June Reading Challenge Updates

Audiobook Challenge~ 11 of 12...I'm off to the library tonight to find that one special book to finish up this challenge. Suggestions anyone?

Be Inspired Challenge~I read Manage your Time to Reduce your Stress by Rita Emmett and am trying earnestly to incorporate her methods into my lifestyle. Often times I am successful, but I was recently promoted and now have a new job and must adjust to a whole new set stressors.

Diversity Rocks Challenge~4 of 6...thinking of reading Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee next...

Read 'n Review Challenge~1 of 12...definitely need to step it up here! I'm going to begin just focusing on getting my initial reaction to the book with a brief summary written and perhaps provide links to other blogs with a more in-depth review for those seeking more.

Series Challenge~3.5 of 4, reading the final book (Extreme Measures) in Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp series. I should be finished this challenge by the end of July.

Support Your Local Library Challenge~24 of 50 read...doing pretty well on this challenge, I'm checking out audiobooks much more often since I am on the road for about 4 hours a day sometimes.

Suspense 'n Thriller Challenge~7 of 12...no surprise here, I love my suspense thriller books!

TBR Challenge~ 3 of 12...and started Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, so on my way to 4 of 12.

Casual Classics~ 1 of 4...read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

eBook Reading Challenge~ started 3 of 10...The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, also Dirty Angels by Christopher Tusa, Everything Twitter from Novice to Expert compiled by Steve Soho and Monica Jones (eBook), both Early Reviewer books received on Library Thing. Since these books are on my cell phone I typically read a bit here and there when I have down time.

Challenges I haven't started yet:

World Citizen Challenge~1/2 of 3...started reading Audacity of Hope, not sure if and when I will finish this book, looking for an interesting replacement.

In Their Shoes Reading Challenge

Mini Challenges~ Technically, I have started this challenge, but I still haven't blogged about the challenges completed yet.

Review~ Memories of my Melancholy Whores

Memories of my Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

To celebrate his 90th birthday, the unnamed narrator decides to go to a brothel so that he can enjoy the evening with a 14 year old virgin prostitute...that concept alone may seem disturbing to some as the basis for a book. Luckily, the author doesn't go into details that would make one too uncomfortable, in fact the focus isn't so much on sexual themes but more on finding love, understanding that unmistakable feeling of longing the one you love, and reflecting on life's accomplishments (or lack thereof). Beautifully written, but brief and to the point. Many questions are left unanswered...it's more like a snapshot rather than a fully fleshed out story. I would have no problem recommending this book to someone, although it's not a book I'd rank in my favorites of this year. I'd give Marquez' book a 3/5.

Other reviews you may like:
The Complete Review
Olduvai

Let me Upgrade U

Out with the Old and In with the New

I use my little Centro for just about everything...to surf the net, take pics and videos, email, listen to music, read eBooks, budget and track spending, sync to Outlook, obtain directions, and to text, talk and Twitter. It's quite banged up right now from constant use and dropping but I'm holding out on my upgrade until the Pre is available.

When it comes to phones, the gadgetier the better. I want a phone that does it all and the Palm Pre sounds like it will come close. It's being compared to the iPhone BUT it has a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a 3.2 MP flash camera. I need a phone with the keypad, ALL touch is too much for me, plus some keypads (like on the iPhone) won't detect your fingers if your nails are too long--it can't sense your heat (?) I was told). In addition to the innovativeness in integration of web apps and the message center the charger to this phone is one of a kind...check out this clip:

How many of you love the go go gadget phones? Is anyone else out there waiting impatiently for the Pre or any other smartphone soon to hit the market? Or, do you just use your phone for the basics...talking and texting?

Library Loot~ Organize this

I picked up several books to help me in my ongoing quest of becoming totally organized and reducing clutter. In the next few months I plan to move and really want to get a better handle on maintaining a clutter free environment, committing to a planned budget, and just managing my life in a more proactive manner.

Manage Your Time to Reduce Your Stress: A Handbook for the Overworked, Overscheduled, and the Overwhelmed by Rita Emmett~ This is not really the book I wanted by this author, but The Procrastinator's Handbook was only available in audiobook. I do like this book because she uses a lot of case studies, offers simple yet effective excercises in each chapter, and has an almost conversational writing style...not too wordy or technical. Topics include controlling stress, trashing perfectionism, reducing and streamlining tasks, setting boundaries, and recharging your battery.

Take Back your Life: Using Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 to get organized and stay organized by Sally McGhee and John Wittry~ I have my Outlook synced to my Centro and use it faithfully to try and stay on track...hopefully this book will provide more methods or tips to improve the system I have in place.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organizing your Life by Georgene Lockwood~ This book's format is appealing...short focused chapters, specific suggestions, and content focusing more on personal organization as opposed to work place organization, which was the focus on the books available at the library.

Orbis Terrarum Challenge 2009

Orbis Terrarum Challenge 2009
Bethany at B & b ex libris is hosting this challenge which is going to be quite an around the world adventure. To make it even more interesting, there are several mini challenges to choose from. One focuses on poetry, another on short stories, and yet another on foreign films (which I just couldn't resist).

Goal: To read 10 different books, written by 10 different authors, from 10 different countries from 3/1/09 to 12/31/09.

