WFMW – An Oldie, But A Goody

Sometimes I think we put too much emphasis on things that are NEW!, ADVANCED!, or THE NEXT BIG THING!

Often I find that the same old products that have worked for years are the best things to use. I hate it when I get caught up in the frenzy of trying something new, only to find that it didn’t work as well.

Take 20 Mule Team Borax for instance. Here is a time-tested product that has worked marvelously for decades. It’s a naturally occurring mineral with many practical cleaning uses. It does so many things that specialized cleaners can’t do because they’re specialized. Can Resolve boost laundry detergent to make clothes brighter? Can Comet be used as a deodorizer the refrigerator? Will Woolite make the porcelain in the bathroom shine? You would need several different products to do the work of one box of TMT Borax.

I’ve been using TMT Borax as the back of the box suggests.

• I’ve added a ½ cup of Borax to the load and I’ll be darned… They were brighter!
• I’ve sprinkled some of it in the bottom of my trash can rather than using Lysol and it does deodorize as it said it would.
• Since I had to clean the refrigerator for our move, I used the 1 qt: 1 Tsp TMT solution and that puppy not only shines, it smells so much better… and it didn’t stink in the first place!
• I’ve made my tubs and sinks sparkle with the TMT too. I just used it like a cleanser and it looks mah-vel-ous, darlink!

I haven’t used it as a spill remover or a pet stain remover yet, but just as soon as I have opportunity, I’ll try it to see if it will work in that capacity too. And although we’re out of the nighttime accidents, TMT is supposed to work wonderfully to neutralize urine odors in mattresses or mattress covers and still be soft enough for your delicates – from baby clothes to your fine china. Its non-abrasive quality lends a hand to many things in your house.

The extra bonus to this discovery is that a large (76 oz) box only costs around $4. So you can do a lot of your cleaning for a very little price. Save that money for things that you really need – like a box of chocolate or a really good book.

For a little fun, 20 Mule Team Borax created a quiz so that you can find out exactly what kind of cleaner you are. As an incentive to encourage participation they will give back to the Earth by planting one tree for each quiz taken. They will donate up to 10,000 trees or the equivalent of $10,000 to the American Forests organization. If you're interested, click here to take the quiz.

So a tried and true frugal multi-cleaner works for me!

Head on over to Shannon’s place for some excellent suggestions.

Battle of the Suds

I was out of dishwashing detergent and being the frugal person that I am, I said to the family, “I’m not buying detergent until we move. I’ve got some Dawn in here that we can use.”

And then the moaning ensued. Too bad for them. I’m not above using what I’ve got, and I actually like doing dishes by hand. All they had to do was put the dishes away. Slackers.

However, God in all his infinite wisdom knew that we had better things to do with our time – like packing the house and trying to find a trash can that didn’t require a lien. Those two tasks alone have consumed much of our time... So he had a very nicely-timed challenge plop into my lap. I was asked if I would like to review both Cascade Complete and Electrasol Advance liquid dishwashing detergents to see which cleaner did a better job. That God – he sure has a great sense of timing, not to mention a great sense of humor.

So for the last few weeks, I’ve been alternating the detergents, trying to determine the pros and cons of the two products.

Using the same process for both detergents (no pre-washing, filling dishwasher with the same amount of dishes, letting dishes sit the same amount of time between washings), here’s what I’ve discovered:

Cascade Complete

Liquid is thick
Has a pleasant clean smell
Left the dishes completely clean
Added a “sparkle” to the glasses
No water spots on dishes
Only one filled detergent compartment to clean dishes

Electrasol Advance

Liquid is thick, but not as thick as Cascade
Has a pleasant lemon smell
Food was left on some dishes
Some glasses sparkled
Water spots on silverware
Had to filled the detergent compartment AND the extra fill area to get similar results as Cascade
Hands down, Cascade Complete won the challenge. It did the job right the first time, without using as much detergent to do the job. I’m not really surprised. I always found Cascade to be a time-tested, constantly-working cleaner that makes doing dishes just a little bit easier. Others may be cheaper on the front end, but when you have to use more, pre-wash or rewash some dishes after the fact, you realize that you didn’t really save yourself anything in the long run.

Spring Reading Thing 2008 Wrap Up

It seems quite fitting that since I posted my books late, I should post the wrap-up post late as well. I’m nothing if not consistent.

Which pretty much makes me nothing, so let’s scratch that last thought, shall we?

As a recap, here are the books that I chose to read for the SRT 2008.
Cold Sassy Tree
Citizen Girl
The Companion
Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
Anna's Book
Brave New World
Water For Elephants
All the PD James books
Cover Her Face
A Mind To Murder
Unnatural Causes
Shroud for a Nightingale
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
The Black Tower
Death of an Expert Witness
The Skull Beneath the Skin
A Taste For Death
Devices and Desires
Original Sin
A Certain Justice
Death in Holy Orders
The Murder Room
The Lighthouse
The Bible (Isaiah and Jeremiah)

I added a couple that I thought were really wonderful, but one that I would really recommend is I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron. Skip pages 90-93 and I’d call it an almost perfect set of thoughts that are funny, precise and just shy of loony. I'd also recommend to you The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James. As far as The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen is concerned, I say get thee to the library and read it now if you’re an Austen fanatic like me. It was beautiful, funny and well-written in the vein of Austen. Even though you know the ending, you can’t help buy love this historical fiction.

Now on to the wrap up!

Did you finish all the books you had planned to read? If not, why?

I finished all the chosen reading except for my Bible reading. Why? Well because I’m a BIG HEATHEN. I have no idea why I didn’t get it done. I think that for some reason I’m having a little reading rebellion against God and I can’t explain it, other than I need to let God give me a little talk. I love it when I read it, but I’ve walked by my Bible time and time again and ignored it. This is not good and I’ll be doing something about it tonight...

Do you think the challenge helped you read more? Or maybe helped you read books you otherwise wouldn't have?

