Only Time Will Tell

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book had so much promise. I like the writing style, the tone, and the overlapping timeline from chapter to chapter and from person to person to paint a full picture of how events unfolded. It also gave a well-rounded perspective from all the main characters. I was beginning to care about Harry and Emma.
However, the last 50 pages or so felt rushed. Mr. Archer spent so much time and energy describing the emotion and details of the events in the preceding chapters. The last 5 chapters felt like he just wanted to end the book and start on the next one.
Also, I felt manipulated by the way the book ended. It was worst then seeing the "...to be continued" words on the TV after watching an hour long drama show. I guess Mr. Archer thinks that I've already spent time reading the 400+ words novel, I will seek out the next book. But, I have no inclination to do so. It's not that I don't want to find out what happened, I just don't want to be manipulated into doing so.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Lucky One

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Lucky One satisfied the romantic in me. There's the handsome ex-Marine searching for a beautiful woman. The beautiful lonely woman is fits into the damsel in distress mold pretty well. All in all, it a fun fluffy book that I can easily read and finish in couple of sittings.
And as with other Nicholas Sparks books, it's sappy and a potential tear-jerker. The Lucky One is no exception. So, if you are not expecting a literary masterpiece, but just an entertaining escape, this will be perfect.



[ad#adsense-1]

Bribery not working

My little girl is just couple of months away from her 3rd birthday. She has achieved many of her developmental milestones. However, we still can't check off one thing on the list. Potty Training. She knows what the potty is. She has done #1 and #2 in the potty in the past. But she just doesn't seem to be interested to use it since going there would just interrupt her exciting activities.

So, as any amateur economist would do with incentive problem, is to create a new incentive that can elicit the desired result.  Or, in another word, bribe.   I was determine to bribe my little girl to start using the potty regularly.  The bride I chose is Hershey Kisses.  Desired result is to go to the potty and stop using the diaper.

After 2 days, failure.  I gave her an entire Hershey Kiss early in the morning after she went to the potty.  She can do that one pretty good.  I told her, every time she go pee pee in the potty she gets a chocolate.  As the hours ticked by, I watched her.  She looked like she needs to go.  I told her to go to the potty and if she pees, she gets chocolate.  She just looked at me and said, "no potty, no chocolate."

She would rather give up an entire Hershey Kiss instead of going to the potty.  Well, that was a failure.

[ad#adsense-1]

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Hunger Games definitely lived up to its hype. I finished the book in a couple of days and I wanted to read books #2 and #3. It's has all the right hooks, plot lines, and characters. I enjoyed it because it's just so much fun to read. I was able to turn off my mind and just enjoy the book.
I wouldn't say Ms. Collins took the trouble to really create something entirely new. The idea of end of a civilization, game to the death, love triangle, etc. have been done before in previous books and movies. Granted, these concepts were woven nicely in the Hunger Games.



[ad#adsense-1]

Across Many Mountains: A Tibetan Family's Epic Journey from Oppression to Freedom

Across Many Mountains: A Tibetan Family's Epic Journey from Oppression to Freedom by Yangzom Brauen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Across Many Mountains is enlightening. I was educated about part of the world that was so close to where I came from yet I had no clue about the people and their tragedies. My caricatures of a Tibetan monk, a Tibetan nun, a Tibetan family were shattered after reading this book. The strong female characters were awe-inspiring. Just the thought of taking my little girl across the world's highest mountain range makes my heart ache. And it makes me think if I'm even strong enough of a woman or mother to do it. But, Kunsang, the grandmother, the matriarch, did just that.
This is a book that people in the West should read to learn about the country on top of the world. It is definitely a book for people of the East to learn about how dictatorship and propaganda can destroy a culture and a people.



[ad#adsense-1]

ConEd Outage Visualization

My little neck of the woods.

After Hurricane Irene swept through the New York area, many of my neighbors and I lost power for several days. This is my attempt at graphing the number of households who lost power / regain power over time.

As ConEd stated during the power lost, pretty much everyone regained their power by September 1st.



[ad#adsense-1]

Stealing Mona Lisa: A Mystery

Stealing Mona Lisa: A Mystery by Carson Morton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was happily surprised that how much I enjoyed this book. This period novel built around the events surrounding the theft of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Some of the events and personalities in the novel were directly from the true event. Other characters were made up for artistic enhancements. The author also move other events in that time period to create drama in the novel.
I'm willing to give the author's artistic liberty because the plot works. It was entertaining and still somewhat educational. I didn't know that the Mona Lisa was ever stolen or that there was a great flood in Paris in the early 1900s. "Stealing Mona Lisa" was a entertaining read.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci's Arithmetic Revolution

The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci's Arithmetic Revolution by Keith J. Devlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was definitely an interesting read. At 150 pages, it was just the right length to learn about the man who introduced the Hindu-Arabic number system to the western world. Without his practical instructions, the advances in the western civilization definitely would have been delayed.
This was also a very educational read. I learned many facts about Fibonacci that I didn't know or wouldn't know to ask. Such as Fibonacci is not his real name, it's Leonardo (another talented Italian Leonardo). Or that he's from Pisa (just like Galileo Galilei). Or that this Lenardo didn't invent anything per se, but made a new and difficult concept palatable for the masses. Many of these facts are trivial, but someone who loves random knowledge, it is a worthwhile read.
I wished the book delve more into his famous numbers sequence, but the book is titled The Man of Numbers. I will have to go read up on the Fibonacci sequence in another book.



