Currently reading.....

I am currently reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens as well as The Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke. Something old and something new. So far I am enjoying both reads.

I finished Chocolat. I will post my review later this week.

Met Joanne Fluke yesterday at a book signing for The Cherry Cheesecake Murder. I am still mortified over what came out of my mouth. Cannot talk about it now. Will post it once I can laugh at myself...

Little People, Big World

This is a new reality show that follows the lives of the Roloffs. The parents are both little people (I felt weird writing "little people" because I did not want to offend anybody, but after some research I found that this is most commonly used & correct term now). They have four children, two of whom are twins. What makes this family so unique is that one of the twins is average-sized while the other is little; the other two children are average-sized.

This show docments their daily routines, their ups and downs, and general family issues. After watching the first couple of episodes, I am addicted. You watch the show and after a while feel like you're right there with them, feeling every emotion, doubt, happiness and occasional stress. Amy, the mom, is amazing. She is such a tender and yet strong mother. All she wants is for her children to be happy. It's too bad that the father, Matt, is out of work. Amy has to work two part-time jobs and, according to the latest episode, has to take on a full-time job as well to support the family. All this on top of raising four children.

If you find yourself home on a Saturday night, then you have to tune in to The Learning Channel to watch this show.

;)

Spicy Love Soup

Last Saturday, I was channel-surfing, enjoying a Saturday without a school deadline, when I came across AZN, or The Asian Network. A movie called Spicy Love Soup had just started, so I put my glasses on and sat back to enjoy the show. I am so glad that I did! This was a great movie! It had English subtitles, but for some strange reason I found myself raising the volume so that I could hear what the characters had to say. Like I really understood them. :)

The plotline revolves around 6 relationships in Beijing. Each relationship is captured in various stages, from chance meetings to break-ups. I loved the story that revolved around a couple who lost their spark and how they go about retrieving it. My husband ventured into the living room when this one was on and soon found himself engrossed with their story. The beginning of the movie was pretty funny, too. It starts with a couple eating and the gentleman finding the soup a bit too spicy. His girlfriend informs him that he has to meet her parents to see if they like him and determine if he is suitable for marriage. The next scene shows him getting ready for the meeting (dressing, etc.) and occasionally clutching his stomach. When he's about to leave, he doubles over and runs to the bathroom. Then...when he meets the parents, they end up going to the samne restaurant and eating the same soup! You just have to see this for yourself. I thought it was hilarious.

I definitely recommed that everyone sees this movie!

By the way, my major as an undergrad was Cultural Anthropology. I looovveee studying culture and human behavior. I especially enjoyed this film because it was made in Beijing by a Chinese director. It gave me the opportunity to view a slice of life that I cannot experience in a textbook. If anyone has any recommendations of indie/foreign films that they have enjoyed, please feel free to share! One that I highly recommend is City of God, based in Brazil. If you have not seen this one, get over to your local video store and rent it. I promise you that you will love it. It's too good to miss!

Project Noway!

Chloe Won???!!!!!!

Chlooooeeee Won??!!!!!

What the...??!!!!!

Oscar night is a-comin' !

Oscar night is right around the corner! I can't wait!

Other shows that I am looking forward to next week:

Flavor of Love Season Finale
Real World/Road Rules The Gauntlet 2
Lost
Grey's Anatomy
Seventh Heaven (the worst show that I can't stop watching!)
Project Runway Season Finale


I'm also looking forward to watching lots of documentaries on the Discovery Channel, TLC, and A&E.

I'm on a break from school and I'm taking full advantage of soaking up the television rays ;)

Dreams....***update****

**********Apparently my husband is a good liar. He told me that he made up the dream to get back at me. He then told me that he never dreams about other women, only me. Yeah, right! He's a real sweetheart, though. Unfortunately for him, my Dream High is back full-force! **************

Dreams

Last night I had a dream with Joaquin Phoenix. Santino from Project Runway was also there. Well, to sum up my dream, I was sitting in the back seat of a car with an old co-worker of mine. Joaquin was driving the car. Apparently, I was making him laugh and that made him like me. He was really cracking up, turning around to look at me. All I was focusing on was his piercing blue eyes.

