A review of Matt Sewells book, Owls: Our Most Charming Bird

        As a young child, I used to look through my mother's bird book with her. I chose to read Mr. Sewell's owl book partly based on those early experiences, and partly because of a comment I'd made to my husband shortly before discovering the book. "It's funny..." I'd said to my sweetheart. "When the owl craze first started, I thought it was hideous; now I see something with owls on it, and I think, "Look at those cute little owls."" It's scary how being inundated by something can change your opinion over time, without you thinking about it.

        So here I've gone from eagerly awaiting the end of all things owl to reading a book alleging that owls are our most charming bird.

Here are some of my thoughts about this book:

This is not your Mama's bird guide. This book does not contain standard entries for the birds habitat, diet, and gestation. It's more like a cross between an art journal, personal commentary, and random facts. This is not a scholarly book, though that is not to say it is unresearched. If you're already an owl buff, this book is probably funnier to you. Mr. Sewell waxes very poetic, uses hyperbolic and evocative imagery, and throws in a few humorous remarks here and there.

The art is gorgeous. Mr. Sewell's format is a one page illustration, faced by one page of text, sometimes only a paragraph. I loved looking at the pictures, and enjoyed the "Spotting and Jotting" section at the end, where Mr. Sewell provides an illustrated checklist for all the owls in his book. Although, I must say, some of his pictures disappointed me from a learner's standpoint - like how he only drew the head of the Burrowing Owl (p.104) and then talked about the owl's super long legs that make it a great sprinter.

This book is, surprisingly, a good bonding opportunity. My children sat on, or next to, me for an unexpected length of time listening to me read the descriptions and trying to say the scientific names of the owls, while they looked at the pictures.

If you really want to know if you'd like this book, I can show you in one page - two really, since the illustration is a page by itself:

Flammulated Owl, Psiloscops flammeolus

"I was a bit disappointed when I looked up 'flammulated' in the dictionary; it doesn't mean 'flammable feathers,' nor is it a fancy phrase for a forest fire. It just means 'a reddish color,' which, if you ask me, is a bit of a dull moniker for one of the oddest and smallest owls in America - especially when you factor in a coat of feathers as incredible as hers. She looks like a little wet owl who has been rolled in a dusty elixir - a potion concocted from a pinch of leaves from an autumnal, amber forest floor, which are then delicately crushed to a fiery dust and transfused with a handful of sparks, and a bit of eye of newt and toe of frog mixed in for good measure. Magic!" (pp. 68 & 69)

        Did you like it? If you did, you'll like the book. If it was too flowery and didn't contain enough facts and figures to suit your taste, pass. Check out a more scholarly tome from your local library.

        I fall somewhere in the middle, which is why I'm going to give this book 3 out of five feathers. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. Would I buy it? No. Would I check it out from my local library? Probably.

Who should buy this book?

Dentists and Doctors. This would be a great waiting room book for those of us who didn't bring our own reading material, but don't care who broke up with who, or who forgot to put on their makeup this morning. I don't mean this facetiously; if you are a dentist or a doctor, particularly one with long wait times, I actually highly recommend this book.

Avid bird/owl lovers. You'll like the pictures and I'm sure you'll enjoy all the stuff we laymen missed out on.

People shopping for strangers. If I needed a gift for you, dear stranger, I'd consider picking this up. It is beautiful, and not too highly technical, and doesn't scream impersonal, or worse, too personal.

Want to know more about Matt Sewell? Try www.mattsewell.co.uk

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my review. This is my honest opinion about the book.

A Review of Gretchen Rubin's book, Better than Before

               

              When I read Gretchen Rubin’s famous book, The Happiness Project, it changed my life. I don’t even remember most of her points; what I do remember is one of her Rules for herself: Be Gretchen. It means that even if everybody else does something a certain other way, or even if we ourselves have visions of ourselves being something we’re not, we need to know who we are and be true to that identity. Simple stuff, but life-changing. I can now openly admit that I celebrated my fifth anniversary at Wendy’s because I wanted to, and that candlelit dinners are just too dark, and I couldn’t eat in an expensive dress because I’d spill on it – even though I have this image in my head of tuxedos, chandeliers and candlelight.