[ad#adsense-1]

Potty Mouth in Wal-Mart

I blame it all on the Mister.  Four letter words rolls off his tongue much freely when the little girl is around him.  I know he doesn't mean it, but it happened enough times for her to pick up "oh sh*t!".  She even uses it in the right context, such as when things aren't going her way or when she bangs her knee on something.  I subscribe to the concept that if she says it, I won't comment on it and she will eventually forget and will find another way to express her feelings.

But, I still can't get over the hilarious but embarrassing "oh sh*t!" moment in our local Wal-Mart.  The Mister and I took the little girl for an errand run that included trips to Home Depot, A&P, and Wal-Mart.  By the time we got to Wal-Mart, she was pretty mellow but definitely getting tired.  The adults were also getting a bit tired too.  So, we walked in, found the nearest shopping cart, and put her in the child seat, a bit too roughly I guess.  She lets out a louder than normal "Oh Sh*t!".  She's not done.  Before we registered what was happening, she let out at least 3 more " Oh Sh*t!"s.  Each louder than the last.  Oh the looks we got!  I had no clue what to do except to push the cart as fast as I can without calling more attention to ourselves.

Now, our goal is slowly get those words out of her vocabulary.  Her new form of exclamation is "Oh Man!"  I'm hoping that will stick and replace the less acceptable word.

 
[ad#adsense-1]

Iron House

Iron House by John Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm glad that I won John Hart's Iron House and discovered this exciting author and book.
Iron House follows the events surrounding Michael in his search for his brother and the truth. The action and body count starts early and does not stop. John Hart was skillful in weaving different plot lines and creating memorable characters. I was able to create vivid images of all the characters just with Mr. Hart's words. I can practically feel myself walking inside the Iron House and the mansion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a rare book that I can label as a true page turner. Completely entertaining.



[ad#adsense-1]

Miss Alice Merriwether's Long Lost Cakes & Further Arcane Inducements to Wonder

Miss Alice Merriwether's Long Lost Cakes & Further Arcane Inducements to Wonder by Barry Aitchison
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Odd, very strange book. The plot is cute, but it is just such a strange book. I can identify the merit why others enjoy the book. But, my literary taste doesn't fall in line with the strange humor Mr. Aitchison laid out in this book.



[ad#adsense-1]

Sh*t My Dad Says

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book. But I thought I would like it more. I was expecting a laugh out loud kind of book. I didn't laugh out loud. Maybe a little giggle. The stories were fun and entertaining. But, I didn't really get anything out of it other than basic entertainment for a couple of hours.



[ad#adsense-1]

Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Water for Elephants" is a beautifully written book. I was totally immersed in the time period. Felt and smelled the dirty and disgusting environment the main characters experiencing. I haven't seen the movie but hope I went do, I won't be disappointed. Ms. Gruen painted such a vivid and lush story, the movie that played in my head while I was reading the book was immensely enjoyable.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Oak Leaves

The Oak Leaves by Maureen Lang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed "The Oak Leaves". It's a sad premise and story. I enjoyed the smooth transition between the current and the past. The past helped explain the present and gave the story more depth. I think I enjoyed the section of the book that talks about the past. It reminds me of Jane Austen's book.
However, the religious undertone was overwhelming at times. I didn't know it was a religious book, but it worked for the theme.



[ad#adsense-1]

Rules of Betrayal

Rules of Betrayal by Christopher Reich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Rules of Betrayal" is a fun summer read. It is fast-paced and entertaining. Mr. Reich incorporated enough news headlines into his plot line to make the story realistic and believable. The main characters are easy to root for. I look forward to reading the previous installments of the series.



[ad#adsense-1]

French Lessons

French Lessons by Ellen Sussman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"French Lessons" made me want to hop on a plane to Paris and wander the street of the enchanting city just like the characters. This is a lovely book written beautifully. I was fully transformed into the characters and the setting starting on the first page. The six main characters are touching and realistic. Loved the "French Lessons".



[ad#adsense-1]

Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It

Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very interesting theory on why we are getting fact. This book debunk the calorie in calorie out theory. Instead of eating too much or not exercising enough, the thesis proposes that it's the carbohydrates that is making us fat.

I enjoyed the logical progression of Mr. Taubes thesis. Propose a theory, use examples and anecdote to prove or disprove the theory. I was able the follow each step of this logic and understand his logic.

The book is also very fun read, and educational too.



