The Wanderlust Librarian | Couch Surfing After a Big Meal

It's Thanksgiving Day and there is no better way to rest off all of that delicious food by settling down into your favorite chair and reading a good book. I've already traveled to my holiday destination, so it's time for me to engage 2nd favorite post-meal activity : reading and (possibly) sleeping while reading.

There are places that, in theory, would be amazing to go to but due to various limitations (money, time or physical prowess), are better to visit in a book. I have a handful of favorite "Dangerous Reads" that fill my need for adventure without leaving the safety of my couch.

Into Thin Air by John Krakauer chronicles the author's quest to climb Mount Everest. This book isn't without some deaths, danger and amazing peril. While reading, I continued to look at the pictures of the of the camp and other team members to remind myself of who I was reading about or what the terrain was like.  To be honest, I felt quite guilty reading this under some warm covers with hot cocoa nearby.

Relax on your comfortable chair and read a book about a woman who travels to discover her true self. I'm proud to say that I read Eat, Pray, Love before it had been Oprah Suggested. The cover in the bookstore intrigued me. I don't see many mainstream books that refer to Indonesia.  Am I interested in doing this? Yes yes and YES! Do I have the money or the time right now? No. No.. and *cry* no. I've been only to Bali (Gilbert's last stop in the book) and it is everything she describes it to be.  

Fun Fact: My dad's niece plays the main Balinese woman (Nyomo) in the movie version with Julia Roberts!

Even though I enjoy traveling, I am always thankful to be home with my family. There is no better place to be after having exciting adventures. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving, loyal readers! 

Adventure is out there...but there's no place like home!

Book Bucket List | Gone Girl

On my own Book Bucket List, I do have quite a few classics and well known books.  However, it also has a TON of new books on it too.  One of the hottest books right now is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.  I have seen this book everywhere. (Though working at a library, this should probably be expected with hot new books.)  When a friend of mine started raving about it, I finally decided to pay attention to all of the hype.

Gillian Flynn is known for being one of the best suspense writers around, and Gone Girl is said to be one of her best books.  When Nick and Amy Dunne are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy suddenly goes missing and Nick is a suspect in her disappearance.  This is not your typical "wife goes missing and it's the husband" story.  Flynn's storytelling is very sharp, leaving the reader eager to move on to find out what happens next after each chapter ends.  She also shows deep psychological acumen, which really give a lot of realism and depth to her characters.  There are so many twists and turns, it was hard to put down.  The second half of the book really turned away from "the husband did it" theme and really puts Gone Girl into a class of it's own.

I generally don't read a lot of suspense and thrillers, but after being on my list for quite some time, I finally decided to read it.  I am so glad that I finally picked it up!  I will probably now go on to check out Flynns other novels Sharp Objects and Dark Places, which have both won awards and made best sellers lists.

Learning | Grateful for Word Nerds

I mentioned in a previous post that I love reading dictionaries.  It should come as no surprise that I consider myself a word nerd.  My best  friend, Roberta, recently reminded me of the time she gave me some lotion from the Dead Sea.   "The packaging was written in a galoompty different languages, and you mentioned that that was as much fun as the lotion."   

Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies

Of course, my best friend is also a word nerd. She made up the word "galoompty" while she was dreaming.  In her dream, she needed a term for an impossibly big number -- and her subconscious rewarded her with "tri-galoompty oompty." 

There's a customer named Marian, who knows I like big words -- we talk about interesting words in book titles.  Recently, she kindly brought me a printout of an email about a cool word: paraprosdokian. Paraprosdokians are figures of speech which have a surprise at the end.  For example, "I used to be indecisive; now I'm not so sure."  I understand the term comes from Greek terms for "against" and "expectation."

The Meaning of Everything

This holiday season, I'm thankful for books about words, like Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies: a Lighthearted Look at How Foods Got Their Names (I love the examples of foods named by mistake) and The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary. 

True word nerds know that the Oxford English Dictionary, or OED, is the definitive source on words in the English language.  There's a copy of the OED in the reference section of Cesar Chavez Central Library. (Sorry, word nerds, but we need to use it in the library. Since it is 20 volumes long, that may be a good thing--can you imagine trying to schlep that thing home, or fit it in the book drop?)

 

4 Kids | Turkey, Stuffing, Pie..& BOOKS!

So after the turkey has been carved and eaten, the pies have been sliced and smothered in whipped cream, and of course, after all the dishes have been washed, what in the world is there to do?

Well, let's see....

Hmmm....

I know! READ A BOOK! Pull everyone together (young and old) and share one of these great picture books. I promise it will be a wonderful end to your Thanksgiving Day!

This first book made me laugh out loud: The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman. After the narrator swaps his Dad for two goldfish, he and his little sister embark on quite an adventure to try and straighten things out. Please note, however: do not try this at home. Do not try to swap your Dad for goldfish. It's just not a good idea. 

This next book is a bunch of very funny, twisted fairy tales: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. In this book you'll find such titles as "Really Ugly Duckling," "Little Red Running Shorts," and one of my personal favorites, "The Princess and the Bowling Ball." This is another laugh-out-loud book. And if you like it as much as I think you will, look for other funny books by this author, such as The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.

Last but not least: E-Mergency! by Tom Lichtenheld and Ezra Fields-Meyer. This is the story of what happens when the most important letter in the alphabet gets a big owie. What's the most important letter in the alphabet, you ask? Let me give you a hint with this sentence from the book: "How aro you guys doing without your friond?" Do you know what letter is missing? And don't forget to check out the great illustrations. I think we'll all learn to appreciate this letter a whole lot more!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody....and Happy Reading!

Life & Style | Save My Skin

The lines on my forehead resemble the map of metro system in Paris.

