answer me this: tiny babies and sleeping in public

The Answer Me This linkup is back for the summer! Go join Kendra's linkup!

1. Any big plans for the summer?

Yes! I'm going to the Edel Gathering next month (my Christmas gift from Jack!)... which is slightly insane, considering that the amount of time I'll be in the air will be approximately equal to the amount of time I'll be in Charleston. But... still, I'm excited! Besides, traveling with an under-3-month-old baby is practically like traveling alone, just with, y'know, diapers and nursing and stuff. But it is NOT like traveling with a toddler. So that alone makes it practically heaven.


2. What is the strangest thing you believed as a child?

In my parents' home is a largish copy of a famous portrait of Jesus:

image source

When my childhood best friend Stacy and I were in 3rd grade or so, we convinced ourselves that if we stared at this painting long enough, it would move. And then, being 8-year-old girls, we would run shrieking and giggling out of the room and hide in the closet. And then come back two minutes later to do it again.


3. What is your favorite amusement park ride? (can be a specific one at a specific park or just a type of ride)

I'm totally a roller coaster person. And being from Ohio, we went to Cedar Point every summer of my growing-up years, so I've been on a lot of roller coasters. And I can say with confidence that the Magnum is my thing. It may not be the fanciest or flashiest coaster anymore-- though when it was built it was the tallest in the world-- but it's just plain fun. (Click the link for a POV video!)


4. What's on your summer reading list?

I've got three books that I'm in the midst of reading currently:
- Kristin Lavransdatter-- I'm about 1/3 of the way through. LOVE.
- On Food and Cooking-- a nonfiction book on why and how different foods are cooked the way they are... not so much from a historical/cultural standpoint, but more from a literal, chemical standpoint. Like, you can't just replace cream in a recipe with milk to make it lower-calorie, because the protein composition is different and it won't cook the same way. d I'm also intermittently reading On Food and Cooking. Also on my started-but-not-yet-finished list is The Paris Wife.
- The Paris Wife-- a historical novel about Ernest Hemingway's wife, recommended to me by my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. Pretty good so far.


5. Have you ever fallen asleep in public?

Sure. Let me count the ways:
- in college lecture halls (yep) 
- on the train 
- on airplanes 
- at work in the hospital (not just in my call room, but like... at the nurses' station and in the ER) 
I'm sure there are others, but I'm too sleep-deprived to think of them right now.


6. What is your favorite smell?

Newborn baby head. The amazingness of this smell is scientifically proven.

what we're reading wednesday: unwind (& sequels)

I recently finished a young-adult sci-fi (or dystopian maybe?) series that I've been working on for a couple years-- only just finished because the final book only just came out. There are 4 novels and a companion novella by Neal Shusterman-- Unwind, UnWholly, UnSouled, and UnDivided (and the novella is UnStrung).

I can't decide what I think of this series. It was very good, but I can't say that I loved it, because it was so disturbing. But I think I would recommend it BECAUSE it was so disturbing-- it was supposed to be.

The premise is as follows: sometime in the not-too-distant future (but several decades prior to the start of the series), the U.S. was ripped apart by a civil war fought over the issue of abortion. Part of the treaty included the Unwind Accord-- a law which made abortion illegal, but allowed parents to choose to "unwind" their teenage offspring. "Unwinding" means that all the teen's organs are harvested and distributed to those who medically need them (which technology had recently made possible), with the justification that since all parts of the body remain alive, the unwound person has not actually been killed, but is simply now living in a "divided state."

This seems so horrifying as to be implausible, but of course objectively it's no more horrifying than the millions of unborn babies who've been killed by abortion. It just feels more horrifying because we're used to abortion... just like society in the novels is used to unwinding. The great thing about the books is that this parallel is never explicitly made, so it never feels preachy. There's one brief scene in the first book where several teenagers scheduled to be unwound have a discussion about abortion and at what point a fetus is a person... but the author never inserts his opinion on abortion, which I think makes the parallel much more powerful. (I don't actually even know the author's stance, though if I had to guess, I'd guess he's pro-life.)

The storyline follows three main characters (all teenagers scheduled for unwinding, but for different reasons) with perspective shifting among them with each chapter. A fourth main character is introduced in book two, and there are several more minor characters who get their own perspective-chapters to a greater or lesser degree.

Cautions/FYIs: A lot of horrible things happen in the books, but none of it is particularly graphic-- it's more horrible concepts. Premarital sex between two of the main characters (and several minor characters) is mentioned but not depicted. There are some allusions to "mercy killing" without clear judgments made. I'm pretty sure there's some bad language, but I honestly don't remember.