[ad#adsense-1]

Shutter Island

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Shutter Island the book is just like Shutter Island the movie. Since I saw the movie before reading the book, I was over prepared for the plot's twists and turns. Since the movie was an exact representation of the book, there was nothing new that I found in the book. And, throughout my reading, I saw all the actors' faces. The movie took away the need for my imagination while reading the book. Therefore, Shutter Island the book wasn't as enjoyable as if I didn't watch the movie.
The story is still extremely thought provoking. Mr. Lehane did a great job painting the despair and fear felt by the main character on the island house the dangerous mental patients.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Meowmorphosis

The Meowmorphosis by Cook Coleridge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Meowmorphosis is an interesting enough rewrite of Kafka's classic. All the plot points remained intact. I can almost replace the word "kitten" with "insect" and get the original book. This cuter version doesn't have as much impact as the original version. The image of a ugly giant issue living amongst the bland family is more shocking than a cute kitten. However, the cute factor did make me giggle a little while reading it.
The Meowmorphosis is fun. It makes me want to read Kafka's version again.



[ad#adsense-1]

Time Out - Lost in Translation

Supernanny is not going to approve.  The little girl has officially entered her terrible 2'.   Screaming, kicking, yada yada, the usual.  We (I) watched enough of the Supernanny to know, time out is a great way to nib the problem in the bud.  After putting her at the time out corner several times, toddler-tantrum still rares its ugly head.

Now, I tell her, "stop doing XYZ, or you'll go to time out.  Do you want a time out?"  Her answer, "Yes!".  She wants a time out.  Or at least she answers positively to being sent to the "bad girl corner".  So, I comply.  "Bad girl corner" she goes.  Of course, she cries until she had enough.  Just like Supernanny, I go over, gives her a hug and explains to her why she was sent to time out.  She apologizes.  Time out over.

I'm not sure she understands what time out means.  Maybe in her mind, time-out means, I sit at the corner, then mommy give me hugs.  Need to get it in her little thick skull, I sit at the corner because I did something bad.

 
[ad#adsense-1]

These Things Hidden

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How does one define the love for a child, a sibling, a parent? These Things Hidden slowly reveals how that love can be defined by each character. This elegantly written book draws me in from the first page. Each character opened up to me as I went from page to page.
No one is perfect. They all tried to do their best at the situation they are in at the moment. The consequences, however, are not what anyone had planned.
These Things Hidden is beautiful yet haunting. Kudos to Ms. Gudenkauf.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I fell in love with the three main characters. Through their eyes, I saw the difficulty each had to face in their station as women in the segregated world. Their challenges are not only that of race, but also of age. Each had a role in live because of their age, their marital status, and their skin color.
Before reading The Help, I had an inkling of the relations between blacks and white in the South during the Civil Rights movement, mostly from newsreels and history books. Ms. Stockett's characters gave life and meaning to the flickering images and faded photographs that identified that era with vivid impact.



[ad#adsense-1]

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had such high expectations of this book. I enjoyed many other Malcolm Gladwell's books. But, this one, somehow just didn't grab me the way the others did.
I didn't understand the underlying premise of all the stories. I was waiting for a thread that tie them together to support a single thesis. However, as I finished the last page, I still didn't get it.
Separately the stories were interesting. But, to me, they were just thrown together to fill enough pages between the book covers.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Profession

The Profession by Steven Pressfield
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this not too distant future war novel describes what international war and politics will be like. The events are definitely possible and thought-provoking. However, the first half of the book was tough for me to get through. Steven Pressfield was very detailed in including all the weaponry that the main characters were using during their exploits. I think I probably would have gotten just as much out of the story if he used "very big and deathly gun" or "heavy duty war vehicle". Of course, that would waste all of the author's meticulous research.

After working through the first half the of the book, the second half was well worth it. It was fast paced, heart-stopping action. The Profession was enjoyable for a war novice. For weapons' buffs, it would be a lot more fun.



[ad#adsense-1]

Paris, finally.

Paris, was one of those places that I am surprise I didn't get to until now.  London,  Athens, Munich, Vienna, Dublin, Milan, Rome, others.... been there, some more than once.  But, Paris, oh Paris.  I finally made it, thanks to my employer being a global company.  Better yet, all expenses paid.  I didn't have to stay in a hostel and eat street food to save money.  Instead, I stayed in a decent hotel and eat real French/Parisian food.

Paris was everything I imagined and more.  Even though I only have 2-3 hours after work to play tourist, I was able to visit the big sights.   Eifel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc d'Triomph, Champs Elysee, the Louvre, the Seine, and the Food (it's an attraction in itself).  All the majesty, immensity, and beauty.  I was awed.  I think the last time I was speechless at a touristy site was at the Parthenon in Athens.

I'm so happy that I finally made it to Paris.  One thing I wish tho was that my little baby girl and the Mister were there with me.  One day, soon, I will introduce my little girl to the amazement that is Paris.

