Archive for June, 2010
Add this one to the pile of classics that weren’t for me. This was another one in my banned or challenged list. While the story was ok, I never found a point to it. It seemed to lack a plot or something. It was an easy read, but I was extremely glad when it was over!
Columbus to Catherwood 1494
Water for Elephants is an interesting text because it is not especially well written, the story is pure soap opera, and yet it is an enjoyable read that at times evokes a long gone era. I think it suffers from overly effusive praise and so many readers are bitterly disappointed once they get through it.
First, let’s look at the strengths of the novel. I enjoyed the evocations of circus and train life. Gruen clearly spent some time working on these descriptions of circus life and there are little Depression era details that were nice historical jewels for the reader to mine. Also effective was her characterization of old Jacob. His voice was witty and biting and he provided the most pleasure of any character in the text. Chapter nineteen of the novel is the saddest depiction of rest home life I have read in literature. A man is forgotten by his family, and the scene is heartbreaking.
Now to examine the reasons why this book is unsatisfying. First off the characters from the 1930s parts of the novel are some of the weakest characterizations I have seen in a book in a long time. They are stock characters at best, and the villains are the mustache twirling men from melodrama. It is hard to care about any of the characters because they are so transparently fake. Even more distracting then the weak characterization is the incredibly insipid (and modern sounding) dialogue Gruen puts in their mouths. She has such nice historical details in the setting of the text, why couldn’t she also use it in the dialogue?
Many readers have found the ending unsatisfying, and although it is ridiculous, it fits the novel so I won’t argue with it. The cloying depiction of animals is also a little beyond the pale, but again, I simply had to come to terms with the novel for what it is. It is popular fiction. It is a melodrama you will get caught up in. And for those purposes it is adequate. Don’t go into it expecting more than what it is capable of giving and you will be satisfied.
I purchased this carpet cleaner after reviewing many similar models. My selection was made as this cleaner received many top reviews. Now that I have used this carpet cleaner, I know why there have been such excellent reviews written!! I was tired of calling professional cleaning companies and paying a top price for cleaning my carpet to just have the spots reappear in a few months. With this cleaner, which was very easy to use and not near as heavy as commercial cleaners, the carpet was spotless after the first use. The “clean surge” feature allowed me to concentrate on extra dirty spots again with great results. I have two homes that have been cleaned using this carpet cleaner. I had excellent results at both homes.
Rubbermaid Slim Jim Trolley
I really like this there are so many different parts to the Dr. Brown bottles. I like how each part has a “place”. I like knowing when I am on my fourth basket for the day – it is time to make formula (I have twins). I just pop them in the dishwasher and they come out clean!
Dr Brown s Standard
Love this pedometer! Easy to set up, easy to use, and the memory function is great too. The only downside is that it is almost as large as my cell phone and when it is clipped to my waist it does catch on my purse sometimes.
Washington Redskins Lunch Plates
I’ve tried out numerous pedometers over the years, but this one is by far the most accurate and the best I have worn. I clip it on every day and it counts my steps, my aerobic steps, and my calories burned. It’s very accurate. I did a lot of research on pedometers before making this purchase, and this was the one that kept coming up as ideal. It has not let me down. The ownly downfall is how big it is. Thankfully my bosses don’t mind this attached to my pocket. Recommended!
Nerf Dart Tag Darts
I found this book in a dusty little corner of my local used bookstore (yes, they do still exist) and was intrigued by the title and premise. A few months later I have now read the entire trilogy and must say it really speaks directly to the soul, bypassing all the mental gatekeeping we humans come up with to deny ourselves direct contact with the source of our being. I’m not one of those folks who think that all religions are only in the business of building their own power by feeding gullible minds with fear and judgment — there are certainly very enlightened folks with open hearts and minds within organized religion. Yet, I’ve always been skeptical of the ones who try to tell you that their views are absolute and threaten you if you choose a different vehicle to find love and meaning in life. It’s just too obvious that anyone who tries to tell you that God is vengeful or would exclude some of us is just insecure in themselves. As Michael Franti says: “God is too big for just one nation, and God is too big for just one religion.” Yell Fire!
What tells me that Neale Donald Walsch has really tapped into the essence of God is that the books read as refreshingly and truthfully in 2009 as they must have when they first came out in the mid-90s. This phenomenon in itself is discussed in the book — the fact that God really is timeless and nameless. Too often we’re stuck in the dualistic mechanisms of our mind that tells us to divide everything — yesterday versus tomorrow, us versus them, believers vs non-believers. In that very same mindset we also like to look at “God” as a particular thing or person, something we can imagine or portray with our thoughts. And too often, religious texts create the same kind of hierarchy of spirit that we assign to our social structures on earth. For example, looking at God as “The Father” is a very common image conjured by a patriarchic mindset, as if there’s some sort of a guy sitting somewhere up there wagging his imaginary finger at
Garmin Nuvi 260W Accessory
Purchased for my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7, and works flawlessly. It requires a class 6 speed or better for video recording and I couldn’t even get this speed at Best Buy! Thanks to this product I saved about $40 bucks and now I’m sitting pretty! (And recording myself sitting pretty in HD!)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)
Personalized Buddha Baby Lavender
If your N-Strike gun runs the clip feature for ammo, be sure to grab these. The other darts don’t work very well in the clips, they jam th gun, get stuck “dripping” out of the gun, etc. These are the only ones besides the whistle darts that will work in the clips. Believe me, we’ve tried! If Santa is bringing a clip gun, be sure to grab these. I’d try at the local r-us store first or target. They’re tons cheaper than this really high price of twenty bucks. Can’t hardly believe they’re this high here. Highly recommend!
Nerf Clip System Darts
The old Microsoft Office was the best and the easy to use. Most of the changes that were made seem to have come from the people they use in the commercials about Windows 7 that come across like novices and gamers. I suggest staying with the old office until it is no longer supported.
The philosophy of humanism