly Elegy or read that book, it's very similar.) While I was reading it, I was saying things similar to after I watched Hillbilly Elegy- this is real life but it's so far from my life and how I grew up. It exposed how sheltered my life was, in some respects. Again, it's a hard read and not by any means, "light," but it's excellent.

Book #59- The Good, the Bad & the Guacamole by Rebecca Adler

Summary:  This is second in the Josie Callahan/Tex-Mex mystery series. Tourists are pouring into the town of Broken Boot for the annual Homestead Days Music Festival. Opening the celebration at Two Boots dance hall is smooth-talking country singer Jeff Clark, the ex-boyfriend of Josie’s best friend, Patti Perez. When the charming Clark woos Patti onstage in an attempt to rekindle some sparks with his old flame, Josie fears her friend will end up as just one more notch on the singer’s guitar strap. To impress her editor at the Broken Boot Bugle, Josie and her Chihuahua, Lenny, pursue the singer to Patti’s house, hoping for an interview. Instead, they discover Clark facedown in a bowl of guacamole with a bloodied guitar at his side. With Patti suddenly a murder suspect, Josie must use her reporter skills to find out who had a chip on their shoulder—before the killer double dips....

Rating: C+. Meh. I always try to give mystery series two books before I make a decision on whether to continue reading or not. Decision made- done with this mediocre series.

Book #60- The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

Summary:  In an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city centre, where expectant mothers who have come down with an unfamiliar Flu are quarantined together. Into Julia's regimented world step two outsiders: Doctor Kathleen Lynn, on the run from the police, and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney. In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over three days, these women change each other's lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. 

Rating: C+. This was easily an A+ until the last 20ish pages and then it took an odd turn. The story was extremely well written up until that point and maybe it's just me that thought the ending out of place.

Book #61- Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams

Summary:  In 1947, photographer and war correspondent Janey Everett arrives at a remote surfing village on the Hawaiian island of Kauai to research a planned biography of forgotten aviation pioneer Sam Mallory, who joined the loyalist forces in the Spanish Civil War and never returned. Obsessed with Sam’s fate, Janey has tracked down Irene Lindquist, the owner of a local island-hopping airline, whom she believes might actually be the legendary Irene Foster, Mallory’s onetime student and flying partner. Foster’s disappearance during a round-the-world flight in 1937 remains one of the world’s greatest unsolved mysteries. 

Rating: A-. The above summary is only a small piece of this story. Williams' historical fiction is always rich and this installment did not disappoint. It provided twists and turns (a few I anticipated, a few I did not). Time period and backdrop are well described by Williams- making you feel like you are there.

Book #62- How to Raise an Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith

Summary:  This is the 21st installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series. Mma Ramotswe must balance family obligations with the growing needs of one of Charlie's pet projects in this latest installment in the cherished No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Rating: B+. This one was "cute" (the elephant portion) and as well written as the preceding ones in the series.

Book #63- The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg

Summary:  When a group of friends in Mason, Missouri, decide to start a monthly supper club, they get more than they bargained for. The plan for congenial evenings—talking, laughing, and sharing recipes, homemade food, and wine—abruptly changes course one night when one of the women reveals something startlingly intimate. The supper club then becomes Confession Club, and the women gather weekly to share not only dinners but embarrassing misdeeds, deep insecurities, and long-held regrets. They invite Iris Winters and Maddy Harris to join, and their timing couldn't be better. Iris is conflicted about her feelings for a charming but troubled man, and Maddy has come back home from New York to escape a problem too big to handle alone. The club offers exactly the kind of support they need to help them make some difficult decisions.

Rating: A. I really loved this book. It's part of a "sort of" series (if that makes any sense.) There are a few preceding books that take place in Mason with some of the characters carrying on throughout the books. Berg does a great job of sharing the homey/small town feeling of Mason and its residents.

Book #64- The Glass Ocean by Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams, and Karen White

Summary:  A captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.