 
[ad#adsense-1]

The Corruptible

The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Corruptible was an enjoyable book. The main protagonist, Ray Quinn, and the rest of the characters are believable enough. But, the book reads like an extended episode of CSI. The first half of the book is meant to build up the characters and the crime scenes. The second half is for the readers to try to figure out "who dunit" before the pages reveal who the bad guys are. Fun summer read, not a life-changing tome.



[ad#adsense-1]

The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for books with dogs, especially dogs that think and comment on the events around them. And "The Art of Racing in the Rain" has everything I want from a book; dogs, cars, humor, sadness, and wisdom.

The readers are observing the lives of Enzo the dog's humans through Enzo's eyes. He watches the lives of his family through its ups and downs. I felt the happiness Enzo felt. I endured the sadness that he endured. The frustration of not being able to truly communicate with the humans in his life emanated from the pages of the book. I was experiencing everything with Enzo through Mr. Stein's words.

I laughed. I cried. Yup, I'm a sucker for books with dogs.



[ad#adsense-1]

Of Tapestry, Time and Tears

Of Tapestry, Time and Tears by Carol Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The 700+ page book looked daunting at first. However, I was enthralled from the first page. All the characters were realistic, especially the main protagonist, Edwina Kleberg. Ms. Morgan artfully weaved Edwina's trials and tribulations into the events of the the twentieth century, especially those of India. I was able to experience the entire range of feelings while reading Of Tapestry, Time and Tears. I felt like I lived Edwina's life when I finished the last page.

There were some proofreading errors in my copy of the book. I think that was just some oversight in the advanced copy. Somehow, these errors made the story more real. They made me feel like I was reading a real person's manuscript, that I was allowed to looked into her private life.


[ad#adsense-1]

Idiot America

Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free by Charles P. Pierce

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When I saw the title and read the book description, I had high hope that it will demonstrate the general decline of the American intelligence. But, the book barely had enough logic linking one chapter to another. The author used James Madison as the vehicle to link one American idiocy to another. I guess I'm not familiar enough with President Madison to understand why he was a good choice for the author. Also, Mr. Pierce made many references in his dissertation that I didn't understand. Maybe I am another indicator of the decline of America.

[ad#adsense-1]

Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a book that solidifies the reason I enjoy historical fictions. I learn about events that are normally not written or discussed in the typical history classes. And the lessons are surrounded by characters that I truly cared about. Lisa See painted beautiful pictures of Shanghai pre-WWII and the stark reality of what Chinese-Americans encountered when arriving in a new promising country (Gold Mountain).

The story reminded me of Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club because the setting shares the similar time period in Chinese history. The main characters are women who have to overcome adversity. But, Lisa See's book has unique enough storyline to make it a worthwhile read.


[ad#adsense-1]

Pottie Training - Nah

There are certain milestones that every child will reach; solid foods, first word, first steps, saying bye-bye to diapers. My little girl is at the stage where pottie training is the next milestone on the agenda. So far, she still prefer the Pampers. She knows what a toilet is. She tells me that "brown poop going down there". But, she's not using it.

I don't blame her, it's me. I'm not very enthusiastic about getting her pottie trained. I kinda like the convenience of the diaper. Case in point. Our little family took a long weekend trip to Washington DC. The drive was about 5 hours each way. We only had to stop once because I needed to go to the bathroom. My girl was content sitting in her seat looking at the passing scenery or playing with her iPhone. We didn't have to succumb to her nature-call requests. And, on our hours long tours of the museums and monuments in DC, we didn't have to hunt for bathrooms or worry that she will wet herself. It is just so easy.

I know, I know. She and I will have to transition out of the diaper. I am not in too much of a rush. I promise that she will not be wearing a diaper when she starts high school.

[ad#adsense-1]

The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dan Brown does not disappoint. The Lost Symbol is another fun romp. It's not as revolutionary in concept as The Da Vinci Code. But, Robert Landon's character is familiar and does a good job in introducing more hidden Masonic symbols in the nation's capitol. The rest of the characters are believable enough to keep me turning to the next page.

However, there are some plot holes and technical inconsistencies. I might be a bit of a stickler when it comes to simple function of everyday tools. I can accept the idea of Noetic science. But I can't accept the fact that if one cell phone identifies a call via caller. Then, few pages down, the same cell phone could not call back to the same caller.


[ad#adsense-1]

Big Girl Bed

My little girl is not so little anymore. Granted, she's still only 2 and some months, but she has graduated out of her crib. Instead of putting her in a toddler bed, I went ahead and got her a full sized bed. She is tiny compared to the adult-sized bed. Her small body is lost in the pile of pillows and down blanket.

I anticipated difficulty, revolt, nighttime wandering. Instead, she love her bed from day one. She's fully aware that it is her bed, her space. I'm pretty sure she's aware that a bed without bars is a sign that she's not a baby anymore.

I now give her a good night kisses without having to bend over crib railings. She says good night to me and tells me bye-bye to leave her room. She wants to spend alone time on her bed by herself. Looking at her in her own space just shocks me into recognizing how fast my little nugget is growing. Less than 2 years ago, she was barely wiggling on her tummy. Now? Now I have to let her be her own person. Too soon.

