tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:11:36 +0000cookingbook reviewsreadingreviewsEvernotemusicalsNashvillemoviesGleebooksshoppingrantsmusicjasmeretheatreBoston livingtelevisionTony AwardsessaysBirchboxmemoirsholidaysFoodie FridaysHalloween ideaspoetrypop culturebanned booksbeauty reviewsskin careA seemingly normal grad student blogs about books, poetry, theater, and the little things that happen in life.http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (tgs)Blogger358125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-568449449295086356Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:11:00 +00002011-11-21T22:11:36.050-05:00I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post. Unfortunately, life has been even more insane than usual due to a number of unplanned developments. Without boring you with the details, the long and short of it is that I'm going to go on hiatus for a few months (at least until after the semester is over, and more likely until I'm done with my dissertation). Although I might write http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/zRwzLlbOIUM/on-hiatus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/zRwzLlbOIUM" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/11/on-hiatus.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-5892854869701534947Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:18:00 +00002011-10-11T20:18:05.982-04:00beauty reviewsBirchboxMy October Birchbox was waiting for me when I got home this afternoon, and I must say that I'm pretty pleased with this month's haul. Not only did my box have a nice combination of skincare and makeup products, but all of the products are perfect for this transition from summer to fall. This month's theme was "Prep & Finish," and according to the card that came with the box, the products inside http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/_8l4h5HH43U/october-2011-birchbox.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/_8l4h5HH43U" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-2011-birchbox.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-476719837830194113Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:52:00 +00002011-10-08T21:52:59.002-04:00pop culturebooksreadingholidaysHalloween ideasAlthough the highs in Boston are in the upper 70s and lower 80s this weekend, there has been a definite chill in the air signaling that fall is indeed here. Before the usual Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's rush, we have to get through Halloween, which means another post (or two or three) of literature-inspired Halloween costume ideas. As always, I'll try to keep it fairly cheap, low-key, and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/03gOuZIhxVk/literary-halloween-costumes-comic-strip.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/03gOuZIhxVk" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/10/literary-halloween-costumes-comic-strip.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-3707850322120054688Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:53:00 +00002011-10-08T20:53:08.559-04:00As usually happens when school starts, my life isn't really my own anymore. I've been teaching one class, assisting with another, working my non-college job, and trying to get work done on my dissertation. Unfortunately, I'm not predicting things to get any better in the next few months (in fact, I will probably be even busier than I have been, which is a scary thought). Consequently, I will try http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/PjXR0ywyBGk/crunch-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/PjXR0ywyBGk" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/10/crunch-time.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-2659803607980301522Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:14:00 +00002011-10-08T20:49:35.026-04:00Foodie FridayscookingAs someone who grew up Catholic in a land-locked state, fish was an inevitable part of Fridays during Lent. While there were some excellent meals, the unremitting cycle of shrimp, catfish, and tuna soon got the better of me, and by the time Easter came around, we were excited if only because Friday meals would be less predictable. I particularly resented the tuna sandwiches, which were heavy on http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/15aUezZvhwM/foodie-fridays-pan-bagnet.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/15aUezZvhwM" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/10/foodie-fridays-pan-bagnet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-3013264432489208102Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:51:00 +00002011-09-25T23:51:38.564-04:00booksreadingbanned booksBanned Books Week this year goes from September 24 to October 1. While I might not get to post about it as much as I like (seriously, this semester is slowly but surely killing me), I wanted to give you some resources so you can celebrate banned and challenged books this year. As always, the ALA has some excellent free resources for schools, teachers, librarians, and other organizations. The http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/bPcvryMLYCI/banned-books-week-2011.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/bPcvryMLYCI" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/banned-books-week-2011.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-7576898987277468915Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:07:00 +00002011-09-17T23:07:36.664-04:00reviewsbookstheatrereadingmusicalsbook reviewsWhen I first came across Something's Coming, Something Good in my local Barnes & Noble, I immediately knew that I had to buy the book. As a theatre junkie and a huge fan of West Side Story, I thought that this book would be a great addition to my library (yes, I do have a musical theatre/theatre subset within my books). After reading the book, I've found that my initial enthusiasm might have beenhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/tOg_tA63kJ0/book-review-somethings-coming-something.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/tOg_tA63kJ0" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/book-review-somethings-coming-something.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-3107182879640415633Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:29:00 +00002011-09-17T21:29:22.726-04:00theatremusicalsFollies, straight from Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, recently opened on Broadway, and the reviews have been mostly positive. Although I probably won't be able to get up to NYC to see the show (funding and time are not on my side right now), YouTubers have been diligently putting up videos from the Kennedy Center production, and I'm certain that some videos from Broadway will be up soon. With http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/koeB2OwcNik/three-views-youre-gonna-love.