              

                I also read Happier at Home, but in that case all that lingered with me is the title. I need to be happier at home. Got it. Actually, I felt like most of her book had been lifted from her blog. Which I haven’t ever read, so this might just be me being judgmental.

                

                I’ve been thinking about habits for a long time now. Things I’d like to stop doing, things I’d like to start doing… Everybody has things they’re working on. So when I learned that Mrs. Rubin has written a book about habits, I was immediately interested. And I stayed interested, in spite of a few moments in the book that seemed to go out too long, or be irrelevant, or not fit into the section of the book they were in. I persevered through those brief moments of discord and plowed through.

Here are some of my thoughts about the book:

It’s relevant. Mrs. Rubin herself posits the question, paraphrased, “Why should anybody read this book if there isn’t a blanket solution for everybody?” And her observation is spot on: because we can learn from each other. Reading about the experiences of others gives context to my own, and makes me think about things I wouldn’t necessarily be pondering otherwise.

It’s not new stuff, but it’s valuable. With few exceptions, what you’re reading is information you’ve probably heard before – like tracking yourself, and external accountability. This book is basically a review of the literature, with helpful personal anecdotes thrown in. And that’s the benefit. Someone else, Gretchen Rubin, has tirelessly sifted through the literature and compiled it in an easily digestible format. It’s as though we have a personal assistant we’ve set to researching a topic that interests us, but that we can’t be bothered to take the time to research on our own. Mrs. Rubin also exposes us to the writings of others, such as Samuel Adams and Bertrand Russell, which is a treat in and of itself.

It’s a place to start. Mrs. Rubin’s book is not an action plan. It’s a menu. Here we can pick and choose, try or not try, decide what’s for us. And us is important. That’s been a key point in each of these self-improvement books. That when we understand ourselves we can make choices that ultimately lead us to be happier, better people.

What didn’t I like about this book? Chiefly, that some of the things that were presented as part of knowing yourself seemed like things that ought to have been habits we are striving to change. Such as being a procrastinator, or a night owl. A book of scripture particular to my personal religion (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), the Doctrine and Covenants, says straight out that we need to “cease to be idle… retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invorated.” (D&C 88:124). I also didn't like the occasional profanity, or brief references to sex. I felt they could have been omitted. That being said, please understand that I object to all profanity and casual discussion/mention of sex. This is not a trashy book.

               I don’t always agree with her research, and I don’t always agree with her conclusions, but that doesn’t change the fact that this book has already helped me start my journey to being “better than before.”

I’m giving this book a gold star. 

Want to know more about Gretchen Rubin? http://www.gretchenrubin.com/about/

Want to try before you buy? Read/listen to an excerpt; link on: http://gretchenrubin.com/books/before-after/buy-the-book/

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion about the book.

To the CVS Pharmacy Employee Who Helped Me Get My Misdelivered Package

Dear, ... I don't know. I'm sorry, you told me your name, but I don't hear very well over the phone.

Thank you so much for your help. When I called you and asked you if you could find my package, and make sure the UPS guy could pick it back up, you were so helpful. You had me hold on the line while you located the package and dealt with it immediately. I know you stuck a HUGE note on the box, making sure there would be no confusion.

When my package went astray once more, you tried to do your best to help me figure out where it had gone. You couldn't have, UPS lost it on their truck and I had to drive to pick it up. But you were so polite, helpful, courteous, and concerned. I really felt like you cared about my problem, even though you had nothing to do with the situation. I've never shopped at CVS, but you've given me a better impression of the store, and its caliber of employees.

And I can't tell you how happy I was to get my package. It's a present for my fifteen- month-old. It's a play center shaped like a car, and she loves it so much! Thanks for being a bright spot in a dark day...literally. My power was out and I was sitting in the dark when I called you. God bless you, Sir!