[ad#adsense-1]

The Sweet Relief of Missing Children

The Sweet Relief of Missing Children by Sarah Braunstein

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm still deciding if I really like the book or annoyed by it. What I like about it is the raw look at being passive and not doing anything. We are all told that children can be anyone and everyone. But, in real life, usually nothing happens. Children grow up. We all become adults with pedestrian lives. Many don't become astronauts, doctors, or Indian chiefs. We all go through our lives passively.

However, I'm annoyed by the transition between characters and time. I devoted too much of my intellectual capacity trying to remember and decipher the characters and how they are related. And the non-linear time progression from one chapter to another taxed my patience. I wished for more linear and simple transition from character to character and chapter to chapter.


[ad#adsense-1]

Feed

Feed by M.T. Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A new take on future dystopia where we are "targeted" by corporations and we can't go offline. I like the premise that we are constantly bombarded with messages, banners, and information. Not too far off from the current state of things where we are constantly checking Facebook status, Groupon deals, etc. The plot itself was fine using teenagers to guide the readers through this new world. But, I wish the book dwell deeper into the ramification of being connected and controlled by some unknown corporate/marketing entity.

[ad#adsense-1]

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm definitely not the right audience or demographic for this book. Granted, there were several funny parts where I laughed out loud because I do enjoy the occasional potty humor. Other than that, I felt like I was reading someone's boastful diary. However, what make it worst for me was, knowing that all these stories are suppose to be true. I'm just glad that my world didn't and will not intersect with the worlds that belong to the author and his friends.

[ad#adsense-1]

Tech Toys, I Love Them

I have to confess, I love gadgets. It's a different type of love than what I have for my little girl and the Mister. Gadget love is not reciprocal but, I know it's love. I go to bed with one. I can't leave the house without one. Most of the time, I even have one with me in the bathroom. The only place that I'm not attached to some kind of gadget would be in the shower. That will change whenever things are are water proof.

Some examples of the technologies and gadgets I love:

Kindle: Ever since the Kindle and the Kindle app came along, I've read more books in the last year then the 5 years before that. The simplicity and the portability of having something so easy to use.

iPad: I do everything on this little awesome invention. I read, I watch TV, movies, photos, communicate, what do I not do with it? Not much. This is the little electronic lover that I bring with me to bed, the train, the bus, and the toilet.

HTC Aria: That's correct, not an iPhone. It's the Android platform. The phone itself is just more compact and a bit more geek. The Android platform has simpler multi-tasking. I suspect my beloved iPad will have a challenger soon.

Another of my new love is the OverDrive app. It's an app that hooks up with many public libraries. I can use it to read, checkout ebooks from my local library. It's saving me quite a bit of money.

And I just connected a wireless keyboard to the iPad via bluetooth. Now, I can type as fast as I want and not worry about getting good with touch typing. And, I get the entire iPad screen back.

Gadgets, I love you.

[ad#adsense-1]

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir by Elizabeth McCracken

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I laughed while reading this. Yes. I laughed out loud while reading a book about someone's miscarriage. I'm not a cold-hearted uncaring person. But, Ms. McCracken's recount of her sad loss includes the ups and downs of a pregnancy in an alien land, rural French countryside. The great anticipation and the unconditional love an expectant mother felt are clearly captured. However, I was anxious while reading the book because there was no surprise that the most heartbreaking end will come.

I'm sure mothers everywhere worried about their unborn child during those nine long months. For me, the thought "what if I did this, it could harm her like that...." An Exact Replica extend that worry to the umpteenth level. Ms. McCracken continued to ask herself, "did I do this, and my baby died." Where can one go from there? Ms. McCracken laid out how she's coping in this funny sad book.

[ad#adsense-1]

Cinderella Ate My Daughter

Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture by Peggy Orenstein

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cinderella Ate My Daughter confirms everything that I believe in. As a worried mother who's raising a little girl in the current commercialized and sexualized environment, it is nice to have an authoritative figure putting all my concerns on paper. But, Ms. Orenstein didn't give any 'how to' suggestions to prevent the ills of the current society. I don't think it's her intention with this book anyway.

I do appreciate all the research Ms. Orenstein put into this book. The efforts and details that guided her inner conversation throughout the book also registered in my own inner discussion.

[ad#adsense-1]

I was a Bad Patient

This is my open letter to the Mister.  "I'm sorry.  I was a terrible patient"

Let me explain why I needed to apologize.   I recently had to undergo oral surgery.  On the scale of 1 - 10 (1 being a paper cut, 10 being a triple bypass) my oral surgery fell around a 5 in my opinion.  I was anaesthetized without needles, just some powder under the tongue.   That was cool.  But it gave me a false sense of lucidity during that time.  (Note to self for next time, do not update Facebook while going under).

Anyway, the Mister had to drive me there, wait around for a few hours, drive me home, put me to bed, help me to the bathroom, pick up my prescription, and take care of whatever I needed while I sleep of the anaesthesia.   During my hours of sleeping, half waking, half mumbling, one of the Mister's duties was make sure I take my med according to schedule.