So this morning I woke up feeling kind of giddy. Dreams can do that for me. If it's a good dream, my day starts off well; a nightmare can leave me befuddled for the day.

My husband and I were in the bathroom getting ready for the workday. While my husband was brushing his teeth and I was combing my hair, I proceeded to recount the details of my dream to him. I had a bit of a smirk on my face because, hey, Joaquin actually liked me in my dream. I was on a "Dream High". So my husband tells me that he had a dream with Beyonce. I thought he was kidding, but after taking a look at the expression on his face, I could tell he was serious. He told me that she was singing to him at his birthday party and danced for him.

Let's just say that after hearing this, my bubble was popped. My "high" just fell down a notch.

Currently reading.....

I am currently reading Chocolat by Joanne Harris, which I am enjoying. I will post a review as soon as I have completed it.

After Chocolat, I think I will finish Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which I was enjoying. I put it down after getting a hand sprain. I have the hardcover version and after reading in bed for many nights, my wrists were in pain. It's a great book but I need to make the time to read it during the day. One time it fell on my face after I fell asleep with my eyes open. Let's just say that the welt that formed on my face was not so pretty. LOL - I still can't believe that happened :) :)

Fruits Basket Volume 9 by Natsuki Takaya

Obsessed. I am obsessed with this series. This may the best thing that you are not reading (given that you haven't discovered furubu yet).

When I first came across this manga, I was turned off. I thought to myself that if they couldn't even bother to correct the title to read "Fruit Baskets", then I did not want to even know what was inside. Curiousity got to me (once again) and I purchased Volume 1 on a whim two summers ago.

I absolutely fell in love with Tohru Honda, who is the main character among a cast of many. She touches your heart like no other. I'm serious about this. Ms. Takaya has developed characters that stay with you long after you finished reading the manga.

Right now, I dread reaching the end. I think that there are 10 more volumes in the series, but I may be wrong.

Ms. Takaya is an amazing mangaka. I find myself reading each frame and then looking at the art, relishing the details in the drawings. The characters are each unique. She has developed their different personalities with each volume. The Sohma clan are possessed by spirits of the Chinese Zodiac (minus Tohru and her two friends). If a member of the opposite sex hugs them, they turn into the Zodiac animal that they represent. I know this sounds silly; it did to me. You just have to read it. Trust me, you will not regret it. There is a reason why this is the most popular manga here in the United States as well as overseas.

I am definitely a furubu maniac!!

Gossip Girl #8: Nothing Can Keep Us Together by Cecily Von Ziegesar

This one wasn't as great as the other books in the series, but it was still very good.

I am addicted to this series and am not ashamed to say it. There is nothing like escaping into a short read about rich Upper East Side teens who have everything at their fingertips and all their blatant antics.

This was a quick and fun read! I recommend it, as well the other books in the series ;)

The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death by Daniel Manus Pinkwater

The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death

* Unfortunately, I could not find artwork for this book

I read this book after a recommendation by Zachary of Invisible Ink. He raved about it, recommending it as a good read when you're in a reading slump. Curious about this, especially because of the title, I borrowed it from the library. I had been stressed out due to a project I was working on for my studies and nothing that I was reading was appealing to me. I was stressed, frustrated, over-whelmed, and frankly, not happy. That night, I pulled the book out, stared at the cover for a while (which had an odd drawing of three teens, making it all the more tempting), and proceeded to read the first chapter. It opens with a 14 year-old boy sitting in class, just spewing forth thoughts on his surroundings. I was hooked.

The premise of the book revolves around "snarking out", which means sneaking out of your house late at night, hanging out, and sneaking back home without getting caught. The characters had it measured to a science.

I really enjoyed this book! I was surprised that I did as it was not something I would normally pick up on my own. There some parts that literally made me laugh out loud, while other parts had me giggling at some of the odd occurrences that showed up frequently. It was a great distraction - it was odd and I could not put it down.

I'm glad that I read it. Sometimes I have to reach out beyond my boundaries to find something that I can truly enjoy. It wasn't pretentious, serious, heart-wrenching, or educational. It was a good read that I will re-visit again. :)