Sincerely,
Karyn

To the person who left the stationary bike by the dumpster:

Dear Sir or Ma'am,

Sorry to have taken so long to post this letter. It's been months and I'm only just now getting to it. I just want to say thank you. I certainly wasn't expecting to find the bike that morning when I took out the trash. Believe it or not, it was actually an answer to prayer. I know the display doesn't work, and the dear thing is on it's last legs, but when I sit down and pedal, the pedals move, and that's all I really need.

I'd been looking for a way to exercise that would be sustainable, and I was praying that the Lord would show me the way. I had actually considered a stationary bike, but rejected all exercise equipment on the grounds that they so often end up disused or storage space. But for the price you offered - free- it didn't matter if I could make a go of it, because if it broke, or I proved unequal to the challenge, I could just put it back where I found it. I hauled it into the house and deliberately exercised for the first time in over a year.

I started out with 15 minutes, and to be honest, I'm still only at 20, but I've increased the tension until I'm finally at settings 13 and 15! I've got to be honest though, it is going to be a long time at 15 before I attempt 30 minutes.

And I am flagging a little bit, I'm missing days more frequently, but I haven't given up yet. Even if I do though, I wanted to be sure to thank you, because you have helped me work toward being a healthier,  fitter person. Thank you for that.

Sincerely,
Karyn

To the mother of the tweenager whom I got into a fight with at Chick-fil-A

Dear Ma'am,

First of all, I'd like to say you handled it well. I appreciate you not calling names or yelling obscenities. Thank you for restricting yourself to asserting that your kids were doing just fine and saying I thought I owned the place.

Second, I'd like to apologize for hurting your daughter's feelings, and ruffling your maternal feathers.

Third, I would like to explain my position. The sign says, "No climbing on the outside of the equipment." This is for safety reasons, and I happen to think it's a pretty darn good rule. Which is why any time my daughters try to climb on it they are setting themselves up for a time-out. I also believe that there is nothing wrong with asking our nation's youth to behave and follow the rules.

There is no really good way to tell someone that they're breaking the rules, and you expect them to stop, but I gave it a try anyways. I kept my tone polite, and I tried to maintain even a modicum of a smile as I asked your daughter and her recruits repeatedly to climb down, even as your daughter ushered them on quietly from the sidelines. In case you're wondering, what I said to your daughter and her little sister that time that broke the camel's back was something like:

"Stop trying to break the rules, you're young ladies- act like it and stop trying to be obnoxious. Yes, I know you're kids. And you get to follow the rules just like everybody else. Act like young ladies. If you keep climbing on the equipment I will ask one of the employees to remove you from the play area."

You and she are probably wondering, "What's the big deal? You aren't the mom, and you aren't the one who'll be responsible for any bills in the event of a medical mishap."

That's true - this time. Can't you see that your beautiful young daughter is one of the "big kids" that little kids, like my girls, watch so carefully? After your daughter and her friends and loved ones set to work I had to warn my daughters repeatedly that they are not permitted to climb on the outside of the equipment. All I asked of your daughter is that she stop setting a poor example for mine.

So I'm sorry that I ruined your trip to Chick-fil-A. Especially on a nasty, wet,  gray, dismal day like today. I hope your next trip there is pleasant and uneventful. And I hope that your daughter refrains from climbing on the play equipment.

Sincerely,
Karyn

To the Person Who Stole My Van

Dear Van Thief,

I wish you hadn't taken my van.

I keep telling myself that I forgive you, and then something comes up, and I realize that I still have hard feelings. Usually this is because I'll be wanting something I left in the van. Whatever prompted you to take a van that messy? Puked on, peed on car seats, dirty clothes, food wrappers, random fruit snacks? Then add all the toys, and left shoes. Mine was a van that was well-loved, but not well-cared for. I'm actually embarrassed that you saw all that mess. I would say, if I'd known you were coming I would have cleaned, but let's be honest, if I'd known you were coming I would have stayed home from church and you'd have stolen someone else's car from the parking lot.