Of course, I had to be difficult.  Not that I meant to be.  But, in my semi-state of consciousness, I wanted to know what kind of drugs the Mister was giving me.  I wasn't satisfy with his answer "this is what the doctor prescribed."  I wanted to know what it was for, why was I taking it, what was it going to do to me.  Everything someone who was not a doctor or a pharmacist would have no clue.  I did remember the Mister taking out his iPhone to look things up.  Oh, I'm sorry I made him do that.  What's worst, I threw a paper bag with the prescription across the room.  My tantrum at that time matched anything my little girl can muster.   The Mister had the wisdom to walk out and let me sleep it off/pass out.  He did come back later and I did take the meds as I'm suppose to.

In my defense, even in my most lucid state, I hate drugs.  I don't take aspirin or cold medicine or anything that I believe to only mask the symptoms.

In any case.  E: thanks for being patient with me, even though I was such a bad patient myself.

[ad#adsense-1]

Labyrinth

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I truly enjoyed Ms. Mosse's Labyrinth. Books with strong female leads are hard to find, but this one had two. Their strength and wit guided the plot along nicely even though the plots are set in two very different historical time periods. They are characters that you can fall in love and root for.

While reading the Labyrinth, I found myself digging through Google maps and Wikipedia to find more information about the time period and location that were described in the book. I'm glad to find the geographic locations, structural descriptions, battles involved in the book were real and exact. Ms. Mosse definitely did her research. Kudos.

[ad#adsense-1]

Are Computers "Blue"?

I just started reading Peggy Orenstein's book, "Cinderella Ate My Daughter". One of the topics she discussed was gender specific toys. Or that boys and girls gravitate toward different types of toys. Boys play with trucks and balls. Girls like dolls and pretend kitchens. My little girl is still too young to gravitate toward any gender specific toys. I'm still the gate-keeper of what toys end up in her toy box.

While reading the book, I remembered a peculiar incidence couple of months back. Several of my fellow agency folks and I volunteered to take a group of 4th graders to the Museum of Moving Image in Queens. We had to wait around for nearly an hour for the pizza that we promised them.  During that time, we had the chance to interact with them. They were attending a charter school so they all seemed like very bright and well-educated kids. The boys and girls were keen to show us their new books and pencils they bought at the school book sale.

However, I noticed something during their free play in the classroom. There was a table with several nice iMacs. A group of heads huddled around the computers watching and commenting on the couple of other heads playing with the computers. One computer had a puzzle game. The other one had Google searches flashing by. When I looked closer, all the heads belonged to boys. There was not one girl in the group. I turned and asked some of the girls flipping through their new books, why are they not playing with the computers? They said, they don't like computers.

Wow, they are self selecting and denying a tool that is integral to their future lives. Why?  How?  At what age did this happened? That just made me sad for my gender.

[ad#adsense-1]

Ei Yuv Vu

That's my little girl's version of "I love you".

She's a 28 month old genius (that's what the Mister and I believe).  She can recite the entire alphabet, can count up to 30 without help, her current favorite number is 100.  She can say 'chocoloate please' (chocolat prease), 'thank you' (sank you), 'cat' (in both English and Chinese), 'daddy's cell phone', 'bowling movie' (bowling moosie, aka "King Pin"), among other phrases.

So, I started teaching her to say the three little words that mommies everywhere can't wait to hear, "I LOVE YOU".  I cuddled her close, looked straight into her sparkling eyes and said in my most sing-song voice, "say 'I Love You, Mommy'".  She looked right back into my eyes with a hint of mischief and said "Ei yuv vu, Mommy".  "No no", I said.  "I LOVE YOU".  Making sure that I ennuciated every word and making sure no hint of chinglish leaked through.  Again.  "Ei yuv vu", she replied.

Hmm..., I thought, how can she have difficulty making the sounds "I Love You"?  She was able to say "Jupiter" and "trapezoid" after hearing those words a few times.

Again I looked into her now smiling eyes.  "Honey, say 'I Love You'".  She stared right back at me with more mischief, "Ei yuv vu".  Wiggled free of my hug and ran off.

I turned to the Mister: "I think she's messing with me.  I think she knows that I want to hear it and she is refusing to say it correctly."

Can this 28 month old be so devious and cunning?  I guess.  She is our little genius.

[ad#adsense-1]

Say No to Valentine!

It's that time of the year.  Everywhere I turn, I see red and pink.  Hallmark telling me to send a card.  Party Stores tell to through a party.  Dunkin' Donuts is hawking pink heart-shaped fried fat doughs

The Mister is not allowed to buy anything for Valentines Day.  The little one is still too young to know the difference between one day to another.  So I don't have to worry about her.

There are many many blogs and articles talking about why a specific day set apart for love is a dangerous and insincere.  Me?  I look at it from the point of a amature economist or a frugal mom (same difference).