The challenge certainly didn’t help me read more as I’m a reading fool. I did love the commitment needed, well except where I chose not be committed. Because I have issues as I’ve just said in the previous answer.

What was your favorite book you read this spring? Least favorite?

Favorite? Oh well, I don’t have one. I had several that I loved this time. I really recommend Water For Elephants, Cold Sassy Tree, Anna’s Book, I Feel Bad About My Neck and The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen. They were awesome and should be on your next reading list if you haven’t read them yet. I really liked The Companion, which is one of the few I didn’t review because I. AM. LAZY. But it was a clean mystery set back in the 1900’s. It had wonderful characterizations and great plot lines. It reminded me a bit of Jane Austen books, not so much because of the writing but because it was detailed without being explicit and the writer caused me to be engrossed in the characters without making me do backbends to get there.

And for the love of all that is holy, good and right in this world, don’t pick up Citizen Girl lest you want to waste time hoping that someone will come gouge your eyes out so that you will never make that kind of reading mistake again. Seriously. It was awful. I’m still trying to purge it from my mind.

Did you discover any new authors or genres that you now love?

Yes. You might too if you peruse some of my reviews. (No pressure, just a suggestion.)

Cold Sassy Tree
Anna’s Book
Water For Elephants
PD James (Adam Dalgliesh series)

What did you learn about your reading habits or interests?

I’ve learned that I’m not great at being disciplined. (See Bible reading commentary above.) I love trying new authors and hoping for great reading. I’m not one who gets thrown from the reading horse and then refused to get back up when it hurt to read a book. I just pick up another book and continue on my merry way. I also wish that PD James would write her next in the Adam Dalgliesh series, because man, I love that entire collection – even if it didn’t go the way I wanted it to go in the series. Lastly I’ve learned that I don’t sleep enough. I gotta cure that one, even if it means less reading.

Are you interested in another "Fall Into Reading" challenge this fall?

Heck, yeah! You bet I’ll be there, just as soon as I start scouring the other readers’ blogs for more reading material.

Thanks again Katrina for hosting the reading challenge. I can’t wait to discover new material for my summer and fall reading… What is your recommendation for my reading? Go on; don’t be shy. I mean nothing can be as bad as Citizen Girl (except Happiness Sold Separately and that’s saying something…)

I'm Trying To Get Smart

Mr. Right and I, thanks to our friendly AMC neighbor, had the opportunity to see Get Smart tonight. Oh. My. Lands.

We were laughing so hard that we couldn't stop at times. I was trying to keep my laughing to a minimum so that I wouldn't miss the next lines, but dadgum! I just couldn't do it. I kept laughing and giggling over past lines which was running into the new lines that were making me laugh some more.

It was so good that when I knew that I had to go to the bathroom and there was at least half an hour to go in the movie, I told myself to buck up and suffer because I didn't want to miss a line.

All the characters were extremely well cast. Steve Carell nails Max and Anne Hathaway really kicks tush as Agent 99. The others fit perfectly in the ensemble too.

Note: There were a few crude parts to the movie, but they were few and far between. Overall, I was pretty pleased that the raunch was kept miniscule but the classic comedy was on full throttle.

At the end, most of the audience started laughing and cheering. I like movies that make you want to see it again immediately.

So. Can you tell that we really liked the movie?

If you need to see one, I'd suggest this movie over all the others out there right now. It was just stinkin' funny.

Anna's Book

Early in the Spring Reading Thing 2008, I read Anna's Book by Barbara Vine, who actually is Ruth Rendell. (Can anyone tell me why I think the Vine books are so much better than the Rendell books? I know they’re written by the same authors, but the Vines are so much more descriptive, clever and suspenseful in my opinion. Weird, I know.)

This beautifully crafted, fine distinction in literary writing is a novel of mystery and suspense that seamlessly moves between the past and the present, covering 80 years over the lives of three women.

The past is shared through the diaries of a Danish immigrant named Anna, who lived in England with, Rasmus, her husband, and their two young sons at the turn of the twentieth century. Living in East London in the early 1900, her loveless marriage and loneliness drove Anna to keep a journal of her innermost thoughts and experiences. Though her husband traveled often, they added two more children to her family - daughters, Swanny (her favorite) and Maria (the youngest).

The present is shown through the eyes of Swanny, who becomes the editor of Anna’s journals-turned- best-selling novels, and through the life of Anna’s granddaughter, Ann, daughter of Maria. Though the journals are well-loved by many, they would also tantalizingly hint at a secret that would, ultimately, impact on her daughter, Swanny, later in life.

As with Grasshopper (one of my favorite books ever), Vine creates witty and true-to-life characters, surprising and dynamic storylines and powerfully thorough and surprising endings. In typical Vine fashion, she gets the smallest of details correct, whether writing about the lives of a 1900's maids, a behavior of 1950’s gentleman or the concerns of a 1988 independent woman. Discontent to form one mystery in the novel, Vine constructs several intricate puzzles within each other. She truly is a brilliant, beguiling author who deserves to be read. Anna's Book is so excellent, it almost topped Grasshopper… almost.

P. D. James (Adam Dalgliesh Series)

I just realized that I only have two weeks to complete my Spring Reading Thing 2008 list. I’m almost done, but I’m irked with myself that I haven’t posted about the books... again. Fortunately for me I can cover most of the books in one sitting as they’re all a part of the same series. Whew! Grab your coffee because this review is a little longer considering that I've compacted all 14 books into one post.

I cannot entirely express how much I enjoyed reading through the P.D. James “Adam Dagliesh” series. James truly is a mystery writer extraordinaire. Her multifaceted story lines, with realistic characters and incredibly plausible nuances, add elegance and temerity to each of the books I’ve read so far. Not once have I said, “Yeah, right” when I’ve finished one of her books.

From her first book, Cover Her Face – published in 1962, to the last book to date, The Lighthouse which was published in 2007, James has continually perfected her exquisite writing skills and her cunning mystery mind. I have to admit that a few times while reading her, I’m really glad that she’s on the right side of the law. Were she not, people in England should have been worried!

