February 28, 2012

Temporal Distortion from Randy Halverson


 

I found this time-lapse video of the night sky and music by Bear McCreary absolutely amazing and needed to share it!  I could watch it every day, so far I have.  I also thought I would try something a little different by posting a video.  I hope you like it! 

But because I can't help myself from talking about books... if you liked the video you might also like The Backyard Stargazer by Pat Price.  It's a beginner's guide for skywatching and has been incredibly helpful and interesting in my new stargazing hobby.

February 26, 2012

When Parents Text by Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli

This is the hilarious book from the minds of When Parents Text. If you like Damn You Auto Correct, you'll love reading this book. I liked it because you can enjoy it from cover to cover or by picking random chapters (my favorite is World Wide Web) or you can open to any page and start laughing. I laughed out loud and annoyed my brother on a car trip this weekend but I shared some of the better ones with him. Here's one of my favorites:

Dad: Eleganté, Eleganté!
Me: What the hell is that?
Dad: You know! That girl. Lady Gaga!
Me: ...ALEJANDRO.

February 17, 2012

Margot Livesey's The Flight of Gemma Hardy

The Flight of Gemma Hardy has been described as a modern retelling of Jane Eyre and is getting a lot of attention. Truth be told, I barely remember the plot of Jane Eyre but that didn't stop me from enjoying Gemma Hardy's flight.  I believe and hope that it can stand on it's own as a wonderful new classic. It would make a great book club selection as well. 

Orphaned at a young age, Gemma Hardy must leave her home in Iceland to live with her uncle in Scotland. Her aunt and 3 cousins are less than welcoming and make her new life unbearable. She believes that all she needs to escape this hell is to get accepted to a private boarding school. Her aunt is more than willing to make this come true and sends 9 year old Gemma on a working scholarship to Claypoole. As a "working girl" she didn't realize her life could get even worse and is treated poorly by the faculty and paying students, including her fellow working girls. Years later the school goes bankrupt and closes right before Gemma can properly finish her education and take her exams. She is forced to seek a job with room and board and becomes an au pair for a young girl at Blackbird Hall in The Orkneys. Blackbird Hall is owned by Mr. Sinclair, Gemma's student's wealthy uncle, who comes and goes when it suits him. Their age difference is substantial but doesn't stop them from making a familiar connection. Gemma's desire to know more about her parents' history and about where she came from causes her to make some drastic decisions. 

February 11, 2012

Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Ever since her father took her to work on Wall Street when she was a young girl, Alex Garrett knew she wanted to follow in her father's footsteps. Her first job out of college, before the financial crisis, is with an elite brokerage firm in bond sales. From day one, Alex becomes the new office bitch and is routinely sent on lunch runs for hundreds of people and is humiliated by her boss and coworkers daily. As one of the very few women at Cromwell Pierce, Alex learns there are three types of women on Wall Street and she's continually pressured to be the type no woman wants to be. If you liked Devil Wears Prada and The Nanny Diaries you'll love the glimpse into the world of high-powered Wall Streeters in Bond Girl. Although I can't say I learned a single thing about the market, I definitely enjoyed the comedy Duffy brought.