Roses - those things cost too much on normal days.  On this commercial driven day, they cost double to triple the price.  It's not worth it.  There's no added value from one day to another.

Chocolates - I love chocolates, I love chocolates that are market-priced on a normal transparent market.  Not in a bubble market created by bunch of forgetful husbands/boyfriends who think they need to make up for not appreciating their wives/girlfriends on the 364 days of the year.

Jewerly - Don't get me started on the whole scam that is diamond.  I don't see the point of these decorative baubles.  They don't keep me warm.  They don't fill my empty stomach.  They don't put the roof over my head.  Don't need them.

If we are going to spend money on stuff.  I want those stuff to have value or create value.  Books, educational toys, or even simply, save the money for something that truely has value down the line.

[ad#adsense-1]

I'm someone's Mom!

I know I'm a mom.  My little girl is over 2 years old.  But, it dawned on me again in the last few days, that I'm someone's mother.  Animal mothers on the nature shows always sacrifice to protect their offspring.  They hunt, they kill, they starve just so their little ones are fed, protected, and thrive.

Since I'm a human mother living in the suburbs surrounded by SUVs and supermarkets, I don't have to hunt, kill, or starve to make sure my offspring is nourished.  Still, I felt what it meant to be a mother animal.

One day, I was sharing a chicken noodle soup from a can with my girl.  There are limited pieces of chickens and carrots (the good stuff).  She loves the chicken and the carrots.  The noodles, not so much.  So, I picked out all the chicken and the carrots for her.  I ended up with just the noodle and soup.

On pizza night, I give up the sausage and pepperoni because she loves those.  Instead of a pizza with the works, I get plain pizza after she picks out all the meat.

These are just little things compared to taking down a gazelle.  But, now it's chicken and sausages.  Later, what else?  However, I gladly do this and any other sacrifices I have to make, because I love my little girl.

[ad#adsense-1]

No "Pink" Please

"Pink" is not just the color. I have no beef with the color pink. It's the state of mind that pink represents. At least the state of mind of putting my little girl in frilly dresses and insisting that she must act like a little girl, whatever that is. I won't do it.

When I was pregnant and was pretty sure that I was having a girl, people told me "it's gonna be great to have a girl, you can dress her up in pretty dresses." It's their perogative to put their little girls in whatever pink lacy dresses with pink bows in their non-existent hair. Me? No thanks. My little girl wears whatever outfit that's on top of the dresser draw that still fits. Most of them are hand-me-downs from wonderful cousins and aunts.

Another "Pink" problem I have are toys. Toys for girls are not just pink, they are generally misogynistic. Take a stroll down the girl toys section of the local Walmart, you'll find pink baby dolls, pink Barbies/Bratz with unrealistic physiques, pink pretend kitchens, pink handbags with makeup kits, and pink pretend princess dresses. Where are the pretend toys for doctors, engineers, race car drivers, and super heroes? In the boys aisles.

Many blame the entire Pink-washing on evil advertising execs and mass marketing schemes. But, as an advertiser/marketing industry grunt, I also know, if the dollars from the consumers don't flow toward "Pink", "Pink" will go away. Normal consumers still have the ultimate power, our wallets.

[ad#adsense-1]

When I was your age.....

Okay, I'm not really that old to be allow to say that. As a working mom, living in the 'burbs, on the downside of the 30-something mountain, there are things that I use to do, but don't anymore. See, I work in a big NYC ad agency. The average age of the people sitting around my cubicle is probably 26. I overhear things. These things bring up memories, and my inside voice starts to say "When I was your age...."

1 - Bars
Then: I remember hitting a new bar every night after work. My goal was be a regular in my local watering hole and have at least one drink in a bar south of Union Square. I think I did that. I don't really remember. Side effect of drinking too much??
Now: I don't remember the last time I step foot in a bar. (more side effects??) Honestly, the last time I was in a bar was for dinner at the local bar and grill.

2 - Dating
Then: I had a healthy dating life. Had my share of heartaches and broken my share of hearts. Also had a goal of dating someone from every country Western Hemisphere. I think I got 3 or 4 down. Oh well.
Now: The Mister, end of story. He's of Russian decent and from Long Island. Maybe I can count that as 2 countries.

3 - Traveling
Then: Loading 5 friends in a rental mini-van, driving straight to Vail for a 5-day snowboarding trip. Piling 20+ people into a rental house in Lake Placid for Thanksgiving Ski Trip. Flying to London on a whim to crash at a friend's flat for New Years Eve. Trekking solo from Milan to Samos (small Greek island) for a week-long sailing trip.
Now: Vacation? what vacation? Flying with a baby and everything that goes with it?? You must be joking. Taking the baby and the in-laws to a beach rental in Maine for a week is closest thing to a vacation in the last 2 years.

4 - Living arrangements
Then: Lucky to not have to deal with roommates. But had a Manhattan apartment the size of a closet. Only used it for sleeping and cleaning up.
Now: Mortgage, property taxes, school quality, resell value, fancy kitchen, keeping up with the Joneses. At least I can fit 2 of my old apartments in my kitchen now.