Rating: A. This was another great book. These three authors separately write fantastic books, but joined together, they create masterpieces. I loved the time period and the backdrop of the Lusitania, which in my mind is always overshadowed by the Titanic.

That wraps up my reading for 2020!

Entertainment PSA: TV Shows / Movies / Books- Winners, Losers & Everything In Between

Here are some "reviews" of TV shows and movies I've watched recently and of course, books I've read lately.

TV Shows:

The Queen's Gambit on Netflix.

I absolutely positively loved this series! When I was young (8-10, I'd say), my Dad taught me to play chess. It was something we could do together and something he was (and still is) very good at. I think that's why I felt drawn to the series. In a nutshell, it chronicles the story of Beth Harmon's life as a chess prodigy. She goes from an orphan with nothing to the top of the chess world- beating the best players in the world. Great drama!

Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta? on Netflix

While it's a typical true crime series, with A LOT of the information repeated across multiple episodes, it's an interesting story. Maria Marta is an upper class Argentinian that lives in a gated community with her husband, who is said to have ties to some unsavory groups. One group of family members (and a doctor) says she fell in the bathtub, while another doctor finds multiple gunshot wounds in her skull. What has fascinated me about this is how differently crimes are handled in other countries. In this particular case, when an ambulance is called, the 911 operator basically asks for step by step directions on getting to the gated community. There's also a lack of police presence at the crime scene and this seems status quo. 

Movies:

Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix

Another winner! The cast is amazing. Amy Adams and Glenn Close give flawless portrayals of their characters. This is based on a book by the same name and chronicles an Appalachian family and their tough lives. (Tough is an understatement, but I struggle to find the right word.) Violence, drugs, hatred are the norm. This is one of those stories that really sticks with me, as it's so polar opposite of my life and everything I've experienced. 

Chappaquiddick on Netflix (but released originally on the big screen in 2017)

To be honest, this was not a movie that I was interested in when it was originally released and so when my husband asked if I wanted to watch it, I was neutral on the subject. For those who don't know the story, it's about Ted Kennedy and a car accident he's involved in, in which someone dies. The cover-up ensues and the true power of the Kennedy name is shown. I'd say I didn't love nor hate this. It was OK. Some of it was fascinating- the lengths taken for the cover up and how almost everyone in Kennedy's camp was willing to participate in saving his reputation.

Books:

Book #52- The Astonishing Life of August March by Aaron Jackson

Summary: An irrepressibly optimistic oddball orphan is thrust into the wilds of postwar New York City after an extraordinary childhood in a theater. Abandoned as an infant by his actress mother in her theater dressing room, August March was raised by an ancient laundress. Highly intelligent, a tad feral, August is a true child of the theater –able to recite Shakespeare before he knew the alphabet. But like all productions, August’s wondrous time inside the theater comes to a close, and he finds himself in the wilds of postwar New York City, where he quickly rises from pickpocket street urchin to star student at the stuffiest boarding school in the nation. To survive, August must rely upon the kindness of strangers, only some of whom have his best interests at heart. As he grows up, his heart begins to yearn for love—which he may or may not finally find in Penny, a clever and gifted con artist.

Rating: A. I LOVED this book. It reads like a young adult book in some regards, but is extremely well written adult fiction. The character of August is enchanting and mesmerizing. The reader feels like he/she is on August's journey through life.

Book #53- The Operator by Gretchen Berg

Summary: Nobody knows the people of Wooster, Ohio, better than switchboard operator Vivian Dalton, and she’d be the first to tell you that. She calls it intuition. Her teenage daughter, Charlotte, calls it eavesdropping. Vivian and the other women who work at Bell on East Liberty Street connect lines and lives. They aren’t supposed to listen in on conversations, but they do, and they all have opinions on what they hear—especially Vivian.

Rating: D. D is for dull. The premise of the book is good but it fizzled out. Throughout the book the reader was led to a "secret" ending, which I found to be (again) dull. Too bad.