I wouldn't recommend it to younger teens unless they're very mature, just due to the horrible-ness of the premise, but most high-schoolers would be able to handle it. Well, I mean, as fine as can be expected... I lay awake thinking horrified thoughts about these books, but that's kind of the point. It's less graphic than the Hunger Games, but much closer to home. But (spoiler, I guess) the end of the series is uplifting/hopeful, so that helps.

Looks like I can't link up to Housewifespice until next week... I've been a bit out of the loop lately!

what we're reading wednesday: quiet

Back from California and my impromptu blogging hiatus! I got a lot of reading done on the trip, some from my 2014 Reading Goal list, and some added on just for fun. (A girl can't be expected to stick to ONLY the books on a reading list, can she?!) This means that I'm actually several weeks ahead of myself for these WWRW posts... so let's start with a book I actually finished before I left.

That book was Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I liked this book a lot, but didn't LOVE it. I thought the subject matter was really interesting-- why some people are introverted, what that actually means, the implications of introversion in a society that values extroversion (and coping mechanisms for how to function in said society!), and the strengths that introverts offer. As an introvert myself, I liked getting a new perspective on the topic. I found some parts kind of empowering-- it made me realize there's nothing wrong with me for wanting to eat lunch at work by myself-- in fact, it's necessary so I can "recharge" for the afternoon. It doesn't make me an antisocial freak, and it doesn't mean that I don't like my coworkers. I just need some space to breathe and regroup.

I didn't LOVE the book because I thought it got a little dry at times. It reminded me of a Malcolm Gladwell book in a lot of ways, but somehow didn't have the same fast-paced feel that made me want to read "just one more chapter!" Nevertheless, I enjoyed it a good deal, learned a lot, and would unhesitatingly recommend it if the topic interests you.

I'll be linking up over at Housewifespice once the post is up (if Jessica's hosting this week-- she's a little busy, if you hadn't heard).

what we're reading wednesday: don't you forget about me

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a lovely blogger/author (Erin McCole Cupp) spreading the word about her new book, Don't You Forget About Me, which she described as a "Theology of the Body Murder Mystery." Naturally I was intrigued. I checked it out on Amazon, read the preview, and immediately bought the Kindle edition. And then read it in, um, two days.

The story starts with the main character, Cate, a successful-but-still-a-little-insecure author, about to head back to her hometown for the funeral of her old principal-- a place where her growing-up years were, shall we say, difficult. But the visit home, which starts out only as awkward as expected, takes a turn for the worse when strange things start happening, including a mysterious death. Cate and her grade-school crush, Gene (now an OB/GYN) find themselves investigating and getting drawn in deeper than might be good for them. What is the Curse of '87? How did Sister Thomas Marie really die?

This book was great because it worked on two levels. The "murder mystery" part can stand on its own as an exciting story with intrigue and unexpected twists. The characters are interesting and easy to identify with. But there are also interesting "theology of the body" questions brought up-- what happens to women (not just physically, but emotionally) who are put on contraceptives, even when it's for totally licit, non-contraceptive purposes? And why are such treatments so prevalent, even when there might be better options out there? The questions aren't answered in a trite way-- they aren't even really answered at all, but I think that's a good thing (especially for a novel). It's sometimes enough to just ask the questions. The great thing was that the "theology of the body" bits were woven into the story so that they didn't really seem at all unnatural or tacked-on.

Have I piqued your interest yet? Read some more reviews here, then go read the book! Plus-- guess what! There's a promotion running on the Kindle version through June 12... call me crazy, but I just clicked on the link and it looks like it's free (as in ZERO DOLLARS) for the moment!

Forgot to add this link at first... See what others are reading over at Housewifespice.

answer me this: awkward bookish introvert edition

1. Do you have a land line?

No. I'm thinking as the girls get older though, we might get one of those land-line-that-hooks-up-to-your-internet things, both for emergencies and for the kids to use. They're less expensive than standard land lines, generally.

2. What is your least favorite food?

I honestly can't think of any food that I absolutely detest and Will Not Eat. I'm not a big fan of beans all on their own, I guess, though I don't mind them in soups and things.

3. What's on your summer reading list?

I'm finishing up Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, and Style, Sex, & Substance, then next on my list are Simplicity Parenting and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. My more long-term reading projects are On Food and Cooking and A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms. Oh, and the Catechism. (I'm doing that read-the-Catechism-in-a-year thing.)