Not only has she excelled as a wordsmith, she has taken, so far in my reading, a single character and developed him into a protagonist who makes you want to know more about him personally. While giving no timeline in these books, the reader does not know exactly how much time has passed between the mysteries, but time does continue in a sense. The Inspector is now a Commander; his books of poetry increase in number and other unwritten-but-mentioned-as-a-part-of-his-past connections are written into the stories. Despite not knowing the time, Dagliesh becomes more rounded, more detailed, more defined as a policeman as well as a member of society. Not only is he seen as a hard, cold, determined detective, his private passion as a poet leaves “the others” baffled by this often unseen softness. I’m enjoying thoroughly watching this leading man change, alter and grow as a hero and a human being.

Side not: James has introduced Cordelia Gray, a heroine that I find amusing, amiable and real. What I’ve seen of her, I’ve really liked and I anxiously anticipate returning to her as a central character. She’s young, determined and resourceful as a private eye. She was mentored by a man who formerly worked with Dalgliesh before being removed from the Yard. Often her thoughts prove that she was not only listening, but following the second-hand words from the best detective on the force.

James is not afraid to use taboo situations in her books. Though they might not be taboo in presently, back in 1971, homosexuality was unmentionable in most literature. She tastefully portrays those characters without describing any events in Shroud for a Nightingale. Her work in 1963, A Mind To Murder, was based on a psychiatrist office, a place that used many methods to help the patients - including LSD. In her 5th book of the series, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, one of the characters is found in a disturbing sexual situation. Yet the situation would be tame in comparison to some of the offerings of writers today. (Unfortunately, many of today’s authors aren’t any better than James, just more explicit.)

One of the things I’ve noticed as I’ve read through the books, I have to say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. One quote from An Unsuitable Job for a Woman struck me when I read it. One of the elder characters made this comment to Cordelia Gray upon one of the first exchanges.

I don’t like your generation, Miss Gray. I don’t like your arrogance, your selfishness, your violence, the curious selectivity of your compassion. You pay for nothing with your own coin, not even for your ideals. You denigrate and destroy and never build. You invite punishment like rebellious children, then screen when you are punished.

Ouch! How much of that has been said when I was in my early 20’s. How much of that could be said of the youth today?

I love the response that Cordelia gives in return when the character ends with the idea that she (the speaker) is most likely jealous of youth as it is a common enough syndrome with older generations.

I can never see why people should be jealous. After all, youth isn’t a matter of privilege; we all get the same share of it. Some people may be born at an easier time or be richer or more privileged than others, but that hasn’t anything to do with being young. And being young is terrible sometimes. Don’t you remember how terrible it could be?

Such good social conversations are often found somewhere amongst the books.

After reading the series, I thought that James is either an atheist with a need to belittle others who have faith, an agnostic who hasn’t decided if God is worth the effort or a Christian who writes knowing that “evil is easier to depict than good.” Believe it or not, it’s the latter one that is the truth. She writes often where situations where those characters who possess zero faith not because of God, but rather because of humanity. She also creates characters who do have faith in the beginning is left with a solid belief in God and his ability to love or protect anyone on earth. Time and again, Adam Dalgliesh’s mind shows that he is unable to trust in God. (He, a son of a parish priest, lost all faith when he prayed to God for Him to save his wife and child. When he didn’t get the answer he wanted, he decided that God was a falsity.) Reminded that his wife died in childbirth, we are also told that Dalgliesh’s unbelief is not a sign of bitter rebellion against God so much as blank incomprehension at such suffering and death.

In Death in Holy Orders, one of the characters discusses the decline and inevitable death of church/religion. In reference to the priests in the theological college:

Oh they believe alright. It’s just that what they believe has become irrelevant. I don’t mean the moral teaching: the Judaeo-Christian heritage has created Western civilization and we should be grateful to it. But the Church they serve is dying. When I look at the Doom I try to have some understanding of what it meant to the fifteenth-century men and women. If life is hard and short and full of pain, you need the hope of heaven; if there is no effective law, you need the deterrent of hell. The Church gave them comfort and light and pictures and stories and the hope of everlasting life. The twenty-first century has other compensations. Football for one. There you have ritual, colour, drama, the sense of belonging; football has its high priests, even its martyrs. And then there’s shopping, art and music, travel alcohol, drugs. We all have our own recourses for staving off those two horrors of human life, boredom and the knowledge that we die. And now – God help us – there’s the Internet.

As the books have progressed, they have become more and more decisive and articulate about either the absence or the lack of need of God. It’s sad really. But it’s supposed to be a sad and sorry situation. James puts it out there, what it will be like if you have no hope in God, nothing else on which to rely. She illustrates the frightful loss society has incurred in the refusal to acknowledge any accountability to the good and just God.

I give two thumbs up to the series. Though they do not have to be read in order, I would still advise it. The flow of discovery about the characters is much smoother and cleaner and the stories keep getting better and better as they are produced. This series is a smart, concise, eloquently articulate rendering of murders with a detective who only seeks to follow his instincts... and his heart.

I Always Pictured Myself As Lizzy, But That's Probably Because I Wanted To Make Out With Darcy...

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and often times find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Hmmm, often times I am my own sea of ridiculousness...

That Jane Austen. She sure did create some lovely, wonderful characters who are still completely memorable almost 200 years later.

Speaking of Jane Austen, I just finished a lovely novel titled The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James.

I know. I know. It wasn't on my Spring Reading 2008 list at all, but I couldn't help it. I was skeptical of reading it at first because I did not want to see a favored authpress mired in muck or to see her innocence disturbed like with in The Jane Austen Book Club (yuck!), but the back caught my eye most readily.

What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen's memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair? That's the premise behind this spell-binding novel, which delves into the secrets of Jane Austen's life, giving us untold insights into her mind and heart.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are only a handful of things in this world that are truly irresistible: Colin Firth in a cravat; a love story gone awry but with the promising outcome of a happily ever after; and a deliciously witty comedic scene a la Jane Austen." This delightful book might be added to the list as well.

