Month: November 2012

Book Review

Book Reviews

Danielle13 Comments

So I’ve definitely slacked off in the book review writing, but I haven’t completely slacked off in reading.  I think I’ve given up writing reviews for the rest of the year…which is what, only 5 weeks?   Holy cow, there are only 5 weeks left in the year?! (It really didn’t hit me ’til I wrote it…)

Anyway, I did want to mention that I just finished I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak.  What a great book!  I read The Book Thief last year, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  When I heard Zusak had another book, I looked it up and added it to my “to read” list.  I did it so long ago that I completely forgot what it was about.  (Actually, even when I re-read the synopsis, it didn’t ring any bells…maybe I just automatically added it because I enjoyed The Book Thief so much…?)

In preparation for my upcoming vacation, I started looking up books from my “to read” queue that I could borrow from the library on my Kindle and I Am The Messenger was available.  I downloaded it and then decided to read it now; I’m so glad I did!  Have any of you read it yet?  (I say yet because if you haven’t, be sure to read it soon!)

My goal is to read at least 4 books during the vacation, so I’ll at least break the 50 book mark for this year.

Okay, that is all for now!

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Sewing Funtime (8)
Sewing

Sewing Funtime (8)

Danielle7 Comments

I’ve had this post in draft form since the middle of August, but was waiting to publish it until I could take pictures of my other projects.  Unfortunately, my camera is broken and I’ve slacked, so I’ve only now taken pictures, so here’s just a wrap up on that…

So Kim and I decided to take the second level of sewing, which started at the beginning of July, after the holiday.  We made a seat cushion, a pillow with piping, a table runner and three curtain samples.

I’m so mad at myself with the seat cushion because I measured the material 3 times before I cut it and still cut it an inch too big…mainly because I read the ruler wrong (at least I was consistent with that, right?…right?)  And at least I know what the problem was…

One of the fabric places our instructor (the same lady, Julia) told us about turns out to be about a 10 minute walk away from my work, so I went there to get the materials I needed for the rest of the projects for the duration of the class.  But I don’t know if I would go there to buy fabrics for clothing or whatever; JoAnn’s has a much bigger selection and just seems cleaner (but the fabric store is pretty cool and good to know it’s nearby in a pinch!)

I really didn’t care for working with the cord (on tape) and the zipper presser foot we used, but maybe it was just the particular cord I got (or the material?)  Anyway, it wasn’t horrible, I just didn’t really like using it.

  

I was very pleased with my table runner.  We learned about stitch witchery, which was pretty cool and super easy to use.

  

We learned how to make 3 different styles of curtains so now I have 3 mini samples of curtains I’ll never use in a fabric pattern I would never use for curtains, but they’re cute nonetheless!

I’ve only uploaded a picture of one of the curtains since I used the same fabric.  They’re all basically the same thing, you would just use different means of hanging them up (whether you use a curtain rod or clips).

   

I haven’t taken any new classes since this second round of classes ended.  I planned to take a break since the holidays were coming up (and here they are!), not to mention that the next level is a project of our choice, so I would need a machine at home to work on it, which I don’t have…yet.

Mark got me one for my birthday (which is tomorrow!), but we had to order it online because the one I wanted was not in the store.  So I’m super excited and I’ve been looking up patterns to do.  I think I will start with a simple skirt… 🙂

Sidenote: I think my blog is becoming more than just book reviews… and I’m okay with it!

General

A Brief Political Rant

Danielle2 Comments

Please don’t let the title alarm you (too much).  Let me start by saying two things: 1. This is not bashing one party over the other. 2. I am not the most politically savvy person. (please feel free to post constructive criticism!)

What better day to post a “rant” than on the eve of the presidential election? With all the commercials, news stories, etc. going around, it’s hard not to be swept up in the brouhaha.  However, it’s easy to get very frustrated very quickly with all of this in our faces 24/7.

Last night I watched the opening segment to 60 Minutes and was completely disgusted by what I heard.  The members of the Senate are not willing to compromise.  How can the best decisions be made without compromise?  No one side is ever completely right, nor will one ever be.  The best decisions are made with all options laid out on the table, but they’re not even willing to do that.  Those who are willing to work together, despite their party affiliation, have, according to the 60 Minutes segment, retired, died, were not re-elected or are choosing to resign because the “newer” wave of members aren’t willing to hash it out behind closed doors to make a good, sound decision.  (click here for a brief preview clip of the segment, the full episode is not up on cbs.com yet).

My suggestion: get rid of parties altogether.  State the issue, tell me your stance (for/against/other), and tell me how, in detailed steps, you plan to fix it.  End of story.

People don’t really push against their parties.  They vote with their parties, but what if that decision isn’t what’s best for the public? Staying so fixed without hearing the other side(s) is not the way to do things. It’s stubborn.  Why won’t they listen to each other? Are they being bullied or bribed into their decisions or do they really not care, as long as they get paid? Do they feel they need to vote one way because they are labeled with that party name?  I’m not saying this is true of all politicians, of course; there are some out there who truly want to make good changes for the public. But it’s certainly very easy to see the growing apathy in the United States because people don’t believe the government really cares.

Do you know what resolution was UNANIMOUSLY passed by the Senate on September 12, 2012? One that promotes awareness and prevention of falls among older people. (September 22, 2012, officially called National Falls Prevention Awareness Day) Um, what?! I couldn’t make this up if I tried.  That link goes right to congress.gov. Are you kidding me?  Why do we need a date to let us know old people fall? We pay tax dollars for this?

Where are the decisions and discussions on taxes, education, jobs, immigration?  I’m sorry, but aren’t these more serious national issues than the fact that old people fall?  (The old “Help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” Lifelife Medical Alert commercials have been telling us that for years!)

I’m getting frustrated thinking of the other things I want to write.  Those need a lot more time for me to clearly write my thoughts out, not to mention this would no longer be a brief “rant”.  So with that…

Happy Election Day Eve.

<End of rant.>