Book #54- The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz

Summary: 1957, Clayton Valley, Ohio. Ellie has the best grades in her class. Her dream is to go to nursing school and marry Brick McGinty. A basketball star, Brick has the chance to escape his abusive father and become the first person in his blue-collar family to attend college. But when Ellie learns that she is pregnant, everything changes. Just as Brick and Ellie revise their plans and build a family, a knock on the front door threatens to destroy their lives. 

Rating: A. The summary above doesn't do the book justice. The generations before Ellie & Brick (and after them) make this a well-written family saga. 

Book #55- The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

Summary: Despite her dear friend Jane Austen's warning against teaching, Arabella Dempsey accepts a position at a girls' school in Bath, just before Christmas. She hardly imagines coming face-to-face with French aristocrats and international spies. Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh-often mistaken for the elusive spy known as the Pink Carnation-has blundered into danger before. When Turnip and Arabella find their Christmas pudding yielding a cryptic message, they are launched on a Yuletide adventure. Will they find poinsettias-or peril?

Rating: A-. This is #7 in Willig's Pink Carnation historical fiction series and is probably one of my favorites so far. The Christmas backdrop is charming and the cameo appearance by Jane Austen is a welcome surprise. However, Turnip Fitzhugh steals the show. In the prior installments in this series, he's a bumbling fellow that seems to fade into the background. I love that he was the main character in this one.

Book #56- Fortune & Glory: Tantalizing Twenty-Seven by Janet Evanovich

Summary: When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune. But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts—and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Rating: A. To rate the 27th book in a series as an A is no small feat. Lula, Stephanie's sidekick is really the lynchpin of this series. She makes me LOL multiple times during each book and especially during this one. The Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger love triangle is starting to grate on my nerves, but I'll give it a pass because Lula made me laugh so much. 😅

Consumer Report: Foods Items I'd Recommend - November 2020

I have tried some really good "new to me" (and some not so "new to me") food/drink items of late. (I figure I deserve something new/out of the ordinary considering the current state of affairs.

Do you LOVE chips & onion dip? I do. I'm calling these the lazy man's version:

They're chips & dip all in one bag. No effort to make dip (stirring dry soup mix into sour cream can be exhausting). Honestly, I was surprised at how good these are...and everyone else in my house thought so, as well! (Oh, and by the way- how do you pronounce "Utz?" I say "oohtz" but I've been challenged on that.)

Next up in the dessert category are Yasso Bars. I was on a serious ice cream eating binge that I knew I needed to curb, yet somehow satisfy my craving.

I've had three flavors so far and I'd have to say that these are my favorite. I had the sea salt & caramel, which I'd rate second, and cookie dough, which I'd rate last. They have some holiday flavors that I can't seem to find in my grocery store but they look yummy. These are 150 calories, but most are only 100 calories- win win!

These aren't necessarily new to me, but they only seem to be available in the Fall, so I've been enjoying them recently.

My co-worker/friend was balking at these because they're processed/not homemade. Who has time to make homemade cookies? (Oh, wait...) Anywho, these are tasty and again very Fall-ish.

And in the beverage category, we have the beloved Woodchuck Hard Cider.

Again, not new to me, but a Fall favorite. The flavors in this one are semi-dry, Amber, pear & Granny Smith apple. I'd have to say that the pear is my favorite out of this selection, but if you ever have the chance to try the 802 flavor? Do it! That is my absolute favorite.

And now for some book reviews...

Book #50- Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi

Summary: I'm honestly not even sure I can find a short & succinct summary. It's a take on Hansel & Gretel- that's pretty much all I can say.

Rating: C+. This book was odd. It was very adult fairy tale-esque and I understood that, but it was over the top in weirdness in some parts and I found myself giving it the side eye on a regular basis.

Book #51- A Deception at Thornecrest by Ashley Weaver

Summary: A Deception at Thornecrest is the seventh book in Ashley Weaver's An Amory Ames Mystery series and is a historical mystery set in the 1930s. This is the first book in the series in which we get the see the oft talked about Thornecrest, Milo's family home, as he and Amory prepare for the arrival of their first baby.

