Egotistical Momma

Review: The Comic Book Story of Video Games: The Incredible History of the Electronic Gaming Revolution

2017-11-29T10:28:00.003-05:00

So, let's start off saying that my husband and my older son are both pretty big video game junkies, so this review sort of takes into account their perspective as well, perspective from the experts in my household, haha.

This book covers the basic overview of the history of how we got from Pong to crazy highly detailed graphics and controls with so many buttons I have no idea how to even begin to play Destiny or Overwatch. (Halp.) With anything comic or graphic-based, the artwork is an important consideration when reading. This book reminds me of some old-school, retro style comic illustrations, which is apt for a book that showcases the history of something. Both my husband and son agreed.

This would make a good gift more so for the older video game (and often, at least in our house, also comic book) enthusiast in your life. There are some jokes and references my son sort of got, sort of not. He's 10, so that's understandable. If you yourself find the evolution and stories behind the creation of this mega industry appealing, this is a great way to get a good overview of how it happened, a fun and easy read that actually gives you some knowledge about a subject.

Fun fact, this author has some other graphic novels/comic form 'history of' books-- like the history of beer. Yum. Beer. ;-D

If you really want to get in-depth about it, there are some really detailed books out there about the subject, and about different aspects of the subject (relevance in pop culture, specific companies, etc.) like Console Wars, etc.

*This book was received for free from Blogging for Books for an unbiased review.

'The Heirs' Review by Susan Rieger

2017-10-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

The Heirs is a book that I was lucky to read at the right time, in the right mood. It's one of those books.

It's a complex novel of family, wealth, what holds people together and what drives them apart. It's relatable in that emotional way for the everyday Joe who doesn't have millions (i.e. me), and at the same time it's so far removed from most people's lives that you can't help but feel better at the fuckedupedness of the Falkes clan.

A family of five boys whose father dies leaves behind and exposes secrets that totally shake up their world. And, while this isn't a Wes Anderson movie (I know, right?), and this concept of elite families and their hidden crazy seems to run amok in many books these days, this one was just plain fun, and eloquently written.

If you feel like escaping the mundaneness of your little life and enter the somehow still dramatic mundaneness of the New York Elite, give this one a shot. Love, death, sex, family, and the all important dollar bill are universal themes, after all.

*This book was received for free from Blogging for Books for review.

Red Teaming: How Your Business Can Conquer The Competition By Challenging Everything - Book Review

2017-07-15T11:16:00.001-04:00

Red Teaming by Bryce Hoffman provides a unique look into the concept of Red Teaming - basically playing Devil's Adversary in a systematic, critical way that allows intelligence and military agencies to test our their strategies in increase chances of success.

We are full of bias, groupthink, and our culture often encourages you to 'go with the flow' instead of challenging the process. This can be disastrous for a business organization, and, in the case of the military, often deadly.

Red Teaming as a concept without the name has existed for a long time, but the origins of this as a particular methodology here in the US lie in failed missions and bad planning after 9/11. Bryce Hoffman, the author of this book, was able to attend the selective military training for Red Team groups, (which is a fun introduction and first part of this book) and in turn has taken these seemingly combat-type tactics and applied them to business acumen.

I am a total nerd about anything that helps me to become a more strategic, more creative and more engaged thinker, and this book hit the nail on the head. Well fleshed out, easy to follow and builds upon itself as you progress through the chapters (psychology, how to start, various techniques, etc.), Red Teaming is an important business book that can immediately be put into practice and will stand the test of time - these lessons aren't bound by an era.

If you have any interest AT ALL in about challenging the status quo, driving your business forward, or becoming better at your job - you should definitely read this book.

*Note: This book was provided for review for free for honest, unbiased review by BloggingForBooks.com .

Boss Bitch by Nicole Lapin: A Review

2017-06-20T02:02:00.001-04:00

Boss Bitch by Nicole Lapin is billed as a '12-step plan to take charge of your career.' I'm a fan of anything with 'Bitch' in the title automatically, and, based upon the blurb, it seemed up my alley - a funny, feisty, strong woman who doesn't take any shit and provides some guidance to other women who are getting started on their career path. As much as I wanted to LOVE this.. I only liked it. It's an easy read, and the advice she provides (especially regarding branding yourself and running a business) is solid. She's got skills, and the confidence to share her expertise and her failures, which is awesome.