I want you to know that you stole my dream car. People thought I should be excited about getting a new car - yes, the insurance declared it a loss - but Buddy, that was my new dream car. It fit my family just right, came at the right price, a/c that worked great, I even loved the color.

I also want you to know that you caused some financial hardship. You can't just take people's cars and expect them to pop on over to the dealership chuckling indulgently about what a naughty boy (or girl) you've been, and oh, isn't it lucky that we're independently wealthy and can fix this up right away. Even after the insurance payment, what you did caused debt and stress. I've asked myself if you justify your decisions by focusing on your own financial hardships. Buddy, if you're in a tough spot, I'm sorry. I truly am. But your lack of cow didn't entitle you to mine.

I want you to know that you didn't ruin Christmas. I thought for a few minutes you had, taking the van the Sabbath before Christmas like that, but then I realized there wasn't any way for you or anybody else to ruin Christmas, because Christ has already Atoned for our sins (even you taking the van) and made it possible for each of us to return to live with our Father in Heaven. It's already done, and nobody can take that away from us.

I want you to know I sort of forgive you. I say sort of, because I still get pretty irked about the whole thing. There were belongings in there that I miss but don't have the funds or priority to replace. And the next time we go on a road trip, we're not going to have any leg room or personal space - especially the three babies in the back. And if you hadn't done it, we'd have been out of debt much sooner, and had that much more in savings. I say I forgive you, because I have the desire to be a good Christian, and because I want the forgiveness of God extended to me for my shortcomings. I say I forgive you because it's the right thing to do. So until I can learn to truly forgive, I want to offer you my verbal (and written) forgiveness.

And if there were two things I would thank you for, it would be these: 1. Thank you, from the bottom of my soul, for taking the van when we weren't in it. and 2. Thank you for leaving the bike and the girls' new coats when you ditched the van. I didn't have the money to replace them.

Sincerely,
Karyn

Blog Name and Address

Dear Steve, Margarita, and Rohan,

This isn't actually the letter I was planning on starting with, but I think I'll start here anyway.

Steve,
I'm sorry I stole your blog name. I tried for the address as well, which is how I discovered that you exist. I didn't really read much on your blog, but I wish you well in the endeavor.

Margarita,
Sorry about your break-up.

Rohan,
I actually read about 1 and 1/2 of your posts. Your writing style is humorous, and I really see it going two ways: either A) You provide a moment of laughter in the day of someone who could probably use it. or B) Your letters are a bane to working professionals who waste time trying to solve your problem in those little moments before they realized they've been pranked.

To all,

I sat down to start a blog this morning and had to try five times before I could get an address, well, actually six. This reinforces my practice of never fully forming ideas. I just come up with half an idea, say, "I bet somebody else has already thought of this," and I google it. I am seldom wrong. It works especially well on holiday entertaining, dining and decorating ideas.

The very fact that so many of our search queries return relevant results is indicative of the fact that we as a human race are in this boat together. Lots of us want to know how to pull off a bunny diving into a cupcake for Easter dinner. Lots of us want to know when to take our newborn to the doctor with a fever, and how can we tell when a baby that small has an earache? There are so many of us wondering when Disney is going to release Lilo and Stitch the Series on DVD, or start distributing the next season of the Muppets, that we have whole sites dedicated to just talking about it. By the way, I'm waiting for the DVD release of the Muppets Hey, Cinderella! Such a good show.

My husband and I do seem to be sort of alone in waiting for Marblehead Manor to come to DVD. It's such a funny show, how could it fail to make it to season 2? Oh, well. We can't all be the same. Snowflakes, right?

Please don't worry that I'm trying to steal your thunder. I expect this blog to have three readers: two of my sisters, and my husband. We'll make it four, because I expect my mother will read it at least once.

Sincerely,

Karyn