Rating: A. I really enjoy this series and the time period it's set in. Milo & Amory have been a carefree couple and the imminence of their baby will be an interesting twist in future books to see how their lives are changed.

Captain's Log: Stardate 247 Since Quarantine Happened

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I was never a big Star Trek fan, but the title seemed fitting.

Here's what's new here:

• Yes indeed- we are at day 247 since quarantine happened. I am still working from home and as of now, will be doing so until the end of April (I firmly believe that will be extended to the end of June.)

• I still miss seeing family, friends, and co-workers. I realized recently it's been over a year since I've seen my parents. This has been tough for me. However, a few weeks ago, we Zoomed and it was so good to see them (vs. just talking to them). (Hi Mom & Dad- my faithful readers. 😅)

• Here in New England we had some 70 degree days last week (HALLELUJAH!), but are back to "real" fall weather- 40's and chilly. It looks like snow here today (gray), but none is in the forecast (hoping that's not a jinx...)

• I have done a fair amount of Christmas & John's birthday shopping online, so I feel that's somewhat under control. Knowing that there have been hiccups in delivery times, I decided to start early. 

• Thanksgiving is not far away and not sure how that will look this year. I do know that we are going to cook a turkey breast in the air fryer (John's new favorite cooking tool!) I also know that I'll be making Pecan Pie Cake for dessert (even if it's just the two of us!) John LOVES pecan pie. While I'm not a fan, I decided that this might be a decent compromise. It calls for a Butter Pecan Cake Mix, which I'd never seen before, but stumbled upon in Walmart, so I grabbed it!

• I have dipped my toe in the yoga arena. My supervisor told me about Yoga with Adriene, a YouTube channel with short yoga videos for all levels of ability. I found a 20 minute video for beginners and I've done it a few times now. It complements the mat Pilates class I do via Zoom very nicely. 

• I've done some (semi) crafty things, which I'll share, but they deserve their own post. We've also made a bunch of new recipes, also deserving their own post. However, here's a sneak peek at one we did recently- Ham & Gruyere Sliders with Raspberry Mayo. They were really good! We had a ham dinner and instead of making regular old ham sandwiches, we decided to try these. The raspberry mayo is a nice twist on just regular old mayo.

• And lastly, before I hammer out some book reviews, a picture is worth a thousand words-

I just realized I read four memoirs in a row...completely unintentional!

Book #46- The Upside of Being Down by Jen Gotch

Summary: Memoir of ban.do Chief Creative Officer. Gotch suffers from serious mental health issues throughout her life and this memoir chronicles those travails. 

Rating: B+. I thought this was an inspirational story- showing that mental health issues don't have to impede success and living. However, (and yes, I know it's a memoir) I felt like Gotch tooted her own horn. A lot.

Book #47- A Backward Glance by Edith Wharton

Summary: A collection of autobiographical sketches by the famed writer, detailing New York society in which she grew up and the relationship she developed with Henry James.

Rating: D+. I loved Ethan Frome & House of Mirth. Thus, I thought what better way to get an insight into how and why these were written than reading Wharton's memoir. Wrong. So.much.minutiae. (About nothing.) And more time was spent on the first book she wrote, which was architectural in nature. Snooze. I skimmed the middle and read the beginning and end.

Book #48- Everything Beautiful In Its Time by Jenna Bush Hager

Summary: Jenna Bush Hager, the former first daughter and granddaughter, shares moving, funny stories about her beloved grandparents and the wisdom they passed on that has shaped her life.

Rating: A+.  I absolutely positively loved this book. It was honestly the best of the memoirs I read in this stretch. It was honest and really portrayed The Bush presidents as humans, with real lives and familial relationships. 

Book #49- The Making of a Miracle by Mike Eruzione

Summary: On the fortieth anniversary of the historic "Miracle on Ice," Mike Eruzione—the captain of the 1980 U.S Men’s Olympic Hockey Team, who scored the winning goal—recounts his career on ice, the legendary upset against the Soviets, and winning the gold medal.