All you city-dwelling young'ens. Enjoy your twenties coz your thirties will catch up with you. Your baby will guide your decisions, not just you.


[ad#adsense-1]

What was I Listening to?

So, I created a late '80s early 90's hair band Pandora station (love technology). Now I can listen to the music I grew up with any time I want. No more tapes. No more waiting. I am shocked and aghast at the lyrics of those songs. I was barely into my teens when my friends and I screamed along at the top of our lungs. It never occurred to me at the time to really listen to what these hair bands were singing about. Now, I'm much older and finally got around to really listen. Whoa!!! Warrant's "Cherry Pie", Bulletboys' "Smooth Up" (in ya), and Winger's "17"? Don't need to be a genius to know what those songs were about.

My mom didn't speak much English then, and she worked 10+ hours days to put food on the table. Screening what I was listening to probably wasn't high on her priority list.

Now, I'm the mom of a little girl, I will have to assume the role of censor. Granted, my little girl is only 2. Her song list consists of Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle, and ABC. But, it won't be long until she graduates to something a bit more mature. Am I prepared? What will I do? What will I say?

[ad#adsense-1]

Marketer Marketed

Gillette, kudos to you!  Yes, I remember from grad school marketing class, Gillette is one of the kings of marketing. But, i still give props when it’s deserved.I’m one of those women who needs to use razors but the last time I bought new ones for myself was probably in the early 2000. Not that I don’t need new ones more often, my stubbly legs would attest to that fact that I should change the near rusted razors more often. But I also know that Schick and Gillette make their money from selling the razor handles cheap and charging gazillion for the razors. Not buying new ones is my misguided way of “sticking it to the Man”.

I’ve been using Schicks’ brand razor that I think has been discontinued. It’s the one with tiny wires over the blades so that klutzes like me don’t slice our legs up and bleed to death. But, about a month ago, I ordered something from drugstore.com, and it came with a free Gillette Venus Breeze. Its one of those 2 in one things. The shave lotion is built into the razor itself.  No fuss no muss.  After using it for a month, the lotion part is gone and the blade is pretty dull.   Instead of going back to my old trusty rusty Schick, i went in search for replacement cartridges for the Breeze.  And I somewhat willingly paid $11 for a pack of 4 cartridges.  Gillette, you got me.  Too bad I’m not going to be in your high-revenue generating category of consumer.

[ad#adsense-1]

Saturday Morning Cartoons

I'm way past that age.  I would rather sleep in on Saturday mornings than get up to watch cartoons.  Nowadays, I don't really have a choice.  The kiddo wakes up, I get up.  But, when I look at her, I ponder, will she ever have that anticipation every Saturday morning?  I remember when I was a kid, Saturday morning was a snow day every week.  1 - No school, 2 - cartoons.

I still remember the Smurfs are from 9-10, Pac Man, Snorks, Scooby Doo, Bugs Bunny, and whatever the 5 network channels had to offer.  By 12 noon, cartoons are done and it's time to get back to the real world.  And the anticipation and gratification will begin again after the last class on Friday afternoon.  People in my age group still fondly talk about their Saturday Morning Cartoons experiences.

My little girl probably never will.  Now, she gets all her cartoon fix from her iPhone/Youtube anytime, any day.  There's no waiting for NBC to decide to put the Smurfs on at 9AM on Saturday.  There's no sitting through commercials.  Or knowing that at 12 noon, there will be no more cartoons.  She also will not sit around the kitchen table with other 30-something friends reminiscing about those many hours vegging in front of the TV with only 5 channels that you have to get off the floor to change.

Other things that she won't reminisce about:

• 1st album (those big round plastic things) she bought with her own money


• 1st tape she bought and played in the car


• 1st CD she got (CD was the awesomest thing, until iPod, iPhone, mp3, etc.)

She might reminisce with her friends about:

• The 1st silicon chip she bought and embedded into herself for easy communication.


• The 1st true immersive hologram experience (a real Holodeck)

[ad#adsense-1]

Energy draining

Why do I do this to myself? It's one of those things that I, probably many women, do to ourselves. It's nothing dramatic or harmful, but this hobby of mine definitely draining. It's not like I have much energy to drain after working in an office, commuting to said office, and spending time with my little girl. What am I talking about? Sad and sappy books.

Yes, books. I read religiously on my daily 45 minute train ride into NY. So I get through quite many books for someone who has a full-time job and an active toddler.  Instead of picking out fun entertaining book, I pick intense fares like Emma Donoghue's Room: A Novel.  I'm not going to reveal much about the book, but for a new mom with a young child, the book is chilling and scary.   Now I'm onto Nicholas Spark's Dear John.  It will probably end well, but it's definitely a tear jerker.  Granted, I haven't cried on the train yet, but there been times that I came very close.

Maybe the next one will be something light and fluffy.  I hear Snooki is a published author now.

[ad#adsense-1]