However.. at this point in my career, it's all sort of.. common sense at this point. She's definitely writing for a younger (than my grey haired, 34 year old self) audience. Which is totally fine, but it feels a bit patronizing for me. I'm all about cheese and ridiculous memes and saying silly things (Everyone I work with is younger than me. Really. Everyone.) and talking about Bey and 'spro bros', buuuut... It's amusing on a t-shirt and fine coming out of your mouth every now and then, but I don't particularly have the desire to read it. Kind of also ruins the longevity of a book?

Am I right? Disagree? Well - cash me outside howbow dah? :-D

Ha, go ahead and give it a go if you are in your early 20s and looking for some confidence and career guidance, but maybe leave it behind if you are old af like me.

*Note: This book was received for free for a review from Blogging For Books.

Review: Girl and Flame: A Novella by Melissa Reddish

2017-06-20T01:47:00.000-04:00

What a beautiful little book! I loved this. Almost poetry. Sweet, strange and full of feeling.

*Note: This book was received for free from LibraryThing.

Review: 'Unfair' by Adam Benforado

2017-02-07T12:10:00.001-05:00

At a time like this, a book like 'Unfair' by Adam Benforado seems more and more relevant. I started reading this awhile ago, but had to put it down because it was hard to get through (after elections, not even going to lie)

Regardless, it's an important book to read. Our justice system is broken, and we are all guilty until proven innocence.

Simple cognitive forces are directing our perception of guilt and innocence, and the first step in correcting these issues is understanding them. This book achieves what it sets out to do.

Understanding that intuition drives so much of what should be looked at in a neutral light, no matter how unbiased we strive to be, can be a hard fact to swallow, but it's very true.

While I, personally, believe there are other, underlying issues beyond this that have had a deep and lasting negative impact on our criminal justice system, this is an important and engaging read that will make you think about your reactions and look at well-known historical and current court cases in a new light.

*Note: This book was received for free from bloggingforbooks.com for review.

Review: Slow Fires by Justin Smillie

2016-07-12T13:40:00.003-04:00

Well, I am the worst. It's been a hellacious year of ups and downs. But that's a whole other blog post. This one.. is about: Slow Fires: Mastering New Ways to Braise, Roast, and Grill.

This one, again, was chosen for the Chef Hubs, because I am nice like that. From both our perspectives, it's quite beautiful, like most cookbooks, but it's more than pretty pictures.

The layout is clean, separating Braising, Roasting, Grilling into their own specific sections, ending with Foundations and Finishes. Each section starts with preparation and technique, giving you the fundamentals before diving into the recipes.

That being said, this isn't really the easiest cookbook for the layman. (Read: me). However, Chef liked it just enough. It highlights more unique flavor pairing, ingredients, and concepts while keeping the foundation in place, because a good roast chicken is a good roast chicken.

This presents some really fun ideas beyond the backyard BBQ bash where dad wears a 'Kiss The Cook' apron and overcooks the steaks.

If you've got some time, and are willing to dive in and give yourself a challenge, especially if you are a home cook, this is a delicious way to try.

Note: This book was received for free from Blogging for Books.

The Gap of Time: A Review: By Jeanette Winterson

2015-12-21T14:13:00.002-05:00

This book is a beautiful re-telling of 'The Winter's Tale.' Jeanette Winterson's beautiful voice and style shine through. I adore most of her books, so I was excited to receive this.

It's raw, highly emotional, highly sexually charged. It's choppy and disjointed, full of small beautiful things, bits and pieces of words that phrases that stick out in your mind. I haven't had a lot of time to read these days, but this was a great book to read during my limited free moments. The cyclical nature of our existence, the ebb and flow of time, love and passion and desire and anger. It’s all so human and so removed from reality. It’s really, quite beautiful and brings out all the feels.

I enjoyed the 'primer' in the beginning, giving you a little bit of feedback if you happen to not be familiar with the classic Shakespeare tale. I'm interested to see where the Hogarth Shakespeare series goes, because this is a helluva start.