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen is written from Jane Austen's perspective in the form of one of her undiscovered journals. It brings Austen to life through the use of past letters, known details and possible experiences that may have inspired her books. James does an incredible job of making the book sound as if it were straight from the mind of Austen, while in no way making herself out to be Jane Austen the writer.

James captures all that is best and true about Jane Austen. She satisfies on every score...except that perhaps of a happily ever after, for everyone knows that Austen never married. Even the hardest of readers will be caught and enchanted and praying for an ending that will not come.

For those with an unquenchable thirst for more Austen, this is the book to satisfy that thirst, at least for a while. For those readers who do not mind a bittersweet ending, this one is sure to enthrall. For those wishing for knowledge of how to be a writer like Austen, well, that can found, too.

Gratituesday 5

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.

I'm so thankful that Christian music has evolved to a point of being as good or better than secular music. When I was growing up, most of the Christian music was good, but not anything that you would want to hear on the radio. It seemed mostly sappy or slow or slightly operatic... not exactly the stuff you want to listen to or share with your friends. (That's just my opinion. You were more than entitled to have liked the early origins of Christian music.)

Now, I love the musical offerings of today's artists. Mercy Me, Monk and Eagle, Lifehouse, Superchick, Hawk Nelson... those are just a few (very few) of the artists that have worthwhile, positive lyrics set to rocking music, music that is for the most part above par to the secular songs. We've taken to giving today's Christian music as presents to family and friends or for no reason at all. We just like the artistry available to us nowadays.

Speaking of new music, I was one of the hundred who received the new Matt Maher CD.



I didn't want to post on it right away; I wanted to listen to it well and often to give an honest opinion about it. Here it is: It is AWESOME! I like the tender reality of his voice that has the capability of full throttle in the climatic parts. The songs are authentic and relatable to Christians in their everyday walk with God. My favorite song on the CD is Lay It Down. It's such a simple yet poingnant song about letting ourselves lay everything down at the feet of God, where it belongs in the first place.

If you're looking for a new addition to your summer rides, I highly recommend that you get this album.

Water For Elephants

Contrary to what a commenter who described me as closed-minded and not wanting to “live in the real world” thinks, I love a good story – one that is genuine, substantial, gritty, with all sorts of obstacles to overcome and all sorts of real life situations to endure. I want to read stories where the protagonist is believable, struggling with some fear or hindrance, but in the end finding something worthy about an unknown inner strength. I don’t equate quality to Christian literature, clean virtue or perky storylines. I deem a story worthwhile for its excellent writing, its wonderful character definitions and its ability to make me think, believe, hope, ponder. However, I would hope that a writer can present such a story without the vulgarity of explicit sex, crude situations or terrible language.

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t have to have fairy tale endings. Often my favorite books leave me crying over the impending peril or pain that a favored character endured or eventually must suffer. More often than not I have the connection with the characters because they have been written so well that they seem genuine, alive, soulful. I make no apologies for becoming so wrapped up in a story that I emote for a fictional character. It’s the way I work. I am entitled to berate stupidity, to applaud conquests and to weep for a loss. To be honest, I always pictured the emotions and deep connection with a story/character as being the highest compliment a reader could give to an author.

What I resent most of the commenter is that she took one review where I stated my opinion about the atrociousness of a book and labeled me as living out of the real world. She immediately (and incorrectly) assumed that I, not liking what was portrayed nor the poor writing, cannot have a real grasp on life and all its ugliness or all its beauty. Too bad she took no time to read any of my other reviews. She would be sorely embarrassed for her quick judgment and lack of grace.

I just needed to get that off my chest. Now I feel better. Thanks for bearing through the first part to get to the review.

Remembering that I just deemed a story worthwhile and beautiful based on it being “genuine, substantial, gritty, with all sorts of obstacles to overcome and all sorts of real life situations to endure,” I can only whole-heartedly recommend Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen as a Must Read book.

Meet Joseph Jankowski. He’s a spry, personable, cantankerous person trapped in the body of a 93 year old man. "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.” So begins the story of a man with a gloriously colorful, story-filled past which no one is hears because he has been shut away in a nursing home, which he hates with the utmost passion. He wasn’t always a prisoner of age. He at one time fulfilled most peoples’ dreams of running away to join a circus… literally.

As the pages move flawlessly back and forth from present-day mind of Jankowski to past life of him in 1931 during the middle of the Depression - from the raucous, worldly circus environment to the bland corridors of the assisted-living institution - the world is seen through Jacob's viewpoint, as he battles powerlessly against the decay of old age and the secrets of his life in the Big Top.

The characters are rich and true, uttering lines that will make the reader laugh out loud and weep with despair. Even the animals, who are complex, personable and lively, are a crucial part of the story. After all, no circus is complete without the menagerie. Gruen’s research into the lives of circus entertainers/workers and the animals performing in the 1930s was a thorough, not to mention fascinating. She spared no details to include all the right vocabulary: grifters, roustabouts, workers, cooch tent, rubes, First of May, what the band plays when there's trouble, Jamaican ginger paralysis, life on a circus train, set-up and take-down, being run out of town by the "revenooers" or the cops, and losing all your hooch.

There is something in the novel for everyone: it is equal parts adventure, mystery, fictional memoir, love story, and historical account. It is a well-written, convincing narrative that is full of characters with flaws, uncomfortable situations and a yarn that make the reader want to keep turning the pages until the book is finished.

Try Water For Elephants… I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Citizen Girl

So, it's been a while since I've reviewed any books from my Spring Into Reading 2008 list. Never mind the fact that I'm over half way through it, and I've even added/read a few that should have been on the list in the first place. So much for following my word that I would post reviews faithfully. Just be prepared for multiple book reviews over the next few weeks because it there's one thing I dislike to do, it's not keeping my words...