My bedside table a few months ago. Several of the books are now gone, but they've been replaced by others. The height of the pile has only increased. Do you think I have a problem??

4. Is there something that people consistently ask for your advice on? What is it?

Well, yes. People ask my advice about medical stuff, particularly regarding their kids. (Not just at work, but obviously there especially.)

5. What's the most physically demanding thing you've ever done?

Aside from giving birth? Working in the PICU during residency. 28-hour shifts, no sleep, nonstop work, stressful environment. Just crazy.

Only tangentially related, but oh-so-true.

6. How do you feel about massages?

Well, I like them in theory. And I definitely like them from my husband. But I feel like getting a professional massage would just be AWKWARD. Am I supposed to talk? Or just lie there in silence? If I am supposed to talk, what would I talk about? Or would it be super-weird to talk and I should just shut up? I'm an INTJ, you guys. Even thinking about small talk stresses me out. I chopped off all my hair yesterday (pics to come!), and I was more nervous about chatting with the stylist than I was about chopping my hair! I think (going back to the massage) I would have too much trouble relaxing, which would kind of defeat the whole purpose.

Click back over to CatholicAllYear for more folks' answers!

what we're reading wednesday: the no. 1 ladies' detective agency

I just finished The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story centers around Precious Ramotswe, a take-charge woman in Botswana who decides to open a detective agency and become a private investigator. She has no experience, but she has confidence that her determination, sharp mind, and insight into human nature will see her through-- and so they do!

The book is written in a unique, rather charming style which is reminiscent of verbal storytelling. There are tangents that veer off the narrative path, parenthetical explanations, and commentary like "for as everyone knows..." or "of course, there is only one thing that could..."

I highly recommend it, if you haven't read it! It's not a young adult novel, but I think older teenagers would enjoy it. There are, as a warning, a few references to marital infidelity and violence (including murder), and one rape scene which, while not explicit at all, is pretty obvious as to what is going on. But they're minor parts of the book-- most of the it is focused on Mma Ramotswe's cleverness. (Mma and Rra are the female and male honorifics in Setswana, respectively.) I'm definitely planning on reading more in the series!

Linking up at Housewifespice! (Or I will, once the linkup exists.)

the sotg margarita

Since almost no one reads this blog, and CERTAINLY NO PLAGIARISTS, I feel pretty safe in posting my submission for the SOTG drink-inventing competition. ;o)


The SOTG Margarita
In honor of Texas, Mexican restaurants, and the color scheme of the book cover.

(I bet you didn't even notice these pictures aren't identical.)

Ingredients:
margarita salt (or kosher salt, or flaky sea salt)
zest from 1/2 an orange
1 oz gold tequila
1 oz Hpnotiq OR blue curaçao (I am 100% certain that blue curaçao would make it more authentic, margarita-wise, but the Navy Exchange didn't carry it, and it's the biggest liquor store on the island. So mine is made with Hpnotiq, which was the only blue liqueur they had. Sad. It still tasted good, though.)
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
orange wedge, for garnish

Directions:
Combine the orange zest with the margarita salt, and spread out on a plate. Rub the rim of a margarita glass with an orange wedge, then dip in the zest/salt mixture to coat the rim. Combine the tequila, Hpnotiq/curaçao, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake until blended. Place a few ice cubes in the prepared margarita glass, then strain the drink into the glass. Add orange wedge and enjoy!

what we're reading wednesday: the giver

Can you believe I never read The Giver by Lois Lowry before now? I have a weakness for "young adult future dystopian" novels, and this one was, as far as I can tell, basically the first book of that genre.

It starts off following Jonas, the main character, who lives in a seemingly ideal community where everything is organized, everyone follows the rules, and all citizens are useful, content, and cared-for. Jonas is about to undergo the Ceremony of Twelve, when all twelve-year-olds in the community are assigned their future careers by the Elders-- who carefully take each youth's personality and ambitions into account, so that everyone gets exactly the right job. Jonas is selected for a job of special honor-- he is to be the next Receiver of Memories.

It is as he starts to receive Memories from the previous Receiver-- now the Giver of Memories-- that Jonas realizes his community may not be as ideal as he once thought.

I really enjoyed this book. Obviously it's won awards and become something of a modern classic, so you don't need me to tell you it's well-written and thought-provoking and troubling (in the best sense). If you haven't read it and are wondering whether it's appropriate for your child, be aware that it does address mature ideas, including euthanasia, death/war, and (quite subtly) sexual attraction. But I think it does so very appropriately, bringing to light the horror of the circumstances that should be horrifying, but not gratuitously.