To the boy with the knives at 2 AM, smoking a cigarette by the arborvitae and dreaming big dreams.

2015-12-15T02:31:00.001-05:00

It takes a helluva lot of inner fortitude to stay driven and motivated to succeed when the person who unequivocally is supposed to have your back thinks what you are doing is a waste of time.
I allow myself one night of feeling sorry and sad.
Now, I push back harder, work harder, do more.
I will not allow grasping at straws to stop me, simply because what I am passionate about, what I have chosen, doesn't fit his schema.
This world we build together must make us both happy andh satisfied.
No, I don't think you or they are roadblocks.
Yes, I think we, both, can have it all.
But you don't get to dictate what that means for me, simply because you don't understand it.
I never took you for such a misogynist.
I never thought I'd feel so lost and saddened by your silly, stupid words.
I hope you see the bigger picture, and not the short term.
You cannot stop me from growing, learning, giving myself some strength and attention towards my goals, when all I ever did was support yours, no matter my frustrations or feelings.
I kept silent, and made it work.
Now, maybe you can do the same.

Olympia Provisions: Cured Meats and Tales from an American Charcuterie: A Review

2015-11-23T10:17:00.000-05:00

Well, since work has been kicking my butt, I put Chef down for reviewing this one. I did a quick run-through, but he explored it in depth.

Here's what he relayed to me:
Confits, charcuterie, pâtés, and sausages are some of his favorite things, right up there with raindrops on roses or whatever. As a chef in a mostly bar-centric restaurant, he doesn't often get to practice these arts, but sneaks them in whenever he can. So when I saw this one, I knew it was right up his alley.

From a professional perspective, he says that the book is very thorough, and the recipes are detailed enough to provide the layman some direction on processes. He would be hesitant to have anyone who doesn't have some background try their hand at cured meats all by their lonesome, mainly because what this book is describing requires a HAACP plan in an actual restaurant setting, to prevent illness, etc.

He says the book is a good history and vibe of the restaurant itself, makes it intriguing, calls to you to come and visit or seek out their products. The images in the book, which are just foodie eye-candy, capture the essence of the food and the place. Totally worth the space they take up (in my opinion-I don't cook, haha), but chef says the book would be a whole lot smaller w/o them. He can take them or leave them, but totally understands their value as images and making the book complete. He's after the technical stuff, and has done enough sasuage making that the images are needed for him to get the directions.

However, they are gorgeous.

From both of us, this book is well worth the purchase price, for the content and for just as a beautiful piece of art to share at dinner time with friends, even if you end up buying their meats instead of making them yourself. We need more places like this in America, and we need to make this food accessible to everyone, because it's amazing and unappreciated in the vastness of MickyD's and Taco Bell, in quick pre-frozen food wastelands of the midwest and giant doggie bags of crap.

We need to enjoy our food, really enjoy it. This is a start.

*this book was received for free via Blogging For Books.

Gold, Fame, Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins - A Review

2015-10-30T11:44:00.003-04:00

Gold, Fame, Citrus is the apocalypse, imagined in a an eerily real way these days. Drought overtakes Southern CA (sound familiar), but to the point of barren wasteland, scavenging for anything fresh, water rations and abandonment. Most have left for greener pastures, but Luz and her boyfriend Ray hold out, their love enough to deal with the crazy.

Then, they find a little girl. Dirty, scruffy, indeterminable and irresistible, they take her from those whom have her. Ig, she is called, because that’s who she says she is. A child, even if it’s not yours, makes your mind look towards the future, and they realize they need to leave.

On the way through, things happen. Bad things. Ray is gone and Luz is left with Ig, rescued by other hold outs, in an even more barren, more wasted wasteland were sand dunes constantly shift and grow, threatening to bury everyone at any moment. But there is a leader there, and he seems to have the answers.

This book is written like poetry, short, quip phrases and allusions, metaphors and fragmented thoughts that shift like the desert and sand in this story. It’s not for everyone, but for those people who can look deeper into the text, enjoy flawed characters and gritty wonder. It’s fantastical and realistic, all at once, and the ended leaves you lost and aching.

Books should end like that sometimes.