I didn’t read The Nanny Diaries. I didn’t see the movie either. But the cover of the sophomore writing - Citizen Girl - written by McLaughlin and Kraus, caught my eye, so I thought, why not?

What do you get when you take two authors with a previous bestseller and give them a contract to write another blockbuster?

Crap. Pure unadulterated crap, which I realize is an oxymoron. That should have been my "why not"…

How vile an offering this waste of good paper was! It was bitter, harsh and ugly, with nary a moment of hope or usefulness. I cannot scour my mind enough from several passages of this repulsive storyline. It is right on par with Happiness Sold Separately, which, if you recall, is anything but a compliment.

Girl, the recent graduate with high hopes of entering a world of business where women support and embrace the efforts of other women, is a feminist in the sense that she things women deserve equality from men and women. Yet she starts out in a position where she is constantly trampled by her female employer. She then gets fired, which should be a good thing. Enters new position into which she completely muddles her way, where she is again berated and treated poorly only this time… it’s by men of all stereotypes: chauvinistic, gay, unconcerned, domineering, lazy – take your pick for there are those that fit each category. Girl – “the woman of character” – continually sells herself to the paycheck, allowing herself to be dominated, humiliated, and used for whatever purpose the men need her. Why? Because in “this market” you don’t say no to any job, as if political leaders were to blame for her lack of backbone, as if anything in the name of money is acceptable. I realize that I'm making her sound like a prostitute, but that's not what I mean. If anything she's a "corporate whore" who is selling herself to the corporate world. Where is her sense of pride? Where are the morals that she often mentions as a part of who she is? Sheesh! It was revolting to see her bend over time and time again as if she had no other choice.

Throw in the fact that she has no idea what love is, but she is more than willing to jump into bed with someone she just met. Oh, wait… excuse me. She waited a week. That obviously makes it all right. And then, after a week, she has the gall to play the part of the mad lover because he goes to a bachelor party that serves up porn and a stripper. Or she has the tendency to get angry because he’s not there for her. He often reminds her that he is taking flack from his friends because he is with her. (Hello! Clue to get out!) Or she has the audacity to get angry over her coming home drunk from an extremely erotic club, coming onto her sleeping boyfriend and then crying about his forceful sexual play after basically requesting it… Ummm, ever heard of saying “no”? Obviously not. Ever heard of actually finding out something about a person before shacking up? That would also be a no. Ever heard of having standards? I’m not even going to answer that. She was so desperate for attention or psuedo-love that it makes sense that she would want to be with this type of jerk. At the end she keeps going back to this idiot who she does not know, but continually tries to change to her idea of a good man. Any fool can see that they’ll never work or be happy because neither of them know what it means to commit or to be selfless or even how to be honest with each other.

I don’t even want to go into the idea of these authors use of women for playthings, the gay/lesbian lifestyles that are flaunted throughout the book, the lack of decency from EVERY character… no matter their sexual orientation ot life situation. No one was kind or courteous for any length of time, not even the protagonist that the authors wanted you to like, to support or to cheer. Ugh. Yuck. Patooey. I really need to take a shower now. Does anyone have a brain enema I can use?

What incenses me the most is that I didn’t quit reading this piece of literary feces. I actually read to the end. Who’s the idiot now? Me. That’s who deserves a good head-knocking.

I’m off to read something else, anything else that will remind me that words, if put together well and with a minutely hopeful storyline, can be a balm to a stormy soul. (Jeana, I’m even thinking that the next Mitford book that I need to read would be perfect right about now... even if it's not on my list!)

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt

A word of warning: This post is the longest review I've written, but it's full of really good things, so I encourage you to read to the end. I tried to cut it down, knowing that length can be a blog killer, but I couldn't trim much; it's not full of much fat. Perhaps you can grab your coffee now and relax whilst I talk a bit. Oh, and you might want to get a snack too. It may take a while.

Let me start by saying that the reasons I picked up Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt are because I am an admirer of Anne Rice's writing skills, and I wanted to see her take on Christianity, now that she has accepted God, Christ and the gospel fully into her life. I wanted to see how she could be a tool for Him in this world.

Her writing does not disappoint. Although I know the ending of the entire trilogy that she is creating, she has a way of creating new life into this story. (Not that it needs new life - just that she gave it a new perspective.) Her stories are written from the viewpoint of Jesus himself. This book takes us through the 7th year of Christ, when he is just beginning to understand that he is different, that he has a purpose unlike anyone else that he knows, that he is capable of things that are impossible for others. It really was an inspiring, unique look at the One who was born to die for each and every one of us.

Rice, ever the prolific writer, keeps the story moving by inventing created characters while weaving known ones into this history. (I want to call this a historical fiction, but I don't want to confuse or mislead anyone in my whole-hearted belief in Christ - his birth, his death and his resurrection. But for all intensive purposes, this telling is a historical fiction due to the nature of the writing. Can we all say "I understand" and let me move on? Thank you very much.) Many names are familiar - Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, John, Salome, and James, while others are new - Cleopas, Alphaeus, Rabbi Berekiah, Rabbi Sherebiah, Old Sarah - family members and teachers of Jesus. They feel authentic even if they are figments of Rice's imagination for the purpose of the story.

She took time to study the customs of the Laws and the sacraments of the Feasts. She wove Biblical facts into each of the events, describing the required rituals with accuracy from the book of Leviticus. The priests were adorned correctly according to the scriptures and the offerings were realistic, including the blood and the rites incorporated with the sacrifices, without being gory or over the top. She did a fine job presenting her studies. She did a fantastic job keeping the reader interested despite knowing the end.

Here is where I deviate from the praise to criticize her efforts. In the author's note section, Rice stated, "Every novel I've ever written since 1974 involved historical research. It has been my delight that no matter how many supernatural elements were involved in the story, no matter how imaginative the plot and characters, the background would be toughly historically accurate. Over the years, I've become known for this accuracy."

If only she had followed this desire for accuracy when presenting some important material in her story.