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/koeB2OwcNik" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/three-views-youre-gonna-love.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-864427428163616710Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:47:00 +00002011-09-15T17:47:06.676-04:00beauty reviewsBirchboxUnlike last month's Birchbox craziness, I received this month's box with no problems. Although it was slightly delayed, the Birchbox team sent me an email letting me know that it would be arriving a little late. However, given what I've seen from the box, it was definitely worth the wait. Since this month marks the company's one-year anniversary, the theme for September is "Thanks to You!" http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/IYs1k-pb6og/september-2011-birchbox.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/IYs1k-pb6og" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-2011-birchbox.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-1399132489212154572Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:05:00 +00002011-09-11T19:06:58.038-04:00"New York, New York" by Ryan Adams (filmed on September 7, 2001) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/AXCw6gXfW40/in-memory-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/AXCw6gXfW40" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/in-memory-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-5643371656908231884Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:53:00 +00002011-09-02T10:53:00.287-04:00Foodie FridaysBoston livingBoston always seems to be a few years behind most trends, and the food truck craze is no exception. However, from my recent experiences, the wait was worth it. During the past month or so, I've noticed a lot more food trucks around, with offerings ranging from Vietnamese-inspired sandwiches to cupcakes to fried chicken. While my food truck adventures are ongoing (I haven't come close to eating athttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/Gh5cFAJ2z-I/foodie-fridays-food-truck-adventures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/Gh5cFAJ2z-I" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/foodie-fridays-food-truck-adventures.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-2876771896081289123Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:34:00 +00002011-09-01T15:34:52.629-04:00shoppingjasmereBack to school is upon us (or, depending on where you live) in full swing. While I'm not quite ready for the end of summer yet (the move-in insanity, the paperwork, the start of classes), Jasmere is making this time of year a little sweeter by offering a 20% discount on one purchase through September 17, 2011. Just enter the following code at checkout: SF2053B1E608. Happy shopping, and please http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/ZU6Bk5vJJ74/get-20-off-at-jasmere-now-through.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/ZU6Bk5vJJ74" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/09/get-20-off-at-jasmere-now-through.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-3627003445543012872Sat, 27 Aug 2011 03:55:00 +00002011-08-27T00:01:49.807-04:00Foodie FridayscookingWhile many people in Boston (and on the East Coast in general) are scrambling to prepare for the insanity that Irene is supposed to bring, I've had a pretty awesome and laid-back evening. After an excellent meal at Radius with my friends (and seriously, if you've never been, you need to go), I went home and made hot fudge sauce. I know that this isn't great hurricane prep, but at least it helped http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/uZYij7BEuXA/foodie-fridays-hot-fudge-sauce.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/uZYij7BEuXA" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/08/foodie-fridays-hot-fudge-sauce.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-5115223574836356187Tue, 23 Aug 2011 02:25:00 +00002011-08-22T22:25:04.925-04:00reviewsbooksreadingbook reviewsFair warning: This review will have a lot of spoilers after the first two paragraphs. I’ll note where the spoilers begin so, if you want to remain unspoiled, you can stop reading. It isn’t everyday that a book gives me almost exactly what I expect while also surprising me at every turn, and, in this sense, Ranae Rose’s erotica-action novella, Taken Hostage, is remarkable. While it gave me what Ihttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/9vR_kSKX92g/book-review-taken-hostage-by-ranae-rose.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/9vR_kSKX92g" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-review-taken-hostage-by-ranae-rose.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-291392687493290012Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:37:00 +00002011-08-22T22:18:22.205-04:00beauty reviewsBirchboxSo, as you may have heard, my first August Birchbox for this month was stolen (I'm still seriously annoyed by that, and God help the person if I ever find her [him?]). Luckily, Birchbox customer service is fantastic, and just a week after contacting the company, I received a replacement box. The question then becomes: Was it worth the wait and frustration? Well, just judging by the contents, thehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/Q0YioRJZjfs/august-2011-birchbox-better-late-than.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/Q0YioRJZjfs" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-2011-birchbox-better-late-than.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-4060615874726828851Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:16:00 +00002011-08-16T20:16:32.522-04:00BirchboxSorry I've been absent; I can't believe that it's been almost two weeks since I've last posted. Life has been crazy lately. Besides a pet-sitting stint that was full of misadventures (my life was like a bad sitcom episode for a while there), work has been very busy. Anyway, enough with the disclaimers and excuses. The first thing that you might notice is that, as of today, I haven't had my usualhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/3b53MGJ73FY/wheres-my-august-birchbox-sweepstakes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/3b53MGJ73FY" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/08/wheres-my-august-birchbox-sweepstakes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-2379105764458305587Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:50:00 +00002011-08-04T20:50:15.119-04:00reviewsbooksreadingbook reviewsType and fonts surround us, but many people give them little thought. Luckily, there are others like Simon Garfield who are not just fascinated by font and typeface but are willing to share their passion with the rest of us. Garfield’s interest and enthusiasm for his subject are evident throughout the book. Furthermore, he does a good job making his explanations accessible and engaging for those http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/Ws_r524Hv6o/book-review-just-my-type.