(*this book was received for free as an ARC via Shelf Awareness)

Without You, There Is No Us by Suki Kim - A Review

2015-10-29T22:16:00.000-04:00

Without You, There Is No Us offers a glimpse at the most secretive state in the world, North Korea. This is a very real, very powerful look at the sons of the elite in the DPNK, and author Suki Kim manages to give a human face to the faceless mass that is North Korean, sharing the underlying connections between all of us as human, and exploring the very real differences when you live in a place that refuses to let you think for yourself.

I read this book in a night, caught up in the same fascination that led Suki to seek out a way back to Pyongyang after her initial visit in 2002. Disguising herself as a missionary/teacher of English, she manages to land a position at PUST, The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. This is her story of her two semesters teaching there.

My husband lived in South Korea, and I’ve always been fascinated by his description of his time there, and his trips to the DMZ. His father was in the military and the strangeness and sadness of a country quite literally divided has always gripped me, made me think about what we have here, and the simplest things, smallest freedoms, we experience every day and think nothing of.

Kim gives a honest, earnest look at the students she falls in love with, their trials and struggles and the incredible contradiction she sees because of where they were raised and the limits they face. She gives an honest look at the missionary/teachers as well, and the reasons they are really there.

What struck me was the irony of the missionaries, the desire to free these poor oppressed students under the rule and brainwashing of a dictator by planting themselves in North Korea so they can provide another set of dogma for them to eventually live by. Kim, an atheist, realizes this strangeness too. But money talks, and PUST is what it is because of it.

Kim leaves with a little hope, maybe something she said, something she did, in some way reaches her students. But she leaves, of course.

Read this, and learn a little more about some place we can never really know about, at least not yet. But maybe reading this will offer some humanity and perspective on all we have.

*this book was received for free via Blogging For Books.

Review: Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix

2015-10-20T09:31:00.002-04:00

I must say, I am bias towards Bittman. How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian have been my go-to's whenever I cook. By cooking, I mean looking in the fridge and seeing what's about to go bad, throwing it all together and making it work. Bittman's books have allowed me to make it work without it tasting like crap.

So I was excited to receive this book in the mail. First off, I gave it to my Chef husband, so we could dual review it, the thought being that his opinion about cookbooks would differ wildly from mine, but it wasn't as dramatic as I thought.

Him: "I like the layout of this book. It's organized in a way to make it easy for anyone to follow, and the base recipes allow people to expand upon their cooking techniques by providing a foundation. The variations on the recipes are pretty good as well. I do have an issue with some of the directions, for example, cutting meat. It's written, but there are no illustrations, and that's not something everyone would understand with written description only. "

Hrm. Good point, and something I didn't think about. So, that, coming from a Professional Chef. I looked over the book and read a bit, but then he snagged it and hasn't given it back, so it's apparently pretty sweet, regardless of any complaints.

I appreciate the ease of all of Bittman's books, and this one allows you to be a little more creative, step out of your norm or go-to (which, for me, is something that ends up tasting vaguely Spanish). I also appreciated the 'what the hell to do with holiday leftovers' section, hehe. The photos, of course, are great, beautiful, clean, basically food porn, what I want to see in my cookbooks.

OH. The cocktail section? That was pretty cool too.

(*this book was received free via bloggingforbooks.com)

Cough/Cool

2015-10-10T10:52:00.001-04:00

My week has been punctuated by violent, wracking coughs. It's interrupted my ability to work, my ability to create, and my ability to be present, especially for my children.

My oldest one is worried about me. He looks at me with concern, runs into the room when he hears a coughing fit, asks me 'Momma, are you alright?'

I look into big brown eyes and furrowed brow, sadness and worry evident. I remember waking up almost nightly since I was 5, listening to coughs overtake my mother, her hacking up phlegm and asking me for a glass of ice water. Starting the morning with a cigarette.

I used to throw away her cigarettes, break them, pour her beer down the sink, look at her with brown eyes and furrowed brow, worried and concern. 'Are you okay, Mommy?'

She said yes, she was fine. Always fine. Every time I asked her, every time I said maybe she should go to the doctor. Eventually, I stopped asking, growing used to the sound, finding my new normal. This. Second hand smoke, arguments and pain.

She died of pharyngeal cancer a few years back.

'Momma, are you alright?'