Rating: C+. I loved the movie Miracle (about the amazing upset of the Soviets in 1980) and since Eruzione is a local hero, I thought I'd love this book. Meh. Another one that toots his own horn to a fault. And strikes me as someone who is not very personable  (I have zero proof of this- just my impression.). 

Unplugging One Day a Week: Can You Do It?

Over the past six months or so (really since the pandemic started), social media has been too much for me. 

It's overstimulating. 

It's exhausting.

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What I'm really tired of is the vitriol on social media. Not matter how many people I unfriend or unfollow, it's there. And again, it's exhausting. (I fully believe it's being perpetuated by those at the top [and by top, I mean political leaders of this country.])

That being said, what can I do about this and what have I already done? I've taken small steps with the goal of being completely social media free for at least one day per week. (Eventually completely unplugged one day per week.)

I deleted the Twitter app from my phone. I can barely watch the news on TV or look at it online, so why would I want "in my face" commentary on said news? (Most of it laden with vitriol. BTW- vitriol is a word I don't use often, but it completely fits the bill here so I might used it repeatedly.) I haven't reinstalled it or looked at in a few weeks. I plan to keep this up.

While I consider Instagram at the back of the pack in terms of "in your face hatred," I've taken to deleting the app from my phone and reinstalling once or at the most twice per day when I want to look at it.

Facebook is the real problem child. I've "snoozed" several people, but here's a little secret. I am SUPER nosy. So, I frequently check the profiles of the people I've snoozed. Yeah, that's a big problem. I've done the same thing with the Facebook app on my phone that I've done with Instagram (deleting it and only reinstalling it a few times during the day.) This has helped, as I was looking at it first thing in the morning and starting my day off on the wrong foot. During the workday, I've taken to only looking at it at lunch and after dinner (with a few "slips"/exceptions.) Weekends are a bit tougher for me.

All that to say, I am your textbook case of being addicted to social media, but, as they say, "Admitting you have a problem is the first step!"

I'd been thinking about how to scale back for a while and I stumbled upon this book:

I thought for sure this would give me tips on how I could cut back on social media. While it did, it was much more hardcore and about going one day per week completely UNPLUGGED. Not using a cell phone at all. Not answering email at all. Printing out maps ahead of your unplugged day for any adventures you might be going on, because Google Maps is considered persona non grata on that day. Getting an old school watch because you can't use your cell phone to tell what time it is. You get the point.

There were some snippets I really liked throughout the book. There's a section in which the author suggests making bread on your unplugged day (wait-what?) The point is to do something old school and special on that day. Shlain says, "The idea is to have something extra and unique, be it food you only eat on that day, flowers on the table, or wine you drink only for special occasions--something that enhances and marks the day." I really like this. Maybe there's a bunch of recipes you've been dying to try- you could do one on each unplugged day.

As mentioned, the book is much broader than scaling back on social media (but rather harkening to the time of Little House on the Prairie for a day.) However, there is some writing about social media specifically that stuck with me. Here's a segment:

    In his book Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, computer scientist and author Jaron Lanier presents social media's many cons, including "Social media is destroying your capacity for empathy." 

I firmly believe in that bulleted statement. The hatred and vitriol are just further proof that this is happening. People cannot think beyond themselves and their world and social media is enabling this.

The book has several appendices with activities that could be done on your unplugged day and tips on how to prepare for your "tech shabbat," as Shlain refers to her day of unplugging. There's even a section that lists the physical and mental benefits of extending some of the rules from your "off day" to the other six days of the week, such as limiting screen time.

I'll leave you with this statement from the book which stuck with me and the subsequent list of things we should practice more of: 

On social media, we're all plants, leaning toward the sunlight we can't get enough of, seeking the warmth of likes, hearts, and retweets. But staying rooted and grounded is important. Being intentional about how you use social media and having your own strategy gives you time to process how it's affecting your life and find what you may want to change.