Now I understand that Rice came from a Catholic background and that Catholics hold Mary in high esteem (sometimes in too high of an esteem in my opinion). The Bible describes Mary as "highly favored" (Luke 1:28), having "found favor with God" (Luke 1:30) "blessed" (Luke 1:42, 45 and 48), but nowhere does it describe her as more highly favored than her child (Jesus) or untouchable as a wife, as Rice portrayed her.

In the book, Joseph refuses to "know" her because 1) she is so special she can't be "known" to a man and 2) he would feel an inadequate lover compared to the Holy Spirit. Rice completely ignores the scripture that states "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus." (Matthew 1:25) He was a proper husband to her, but it wasn't until the birth of Christ. Rice's attitude for Mary was that Mary has "never been with another man, not then, not now, nor will (she) ever be. (She is) consecrated to the Lord." Yet there is no scripture to back up this theory. If anything, there are many to rebut it.

In the novel, Rice got around the issue of Mary having "other children" ("Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? - Matthew 13:55-56), by having Joseph have an older son, James, from a mysterious first wife and also by Mary adopting her brother's children and raising them as her own after her brother's wife perishes from an illness.

But this idea is ridiculous because it would be counter to the scriptures, especially the first part. Were Joseph to have an older son by another woman, then it would make the scripture incorrect. In the scriptures, Jesus is their firstborn. 'On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."' (Luke 2:21-24) The firstborn is counted through the father's lineage only, not the mother's. The entire family would have thought of Joseph as the father, even if he knew he was not. So if Joseph were to have a son through a first wife, that son would have been consecrated to the Lord, not Jesus. In the book, Rice does not have James consecrated to the Lord as the Law ordained.

Another item that Rice added to the story was that family traveled with Joseph and Mary, not only to Bethlehem, but also to Egypt. Nowhere in scriptures does it indicate that they had additional family members with them. Each time they traveled, the scriptures say that Joseph traveled with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him (Luke 1:5) or with the mother and child. "When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. '"Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." ' (Matthew 2:13-15) Or these verses a little further down: (vs 19-21) "After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead." So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel." Though it would be tradition to travel in a family group for safety, it was also tradition to ostracize those who were considered shameful. Joseph and Mary both would have been deemed unacceptable since they were perceived as fornicators, punishable by separation from family. Therefore, it makes sense to follow the wording in the scriptures that it was just that immediate family. Besides, can you imaging trying to get 20 additional people to flee in the middle of the night? They wouldn't have left for at least a few days! All those men packing the donkeys...

Also, Rice has Herod killing all the children 2 and under immediately after the birth of Jesus. This part cannot be since it took time for the Gentile Magi from the east to make their way to Bethlehem. Obviously they were not from that area because they stopped to ask Herod which Bethlehem they were to visit. They were following a star, so the directions were a little vague to them. But Rice has the killing spree within days of Jesus being born. Were that true, why would Herod kill the much older children as well as the young?

Still another error in her research: Rice has Jesus, at the age of 7, making the statement, "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). Had she read just a few verses earlier, she could have easily remedied this inaccuracy, for in verse 42, it clearly indicates Jesus' age. "When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom." There was no need to make this alteration to the scriptures.

Lastly because really, you all must be bored to tears by now by my little Bible research project, I disagree with Rice's account of Zechariah, High Priest, and John, his son. According to Rice, John was a somber, non-lively child. He kept to himself and acted as an "adult child." This view does not hold to the verse in Luke that says, "And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel." I admit that this part is my opinion, but I cannot see John - one who is strong in spirit - as someone who would not also be happy and joyous with life, praising his Maker openly and readily. As a firstborn, he too would have been consecrated to the Lord and attending the lessons toward priesthood until he went to the desert. Being strong in spirit, I could only imagine him to be full of song and hope in the Lord. But maybe that's just me.

As for Zechariah, Rice had him killed between the Temple and the altar, by the hand of the Roman soldiers, with the other priests doing nothing to rebuke or to prevent it. The Romans wanted Zechariah to tell where his son was since he was of the House of David. She wrote it assuming that his death was the death of Zechariah son of Bekeriah ("You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar." Matthew 23: 33-35) However, if her research was done properly and thoroughly (pronounced "thur-oh-ly" by the way, Shannon), she would have found that Zechariah son of Berekiah refers to the prophet in Zechariah 1:1. I do not say that Zechariah, father of John, could not have been murdered at the hands of the Roman soldiers for the benefit of Herod; it is a fitting scenario. But to equate it to the Zechariah of old, almost exactly as Jesus states, is not appropriate to following the scriptures. As far as we know, it is not the one in the same person.

I know these things sound picky, but they're not. I'm not even saying that I myself have all the right answers. But if one is going to take on the initiative to write about Jesus, even a historic fiction, I would advise that the author follow scriptures rather than theories from other sources. It just makes sense to go to the real Word rather than the words of men.

It may sound as if I'm telling you not to read it. I'm not. As a matter of fact, I'm thrilled that I read it because it made me go back through the Word, time and time again to either find justification for passages in the book or reasons to refute them. And anything that causes me to pick up the Bible and to search the scriptures is a very good thing! So read Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, but have a Bible at the ready for you to study on your own.

Thus ends my longest and most detailed review to date. I hope that I have proficiently proved to you that I'm a study geek in need of friends... God bless you if you read all the way to the end! You deserve some kind of reward or some chocolate at least. I've got some of my kids' Easter candy still if you need it after this long read...

Cold Sassy Tree

Do you want to read a delightful book that is chocked full of wit, humor and valuable life lessons? Then I whole-heartedly recommend that you read Cold Sassy Tree. Olive Ann Burns wrote a doozy of a book, just as she turned 60. (She wrote it as a way of dealing with her cancer. Talk about taking something painful and turning it into something good... It seemed very therapeutic, not to mention worthwhile for the readers! Many of the characters and much of the wording are based on events from Olive Ann Burns' grandparents and life.)