Yes honey. I'm fine. I'm alright, and I'm going to the doctor's Monday morning. I'll be fine.

I will make sure I'm fine, because you and your brother don't deserve to grow up that way.

"Outside the Scope of Our Work, Sorry!"

2015-10-07T15:36:00.000-04:00

What is work about, anyway?
I mean.. really, where do you draw the line?

I see it like this. With anything I do, anything I am, I give it my all. I try to provide the best possible 'service' I can. This can mean volunteering for my son's school field trip because they are short on chaperones, even though I have zero time, or going out of my way to make sure something is taken care of for a client, even though it's 6 PM Friday.

Because it matters to me. To be authentic, to be engaged and present in the work that I do. And the life I live.

Making money is a necessity. I need money to live, to feed my children, to keep delicious craft beer in my fridge and a roof over my head.

More important is my sense of pride, of sense of accomplishment and being the person I represent myself to be. Genuine. Authentic. Honest.

"Ama suwa, ama llulla, ama qhella"

Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace by David Lipsky: A Review

2015-10-02T16:01:00.002-04:00

...Becoming Yourself is like having an intimate conversation with David Foster Wallace and realizing how truly idiotic you are, realizing you may or may not actually think the same things as Foster Wallace. Maybe you aren't clever enough to articulate them, roll them around in your mouth and have it make sense the way it does in your head. Or maybe you are claiming his ideas as your own because he's just that good.

There's still a humanity here, a rawness. This book either serves as a great introduction to Foster Wallace and his work or is awesome for someone who has read all of Foster Wallace's work and is craving more.

Lipsky relinquishes control, lets David speak, puts the words out there and you can image the road rumbling under your feet, the smell of chewing tobacco and chaos, calm. He did the right there here, and he knows it. He knows the power of this voice because he experienced it first hand, and felt the need to share it with others. His bracketed notes and interjections give just enough insight into his head at the time. It's perfect.

If only I could be so introspective and articulate.

Lipsky's words are powerful and clear, his intro and afterwards. I enjoyed his style, his realness and rawness.

Foster Wallace is dead. This is the end, this is what we have. The tragedy of mental illness and the brilliance of a mind that obviously had not explored this world long enough... what would we get, today? This world dominated by screens, mindlessness and precious, precious success.

Read this. And someone go see the movie 'End Of The Tour' for me, because I don't know if I can handle it without an unbias review first.

Thanks.

Stifling Vaginas. Or: My Husband Should Only be Cooking at Home

2015-09-30T18:49:00.001-04:00

So everything sucks. Which is fine, but it probably should be stated.

I'm all over the place with social media these days; blog reading, Feedly topics, Blab watching, YouTube viewing and Twitter following like a crazy person.

It's work relevant, which ranges from personal injury lawyers to chicken coops and medical travel, digital marketing and social media engagement as a whole. It's life relevant, meaning family and parenting and being a bad ass mom. It's interests and passions: writing, books, tech and social interaction, current events, news, politics. Communication and online engagement, beer and food and restaurants and Chefs and more. Urbanism and city planning, my local community. Art, music, and bad TV.

Sometimes I hunt things down on Etsy and add them to my 'shit I wish someone would buy me' board on Pinterest.

Here I am, learning and engaging and devouring information, and I can't take my eyes off this screen. Screens, let's be honest, I have three fucking computer monitors and a laptop open most of the time.
Screens.

I love this knowledge at my fingertips. I love talking and sharing with the whole wide world. But behind me sits a whiny baby in his playpen after the sitter leaves and when the nap is over, before his brother comes home from school and his dad comes home from work.

I want to love my family without conditions. But I am ambitious, and driven, and I NEED to be engaged and work simply for the fact it keeps my mind sharp, helps shape my perspective and lets me learn. I NEED to be pushed to my breaking point. I like struggling to keep my head right above the water. I like having goals that force me to figure shit out, to learn something new.

I don't like "Momma, Momma. Can you put
on Naruto? Can I play video games? Where's my homework?" I don't like "Hey, so I am gonna work late today because I just found out we have a 30-top so you need to go ahead and do ALL THE THINGS." I don't like whining dogs who have to go outside NOW, as soon as I get deep into writing a blog post.