I am skimming through this book "Secrets for ageless skin" by Dr. Adrienne Denese trying to unearth the secrets of skin youth in an afternoon. 


Steps to take before going to bed according to Dr. Denese:

Use a Cleanser with AHA (Alpha- Hydroxy Acid) or BHA (Beta- Hydroxy Acid) to clean your skin. (Simply washing your face with soap and water only works if you are in your early 20s)

Use a good Toner. Toner is the second step in cleansing the skin. Put a small amount on a cotton ball and wipe your face.

Exfoliate every night with 8%-10% Glycolic Acid Pads. The top layers of the skin is made of the dead cells, by exfoliating, you allow skin care products to work.

Use water soluble serums to feed your skin and to stimulate Collagen production. Collagen is responsible for skin elasticity. Use serums that contain Carnosine, Resveratrol, Copper, Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex. Water soluble serums fight the appearance of lines and wrinkles. (Water should be listed as the first ingredient).

Use lipid based serums such as Retinol,  Vitamin E , Omega3, or Linoleic Acid to build your skin Lipid barrier and and also to deliver Lipid based ingredients to your skin for Collagen production. 

Use a moisturizer with Ceramids to moisturize and to seal your skin.


During the day, she only recommends using a Lipid based Serum as a base and a day cream with SPF30 as a top coat.

Here are some dietary guidelines that she suggests for healthier skin.

• Start your morning with protein not carbohydrates. The goal is not to wake up the Insulin response.
• Try to stay on a low carb diet during the day.
• Stay away from coffee and tea. Choose decaf or herbal tea.
• Eat food with low Glycemic index such as Citrus fruits and leafy greens.
• Take your vitamin supplements at lunch time with a full meal.
• Eat more nuts and seeds.
• Avoid carbohydrates 3 hours before going to sleep.

To be honest, I don't know if am disciplined enough to do all of these steps.

But at least I know a bit more about skin care than before.

These are some library books on this topic:

Feed your face : younger, smoother skin and a beautiful body in 28 delicious days 

Heal your skin : the breakthrough plan for renewal 
   
Forever young


Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

Teens Only | Top 10 List of Things To Do

In anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday -- and days off from school -- I thought I would find 10 things to DO. 10 things that are good for you (and the first one is also good for the community!). So here we go!

1. Join runners and walkers and help out the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton by being part of the Run & Walk Against Hunger on Thanksgiving morning, November 22, 2012.  I did it last year (I walked, just to be clear) and will be out again this year. Takes away the guilt from eating 4 pieces of my sister's great pecan pie later in the day!

2. Catch a Stockton Thunder game! Click here for a schedule of games at the awesome Stockton Arena.

3.Visit Stockton's Haggin Museum. There's so much to see there, including the current exhibit Charreria: The Artisanship of Mexican Equestrian Culture. 

4. Catch a movie! San Joaquin County has some great movie theaters, and there are lots of new movies to choose from. To find a theater near you, click here.

5. If you're not too stuffed after your Thanksgiving dinner, check out Dell'Osso Family Farm Holidays On The Farm. It opens Friday, November 23rd. Fun guaranteed!

6. Listen to a book on CD! This is especially helpful advice if you're going to be in the family car for a long trip over the holidays. Want a suggestion? Ok. How about a wicked mash-up of fairy tale and Terminator, set in a Star Wars kind of world? Listen to Cinder by Marissa Meyer. 

7. Try a little ice skating! Yes, I said ice skating. The Oak Park Ice Arena in Stockton has lots of public sessions...and you can rent skates there too! It's fun AND it's great exercise!

8. Alright, c'mon. I'm a librarian. I've GOT to include some books on this list of things to do. I asked my friend Christine and she suggests Divergent by Veronica Roth. It's the story of 16-year-old Beatrice Prior who lives in a future Chicago where she must choose between five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life. This decision is only made more difficult when Beatrice discovers she is an anomaly who doesn't fit in to any one group...and that the society she lives in isn't perfect after all! this sounds pretty good....so I'm going to read it. 

9. I can't help it. I have to recommend another book. This time it's a classic: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. My friend Suzanne suggested this one, and I can't agree with her more. Young Scout Finch, the narrator of the story, relates the impact of a trial on her small Alabama town -- a trial of a black man accused of rape who is defended by Scout's father. If you've never read it, read it NOW! It's so good. And it really makes you think. 

10. This one's really easy and it doesn't cost a cent. Just find a quiet moment and think of a few things, or people, that you are truly thankful for. That's what Thanksgiving is all about, after all.

And speaking of which, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Books On Film | Holes

In 2003, Walt Disney Pictures adapted Louis Sachar's book Holes into a film starring a young Shia LeBeouf (Transformers, Indiana Jones). The story follows a boy named Stanley Yelnats IV (LeBeouf) who is sent to Camp Green Lake, a correctional camp for youngsters, after being falsely accused of a crime.

At camp, Stanley and his fellow camp mates spend days on end digging holes in the desert at the behest of the camp warden. It's supposedly to "build character," but does the warden have hidden reasons? And what does it have to do with the Legend of "Kissin' Kate Barlow?"

If you like Roald Dahl's books, like Mathilda and James and the Giant Peach, or Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events then you may like this book and movie, too. It has a similar theme of following an adolescent character through some harrowing, fantastic adventures. 

And don't miss out on one of the best things about Holes, it's soundtrack! The title song, "Dig It," is sung by the cast of the movie.

You may also like these two popular children's series by Louis Sachar:

Marvin Redpost

Wayside School

[Covers courtesy of Library Thing]

[Bibliography Source: LouisSachar.com]
[Film Information: imdb.com - Holes (2003)]