Written from the viewpoint of 14-year-old Will Tweedy, this tale really centers around Will's grandpa, Rucker Blakeslee, while incorporating some true Southern living in the early 1900's. It's full of colorful Southern phrases, realistic events and genuine emotions from a host of characters.

The story begins with Grandpa Blakeslee, quick as lightning, marrying Love Simpson, a (much) younger woman who works in his mercantile store. Now normally this wouldn't be an issue, but since he went and hitched her only three weeks after Mattie Lou Blakeslee, his wife of 36 years, passed way, this is a major faux pas in all things Southern and appropriate. Oh the scandal! Oh the uproar! Oh the horror for his two daughters and their families who will have to face the town after such a bold and unloving move by Blakeslee. When questioned about the rightness of such a decision, Grandpa Blakeslee remarks that while he loved Grandma for many, many years, he sees no reason to wait a year to remarry, because "she's as dead as she's ever gonna be, ain't she?" and stomps off.

So begins an emotional rollercoaster ride for the entire family, with all of Cold Sassy looking on in enthrallment and dismay. The story is animated, hilarious and heartwarming; it has been called "the most realistic portrait of a small town in the early 1900s ever written." Not shying away from any touchy subjects, Burns ventures into town gossip, life and death, marital relations, social constraints, family ties, true love, politics, anger, envy/jealousy, modern technology and how people can keep their promises even when it hurts.

You will find yourself laughing over some of the most brilliant lines and nodding in agreement with others. Here are just a few examples of lines that caught my fancy:


I better go now, but I ain't never go'n forgit you and please don't forgit me, Will.

We can ast for comfort and hope and patience and courage . . . and we'll git what we ast for. They ain't no gar'ntee thet we ain't go'n have no troubles and ain't go'n die. But shore as frogs croak and cows bellow, God'll forgive us if'n we ast Him to.

And my favorite:

Lord, forgive me for fittin' thet man, even if'n I had it to do over agin I'd hit him harder.

Read this charmer of a book. I sincerely believe that you won't be disappointed. It's so good, I'm going to get a copy to stay on my bookshelf. If that isn't an endorsement, then I don't know what is!

Room With A View

Man oh man. have I been busy! I've unloaded and unpacked every box for my parts of the office, which when I think about it is all of it except my coworkers' offices. Whew! Was I glad to have an excuse to leave early yesterday. I had to go pick up some materials with which to hang all the pictures. Guess what we'll be doing today.

I have to tell you - I love this new office. It's 10 minutes closer to home, I have a lot more privacy in this space and I have a wall of windows that looks onto a pretty view. See?
Here are Hoops and Yoyo bobble heads gazing out into the sunshiny view.  Ahhh. Sun!

And do you see what I have just across the way? 

A Panera! Woo hoo! I was really hoping that the internet connection from Panera would reach our office, but alas - no. I'm going to have to hang out there a bit when lunch time rolls around. Oh the glory of being able to comment on Blogger blogs in the daytime! (Stupid work filter!)

And this picture is just for Kelli. Thanks for helping me to start the first day in the office in style. That Mocha was just what the caffeine addict ordered.

Guess who sits by the thermostat? Ha ha ha! No more freezing for me! Well until there's a meeting and all the stuffed shirts come in and get all hot around the collar. I'll turn it down on those days and then turn on my illegal space heater. Shhh! Don't tell!

Last night, Mr. Right and I watched I Am Legend. Oh. My. Lands. Why Will Smith did not get an Oscar nod is beyond me. It was so well acted that one could not help but imagine what it would be like to be alone in the vastness of the world while trying to make it better. If you haven't seen it, I highly, highly recommend that you do. It's a cross genre film: part drama, part sci-fi, part suspense, part scary (without much gore) with a dash of love and a very visible belief in God. Just go see it for yourself and then let me know what you thought of it.

Oh, and y'all aren't putting any pressure or anything on me with the reviews. Fonda, you totally made my day with your comment yesterday! (I'd have written you personally, but you're a "no-reply" commenter. You should change that!) Knowing that I can bring some goodness to the reading populace fills me with a giddy, "that's what I'm talking about!" response. And for the record, I have to review the sucky ones too. How else would you know to avoid drivel like this? (That particular book makes me sick and angry just thinking it - no only was it pure c**p, it was also a waste of good trees to put it on the shelf. Okay, I'm stopping now.)

I'm going to finish eating the pizza that the office brought into the office yesterday. I'd never tried Pizza Shoppe before now. It's pretty good. But I have to say that I'm not digging the fungus on top. Yuck. I'm eating it cold, so it's not as easy to remove it as you would think. 

What topping would you like to see removed permanently from the world of pizza?

I Need To Find A Leprechaun With A Car In His Pot

We made it through our weekend without the kids. It was tough, but somebody had to do it...

So what do to crazy, kid-free couples do on their two days off from work and they get to be together? Why they go car shopping, of course! I can't tell you how romantic car shopping... isn't. I mean, we would test drive cars where one of us would sit in the back, but we couldn't both sit in the back, so where was the joy in that? Total waste of makeout time, if you ask me. (Which I totally realize you didn't, but it's my blog so the thoughts will stray where they will.)

So after six hours of searching for a vehicle that would fit our needs, we came home with... nothing. Not a single car made the qualification of excellent price + import + medium-low mileage. And it's not that we're incredibly picky. It's that we know God has our vehicle waiting for us; we're just waiting for him to open our eyes to it.

Saturday night after all that searching, (where I have to tell you consisted of Mr. Right getting out and looking at the lots while I read a book - he came back to get me if we had any that met our qualifications), we came home because we had plans to have our friend John over for dinner and a movie. We hadn't seen him in eons, which is really sad because he's Mr. Right's best friend. So we enjoyed great wine, I Robot and a recipe which John labeled "Dump Pasta" that I will share with you now.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

I cooked up a package of Barilla Farfelle (yes, Jenny - I'm still a Barilla fan no matter how often Brian tries to charm me into becoming a Martha Gooch lover). Drain it and throw into a greased 13 x 9 pan.