I love my family. But I do have conditions. And the 'condition' of being a female in a mostly misogynistic society gives off guilt vibes whenever I choose not to participate in the PTA or don't have time to go to your damn party or really, really don't want to have a playdate at my house, because I don't want to clean up after your kids, let alone mine.

But- this is my life. These are my children, and my husband, and my damn dog. I adore my life and them. I adore my life with them, because without this crazy, strange brood of males I would not be as strong as I am.

How does one 'Lean In' without being Sheryl Sandberg, without a private nursery and money to spare?

How do you get past this Catch-22 existence where you need more money to pay for babysitters and dog walkers and to have your husband home to raise the goats and bake the bread because that's what he really wants to do, so you have time to work more to make that money so you can have the time to work more to build a presence and make more money by building that portfolio and experiencing that you have no time to do?

Family dynamics are not the same for everyone. But fulfillment and happiness in wherever you fall in that family is essential for everyone.

Conversations and Realizations via Slack and Social Media

2015-09-29T16:49:00.001-04:00

Me: I am .. getting super involved in learning about my work. I had the recent realization that I know just as much if not more than the ppl who like to pretend they know wtf they are talking about.

Not Me: you are super knowledgeable.

Me: no no, the thing is.. this is key, okay? You have to assume you always can learn more. And then you do. And then you continue to seek out ways to make your work more interesting and engaging and you don't grow stagnant or bored. And you avoid big head syndrome or the desire for anything beyond self satisfaction from a job well done. And an okay paycheck.

Me: ..and good whiskey.

Deep Dark Fears by Fran Krause- Review

2015-09-27T20:07:00.000-04:00

This graphic novel from Ten Speed Press is cute and quirky and a fun little gift for a birthday or holiday. This is just, basically, a collection of illustrations about those weird, irrational fears we all possess. You know, those ones you never tell anyone because they are totally nonsensical and outrageous but in reality people would be like-- "oh. Me too." Each 'fear' is a few lines of text and a few panels of illustration- i.e. each page or two is one fear.

My irrational fears?

I used to be scared to be on the toilet when I flushed the toilet. I thought there was something that would come out of the toilet to take me to the netherworld, or something. So I'd wipe, stand up really fast, flush and slam the lid closed.

I also was terrified something was always under the bed so my bed was a boxspring and mattress on the floor. Thanks, Little Monsters.

And dolls--don't get me started.

I am a weirdo.

But so is everyone else. Reading this is justification on the strangeness that we all have floating around in our heads.

The drawings are gentle and offset by the actual fears, so it makes it much better than illustrations that were too graphic or sharp. This isn't something I'd necessarily seek out to purchase, but would appreciate as a fun little coffee table book to flip through.

YES on Fear #12- I've often wanted to crawl inside my husband because I just love him so much.

That sounds weird, now that I typed it and re-read what I typed..

anyway.

A few of the illustrations/panels look not totally complete yet (I think..#33 or #34?) Oh.. yes, do add doodles of ants on #11. I like doodle ants.

And --also parents are pretty fucked up! Who tells their kids these things?

Oh.. me, probably. Wonder what permanent mental damage I've done to my kiddos so far...

*(note: e-galley sent free via Netgalley)

Quiet.

2015-09-25T12:24:00.002-04:00

I like to listen. To everything. I get sidetracked with my current conversation because I hear the voices in the cafe, in the bar. Clearly. I hear the argument across the street and I wonder why the man is made at the women. I wonder if this is how they are, always. If this is how they love. It sounds loud but maybe it is nothing to them.

Then I miss my turn.

I'm not the best speaker, because I'm reluctant to open my mouth before I've had the chance to mull your words over in my mind, decide what to say, wanting to say what I really mean. I am listening, and I do understand, and you'll understand I understand once you see the words on a page.

But I might end up choking on a piece of ice when I take a sip of water once I muster courage to respond to your question.

I hear you. I am thinking about everything around me, what I see, what you say, the colors and the shifting shadows of the trees dancing on my file cabinet, the smells in the air and the bitter, salty, sweet on my tongue.

The world is endlessly, exquisitely fascinating. I am not shy. I am not ignorant. My humor can be rough, but I am sincere. You can doubt me, if you want. But I don't doubt me.