I have not completely set up my itinerary for this challenge, but here are a few of the books I will most likely include on my list **Books read from TBR list are in BOLD**:

• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria)
• Memories of my Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
• Malinche by Laura Esquivel (Mexico)
• My Forbidden Face by Latifa (Afghanistan)
• The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber (The Hague, Netherlands/ London, England)
• Queen of the South by Arturo Perez-Reverte (Spain)
• Silk by Alessandro Baricco (Italy)
  

Orbis Terrarum Film Mini-Challenge:

Goal: To watch 10 films, 10 different countries, by 10 different directors in the 10 months. (choose the movies, just like the books....by nation of origin or residence of the director, not where it was filmed or what it was about)
**BOLD indicates movies viewed from my To Be Watched list**

1. Caramel (Sukkar banat) directed by Nadine Labaki (Lebanon)
2. Art of the Devil 2 directed by the Ronin Team (Thailand)
3. City of God directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund (Portugal)
   
4. Ju-On directed by Takashi Shimizu (Japan)
5. I'm A Cyborg directed by Park Chan-Wook (Korea)
6. Let the Right One In directed by Tomas Alfredson (Sweden)
7. Baby's Room directed by Jaume Balaquero and Alex De La Iglesia (Spain)
8. The Devil's Backbone directed by Guillermo del Toro (Mexico)
   

If you all have any suggestions...please pass them along!! My favorite genre of movies are horror and drama, but I also enjoy a hot and steamy romance to slow down the pace.

Moving along like molasses~February updates

Progress on Reading Challenges

Audiobook Challenge~ 3 of 12...I did not finish Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope and chose not to renew it from the library at this time. The first few chapters concentrated heavily on politics, democrats, republicans, and the constitution and was quite a struggle for me to stay focused. So, I needed a break! I'm hoping to borrow The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan when I next visit the library

Be Inspired Challenge~Currently reading Manage your Time to Reduce your Stress by Rita Emmett

Diversity Rocks Challenge~1 of 6...reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Memories of my Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Marquez

Read 'n Review Challenge~1 of 12...definitely need to step it up here! I'm going to begin just focusing on getting my initial reaction to the book with a brief summary written and perhaps provide links to other blogs with a more in-depth review for those seeking more.

Series Challenge~1 of 4, reading Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp series...thought I'd be further along in this challenge, but Executive Power took a lot longer to read than anticipated. Next up--Memorial Day.

Support Your Local Library Challenge~8 of 50 read...doing pretty well on this challenge, just have to catch up on those reviews. 3 additional books checked out--Taking Back your Life, Manage your Time to Reduce your Stress, and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organizing your Life (do ya see a pattern here?)

Suspense 'n Thriller Challenge~2 of 12...reading chapters of Dean Koontz's Watchers here and there.

TBR Challenge~ 1 of 12...finished Executive Power, started Audacity of Hope (to be continued later), working on Fault Line, Watchers and Memorial Day, plan to borrow The Joy Luck Club audiobook.

World Citizen Challenge~1/2 of 3...started reading Audacity of Hope.

Challenges I haven't started yet:

Casual Classics

eBook Reading Challenge

In Their Shoes Reading Challenge

Mini Challenges~ Technically, I have started this challenge, but I haven't blogged about the challenges completed yet.

Kiddie Corner~I Love My Hair

I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0-316-52375-5
32 pages
*1999 Blackboard Children's Book of the Year
*A Black Caucus American Library Association Top Recommended Book

My mom has always exhibited a creative streak. She would create wonderful photo albums covered in bright and colorful fabrics and could turn a Renuzit air freshener into all kinds of cute little dolls to decorate your home. From designing greeting cards to helping me build the best class project, my mom was the best. But what I loved the most was the way she would corn row my hair into the most unique designs. One time she even braided my initials into my hair! And if I was really lucky, she would put long strands of beads on and NOBODY could tell me anything. I'd fling my hair loud and proud, click clacking all day long.

I Love My Hair is book that was very touching to me because it speaks to young African American girls about the beauty of their natural hair. As the mother begins to style the her daughter's hair, the child winces from the tugging of the comb but the mom soothes her daughter by telling her about the wonderful things she can do with her hair. The illustrations are amazing as it shows the daughter's hair being spun like yarn into a puffy bun and parted into rows like seeds in a garden. The daughter's even shown with a string of beads in her hair, skipping down the block and looking happy as can be! One of the cutest illustrations is of the little's girls ponytails transformed into wings whisking her away into the air. What's also touched on in this book is the teasing that sometimes occurs when African American girls wear their hair in a natural style. In the story the little girl's teacher provides positive reassurance about her hair and informs her how some hair styles were a symbol of strength and pride.

I tell you, this book really hits home. My daddy picked my hair out into a big wide Afro just like his and then wanted to walk me to the store and I remember feeling that same feeling, like I didn't want to wear my hair like that. But, he talked to me and I remember feeling so good, especially after we took pictures in one of those little booths with the side curtain...he and I with our 'fros.

The story flows nicely; its a great book for reading aloud. The illustrator captures expressions wonderfully and fancifully intertwines the child's hair with various things. I read this story to my youngest daughter on a Sunday night as I was about to style her hair. She and I both enjoyed this book immensely.