Linking up with Jessica at Housewifespice! (Next on the list-- Something Other Than God, which FINALLY CAME IN THE MAIL!! I'm already 1/3 of the way through... after owning it for approximately 16 hours, a large proportion of which was taken up by annoying things like cooking dinner for my family, my workout group, and sleeping. I told my husband he could read it after I'm done, which will probably be when he gets home from work today.)

seven quick takes friday - ed. 19

1. Spotted a link to this personality profile testing site on a friend's Facebook page. It's less of a comprehensive Myers-Briggs-type personality test, and more of a "what-makes-you-tick-at-work-or-school" test. It's pretty fun though. Here was my result:

Don't make my mistake and go to www.talenttoday.com, which is apparently for wannabe actors. I was very confused for a few minutes.

2. Jack has a "talent" for making up ridiculous songs that he sings to the girls. Sometimes Faith joins in. (Feel free to "awwww.")

3. This is disgusting but also really cool. See what happens when a bloated dead whale gets poked with a stick. Not for the squeamish, obviously.

4. I'm longing to join in the Something Other Than God release party activities, but... Amazon only shipped my pre-ordered copy TODAY. And we live on GUAM, so it's going to take EIGHT DAYS to get here.  WTF, AMAZON?!!????? *insert angry face here* 

If you also want to buy the book and be frustrated by Amazon, click here.

5. I'm a couple days behind, but I just got around to watching this video. Have you seen it yet? This Might Just Be The Best Defense Of Catholicism Since Aquinas. It's worth the 12 minutes. Obviously you don't need to homeschool (or have a lot of kids, for that matter) to be a faithful Catholic, but it kind of emphasizes the joyful counterculturalism of it.

6. Here, read this and laugh:

7. Sometimes I forget how beautiful this island is. Here's an un-edited photo I snapped at the beach last week:

My deepest apologies to those living in the northern half of the US.

But to make you feel better, head over to Conversion Diary for more quick takes!

what we're reading wednesday: miracles

I recently finished Miracles by C.S. Lewis and it was, of course, wonderful. It was a bit denser than some of his other books, with points and arguments that make you read slowly so you can really think about them. (Not like, "What was he saying? Let me go back because I didn't understand," but more like, "Wow, I never thought of that... it makes so many things make sense that now I want to stop and think about everything in this new light.") 

He starts off first by defining miracles, and what each "side" (those who believe in them and those who don't) really means, and the worldviews behind those beliefs. Then he systematically addresses the logical and philosophical errors-- mainly the errors of those who don't believe (since he obviously does), but sometimes the errors of those who do. He ends by discussing the miracles of Christ and how they relate to the "old creation" and the "new creation."

When I describe it like that-- "systematically addressing logical errors"-- it sounds as if it will be dry and boring. But Lewis is always so clear and conversational that it's less like reading a philosophical treatise, and more like having an interesting discussion with a wise friend. I highly recommend it!

Linking up with Jessica at Housewifespice!

(I swear I published this on Wednesday, but Blogger is strange sometimes.)

what we're reading wednesday: the maze runner

The Maze Runner by James Dashner was an interesting variation on the "future dystopian teen novel" theme, starting from scratch with the main character in a brand new environment with no memory of his past. He and the reader have to learn everything together. The plot was fast-paced and interesting enough to make me want to keep reading.

The biggest negative for me was that I just didn't feel much connection to the characters. I feel like I barely know what kind of person the main character is, except that (based on his actions) he's pretty brave and willing to risk his life for others. That's basically it. I don't have a clear idea of whether he's friendly or shy, kind or gruff, patient or impatient, clever or not. Supposedly (the book tells me) he's extremely smart, though I didn't see much evidence of it. There were lines like "Thomas didn't know what he meant by Banishment, but it sounded bad," and I'd want to yell at the book, "They just said a few pages ago that being Banished means you're left outside the walls at night, dummy!!"

A related complaint: I've rarely read a book that describes so many emotions while making me feel so few. It was full of lines like these: "Thomas felt a sudden surge of rage." "Thomas was happy with the conversation." Thomas couldn't help feeling a shot of pure elation at the thought." "Thomas was overwhelmed with sadness." To quote my 7th grade English teacher-- show it, don't tell it!

One last gripe: the narration was written in a strange style. On the one hand it was full of teenage-boy-isms (which I assume was deliberate) like "Dinner was awesome" and "Thomas was pumped"-- meant, I suspect, to reflect what Thomas would have said, since it was a third-person subjective narration. But at the same time, it never felt like we were really inside Thomas' head (see above complaints) so it came across as just feeling like... just immature writing, like a high schooler's short story. At least that's how I felt when reading it.