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail By Bill Bryson — A Review

2015-09-21T13:18:00.004-04:00

Memoirs are selfish. It's the nature of the book, and should be expected. The best memoirs allow your footsteps to follow those of the author, their thoughts and emotions to become your thoughts and emotions, and preserve the humanity of the story and still keep it engaging.

A Walk in the Woods is pretty close to accomplishing this for me. At turns an adventure story, pseudo guidebook to the Appalachian Trail, and a friendship narrative, Bryson's trademark humorous and self-deprecating style keeps the pace of the book moving.

Hikers are an interesting bunch, and I think everyone has their own reasons for choosing to tackle a difficult trail like the AT. I enjoyed hearing Bill's reasons, and the back and forth between him and Katz, the out of shape, old college friend who was the only one who would accompany him.

I love nature, I love walking in the woods and climbing a hill every now and then, but I'm not one to go running at 5 AM. Ever. A perspective of hiking this beautiful and monstrous trail from folks who aren't professional runners and eat an occasional (or more than occasional) Snickers was motivational for me. Maybe someday I can do something out of my comfort zone, too.

If you have read any of his other books and liked them, chances are you'll like this one too. It's not about getting there, it really is - as cliche as it sounds - about the journey.

*I received this book free from LibraryThing with movie tie-in cover via their Early Reviewers program.

Dealing with Passive Aggressiveness in an Agressively Passive Manner. Or — Winning.

2015-09-18T18:16:00.001-04:00

I will SHOOT YOU with this banana. I swear I will...

So often situations arise that are out of our control. We attend a class, and our teacher happens to be the one whose car you hit while parking on the way in the first day and they now totally have it out for you. You live in a town with two pizza places, you're high, and both places are terrible. You colleague is great as their job, but they just happen to suck as a person.

The last one seems to happen a lot. Ahem.

So, how do we deal, without creating a scene, an ongoing issue, a problem that infiltrates your daily routine? Simple. Calmly, rationally, and with an exactitude for revenge that borders on obsessive.

Make-work — They can be your boss or they can be your equal. Doesn't Matter. But there is some way, somehow, you'll be able to do your job that will make them end up with just a little more on their plate. Maybe get ambitious and write some extra articles for your editor. Maybe push sales so hard your boss won't be able to keep up with demand. They've got to do their job, right? So let's just make sure they stay busy.
Praise — Nothing irritates like politeness and praise. Complement their tie. Tell them what an excellent job they did on that report, and how you are so happy they are part of your team! Don't be snarky and obvious. Make it sincere as possible. They'll either think you are reformed and have decided you do love them, or it will make them go slowly crazy. Either way, you'll win. Reformation? Easier to drop a bomb of truth with them unsuspecting. Slowly crazy? That'll be fun to watch.
Rock Your Fucking Job — Be the best. EVER. Be so fucking awesome, do something so goddamned amazing that your boss shits himself. Nothing hurts an asshole like being overlooked for an individual they consider inferior. Let them stew in that for awhile.
One-ups-manship — They landed that sale? You landed a bigger account. They had a good idea? You executed that idea and brought more to the table. Again, you, the slimy little, uneducated underling doing anything better than them will be enough to incite a migraine.
Remind Yourself — ...everyone hates them. Really, they have no friends. People tolerate them, at best. They are married because they found the one person in the world who is also horrible. The only thing they have is their over-inflated ego and sense of self-righteousness. Their children will grow up resentful and with memories that lead to counseling. Their funeral will not be well-attended. You probably shouldn't even worry about them, because it's obvious they will seal their own fate with their piss poor personality.

Go have a shot of good whiskey and enjoy the weekend.

<3

Out On The Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Abel — A Review

2015-09-14T16:36:00.001-04:00

I am a Podcast junkie. I am a comic book fiend. This book just happened to combine two of my favoritest things into one sweet little book that ALSO happens to assist with an upcoming work project.

Heck. Yes.

Jessica Abel is a gifted artist with a real passion for radio. She is able to clearly, concisely, give a visual sense to something completely lacking in the visual medium (besides what you picture in your head).