Using some homemade spaghetti sauce in the fridge (this one was with meat because I could never be a vegetarian for long), I added around 3-4 cups of spaghetti sauce and stir until mixed well. Top the dish with an Italian blend of cheese and bake for 20 minutes. Broil for the last few minutes to get the cheese nicely browned and tasty.

Serve with vino and a fresh loaf of bread and you've got a meal that is tantalizing to your tastebuds!

Sunday after church and lunch, we tried to go car shopping again, but none of the dealers were open. In a way, I was relieved. I was so tired I went home and took a 2 hour nap while Mr. Right continued to search for cars online while getting in some basketball. Guess what we'll be doing on some of our nights without kids. Sigh. Please pray for my attitude. I know that God has it under control, but y'all, it's still shopping. Ugh.

On a lighter note, we finally watched Invincible. It was a wonderfully entertaining movie! As the show started, Mr. Right joked, "What do we watch when the kids are gone? A Disney movie. How messed up is that?" But it was a great way to relax for an hour and a half.

Speaking of the kids, I don't think that they miss us too much at this point... They've had McDonald's and other great food, they're with their grandparents, they've just added their cousins to the mix and The Girl is loving getting to spend time with her best friend, Bailey. They might have an inkling to talk to us, but really, they are having a fantastic Spring Break. Funny how we're the one missing them...

Oh, and Happy St. Patty's Day to you all. May you all be special enough to know someone who's Irish! Since I'm Irish as well, it would be my pleasure to offer you this Irish Blessing. Happy Monday!

WFMW - Simple and Delicious

About a year ago, my mom gave me a subscription to a little recipe magazine called Simple and Delicious.  Little did I know that it would quickly become a way to introduce some new and easy recipes into our repertoire.  I've made more recipes from it than I imagined I would have!  They weren't kidding when they created the title!

What's really neat is that most of the recipes come from the readers.  They are tried and true, favorite recipes that the readers think will be a hit with others.  I'd much rather spend my time working on a new creation that other families love than to waste my time and resources making something that we all wish stayed in the cookbook.

The tag line for Simple and Delicious is "Quick, easy recipes.  Everyday ingredients."  That's so true, friends... it's so true.  For $14.95, you can have a new magazine every other month, giving you some much needed refreshment in the cooking battle.  The magazine is filled with gorgeous pictures and very simple to follow instructions.

The best part about the entire gift?  Everyone in my family goes through the publication, circling the ones that they want to try.  It's a family affair at our house, one that makes me smile - especially when I see The Boy circle one that actually has vegetables.

So if you are looking for an easy way to spice up your daily cooking, I highly recommend that you check out this sweet magazine.  If you don't want to commit to a subscription, check it out at the supermarket or a bookstore.  You can usually find this magazine at the magazine display or at the checkout line.

But I warn you:  You may just want to pick up a copy if you find it in your hands... it's that good and useful!

Head on over to Shannon's place for some excellent suggestions that will help you in your everyday life.  But be very quiet... she's trying to catch up on her sleep!

WFMW - Super Easy Super Bowl Pizza

Now anyone who knows me knows that I love me some football.  I love watching.  I love making calls.  I love yelling loudly enough that the team can here me from my living room.  

I coulda been a contenda... if I were a boy.  Stupid boys' club sport.  Hmph.  I can't even make it as a ref.  

Yes, I have issues.  But they really have nothing to do with this post.  So let's move on, shall we?

And if you're bummed, like me, that your team didn't make it to the final game of the season (sniff... final game!), then let me show you some stinkin' easy ways to showcase your favorite team(s) during the Super Bowl.  Your team might not be at the Super Bowl, but that's no reason they can't be at your party!

Just in time for the biggest pizza eating day of the year, Boboli has created some wonderfully easy pizzas for you to serve to all the fans.  They've created one recipe for each of the NFL teams and gave them fun names to boot.  Even if you know nothing about football, you can impress your mate with your football terminology!

Using Boboli crusts and Boboli sauce on two of the pizzas, my family made 4 different types of pizza and had I had all the ingredients when we started, I would say that all told, it would have taken us 30 minutes to make all four.  But that's just crazy talk, assuming that I would have all the necessary ingredients on hand.  So if you throw in the 45 minute trip to Walmart, where I waited in line for 25 minutes to check out (NOT A TYPO), then it took us more like an hour and 15 minutes to get it all done.  But here is where we're going to assume that a) you're more prepared than me or b) your Walmart has all lines open on a busy Saturday at noon.

We had to make the Indianapolis "Interception" Pizza (good old pepperoni, green peppers and onions), 

our Arizona "First Down" Fiesta Pizza (refried beans, taco meat, cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole - YUM!)

our Cleveland's "Bootleg" Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza (sauce with hamburger meat, real bacon bits, onions, dill pickles and cheddar cheese (my personal favorite),

and last, but not least, Washington's "In Bounds" American Apple Pie (oh my lands...  it was so good, I thought I might have to give up my apple pie... almost - sweetened cream cheese with sliced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar and cinnamon)  

On my personal "I'm letting go of  my angst against the Patriot's cheaterhead ways", I looked up the New England pizza.  There's no way on earth I'm forgiving them enough to eat a clam bake pizza.  I can forgive them, but I don't have to root for them and I don't have to eat their fair.  Yuck.

You can hit the Boboli.com for all the recipes if you're so inclined or you can go wild.  It's yourc call.

Oh, and as a last note, I made them all on the Whole Wheat Pizza Crusts.  I wasn't sure of it when I got them, but we're doing what we can to eat a bit better.  Seriously, no one in the family could tell a difference.  They were all just so delicious!  So now you have a choice in crust if you want one.

Hope y'all have a great time at your Super Bowl party, or if you're not a football fan (freak!), might I suggest a movie?  It's a perfect time since everyone else will be watching the game.  But don't see Alvin and the Chipmunks, whatever you do... trust me on that one.  That movie so did not work for me.

Head on over to Shannon's place to see some other truly fabulous ideas.