All of these complaints make it sound as if I didn't enjoy the book. I did-- I read it over the course of less than 3 days, after all! But it's a book that I wanted to keep reading because I was curious about what was going on, not so much because I cared what happened to the characters. 

If you like young adult dystopian novels, you'll enjoy it. But it probably won't become one of your all-time favorites or blow your mind or change your life. (But what am I saying-- if you like young adult dystopian novels, you've probably already read it. I guess I'm kind of late to the game on this one.) I'll probably get around to reading the sequels, but I'm not in a rush to do so.

Linking up with Jessica at Housewifespice. 

what we're reading wednesday: the tipping point

I recently finished reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. (I had actually read Blink, which he wrote later, last year. See my review/summary here, about halfway down.) Where Blink was all about how we make snap decisions, The Tipping Point was about how social "epidemics" happen. What makes a brand or a restaurant suddenly popular? What makes crime waves go up and down? Why was Paul Revere so much more successful in spreading his message than William Dawes? It's often something surprisingly small.

In this book, Malcolm Gladwell explores what those things are that can push a message or trend to the "tipping point." He explains that to truly take off, a message must follow three rules: The Law of the Few (a few key people with certain social characteristics will be the ones most important in spreading the message), The Stickiness Factor (how memorable the message itself is), and The Power of Context (our environment has an unexpectedly strong influence on our behavior).

It was altogether engrossing. Highly recommend!

Linking up with Jessica at Housewifespice!

what we're reading wednesday

Joining in for the first time in the What We're Reading Wednesday linkup with Housewifespice, in an attempt to keep my 7 Posts in 7 Days commitment!

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

This is the third book of a young adult dystopian trilogy. The book is set in a future post-apocalyptic world, three hundred years after the onset of a devastating, worldwide, electrical atmospheric phenomenon called the Aether.  When the Aether first appeared, a few thousand people were chosen to live in protected cities safe from the Aether where they spent most of their time in virtual reality, and the rest of the people remained on the outside to survive as best they could. The main characters are two teens named Aria and Perry, one from inside the pods and one from outside. 

This third book was just as enjoyable as the first two-- which is to say, a lot. The villain in the book makes you genuinely hate him, but at the same time he's an interesting character. Aria and Perry are fun to read about, and their relationship (of course they have a relationship, this is a young adult dystopian novel we're talking about) is actually believable. I'd recommend this series to older teens and up; there is some violence as well as a few sexual references.

The next book I'm working on is Mansfield Park-- I'm about 3/4 of the way through. (How obnoxious is Mary Crawford? Don't you just want to smack her?)

book list for 2014

Re-posting in order to join Haley's linkup!

Here follows, in no particular order, the books I intend to read in the coming year:

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (already started)

Miracles by C.S. Lewis (already started)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan.  Ordered this by accident via Kindle after reading a review... meant to add it to my wish list but hit "one click order" by mistake... so might as well read it!  (Hey, at least the review was good.)

Small Steps for Catholic Moms:  Your Daily Call to Think, Pray, and Act by Danielle Bean

Style, Sex, and Substance:  10 Catholic Women Consider the Things that Really Matter by Hallie Lord

The Tipping Point:  How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell.  I read another book of his, Blink, in 2013 and loved it!

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (on pre-order, comes out this month).  I'm also planning on re-reading the first two books of the trilogy before it comes out.

Something Other Than God:  How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It by Jennifer Fulwiler (on pre-order, comes out in April)

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Simplicity Parenting:  Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne

Strange Gods:  Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life by Elizabeth Scalia

The Creative Family:  How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule

Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms by Lisa M. Hendey

Behold Your Queen!  A Story of Esther by Gladys Malvern

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

To the Field of Stars:  A Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago de Compostela by Kevin A. Codd

A Hidden Magic by Vivian Vande Velde

The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

The Island of the Colorblind by Oliver Sacks

Feast!: Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year by Haley and Daniel Stewart

Pope Awesome and Other Stories by Cari Donaldson

Lady of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.  (This is a novel that was given to me as a gift and has been lingering unread on my shelves for YEARS.  Time to knock it out.)

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (I'm doing that "Read the Catechism in a Year" via email thing.  It started in December, so if you'd like to join in, there's not TOO much catching up to do!)

That's an average of about one book every two weeks (not counting the Catechism).  Think I can do it?