Book #45- 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day Per Week by Tiffany Shlain

Summary: Shlain takes us on a thought-provoking and entertaining journey through time and technology, introducing a strategy for flourishing in our 24/7 world. Drawn from the ancient ritual of Shabbat, living 24/6 can work for anyone from any background. 

Rating: B-. For the most part, this had practical suggestions for unplugging one day per week. (However, the nonchalance with which Shlain indicated you should have a landline/phone for that landline was a bit odd.)

Who Knew Doors Could Be So Difficult?

I can't believe it's already October! 

Here in New England, the leaves are turning and there's a chill in the air- happy fall y'all! (I'm not really Southern, I just wanted to imitate my door sign.) Isn't it cute?

And yes, that's our newly painted front door. The general consensus is that it might be too bright. We wanted a pop of color (the house is gray with black shutters), but not sure this red is working.

It's Behr's Daredevil and I happened upon it after searching Pinterest several times for "gray house black shutters what color door." A result surfaced with this picture from The Little Pink House blog. 

I thought- "GREAT! This is exactly our color scheme." (And oddly enough, the house in the blog used to be pink. If you've been following along with our story, you may remember that the previous owners of our house LOVED pink- pink shutters, pink rugs, pink walls, Pepto Bismol overload.) I thought great- another thing in common.

We got a sample of that and HGTV/Sherwin Williams Tanager Red and to be honest, they looked exactly the same side by side on the door.

Neither John nor I are 100% sold on the Daredevil.

I am now looking at other colors altogether. Currently interested in the following:

Yellow: HGTV/Sherwin Williams Dutch Tulip 

Yellow: Sherwin Williams Sunflower

Teal: Sherwin Williams Still Water (this was actually our original choice, but the more I looked at the house and saw that the gray was somewhat dark, the more I was concerned it wouldn't pop and be washed out.) This was another Pinterest find on the Kylie M. Interiors blog.

Orange: Sherwin Williams Yam (don't think I can get John onboard with that one)

Here's the front of the house freshly painted (two angles)-

(I will also say that the door doesn't look quite so bright in these pictures, as the screen door is in front of it.)

What's your vote? We are open to any & all suggestions (except maybe neons...)

 Book #43- The Polygamist's Daughter by Anna LeBaron

Summary: This is the haunting memoir of Anna LeBaron, daughter of the notorious polygamist and murderer Ervil LeBaron. Ervil’s criminal activity kept Anna and her siblings constantly on the run from the FBI. Often starving, the children lived in a perpetual state of fear―and despite their numbers, Anna always felt alone.

Rating: B-. I found The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner, another polygamist memoir, to be more interesting (maybe because it was the first one I read?) However, this is story is pretty amazing- from being shipped off to Mexico at a young age (without her mother), having only met her father a few times, to dumpster diving for food and raiding donation bins for clothes. LeBaron had an amazing life and has risen above it all.

Book #44- American Pie by Michael Lee West

Summary: The lives of the three McBroom sisters of Tallulah, Tennessee, were tangled before the eldest, Eleanor, discovered their mother hanging from the Venetian blinds—and the years have done little to comb out the knots. Now a drunken encounter with the midnight train has left brash, much-married Jo-Nell near death, compelling agoraphobic Eleanor to summon marine biologist Freddie home from California—where she fled after being expelled from med school following a daring gall bladder heist. At last the McBroom sisters are together again, to face old fears and new catastrophes as they cheerfully deflect every flaming arrow that outrageous fortune fires their way.

Rating: C-. I've read a handful of West's books and I'm pretty sure each time I review one, I mention how the book is going along just fine, making me laugh, etc..., and then WHAM! Out of nowhere this really weird randomness happens. This time, one of the McBroom sisters looks back on her tough childhood and how a family member (stepmother?) insisted on giving her enemas as a matter of course. Um, what? Yeah, I think I'm done with West's books.