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/Ws_r524Hv6o" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-review-just-my-type.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-1783680793563704800Sat, 30 Jul 2011 23:15:00 +00002011-07-30T19:15:09.832-04:00reviewsbeauty reviewsBirchboxFollowing the awesomeness of my May and June Birchboxes, I guess it was just a matter of time until I got a box that I wasn't crazy about. While I have decidedly mixed feelings about my July box, there were (as you'll see in this review) more hits than misses. Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser (full size [8 oz] $20): As I mentioned when I got my box, I had tried and liked http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/dwhVHOfuUq4/beauty-review-birchbox-products-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/dwhVHOfuUq4" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/07/beauty-review-birchbox-products-from.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-3557904261780217468Sat, 30 Jul 2011 22:10:00 +00002011-07-30T18:10:10.551-04:00booksreadingI rarely (if ever) need an excuse to read, but I am looking forward to "Do Nothing But Read Day" this year. DNBRD falls on Saturday, August 6, and it should be a lot of fun. Given the number of books that are in my "To be read" pile, this should help me make a dent. I just finished The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith, and I'm in the middle of The Making of Cabaret by Keith Garebian. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/vpFBXzMB0Lc/do-nothing-but-read-day-2011-what-im.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/vpFBXzMB0Lc" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/07/do-nothing-but-read-day-2011-what-im.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-7925236553994835355Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:17:00 +00002011-07-19T20:17:18.658-04:00reviewsbooksreadingbook reviewsGrowing up, I LOVED the Little House books with an ardor that even my eventual alliance with Nancy Drew could not equal. I carried the yellow-bound paperbacks, which I received as boxed set from my aunt, around until they literally fell apart, and I even remember discussing the books with my classmates in the tiny Southern town where I went to elementary and middle school.  Although I replaced myhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/b4nxg7C4Mag/book-review-wilder-life-my-adventures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/b4nxg7C4Mag" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-wilder-life-my-adventures.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-4628362432407746007Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:39:00 +00002011-07-17T16:39:47.839-04:00reviewsmoviespop cultureIn the frenzy surrounding the final movie of the Harry Potter franchise, another childhood favorite sneaked into theaters under the radar this weekend. Disney released a feature-length (if somewhat short) Winnie the Pooh film based on several of A. A. Milne's original stories, and the entire enterprise makes for an enjoyable movie experience, particularly for those little ones who might be a tad http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/SFxf7XCsiF4/movie-review-winnie-pooh.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/SFxf7XCsiF4" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/07/movie-review-winnie-pooh.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-8780703415303829243Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:06:00 +00002011-07-11T20:06:19.385-04:00beauty reviewsshoppingBirchboxI had a great teacher in high school who often said, "You get what you get when you need it." I've always taken this piece of wisdom to heart, and it always seems to be true. Today, after a long, hot, miserable commute home, I was excited to see the familiar pink box waiting for me by my mailbox. Although this isn't my favorite Birchbox ever (I really loved my May and June boxes), this one has http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/B7lkJ8VZYGQ/birchbox-july-2011.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/B7lkJ8VZYGQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/07/birchbox-july-2011.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-7753250772967626864Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:19:00 +00002011-07-04T12:19:41.059-04:00holidayspoetryJuly 4th is upon us once again, and even though I am planning on hiding from the crowds and working on my never-ending research, this doesn't mean that I am a complete Independence Day Scrooge. If you, like me, prefer quiet and poetry to drunken crowds and tourists (Boston seems to be crawling with them right now, and it is exhausting), then here are some poem suggestions and resources for your http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/F0BwTd8rKk0/poems-for-independence-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/F0BwTd8rKk0" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/07/poems-for-independence-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-1384402905542454112Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:23:00 +00002011-06-29T20:23:22.028-04:00reviewsbooksreadingbook reviewsFrom past experience, I’ve found that writing a book about another book’s genesis is very difficult. The resulting works are usually somewhere between interesting but unexplored minutiae or gushy biography. Luckily, Michael Sims manages to avoid both pitfalls in The Story of Charlotte’s Web: E. B. White’s Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic. Tracing White’s life from hishttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/Cw0FCTC6CX4/book-review-story-of-charlottes-web-e-b.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/Cw0FCTC6CX4" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-review-story-of-charlottes-web-e-b.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623671061041841248.post-8059120414426792213Sun, 26 Jun 2011 01:06:00 +00002011-06-25T21:06:04.949-04:00booksreadingTired of my book addiction (and worried about the fact that I will probably be moving in the next year), my family banded together and bought me a Nook Simple Touch for my birthday earlier this month. I have to say that I love the simplicity of the design, the portability, and the simple interface. However, while this has definitely slowed down my purchasing of physical books, it hasn't, and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~3/2vhu4eJJ214/just-finishing-currently-reading-and-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (tgs)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ApparentlyNotDeranged/~4/2vhu4eJJ214" height="1" width="1"/>http://apparentlynotderanged.blogspot.com/2011/06/just-finishing-currently-reading-and-to.html