Step by step, story by story, she follows some of the most popular Podcasts these days from ideas to final edits. It highlights like long and arduous journey of making your half hour or hour long or what have you show a reality. Along the way she delves into the personal stories from producers, writers and more from the likes of The Moth, RadioLab, Snap Judgement, Planet Money and This American Life.

Every format is different, the focus is different, the voices and stories aren't the same, but what is similar is the love that these folks put into the process, put into their chosen medium to share the stories they think are worth sharing.

It's obvious Jessica loves Podcasts too. It's done from the heart, and that makes it engaging.

And, my god, it introduced me to the concept of 'The German Forest' via Radiolab. I could just relay what it means, but you all should probably just listen to this and go- "Oh! Oh I know that!" https://soundcloud.com/thirdcoast/special-feature-jad-abumrad-at

The creative process. Sweat. Hurt. Complexity. Transcendence. Fucking beautiful.

If you love Podcasts, if you like comics, if you appreciate creativity and damn good stories, read this.

*this book was received for free via Bloggingforbooks.com

The Shadow of Seth by Tom Llewellyn — A Review

2015-09-14T09:36:00.002-04:00

Seth Anomundy is sixteen, and you find out right away his life hasn't been easy. It's him and his mom, living above a boxing gym in a small apartment. He loves his mom, but is easily frustrated with her carefree ways in what doesn't seem a carefree situation. She was young when she had him and continues to be young. She loves her son, but can't quite be that suburban mom next door. The pull of drugs and drink is often too strong.

She goes out to work one evening, cleaning businesses in the area, and never returns alive. All signs point to murder. It seems the cops don't care, no one really cares, so Seth feels it's up to him to figure out what happened to his mother, and why.

I appreciate this as a YA novel. The underlying premise is honest and Seth and his neighborhood friends and caregivers have an aura of authenticity. Despite the premise of this book being a murder mystery, I felt deeply the connection between Seth and his mother. It reminded me of my own childhood, the anger and love you feel towards a parent who isn't what you think parents should be. Growing up too fast, and others not understanding how your early life has shaped your perspective.

Azura, Seth's love interest, was vague, a bit too blind, and her actions silly and not at all the way a rational person should act. I feel like she wasn't as well defined because the author himself couldn't speak to her manner of life except as an outsider, so her character was written as someone looking at her through a lens of a different sort of situation. She was almost a caricature, not a character.

While the mystery was gripping at certain parts, and led me to turn the page on occasion, it fell a little flat at the end. What I found more engaging was Seth and his neighborhood, Ms. Eye and Choo-Choo, the world that was built. I hope that if there are other novels in this series, they build on Seth and his world even more.

*This book was received as a free ARC via Shelf-Awareness from Poisoned Pen Press.

#hanginwithDave

2015-09-10T18:32:00.002-04:00

Oh man, letting myself down already, ha.

I have good excuses, but I'm not going to use excuses. I'm gonna write a little bit today, and finish a book tomorrow.

TMI: It's sitting in my bathroom, and I've been feeling crappy for the last week. Maybe kind of literally, so I'm getting through it pretty quick here.

So many good opportunities coming down the pipe lately, it's a wonderful thing but I'm at pretty much my breaking point, even with meds. Where do I stop in order to stay sane? If I stop, I can't pay my bills or my babysitter (I've got one and she's AWESOME!) that helps me stay sane, because I need money to pay bills so I take on too much work that's making me insane and uh..

This is a rabbit hole of doom.

Luckily, I get fun little 'work' projects here and there that give me a good energy boost or allow me some relaxation time.

After a meeting for a potentially new freelance job (which went very well, yay!), I headed over to Founder Brewing Company to check out their brand new expansion (after the other expansion, after the other expansion...) with my sassy MittenBrew.com crew. Great times, good beer, food and good people.

Check us out, hanging w/ Dave. (#hanginwithDave is gonna be a thing now. Totally a thing.)

It's not so much my focus, I think. I can focus, but I just have too many tasks I'm being told (or choosing to) focus on. So back to square one, scattered and scared I'm going to let something slip.

I'm getting a grip, now that school is starting, I think. Gotta keep on keeping on, and get my damn dryer fixed, because line-drying clothes is SUCH a pain in the ass.

Cheers.